A/N: guys you know you get the story traffic info that you can go and read? Is there any particular reason why there is a massive gap between the number of reviews we are receiving and the number of people opening our story? We (We warned you we'd create someone who was interested in reviewing if we didn't receive enough).have anonymous review on too so really you have no excuse. You don't need to be extravagant and write me an analysis of everything, just say "cool" or "nice". If you say it's bad please tell us why even if you just say "not my thing". We can't improve if we don't know what we've done wrong. We think it may be a bit out of character for certain characters, because a) they are hard to write and b) if they had lived in a castle for years as little household things we figure they would have to change at least a little. This can be considered a gift chapter (which is why it is so long) because we are about to start exams (joy to the world) and then we go straight into holidays and have absolutely no internet access (so sorry, it's not our fault, my dad thinks the internet fries my brain). On the bright side I have 3 weeks to write (last week of holidays we're dong science along with the rest of matric, ain't it great) I'm going to stop here or the author's note will be longer than the story.
Disclaimer: we are sure that Hoshino-sensei is perfectly sane, so obviously she and we are two very different people. We also only have two of us in here and beauty and the beast was credited to a whole team of people (as in more than one girl and her imaginary friend)
The New Girl
They'd been fighting for ages now, neither giving ground, neither gaining. Enchanted blade met family talent and they moved apart, barely for a second. Moving forward again the second their feet touched ground. Seconds bled into minutes and minutes seemed hours as fatigue began to make itself known. An old woman stumbled on to the field.
"Have a heart" she pleaded, standing barefoot in the cold snow. They ignored her intent on their fight. They fought round her one to proud to help an old woman if it would cost him his fight, another careless because of his own abilities, lacking in compassion. The latter shoved her roughly aside so he could meet the samurai who was a hindrance to all his family sought to do. Nobody checked on the old woman, who now lay a crumpled heap in the snow. As the sword's man pursued his opponent he found her lying in his way.
"Move" he shout leaping over her head. "Go seek shelter elsewhere"
"Oh I will" promised a voice that sounded like it could not belong to the frail, old, female body. Throwing back the hood of her worn, travelling coat she stood to face them. Except it was no she, but the youngest son of the Noah family. The fourteenth son. The one with no interest in his family's business and standards. Nameless even to his siblings.
"You, you who cannot stop even for a suffering old lady will be cursed. I will hold you still in time in our lovely ark, fitting ne brother. You can learn to live with each other and those that fight for your cause. You will remain there and unless my spell says otherwise you may never leave. You specially brother, I will leave you with a looking glass, one that can show you the world, but if you would fight so courageously for our home then you will never leave it again. Should the need arise you will have to rely on your enemy to be your ears and body in the outside world. Should anyone ever take or destroy that which value the most you will take what is most precious to them as compensation but you will never be able to let it get damaged. If you do the price will be severe. You will stay as you are till you learn to swallow your pride and you learn to care for those who have no relation to yourself! Or one day your faults will take what you love most"
***
"That is the pergola. It was built in the 13th century by the first lord of this palace. It was designed for his wife who was very fond of the out doors but it was not considered benefiting of a well bred lady to run around outside. It was designed so that it is cool at nearly all times. Very pleasant place for a spot of lunch."
"How is that relevant to the history of it brat?! Phrase it more intelligently, have I taught you nothing? It was mademoiselle also intended mainly for summer use. The lady of the castle was a very fragile woman and would often suffer in the heat of summer. The pergola was her refuge and often where she had her luncheon."
"Mmm, why do you to always tell the boring side of history, I'm sure there has to be something fun."
Lenalee turned round and saw a little doll struggling across the lawn. She seemed to be porcelain. Worry ran through Lenalee, she was trying to climb over the flower bed wall and there was a hard, stone walk way directly beneath her. She crossed the distance between them in 3 short steps and picked up the doll, successfully averting a catastrophe. The doll was an odd little thing, made of finest porcelain, in dress that would actually be quite fashionable in this era. Complete with tiny shoes, lace and bows. Yet her porcelain was a dark gray colour and crosses marred her forehead. Her hair was not the fashionable ringlets (preferably blond) that one would inevitably find on a doll but a short, spiky, black mess.
"Mistress Rhoade~~~~~ wait for relo~relo"
A pink umbrella followed behind, wailing its head off. The head was that of a jack-o-lantern commonly found on all hallows' eve. The little gold blob with wings that had joined them early flew round and round the hand that was holding the doll, bit 'Mistress Rhoade' and flew back to Allen.
"Can I sit on your shoulder, please, please, please? I'll help you with the tour seeing as my family actually owns this establishment."
She stuck out a perfect pink tongue at Lavi.
"He never wants to play with me," she whispered softly in Lenalee's ear as she placed the little doll on her left shoulder: "he did once and he refused to afterwards cause I made him go a little funny."
"Ah"
She tuned out the argument, vaguely amused but more interested in the garden, she could easily see herself spending a majority of her time here. The garden was pleasant, the gazebo charming and in general it was quite enough for her to lose herself in thought. Not a bad view either, her eyes flickered to the Ark, it was beautiful, no doubt about it, majestically rising from the ground, marble and glass surrounded by natural beauty. A well gilded cage, she'd never truly understood that till now. Something flickered in her peripheral vision, instinct turned her head to the source of the movement, though common sense told her that that meant someone knew you'd seen them. Confusion fluttered against the edges of her mind, whatever it was, it was moving at the same pace she was. She turned slowly, then quickly but it remained, elusively at the edge of her vision. Wearily she raised her hand to the side of her head, it caught on something soft and silky. A ribbon? She was about to pull on it when a little hand tapped on hers.
"No, no, your hair looks so nice like this, leave it alone!"
***
Two months passed peacefully in the enchanted palace, it was a bit of a shock to the newest inhabitant to see how long she'd been there. She was familiar with most of the castle and her fellow inmates by now and slowly but surely they were getting used to her. She had pulled herself from the depression that had threatened to consume her when she had first arrived there but at times it still pulled at her heart.
***
In the forest, some miles away.
Four men battled through the under growth, clawing back at the plants that left small, sting cuts everywhere.
"You're lost supervisor"
"No, no, I know it was this way, we'll find it! Never fear Lenalee-chan, your big brother is coming to save you."
It was a mystery to the rest of them as to how he retained the permanently, devoted optimism so far as the search was concerned, then again maybe it had something to do with how he seemed to have avoided carrying one of the enormous packs, full of heavy equipment.
"Supervisor, remind me again why we are carrying these and what exactly the overgrown flies are for."
"Overgrown flies?!?! How dare you Reever, these are golems, the epitome of technology, they can be used as wireless communicators over great distances, the packs you are carrying have the equipment we need to use their eyes and ears." He tutted away, all the while searching for the correct path. Eventually he seemed to decide.
"This way"
***
Lenalee sat curled up with a book in the marquee, in one of the swing seats that decorated the edges. She absentmindedly stirred her cup of tea as she became more and more interested in her book. It was a history of female pirates, she was currently reading the history of Anne Bonny and Mary Reed. Rhoade was pinning her hair up for the umpteenth time that day. She'd soon learnt it was pointless to argue, when Tyki and Allen were both occupied Rhoade would inevitably come to play with Lenalee's hair. She was always accompanied by Relo the umbrella. Timcampy usually stayed with Lenalee when Rhoade was present. She's also gained a permanent follower in the form of a natural, anti-hive remedy called Bak Chan and a tea pot that followed him faithfully called Wok. He'd made her tea and always seemed to be tending to Bak, who (quite ironically from her point of view) had a tendency to break out in hives. He'd gotten especially attached to her after a wine glass called Marian Cross had met her. He'd freaked out nearly as much as Allen had. Allen, he was just impossible, she'd been trying to get him to drop the vous and the honorific titles but to no avail. He was always so polite using the conditional and always so careful in what he said. (conditional is basically a polite was of talking like saying pourrias instead of peux, both mean can [I form] but pourrais is just politer). Kanda could use some lessons, she'd gotten used to the coarse swordsman whose version of polite was not yelling insults at you,she seemed to avoid the brunt of his attacks but it was impossible for him and Allen or Lavi to exist in the same room without a fight starting. In his defence Lavi was inclined to tease him, calling him feminine or Yuu-chan. She remembered the first time Kanda had decided he wanted her to join him for dinner. He'd walked up to her door, pounded on it and told her he wanted to eat and she was to come down immediately. That had rubbed her up the wrong way and she'd promptly refused. This had led to a shouting match where he'd threatened to break down the door. She'd told him to go ahead it would be his problem not hers and Fou, the Chinese screen in her bathroom had told him he would get it if he tried. He'd stormed off and tried again later with what sounded like half the household guiding him. She laughed at herself. She couldn't control her thoughts today. They errantly drifted. She returned to her book. What Anne Bonny and Mary Reed had done had been strictly forbidden, in fact they could have been killed if they'd been discovered. On the topic of forbidden, nothing much was prohibited here. Not to her at any rate except for the West Wing. She knew where it was now, she'd even got to the first landing on the flight of stairs but had turned back, unable to continue. The thing about living with Komui was, well, things and places were usually restricted for a reason. Go somewhere where you were told not to and anything could happen. You could get an onion bomb in the face, lose your hair, come out bruised or without limb or be temporarily changed. That had stuck with her through out her life. Even now she was reluctant to enter restricted areas, even though no one really experimented (not to the best of her knowledge) and if they did they very certainly did not do it on Komui's level. She sighed and closed her book. She obviously wasn't going to get any joy here. Her mind was too active for reading. She lay back, letting her mind wonder. A large black crow cawed and landed awkwardly on the rail. It had two large spots beneath each other on its forehead and answered to the name of Howard Link. He also answered exclusively to Leverrier.
"Luncheon will begin in exactly an hour on the patio; your presence will be welcomed. You're expected to freshen up."
Translation, she thought, you will be present.
"Ok, sure, I'll see you in an hour."
***
"You look very pretty, Lenalee-chan" Miranda complemented.
"You'll do" Lulubell eventually decided.
This was the equivalent of a glowing commendation and Lenalee laughed. Certainly she'd been exposed to more finery in the past 2 or so months than she had ever thought existed but that had a lot to do with the fact that she was only woman here with decent proportions. Dresses did not look so good on furniture. A light dress graced her figure. A flowing skirt made of silk made her legs look longer then they were and a strategically placed ribbon made her waist seem smaller than it was. Short, puffy sleeves and a modest bodice decorated her top half. The powder pink of it accented the colour in her cheeks and complemented her gentle complexion. Her hair stayed in the last hair style Rhoade had put it in
"Thank you Miranda, provided I'm not over done I'm sure it will do."
"You can never be over done," sniffed Lulubell: "unless you wear an evening gown and make up during the day, which is quite tasteless let me tell you, there is no limit on looking good. It is to be expected. The trick is to get someone capable of doing things properly. Knowing how to shape you nails well, what colours complement what you're wearing and your face. I used to have quite an astute maid, she knew how to do things properly, she also happened to be a good fighter so I often sent her out to fight. Such things were so distasteful and definitely beneath me but certain people felt the need to kill her in the battle field. I mean really and it is impossible to get good help."
"My, my look at the time Lenalee-chan, you'd better get going or you'll be late."
"Thanks guys, I'll see you later"
***
"Ah, my dear and how do you find yourself this fine morning? Beg my pardon afternoon. Kanda, greet the young lady."
The only response from the stony faced man was a curt nod in her direction.
"I am quite well, thank you. Can I enquire as to the occasion?"
Kanda, Allen and Tyki sat round the table, Lavi was making a valiant attempt to steal some food and Bookman was making an effective one to keep him away from it. Besides her chair, three others stood open. One she guessed was Rhoade's, the other two however were any one's guess. One of the chairs pulled itself out for her and she sat. Leverrier crawled on to the table and Allen 'accidentally' knocked over the gravy bowl, in his direction, washing him clean away. They needed s new table cloth after that but nobody seemed particularly bothered. Lavi and Bookman filled the empty seats after the gravy had been dealt with.
"So, shall we eat?"
***
After days of wondering in the forest, Komui recognised the area he was in. With both trepidation and exhilaration they entered the foreboding gates of the palace. The golems pre empted there attack. Scouting the area, returning live images and sound to a CRT screen Reever had been carrying. They oohed and aahed appreciatively, whether at the technology or the architecture was debatable. One of them had flown round the side of the house to a beautiful patio. Rich designs embellished the pillars and roofs and drew attention to an equally extravagant table. Certainly there was a marvellous view on the north facing patio. It looked out on to a garden that would have warmed Lenalee's heart. A maze made of carefully cultivated edges was barely visible behind a wall of similar hedges on the left. You could see the same portion of a crochet field to the right and a beautiful fountain was the resplendent centre piece. An old world garden path ran round either side, delving into the expanse behind it. Then Lenalee came into focus, she had her arms raised in front of her, defensively to Komui's mind, she was shaking her head vehemently. She was a picture of loveliness. They released a collective sigh of relief, worried that she would've been hurt. They couldn't get the golem close enough to hear without being spotted but she seemed to be saying something along the lines of no. no, no, no. admittedly you didn't need to be a first class lip reader to see that. A man with dark hair and skin and a debonair look was trying to force wine on her. Komui came to the obvious conclusion, this man was evidently trying to get his precious Lenalee inebriated so that he could take advantage of her because she had held out for the past few months. He saw her laugh politely, obviously trying to find a safe way out of the terrifying situation. Well he wouldn't stand for it, over his dead body. He would protect her innocence. He pulled an ominous looking remote from his pocket, straightened his hat and strengthened his resolve.
"Komurin, save Lenalee."
***
"Can I interest you in some wine? Finest stuff available in the 18th century, we've had it for quite awhile. White, so quite perfectly made for a lady's gentle palate. The bouquet isn't too shabby either." Allen offered as Tyki Mikk held out the bottle to show her.
She politely shook her head.
"No thank you, wine is not my thing."
"Maybe something a little stronger? We have brandy and vodka if you like?" Tyki teased her.
She laughed with everyone else, shaking her head furiously and waving her hands to emphasize the gesture.
"No, no, I'm quite fine thank you Mr Mikk. A well bred lady never drinks before midday if ever."
"Quite right." Lavi nodded. "Ne Yuu-chan." He began, effectively monopolizing Kanda's attention while Allen stole his soba. On realising the trick Kanda lashed out at both of them. Lenalee expertly dodged a crystal wine glass, filled with the wine she'd been offered earlier. Behind her came the sound of crystal on metal. She turned to see something that looked suspiciously like something her brother would build standing with wine dripping done what must be its head and neck. It sparked and fizzled like it was short circuiting and its 'eye' became red.
"save Lenalee" it cackled.
The table's occupants barely dodged in time. The table split in half with a resounding crack and the machine turned to follow them. It raised one massive fore leg and prepared to attack. She found herself unable to move. She felt an arm encircle her waist and jerk her back.
***
Kanda was annoyed beyond belief, not a state you wished to meet him in. He was not amiable at the best of times. The rabbit and bean sprout had stolen his soba and some strange creation had shown up ruining the rest of his meal. The first thing he saw when he completed his hasty roll and landed in attack position was the girl. She was staring at the thing, bewildered, unmoving. He darted forward, gripping her round the waist, pulling her out of the line of fire. His gaze darted upwards and round, taking in every detail. An unknown attacker was in the grounds and had wasted no time in getting to them. She would be more of a hindrance then a help in battle. His first priority would have to be to get her to safety. She gasped as he spun her round, supporting her weight on his chest. His arm snaked under her legs, above the knee so that his upper arm supported her back. With his free hand he drew Mugen. Two well planned steps later, he was at the base of a pillar. He'd calculated everything perfectly. He launched himself up, using the pillars on either side of him as jumping blocks, till he reached the top. A small, enclosed, long forgotten alcove, once used as a spy's hole, lay there. He gripped the edge with the hand with Mugen in and dumped her on the ledge.
"Stay there." He ordered, dropping down to the ground without checking if she intended to obey him.
He landed in the middle of a fierce fight, the machine it seemed was impossible and unstoppable, and it destroyed everything around it, even though everything just repaired itself because of the spell. An abstract part of his brain noted that it was wearing a hat. A very tacky and tasteless one though he couldn't put his finger on where he'd seen it before. Whatever, not like it mattered. Half the household was downstairs by now. The idiots they were just going to get in hiss way. Well they'd have to get out of it if they wanted to be annoying. Again he cursed the loss of Mugen's most powerful ability, he could've made quick work of the thing if it had. The moyashi was shouting and pointing and black, winged, triangles that seemed to have greatly insulted Timcampy. He was tearing at them, quite indignant. The twins, Jasdebi and David where revelling in the excuse to show off. Twin revolvers now as they had once carried twin revolvers in the past. Four men ran round the corner. Four very familiar men. One had made more trouble for Kanda then he was happy to have in his life. The sister complex. Now he was annoyed.
***
From her raised vantage point Lenalee Lee saw the series of events more completely than anyone else. Saw her brother and the science team come in, in time to see the untimely demise of what must have been their pet project since she'd been taken. Destroyed by a blow to the nape of its neck, still desperately chanting her name. not before it had tried to cook Lavi. Allen was trapped inside though, along with Timcampy, it had a healing chamber and had been hell bent on fixing him. Rhoade was desperately trying to pull him out, the corner of his jacket was closed in the doors and Tyki Mikk and Sheryl Camelot were desperately trying to keep the fragile Rhoade safe. Tyki was precariously balance atop the Sheryl's lid and trying to persuade Rhoade to come down, into his hands which were always just below her. Timcampy was mutilating black versions of himself and Tapp seemed to be losing to Relo. How she didn't know, but losing none the less. Lavi was trying to avoid being put out and to burn Johnny at the same time while the twins had evidently decided Reever was perfect target practice. Komui was throwing a mini hissy fit. Someone had been bright enough to remove his dart gun, his robot was destroyed and Kanda was descending on him. It was all over in a matter of minutes, well Allen was still inside the robot, Komurin she thought but she couldn't be sure she'd heard correctly and half of the things were weaping because of the onion bombs. There was too much noise and chaos for any certainty, but the science team was flat on their backs, little winged triangles either floating forlornly near them or in bits around them and Kanda looked like he was about to turn Komui into a kebab. She hastily climbed down from her lofty position, anxiety flooding her body, she had to get there before Kanda did something she would regret in the morning.
***
Kanda was so ready to give the sister exactly what was coming to him. On his left the stupid rabbit was attempting to extract himself from an omelette. His attention devolved to the sister complex. Something flashed to his left and suddenly the sister was in front of him. He glared at her, taken aback.
"Please, please, leave them alone. They didn't mean any harm," he snorted at that, surveying the wreckage that surrounded them. "Ok well maybe they did but it was only because they thought I was in danger, they were only looking out for my well being. If anyone should be punished it's me. and if, if you let them stay here I'll keep an eye on them, keep them out of trouble."
Uncoordinated moans and protests came from all directions. He snorted and glared down at her. Unbalanced by the tears in her eyes. It only made his glare all the colder. She would do that for them? Brave his wrath for them?
***
Lavi turned his head away, pity filled him for his new friend who felt so much. For she asked a favour from Kanda and he had never been one to show pity.
***
Tyki sighed as he laid his niece in the safe confines of his brother, the chest. Poor girl, had she not learnt what he was like? Mercy was not an emotion that affected Kanda.
***
From the confines of his iron cage, swathed in bandages as he was, Allen heard and sighed. Lenalee was asking the impossible, he had lived with Kanda for more than 200 years now and in all that time he had never once seen anything that indicated that he was capable or pity, or mercy, or compassion or any of the emotions she was appealing to right now. He knew that she thought of the people in her life as pieces of the puzzle that was her world. A fact he'd learnt after stumbling across her after a nightmare and now she would loose what must be an integral part of that world. He was glad he could not see.
***
Lenalee stared up at her captor trying desperately to blink away the tears that had come unbidden to her eyes. He only glared harder and her heart sank. His gaze gave away nothing and she saw Lavi hide his face. Fear rippled through her but she determinedly kept it from her face. If he couldn't respect weakness then she'd be as strong as she had to, to keep the last of her family alive.
"Che, whatever. Do what you please, it's not my problem."
He sheathed his blade and stalked away.
"Thank you" she murmured after. "Thank you so much."
***
A majority of the Ark's population was in the infirmary, watching the new guests. The thermometer known only as the matron stood guard over her patients. This included the science team and Allen. After he'd been successfully removed from Komurin he'd been brought here for treatment. They were the ones being kept over night. Lenalee was the only person, thanks to Kanda's quick actions, who'd been spared injury. She petted her brother's head in an attempt to regain her liberty. Nothing doing. Komui was doing several things at that moment in time but releasing Lenalee was not one of them. She sighed and gave up fighting a losing battle. Eventually after Komui decided that it was vital that she slept she returned to her room, falling instantaneously into an exhausted slumber. If she dreamt, she did not remember them in the morning.
***
'Well I don't know, he just won't wake."
Allen shook Komui half heartedly, already decided that waking him was impossible. They thrown water at him made such a din that Kanda had attempted to kill them and shook him silly. No result, none what so ever.
"Can i try something?" asked on of his friends. The one with the Australian accent.
"I don't think there is anyone here fit for marriage or that she would agree to marry and he knows it, do you think it will still work, Reever?" the guy with the crazy hair and glasses asked while his friend who hid his eyes under a hat, nodded. Reever seemed to be thinking things over. Evidently the gibberish made sense to him. He leant over and shook Lenalee's brother, a sigh escaped me. We'd done that and far more vigorously too.
"Chief, that Kanda guy is going to force Lenalee to marry him."
Allen never knew it was possible to move as fast as Komui did in that instant. In the space of 2 seconds he was wide away and armed. Where he produced the blade from Allen did not know but suffice to say he looked … ominous.
***
Lenalee had learnt caution at her brother's knee and in his house. It was tragedy that had stolen their parents but he told her a certain amount of tragedy could be avoided with caution. It was a lack of caution and morals that had lead to the burglar getting some of Komui's potions on himself. Ones that had rendered him mute (mute was an inaccurate term, he could as it happened make noise, just cat noises, no human ones) and turned is skin a delightful shade of violet. It was a lack of caution that had lead the science team to the onion bombs. People did things for good reasons, told you to stay out because it was dangerous. Komui however had not grown up with a man anything like himself and so he had never learnt caution the way Lenalee had. When they said "stay out" and "it's dangerous" they couldn't possibly mean for him. Those were rules that bound other people, so what do you imagine was the first thing he did 4 evenings after he began his stay at the Ark? Lenalee had already extracted a promise from him not to do anything foolish and not to continue inventing and he'd willingly given his word. He had become comfortable here with Lenalee bringing him coffee once again. Once he was familiar with his temporary home (it was only home till he could find a way to get Lenalee out and safe where she belonged) and its inhabitants he found himself wondering why he had never been shown one wing of the house. He was warned against it, told that on pain of death he was never to go up there. Did he listen? If he had would he have been Komui?
That is how Kanda came back to his rooms one day to see a man he had dubbed "sister complex", who had caused him more trouble then he was worth, fiddling with an hour glass. He was trying to dismantle the glass to get to the Lotus inside. Fascinated by how it worked. Defying the laws of both gravity and nature. No plant should be capable of living like that. It was a special plant in more ways then he knew. It was the one that counted down the beats left to Kanda's heart. The one that counted down his life, so that he would cease to exist when it did. When the last petal fell.
A/N: gazebo = pergola = marquee I feel gratified. I sat down on Sunday afternoon and just wrote this. Also in the beginning the fourteenth calls Tyki and Kanda simultaneously with the term you. In French he would've used vous which is not only a polite, formal way of talking but also used when addressing multiple people.