Chapter 9
*Lavi's point of view
I had been wandering around the town for days with Lenalee trying to look for the innocence. It might have been nice getting away from the order but wandering around for a long time and not finding anything with tired feet is worse. We rested inside the inn for the night just like the day before. The finder said that there really were akuma and they know there was innocence the past few days before we came. We were about to abandon the mission when akuma suddenly appeared and attacked us. We activated our innocence and fought.
"Oi baka usagi! Your back is all open for attack. Be more aware of your surroundings."
Was I hearing and seeing right? Is that really Kanda? I thought he was dead.
"Oi Baka usagi! What are you standing still there for? Fight those damn akuma."
No mistake there, it's Kanda alright.
"No real reason, Yuu-chan. I was just surprised and happy to see you again."
"I said don't call me that, baka usagi!"
"Yuu-nii, focus on the battle. You can kill him later," said a little boy who seemed to be eight to ten yrs. old.
His face was familiar. With that black hair and eyes, he must be Alcina's younger brother but what is he doing here with Kanda?
We fought till all the akuma were dead. Lenalee hugged Kanda and started crying and saying she was glad that he was alive and well. Kanda let her do that for awhile even if he wasn't comfortable with it but then again, Lenalee would probably be the only one whom he will allow to get away with doing that. Komui would surely have a fit and kill Kanda if he was seeing this. Good thing, there is a golem here to record this.
"Yuu-nii, is that your girlfriend?" asked the little boy.
Lenalee let go and blushed very red. I laughed hard over his question and the fact Kanda was letting him get away with calling him by his first name. He can't after all kill the child over such a question. I decided to confirm my theories and asked who he is.
"My name is Elliot. Who are you?"
"Nice to meet you, Elliot. I'm Lavi and this is Lenalee. We're exorcists from the main branch. You're probably Alcina's younger brother, am I correct?"
"Yes, I am. Have you met her?"
"Yeah, I've met her and her friend Kiya. You know her too, right?"
"Yes. She is my friend too."
"While those two are busy, let's get to know each other. I'm also friends with Alcina and Kiya."
"Ok, I was taught that we should respect other people's privacy. Let's leave them alone."
Lenalee just blushed much redder than before when he heard what the kid said. I tried to hold my laughter so I wouldn't meet Mugen too soon before I even get information. We went inside the inn where we were staying at and I talked with the kid alone while Lenalee kept pestering Kanda with her own questions.
"So Elliot, how did you and Kanda meet?"
"I was with my onee-chan and Kiya-oneesan when we saw Yuu-nii injured. We brought him inside the room and then I treated his wounds with my innocence and then Onee-chan bandaged the rest."
"Why was it not Alcina who treated the wounds?"
"That's because her innocence can only manipulate things. It's my innocence that can heal injuries. After that, we brought him back home."
"The hidden order, right?"
"Yes, how did you know that?"
"Kiya told me about it. I'm a Bookman apprentice. We record history. Kiya gave me a bit of information."
"I know about that one. Kiya-oneesan was supposed to be one but her grandfather didn't want her to succeed him."
The kid sure knows a lot for his age. I still keep wondering why she treats me so nicely when she should be angry at me or at least try to avoid me or actually not help me. I took her place after all but then the place that was taken from her didn't matter anymore for her is what she'd said.
"Don't get affected about that. Kiya-oneesan is happy even if she wasn't Bookman's apprentice anymore. And I cannot read your mind, my friend can. It is just easily seen on your face."
"Hey, Elliot. Why are you freely giving me information about the order when it's supposed to be a secret?"
"If Kiya-oneesan trusted you information about the order's existence then I can trust you."
"Really? Then can I ask you, 'What is your other innocence besides healing?'"
"This staff is my other innocence. I can fight with it as it is or turn it into a rope to catch the akuma and destroy them while bound."
"When you brought Kanda to the order, what did you do besides healing him?"
"My friend read a bit of his memories so that when Onee-chan and Kiya-oneesan goes to the main branch, they know what to do."
"Why are you doing here with Kanda?"
"We came to take the innocence and then head to where Onee-chan is."
"I thought you weren't supposed to go yet."
"It was only Onee-chan who didn't want me to go yet. She was being overprotective. I really missed her. It has already been a month since she left."
"We're heading back to the order tomorrow. Would you like to join us?"
"Sure. I really want to see Onee-chan and Kiya-oneesan."
I bet Alcina and Kiya would be surprised when we come back with him. Alcina would probably be stressed again. This will be very interesting.
