A/N: This was written by me and edited by Stella-chan. Yeah this chapter starts to go AU a bit but its fan fiction so I can do what I want in my chapter. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: We don't own the story, only the characters Mai, and Nina.

After that eventful train ride the four stumbled out into the small train station, their finder finding them immediately.

The tall Finder named Hue pointed down the dirt road, "Veendam should be the next town up ahead."

They all nodded and started making their way down the dusty road. Mai glanced around her surroundings. She hadn't been out of the tower like this since she was…nine years old.

Lavi hunkered down to her height, "What are you staring at?"

Mai just pushed him away, "Nothing you idiot."

Allen also looked where her eye line was, "The windmill is really magnificent, though."

Mai blushed and admitted, "I've never seen one before. In person anyway."

Lavi asked astonished, "Never?"

Mai gave him a glare, "And tell me where I would get all this free time suddenly to travel the world if I have been working for the Black Order Science division for almost Six years?"

Nina asked her brow furrowed, "Six years? B-but you're only…"

Mai sighed, "Yes, I'm almost fifteen, which means I have been working for the Order since I was nine. I know, big shocker."

Lavi's eyes gleamed with curiosity, "The Black Order only takes the best. Little sister or not, you had to earn your place as one of the best scientists to make the team at age nine."

Mai fumed, "Why does everyone think I'm not smart enough! I studied really hard damn it!"

Lavi told her, "I'm sure you did, but even the thought of a nine year old studying for something that challenging is unheard of."

Mai asked crossing her arms, "So what were you doing when you were nine? You're a Bookman in training so I'm sure you were also one of those "unheard" cases."

Lavi smiled, "True. I also had to work hard at a young age, especially since I am a Substitute."

Nina blinked, "A Substitute?"

Lavi nodded, "Yeah. I actually wasn't meant to become a Bookman. Some humans have the potential to be a Bookman, but only one every other generation is activated without force. The True Bookman that was supposed to replace gramps died though, so he had to activate the Bookman gene in me to be able to take me on as his apprentice. I am only a Substitute so I have to work very hard to be even on par with a True Bookman. They're bred to be the perfect Bookman: intelligent, observant, mature, sensible, skilled in fighting, and emotionless.

He then chuckled, "Everything Gramps tells me I'm not!"

Nina asked, "How did the True Bookman die?"

Lavi shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not really sure. Gramps doesn't talk about it much. I know she died before he could even make her his apprentice though."

Mai asked, "She? I didn't think that women could be a part of the Bookman clan."

Lavi responded with a smile, "Of course a girl could be a Bookman. All that matters is that the person carries the Bookman gene. Not everyone caries the gene and me and Gramps are the only ones with it activated."

Allen asked, "How do you know if someone has the gene activated?"

Lavi tapped his eye patch, "Once the gene is activated, the clan symbol is imprinted on a body part. Mine is on my right eye…so I keep it covered up."

. "So that's why…" They all stated in union

He then rubbed the back of his head, "Don't tell the old coot I told you that though."

Allen looked up at the gates to a village, "Hey we're here."

They walked up to the gate and looked for a way inside. Lavi knocked and a man opened a small slot, "What business do you have here?"

Allen told him gesturing to the crest on his jacket, "We were sent here from the Order."

The man quickly closed the slot and let them in, "Sorry about that. You can never be too careful, especially with a small village like ours."

Nina nodded sympathetically.

Mai asked getting strait to business, "Have you noticed anything strange sir?"

He laughed, "I don't know what's not strange anymore. Just look at the sky."

They all glanced at the sky. Mai deadpanned, "It's ...purple."

They all looked around at each other. Nina asked, "Is it because of the Innocence?"

Lavi told her, "Must be, but the Innocence can't change the color of the sky no matter how powerful. It must be creating an illusion."

Mai opened the gate back up and stepped out of the town and saw that the sky turned back blue. She stepped back into the town and it was purple ounce more. She nodded, "It seems the Innocence has created an area over the town and morphed the sky's color. The question is if this is physical or mental."

Her three companions sweat dropped as she plugged her nose and held her breath, "What are you doing?"

She ignored them and looked up at the sky ounce more, it was still purple. 'So it's not affecting people through the air.'

She then unplugged her breath and gulped in a breath. She then stared up at the sky and held out her hand, "Somebody, give me their shoe."

Lavi asked her, "Are you okay, Mai?"

She tilted her head towards him, "Now."

He shrunk back whispering, "She's lost it."

The Finder, Hue, obediently handed her his sandal. She took it and immediately chucked it.

The group stared with wide eyes as the shoe made contact with the sky and small shards of glass fell.

Nina yelped, "It cracked!"

Mai smirked, "You were saying, Lavi?"

He repeated, "You're insane."

She jabbed him in the gut painfully with her elbow and smiled smugly.

Allen asked, "How was the Innocence able to cover the whole town though?"

Mai shook her head, "I'm not sure."

She then yawned and stretched, "It is getting dark though, so I think we should put this investigation on hold until morning."

Lavi stated, "But it's only eight."

Mai's eye twitched, "I. Need. Sleep."

Nina, who was also tired, nodded. Seeing this, Allen agreed, "Alright then, we'll call it a night and continue our investigation tomorrow."

...

Mai couldn't sleep. She was dead tired but she knew that Komui's birthday was this morning and it pained her to know that she wouldn't be there to wake him up and exclaim, "Happy Birthday!"

It was her one thing that Lenalee could never take away from her. She always was the first one to wish Brother happy birthday. On top of that though, she was brainstorming on how that Innocence could act in such a way. It was so strange and she just couldn't understand how the Innocence made a barrier over the city. Besides didn't she have to walk through the barrier to get into the town? None of it made sense.

She glanced at the clock it was 12:00am. She really should try getting to sleep but she had too much on her mind. She crept out of bed trying hard not to disturbed her slumbering comrade.

Mai then made her way into the hallway and spotted the phone. If she could just call her brother she could maybe finally put her head down...

She stumbled to the phone drowsy and punched in the numbers. A cheerful voice instantly answered, "Mai~! How are you? Isn't it quite late for you to call? Not that I mind!"

Mai sniggered at his child-like behavior and told him softly, "Happy Birthday, Brother. I love you."

She could practically here the smile in his voice as he returned, "I love you too Mai. Stay safe."

She smiled happily before hanging the phone. After that Mai found herself lying on the floor with her eyes shutting tight, exhaustion finally taking over.