The plot may be slow according to some, but at least I myself cannot call it very predictable. Even I'm interested in what's going to happen next.

Enjoy.

-o0o-

- Games -

-o0o-

It was all a game to him.

In order to end it, a Game Over was needed.

In order to get Game Over, one would have to die…

-o0o-

Allen gave Kanda a questioning look as they were once again sitting on a train. "Where are we going?"

Kanda's eyebrow twitched noticeably. "Our destination is none of your concern. So shut the Hell up."

Looking out of the window Allen spotted how surprisingly a rural scenery flashed by.

"Say Kanda… Are you really…"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am kidnapping you", Kanda snapped. "So be a good hostage, be quiet and let me think in peace."

Allen's silver-gray eyes rested on Kanda for a few seconds. For some kind of odd reason the samurai wannabe didn't even look mildly intimidating anymore for him.

"He came, didn't he?" Allen said. "He came looking for me."

"I don't know what you're…"

"It's no use denying it of course…" Allen interrupted. "I know he came. I know he was there, but what is he to you?"

Kanda gave him a very unfriendly look before turning away, glaring holes at an empty seat further away. Allen continued looking at him with an almost bored expression.

"Were you jealous when you found out that I have another stalker?"

Kanda's eyes darted in his direction for a moment before he returned to glaring holes at the seats.

"You know…" Allen continued. "I might shut up in case you tell me where we're going…"

Kanda gave him another brief look.

"Tokyo", he answered as he got to his feet. "Now be good, stay here and watch my stuff."

Allen tilted his head to the side.

"Not taking your beloved sword with you?" he asked with hint of sarcasm.

"Not now. It would gather too much attention."

Allen raised an eyebrow at this statement, but before he was able to ask about it Kanda had already went into another train car and disappeared out of hearing range. Cursing softly Allen looked around the compartment, once again confirming that it was empty, which certainly was very interesting since he had expected them to be at least a little more crowded than this. Or maybe it was because the Japanese suddenly though flying was much more convenient than train rides, even when it came to speed trains like this one?

Regardless, the lack of people proved to be quite… uncomfortable. Sure, it was still better than the gawking and the "OMG-Can-I-Have-Your-Autograph" and all the stalking and all the fan letters and all that other shit he had been forced to live through lately. Not to mention this whole kidnapping plot he had unwillingly been made a part of. Nonetheless, it was, at the moment, still far better than simply calling the Earl (seeing that he still did have his mobile phone with him), so he might as well enjoy the ride while he could until the Noah came to drag him home again.

It was like a kind of game he supposed, as a matter of fact, it had always been like that. After all, it had always been a game which he didn't want to participate in from the start. Was it really that wrong to be wishing for a Game Over, to be wishing to put an end to it all? Well, apparently it was, since everybody stopped him from doing it.

This whole bridge incident with Kanda had been close, too close. Why did this stranger just have to pop out of nowhere, save him from his desired death and then drag him off on some grand adventure? It didn't make any sense. Why even bother? Why even…

Noticing Mugen on the seat next to him Allen felt oddly tempted, yet strangely disgusted with himself. He reached out towards it, but retracted his hand before even touching it.

A buzzing noise caught his attention and he fished out his phone, looking at the display. It was an unknown number. After a split decision Allen picked up and pressed the receiver against his hear.

"Let's just stop with these games, young man…" a voice on the other end said. "You can't run anymore."

Allen blinked, thinking briefly before he replied. "Can't run from what?"

The voice chuckled, but the sound of it was unfamiliar. "Your games, young one. The threads woven through time, dragging those around you into a net ultimately leading to despair…"

Allen raised an eyebrow.

"Exactly who… am I talking to?" he asked.

The chuckling on the other end continued. "I have been known by many names, but if you must then call me Deak."

"One question, Deak." Allen said. "What do you want?"

… Besides terrorizing me over the phone…

"My, my… Straightforward, are we?" Deak replied with clear amusement.

Allen sighed, growing slightly impatient.

"How did you get this number?" he asked.

"That's two questions, Allen-chan."

"Just answer…" Allen muttered before adding "Please" at the end of the sentence.

"Fine then", the voice retorted, sounding more serious this time. "How did I get this number? I didn't look it up in the phonebook, if that's what you're thinking, but as a matter of fact I did borrow your phone for a few seconds in case you didn't notice…"

"And what is it that you want?" Allen asked, while silently wondering who had had the opportunity to snatch his phone and when it had happened and he swiftly drew a reasonable conclusion. "Lavi?"

The voice on the other end burst out in laughter, continuing for a good two or three minutes before Deak started coughing and cleared his throat.

"I am sorry, but that guess is incorrect", he said in a cheerful and very strange voice. "I am Deak, as I may remind you, not Lavi. Anyways, Kanda still isn't around?"

Allen looked around the compartment before answering.

"Nope, he hasn't returned yet. And by the way of useful information, I'm not going to ask how the Hell you knew that. Just tell me what you want, okay?"

"Fine then", Deak snorted, sounding eerily much like Kanda. "I need to tell you something."

"About what?"

"About a lot of things…" Deak retorted. "Me, you, the Earl, your predecessor…"

Allen raised an eyebrow. "My what?"

-o0o-

He had recently been released from the hospital and he immediately returned to the main house even if he had been advised not to. He immediately went upstairs and stepped into the room which he had been told was his, giving the white piano which stood in the middle a brief glance before his eyes returned to looking at the floor.

There were no bloodstains. Someone had to have cleaned them up while he had been hospitalized. Someone had cleaned them up in order to hide the truth. The grim truth which was well hidden beneath the beautiful façade of this house, the darkness locked within. But to him it was not the house itself which should be considered evil, but rather its inhabitants… and the piano.

To put things simple, to him the white piano was definitely evil, but it intrigued him nonetheless.

He took a few steps forward in direction of it, almost finding himself wishing for someone to stop him, to grab him from behind and forcefully pull him away, but in the end the house was empty and there was no one there alive who would even think about stopping him as he carefully made his way to the piano, sat down beside it and lifted the lid, uncovering the white and black keys.

They had been wiped as well, showing no proof that they had been splashed with crimson liquid merely a week ago.

He hesitantly reached out towards it and his loose sleeves came up a bit, revealing several scars on his wrists, memories of the many times in which he himself had sought a way to end his suffering.

One finger touched a key, then another.

-o0o-

Omake…

"Nope, he hasn't returned yet. And by the way of useful information, I'm not going to ask how the Hell you knew that. Just tell me what you want, okay?"

"Fine then", Deak snorted, sounding eerily much like Kanda. "I need to tell you something."

Allen's eyebrow twitched.

"What?"

The voice on the other end lowered to a mere whisper.

"This is a prank call."

-o0o-

Kurozaia: Alas, it is the plot of the evil piano. Fear it. Now REVIEW or I'll drop it on top of you.