For the previous chapter, I thought this music would fit to be the on in the music box. I was just browsing stuff in Youtube and my sister told me about it. x) But me, being the careless and forgetful me, forgot to put the link in the previous chapter. x) Check it out. x) It was in the show too.

www. youtube. com /watch? v ju22XX5PwAU (delete the spaces and if that doesn't work, just search 'Allen's sad song' in youtube. x))

Kanda woke up at seven sharp the next day. Knowing that her two companions would love a few more hours of sleep, she grabbed Mugen off the other side of the bed and changed into her Exorcist uniform.

It may seem weird that she slept with her sword but Mugen gave her a sense of security and besides, the bed was a queen size bed. There was enough space for three people to sleep in, much less a sword. It was easier to reach Mugen if it was just beside her anyway.

'I'll wake them at eight thirty. I won't care if they still want to sleep then,' she thought to herself, jumping from roof to roof, finding a deserted area where she could train.

Realising that there was no decent place she could train in the city, she headed towards the forest. Five minutes later, she found space where there was absolutely no sign of human life or Akumas.

"Good," she said. "Now I can train."

She took out a blindfold and wrapped it around her eyes and began her training.

After an hour or so, Mugen started shaking violently, signalling the sign of Akumas approaching, lots of Akumas. She gripped Mugen and it stopped shaking.

"Akumas eh?" she muttered and started walking in the direction she knew where the Akumas would be.

Staying hidden in the shadows, she trailed the Akumas until they reached a deserted construction sight. It looked abandoned and it probably was.

She frowned deeply as she realised that there was quite a number of Akumas there. There were mostly level twos and unfortunately, a few level threes.

'Komui did say there was probably a broker involved. I really shouldn't be surprised at the number of Akumas.'

She hurriedly left before any of the Akumas sensed her presence. Running swiftly, she made it back to the hotel in no time at all.

She entered her room and went over to the door that connected their rooms together. They had agreed not to lock that door so it would be easier to access one another.

"Wake up, Usagi, Moyashi," she commanded.

"One more 'our, Yuu-chan," Lavi slurred sleepily. "M' still sleepy."

"Yea, one more hour," Allen said, agreeing with his half-asleep comrade immediately.

She growled softly and stalked over to Lavi's bed. She would wake him up first, as she always did.

Turning Mugen so that she was holding its end, she jabbed the tip harshly into Lavi's stomach, earning a loud cry of pain from the latter.

He sat up and cradled his wounded stomach gently before looking up to pout at Kanda.

"Yuu-chan, you didn't have to do that!" he cried, rubbing his stomach.

"Why, would you have woken up then?" she asked, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Yes," he replied. "In an hour."

"Usagi, it's already eight-thirty," she said, irritated. "I was up an hour and a half ago."

"But Yuu, I love to sleep and you don't!" he whined, clutching the blanket to himself, refusing to get up.

"Sleeping is a waste of time but is something that is essential," Kanda told him as she glared.

"Do I have to hit you again? And I swear, this time I will use so much force that you would be sent to the hospital," she threatened, tightening her hold on Mugen to emphasise her point.

Lavi gulped in fear. Only a fool would doubt what Kanda said. Sure, he may be her- dare say- best friend and all but she would have no qualms sending him to the hospital and perhaps even heaven if he did not do as she said.

"I'm up, Yuu!!" he shouted and rushed to the bathroom, closing it with a loud 'bam'.

She rolled her eyes at his childish antics before turning to the still sleeping Allen. She shook her head. How he had slept through that was beyond her.

'He does look adorable when he's sleeping though,' she thought subconsciously.

Her eyes widened slightly as she realised what she had just thought. Shaking her head, she proceeded to try to wake Allen up.

"Moyashi, get up," she tried, poking him lightly with the end of Mugen.

He opened his eyes blearily and blinked a few times before his eyesight focused.

"Kanda?" he asked tiredly.

"No; Komui," she answered sarcastically as he rubbed his eyes.

He laughed softly and she felt her heart quicken in pace. A blush threatened to rise but somehow, she managed to suppress it.

"Good morning," he greeted cheerfully, after realising that it morning.

"Morning and hurry up," she told him, striding back to the door. "Come into my room when you are ready."

Closing the door behind her before Allen had the chance to reply, she sat down on her bed, trying to calm her heart which was beating rather rapidly.

"Damn it, Yuu," she cursed herself. "What are you fucking doing and thinking?!"

'But he did look adorable... ah there's that stupid word again!'

'Yuu, stop thinking all these things...'

'But there was something about his smile...'

'Stop thinking about him!'

She sighed softly and shook her head. She did not want to think about those things now. They would only give her a headache and possibly distract her when fighting the Akumas later.

"Hurry up, Allen! I was up at eight you know!" Lavi said proudly.

No doubt he was already ready to leave.

Kanda rolled her eyes.

'Up at eight my foot.'

"Really, Lavi?" Allen asked rather sinisterly. His voice was slightly more muffled than Lavi. He was probably in the bathroom washing up. "I shall ask Kanda later."

"Fine, I just woke up too!"

"Che, at least Allen is smarter than he looks," Kanda muttered before realising what she had called the white-haired Exorcist.

'I did not just call him by his name...'

Before she had time to ponder why she had called Allen by his name, Lavi came bursting into her room with Allen in tow.

"Yo, Yuu," he greeted. "Let's go!"

"Ever heard of knocking?" she grumbled, irritated. Lavi just smiled at her.

"But we're such good friends that knocking is a waste of time!" Lavi answered, grinning.

"Let's go," she stated and left, the other two trailing behind her slowly.

Once they were out of the hotel, Kanda led them to the forest while explaining the situation.

"So, that means there's a bunch of Akumas there?" Allen asked and Kanda nodded.

"Remember that Komui said there was possibly a broker involved?" Lavi said. "That's probably why there's so many Akumas."

"Exactly what I thought," Kanda affirmed.

"If there's a broker, then there's definitely a place where he or she is killing off those people," Allen said furiously.

"Yea," Lavi said. "Last time it was a hospital."

"A hospital would be the easiest place to kill off people and make it seems like an accident," Kanda muttered.

"Maybe a hospice?" Lavi asked.

"Not too likely. Those people would actually be on the verge of death already," Allen answered.

"Shut up," Kanda whispered harshly. "We'll near the construction site."

The three Exorcists hid behind the trees and watched the Akumas.

"Possibly about a hundred of them or more," Allen remarked, mentally counting the number of Akumas.

"God, there's definitely a broker involved," Lavi said.

"I think we better leave before they see us," Allen told his two companions. "We can't possibly take out all these Akumas at once. Plus, there're probably more of where they come from."

Receiving a nod from both Kanda and Lavi, the three set off, back to the city to collect information on whether there were Akuma attacks.

"We'll meet back at the hotel at eleven," Lavi stated.

"Yea, three hours should be enough," Allen answered.

"Che."

Lavi pulled out a map and separated it into three sections. They each took one section and went on their ways.

"Excuse me miss," Allen said politely to one passer-by. He knew that the lady was not an Akuma thanks to his left eye.

"Yes?"

"Has they been any attacks here recently?" he asked, pretending to be casual about it.

"Why, yes!" the lady replied. "Those monsters almost took down my house but thankfully, there was this charming man who took care of them!"

Allen started to have a bad feeling about this and he begun sweating unconsciously.

'No... not my Master...'

"Oh I see!" Allen said, wiping away sweat from his forehead. "Who's this man?"

"His name is Cross Marian!" the lady gushed, eyes sparkling with admiration. "He is such a handsome and fine young man!"

"Oh... okay..." Allen mumbled inaudibly, feeling more distant to the world by the second as he started to think about the debts he had to clear for that particular man.

"And he took out those creatures with one shot of his gun!" the lady continued happily, unaware of Allen paling rather quickly. "He is so dashing!"

"Yes, I agree," Allen managed to croak out bitterly.

"And the way he talked! I almost fainted! He is so handsome!" she continued happily.

"..."

"Are you alright dear?" she asked kindly. "You look very pale.

"It's alright..." he said weakly, swaying from side to side. "Thank you."

He then started walking away on wobbling feet. Of course he was thinking about the good times he spent with his dear, dear Master. Note the sarcasm.

'Master... is... evil...'

The lady watched Allen walk away unsurely.

"That poor boy must be traumatised upon hearing about monsters," she said lightly, laughing to herself. "One might have thought that he was actually afraid of hearing about Cross!"

Little did she know how right she was. Poor Allen went to a cafe nearby and ordered a cup of tea to calm himself down before getting to work once more. Hopefully, he would not hear anything more about his Master.

TBC

-Winterblazewolf