Disclaimer: I do not own D Gray-Man.

AN: Hello! How's everyone doing? Thanks to the story alerts, favs and reviews, you guys really sent me into a happy fit of joy. I hope you enjoy this chapter!


Lavi looked around, surprised to find himself in a black room, checkered room. Even though he had seen Ai sucked in as well, he couldn't see her anywhere.

"Huh? Where is this?" He glanced around.

A mass rose out of the ground.

"If you get out of here, it's your win, Bookman. It's a simple game, right? Start!" The Road shaped blob said cheerfully.

This ain't where I was before, is it? Can't be...Road has the ability of moving through space, so that means I've been hurled over to some different place, huh? But doesn't it kinda feel like there's no sense of reality in here?

He heard a giggle.

"What're you laughing about?" He asked, annoyance showing on his face.

"I was thinking about whether you were thinking something like 'I've been transferred to a different place somewhere'." She laughed.

"There's no need for you to be guessing, 'cause you really did it. So, how much longer is the young lady going to be sprouting from that chessboard pattern like floor for? Do ya wanna fight or not?" He said impatiently, whacking his hammer onto her head.

"I'm not the one who's going to fight. Look, he's here. Your opponent." She pointed behind him. He whirled around with his hammer and was surprised to see himself.

"Me...? As if..." He used his fire seal, setting his hammer on fire.

"You can't," He-what looked like him-said. "Right now, the only thing you're being accompanied by is your heart and..." It could have been his imagination, but the other him quickly glanced at an empty space to his right. "You don't have any innocence. " He touched his hammer and it disintegrated before his eyes.

"Movement through space...if that was my only ability, you'd misunderstand, wouldn't you? I'm the only one who can use the ark and move through space because I can connect the world I live in and the real world together. I am the sheep of Noah that possesses 'dreams'. The 'here' you're in right now is inside the dream given birth to by the Noah called Road Kamelot."


From the outside, all Lenalee could see was Lavi falling to his knees, a lifeless look in his eyes. There was a small thud as Ai collapsed against the box, sliding to the ground.

"What's wrong Lavi? Ai!" She whacked her fist into the box, calling out loudly. Neither of them responded, even when she knelt down to slam her fist against the box where Ai slumped. Her eyes were dull and completely unseeing.

"Ai! Get up! What's wrong?" She cried desperately, wanting to see some kind of consciousness or any kind of movement that indicated she was alright. That either of them was alright.

"Please answer me! Lavi!"


"What the..." I rubbed my eyes, placing my hands out in front of me. It came in contact with a wall, but a clear one. I was in a dark room, and I was standing on a checkerboard like floor. I walked back and forth, trying to identify the dimensions of the box I was stuck in. It was like the clear box Lenalee and Chaozii was trapped in. It was spacious enough that I could stretch both my arms out and twist around. It felt weird, and familiar. Was I back in the dream world?

Damn.

One thing I knew for sure was that this was Road's domain, and I was powerless here.

"Ai~"

I turned around and a blob rose up from the ground.

"R-Road?" I stammered.

"You said you would join us...the Earl got really mad when we didn't bring you back. Tyki said there was no chance of you going back to the Order, but Allen really managed to take you back..." While she sounded annoyed, she still regarded Allen with adoration. "I tried, but I really can't hate either of you! So I just decided to punish you a little, because I like you!" She said playfully.

"What are you going to do?" I asked worriedly.

"Don't be so tense, Ai. Nothing's going to happen to you..." She giggled, falling back into the ground.

"What? Road, wait! What are you going to do?" I called, banging on the wall. "Damn it! Let me out of here!" I swore, punching the box to vent a little of my frustration. It was pointless to try break the box, in this place, the story went as Road told it. The scenery wavered, and suddenly my box was floating gently down a river in a dark channel. There was a canoe up ahead, and Bookman and Lavi were sitting in it.

What the hell is this...?

"What's wrong, Lavi?" Bookman asked. "Lavi!" He called again. It was strange, Lavi was ignoring him and Bookman finally sighed, glaring at the silent red head.

"Deak," He said quietly.

"Huh?" Lavi whipped around. Bookman hit him instantly.

"Ouch! What're you doing, gramps?"

"Silence, fool! Don't act all surprised! You are Lavi now!"He scolded.

"Ah! Did I turn around when you used my old name?" Lavi said.

"You idiot! Don't lose your focus, your next record isn't going to be as easy as it's been up until now."

"My next record..."

"Under direct control of the Vatican, the organisation of anti-akuma military affairs, the Black Order. There, we will become exorcists from here on out. In the darkness of history, we'll record the hidden war between mankind and demon," Bookman said seriously.

I could get some idea of what was going on, this looked like Lavi's-or Deak's, I wasn't even sure anymore-memories. There was a splash and I glanced up to see Lavi in the water, and he was holding a lifeless Lenalee. The scene changed again, and there was a clunk as my box hit a coffin. There were coffins where the river once was, and Lavi was looking angry and panicked. Was Road trying to do the same thing she did to me, or was she just messing with him? Was this my 'punishment'? Leave it to Road to think up this kind of immature game.

But it was starting to mess with my head.

"Lavi!"I yelled, starting up my frantic banging on the box again. It didn't look like anyone could hear me or see me, I was non-existent to them. "Road, stop it!" I said, not sure exactly where she was, but she had to be somewhere around here. "This is such a petty method of revenge! Stop it, Road!"

"Not yet, Ai! We're still having fun!" Road's voice echoed around my box.


There was a sudden change in atmosphere and I looked around fearfully. The air was charged with rage.

"Tyki!" Road murmured.

"Road...?"

"This isn't just punishment for you anymore, Ai..." Road said softly, fury seething behind the voice.

What's happening outside?

"Let me out of here! What are you doing?" I cried in frustration.

Lavi was kneeling with Lenalee, glancing warily around at the amount of people around him.

"Ink doesn't speak to the writer. Every time you leave a trail of ink, does your heart grieve for each one?"

"For an illusion, you're noisy as hell, gramps." Lavi said with a wry smile on his face.

"Haha, it's because I stay true to your memories. However, you feel that it's noisy because you're thinking of these things as ink. What is our duty to the clan, Lavi?" The fake Bookman said darkly. "No matter what you cast aside, you live for the sake of that one thing. Outside the framework of the world the ones who continue to live on are we Bookmen."

The fake Lenalee twitched, and a sharp dagger appeared in her hand.

I was completely powerless and I lost my words. Lavi avoided Lenalee's swipe, gritting his teeth.

"Why are you throwing us away?" A zombie like Lenalee drawled. "Are you saying we aren't friends? We aren't just ink on paper!" She attacked, and Lavi quickly dispatched the mass of people. He grabbed the dagger and closed his eyes quickly, trying to stop the people.

"Road...please don't break him! Stop making him suffer! I'm sorry, alright? Just...stop!" I pleaded, slamming both my hands against the box. I could see Lavi's memories like a haze in the air, his arrival at a place I assumed was the Order, young Lenalee crying and injured, a younger him giving up on humanity, his hesitant but happy memories at the Order...

Words started being scrawled across my box, dripping red like they were being written in blood. Bookmen have no need for a heart. I flinched, red now covering my hands. I was filled with something unfamiliar, an emotion I rarely felt. Fear.

But not for myself.

"Stop it! Don't look inside!" He gripped his head.

"How does it feel, to know someone you care about has been lying to you?" Road cackled gleefully to me.

"I'm sorry-"

It was quiet all of a sudden, the lights going out. The only thing I could hear was my heavy breathing. Illuminated balls of light hung in the air and Allen walked over through the puddle of water. There was a card on the floor and a dagger-mine? I jerked when I saw myself following Allen.

"Damn it, Road! Stop!" I continued pummeling both my fists into the box, my hands burning.

"I dropped this..." Allen picked up the card while 'I' grabbed the hilt of the dagger, dragging the tip through the water. "You kept quiet about this to Bookman and held onto it for us..." Allen looked at it fondly. I gasped as his head was sliced off, and 'I' stood behind him. 'I' held out a hand to Lavi, grinning. He was staring shocked at Allen's dismembered body.

"You're the same as me, Lavi. You don't need to care about anyone else. You're just here to record history."It was surreal, watching myself in that situation, and painful to watch Lavi suffering. There was a burst of blood and other various fleshy parts as 'my' head seemingly exploded, still smiling to the last moment. Lavi jerked, reaching out for 'my' falling body.

"What's with that reaction?" A second Lavi stood there calmly. "This is just a lump of ink, Lavi. You can't keep quiet and just watch anymore, can you? You're a failure."

Allen's decapitated body still lay on the floor, his hand holding the card raised in the air. The ace slowly dripped down the card, like it was melting, or just disappearing. I looked up just as Lenalee, Krory and Kanda stabbed Lavi. The look of surprise dominated his face, blood pouring out the edges of his mouth.

I was too shocked to make a sound, my incessant banging also coming to a stop. A disbelieving laugh flew out of my mouth.

You're kidding, right? This isn't...

"You are a failure as a Bookman. Don't worry, even if you die, Bookman won't become extinct, because I am the real you. I will succeed the role of Bookman. You will vanish, Lavi."The fake him-as I would always regard him as-smiled. Lavi splashed to the floor, the ace on the card vanishing completely, falling to the floor.

"Road!"I yelled angrily and leaned my head against the box, squeezing my eyes shut. "Lavi...you can't fall for this, idiot!"

I hated it. Maybe it was because what I was seeing mirrored so much of how I used to think. It made me angry, and it made me want to scream.


I blinked suddenly, and I realised I was back in the ark. I wasn't in a box anymore, and I was sitting against the box Lenalee was trapped in.

"Lavi!" I said instantly, leaping up and swaying a little from dizziness. I leaned my shoulder against the box, tapping against it to catch Lenalee's attention. "Le...Lenalee!"

She looked up in surprise.

"Ai! You woke up! Are you okay? What happened to you and Lavi? He's...he's attacking Allen!" She was cradling the injured Chaozii. I looked over just as I saw Allen stab Lavi with a giant sword that had a cross on it. Where the sword came from, I had no idea, but the absence of his arm might have been a clue. Furthermore, Allen had just stabbed Lavi.

"Alle-"I said in surprise.

"It's an exorcising sword, it only hurts evil!" Lenalee hurriedly explained.

"It won't work with that anti-evil sword, Lavi has lost 'his heart', it's not like he's been possessed by evil." Road said gleefully. "If you're going to attack, you'll have to use your left hand's edge, Allen!"

"Road, stop!" I staggered forward.

"Don't move, Ai, not unless you want for your precious other friends to be killed." Sharp candles skewered the box, pointing at Lenalee and Chaozii. "Come on, Allen. If you won't change your weapon, I'll kill them too, alright?"Road threatened sweetly. I gritted my teeth, clenching my fists.

"Change your weapon, Allen! Or do you want to listen to Lenalee's screams?" Road taunted.

Lavi continued to pummel Allen and pinned him against the wall.

"Fight!" Road cheered on.

Lavi hit Allen and blood splattered against the floor. Lenalee covered her ears, each hit was doing more damage to her mentally than it was physically to Allen.

"Can't you hear me, Lavi?"Allen coughed painstakingly. "Lenalee...her friends...the Lenalee who thought of us as more important than the world is crying!" Allen said through gritted teeth.

"I am not your friend." Lavi didn't hesitate, punching him in the stomach. The wall behind him splintered and I couldn't help running forward a few steps. There was a whistle as a sharp candle flew through the air, cutting Lenalee's cheek lightly. A trickle of blood dripped down her cheek and I froze.

"I thought I told you not to move, Ai." Road swiveled to stare at me coldly.

"You're a real brat, Road." I snarled.

Lavi hit him once more, and I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. Not that I could afford to lose more blood, but I wasn't going to be able to stop myself I didn't distract myself.

"Stop it!" Lenalee cried.

"No matter what you say to that kid right now, it's hopeless, Allen! After all, you're not friends. For the sake of his records, he just walked among you guys. Those are that kid's true feelings!" Road laughed.

"Don't screw with the truth, Road! You're the one that destroyed his heart!" I growled.

"I've never thought of you guys as friends, not even once." Lavi picked up his hammer, the fire taking shape of an eyeless serpent. Allen panted on the floor, using his sword for support. "I am the next successor of Bookman. I'm nothing else but that." He swung his hammer at Allen, the fiery serpent flying towards him. Allen sliced it in half with his sword, but it rejoined past him, swirling around. Allen looked like he was struggling, and I could see his resoluteness of not activating his Crown Clown because of all things, it would hurt Lavi.

It wouldn't hurt to knock Lavi around a bit, snap him out of that state of his. But I knew that's not how the story was going to go down if Allen activated his Crown Clown. Allen was being backed into a corner that he couldn't escape from, with no choice but to die, or force his way out. Of course, he had chosen not to force his way out, refusing to hurt Lavi.

"Lavi! I'm begging you, stop already! Open your eyes!"Lenalee pleaded.

"I told you, Lenalee, it's hopeless. Lavi's heart has died." Road poked her tongue out. Allen lay motionless on the floor, completely at the mercy of Lavi.

"Isn't that what you thought happened to me Road? Look how that turned out," I said scathingly. But it was true, Lavi looked far more gone than I had been. While I had exhibited far more emotion after Road's dream, Lavi had become completely emotionless. I was never taken over by another part of myself, it had always just been me. I was never conflicted, and Road just pushed me in their direction. I didn't know if Lavi could break out from the Bookman within him, or if he would be strong enough to overpower Road's dream. I really hoped he did, because frankly, someone was going to die if he didn't. I really didn't like that idea.

Allen took one last stand, shoving the sword into Lavi, no, through Lavi, sending it flying straight into Road.

"Road-tama!" Lero cried.

"Hahaha...it's a shame...have you forgotten the attacks against me in Rewinding Town were ineffective? Say you use the anti-evil sword, what you're piercing through is different, what you see of me isn't me. People who don't know my true form can't kill me!" She sat up triumphantly, the sword protruding from her chest. "Why aren't you listening, Allen? No matter how much you try, people's hearts can't be helped. Give it up already!" She stabbed the sword into the ground. Lavi used the fire seal, engulfing Allen in a huge column of flames.

"Stop it, Lavi!" Lenalee yelled, tears still pouring down her cheeks,

"Lenalee! The candles!" I pointed suddenly. The sharp ends were melting, the wax being heated by the flames.

Lavi suddenly looked surprised, watching his own body do things that he wasn't controlling. He stabbed the hammer into ground and my eyes widened as a giant fire seal appeared beneath his feet.

Oh no.

"This is all cause of my inexperience..."Lavi gripped the hilt of his hammer. A huge column of fire burst up from him, setting himself and the circle around him ablaze. It circled around, swallowing up Tyki and Road.

I couldn't see anything except orange and flames, fire heating up my face.

"That irresponsible jerk...!" I swore, diving into the hot fire. Allen sliced through the flames in front of me, and I hoped we would make it in time to rescue Lavi.


AN: Oh, yes! Before I forget, I was reminded by a review about the topic of romance in this! You do not have to worry about that at all, later on, there will be much romance! Gooey, lovey dovey, angsty romance that hopefully makes you want to squeal like the fangirls we all are. Thanks for reading!