A/N: Ahh I'm sorry this chapter is so jumpy and scattered! *cries* But there is like literally no downtime in this arc what the fuck.

Thank you to Deugemia, Candy Crackpot, AngelHeartsX, RMXStudio, Firehedgehog, Lena-luvs-cats, Ryuakilover, Kiri Kaitou Clover, 14fox, InsanityOwl, Noble Soul of Purity-Aamuet, Shadow-X1999, newby6320, Alaia Skyhawk, The Fourteenth Noah, karina001, Amelia Loves Anime, Shadow Spears, GRR7997, vampireharry the 2, and 2 guests for reviewing!

Title: Synchronization

Author: liketolaugh

Rating: T

Pairings: None

Genre: Friendship/Family

Warnings: Slight AU

Summary: Innocences have their own wants, personalities, souls - Allen doesn't understand what's so strange about this. But then, he's always been able to see them. (Series of oneshots through the manga. Mostly canon-compliant. Maybe eventually turn AU.)

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned D. Gray-man.

"Fourteenth… Didn't you hear the Earl?" Sheryl's eyes were black and gold when Allen dared to look, and his smirk was unmistakeable. "You're not going back to the Order."

Allen was distracted from replying when the pipes finally parted to reveal their prize - a boy not much older than Allen, barely held together with thread, a cloth around his waist and a tattoo just like Kanda's on one of his shoulders.

"Allen Walker," the Earl declared gleefully, "we're giving you the chance to abandon the Order of your own free will. This is your retirement party."

Me? Retire? More importantly, though… "Who's that up there?"

His eyes wandered from the the suspended boy downward, to someone not held up by the pipes, merely tangled up in them, as irrevocably unconscious as the other. A woman with dark brown skin and shoulder-length, braided hair, with a vivid orange dress embroidered in red and a headband to match - and Allen was willing to bet that if she opened her eyes, they would be a vivid, glowing green. Because no one else had noticed her.

"Alma Karma, mother body of the Thirds," Tokusa answered Allen, panting slightly. "He was originally an artificial apostle like Yuu Kanda."

Grief, Mugen added solemnly, taking his attention from his accommodator for the moment it took to meet Allen's eyes. The golden gates of Heaven. They open and an angel steps out, sword in hand. It raises its sword and dives through the sky.

Alma Karma, and Angel Sword.

Inexplicably, Allen felt cold.

"Hey, are you awake?"

Allen opened his eyes and started slightly as he met the wide, curious eyes of a little boy, maybe ten or eleven years old.

"Are you awake?" The boy repeated, sounding hopeful and anxious. "Huh? If you're awake, raise your hand."

Allen started to obey, but a hand on his stopped him, and he looked over to see Crown Clown, sitting upright and shaking his head at him, and beside him, already standing, Mugen, staring at the boy with a strange look on his face. When Allen met his eyes, his lips curled.

Bitterness.

"That's… just like us."

Kanda's eyes widen and he spun around, fixing his gaze on a ghost of a woman, little more than a silhouette.

!

Allen ripped his eyes from the pair before them to Mugen, questioning. Mugen's expression was crumpled with frustration and bitterness.

Grief, was all Mugen offered, jaw clenched, taking a half-step back from the pair. Pain and anger.

Allen's eyes lingered on the Innocence, worried, and then a loud yell drew his attention back to the young vision of Kanda.

As Kanda convulsed yet again, Allen unfroze and whirled on Mugen, eyes blazing with fury. He couldn't find the words to say what he wanted to, but of course, Mugen didn't need them. He bowed his head.

Regret, Mugen admitted. Pain, anger. Resentment. Defiance. Remorse and grief.

Allen clenched his fists, but Crown Clown, green eyes solemn, touched his shoulder and redirected his attention back to Kanda.

Unnoticed, Road's eyes lingered on Allen thoughtfully.

"Everyone's sleeping. Let's sit here 'til we heal."

As the two boys sat on the ground, Allen sighed and crossed his legs, sitting not too far away. Crown Clown followed, solemn gaze set on them, but Mugen went over to lean by Kanda, unsubtly trying to examine his long since nonexistent injuries.

Regret, he muttered, scanning the brittle form of his would-be accommodator. Frustration. Self-recrimination.

Crown Clown sighed. Disagreement, he countered tiredly. Kanda crawling from the pool. Kanda as he was in the present. Concession, reluctance, acceptance. Young Kanda reaching for Mugen. Confliction.

"It never would have worked," Allen echoed, and wondered how much any of them believed it.

Regret, Mugen repeated. Acceptance - regret.

"What did you do to us?" Kanda screamed.

Allen's eyes were fixed on Kanda, wide and horrified and crushed, and Crown Clown's hand was on his shoulder, as heavy as his heart.

Resignation, Crown Clown murmured to him. Determination. Resilience.

Allen took a deep breath and nodded, but couldn't take his eyes off the younger form of his rival, his friend. From behind him, he felt the soft exhalation of Mugen's breath.

Comfort, he put in, stiff and more worried than he was willing to admit. Confidence. Kanda, younger Kanda, older Kanda.

Allen nodded.

A minute later, when Kanda's agony had him bent double, it was the iron grips of the Innocences, one on each arm, that brought him back, not Road's words.

"Yow! So many! Is this the Innocence Mausoleum?"

Allen swallowed and met Crown Clown's eyes, and the Innocence nodded grimly back.

Disgust, Crown Clown agreed softly. Dismay.

Rage, Mugen replied coldly.

The moment Kanda started to slice into Alma, with tears in his eyes and a snarl on his face, Mugen turned his head away.

Shortly afterward, Allen snapped.

Before Road even drew his attention to the sudden activity of the pipes, Allen became aware of a pulse in the room, dark and rolling like a summer storm.

Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

RAGE.

Before Crown Clown even told him so, Allen knew, on a deep, instinctive level, that this was Angel Sword. And he was more frightened than he had been in a long, long time.

I'm sorry again for how scattered it is - and short, too, I guess. *covers face* Next chapter is the second half of the Alma Karma arc, the more dramatic half. Thanks for reading (and for being patient!) and please review!