I'd like to say thank you to PoetofMercury for my first review! I absolutely agree. Miranda is one of my favorite characters so I want to give her some of the spotlight. Unless my brain decides otherwise this story should mainly revolve around her and Wade. I wrote the first chapter almost 2 years ago so who knows where it's eventually going to end up. I certainly don't... Anyway lets get on with it.

Onward to Chapter 7! Enjoy!

I don't own D Gray Man.


As the moon continues to rise in the cloudy night sky so too does the unflappable Miranda Lotto. She places one bloody calloused hand ahead of the other and slowly, ever so slowly inches her way up the unforgiving cliff face. Wade hovers just below her, as he has been for over 6 hours. "Miranda has unbelievable stamina!" He says to himself in amazement "I'm starting to get tired just watching her…" The sight of her pallid sweating face and her abused looking fingers makes him shake his head vigorously before attempting once more to convince her to let him help "Miranda please! I know how you feel but I don't think that even you can go on for much longer! At least let me carry your clock. That's what's slowing you down so much."

Miranda stops just long enough to gasp out "No I'm finally half way there!" Her voice had become increasingly haggard as the hours passed. She reaches for the next ledge but finds that it is just out of reach "Just a little more…" Her precarious foothold gives way without warning and Miranda is torn from the cliff. "Ahhh!"

"Miranda!" Wade says as he positions himself to catch her. "Don't worry! I've got…arrg!" He grunts as her full weight, plus the weight of her grandfather clock slams into him. They tumble through the air in an instant of sheer uncontrolled chaos. Relying only on instinct Wade grits his teeth and spreads his wings to their limit. He forces them to push enough air out of the way to stabilize their decent.

They instantly decelerate but their momentum makes the ropes holding Miranda's clock in place snap. It slips strait down Miranda's back and plummets away "My clock!" Miranda screams as she spins in Wade's arms and reaches her hands out desperately.

Wade looks on lamenting her imminent loss but suddenly a young woman's voice echoes through the clouds "Dark Boots!" Both Wade and Miranda snap their heads up just in time to see a girl with two long tails of green hair zoom past on a ribbon of ghostly light.

A relieved smile spreads across Miranda's face as she calls out to the girl "Lenalee!"

Lenalee does a graceful spin around the clock and gets underneath its long body. Her short black skirt fans out as she grips it tightly before kicking off of the rock and into the sky. Lenalee does a few more kicks that somehow allow her to hop on thin air. She smiles as she comes level with Wade. "Hello Miranda! Don't worry your clock is in good hands." Her eyes turn to Wade "You must be the accommodator that Toma told us about. My name is Lenalee Lee. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Wade."

"Likewise…Nice catch by the way" He says with a nod as he looks her up and down. She is wearing a neat black jacket with a high collar and silver buttons. The many pointed crest of the Black Order stands out on her chest, gleaming in the moonlight. His eyes drift to her legs and take note of their otherworldly luminescence "How are you staying aloft like that...?"

Lenalee giggles "I'll explain more when we're on solid ground. Follow me." With that she leaps through the air like a ballet dancer on an invisible stage.

Wade pumps his already overworked wings and complies. Lenalee touches down on an outcropping on the edge of the plateau's perimeter and Wade follows suit. Wade sighs as his still rapid heartbeat begins to slow "Ok…we made it." He says as he releases his hold on Miranda's waist.

Lenalee sets Miranda's clock down gently and steps back as Miranda dives at it, all weariness forgotten in her haste to verify its condition. Once she has Miranda goes perfectly still, with her face hidden under the brim of her hat. Just as Wade is about to repeat his questions to Lenalee, Miranda looks up at him with wide teary eyes and even has a little snot running from her nose "Wade… I" She sniffs "I failed!" She begins to cry steadily, snot and tears flying around as her sobs increase in volume. "I'm sorry Lenalee I can't even make it to Headquarters on my own!"

Wade holds his arms up to shield himself from the gruesome shower, then scrambles to come up with something reassuring to say "H-Hey don't cry. You did your best… and uh well I'm sure you can start over after you rest for a bit"

Miranda stops sobbing but her face remains stained with fluid "You… you think so?"

Wade gives her his most confident smile and holds both of his thumbs up "Of course! I mean overcoming adversity is what makes you stronger." He beseeches Lenalee for help "Right?"

Lenalee looks at the emotionally distraught woman and at her encouraging partner with a completely clueless expression "What are you two talking about?"

Wade raises both eyebrows until they disappear beneath his bangs "D-didn't you help us because Miranda failed her test?"

Lenalee shakes her head still not understanding "One of our security golems spotted you two when you got about half way up so I went out to greet you." She looks up and Wade follows her gaze to a small flying eyeball thing hovering just above the trees. "But why did you try to climb up instead of taking the elevator?"

Wade and Miranda freeze. Both have a colorful mixture of emotions swirling about on their faces. Wade is predominantly outraged, with bulging veins clearly visible at his temples, while Miranda is mostly embarrassment, but both have touches of manic disbelief that force their jaws to the ground. Wade recovers first, taking a deep breath he says "elevator…? What elevator?"

Lenalee gestures to her left at a grove of trees. Nestled between their trunks is a large rectangular building with an ornate set of double doors. "There's a waterway under the plateau that connects to that building over there. Didn't someone tell you about it?"

Wade's neck twists stiffly to look at Miranda. Miranda who is now slumped over like a corpse looks up long enough to shake her head no. Wade looks back at Lenalee "I guess not."

Lenalee's brows come together with disapproval "But that's common knowledge! Miranda who briefed you before you left?"

Miranda fixes her ragged appearance with her handkerchief before answering "Chief Komui…"

Lenalee's eyes widen, and then she huffs out a frustrated "that idiot brother of mine!" as she places her fists on her hips. Quickly afterward she bows deeply to the two fragile minded recruits "I apologize on behalf of my brother. He's really is a good person..."

Miranda and Wade don't have the energy left to do anything but nod in acknowledgement. When they at last regain their composure Wade notices an inconsistency "But Lenalee, if those flying things can show you who's arrived why didn't you flag us down when I came up here earlier?"

"Headquarters has a very sophisticated security system. Although the golems are pretty durable they still need maintenance from time to time. Some of them were called back so I suppose you slipped in just when we were switching them out."

Wade blinks at her "... How often does this happen?"

"About once every five years. We only noticed you when Miranda tripped a pressure sensor a few minutes ago."

"Oh... alright" Wade says in acceptance. He chuckles tiredly as the ridiculousness of the situation overshadows his annoyance "Well it all worked out in the end... I guess"

Miranda agrees "Yes." She smiles "Now we can finally become Exorcists!"

Pride shines through as Lenalee just looks at them "That's the spirit." She points down a well paved road that leads directly to the front gate "Please this way. The gatekeeper has to do a check of all new recruits."

The three of them walk side by side. Wade helps Miranda carry her clock since they left the trolley behind. As they get nearer to the imposing black walls Wade remembers his earlier question "Hey Lenalee…"

"Hmm?"

"You never told me how you stayed in the air."

Her eyes brighten "Ah Innocence of course." She looks down at her high heeled shoes "Innocence Activate." The black material around her feet warps and spreads until it cover the skin all the way up to her thigh. Just as the changes seem to halt a line of the same spectral light as before bisects each leg."This is my anti-Akuma weapon the Dark Boots. They can manipulate air pressure, among other things."

"Wow! Innocence is awesome." Wade says leaning in for a closer look. "But why are yours and Miranda's so different from mine?"

Lenalee deactivates her boots and studies Wade's wings. After a moment she holds out a hand and asks "may I?"

Wade blinks "Uh... sure." he says a little self consciously as he holds them out for inspection.

Her eyes soften as she gently touches the feathers of his left wing "They really are beautiful Mr. Wade." She steps back "You look like a parasite type so your Innocence is already part of your body. That means that you have a natural bond with it, giving you an affinity for combat. However Miranda and I are equipment types so we have to convert the Innocence into a weapon if we're going to use it."

Wade sniffs a bit and looks away embarrassed "So there are different types?" Wade says bringing his wings back to what he considers a comfortable fold.

"Yes. You'll learn about that and much more after you've been processed."

They come to a stop in front of a massive stone carving of a man's face. Wade looks around before asking "So where's this gatekeeper."

Lenalee points at the stone face as it miraculously begins to move. It juts out of the wall and hovers oppressively above their heads. A deep almost panicked voice emanates loudly from its mouth "Beginning scan!" Miranda cringes as two bright spotlights flow from the gatekeeper's eyes and move steadily up and down her body. Wade flinches as well but soon stands strait, simply deciding right now to throw away his old sense of what is and isn't possible. A few more seconds pass then the gatekeeper sinks back into the wall "Scan complete, nothing unusual found, opening!" The stone on either side of the face begin to rise as gears lift them out of the way. Wade looks around as they step through and the gates slam shut again. A small courtyard occupies the space between the wall and the front doors. It is filled with elegant statues and adorned with colorful flower beds. Wade admires its subdued beauty as they traverse the last few feet between them and the entrance.

The interior of the European Branch is dark and cavernous which reminds Wade of the old gothic architecture described in one of the history books Jacob had bought for him as a child. The ceiling is high, the hallways are lit by low glowing sconces and the walls are hung with tapestries sporting the same crest as Lenalee's jacket. In the center of the hall stands a man of considerable height, with dark hair, wearing a white uniform. His face is thin, and wire-framed glasses sit on the bridge of his nose. Lenalee looks surprised "Brother what are you doing here. I thought you'd be in your office?"

"Ah Lenalee I merely wanted to greet them myself." He moves quickly and shakes Miranda's hand with exuberance. "Miss Miranda, welcome at last!"

Miranda nods "Thank you Chief Komui."

Then he turns his attention to Wade, giving him the same energetic handshake. "You as well Mr. Hill welcome to Headquarters! I am Chief Officer Komui Lee!"

Since the elevator incident Wade had been planning to give this Komui a piece of his mind but the extremely friendly greeting catches him off guard "Uh… Thanks Chief."

"Please, Komui is just fine." He releases Wade's hand "I tried to get Miranda to call me by my first name but she refused." He sighs "Anyway you've arrived at a perfect time! I've just received word that Allen, and Lavi have returned with another new recruit!" He does a sudden sweep with his arm, pulling out a cloth and bringing it to his eyes "Oh so many new faces, it almost makes me want to weep!"

Lenalee breaks into his monologue "They're back? I thought they weren't supposed to get here until tomorrow."

Komui opens his mouth to answer but the distant sound of the gatekeeper cuts him off "Scanning!" several silent seconds pass before sirens start to go off and speakers magnify the gatekeepers voice all throughout the hall. "This guy is out! Pentacles are a sign of Akuma! You are an Ally of the Millennium Earl!"

While Wade, Miranda, and Lenalee look around frantically Komui's eye's take on a frightening glint as he rubs his palms together "Ah ha! This is a perfect opportunity to test that out!" He does a quick 180 and then sprints off with almost psychotic laughter echoing in his wake.

"Brother!" Lenalee yells after him before she too sprints away.

Wade and Miranda share a tense glance before grabbing their stuff and giving chase themselves. "Things sure are lively around here!" Wade says with an excited grin.

"Indeed…"