A/N; YAY NEW CHAPTER. Right so. The Earl's fatso flubby form will be called the 'Earl' from now one, while his human form will be 'Adam' saves me having to describe when he's human and when he's not.

DGrayMan does not belong to me.

The Ball

The two Noah had been slightly worried about the rage that the Earl would emit from the idea that his original Akuma egg had been destroyed completely by Generals Cross, Sokolo, and Klaud. However, he wasn't angry with the two for failing…he was angry with himself for growing over confident against the Black Order. They were humans…but they had Innocence he should not have underestimated their skills. Especially that Cross.

Adam reached out, and patted Lulubell on the head as she transformed into a cat and leapt into his lap, curling up in the same spot to sulk in peace. The patriarch of the Noah family faintly smiled before peering at Allen. "You got injured did you, Allen-kun? You shouldn't let Rhode or Sheryl see you like that. What trouble you get yourself into. Go change, and then you can join in the party. It just started."

It would be at that exact moment that Rhode, and Sheryl both hearing the name Allen and injured both turned to look at the boy. Rhode promptly tackled the boy, scowling at him. "You ruined your clothes, and got hurt! Who did it?" The girl demanded angrily. Rhode was always the one to be truly worried about the well-being of her family. Seeing her adoptive older brother hurt was quite annoying.

"My poor Allen!" Sheryl sobbed, wrapping his arms around his cute son. "Who did this to you? Tell me! I'll kill them!"

"General Cross, don't worry though, father…it's healing already," Allen chirped. "He was really amusing! Actually, the entire place is truly amusing! Too bad they'll probably have to move now…which means we won't have an Ark gate into their headquarters."

Rhode was clawing at Allen's clothing, shoving him off towards his bedroom. "You ruined your clothing! You go change. Now. I'll pick something out for you!" Amazingly enough, the female and Allen managed to dodge the crowd from seeing the boy in such a state. However, Tyki seemed to notice the two ghosting along, and after finishing his dance with the young female he had been dancing with, both he and Sheryl followed after their cute family members.

Rhode was rifling through Allen's closet, resting gentleman's outfits that she thought would suit him well on the bed. "This one!" She finally announced, pulling out a simple black suit and a top hat. She held it out in front of Allen, nodding her head. "Alright. Off with those ruined clothes," she chirped, beginning to pulling them off of him herself.

"I can do this myself, Rhode!" Allen stated as he smacked at Rhode's pawing hands. "I don't need you to dress me, mother. This is sexual harassment, you know. You're turning into daddy."

"Eh? Am not!" Rhode said, playfully smacking at Allen's shoulder as she giggled, then looked at the door and opened it. Sheryl had his ear pressed against the door, and then opening of the wooden object sent the man to the floor. His arms flailed more a moment, and then grabbed onto Tyki's suit, dragging him down on top of him.

Allen peered out of the room over Rhode's shoulder and giggled at his father and uncle. "Are we interrupting something?" He drawled, already dressed while Rhode was distracted, just working on tying his necktie now.

Tyki got up and scowled at Sheryl as he moved to help his young nephew with the tie, expertly and quite easily tying the knot. "Shall we return to the party, shounen?" He asked, holding out his arm for Allen to latch onto. There was much complaint from Sheryl and Rhode who wanted the boy's arm. Before Sheryl could latch onto Allen's other arm, Rhode took it and the three began walking to down the hallway, now with Sheryl draped over Allen's shoulders. Just one big happy family.

People at the Black Order had once told him tat they were family there…however, they could never be as close as the Noah family was. They were true siblings in every meaning of the word. Mana had been the only non-Noah that Allen had ever loved like family…and he quite possibly could never love another human like that ever again.

The family entered the ball room, and separated. Rhode moved happily amongst the guests, while Tyki was bombarded with dance requests and Sheryl moved to dance with his wife. Allen smiled, and moved over to the orchestra that was playing. The man playing the piano looked at him, and then moved when Allen gestured for him to do so.

Allen's tongue clicked as he glanced at the orchestra, gesturing them to stop playing so he could have the spotlight. He could see the eyes on him, and the need to perform rose. He was the Musician of the Noah family, the Performer. The Pianist. The notes rose unbidden to his mind, the voice inside his mind beginning to sing the lyrics belonging to this particular piece. The Earl had taught him this piece when he'd first awoken as a Noah. It was the song that controlled the Ark, and the song that had belonged to the previous Fourteenth. From the way the Earl spoke about Neah Walker, his uncle, and the previous Fourteenth Noah…it was clear that he still hadn't gotten over his betrayal and still wanted him by his side.

That's what Allen intended to do. Stay by his side, and never betray him. The Earl had picked him up that night after he had foolishly turned Mana into an Akuma. As his fingers glided over the keys, Allen's mind drifted to that night.

He leaned longingly against the tomb stone that had become Mana Walker's final resting place, his fingers gliding over the carving of the name. He had died. And he would never come back. That thought alone was enough to bring the tears back in another torrent.

A rustling sound, followed by the lightest of footstep, and a voice broke Allen out of his crying and he hastily wiped the tears away. Showing tears in front of anybody…it was a weakness. He didn't want the pity people shoved onto him for his deformed arm. He didn't want the prejudice people who called him a demon, a monster, a freak…to see the weakness he was undergoing from Mana's death.

"Good evening, young one," The voice came from that of a fat, grinning man wearing a gentleman's suit, a top hat, and carrying a pumpkin-headed umbrella. The man glanced down at the tomb. "Mana Walker, was he your father, boy?" The Earl questioned idly.

"Foster father," came the meek response from the boy…so unlike his normal self. An impudent wretch with the beginnings of a gentleman's persona like Mana had taught him. Mana had taught him a lot of things…but he was gone now.

"Ah," The Earl said, quite interested in the name of Mana…Mana Walker. That voice…it was there now. "Don't worry…I'll always be by your side." The voice was there…Mana Walker had been the older blood brother of Neah…the Fourteenth. His precious Fourteenth. However, he had a job to do. That was to make more Akuma.

"You must be lonely child…would you like me to bring Mana Walker back?" He watched as the boy perked up, and the Earl's smile widened. "All you have to do is call him back, and this will be his new body." The Earl drawled, revealing the Akuma skeleton. "Just call for your precious Mana and he will be returned to you."

The child approached the Akuma, and then opened his mouth to call for him. "Mana!"

The Earl clapped his hands together happily as he watched the Akuma attack the host for his skeleton. He cursed the boy for his stupidity as well. Well…that just added insult to injury, didn't it? His eye was sliced open from forehead to mid-cheek in an angry lookin' injury.

A light flashed, and the Earl's eyes behind the spectacles widened slightly. This child was an accommodator? He'd quite easily destroyed his Akuma as well. He wanted to kill the child right then and there…save him the trouble of having another exorcist in the Black Order at a later moment in time. Then again…children were impressionable creatures. He could mold this Innocence user into aiding him in the fight against the Innocence. A few modifications to that arm of his…and becoming a Fallen One would be impossible.

The Earl approached the child idly, and patting him on the head, but the child shied away from his touch, and glared up at him. Those eyes…well eye. It was so familiar yet so different. There couldn't be any relation between this child and Neah, however...

It was either the reminder of the previous Fourteenth that made him take in the child, or the want to use this child to his own advantage, the Earl took him in and introduced him to his family.

The family at that time had been Sheryl, Rhode, Tyki, and Lulubell. Skin and the twins hadn't joined them yet…however it was only a matter of time before his family continued to grow. A few years later, he awoke as the Fourteenth…much to the glee of the Earl. Allen had forgiven him for turning Mana into an Akuma, and absolutely adored the man. He would not betray him.

As his thoughts ended, so did the song. There was applause, and Allen rose to his feet and bowed to the crowd before rejoining the crowd and glancing up to where Adam sat. "Earl-sama," Allen chirped. "Come dance with me!" He request was accepted by Adam.

Who needed Neah when he had Allen? This Fourteenth was just as good, if not better than the previous. And he would not betray him.

A/N; This chapter had all sorts of fluff. Rhode harassing Allen and clinging, Tyki clinging, Sheryl clinging. Allen playing piano. Allen dancing with Adam. The story of how Allen wound up with the Noah.

Next chapter; Allen and the other Noah stalk the exorcists to find their new HQ. The other Noah begin to awaken. Wisely was the last one…so I think I'll have Fiddler awake next just so we can see how disgusted Allen will be with him.