Hi guys! This drabble is going to be a bit of a 3 or 4 part short story where our favorite four Exorcists are in a mission in Germany, still in the same universe where Allen is working undercover for the Earl.
I was recently rewatching the series again after reading the latest chapter (ALLEN'S BACK!), and I felt inspired to do a story as if it were a filler episode in the show.
This was also the first time I had to do some research into their environment. I have never been to Meissen, but it looks absolutely beautiful from what I could tell!
Let me know what you think! If you guys don't like it, I'll just leave this as a one shot in which not much happens.
"Come ooonnnnn!"
"No."
"Lenalee!"
"No."
"Please!"
"No."
"But I wanna–"
"If you don't shut up right now I promise you I'll shut you up myself, you retarded rabbit."
"Kanda! Lavi's just excited, that's all. You know how he is."
"Yeah, he's basically just a child in a candy store right now."
"Hey! I resent that. I'll have you know that I'm older and taller than you, beansprout."
"…Kanda, hold him down."
"Allen! Guys, we are here on a mission! We can have a little fun after we find the Innocence. Okay, Lavi?"
The bookman sighed dramatically although his eye glimmered in good fun. "I got it, I got it. What information did Komui give us again?"
The four Exorcists had found themselves in Meissen, a quaint picturesque riverside town in Germany in the middle of December. The sun barely peeked over the horizon, casting long shadows on the small shops and homes that lined the cobblestone roads. In the distance, a large Gothic cathedral loomed out of the skyline, almost out of place amidst the cheery red-roofed buildings.
They had packed heavy clothes and wore their winter coats to prepare for the biting cold, but discovered, standing in the sweltering heat which had enveloped them as soon as they set foot in the town, that "overdressed" was a severe overstatement.
Finding a place to stay had been easy enough – many tourists stopped visiting Meissen to avoid the oppressive heat, leaving innkeepers desperate for any business. Their host, a chubby and jolly woman, said that the weather changed approximately a month ago.
"Oh, it was dreadful! One day we were getting ready for the pottery market festival and the next day… well, see for yourself! Now nobody comes to town, not even for our famous porcelain! Dreadful, just dreadful. Strawberry tartlet?"
"Oh, I'm quite full, but thank you for the offer," Lenalee politely declined. Lavi and Allen had no qualms about eating the desserts and promptly inhaled their portions, as well as Lenalee's and Kanda's (who did not look at all pleased by the matter).
"Don't be shy now, sweetheart! Look at you – you're as thin as a rake! We've got to put some meat on those bones or else you could be carried off by the Albrechtsburg ghost!" the woman protested loudly, taking out another strawberry tartlet from her tray and offering it to the young Exorcist.
All four of them perked up at the new information.
That's what they've been looking for.
"Ghost?" Lenalee asked eagerly as she took the tartlet from the woman's hand.
Their host nodded vigorously. "It lives up in the Albrechtsburg where the Royal Porcelain Factory is. At night, people have said they've seen mysterious lights on inside! They say that the ghost cursed this town with this horrid weather, because the temperature hadn't been like this until the ghost appeared." Her voice darkened to a whisper as she leaned closer to Lenalee, eyes glinting ominously. "They say it wants revenge."
"Revenge for what?"
"I have no idea!" the woman chirped brightly as she jolted back upright. "The pastries must be done now," she said to no one in particular as she left the Exorcists to their own devices to tend to the oven.
They gathered together at the small kitchen table.
"So? Do you think it's Innocence?" Lavi asked, leaning back in his chair and putting his boots on the table.
"If it is," Allen mused, "then why haven't we seen any Akuma? They're drawn to the Innocence, right?"
"Maybe this heat is keeping them away. At least the lower level ones. We haven't spent enough time in the town to see if there are any other levels around." The redhead interjected.
"Whatever. Let's just get this over with." Kanda grunted as he stood up and headed for the door.
"Waaiitt! We should go when it gets dark, Yu!" Lavi whined as he snatched a hold of Kanda's arm and tugged backwards, earning him a swift elbow to the gut. "How… mean…" he wheezed on the floor.
"I warned you about calling me by my first name," Kanda said menacingly, his eyes almost glowing in angry. Allen winced in sympathy for the bookman at the appearance of Kanda's beast eyes, a sight he had been on the receiving end of many, many times.
"No, no, Lavi's right. We should all get some rest and visit the castle tonight, since that's when the lights have been seen," Lenalee said quickly.
"Tch."
Unfortunately for the Exorcists, they could only afford one room ("Komui's being stingy again, huh?" "Lavi! Don't talk about brother like that. I'm sure he had his reasons… maybe."), and the room only had two beds. After much polite discussion in which at one point Mugen was drawn, a lamp was broken, and feathers flew everywhere after the explosion of a stray pillow caught in the crossfire, Lenalee and Kanda shared one bed while Allen and Lavi shared the other.
"This sucks," Lavi whispered moodily. "It's not that I don't like you, Allen, but I would much rather be cuddling with sweet Lenalee."
"We're not cuddling," Allen replied tersely. He couldn't help but agree with Lavi, though, as he eyed the silhouetted form of dark-haired swordsman with jealously. He supposed that Kanda was at least a better choice than Lavi, judging by how he slept on the far side of the bed with a pillow placed courteously between him and the female Exorcist.
Quashing his overprotective feelings (and other feelings) for the time being, Allen turned over on his side and closed his eyes.
They had a big night coming up after all.
Why yes, the newest chapter did inspire "beast eyes" Kanda.
