The Devil's Innocent Soul: 9

What was worse than getting picked up by the giant white monster and being held only by ribbons of light over a bottomless pit? The fact that the man that I was supposed to be putting my trust in was beaming at me as it was going about.

Lovely.

"KOMUI!" I screamed and my voice echoed through the room.

"So what do you think Hevlaska?"

Hevlaska's ribbons pull me closer to her face. I felt the ribbons wrap around my body, seeping through my clothes and touching my flesh. They trailed across my body like fingers and an uncomfortable heat followed them. They pushed into me, the fingers reaching inside of me, a presence making me fully aware of each crevice and vein of my body. Deeper and deeper the fingers searched within me, despite my struggling and attempts to cover myself from the fingers. I felt myself incased in her light, aware of everything from the blood rushing from my heart to the tips of my eyelashes.

It felt like a million tons of adrenaline was coursing through my body, which was both exhilarating and agonizing.

"Stop." I demanded weakly.

"Hevlaska?" Komui's voice seemed confused. "Is something wrong?"

"I cannot find it…" The presence within me intensified tenfold.

"Cannot find it? You mean she doesn't have innocence?"

"She has Innocence, but I cannot locate it on her person."

"How is that possible?" Komui asked incredulously.

"I cannot touch her innocence for it resides in a reign I cannot enter." I saw black spots swimming in my vision, and I guessed I was about to black out from the intensity of her presence.

"Interesting. What do you suppose that means?"

"It is her essence that is connected with her Innocence. Never has this happened before…"

"Her essence?" Komui seemed genuinely confused.

"Nameless Child who calls herself Sara," Hevlaska spoke to me directly, her presence residing. "You who has lost herself, you will prove to be the missing link between the light and dark."

I drifted through the air and I felt my feet touch the solid ground of the stone platform. The ribbons left me and I quickly wrapped my arms around myself, feeling violated.

"Always cryptic, I wonder what it means." Komui mused and I turned to glare at him. "Hevlaska's prophecies are nearly always right."

"That is not the problem here." I snapped at him.

He held up his hands in defense, "All exorcists must be checked by Hevlaska. She can read and understand Innocence through touch, had your innocence been normal, she could have told you about your bond with it."

"Oh… you could have explained that before."

He smiled like he enjoyed watching me freak out and waved the thought away, "Anyway, it seems you have a very strange innocence indeed."

"Sorry?"

"Oh no, don't be. It'll just be a bit more difficult to understand your innocence. We'll know more tomorrow when we perform your physical but for now I need your general information so I can add you into the Exorcist files."

I cringed at the thought of a physical, but quickly chased it from my mind. Not only did this prove that I did in fact have innocence but apparently my mysterious cube thing was being difficult. What did Hevlaska mean by it being connected to my essence? I asked Komui this and he just shrugged half heartedly.

"It's hard to tell anything right now, we normally get our bearings of an Exorcist's innocence through Hevlaska's examination, but it seems that that's not going to possible this time. Innocence is mysterious and it's quite possible that your innocence exists in a separate realm of existence. In other words, a different time, dimension, or something of the like."

"A different dimension… you've lost me."

He smiled and moved towards the exit of the room, "It's alright, we'll know more later."

I followed him from the room and joined in his quick echoing farewell to Hevlaska. She smiled and murmured my name and sank back into the hole. The room dropped several degrees and I was pulling my blankets tighter around me before we even got across the floor.

"Can you tell me about what you know about your Innocence? Roxanna reported that you were uninformed about it but could you tell me of any experiences that you've had that have been abnormal?" Komui asked leading back through the halls.

"Um well…" I recounted what I told Lenalee, "I heal. When I get hurt, or injured my skin heals itself."

He didn't seem all that surprised, more interested than anything, "How did it heal?"

"I'm not sure." I looked at my hands, "but when it happens, depending on the injury, the healing is different. If I were to cut myself now, like a small nick on my finger, little lights sprout on the skin around the wound and sort of sew it up. And when I've fought Akuma, little stars form on my skin, but they disappear as I heal."

"Not unusual." Komui said scratching things onto his clipboard, "Parasitic type Innocence in known to purify the body of its Accommodator. Basically the Innocence inside of you is rejecting the dark matter in your body."

"In my body?" that didn't sound healthy.

"Indeed. Along with brute force and a variety of weapons, Akuma fight with a unique virus. It injects dark matter into the bloodstream and it can kill you within seconds."

"So, can all exorcists do that?"

A dark look washed across his face, "No, most die." This Exorcist job seemed to get worse and worse.

"So that explains the stars… but what about the healing?" I asked trying to lighten a sullen look on his face with a change of subject. His face returned to a thoughtful one and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well that's where I'm stumped. Healing flesh would normally lead me to believe that your Innocence resides inside your skin or something of the like but Hevlaska wasn't able to locate it. If you are parasitic, Hevlaska should have found it right on your body, but she found only a presence, a shadow of your Innocence so to speak."

"And you don't know what that means."

"Absolutely no clue." He smiled and led back into the first section of the science division and into his office. "None the less with time we will come to learn of it." He greeted Fey halfheartedly and lead me to the coach facing his desk. He returned to his own seat and looked to me, "Now, before tomorrow's tests I'd like to get some of your general information into our files."

"Um… okay." I stammered weakly, the day seemed to be slipping away so fast I didn't have much time to protest. It seemed that everything had already been decided, and that I would become an Exorcist. " Actually Komui, you seem like a nice guy, and all the people I've met here so far have been wonderful give or take a few. But I don't want to be an Exorcist. Could you just that the Innocence from me and leave it at that. I don't want it."

"Sara," he looked at me seriously, "If it were all that simple I'd let you get up and leave now. Actually, I'd encourage it. I wouldn't wish the life of an Exorcist onto anyone, but the Black Order cannot afford to lose any Exorcists. We cannot lose you. This war that has been taking place is ruining the world and destroying lives. We cannot lose, and to the Order, that means that we must have all the resources available to us." He rubbed his forehead solemnly. "Believe me. I don't want to force you. But the Central Agency will, without a doubt, try. I can't protect you from them.

I curled my legs up to my chest on the coach and tightened the blankets around me, not caring about the childish way I must look. These were threats. Embellished with pretty words he said "You will be an Exorcist, or they big guys are going to make you." I felt myself getting red, angry about getting backed into a corner with smiles and kind words.

But I couldn't be angry with Komui himself. I could see the truth in his eyes. He didn't want to make me do this, said the wrinkles on his forehead. I understand more then you think, said the evasion in his gaze. Maybe he did know, his own sister may have been in the same situation as I. I grimaced distastefully.

"Do I not have any choice?" I murmured. He didn't answer, but I already knew.

"Komui." I said, a strange power growing in my words. A terrible false confidence I used against both Roxanna and Joseph in the beginning. I would have stopped myself then but I needed to hear myself say what was bothering me. "Komui." I repeated louder. "I've traveled across many countries in my journey to find something. I didn't know what I was looking for, and I didn't know where to find it, but here I am. Here I am after I reached London, the destination I've convinced myself I had. In the presence of Roxanna, I was told nothing. Yet I let her take me here. Once I arrived I was taken by your sister and she lied to me. She lied through her false smiles. You've taken me and told me that the world rests in the hands on these elite few individuals and that I'm part of this. You've told me the horrible fate of all the souls I've come to know in this past year. You've told me of war and death. You've told me about an Exorcist's duty and their destinies. You've told me all this and you have the gall to tell me that I have no choice but to except this all and comply to you and your Order!"

"Please." He said, not breaking eye contact with me.

"Damn." I choked out, losing my false confidence and shrinking into the couch. "Damn it! Why not? Why the hell not?" I was speaking into myself in harsh whispers, the words meant for me but I couldn't help voicing them, "It's not like you were worth anything before. Worthless, lying to yourself about searching for something. Ha! Liar! You were just looking for a bloody excuse. So why not? Give yourself a purpose for once. Stop wallowing in your own pathetic self pity. So stupid."

"Sara…?" Komui leaned forward and I tucked my head closer into my body.

"Nothing." I sputtered loud enough so he could hear me.

"…you sound confused. You're welcome to share your thoughts with me, if you'd like." He crouched and offered. I started shaking my head but his eyes caught mine and I rethought it.

"What would you do Komui? Theoretically you wake up one day and you can't remember anything and you learn all this for the first time. What would you do in my position?"

He took my question seriously, "Is this a scenario where I don't have a sister? If so, I'm not sure. I think I'd be sincerely upset, maybe even angry, but I don't know what I'd do." He smiled sadly, "Now, if I did have a sister in this scenario I'd do anything to be able to protect and support here in the world of Exorcists."

"You must really love your sister." I murmured into my blankets.

"Yes." He said a glint in his eye. I could see he wanted to elaborate but held himself back for the sake of the mood and conversation.

"…fine."

"Hmm?"

"I'll become an Exorcist. As it turns out, I don't have much else to live for."

"I'm sure that's not true." Komui said, worry in his voice.

"You'd be wrong… just... just read off your questions on your form." Komui looked at me for a long moment, like he wanted to say something but casted the thought away and moved to the form.

After a few breaths, "What's your full name?"

Great first question and I'm stumped, "Not really sure. Sara isn't even my real name."

"You're not sure what you name is?" he asked looking up at me.

"No, I lost all my memories in an accident that occurred a year ago." He looked at me for a second and decided not to ask about it.

"Would you like to go by Sara?" he asked and I nodded.

"What is your age?"

"…15?" I guessed. I looked fifteen but it's normally hard to tell. Komui looked at me, a smile forming in the corner of his mouth.

"Alright… gender?"

"Female! Ha! I got one. One out of three isn't bad." I mused.

"Nationality?"

"Most likely French. I know French, English, and German but the place I lost my memory in was France.

"We'll get your height and weight tomorrow," he murmured running through his list, "Most of this is information about your Innocence and your skill sets which we won't know until tomorrow too but could you tell me some of your interests?"

"Interests?"

"Yes. Tell me about things you like, thing you don't like, personal interests, or any talents."

"Um… alright. I like…food." I decided on and smiled at the idea. "I love food."

Komui laughed halfheartedly, "I should have guessed, you being parasitic type."

I thought for a moment, "I don't like…trains."

"Trains?"

"You can never trust trains." I glared at the wall thinking about my untimely trip to China.

"Alright, interests?"

I pursed my lips at this, "does eating count?"

"Since it's already been an answer, I'd say no."

"Then I guess I like meeting nice people. I might have been into creative things before I lost my memory, but I've never had the reason to try anything recreational."

"Known relatives?"

"…no."

"Ah! I didn't mean too…" Komui said flustered.

"It's alright." Actually, I had never had a problem with not knowing who my family was. It never seemed to be important. "They're probably French if that's helpful."

He gave a weary smile and looked at his form, "Sara. Maybe 15. Female. Probably French. Speaks English, French, and German. Likes food. Dislikes trains. Likes to meet nice people… You've got one unique file so far."

I snorted and stood from the couch, "Now that we got this nice Q&A session over and done with, I'd like to know where you've taken my friend Joseph."

"Yes, Roxanna phoned in about that as well. He was taken to one of the conference rooms in the fourth wing. Roxanna and other finders will be discussing some things with him. You're welcome to join them, we're done for now."

"Okay." I mumbled, deflated. "Where is the fourth wing?"

"Oh yes," Komui said and poked his head out of his office, "Apollo! Lead Ms. Sara to the conference room 2B in the fourth wing."

"Yes Sir!" Apollo called back, foot step leading closer to the door. I shuffled around Komui and tried departing with another word but Komui called behind me.

"Sara. I'm sorry."

"Thanks Komui. I wish that meant anything." I meet his eyes and he looked sincerely hurt and I almost regretted saying it. Apollo led me from the science division without asking what my comment was about. I trailed through the halls of the Order once again. People drifted around us without a second thought, only concerned with their business. I wondered if strange dirty girls wrapped in blankets wandering this Order were not uncommon.

Apollo stopped in front of a door and I told him that I could take it from here and he could return to his work. He nodded and thanked me and dashed back to the science division. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Joseph was seated at a large table with many chairs surrounding it. He had changed his clothes, having discarded the old tattered stained once and replaced them with a light blue v-neck and white cargo pants. His face and hair were clean and fresh, suggesting he had a shower. It might have been a refreshing sight if he didn't have the festering red fleshy burns scarring the side of his face.

He looked up with new glasses perched on his nose. His eyes widened and he stood and briskly walked across the room.

"Hey, Joseph-" I began but was cut off by a massive hug. Apparently he had forgotten that he promised not to touch me anymore or at least disregarded it. Normally I would have instantly pushed away or snapped at him to stop but for one reason or another I didn't. His arms wrapped around me and I relaxed onto his chest. I was losing my nerve.

"Why are you hugging me?" I asked unmoving into his shirt.

"You look like you needed one. Did you?" he said softly. I nodded and didn't look up, "Thought so."

"What happened out there?" he continued.

"I got a job."

"That's funny. Me too."