Hiiii~3
This chapter actually wasn't that hard for once! Probably because I adore writing the Earl. He's evil...but he cries when you yell at him. That and he's so silly he really serves at comic relief sometimes.(Especially since our Lavi is a little emotionally constipated in this story.) Anyway, enjoy!
"Good evening, my dear family~" The Earl sang, waltzing into the dining as if it was normal to call a family meeting at three-thirty in the morning. As a result, the present Noah Family weren't the happiest bunch. (Translation: they were pissed) He placed his hands on the closest person's shoulders, who just happened to be Tyki, and leaned forward.
"How is my wonderful family tonight? I'm terribly sorry for waking you up at such an inconvenient time, but it can't be helped."
Of course, there was a lot of things the Earl said, 'couldn't be helped'; the ark being controlled by an exorcist, Nea resting in said exorcist, said exorcist being executed. It got to the point where they were sure the Earl was just using it as an excuse by now, just to make himself feel better. He never liked when things were out of his control.
The Earl was far too jolly for it to be as late as it was. While he was prancing with every step he took, everybody else was about to collapse from exhaustion. The Earl, admittedly, was always like that. A ball of energy at the best(and worst) of times. Even Road, who would usually drape herself across the Earl as soon as he entered the room, sat in her sat and leaned against Wisely.
Road yawned, "I'm sleepy Millennie, why did you call us here so late at night?" She pouted, "It's too late to work." The others hummed in agreement.
"She's right, Earl." Tyki agreed, "It's far too late at night to be discussing business matters." They all recently came back from their missions, chasing the generals were getting annoying. It was less a fight for innocence than it was a game of cat and mouse.
(Except, Road had the displeasure of chasing Cross, so it was more like she was the mouse. He even stuck her with his debts-which wasn't really a problem because well, she's rich, but she still didn't want to pay them.)
"I was getting to that my dearest Road."
Road looked knowingly at him, her eyes becoming cold as she stirred her tea, "Is it about that feeling we had all those months ago…?" She asked quietly. The Earl didn't look at her, he didn't have to. There was not much you could hide from Road, but he didn't exactly keep it from her either.
"I bet it is," Wisely agreed, "Why else would he call us so late if it wasn't for that?" He looked up at the Earl, "So tell us what you found out."
The Earl's look darkened, "A child has been brought to the Order, the Akuma I sent to trail Yuu Kanda caught a conversation between him and a Finder. Shortly after, Kanda left to return to the Order." The Earl informed.
"As you know, the Akuma are my arms and legs, and I can hear anything they here. The exorcists should really be aware about what they talk about in public, but I suppose with all that's happened it's impossible to focus on such a small detail."
Tyki snorted, "What does that have to do with us? A new exorcist-a child anyway, will be easy for us to defeat."
The Earl's grip on his shoulders tightened, "Apparently he is being assigned to Cross Marian." The rest of the Noah froze and the look of distaste was prevalent throughout the family. Cross, even now that the matter with Allen Walker and the Fourteenth was done with, still left a bad taste in their mouths.
Road's look mellowed calculatively, "Cross wouldn't take another apprentice, not unless something was in it for him." She muttered, "I hate that man…"
"I agree Road, you're so smart." The Earl cooed, "The moment Cross steps out of the Order so want you, Road, and you Wisely to trail him. I want to know who that apprentice is."
"Fine with me." Road shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't like the thought of Cross taking a new apprentice. It's too soon."
Wisely looked at her teasingly, " Is it too soon because it's Cross? Or is it too soon because you miss Allen Walker?" Road glared at him before her eyes found the table. They all took Allen's execution hard, and she was no exception. It didn't sting as badly now though, and now they were able to joke about it(and be a little bitter).
"Yeah...that too." She smiled sadly.
Wisely shrugged, "Anyway, it's fine by me. It's too consecutive for it not be suspicious."
"It's too consecutive? It just sounds like the Order being the Order to me. Child exorcists and whatnot." Sheryl smirked, "I'd never put my dearest Road or Tyki in the line of danger."
Tyki snorted, "First, I'm not a child. Second, Road and I fought the exorcists more than you ever did."
"And yes," Wisely interrupted, "Consecutive. Exorcists come once every blue moon, child exorcists even less. We get a strange feeling and almost a year later Cross gets a student? It wouldn't be so suspicious if it wasn't Cross, but we all know he has history of meddling with the scenario. All because he was friends with that fourteenth." He smirked.
Road nodded, "So Millennie has a right to be suspicious." She agreed. The other Noah settled down, the conversation done with.
The Earl clapped his hands, "Great! Now that that's settled, how about some breakfast?" He sat down merrily as the Akuma maids filed in with food. The rest of the family looked on in shock.
"What?! It's three-thirty in the morning!"
~insertlinebreak~
Allen had been very silent after the whole ordeal. None of them blamed him, it was a lot to take in after all. They went to the cafeteria afterwards, and Kanda disappeared to the training rooms. Lenalee didn't follow although she normally would, he'd need some time alone. Instead, she took Allen to the library.
"This is really where Lavi usually is, but since we're waiting for him this is a good place to be." Lenalee shrugged, "He's not really allowed to seek me or Kanda out without a good reason so we usually have to find him."
Allen looked up, "Why?"
Lenalee looked down, "He got into some trouble a year ago, Lavi isn't a normal exorcist. He has special rules to follow so he follows them before he follows the Order's rules." She ruffled Allen's hair, "Don't worry too much about it though, worry about making sure Tim doesn't leave your sight. He gets into trouble when left alone."
Allen was silent again.
"Allen?"
"...Miss Lenalee? About Mr. Kanda…"
Lenalee tensed; it was natural that Allen would be curious. After what Kanda said, Lenalee was sure Allen caught on to why Kanda was so angry about his existence. Or maybe it was the fact that Kanda's uniform wasn't in the best condition after the mission and his tattoo(the same tattoo that Allen had in his chest) was visible.
Either way, Allen was confused and curious and it fell on her to explain it to him.
"What about him?"
Allen looked quietly down at his lap, "Is he...like me?" There it was, the question. Lenalee toyed with the idea of lying to him, telling him no. If Allen thought he was the only second exorcist it was bound to lead to horrible results, but if Allen saw that his project reaped horrible outcomes it may dishearten him.
If there was one thing Lenalee didn't want it was for Allen to feel the reality of the war so early. She truly only wanted his happiness.
However…
"Yes." Lenalee nodded.
I can't lie.
"Ha...I thought so. He has the same marking that I do...on his chest going down his arm." Allen pointed to his own chest, "He seemed really angry about the project, but Professor Johnny and Professor Lou Fa have never been mean to me, and although the tests…" He stopped himself, "I didn't like the tests, but when people who cared for me were around me it never felt that bad."
Allen hated the tests, yes, but not to Kanda's extent. Then again, what did he know? He was surrounded with people that only wanted the best for him, always. That's why although he hated the tests...and to some extent hated being in the Order, he was able to bear it.
Lenalee quieted, "I don't know what happened to Kanda while he was in that project, but it hurt him a lot. Thank goodness that didn't happen to you." She smiled sweetly, "It's good that you can start this war so happy."
Yes, it was good. He wouldn't be like her, resentful for probably the rest of his life. Or like Kanda, who wouldn't let himself be happy. Or even like Lavi, who forced himself to not care for anybody because it was his duty.
Or even like his former self: the former self who gave up his own happiness for others.
For that, Lenalee was glad.
"Hey Lenalee," She looked up to see Lavi walking into the library, Bookman just behind him, "That was really something in there huh? Yuu-chan sure put him in his place, right?" Lavi was notable a lot more subdued, but that was probably because Bookman was staring him down like he was going to cast judgement upon him.
Lenalee winced from the sheer power of the glare: she knew Lavi wasn't on the best of terms with Bookman but she assumed that it'd blow over by now. Then again, Lavi's job was on the line she supposed, and being a Bookman meant everything to Lavi.
"Yeah, it was something. Did anything interesting happen after we left? I would've stayed but well…" Kanda dragged me out is what she wanted to say, but that was kind of obvious.
Lavi shook his head, "Besides Komui being all smug about it and Leverrier sulking the whole time, no." He opened a book-one that definitely wasn't in English, "By the way, Cross told me to, and I quote, 'Tell that useless idiot apprentice of mine to get in my room in the next ten minutes or else." Lavi smiled sympathetically down at Allen, "That's you kid, come back safely."
Allen smiled brightly, "He can't possibly be that bad, right Miss Lenalee?"
Lenalee gave a strained smile back, "Ah…."
"Right?"
"..."
Allen blinked, So he is that bad?
Lenalee stood, "I have to talk to my big brother Allen, but lucky for you Timcanpy knows where Cross's room is at, so he'll lead you there. Don't get lost." She bowed hastily at Bookman, and disappeared out the door.
Following Lenalee's example(and partly because Bookman's look terrified him), "Bye...I'll get going." He was gone as well.
The silence that hung over Lavi and Bookman was thick. Lavi hated to be left alone with Bookman nowadays. He was his master and Lavi was still eager to learn Bookman had to teach him, but things were tense. It was better now after Bookman isolated Lavi away from anybody who he called his 'friend', but they still had a long way to go until they were at their previous standing.
Lavi's eyes found the desk quietly.
Bookman turned away, "Junior."
Lavi sighed, "Knew it. Yeah, this record's mine Gramps, don't you worry." He looked at the door where Allen previously disappeared through.
I was going to do it whether you ordered me to or not anyway.
~insertlinebreak~
Cross was terrifying.
Cross was terrifying.
Just in case you didn't understand: Cross was terrifying. What the actual hell.
Allen trembled on the ground as he kneeled, looking up at the man before him. After entering the room Timcanpy promptly abandoned him to sit on Cross's shoulder, leaving Allen to suffer alone. Apparently Timcanpy and Cross had a background, because Allen never felt more betrayed in his life.
"My name is Allen Walker...hello…" Allen nervously greeted, bowing slightly. He rethought his actions quickly and then went into a deeper bow for good measure. Cross didn't look like the type to be gentle when disrespected.
He scoffed, "You're scrawny-not very tall either. A bit short for your age. Disappointing." Allen froze, a strained smile slowly working it's way on his face. He had been excited to meet Cross at first, but he was slowly realizing that Lenalee and Lavi's reactions were justified.
"Whatever. My name is Cross, you'll address me as Master." He pointed towards the large selections of wine in his room, "Now make yourself useful and pour me wine." After all that happened today, he certainly needed more than a few drinks.
Allen fumbled to get up and scrambled towards the table, "Y-yes, Master."
Poor Allen~XD. Pray for Allen y'all.