Some time long, long ago.
Delicate locks of cocoa mousse brushed past his fingers in rolling waves as he weaved them together in a braid. And despite his previous resistance towards the idea, he had to admit there was a mild sense of leisurely enjoyment whenever it was just the two of them together. The little lady and him were out sitting in the field behind the manor, enjoying the cool breeze and toasty sun on their skin. She sat between his legs, facing away from him so he had access to her hair while she crafted hand made rosaries from the dried wheat stalks around them. He couldn't see her face but from the light grip her baby fingers had on the leg of his trousers, he knew she was already lost in her own world.
"Your hair is getting pretty long. Maybe it's time we cut it." It was true, her hair was quite long. Past her hips in fact, and well on its way to getting its own folk tale if she didn't cut the damn thing. Not implying that it was a mop of a mess, but more times than not has he stepped on her hair in passing because of how it pooled on the ground whenever she sat on the floor. Her painful screams gave him a heart attack every time it happened and even though he was the offender, he couldn't help but think she was too bull-headed to understand why it wasn't the healthiest decision to keep her hair that long. Her hair could be a real nuisance at times, but on good days it was one of the most charming traits the little Missus had. It was like a river of melted chocolate flowing past the mountains of her dressy shoulders. The brunette Rapunzel.
"Eh – why? I like it this way." The little girl protested from her seat, ruffling the tool of her skirt into the dirt below. Her pouffe white dress was probably stained with a cinnamon hue from the loose dirt they were sitting in. And no doubt would big brother come knocking at his door with a flew colorful choice words he refused to mention in front of the Missus.
The back area of the manor was still covered in fields of healthy golden wheat from harvest season, but the convection of the fall winds was slowly stealing away their vivid glow."Do I really have to?" She asked again.
"I'm getting kinda sick of braiding your hair every time you want to go out and play." He snorted.
"But your hair is longer than mine!"
"I can tie my own hair. Where as your stubby short arms, can't even dream to reach the top of your head. "The little lady tested his theory and humphed at his truth.
She turned around to survey his work, and hummed at his impressive skills."See you're almost done. Just a little more and you'll reach the ends. Then you can use this to tie the knot." A small length of leather cord was presented to him before she turned back to her original position. The older male released a contempt sigh but nevertheless continued his work. Highlights ranging from golden brown to mahogany spice weaved together to make up her virgin hair, and he was vaguely reminded of the masala chai he drank several days ago during his travels to India. He missed its spicy richness, but its taste would not be well accepted here, yet. If only England had the same flavor palette as their occupied brethren.
"I would ask Haise to come and do it, but he went into town and won't be back until sundown."
"He probably left on purpose, that bastard." He grumbled.
The sun was high in the sky but the Anglo-breeze that passed over this part of England always ran warm with the bright sun. And around this time, he would listen to the Missus's soft lullabies that apparently all of the manor's five acre back field had to lie audience to in order for a healthy harvest year. But it all hardly mattered, because even if heavy rains or strong winds blew their crops all the way to Timbuktu, Katerina could –
"He would never do something like that, you jobless vagrant!" A hard skull made contact with his square jaw, flinging his head back, slapping his mouth closed and sinking his bottom shiners into his unsuspecting tongue. Droplets of crocodile tears readied themselves in the corners of the Missus's eyes while her pewter orbs were filled to the brim with angry tears. There was plenty of room in hell for people who made beauties like her cry, and he'd just earned himself a one way ticket.
Her body began to shake like a leaf and not from her own cross demeanor, but because of the peeved off gentleman she was holding. A single gloved hand came up and clenched his face in pain while the other gripped the grass underneath their bums as if holding back the urge to throttle the little girl like one of her dolls.
Silence fell around them and the Missus twisted her body to watch the ornery male. He bowed his head in agony while he massaged the angry skin around his jaw line as the defeated expression on his handsome face did away with the rest of his remaining dignity. The little Missus stared at the male with a watchful eye. Her anger had diminished to its original condition and now she was curiously watching the man who out of the blue decided to visit her after a month's time away. Was his joke alluding to some kind of underline meaning behind the reason of his prolonged leave?
Was it because of her?
"You look older than last time." She touched his raven hair. It was just as shiny and soft as hers, but much more aged. "You said that you wouldn't grow any more until I caught up to you." A ghostly breeze past their way, blowing her hair around their faces and the end tickled his face like hundreds of butterfly kisses. And all the while she spoke, her petite hands caressed his face like a precious artifact – investigating all the curves and grooves that formed his dapper mug. And secretly, trying to unravel the reasons for his secrecy. "You said you'd wait for me."
Two small fingers squeezed his pointed nose as retribution for his insolence. And like a sorry cash register, his injured tongue poked out of its home as comedic repentance."Worried?" He mused, but once he acquired how serious she was, an exhausted smile painted his face and the sparkle in his eyes dimmed just a little.
"I had some business out of the country. Meeting people, keeping them in line – the same old stuff. Nothing to be worried about."
"Were they good people?" She asked curiously.
"The absolute best."
"Was it under the pretense of the Millennium Earl?" She questioned, seeming ten times older than she really was. The Missus was turning eight this year, a dotting young child, far from an adult, so whenever she spoke in a vernacular that was far beyond her physical form it always threw him off. He was surprised, forgetting for a moment who she really was under that form. "Did you hurt them."
"Yeah." He spoke bluntly.
"Why?"
"...Because when you've lived as long as I have, you learn there's always enough time to hold a grudge."
Present Day, Kuwait City
"Three silver coins, Miss."
The large nosed fruit vendor snorted awfully loud while he bagged several scoops of dried dates as per her request. It was rush hour time in the open market district and the streets were crowded with people looking for fresh ingredients to start their day, and thankfully she was at her last stop in gathering resources for the rest of their stay in the city. She suspected their visit would last another month until they moved on to their next assignment in Romania. Officially, it'd been three months since they had left the Middle Eastern Branch for their mission, and everyday she's been learning more about the culture and society of every country they've been to. And to her, so far its been an amazing journey meeting new people and visiting interesting places – so long as she didn't think about the main purpose of their expedition.
Another customer had rounded the fruit stand by the time she and the vendor had finished their exchange. The aging man was far from retirement but he still treated everyday like it was his last. And she admired that kind of ambition especially when it came in the form of self betterment.
"Shukran jazīlan, sir." She bowed and thanked him before setting off with her belongings to meet her partner.
Katerina watched a school of kids run past her like a nest of young chicks. The school system here in Kuwait was almost nonexistent, so many of the native children spent their time working in their family businesses and playing with their friends – or in this case sneaking off to the forbidden ruins in the outskirts of town. The market was so lively in the morning, and she loved the smell of incense and spices that always permeated the air. The Middle East had a special place in her heart, and even though she wasn't native to this land, she couldn't help but miss the place whenever she traveled to far off distances. She may not have Middle Eastern blood in her, but when it came to where her true home was – her heart would always be here.
As of four days ago, she and her partner had come to Kuwait in search of innocence accommodators due to the rapidly declining numbers of Exorcists working within the Order. It wasn't anything new to her but the tricky part of living in the Middle East was that around ever street corner there was some kind of urban folk tale that vaguely fit the profile of either an akuma infestation or a rogue innocence. Therefore, instances like false tips or ambushes came frequently in her line of duty.
"Kat! I got something for you." A dashing looking man in his early thirties called out to her from the entrance of a crumbling hostel. His caramel eyes were uniquely intense because of their catty shape. And although they were mesmerizing to gaze into, she didn't know whether that was a good thing or not because whenever they needed a favor or a dispute that need to be handled, things tended to lean toward his favor once someone conceded to his charms. Which was all fine and dandy until she was on the receiving end of his trance. But luckily she knew how to throw a good punch or else it would be her that was wrapped around his finger and not the other way around. His floppy undercut didn't help with his smoldering charisma either.
"What do you make of this?" Hide pulled a roll of parchment out of the red sash that tied together his attire around the waist, and placed it in her outstretched hand. Its seal was unbroken telling her she was going to be the first person to lay eyes on whatever was in it. Hide wasn't the type to peep into someone else business unless it was a particularly urgent situation. It was a character trait she appreciated greatly in a partner like him.
She broke the seal of the letter and read it aloud for the both of them.
Dear Miss Katerina Lovell and Hideyo C. Torii,
Your presence is requested at the Black Order's Headquarters in England as per orders of his holiest, the Pope. You are to relocate from the Middle Eastern Branch to the European Branch effective immediately. Please hold all inquires until your arrival in England, and thereafter you may point all questions, comments and complaints to the Branch Chief, Komui Lee. We thank you for your services and wish you safe travels to your new home.
Sincerely,
General Cross Marian
Hide stood behind her, re-reading the letter over her shoulder. "Who's it from?"
"General Cross Marian." Katerina accidentally ran her thumb over the cursive writing and slightly smudged the words. She was surprised that the ink was still fresh.
"Do you know him?" Hide questioned.
She shook her head, negatively. The name didn't ring any bells as far as she was concerned but she knew the prefix General meant that he was indeed an important man. "Never met the guy. Don't know why he would be inclined to send a letter like this to me."
Hide slipped the letter from her fingers, speed reading the handwritten notice in impeccable time. He was searching for any abnormalities, any unusual irregularities that hinted at its falsification. "A man from your past perhaps?" He chuckled to himself. His question was out of pure curiosity – no funny business. And she would've believed him too, if it wasn't for the cryptic smile that was plastered on his face. Therefore, following his question a flavorful knuckle sandwich came square into his jaw, sending him stumbling backwards a few beats. "Ow – ow-ow-woaw-ow!"
Katerina took back the parchment as if nothing happened and pocketed the note before pulling up her mouth cover to protect her face from the dry air. The sun was high in the sky and no forecasts for any sandstorms had been made so now was as good a time as any to leave for England. Her ivory tunic exposed her arms and shoulders, and tucked into a cream colored sash that was fixed around her waist. It was tight against her lithe frame but thin enough to let her maneuver her body freely during combat. The rest of her body was covered up by water resistant pants and combat boots to prevent too much heat exposure from the desert sun. So in the mix of the vast sun dyed desert sands, her ivory garment stuck out like a sore thumb. But for someone in her profession, that was exactly what she wanted. And thanks to the silver emblem tied to her uniform, everyone and everything would know just who she was. "The entire letter is hand written. By now I thought everyone switched over to the typewriter. A little old fashion for the Order don't you think?"
Hide mussed with his unruly hair, wiping away the sweat that began accumulating at his brow. "Maybe this 'Cross Marian' was in a hurry. The hostel owner told me it arrived this morning – but interestingly enough, the date on the letter says it was written today." It was around 10 in the morning here, She didn't know much about the the time difference between Europe and the Middle East, but Hide had a point and was rightful to be suspicious. "England to Iran in less than 10 hours? That's one helluva horse if you ask me."
"Maybe it was sent through telegraph or phone before it was written."
"That's possible but I don't know any postal office that closes its letters with an ordained seal." The ravenette's observation made Katerina pause a beat before pulling out the opened letter to confirm his conclusion. Its ink seal was broken but she could still make out the insignia that was imprinted in red wax: the Black Order's emblem. "I'm thinking this Cross Marian isn't who he says he is."
Moments like these brought out the intellectual in Hide. On the outside he may act like an overgrown kid, but on the inside he was quite the perceptive individual. He always knew where to go, who to chase, and what to do. Sometimes he was just too clever for his own good, but nevertheless she always did feel a little bit safer with him around. It was a great honor to be his partner and his close friend – most of the time.
"What are you thinking?" He crossed his arms, inquisitively.
"I'm not too sure myself."
"You think it has something to do with the attack on HQ last week. Maybe they're trying to beef up security now that the Earl knows about their location."
Katerina agreed with Hide's theory but for some reason something about his words left a harsh taste in her mouth. "Exorcists aren't security. You'd think they would call in help from branches that actually had Exorcists to spare." Hide picked up on Katerina's frustration. It was always a touchy subject whenever they were treated like expendable commodities, but they were in a war. And during a war, in order to get to protect one thing, something else must be sacrificed.
"Seems important. Do you think we should go?" It was hard to see the Order in a good light at times like these. She understood that as Exorcists they didn't have the luxury of planning anything in advance so she wasn't surprised a request like this came to their doorstep in the middle of an ongoing mission, but she felt awful leaving behind these uninformed civilians knowing what else lurked in the alleyways of their city. Things were different now than the first time she joined the Order five years ago, and it was hard to say she saw justice in its actions anymore. Every mission was physically and mentally straining. And no breaks in between meant frayed nerves and terminal exhaustion on the battlefield. Their lives were in danger and it was getting considerably harder to cope with the demands that were being placed on them. And just between her and Hide, "home" wasn't really a pleasant place to be anymore. "Its not really a decision for me to make now is it?"
"So..."
"There's only one thing to do."
"London?"
"London."
Somewhere in the English Isles
It was well into the night when they decided to stop and camp out ten miles from their destination. Katerina's hair was still damp from her bath in the nearby lake. So while she was drying off by the roaring camp fire, she waited for her partner to come back from his own bath. It was chilly outside and she could see puffs of her own breath in the air. It was weird because England's weather was a strange beast, and even though she was born and raised in England until she was nine, it came as a shock when she realized that snow was so common here. She still deciding whether she liked it or not.
A small tin pot of herb soup was cooking above the camp fire, and the last of their bread and dried meat were off to the side. Hopefully this would be their last night living in squalor and they wouldn't have to see another loaf of stale bread for a while now.
The sound of nearing footsteps caught her attention. And normally the noise of a stranger would have put her on high alert, but from the appearance of the two – no three people that were headed towards her direction, they didn't pose any threat to her, yet.
"Excuse me, Miss. Might you have any food to spare?" Katerina turned towards the strangers and saw three men in raggedy clothing with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They looked like they've been through hell, and judging from their shaky arms, they haven't had something to eat in days. "We got separated from our group and haven't eaten a thing in days. We'd be awfully greatful if you could share something – anything with us."
"Uh, yeah. Of course." Katerina grabbed the sack holding their jerky and tossed it over to the willowy men. They only had tomorrow's breakfast to worry about and even so, it'd probably be fine to eat the leftover bread in the morning since Hide wasn't a very picky eater and neither was she. "Help yourself."
The strangers approached the fire, cautious to sit across from the kind woman in order not to scare her. They sat, eating the meat hastily like a couple of starved animals. Poor things probably hadn't even seen another human for a while now, and prolonged starvation might have left them with some kind of mental psychosis. Katerina decided looking into their minds was the safest decision for her and their safety, so without another thought, she activated her innocence. Careful not to attract any suspicion, she concentrated on the three men, opening their minds to her so she could hear, see and feel their thoughts. Her gray irises darkened just a bit and all their most recent memories flooded into her like a whirlwind. She saw a village, not too far from here based on the distance they traveled to get here. There was extreme sorrow flowing through the three men, and all of a sudden she saw blood. Scarlet streaks painted the entire village and all of its inhabitants were strewn across the ground in pieces. It was a blood bath, and they were the cause of it. They had been touched by the Millennium Earl's dark matter. They were akuma.
Katerina sucked in a quick breath. She wasn't completely unarmed but without Hide she wasn't equipped for a battle with three, level two akumas. Her innocence wasn't the offensive kind of weapon and even though she was a parasitic type accommodator, that still didn't mean she wasn't in danger of being killed.
The three men continued their act, and finished off the bag of jerky. They remained quiet, speaking to each other in hushed tones and ignorant to fact she understood everything they were saying.
"We should attack now. The Exorcist is vulnerable when she doesn't know who we really are."
"Idiot. What if there are others with her. That would ruin everything!"
"Shut up you two! We'll just bait out whatever information she knows and then kill her and whoever she's traveling with."
Katerina's steel eyes hardened at their words, and steadily remained calm when they directed their attention back at her. They had uneasy expressions and it was clear they were shaking with anticipation to spill her guts, right then and there.
"I hope you don't mind if we rest for just a few more minutes."
"Of course. Stay as long as you like." She pulled her knees to her chest and laced her fingers, loosly around them. They wouldn't get much out of her, so if she could remain relaxed and diligent she'd have no problem detaining them until Hide came back. "Do you mind if I ask a favor of you gentlemen?"
"Why of course, ma'am."
Katerina scoffed, they were too ignorant and careless for level two akuma. They must have recently evolved considering how recklessly they killed all those villagers. "Get on the ground with your hands behind your back. Now."
A confused look passed across their faces before their expressions went slack and blank. They were under her influence and as long as she concentrated on overcoming their consciousness, they'd remain trapped under her control. All three akuma stood from their seats and proceeded to lay on the ground as they were told. She watched their movements, all three followed her orders like dogs but somewhere in the back of their minds she felt them begin to struggle against her hold. They knew what was happening but their underdeveloped minds didn't quite understand how far deep they had fallen. They resistance was futile. And breaking free was not an option.
Their faces began to distort. The stretching and tearing of their skin showed their gruesome forms underneath. It looked like their true bodies were trying to break free from its human forms. And even as an Exorcist, it was a disgusting sight she'd never forget. "Turn your faces away from me."
Hide finished up his bath and started heading back to the camp. All he'd taken with him was a sack of Katerina's cleaning supplies and his innocence. It was a snow white katana held within an bone ivory sheath he had gotten in Africa years ago. And up until his fifth year with the Order, he'd never cared to name his innocence – that was before Katerina convinced him that a beautiful sword like his should have an equally beautiful name. Thus, from that point on he'd addressed his innocence as Yuki which meant snow in his native tongue. It didn't mean much at the time but now he was glad that he got the chance to have done something so special with someone who was easily the most important person in his life.
He'd been walking for ten minutes when he spotted the glow of their camp fire, and the sight of Katerina standing over three men on the ground alerted him to the danger of the situation. Akuma.
"Katerina, what happened. Are you alright?" Hide ran to the camp, sword already unsheathed and ready for blood. "Who are these people?"
"Level two akuma." Her eyes never strayed from the three creatures, opting to be safe than sorry. "They're stragglers. Nothing but dumb luck brought them to us." She spoke unsympathetic of the akuma's fates.
Hide caught something in her voice that he barely recognized, but it was something, or rather someone, that was far from unfamiliar. Katerina's voice wasn't what is was an hour ago. It was harsher, more authoritative and condescending but not in an arrogant sense. She was entirely alpha, and obviously didn't need his help taking care of these akuma, but for some reason, she wanted him to be there for what was going to happen next.
"They're pretty useless when it comes to combat or skill, but...that doesn't mean we don't have any use for them."
Three-thousand and five, three-thousand and six, three-thousand and seven...
"Huu-huu-huu...How many stairs does this place have. We're basically climbing the Himalayas." Hide had reached the last of his stamina and collapsed onto the steps of the staircase they were climbing. A week had passed since they had first received Cross's letter in Kuwait, and now they'd finally reached the Black Order's HQ on some mountain top in the English Isle."I-I can't feel my legs."
"It's pretty cold, you better cover up." She told the older man, but all he did was wave off her concern.
Katerina sighed and pulled the lapels of her cape closer to her chest, the weather in England was difficult to get use since she'd spent the last several years in the Middle East. Deserts and semi arid grasslands didn't have much variation when it came to weather or temperature changes, but the majority of western Europe went through constant cycles of rain and gloomy skies like a record on a turn table. But unfamiliar weather was something she expected to see in her new home, a spiraling staircase of death – not so much. "Just-Just.. can't understand why they would choose to live in a place like this."
"H-Hey, lets just camp out here for the night. Whoever called us, Komweed Leonard or whatever his name is, can wait one more day. I can't take this anymore." Hide slouched forward, butt on the stone steps, and elbows resting on his knees for support. He punched his thighs to keep them from dying on him. Their clothes would've been drenched in sweat but the freezing winds that whirled past the cliff side kept them moderately dry but uncomfortable. They hadn't changed from their desert attire because most of their belongings had been lost or destroyed in their travels, and now all they carried on their backs were camping supplies and their duty as Exorcists.
She was just about to agree with the Japanese male, when a stretch of green caught her eye. "Wait, look – I see trees. Over there around that bend."
Hide lazily turned his attention to the younger woman. "I can't imagine how anything could survive this high up. How can anyone tolerate altitude sickness?"
"I'm sure they have some science tech. that helps them with menial things like that." Katerina averted her gaze from the trees and skipped down to her sweaty friend, pulling him to his feet so they could continue on their way. "I'm starting to get a little excited. I've never visited the European branch before."
Hide watched the timid smile spread across the English woman's face. A lovely eye smile followed soon after, and he couldn't help but crack his own lopsided grin. Katerina wasn't exactly an expressive individual. She was the kind of person to internalize her feelings in fear of burdening those around her, which could be called an honorable thing to do, however the caveat to that principle was that not only did her anxious fears remain bottled up inside her, but eventually she'd forgotten how to emote her positive emotions as well. She acted like happiness was something that had to be hidden. And he could partly understand where that idea originated from. Life out on the road wasn't that great for Exorcists in uniform. People who recognized the Rose Cross identified them as bad omens. Demons who attracted more of its kind, so more times than not were they treated with hostility by ignorant townsfolk.
"How many exorcists do you think live here?"
"Not sure. I heard the Generals choose the European Branch as their home base between missions so they must be doing something right if they attract the best of the best." The frigid winds they've been exposed to throughout their trek up the mountain suddenly ceased the moment they stepped onto the summit of the cliff. It was nice and temperate up here. Unexpectedly so that Katerina felt the need to pull off her cloak and let her hair down. It'd been a couple weeks since she's had the opportunity to bathe in a modern shower using anything beyond a bar of camel milk soap so her hair wasn't looking its best. But luckily the Middle East had an abundance of castor oil that had been her salvation concerning frizzy hair and split ends. And times like these she wished she had short hair like Hide but she could never muster up the courage to cut it. Her hair was one of the only feminine traits that remained unchanged throughout their travels and even though there wasn't anything spectacular about it, she still wanted to look like a woman – she wanted feel beautiful. It was humiliating to admit but ever since she turned twenty one, it was disappointing to see how prepubescent her body still looked, and because of the physical demands it required to be an Exorcist, a lot of her feminine features had worn down throughout the years. Her curves had thinned down because of her low body fat ratio, and her delicate features plus her height made it look like she was a very feminine looking boy. In fact, all her clothes were an exact replica of Hide's, just a few sizes smaller. But minor problems aside, she was just glad their long journey was almost over.
"Ah~ I hope we get a chance to eat a nice warm meal today. I'm starving!" Her messy haired partner quickened his pace once HQ was within view. She wasn't the only one that was getting excited.
It was quite a sight. A massive, conical tower that pointed to heavens like a spear. Katerina's brows rose to her hairline as her eye trailed along the height of the building. There was a hypnotic number of floors and a small hope bubbled inside her – maybe she'd be assigned her own room since the place was so large.
They followed the paved trail through the woods and after fifteen minutes of walking, a massive stone structure that looked like the remnants of a doorway broke the treeline. The entrance into the tower was in horrible condition. And instead of a cobblestone gate that matched the rest of the building's architecture, a large crumbling indentation was carved into the swinging doors as if something, maybe a sculpture of some sort, had been torn down.
Hide pursed his brows at the state of the door. "Looks like we missed out on one heck of a party." He turned to his shorter companion and nudged her with his elbow. The crooked smile on his face already told her how foolish his next words were going to be so she prepared herself for one of his cheesy one liners. "Hey, how much alcohol do you think I have to drink to forget my own name?"
She rolled her eyes at his reckless curiosity. It was a wonder how he survived to thirty. He was either the sharpest man alive, or the luckiest fool of the century. "A lot of alcohol can cut your life short. You sure you want to take that chance?" Katerina chastised the elder male, expecting a sassy retort in return. Hide wasn't a negligent person but sometimes he could be so foolhardy that she had no choice but to worry about him.
"You're right, alcohol is a poison...but maybe there's something inside me I want to kill." A grim look passed his expression as he spoke. And as if he'd let something he shouldn't of spill through the cracks of his facade. Hide withdrew his previous gloom and replaced it with an uneasy smile.
"Hide?" She question, worried.
"Joking, just joking. Let's get inside. My stomach's growling so much it's staring to sound like Fur Elise in there."
The crumbling rubble on the ground stopped them from getting into the building the conventional way, so they opted on crawling through one of the many fissures that lined the door to get inside. The entrance led into a large foyer with nothing but a few frayed textbooks and broken glass sprawled across the ground. The place was empty of furniture and life. "Hey, Kat – are you sure we're in the right place?"
"I-I think so. The Black Order isn't exactly on any map." Katerina double checked their location. On paper they were exactly where they were suppose to be. So, where did everyone go?
"Is anyone home~!" Hide hollered into the empty void of the building. He heard his voice echo down several more hallways before disappearing. "We're from the Middle Eastern Branch! By order of the Pope we were asked to come here. Is anyone here?! We're hungry! And homeless! But not the bad kind!
We're jobless but experienced!"
Katerina ignored the man's nonsensical babble, having been exposed to his childish wit for years now, she continued on like nothing was wrong. "Let's look around. Maybe everyone's just busy. They could be preoccupied with work or something."
They wandered the tower for an hour and found that all of the rooms resembled the foyer: empty and dusty. They visited the kitchen, the training grounds, and even the showers but nobody was there, and it was beginning to get painful how starving she was. Living on stale bread and dry meats could ware down any person – including Hide.
"GAH! WHERE IS EVERYBODY!" He yelled, dropping to his knees and practically ripping out his raven hair in hysterical hunger. His eyes were crazed and his arms never stopped shaking in agitation. In other words, he was suffering a severe case of hanger.
And quite honestly, she was very close to succumbing to it next. "Maybe we should call – "
"Huh? Is someone there?" An unfamiliar voice called from one of the unexplored rooms. A gaunt looking man in his late seventies stepped out into the hallway. He was in a robe and pajamas, and from the looks of the tiny tea cup in his hand, they'd just interrupted his afternoon tea.
"A-Ah, yeah. We're here to see Komui Lee. My name is Katerina Lovell. By any chance is this the Black Order?"
The old man adjusted his wire-framed glasses, squinting his tired eyes at the shiny, rose crosses that were pinned to their uniforms. "Exorcists?"
"Yes, we're exorcists. This is my partner, Hideyo Torii. We were ordered by the Pope to relocate here. Do you know what happened to this place?"
The aged male brushed his fuzzy beard contemplating her words. "The Pope, huh? Well, Miss, I'm sorry to say this but there's not much left here. Everyone's gone – up and left a couple days ago."
"You got to be kidding me." Hide signed exhausted. They'd come all this way for an empty prison, and a rickety old man.
"I'm afraid it's just me here. And of course, Tommy."
The chocolate haired woman closed her tired eyes. It'd taken all their resources and strength to travel to England, and now they were at a dead end. She couldn't hide her disappointment, and she hoped that the elderly gentleman had some kind of landline so they could contact Central.
"Rawf rawf!" A small black and white collie trotted out of one of the rooms, and went straight for the old man. You could tell how attached they were to one another by how genuine their greetings were. "Look who decided to come home after a day of adventuring. Did you find some treasure out there?" The dog only gave a whine and a small shake of the head in response making the old coot rub the pup's head endearingly as he relieved a husky chuckle. They were utterly devoted to each other.
"I'm sorry, sir. I never caught your name." Katerina asked, her own smile graced her lips.
"I'm the grounds keeper, John Pepper."
"How long have you been here, Sir Pepper?"
"Not too long ago, I got a letter in my mailbox asking me to move in here and keep an eye on things. I've been meaning to move away from my insufferable neighbors and this was a good opportunity for me. All I have to do is make sure nobody's snoopin' around where they're not suppose to. And contact the boss whenever I see something fishy. This is a holy place, don'cha know?"
A sense of grief came over Katerina. How could they leave an old man like this by himself? Even she was more blessed than the senor. Her partner may be a childish oaf at times, but at least he was a capable ally and a good friend. She didn't know what she would do if she didn't have Hide with her all this time. She pitied the lonely man. "They left you here all alone with nobody else to help you?... Don't you ever get lonely?"
The sage waved off her unnecessary worry. "Naw, I have Tommy here. He's all I really need." He patted his furry companion with love. And his other-half regarded him with the same fervor. "But, every once in a while someone brings me some food and other supplies to keep me and my boy running at tip top shape."
Hide stood behind his partner, finally finding interest in the old man's words. "Who bring you supplies?"
"Hmm...I'm not sure, but they always come and leave from the same place inside the tower. Yip, must be usin' some of that magic mumbo jumbo these kids are using now a days."
"Magic?" Immediately what came to mind was the Millennium Earl and the Noah. The Order wasn't too clear on how they moved throughout the world just yet, but it was well documented that the ninth disciple had powers consisting of transcontinental travel. So whoever this magic user was, he was someone to be wary of and quite possibly a danger to whoever he came in contact with. And as Exorcists, it was their duty as apostles of God to pursue the Earl and his followers at any cost.
"Where are they coming from, Sir Pepper?" She pressed, none too subtly.
The old man faltered for a moment, surprised by her sudden change in demeanor. "Well... they always seem to come through the upstairs loo'."
Katerina thought she'd hear a mistake. It must have been. "I-I'm sorry did you say the bathroom?"
"Yes, ma'am. Makes it quite difficult to go in the middle of the night if you ask me."
Hide turned his back to the old man, and bent forward to whisper into her ear. "This geezer's completely lost it. We're better off going back into down and calling Central directly."
Katerina spoke in hushed tones while her eyes never left the senor citizen. "You might be right but if it's something strange than we have to make sure it isn't a danger to him. It won't hurt us to check."
You could see the gears turning in his head. It looked like Hide was weighing his options and deciding which was more favorable for the both of them. He didn't want to waste anymore time humoring a senile old man but if Katerina thought it was worth wile to check out this old man's bathroom. Then, "Fine."
She nodded in thanks and turned back to the aged male.
"Mr. Pepper will you show us your... bathroom?"