In the previous chapter I explained that I tried to fix the problem of not getting updates from Fanfiction by changing my email connection to Fanfiction to a different email, but it did not work. If any of you know what I can do to get this issue resolved I would forever be in your debt. Until this problem is put to rest, I will not be putting stories up, and will most likely not answer reviews or PM until very later. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but I can't stand being in the dark when it comes to my stories and my readers... I'm truly sorry... Please, understand, and if you can, suggest ways in which I can fix this problem. Thank you for your loyalty and patience. :')
The footsteps echoed through the winding hallway as the silhouette moved swiftly from shadow to shadow.
Voices could be heard from the double-doors ahead of him...his destination.
Pushing open the doors, the figure was bathed in the room's warm light, causing the man to cringe from the sudden brightness that stung his eyes.
"Kanda, you made it!" The purple-haired girl smiled kindly at the man as she looked away from her brother, who was laying sprawled on his desk, wailing at letting his precious sister go with the "octopus'".
"And right on queue, Yu, we were just—!" The red-head exclaimed happily as he dodged the sword that nearly sliced his head off.
"Don't call me that, Baka Usagi!" Kanda yelled as his "friend" hid behind the purple-haired girl.
Kanda stopped in his attempt to maim the Baka Usagi, as they both knew that even thinking about harming the girl in front of them would result in a very slow, and painful, death on their parts.
Proving his point the man that was once lying on the desk crying was now standing between Kanda and Lavi with a malicious smile splitting his face while laughing.
"Kanda, Lavi, enough of your fun and games! Nii-san called us here for an important reason, so quiet down." The girl said firmly as she held her hands on her hips.
"Sure, Lenalee." Lavi replied swiftly as he, once again, took his seat on the couch.
"Whatever..." Kanda mumbled as he sat down on the other side of the couch.
"Good!" Lenalee exclaimed as she sat between the two boys, keeping Lavi from bothering Kanda into a fight. "Go ahead Nii-san, start from the beginning, please."
Lenalee's brother ranted about how adorable his little sister was, and how lucky he was to have such a loving sister, before rambling about all the ways he would kill Kanda and Lavi if anything should happen to said little sister.
"Komui, can you get on with it? I want to be done with this retarded mission you're probably sending us on just so Lenalee doesn't get hurt!" Kanda interrupted, as it wasn't because he didn't care what happened to the girl, but he felt that she could take care of herself, and to expect her to be helpless is to insult her capabilities.
Lenalee agreed as she reassured Komui that she would, indeed, be fine, "Come on, Nii-san, I can take care of myself, so please stop putting all the pressure and blame on my friends?"
Komui nodded slowly as he immediately went into his "serious mode." "There has been talk in a village that they can hear singing from the woods near their homes."
"So, what? Someone could have a routine of going into the woods to sing, there's nothing supernatural about that." Kanda countered.
"That would be true, Kanda, if the woods were normal." Komui explained.
"So there is something weird about the woods the villagers are complaining about?" Lavi asked, thoroughly interested.
"Guys, let Nii-san continue!" Lenalee said, slightly irritated at the constant interruptions.
"Oh! My precious Lenalee, you truly love and care for you big brother!" Komui cried as he jumped over his desk to hug Lenalee, before getting kicked by the target of his affections.
"Really, Nii-san, continue. You didn't mention this before when we were, talking with you, waiting for Kanda to finally show up." Lenalee sighed.
"That's because the mission I was talking with you two about was the alternate mission that I made so you wouldn't have to go on the real mission and I could get someone else to go on the dangerous mission later, but you clearly don't want that. Am I right, Lenalee?" Komui said calmly, sighing as he saw the sheer determination in his sister's eyes as she nodded her answer.
"Okay..." Komui said slowly, sadness evident in his worry-stricken face. "The woods have a barrier around it so doesn't allow humans to go into it. Many villagers and travelers talk about how no one can get into the woods because of the barrier, making it strange to hear a human voice singing from within."
"Couldn't it be that whoever is on the other side was trapped there before the barrier was constructed?" Lavi asked.
"Yes, if the barrier hadn't of been made centuries ago. If the person inside the barrier was human, then they would have perished already. But if they are still alive then that could mean—..."
"Innocence is involved..." The three exorcists realized.
"Exactly, but that's only the beginning... Recently, children in the village started to go missing at night when the singing starts. The villagers stayed up every night after the 3rd child disappeared, and saw that the children were walking into the woods—..."
"But, I thought you said that normal humans can't get inside." Kanda argued, confused at the prospect that mere children could break a century-old barrier.
"They can't. These children were said to be in some kind of trance, as no matter what their parents pleaded the children never reacted, at one point the mother tried to jump on her child to keep her from going into the woods, but she merely went through her daughters body...as if she was a ghost..." Komui whispered the last part, as the gravity of the situation sank in. "So far, there are 15 missing children. They have tried locking there housing, chaining the children, blocking their ears with cotton, many moved out of the village, but their children disappeared none-the-less..." Komui stood up and breathed in slowly, before giving Kanda the mission file. "That is why I need you three to go there and stop this tragedy right now, no matter what; I want those children returned to their homes and their grieving parents."
"Are you stupid Komui?" Kanda said emotionlessly, as he took the file and headed for the doors.
Kanda glanced back, and everyone in the room was frozen by the fire of rage and determination that burned brightly in his midnight-blue eyes, "There is no fucking way I'm going to let this bastard get away with this... Those brats are going home to annoy their parents, because I'm sure as hell not taking care of them myself."
Lavi smiled at his friend's inability to outwardly say that he was as worried about the missing children just like the rest of them, "You heard him, Komui, we're going to get those kids back safe and sound for sure! Right, Yu!?" Lavi cheered as he ran after his friends retreating form.
A distant, "Stop calling me that," could be heard from inside Komui's office.
Lenalee stood to follow her friends as she smiled at Komui. "Lenalee, wait."
Komui stared at his sister as she turned toward him, confusion written on her battle-ready face. "Promise me you'll come back to me alright."
Lenalee smiled brightly as she reached down to entangle her pinkie with Komui's, before leaning in to kiss their touching fingers, "I promise, Nii-san."
She left quickly as Komui simply stared at his tingling pinkie, "Don't lie to me, Lenalee..."
Lenalee stood against the enclosed double-doors as she held in her tears. She ran after her two friends who were waiting for her to be done with Komui, wiping her bitter tears away, she smiled softly, she whispered so that only she could hear.
"I'm sorry, Nii-san."
