Komui closed the curtain and sat on the chair across Bookman. He threw a glance at Robin and noted all the differences. The boy usually wore long-sleeved shirts, even when it was hot and it was one of the few times he saw more than the hand part of his anti-akuma weapon. It still was red and scaly-looking, from the edge of the hospital gown's sleeve he could see the edge of the weapon and where it was stitched to the teen's arm. The contrast was impossible to miss, how red and white were held together by threads of reddish-brown, almost like dried blood.

"Komui, for how long have you known the boy? Where did he come from?" – Bookman looked at him, demanding the chief to be serious.

"Hm… Not for that long. He's been to several missions and before that, he was with Cross, so I don't know where he came from. Cross sent a letter with only a few lines and that was it. Why are you asking?" – Komui was intrigued.

"Just curious. So it was Cross… what was that man thinking?!"

Komui looked at the usually composed Bookman and waited for explanation.

"Sigh… One last thing before I show you. Do you trust the boy?"

"Yes. He's a nice and caring young man that has saved my sister. I trust him." – Komui answered without hesitation, despite the growing suspicion in his heart.

The chief wouldn't have been surprised if Bookman told him Robin was an alien or Cross' secret lovechild.

Bookman stood up and approached the sheet covering Robin's face. He lifted it and removed it in a slow and dramatic matter.

"T-This is…!" – Komui was speechless.

He had known the boy could see Akuma due to Kanda's and Toma's report. He had mentioned a seal, so Komui had concluded the boy must have been cursed, hence the stitches. The truth, however was not what he expected.

Robin's left eye was completely missing but if he stared long enough, he might see it regenerating slowly. The stitched scar was open. His skin seemed eager to tear itself open as if something was pulling it, the threads were the only thing holding it from completely opening. From the hole he could see dark gray, closer to black, skin with a red pentacle above the eye socket and a small, barely a bump, ivory horn.

Komui was shocked. He looked from the boy to Bookman to the boy again and again. Komui exe has stopped working.

"That boy is not human, Komui. He's an Akuma! Honestly, I don't understand Cross! Why would he make an Akuma into an Exorcist?!" the man sat back down and looked at the recuperating boy "It would have made more sense to bring a NOAH in the Order, rather than one of those!" – he pointed at Robin.

"…But how? He can use Innocence and the gatekeeper-!" – Komui suddenly stopped talking.

"What about the gatekeeper? You remembered something Komui?"

"Yes. The gatekeeper scans every new exorcist and staff member but when Robin first came, he was with Lenalee and after he helped her exorcise an Akuma in London, she led him through the secret entrance. I guess we never scanned him after Hevlaska checked his Innocence."

"He's VERY lucky at least." – Bookman crossed his arms.

"What do you mean?"

"Lenalee bringing him, you not scanning him, Cross not exorcising him and now me." Komui was confused "I heard that Cross had taken in a disciple, his first one, and I was curious, so I and my dumb successor came here. So, imagine my surprise when I came in here just in time to see his skin open, so I sent everyone else out and went to work."
"So, he's some sort of Innocence-wielding Akuma? That's unheard of!"

"To be honest… even I don't quite understand what he is. He's Akuma, only his left arm isn't. This means that he can shed his human disguise and EVERY drop of his blood carries the virus, albeit somewhat dormant."

"Dormant?"

"Don't worry, it's not quite as potent and can only kill a person if it gets in their body, other ways it's just like what you'd see in every Akuma. Now, come here." – Bookman stood up and Komui followed.

They reached Robin's left arm and Bookman lifted the sleeve, exposing the stitches. They were looking a bit irritated and there was still a bit of dark red blood on the inside of the sleeve.

"It stopped bleeding just a little while ago… Now this is curious. It seems like the Innocence and his body are in a kind of symbiosis, in a way. They don't seem to try and actively destroy each other but the Innocence and the Dark matter his body contains, seem to naturally repel each other. That, is the reason why the stitches are still there. I guess that if they are removed, the arm would fall off and who knows what that would result into!"

"So, don't remove the stitches. Got it!" – he gave a thumbs up to the old man.

"If I had a way to contact Cross, I'd ask him what the hell he was thinking when he implanted an Innocence into an Akuma. BUT! Since, he's not available, I'll ask you, Komui." Bookman looked him in the eyes "What will you do about him? Will you exorcise him, capture him-"

"No. He's an Exorcist and has an Innocence he can use, so until he means no harm, he'll stay."

"Are you mad? This is an Akuma! A machine!"

"With a human soul in it! I felt Robin-kun's sincerity, so I will protect him, like I do with every other Exorcist under me. We'll keep this a secret from everyone else or he'd be dead. Also… I think Cross had a reason to do this and I doubt he'll ever serve the Earl."

"Sigh… You are right. Just pray this doesn't come to bite you in the future."

"Glad you agree. Now, we need someone to temporarily watch over Robin-kun while he recovers. Someone that isn't biased and doesn't know his secret…"

….

Robin woke up with a start. He was covered in sweat and was feeling bad. Something had happened while he was asleep but he couldn't remember what. His hand shot up to his left eye and felt bandages.

'Thank goodness no one noticed…I'd probably be dead otherwise.'

"You awake, boy?"

"Guah!?" – Robin noticed a short, old man that reminded him of a panda for some reason.

"Don't shout. This is a hospital." – he said calmly.

"W-Where am I?"

"In the hospital wing of the European branch HQ. You have been sleeping for 2 whole days."

GROWL~!

"Hehe… I guess I'm hungry. Haha…" – Robin laughed awkwardly.

"Hmph. Then get up and go eat. You are well enough by the looks of it."

"Who are you Mr? Were you the one that helped me? I don't quite remember seeing you here…"

"That's because I came here just a few days ago. I am a bookman, that's all you need to know."

"OK…" – Robin got strange vibes from the man so he headed straight for the dining hall.

….

"A large breakfast as ever. How are you Robin?"

"Lenalee!" Robin exclaimed and wallowed the food in his mouth, almost choking "How are you?"

"A lot better. I just got up and decided to have something to eat. I won't be going to missions anytime soon but I guess a small break isn't so bad." Her face darkened "If only brother was not so overprotective…"

Something had DEFINETELY happened while Robin was not awake. She obviously didn't want to talk about in, so he closed his mouth with a click.

"The news are quite bad… More Exorcists are dying; Innocence is destroyed… It seems that the Earl has decided to attack." – Komui was talking seriously and that freaked everyone out.

"The other branches are doing what they can, so I want to say a few things to you – don't be reckless, if you see the Earl or the Noah, escape and do NOT engage and most importantly… good luck and be safe." – Komui ninished.

The gathered Exorcists nodded in understanding.

A shadow seemed to be looming over them and the future was uncertain…

(This'll probably be the end. After reading the newest chapters of D Gray, I'm kinda meh. Someone may continue this if they want, I don't really care. Stay safe!)