* In the hospital. In Lenalee's room. *
Bookman had just completed telling what he knew about the Noah's Family to Komui.
"And that's all I remember about 'Noah's Family'." Bookman said.
"No, no, it helped, Bookman." Komui said as he flipped through his papers. "Sorry for making you talk for so long."
"No problem. It's my job after all."
Bookman stared at Komui's face, who just smiled quietly.
"Let me guess what you're thinking, Supervisor. In the midst of your trouble with the Akuma, the appearance of these things makes your heart ache." Bookman guessed.
"Who, me?" Komui said. "The ones who really have it hard are the Exorcists." Komui hid his face behind his stack of papers. "I've done nothing but throw them into the Earl's deep darkness."
"It's hard for everyone. The only thing that is equal in a war is the suffering." Bookman then eyed the door and bounced towards it.
"What's wrong?" Komui asked as he watched Bookman.
"Keep yourself hidden, Supervisor." Bookman told Komui and he opened the door. "It's not the place of leaders to expose themselves."
When Bookman opened the door widely, the Finders that were guarding the door were dead and in front of Bookman stood five men.
~Meanwhile~
* In the city. *
Allen was on the ground shocked to see Lavi and Lacie. Lavi stood on his Anti-Akuma Weapon (Iron Hammer/Big Hammer, Little Hammer) and Lacie knelt beside Allen with Death on the ground beside her.
"GYAAAA!" Woman A screamed.
"MURDERERS...!" Man A shouted. "THEY'RE MURDERERS!"
"Allen, it's dangerous on a crowded street. Akuma can get you from behind." Lavi told Allen. He got off of Iron Hammer and grabbed the handle. "You don't think they're Akuma just because they look like humans. You can't use the eye that'll tell the difference between Akuma and humans, right?"
"So... sorry." Allen apologized as he slowly stood up. Lacie grabbed Death with her left hand and stood up as well. "Lacie... Lavi... why now...?"
"Huh?" Lavi said as Iron Hammer shrunk.
"... what do you-" Lacie began, but was cut off.
Suddenly, behind the them was an attack that sent the three Exorcists flying.
"More enemies!" Allen pointed out.
It was a Level 2 Akuma (Baseball).
The thing that attacked them was a giant ball that started emitting heat.
"OUCH! OUCH! OUCH!" Lavi repeated.
"IT'S HOT!" Allen screamed.
Lacie grabbed the two boys and led them far away from the ball. She grabbed Death and threw it towards Baseball.
"Deathly Throw!" Lacie said, but Baseball dodged it.
Baseball then batted a ball towards Lacie.
"Size shifting hammer," Lavi started spinning Big Hammer, Little Hammer in a circle. "Grow, grow!" Big Hammer, Little Hammer started to grow bigger. "Grow!" Big Hammer, Little Hammer reached the size that seemed to fit Baseball's ball.
"IT'S HUGE!" Allen shouted.
Lacie pushed Allen down on the ground. "Get down... Lavi's going to hit it back." She told Allen. Death came back and its blade almost pierced them just by an inch. Allen's eyes widened from the sudden appearance of Death.
"IF I TOTAL ANYTHING ON A MAIN STREET LIKE THIS..." Lavi said as he swung Big Hammer, Little Hammer back and then hitting the ball at the right moment. "IT'LL BE DANGEROUS, AKUMA!"
But... instead of hitting it back to Baseball, Lavi made it go into a building with Big Hammer, Little Hammer still on it.
"AH!" Lavi said.
He even busted up a building! Allen thought.
"Lavi!" Lacie called.
"Aha..." Lavi said. "No problem, no problem. Komui will foot the bills for this." He assured Allen and Lacie as Big Hammer, Little Hammer shrunk. "Anyway, let's go somewhere else..."
"FREEZE!" It was a police. "HEY, YOU KIDS IN THE BLACK CLOTHES! YOU KILLED SOMEONE! BASTARDS! DON'T MOVE!"
Geh! The police! Allen thought.
The police walked over to Lacie and yanked her arm.
"YOU'RE UNDER ARREST! COME ON!" He demanded as he gripped Lacie's arm tightly.
"Ouch..." Lacie said as she grabbed Death.
Suddenly, in front of the police's face was Big Hammer, Little Hammer. The police's eyes widened.
"S... STOP IT, WHAT ARE YOU...!?"
"Lavi!?" Allen called.
Lacie the made Death's blade go around the police.
"I SAID... STOP!"
The police suddenly turned into an Akuma, but before it could attack, Lacie destroyed the Akuma. Allen had activated Cross.
"LAVI! ALLEN!" Lacie said as she started to jump backwards. Allen and Lavi following her.
"ANOTHER BACKUP! LOOKS LIKE THESE BASTARDS ARE HERE TO SHOOT US UP!" Lavi shouted.
* At the train station. At the railroads. *
"But man, you're reaction time is slow, Allen..." Lavi scolded. "Waiting for the Akuma to take shape before starting up your weapon is gonna get you killed."
"Sorry." Allen apologized.
The three landed on the ground.
"Lavi, how did you know?" Allen asked.
"I don't know, yeah? I'm suspicious of everything. I'm always suspicious of everyone around me." Lavi answered. "Someone I met today could be an Akuma today. 'Cuz that's the type of thing that we're up against." He added. "You should understand that, Allen."
Then people started to come out from everywhere and surrounded the Exorcists.
"We are at an overwhelming disadvantage. We're different from you are, yeah? Not having that convenient eye, or that convenient arm. Akuma are mixed in with the humans. The other Exorcists and I..." Lavi said as he fixed his bandana. "We end up looking at all humans as the Earl's minions."
Suddenly, the ball from earlier comes crashing down on them, but they dodged it.
"LAVI! LACIE!" Allen shouted.
"WE'RE FINE! THEY'RE ALL LEVEL 1!" Lavi shouted back. "So... come and get it." Lavi mumbled as he swung Big Hammer, Little Hammer.
Lacie gripped Death and threw it to the floor, making Death turn into liquid blood. Death, in liquid form, pooled under the feets' of the people(Akuma).
"Blood Stakes!" Lacie said.
The blood started to rise up and formed an abundant amount of solid, blood stakes; killing the Akuma that stood on Death. After the Akuma were destroyed, Death formed back into a scythe and Lacie picked it up, continuing to destroy Akuma. Lavi were destroying them with Big Hammer, Little Hammer just by hitting them in its giant form. Allen was using Cross that was in the form of a cannon.
We're different from you. The other Exorcists and I... end up looking at all human's as the Earl's minions.
"KYAAA!" A woman screamed.
Allen turned around to see Akuma gripping on the woman's coat and dragging her. The Akuma stopped and smiled as it gripped the woman on the neck.
"HELP!" She screamed.
Allen grind his teeth together in frustration.
I'm an idiot. Noah... knowing that humans are my enemies made me shaky... Lavi's words reminded me of that... Allen thought as he remembered asking General Cross why he wore the black uniform.
~Allen's Memories~
"Why... are you always wearing that coat...?" Allen asked. "Because it makes you stand out, that uniform. Having that cross out in plain sight just exposes the fact that you're an Exorcist."
General Cross inhaled the smoke from the cigar and exhaled it.
"Idiot discipline." General Cross said. "It's supposed to show. We're different from you, moron. How're we going to get anything done if we hide ourselves from enemies that we can't see?" General Cross scolded. "This is a target. By doing this, we can be suspicious of anyone that comes close."
"Isn't that like... you're waiting to be attacked...?" Lacie asked as she stood beside Allen.
"That's the reason for this uniform." He inhaled then exhaled. "The two of you... have no worries like this, right? Allen. Lacie." General Cross asked.
~Present~
Allen clenched his teeth.
My master and Lavi... and everyone that became Exorcists... amidst all the other humans... they constantly see humans as the enemies while fighting. To fight the Akuma inside... they expose themselves as bait... to protect the humans that should be protected... Allen thought.
Allen destroyed the Akuma that was gripping the woman and she ran over to Allen.
"AHH!" The woman screamed and her legs gave out.
Allen knelt in front of her.
"Are you okay?" He asked her.
The woman started crying.
"WAAHH WAHH!"
Then a Akuma gun appeared from the woman and was pointed at Allen's temple, but Akuma was destroyed before it could shoot.
"Too slow." Allen said.
I've decided to continue walking down this road. So with this uniform, I'll have to take that vow...
