… yeah, about last week... erm... oops?

Kirimoto- Well, if you invent some way to transport cake through the computer sure! If not, I shall just send you yummy yummy pictures of the delicious cake to torment you! :D

sammi117- Thank you so much- and appologies again for the wait...

Raychaell Dionzeros- All shall be revealed ^^

777angeloflove- I am not decided yet- I don't think so. At the moment, I'm thinking LenaleexLavi and AllenxGinny or Luna. Luna being my prefference by a hair. I'm going to re-iterate my warning though. There will be absolutely no R-rated scenes in this. I think I'm going to stick to J.K's idea and just have hints and vague fluff. Nothing more. Remember, they are all still like 14/15. I want any relationship they do form to be meaningful and I'm sorry to all who believe otherwise but at 15 you don't even know who you are so exactly how you find your love I don't know. Oooh that was a bit ranty wasn't it? Soz. Summary- there will be much plot and little romance :)

Disclainer- This chapter has no Allen or Harry or Mai in it whatsoever. It is entierly Black Order development... enjoy ^^

Lenalee followed the two finders as they led her towards the area in the forest that had been causing the strange weather phenomena that had alerted them to the presence of innocence. She felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck and twisted around, scrutinising the grey stone buildings behind her but there was nothing there. She really needed to stop being so jumpy- it was unprofessional. Dismissing it from her mind, she turned back again to the forest in search of the fragment of innocence.

The rain streamed down in rivers from the formidable Black Order building which had oh-so-very conveniently been situated on the peak of a sea cliff. Lenalee picked her way warily across the rocks, now slick with rainwater gripping the silver case containing the innocence so tightly she could no longer even feel her fingers, which had turned pure white. Her pace picked up steadily as she got closer and closer to the building till she was half running towards safety. The doors opened before she even reached them and her brother stood, arms outstretched toward her, his white outfit standing stark and bright against the gloomy black building. Without even checking her pace, Lenalee flew strait into his arms, clinging to him as tightly as possible, her face buried in his jacket as she breathed in that familiar scent and let her body relax at last. It had been her first solo mission since she and her brother had been assigned to the Black Order and she had never been so long without him since... that time. Komui placed a kiss on the top of her head and gently unravelled her arms from around him, leading her by the hand back into the order to place the innocence in Hevlaska's presence.

Lvellie had sent her and her brother to the UK reluctantly. He needed troops for the attack on the Earl however, there was something happening in this area that was bothering him- there had been a number of strange incidents and recently, Akuma had also begun to disappear with no trace. No innocence had been stolen thus far to their knowledge but Lvellie was not exactly ecstatic at the idea of an unknown presence-perhaps a rogue exorcist- running loose. It was he that should be ordering and controlling all the power of the innocence which was partially why he was so determined that he should be the first to get a hold of the heart if-no when- it was found. After a great deal of consideration, he had come to a compromise. He decided to send the four youngest exorcists he owned out to investigate the situation. That way they would be kept out of the real battles until they were skilled enough to be of any use. They would also perhaps lure this mysterious soldier out and could even be used as bait for whatever the malevolent force was that was so shadowing the land, rearing its ugly head and retreating before it could be pinned down. If they could disturb it enough, it would likely strike at them allowing the more experienced and better soldiers to learn of its powers and attacks. Their sacrifice would pave the way to victory and- Lvellie hoped- somewhere along the way Komui would be gotten rid of too. Although the man was a great scientist and incredibly useful to the order, he was not as loyal as Lvellie would like. His infernal obsession with treating all humans as equals rather than recognising their separate roles on earth made him untrustworthy.

Lavi twisted and turned in the uncomfortable train seats, eventually settling with his head hanging over the lip of the seat and his legs hooked over the top of the back rest, holding him in place. The order had managed to commandeer an entire carriage for their use and he was determined to make full use of it- already having had several games of 'the floor is lava' before bookman had roundhouse- kicked him and forbad him from jumping around anymore. Tilting his head further back so he could see his grandfathers face, Lavi grinned winsomely at the old man who was scowling in irritation at his childish antics. Lavi couldn't help but chuckle- he looked so funny upside down. Bookman began to develop a tick as his grandson sniggered away from his ridiculous position

"I hope this isn't going to be what you are like for the rest of this identity, young man. Remember, I am only allowing you to have this identity with your own personality because I am hoping that it means this one will last longer than the rest and once this battle is over you will have gotten your head strait again so you can truly fulfil your role as bookman and successfully hold deep cover for long periods of time" He glowered at the boy who was still grinning, though not quite as brightly as before

"Don't worry about a thing pops, I have this all under control" He winked, although the effect of this gesture was somewhat lessened by the eye-patch "I am going to make the most of having my own identity though, it is gonna be fun to be able to truly act as I wish oof" The breath rushed out of his lungs as his grandfather sucker-punched him in the stomach (again).

Bookman put his face right up next to Lavi's, his expression serious and his eyes flashing with contained anger "Don't you even dare let your emotions get away with you on this job young man. I am assuming that you are old and wise enough to be entrusted to hold your own identity without becoming... emotionally compromised. You let me down on this and all our training will have been for naught. I will have no option but to disown you. Do you understand me?" Lavi's expression became serious "Of course Granddad. I won't let you down"

Bookman settled back down on his seat and closed his eyes "Good. Now shut up and let me rest"

Lavi huffed and let his head flop back down, gazing at the ceiling. The old panda was over reacting as usual- there was no chance that he was going to let his emotions get the better of him. Humans were monsters, they fought and killed and performed atrocities that were unthinkable. There was never any one side that was truly good or truly evil; in fact in most cases even the ideals being fought for were not truly good or evil. Men changed history to make it seems as if there had been one right side and one wrong side- brushing truths under the carpet when convenient to make it seem clear cut- that was where the bookmen came in. It was they that recorded all the murder and pillaging that followed the supposedly 'good' side and recorded all the grace and mercy found in the 'bad' side. They existed to remind the humans that there was no such thing as a truly good and a truly evil person. Those realms were reserved for God and the Devil alone and although some humans rose higher or sunk lower than most- they never attained that status. The bookmen proved that time and time again by exposing the hidden evil in the good soldier and the unexpected good that often occurred from the actions of an evil person. As if, after all the recording he had done, he could ever form an attachment to a human being- they were all self-centred and self-serving, capable of the most heinous of crimes when pushed. That didn't mean that he wasn't going to enjoy himself however, he had a whole vault of suppressed childishness after his many, many identities when he was younger that forbad him from acting out and he couldn't wait to let it all out.

Kanda blocked out all outside information, concentrating solely on his breathing, relaxing each and every muscle with great difficulty. He slowly began to empty his mind of all thoughts and distractions one by one as he started his daily meditation exercise that had been prescribed by an Order shrink after he had had several violent outbreaks. In his defence, all the people he had attacked had most definitely been asking for it, however, the Order were under the strange impression that his tendency to solve all problems with Mugen was an issue and demanded that he find a way to control his temper. Hence the meditation.

Clink, clink

He took in another deep breath. Block out all the outside noises. Block them out. Ignore everything but your breaths he told himself firmly, breathe. In and out.

Clink, clink.

He bit his lip hard then immediately stopped- now he was all tensed up again! Repressing the curse that was on the tip of his tongue, he started again. Slowly, with each breath he began to release the tension again but that noise! It just wouldn't shut up! He began to focus again, allowing his senses to take in and register outside influences. It was coming from his left, low down. It was repetitive. Sounded like glass. No, plastic beads. Clinking against each other in a rhythmic pattern. That new finder must be wearing a bracelet and be twisting it round and round their wrist. His hand clenched almost instinctively on the hilt of Mugen and he had lifted it a good few inches before he forced his hand down again. What was it he had been told repeatedly again? Something about there being no need for violence when words could solve the problem. All the finders were- with good reason- terrified of him. If he told the newbie to stop, she would. There was no need to resort to such- clink. He snapped. There was a sudden smash as Mugen sliced through the bracelet with such speed that the whole thing shot through the window of the carriage, smashing the glass and disappearing off into the landscape rushing past them. Kanda let a small smirk of satisfaction form before balancing Mugen once again on his knee completely ignoring the shocked expressions on all the finders' faces as he re-started his meditation. Where was he again? Oh yeah. Breathe in and out. In and out. Let the stress flow from your body and all anxieties leave you...