Me: Yay!

Yume: Hanashi-san, why are you happy?

Lavi: I think it's because something interesting is afoot.

Me: That's right! Very interesting! (^-^)

Kanda: And, what would that be, stupid author?

Me: Oi, 'nuf with the insults BaKanda.

Lenalee: Kanda, don't fight with Hanashi, and Hanashi, don't pick a fight with Kanda.

Me & Kanda: (me)Fine, okay/ (Kanda)Che. Whatever.

Allen: Well, if something interesting is going to happen, then maybe everyone should go read it.

Lenalee: Oh! And Hanashi isn't Katsura Hoshino, so she has no rights for D. Gray-man.

Me: I can only take credit where it counts. That would be my characters Yume and Fuyuyuki, and also the plot for this story!

Yume: So, please, enjoy the story!


Chapter 7: A Young Girl's Innocence

What a fool you are. A familiar soundless voice tells me. Why do you go out of your way just to save the life of someone you had just met? What reason do you have to throw away the life your parents gave to you?

I...said it...be...fore, I weakly replied, I can't...turn down any...one who's hurt, and if there's a way I can protect them...I will.

Would you also say that to save the souls of Akuma? The voice asked me, seemingly amused by the answer.

They were human once upon a time too, I said, my voice getting stronger as I continued talking, Their physical form may no longer be "human", but their souls are...Allen once said he could see the souls of the Akuma. He wanted the souls to be free from their suffering.

That is what he wants. What of you? What is your desire?

My desire? I also desire to help those souls too...but I'm unable to...it make me feel useless.

You're not useless.

Huh? When the voice said that, I felt confused. What do you mean?

Just as I said. You were born with Innocence in your own arm. The gems on your hand is that proof. The markings on your arm comes with it. Do you wish to harness it?

To help my friends defeat the Earl, and to save the Akuma that are trapped within the Earl's clutches. I said, determination in my eyes. Will you let me?

There was a long pause. What seemed like hours, was actually only a few moments before I got my answer; Very well. I will let you harness the power of your Innocence. But it will be up to you to make it reach its full potential. I will also use my power to heal you from the virus.

"Thank...you..." I breathed, now looking at my right hand. All five gems were now alight. I smiled, and place the said hand over my heart. The gems began glowing brightly. My skin was already a sickly gray, but with the power of my Innocence, the virus was gone. I looked up to the Akuma who attacked us.

"What? You're alive?" The Akuma asked. I realized it was a level two. It sort of reminded me a snake and a hippopotamus. "I guess that means I'll have to try to kill you again!" I looked over my shoulder first, to make sure the Finder I protected was still alive. He was.

"How did you survive the attack?" He asked me. I looked at my torn uniform, understanding why he was surprised. It came too close to my heart. But the wound wasn't there anymore. Weird.

"I may not be able to see the souls of Akuma like Allen can," I began, feeling the Innocence in my arm reacting, something warm was dripping from under the crystals. "But even still, I still want to save the soul that resides within your disgusting form."

I soon felt something slithering down my arm. I realized it was the tattoo-like markings on my arm. They moved to my hand, where I held on to it, becoming the hilt that the blood was now connecting itself with. Yes, the blade was being made of my blood. This dried and hardened until it had somehow become black. It was a midnight-black sword. Nothing like Kanda's Mugen, mind you. Though this appearance was also a katana. I, myself, was the scabbard for it. It felt as though it was telling me how to use it...what attacks it could use.

"MISS EXORCIST!" The finder shouted as the level two came right at me. My body seemed to act on its own again. I dodged the blow before it could hit me.

"You're existence is abnormal." I said when I landed on a new perch. How I'd gotten so high, I wasn't really sure. Was it my activated Innocence's doing? "With *Ketsueki's power, I will bring your soul the salvation it deserves." I didn't name it that. The Innocence told me it was its name. Pretty ironic, really. "Blood Cross!" I exclaimed while drawing a cross in the air, which was stained red as though I'd sliced the wind itself. With another swing of my blade, I sent the cross towards the Akuma at an unbelievable speed. The next thing I knew, it was screeching from the attack. It exploded after that.

"Miss Exorcist...I owe you my life. Thank you."

"You don't have to call me 'Miss Exorcist', okay? You can just call me Yume." I said, giving him a smile. "By the way, I know it's a little late, but what's your name?"

"Micheal." He answered. "I'm actually newer here, and there's already another Finder with that name, so please, call me Mikey. Everyone else seems to."

"Pleasure." I said.

"Yume!" I heard the unmistakable voice of Tiedoll exclaiming. "Where's the level two?"

"Yume destroyed it." Mikey said, getting up, but nearly fell over, if not for me catching him. "She saved my life, and I owe her for that."

"I-I didn't do much!" I said feeling embarrassed. "All I really did was tend to his wounds, and then save him from the Akuma that was just about ready to kill us...that's all."

"By the way, how did you survive the attack of the Akuma?" Mikey suddenly asked.

"Well..." I said, unsure how to answer that. Just then, the blade of my sword was being absorbed into my hand, while the tattoos went back up my arm...but they felt different...I ripped the sleeve off my uniform, eyes widened in shock. "What the...?"

"Yume, it's not good manners to tear your clothes like that." Tiedoll warned me. "Are these the markings I heard about?"

"Yes and no." I answered. "They were different before, but these?" How to explain? Well, there were now two bars on my forearm that were as black as the hilt of the katana I held not that long ago. Both were wedged between small bars which encircled that part of my arm itself. I realized were the parts that helped combine the hilt together. It was the same on my lower arm. There was still that strange curved line on my shoulder joint, which I assumed was the guard.

"I'll have to ask Komui when I get back to headquarters." Tiedoll decided. "Come now, we can't have my daughter indisposed like this."

"Did I hear what I think I heard?" I heard Marie as he entered the ruins.

"Tiedoll becoming Yume's self-proclaimed father? Then, yes. You did hear right." Timothy said, holding back a laugh.

"Last I checked, sir, I'm not your daughter...much less your pupil." I added, feeling confused.

"I think he just might've grown fond of you, Yume." Marie offered. "Best be getting used to it." From the torn sleeve in my hand, I realized it was moving. I dropped it, allowing a pissed-off silver golem to emerge from where it was hiding.

"You were in my sleeve this whole time?" I asked Fuyuyuki. It bobbed up and down as though it were saying 'yes'. "Figures."

"Now, Yume, did you bring spare clothes?"

"No...but I did find the Innocence!" I said, taking it out of my pocket. A warming smile made its way on Tiedoll's face. "This is my first time seeing it in its original state."

"So it is." Tiedoll said, taking the Innocence fragment. "Marie, why don't you return this to headquarters. Timothy, you go with him."

"What about me?" I asked, wondering why the General wished for me to stay behind.

"We'll catch up with them, I just want to know something. Mikey, the Finder you saved, said you healed yourself when the Akuma's poison was injected into you."

"My Innocence did it." I said. "It said I could use its power, but it would have to be alone to unlock its full potential."

"Where would you say your synchro-rate is?"

"Last time Hevlaska said it was thirty percent." I admitted, "I get the feeling it went up more since then though."

"Well then, we'll have to check once we get back...and did you really defeat the level two so easily?"

"I guess so...that's the first Akuma I ever destroyed."

"The fact you managed to destroy a level two when you only found out about your Innocence means you may have great potential to the Order." Tiedoll explained to me. "They'll start assigning harder missions for you."

"I'd be damned if they gave me one too easy." I admitted. "Not that I wouldn't mind the easier ones..."

"Of course." Tiedoll smiled. "Come, I'm pretty sure Marie and Timothy are waiting." I felt movement on my head, and quickly raised my arm to the perpetrator. When had Fuyuyuki settled on my head? Strange little silver golem.


A/N: *Ketsueki = I think it's another way of saying blood. And thus is the name for Yume's Innocence.

Keep in mind, I use Google Translate, so I'm not really sure how accurate it is...so, yeah (I like the feature where you can click the characters to change 'em, really it's awesome!)

-Ahem- SO! What'd'ya think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Please, let me know! Reviews are welcome! Don't neglect the review button, you'll make it cry! R&R for the button's sake!