Chapter 5

My first official day at the order started early. I woke to Johnny knocking at my door, he wanted to know if I wanted a hood on the cloak or not. While I had him there I had him add an armored corset for some added protection against hard impacts. I had talked with Allen over dinner about his first mission and his encounter with his first Level 2. If Akuma are able to evolve and engage in close range combat then some added protection isn't a bad idea. It took Johnny and I twenty minutes to sort out all of the details.

"Anyway Johnny…no offense… but you look like you could use some sleep. Is everything okay?" I ask him. He gives me an exhausted smile.

"I'll be fine. The science division has been working non-stop on a new project. I just stayed up late last night trying to get enough of your uniform done before I had to rejoin the others."

"Ah! I'm sorry if my uniform inconveniences you Johnny!"

"Oh! its fine! You need it after all, especially considering you will most likely have your first assignment soon." Johnny says as he walks to the door. After he left, I sat on my bed and began to meditate. I was roughly 30 minutes into my meditation when I heard an explosion coming from the hall. I hear Allen's door open and a conversation between him and another man. As I open my door, I see Lenalee walk by while balancing two trays holding coffee cups.

"I bet his assignment didn't go as he had wanted. That's probably why Kanda's being so grumpy this morning." She said. "Good morning Tara." She smiled at me as she went to stand by Allen.

"Morning Tara, I guess you're right about Kanda, Lenalee." Allen said as he looked over the ledge of the balcony. "Tara, Lenalee, did you happen to hear that loud crash just now?" I walk to the balcony and look over as well while Lenalee brings some light to the situation.

"It was most likely the science division. They are probably working on a new experiment. I'm sorry about my brother and his team, they can be noisy sometimes. Did it bother you as well Tara?" Lenalee glances at me.

"It doesn't really bother me; it just caught my attention. It reminds me of my younger brother." I say with a small smile. "He was always making a ruckus during his training."

"Training?" Allen asks.

"Yeah, my family was descended from purists that practiced different magics. We often were called on to perform blessings on places where something bad happened. To be honest I thought it was a load of hogwash until I got my innocence. Then the spells began to become real. That's how I do most of my fighting, I give shape to my spells and use them as weapons." I look at Lenalee and the coffee in her hands.

"Oh, that's neat." Allen says. "My next stop is the dining hall, care to join me Tara?" I look at Allen as Lenalee suddenly flinches.

"You can't go there! Not just yet!" She flinches back before continuing. "It's just that everyone is in the middle of cleaning down there, plus we shouldn't bother Jerry right now." She finishes

"Oh, well, I'll go down there and give him a hand."

"I can go help them."

Allen and I say at the same time. We look at each other again before Lenalee once again jumps in between us.

"No! I'm pretty sure they have plenty of hands. Why don't you two help me deliver some coffee to my brother and the other scientists?" Lenalee looks between the two of us.

"Uh…Okay?" I say as Allen smiles and takes one of the trays from Lenalee while I grab the other. He leads the way down the hall and around a corner towards the elevator that leads to the science division. We enter a room that looks more like a library than an office. There we see the exhausted looking bodies of the scientists. Just as we get withing hearing range another rumble can be heard and then the muttering of all of the scientists.

"Geez, what's the Chief doing in there? Doesn't he know how much work we have on our plates? The least he could do is come help us out for awhile."

"Take it easy, Johnny…Who knows, maybe he is inventing something brilliant." Just as Reever finishes his thought, Komui's lab door creeps open and he appears.

"Hey, everyone….! How'd you like to meet the savior of the science division?" The scientists stand and look at Komui like he has gone insane. Lenalee stops us before we take the final step into the work space. I glance back at her and see a worried look on her face. 'something tells me, this may not be good.' I think to myself before I glance back at the scientists just as the door to Komui's lab explodes. I stand staring in shock before I hear Reever ask the question that I think all of us are thinking.

"Komui, what is the point of that ridiculously large robot?" Suddenly a lightbulb pops above my head. "So that's what that was." I say as I remember the strange looking white pillar I caught a glimpse of in his lab last night.

"Wait is that thing wearing a hat?" Johnny asks as my attention focuses back on the robot.

"Allow me to introduce to you the state of the art advanced productivity robot…And the best part? We won't have to work as much from now on!" Komui's face glowed like a proud parent.

"Are you sure?" The scientists seemed skeptical.

"Of course I am! As long as this robots around, our workload will be reduced by fifty percent!" That did the trick. However, the hopeful gleam that shown in the rest of the scientists eyes seemed too good to be true.

"Fantastic!"

"Maybe now I can get some sleep!"

"You called it sir! Chief Komui really was inventing something brilliant!" Johnny looked at Reever who was the only scientist who looked unconvinced. The rest of the scientists swarmed Komui who stood proudly by his creation. Suddenly I could hear a choir of angels singing, I glanced at Reever who stared up at the robot as though it was Jesus Christ reborn to save us. He dashed over to Komui.

"Chief we should boot it up right now!"

"All in good time. First we need to come up with a name for it…Hm, lets see, what would be a good one…? If anyone has any good suggestions then speak up!" Komui opened the floor. In the span of several minutes a varying degree of ridiculous names were being shouted, all of them being quickly vetoed by the Chief.

Why don't you go ahead and pick the name, Chief?" Reever asked Komui.

"Okay…How about… Sir Komlin the second!"

"I guess that works but why is it the second?" I heard Reever ask before Komui muttered a response. I turned to Lenalee.

"Should we go in soon? The coffee is going to get cold?" I ask her before she hesitantly smiles then walks past me.

"Komui! Time for a break!" She calls out as the attention focuses on us. Lenalee turns and takes the tray out of my hands and then walks up to her brother.

"Lenalee! Hello!" Komui greets her.

"Who wants some coffee?" She asks the group while Allen and I walk up behind her.

"I'd love some." Reever reaches for a cup as Johnny walks up to Allen and I.

"Why are you two here?" He asks while Lenalee answers for us.

"I had asked them to help me deliver the coffee. Well help yourselves everybody!" Lenalee announces as the robot extends an arm towards her and grabs a blue mug with a pink rabbit on it. I watch as it takes the cup to its head and downs the whole thing.

"Wow! I had no idea robots could drink coffee." Allen said as I backed away from him.

"How funny! You still have a lot to learn Allen. He may be my alter-ego but he is still only a robot. Everyone know robots are incapable of drinking fluids." Komui looks up just as an animatronic burp escapes the robot. "Oh, no, he drank it."

"That can't be very good." I say as I take another step back. Suddenly the robots topmost eye turns red just before a series of mini explosions and shocks shakes the body. Its only when the robot begins talking that everyone starts to really panic.

"I am sir Komlin the second and it is my duty to aid in strengthening Exorcists." Komui seems to be holding out hope that the robot is fine.

"That's it boy! That's it. Your doing really great. Keep it up!"

"Chief does your robot have an off switch? Because I think something's wrong with it!" Reever grabs Komui who immediately shakes him off. I run up to Lenalee and grab her shoulder while Komui yells at Reever.

"Lenalee! Maybe we should back away from the robot." She doesn't even seem to notice as the robot looks at us since she is too busy scolding her brother.

"Uh…Lenalee!"

"I must operate on these women to make them more manly." The robot said with its focus still on Lenalee and I.

"Why would anyone want to make Lenalee more manly?!" I hear Komui ask.

"Or Tara!" Reever shouts as well.

"No sir Komlin the second don't!" Komui calls out as the robot takes a step towards both of us.

"But they need strengthing, and the only way to do so is by butching them up. They want it, they need it!"

"Run Lenalee, Run!" Komui shouts as Reever yells at him.

"Did you forget about Tara! Chief!"

"I knew it! We need to run Lenalee!" I say as I grab her arm and cause her to drop the tray with the coffee. Lenalee finally grasping the situation turns as we both try to make a run for it. Unfortunately, the robot has quite the reach and is able to grab Lenalee and pull her out of my grip. I stumble into Allen who steadies me as we both look up at Lenalee at the same time that Komui screams for somebody to stop the robot before it eats his sister. Reever is already digging through a trunk, it isn't long before he pulls out a rocket launcher and aims it at the robot. This only makes Komui freak out more. Komui seems to go through some kind of mental dilemma before he calms and looks at Allen and I.

"Of course!" A menacing smile takes root on his face. "I completely forgot we have Tara and Allen with us today.

"Oh no… He wouldn't…would he?" I mutter as Komui turns towards the robot.

"Sir Komlin! I've got great news! We have our two newest Exorcists here. Tara who is a female who also needs to be toughened up, as well as Allen who is having trouble with his Anti-Akuma weapon."

"Shit, Allen we need to run." I turn to book it as I hear Allen drop the tray. The robot's focus zooms in on us as I throw caution to the wind and make for the door.

"Priority changed! Priority changed! Need to capture second female and sedate her before operation on Allen Walker's injury can be treated." Sir Komlin says as he gasses Lenalee.

"Allen! You should really start running!" I call over my shoulder just as Reever tells him the same thing before he aims his gun at the robot again. Just before I get to the door Sir Komlin flips the table and blocks my path.

"Shit!"

"Tara this way!" I look at Allen as he runs under the robots body and towards the hole in the wall. I quickly change course and follow him. The robot quickly turns and begins to follow us.

"Allen! What are we going to do!?" I scream at him as we are being chased in circles by the robot. Before Allen can respond I see one of the scientists pop out of nowhere with a rope. He is quickly kicked out of the way by the robot.

"What good did he think that was going to do?!" I scream in frustration. I assume the next attempt at saving us came from Johnny as a small robot comes out of another hall. The robot stops and looks at us as Johnny's voice echos from it.

"Allen! Tara! Get to the storage room!" Just as a ghost looking creature comes out holding a red baton with a 65 on its forehead.

"It's this way you two!" it says to us before leading us down the hall the mini robot just came out of. We follow the Robot and the ghost guy to a storage room, however, as we come in the door the mini robot starts to clean.

"Johnny!" I yell in frustration.

"Ah great! It's cleaning the floor now!" Allen screams at the same time. I hear Reever come over the comms this time.

"Allen! Tara! You'll have to head over to the main hall. We'll try to mount a rescue from there." Just as he finished Sir Komlin busted his way through the storage room door. Allen is quick to bolt back out the door with me only a couple of steps behind him. Sir Komlin is quick to follow as he tries to corner us by shooting missles in our direction.

"Why is it shooting at us if it is supposed to treat your injuries." I was steadly growing closer to pulling my hair out. 'General Tiedoll what did you send me too!" I scream in my head as the ghost creature appears in front of us and directs us to another hall that leads us back to the main corridor with all the balconies.

"Okay we are here now!" Allen yells as Reever and the rest of the scientist appear in front of us on the elevator.

"Good! Okay Johnny! Do it!" Reever says as Johnny pushes a button and a large gun appears out of the platform. 'What the…?' I think to myself. Allen and I turn just as the robot corners us against the balcony bars. I hear the scientist booting up the gun and just as they are about to fire….Komui jumps in to stop them from destroying his baby.

"Komui! If I survive this, I am going to kill you!" I yell at the chief. Komui's assault on the team of scientists sends the elevator spinning while I fired off random shots in every direction. One of the shots lands right behind me sending me flying over the bars of the balcony. I am hanging on for my life when I hear another voice come from my right.

"What's all the fuss about?"

"Kanda! I'll explain it later but we need to stop this robot. It would be a lot easier if we knew what its weakness was."

"Only an amateur wouldn't be able to see its weak spot. I had the joy of destroying a very similar robot to this in the past."

"So what's it's weak point!? Just tell me!"

"Hit it in the scruff, kid"

"Wait…Whats scruff?"

"Well…That's a shame, I guess it's your fate to die, huh?"

"You think your funny don't you Kanda!" I hear Allen say as I manage to pull myself up.

"It's sneaking up from behind you!" I hear one of the scientist say as an explosion sends me hurtling down one of the halls. While I was flying through the air, I pass a man with long hair shortly after passing him I hit the ground and roll a couple more feet. I am just sitting up when I feel something grab my ankle. I look down to see one of the tentacle arms just before it starts dragging me back down the hall.

"Shiiiiiiiiitttttttt" I scream as I once again soar past the man with the long hair. Its kind of sad that I didn't get a closer look at him other than his hair. Cause he made it onto my kill list right below Komui. The arm pulls me level with Allen who has also been captured. We are slowly making our way towards a door on Sir Komlin where little Komui dolls are holding some rather menacing looking surgical equipment. Allen activates his Innocence in order to fight off the robot at the same time that Komui shoots him with a sleeping dart.

"AHHHHHHH! Komui!" I scream just before a flash above me catches my attention as I try to focus on it. The flash turns out to be Lenalee who had activated her innocence. That's the last thing I see as I am pulled into the room with Allen. 'that's the last time I leave my bow staff in my room' I think as I am strapped down to a table in the middle of the small area. As soon as I was secure the mini Komui dolls turned their attention on Allen as they quickly wrapped him in bandages. I struggle against the bindings when the robot suddenly collapses on top of Allen and I. The door to the room is pushed aside as Lenalee and Reever peer in at us. I am still strapped to a table while Allen looks like he has been mummified.

"Are you two okay?" Reever asks

"I guess…"

"Yea, never better."

Allen and I say at the same time as Lenalee and Reever help us out.

"That's good. I thought we almost lost our two newest exorcists to Komui's latest debacle." Reever says as he helps me down from the door. I look up and see Allen unwinding the bandages. I tune out the rest of Reever and Allen's conversation as I join some of the other scientists in kicking the robot. Komui stands up to protect the robot. Lenalee seems to have had enough of his idiocy as she kicks him and the robot off the balcony.

"I'm sorry about this you two. The chief is really a great man. He built that robot to help treat the exorcists but it always seems to get out of hand." Reever says.

"Gets out of hand? Or is a complete failure?" I scoff while Reever just smiles at me with an apologetic look on his face.

"Well I am just glad that no one was seriously hurt." Allen says while Lenalee walks up to the three of us.

"Now that that's over, would you two mind joining me again?" She smiles at us.

"We aren't going to end up being chased by another robot are we?" I ask as we follow her down to the dining hall.

"No, I promise." She smiles at me as we turn the corner into the dining hall. Inside are rows of tables piled high with food while a banner hangs from the ceiling it read, 'Welcome Allen and Tara' Allen and I stare at it with gaping mouths.

"This is for the two of you." Lenalee says as we both look at her.

"For us?" Allen and I ask as Reever and Jerry turn to look at us.

"You really thought we'd let you join us without throwing a welcoming party?" Reever asks as Jerry walks up to join the conversation.

"Everyone was up all night getting ready!"

"That's why I was acting weird today. I didn't want to spoil the surprise…Here, your very own coffee mugs" Lenalee says as she hands Allen and I both a mug that had our initials on the bottom.

"Welcome to the family Allen, Tara. You two are with us now, Cheers" Reever says as everyone around us greets us. The sight brings tears to my eyes. I smile big as one of the scientists pulls me under their arm.

"Its good to have a family again." I mutter as I wipe the tears from my eyes and smile. Then I notice a sullen looking Komui hovering on the outskirts of the group.

"Oh Komui….." I call out in a singsong voice as I approach the sullen man.

"Tara?" He asks as he looks up at me.

"You bastard. If I ever have to deal with one of your robots again. I am going to kill you, do you understand me?" I ask as I lean down and get in his face. He pales and nods. I straighten up and return to the party.

"Hey, Lenalee. I have a question. Allen was talking to a long haired guy while I was dangling for my life. Can you tell me who it is?" I ask the girl.

"It was probably Kanda. He is the only one I can think of that has long hair other than General Cross." She explains with a finger to her chin. "Why?" She asks.

"Oh, its nothing important." I say with a smile.

'Kanda huh? I can't wait to officially meet him.' I think as I watch the others celebrate around me. I let a smile cross my face as I watch the festivities.

'What a great ending to a terrible day.' I think.

A/N: Let me know what you guys think of this chapter! Sorry for the long wait. Life got busy.