"Now Allen, what did I tell you about feeling sorry for the exorcists?" Rhode pouted, glaring at him sternly.

"They are devious cretins who deserve the most horrific kind of death imaginable, and ought to be sent to the seventh circle of Hell after that to continue their eternal torture until the day that Noah are no longer the world's supremest beings, denoting that they will continue to suffer forever..."

"Good, good, now blast its face off."

"Yes ma'am."

It was just another tiresome day. Poor Allen had been training all morning, but he was a zealous young fellow and not one to give up easily. Despite the immense amount of stress he had been facing ever since arriving in the Ark eight weeks ago, He'd thrown himself wholeheartedly into his studies and his training. Itamu occasionally helped, but Allen was terrified that in a burst of uncontrolled battle fever he might accidentally destroy his sole companion. So Itamu watched from the sidelines, as Allen and Rhode decked it out with makeshift exorcists, their fellow Noah, and each other.

"Let's take a snack break, Allen. Your resolve seems to be slipping...why don't we pause and remind ourselves why the exorcists are such insufferable fiends?" She grinned wickedly, leading Allen to a tray laden with snacks...well, to a normal human it may have been several full-course meals, but Allen naturally needed to eat a great deal to keep up his stamina. When they were comfortably seated, Rhode interrupted a reluctant Allen from his face-stuffing with a languid, "Now, Allen, tell me exactly why you hate the exorcists." The boy gulped and lowered the rest of a half-destroyed croissant from his mouth.

"They're crooks. They stole all of my memories."

"Goooood, good. Tell me more."

"They undermine the Earl's authority by destroying his servants."

"Precisely. Such insight!" Rhode clapped and scooted closer to Allen.

"They're blasphemers. They claim to be the apostles of God, and it's their fault that I have this...this.." He gestured to his arm. "Curse!"

"Exactly." Rhode gave him a genuine smile. "Did you know, Allen, that the exorcists are also responsible for your cursed eye?" She lightly brushed the scar with one finger, her gossamer touch sending shivers down his spine.

His eyes widened. "My..."

"Yes, it was an exorcist turned akuma who did that to you. It only goes to show how useless they are, they don't even make good pawns! But it's okay. No matter how many curses you have, you're still our family." She rested her head against his shoulder.

Light flashed behind Allen's eyes. "Family," He repeated, nodding determinedly.

"Rhode, when can I battle the exorcists? We've been training for weeks!" Allen was getting impatient. Noah or exorcist, his battle lust and heart for justice remained firmly intact. Rhode smiled.

"Soon, Allen. We're going to dispatch a group to meet them by the end of the week." She took his cursed hand, leading him along with her. "Would you like to see the humans? They're quaint little beings, really. I'm not so fond of them as Tyki or Sheril, but their little games are rather sweet."

"Um...what kind of humans?" Allen couldn't really remember much about humans. He knew they looked like Noah, but weaker and softer, and they weren't good for much except making pawns, since their emotions were so volatile. Rhode dragged him around a corner and through a door ("Stay, Akuma!") and suddenly he was blinking rapidly under a sun that was too bright, trying to make sense of the smells and sounds that assaulted his senses.

"This is Milan. Isn't it just adorable?" She gestured to the magnificent architectural structures as though they were towers made from children's building blocks.

Indeed, it was nothing compared to the Ark, but Allen was quite impressed that mere mortals could create such masterpiece. He felt his fingertips tingle with restless energy; his head snapped to the side as a melodic sound caught his attention.

"Rhode, what's that?" He pointed in the direction of the noise with his good hand, eyes wide with urgent curiosity. "It's making me...restless."

"Oh," She responded nonchalantly. "I had forgotten about the fourteenth's...talent. It's music, Allen. Did the exorcists take that from you as well?"

Allen frowned. "I have to...I'll...I'll be right..." And he was moving, pushing, dodging through the crowd towards the sound, the music, leaving Rhode completely behind, overcome by this nagging need to discover why it was so familiar.

"OUCH!"

Allen stopped, distractedly, realizing that in his haste he had knocked over one of the humans, a woman, about his age. Acting reflexively, he offered a hand and pulled the flustered human to her feet.

"Sorry, I..." He began, only to be cut off.

"Hey, why don't you watch where you...oh." She was looking at him with fascinated surprise. Allen noticed her pupils dilating. Her expression morphed into something alluring. "Why all the rush, handsome?"

Allen blinked.

"I..I..."

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around his waist from behind. He glanced down, startled, to see Rhode glaring at the human girl

"Allllleeeeennn, you said you'd take me to buy luuuunnnch!" Rhode's tone was uncharacteristically whiny and childish. She pouted, crossing her forearms over his chest.

"Oh...I.." Began the woman, flustered. "Sorry...bye!" She disappeared into the crowd.

"Humans." Rhode scoffed, still clinging casually to Allen's coat. "They never know how to treat a supreme being. C'mon, I wasn't lying about lunch. Italy has wonderful food."

Feeling his stomach rumble, Allen agreed that lunch was a good idea.