"My, oh my." Allen gasped, smiling at the beauty of the scene. Leaves had just begun to turn the crimson reds and lustrous gold's. Fruits hung on several trees, vegetables seemed ripe for the picking. And yet, there was no one to pick them. Where was everyone . .? He turned his head. 'Akuma.' "Lavi! Lenalee! Behind you!" He jumped, slicing easily through level one Akuma with his activated innocence.
"Fire Seal!" Lavi brought his hammer down, a pillar of flame surrounding several Akuma at once.
"It seems like there's only Akuma here. Guess brother was wrong." Lenalee sighed, setting her suitcase down on the ground. Not a person to be seen. Nowhere.
A voice from behind. "Thank you, sir's and ma'am." A girl stepped up from behind them. She shyly continued forward, bowing in complete respect. "Thank you for ridding our village of those horrible monsters." She smiled, her tone very polite despite her raggedy looking appearance. "Please allow us the honor of feeding and housing you." She bowed once more, pointing in the direction of an average looking house that looked better on the inside than the on the outside.
"How many people live in this village?" Allen's voice sounded as the girl led them to their rooms. He felt as if there was more than meets the eye. "A few families . ." She shuffled shyly, showing Bookman and the finder into the larger of the rooms. "Everyone left as soon as those . . Akuma as you called them, stalking their way into this village." Her smile never faded, blushing a bit each time she looked up to Allen or Lavi. Her hair was in a messy braid that reached down past her hips, her clothing seemed like it was sewn from different shirts. "This is your room." Another smile as the girl entered her room. "And this shall be your room." She bowed for one last time. "I hope there are no problems in your accommodations for today." She curtseyed like a girl should. "If you have any needs at all, I shall be down the hall or in the kitchen."
"Oh! Miss!" Lenalee stopped her in her tracks. "What is your name?"
The girl turned somewhat, her hand on the railing of the stairway. "Anna Elizibeth." She said slowly, blushing. "Call me Annie." She stepped one foot in front of the other as her figure disappeared downstairs. She stopped at the bottom of the steps. "Dinner starts at 8:30 sharp!" She yelled up.
Allen retired to the room, laying on the bed. It was more comfortable than it looked. The pillows were soft and squishy, the blankets of down feathers. Lavi sat in the chair across the room. A silence between them. Either boy wanted to say something, but their thoughts held them back.
Annie sat in the dining hall. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small. Enough to house a party of fifteen. Fine, almost untouched china lay in stacks in the glass cupboards. The pantry was stocked to the brim of vegetables, fruits, and several canned goods that were traded; the fridge full of fresh milk and cheeses of near every kind. The tables were clean, with a dark cherry wood finish.
She lay here face upon the cool table, lost in what she called a dream. "Annie?" She opened her eyes, staring into Lenalee's face. "Gosh you're pretty." Lenalee flushed with embarrassment. "Why, thank you." The older girl sat across from Annie.
"Do you live here by yourself, Annie?"
She smiled ever-so-slightly, nodding a bit. "Yes. . Ever since mummy and dad were attacked and killed by those monsters. Brother ran away with the other villagers, afraid for his life."
"Oh, . . I'm so sorry." Lenalee pursed her lips uncomfortably, "Would you like help with dinner?"
"Oh! Yes! Please!" She covered her mouth quickly, cheeks tinting red. "If it's not too much to ask . . I've never really cooked for anyone, besides myself, before . ."
Dinner was soon started, who knows what the end result would be. Vegetable stir fry? With lemon chicken on the side. Sounded good.
Allen stared nervously at the clock. Lavi had left a while ago, going for a walk. It was 7:46, and already he could taste dinner.
Lavi sighed against the cool breeze that mussed through his hair. High up on a tree branch, hidden in crimson leaves, where he though no one could reach him. But they had found a way. Akuma carcasses lay strewn about the leafy ground of the tree. His breath came in soft pants.
'The hell with it.' Lavi stretched. He would have to go back to the house for dinner soon. But being around Allen had started to get awkward. He pressed a fingertip to his lips, lost in a thought. He could taste Allen's sweet tongue. He could feel Allen's soft heart beating against his own. He could hear Allen's soft moans and cries for more in his head as he thought about it a bit longer. Was it just a dream?
He jumped down from the tree, walking back towards the house.
Lenalee and Bookman sat at the dinner table, steaming plates of chicken and rice in front of them. Allen sat at the near end of the table, picking at his food. "Smells good." He sat a ways from Allen, spooning rice past his lips.
"Kenny has gone to check out the surrounding area for Akuma and suspicious acts." Lenalee nodded to Lavi, smiling. Annie seemed bubbly as usual. "I sent him out with a small lunchbox."
"He should be back soon with news." Bookman spoke up, eating the traditional way-- with chopsticks. Allen hummed to himself as he ate, rather slowly.
Annie was the first to finish, several keys in her pocket jingled as she washed her own plate. She returned to the table, feeling as if she didn't fit in with the group of exorcists. "So, uhm . ., what exactly is 'innocence'?" She shyly asked, placing her hands in her lap.
"A weapon that exorcists use in order to save the souls of Akuma. We call these people accommodaters." Bookman rested his chopsticks on the edge of his finished bowl. "They come in several types." He gestured to Allen. "Allen's is a parasite-type innocence." His hands moved to Lenalee and Lavi. "As for these two, they carry equipment type innocence."
Annie nodded a bit, hardly understanding. "Alright then. ." She glanced up. "So you think there is . . an innocence here?"
"We don't just think. We know." Kenny had returned, his white coat tattered and bloodstained, scratches on his face and arms.
Ahh. Sorry for the fast updates. Just tried to get as much as I could before I collapsed. Didn't want to leave it too short.
I'll work on more during school! Moving soon, so things might be a little slow. If you guys like this one, I might write another?!
