A note: I've only edited this once, so it's very rough. I probably won't edit it again if left to my own devices, so please review. I beg you, even if it's just to point out a typo.

Without further ado,

The Road to Budapest

Daisya gulped down the last of his soup, setting the bowl back on the empty tray with a clunk. Subconsciously, he began eyeing the half-eaten remnants on the tray opposite him. The old man's meeting would probably last for a while. After all, it had to be important if it took precedence over lunchtime.

He glanced around, reached forward, but clenched his fingers in midair.

The old man would probably show up the moment he grabbed for it. He had a nasty habit of having perfect timing.

He retracted his hand, and tried to fold a paper crane out of his napkin. It didn't work, but it killed time.

That was the thing about the Order. Say what you like, it was pretty hard to get suicidally bored. It was a bit boring, but Daisya could get bored in the middle of a sports match. As long as it wasn't soccer, that is. So, the fact that boredom was a temporary thing here said a lot.

He gave up on the crane and started on a candle. He could make those reliably.

He folded the cloth into a triangle, then flipped it over and folded the top down.

The one annoying thing about the Order was that there weren't so many kids. I mean, the old man's nice, and Marie's pretty cool, but he's basically a grown-up.

There were a few others, but they were few and far between, and most of them were pretty boring people. All they every talked about was how they wanted to go home.

Even if Daisya ended up half-dead at the order, he was never going home. Home was nice for a few weeks. After that it was Hell.

Though, he thought in annoyance, this is a house of God, and I shouldn't be thinking like this. Yadda yadda yadda.

There were exorcists. There were akuma. But God was a bit of an iffy topic.

He heaved a sigh, and turned the candle into a hat.

"Daisya…"

Daisya's fingers twitched, and the hat-soon-to-be-a-boat collapsed. The old man made no noise at all when he walked. It was a bit creepy when you weren't expecting it.

The hat reformed itself before Daisya turned around.

Well.

"Ah, I see I have some soup left. You have managed to restrain yourself yet again. This is Kanda, by the way. He was an apprentice of mine before you joined the Order."

The old man had a bored-looking kid in tow.

"He's about your age, and he's been assigned to us. Now–"

"Does he talk a lot?" interrupted Daisya. Who cared about details — if he was going to have to spend his time with a chatterbox, he wanted to know in advance.

The old man gave him a look that was not so much angry as tired.

"I was about to say, he's a bit shy. Anyhow–"

"Is he boring, then?"

The old man sighed. "Daisya, it's very rude to talk about someone in front of them."

Daisya shrugged, and turned towards Kanda. Were it not for the general's words, he might have thought he was a girl, with long hair and a slight build.

"Are you boring, then? Also, do you talk too much? Everyone always used to say my brother was shy, but he never shut up at home."

The kid called Kanda's expression slid from one of disinterest to one of contempt.

"It's your choice."

"Okay."

Daisya turned back to the general.

"So why's he here?"

"I was telling you before you so rudely interrupted," said the general, straightening his glasses.

"Sorry."

Daisha's voice sounded insincere, as with everything, but it was the thought that counted.

"You are — yes, despite your love for football — in need of training, and the Order believes that you would benefit more from training with someone your own age."

Tiedoll looked tired, as if he was anticipating resistance.

"Okay."

Daisya shrugged, and turned back to the hat. It wasn't really worth fighting over, and besides…

…Kanda was different, so that meant he was interesting.

"And there's another exorcist, Noise Marie, who'll be joining us as an extra pair of hands. He used to be one of my students, like you."

The hat turned into a boat.

"Yep."

Hmm. The blind kid and this new one.

Could be interesting.

"Daisya…" began the general.

Oh, no, now he's bringing out the mom voice.

"I know, I should try and be nice to the new kid," said Daisya, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice.

"Daisya, how many times do I have to tell you not to interrupt?"

Daisya had the grace to look a bit embarrassed.

"A bunch."

"Someday, I know you'll listen to me. What I was about to say was: Kanda is not an average child. You would do well to watch him."

"Sounds interesting."

General Tiedoll seemed a bit preoccupied as he went on.

"Daisya, I've heard that you haven't quite gotten along with some of the others here, so I'd like you to try a bit harder with Kanda."

Daisya nodded, and his expression retained its typical air of aloof confidence for a moment.

Then he grinned.

"Sure."

The general nodded contentedly.

"Hmm, that's good," he said thoughtfully, "I was expecting a bit more resistance, though, as you aren't so fond of the other children."

Daisya shrugged.

"They're all the same. They want to go home, they want to be my friend, blah, blah, blah. But I don't know what Kanda's thinking."

He finished a scribble on a piece of paper, narrowing his eyes in co concentration.

"And I want to find out. I'm going to find out."

Tiedoll noticed the hungry expression on his apprentice's face. He hadn't been this excited since he became an exorcist.

Though, from what he'd guessed of the horrors Kanda had faced, Daisya might find the challenge a bit too steep even for him.

Daisya had finished another scribble, and had rotated the paper to give more room. He had some natural talent, but even he had said that the only reason for the manic doodling in his free time was as an amusement.

Tiedoll wondered how Daisya had lasted as long as he did in his village without spontaneously combusting from the tedium.