Guuuguuuuurrrr!

"Mmha...?"

Robin opened bleary eyes and looked around the room. The sun, shining through the window on the left side of the bed, had temporaryly fogged his eyesight.

'Where am I? I don't remember having the money for a room like this...AH!'

He remembered the events from the past few days and slapped his forehead.

'I'm such an idiot!'

He pinched himself to check if he's not sleeping but he felt it and smiled.

'I finally became an Exorcist!'

He stood up and looked at the mirror on the wall across the bed. He looked himself over. He had grown a bit the past few years and gained a bit of muscle but he was still short and looked weak. His left arm still itched a bit from the previous day's events. He scratched at the stitches and smiled pleasantly in relief. It usually didn't itch, bother or hurt him after he got used to it and the synchronisation rose but it would sometimes. Like for instance, when he overused it and it started to sting him, when he was in contact with another Innocence or a bunch of them it started to tingle him and when it got stimulated/resonated it itched him. The last time it had hurt him was while he fough a group of 3 level 1 Akuma in Lihtenstein a few years back, he still shivvered when he remembered how it hurt and he screamed at those times.

Guuuuuuuuuurrr! - his stomach growled more.

He sighed and got dressed. Timcampy was sleeping on top of the nightstand inside one of the beanies he used to hide his hair with during winter.

"Tim, come on, get up! We're going for a breakfast..."

The magical words woke up the sleeping ball and made it circle him happyly. After he settled in Robin's hair, the boy went out to get breakfast. He walked and walked, and walked, and reached a dead end.

'Eh?...This was supposed to be the way...don't tell me...I'M LOST!'

He turned around, as he was about to get out of the coridor he colided with someone and fell on his bottom.

"Guh!" - a deep male voice sounded.

"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't watching!" - he bowed out of habbit gained from his teacher's lessons.

"Cheh! Next time look where you are going! Stupid shorty."

A tick mark appeared on Robin's forehead but he held it back.

"Excuse me, but...how did you call me?" - his face darkened.

"I called you short? Who are you by the way? A new scientist or a cleaner?"

"I'm an Exorcist! You damn blockhead!" - Robin shouted, his limit of tolerance passed. This guy just rubbed him the wrong way.

"Who are you calling a blockhead, stupid moyashi?!"

"YOU! Who else Mr. Japman?! Or is someone hidden in that ridiculously long ponytail of yours?!"

"No. I doubt there is a person smaller than you anywhere near here!"

"Says the girly Bishounen! Yea, I know some Japanese yaroudomo!"

They glared as lightning passed between them.

"AH! Kanda, Robin, good morning! What are you doing here?" - Leenalee appeared.

"Ah, good morning! I was searching for the cafeteria when this guy bumped into me." - he threw a glare at Kanda.

"Cheh! Shut up Moyashi! I'm going somewhere else!"

He then left, Robin and Leenalee exchanging glances.

"Well, want to come with me? I'm also going to the cafeteria." - she smiled kindly at him.

After another embarrasing growl from his stomach, he nodded hadn't eaten anything since the previous day's lunch. After all that happened after arriving he hadn't been in the mood to eat. Timcampy jumped up and started circling and nuzzling her.

"Traitor!" Robin murmured "So, who was that guy? He was very rude."

"Oh, that's Kanda, he's also an Exorcist. He may act like that but he's a nice person. Just give him some time and I know you'll become friends with him!"

"If you say so..."

As soon as they entered the cafeteria Robin and Timcampy headed towards the cook at neckbreaking speed. Some of the finders wondered how he can be so fast but chalked it up to Exorcist thing. They've seen many strange things during their career in the Black Order.

"Oh, a new face! And a cute one to boot. Welcome! What would you like?" - a tanned pink-haired man asked him.

"Oh, hello. I would like 4 plates of pancakes, 6 boiled eggs, a dozen buttered toasts, a big plate of bacon and a bottle of milk." Tim bit him on the ear but light enough no not cause it bleed, after all he wanted Robin to be safe too "Oh, and 4 slices of grilled cheese and a porkchop."

"A big orded...You sure you can eat that?" Robin nodded "Good! Wait a bit and I'll make it fory you."

After a while a small cart was filled with food.

"Here you go dear. Enjoy the meal and don't hesitate to ask for anything you want, I'll prepare it!"

"Thakn you a lot Mr..."

"My name's Jerry, everyone calls me that."

"Oh, thank you verry much for the food!"

"Such good manners! Have a nice meal dear."

Robin sat on an empty table and put all the food on it. He pushed the porkchop and cheese towards Tim and said a quick thanks. After that they both dug into their food with gutso. Leenalee came a bit later and stared as neither Robin nor Timcampy looked like big eithers. Also the fact that Tim ate food.

"So, do you like it here?" - she asked as she sat on the other end, facing Robin.

"Yes, it's great! Everyone's nice...except some people." - he looked angryly at where Kanda was eating his soba in the corner.

"Don't worry, he's always been a big grump. Although, this is the first time he's had a shouting match with someone."

"Really?" - he asked sarcastically.

"Yes, usually he threatens to either cut you or skewer you on Mugen, his Innocence, while death-glaring at said person."

She had a carefree expression on her face while ating her breakfast. They talked a bit more and she explained him what the Order did and what each person'r role was.

"Robin-kun, after you finish come with me. My brother will give you your uniform and assign you a mission."

"A mission?"

"Yes, it's a bit unusual for a newcomer to go on one just after he's arrived but we're kinda short on hands and my brother will be sending me out later today to help some finders. Just try and you'll manage, I know it!"

"Thank you Leenalee."

===Komui's office===

In the cleaner office stood Komui. Robin had arrived earlier and had put his exorcist coat on. Komui was explaining him what was required of him.

Knocknock.

"Ah, your partner for this mission! Enter!"

The door opened to reveal a scowling Kanda. Their eyes locked and they glared.

""You what are you doing here Moyashi/Bakanda?! What did you call me?!""

"Oh, so you know eachother? Good then, no need to introduce you to eachother. As a new recruit Kanda here will acompany you on your first mission. You have to go to the city of Mater. It's been abandoned for a long time but finders stumbled on it a few weeks ago. In there they found an Innocence, the so-called Ghost of Mater. You have to retrieve it as fast as possible. The last time we heard from the finders there were no Akuma but that may change at any time. Now, you go before the Akuma take the Innocence!"

"Hn!" (Kanda)

"Yes, sir!"

Robin hurried after Kanda. They left and Jumped on a train passing near. It was Robin's first time jumping on a train in mid-travel. He had to chase after trains but never like that.

"Won't we get in trouble?" - Robin asked Kanda.

"No, we as Exorcist can ride for free. All expenses are taken care of by the Order."

"OK. I got it."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Toma. I'm the Finder assigned to lead you to Mater." - a Finder with bandaged face and a phone on his back greeted them.

"Nice to meet you too! My name is Robin."

Kanda just grumbled and went to their compartment.

"So, when did you become accomodator?" - Robin asked.

"None of your buisness!"

"I'm trying to start a conversation. Jeez! I have been since 1..10! Yeah, ten years old."

"Great. Do you want a reward?"

"Can't you at least not be so sarcastic? Why did you join the Order? I've seen many people refuse it at first."

"Cheh! I joined in order to stop the Earl and the Akuma."

"Good, this is more like a conversation. I joined because I wanted to save the Akuma and..."

"Heh! How ridiculous!"

"What? What's ridiculous?!"

"Your reson of course. Akuma don't deserve salvation. They are mindless, mercyless, killing machines! All of them should be destroyed and disappear! The Earl too, to not be able to create more of those damn monsters!"

Every word Kanda said was like a nail that hurt Robin and made him angrier.

"Look, I..."

"Keep quiet Moyashi. That's enough blabbering. I like it quiet while traveling. I also don't like being all friendly with cursed people." - Kanda threw a glance at his hair.

"It's natural! Yes, it's true I am cursed but it has nothing to do with the hair, so stop staring Bakanda!"

"Don't call me that Moyashi! I'll cut you to shreds!" - unsheathing Mugen slightly.

"Oh, finaly you hate me as much as the others! What an honor! I tried to be friendly out of the fact we'll be coleagues, good manners and the fact Leenalee told me to try! So, Bakanda, I'm going out in a more desirable company!" - Robin sat up and sat outside with Toma.

Kanda's brow twitched because of the nickname but in the end he also settled to glaring out of the window. Robin on the other hand was having a nice conversation with Toma. He used his knowledge on the city to learn more about the mission.

===The city of Mater===

After a long travel our three heroes arrived on a hill overlooking mater.

"So, this is Mater? The city abandoned by God..." (Robin)

BOOOM! Tatatatatata!

Suddenly explosions and the sound of fireing sounded all over the city. Three bulbous shapes rose up in the sky.

"Akuma!"

"Mr. Toma, find a safe road and help the others." (Robin)

"Make sure the Innocence is safe! We'll deal with the Akuma!" - Kanda ordered as he rushed at them.

Robin activated his Inocence and followed behind. As he got closer his eye activated, stitched skin pulling back a bit and eye becoming red with black sclera. Kanda was already slashing one of the Akuma. Robin jumped up using the old buildings and also attacking an Akuma. He swung his arm down at it. It flew down and crashed in the grownd.

'Sometimes it's good to have superhuman strenght.' - Robin thought as he landed a few metres away from it.

Without waiting he attacked the downed monster and cut it's head off.

"Thank you..." - the soul of a man said before it disappeared.

Kanda had also defeated his opponent. He landed and looked at Robin.

"OI! Moyashi, what's up with the eye?"

"My eye always does that when close to Akuma. With it I see the sould trapped inside."

Kanda stared at him for a while and decided not to say anything. He instead focused his attention on the last remaining Akuma. It looked a bit diferent, with more canons and shape like a ball. It was a few hundret metres away from their position and it was still shooting, presumably at the Finders ot the Ghost.

"Damn Akuma!" - Kanda ran at it, sword ready to attack.

Robin followed, more woried for the people than the Akuma. He got closer to it and the place where it was shooting.

"Guaaaaah!" - a Finder screamed and turned into dust.

Kanda payed little to no attention and went to attack the Akuma. Robin, however, noticed something unnerving. His eye saw the soul writhing in pain, changing shape into a more inhumane shape, bound by bandages.

"Oh, no! Kanda, watch out!"

Kanda heard him and stopped in his tracks. He looked around, expecting to see a surprize attack but nothing came. He glared at Robin but just then the Akuma scrrched and it's shape started to pulse and got distorted. Suddenly in constricted and from within in emerged a new Akuma. It looked more human and a bit like a clown.

"HEHEHEHEEEE! I'm heeere!"

"What?! What the heck is this Akuma?!" (Kanda)

"I-It talks..." (Toma)

"Lala..."

"Guzol!" - Lala hugged him, worry on her face.

"It's a level 2! What a bad luck. I never imagined I'll see the transformation happening right in front of me. This'll get a lot more dificult now..." - Robin steeled himself for the upcoming confrontation.

He knew from previous experience that evolved Akum would always have a special power and consciousness, which made then quite a bit harder to be dealt with.