CHAPTER 3
Allen was pleasantly surprised to realize the crew's attitude towards her differed considerably from that of the captain. Most of them were curious and happy about having a new Exorcist around and treated her nicely or, at least, politely. She had yet to get to know everyone, but it was relieving to know she wouldn't be tangled with hateful people.
Just one person, really.
"I'm the accommodator to a parasitic Innocence! I need to eat a lot," she protested, quickly ending her third large glass of juice.
"Suman Dark and Arystar Krory are the same, but they don't inhale half as much as you do, beansprout! It's something to reflect upon that the Exorcist with the freaking teeth Innocence would eat less than you do."
"I… I usually feed from Akuma," Krory murmured weakly, evidently anxious about being dragged in the discussion.
"My weapon draws energy from the atmosphere instead of my body," said Suman, and the crew sent him odd looks, not knowing whether it was true or he was just spitting out nonsense to promote peace.
"My weapon sucks out every drop of the energy it uses from my body and my lifespan," Allen said, unconcerned at pointing out something she usually didn't talk about. "So I'll eat heartily and you'll deal with it. Please pass the salt," she finished, rebelliously filling yet again her plate and showering it with a little too much salt someone hurriedly handed to her.
After a lunch that had been one of the liveliest they had, according to Lenalee, Allen approached a man who wore clothes almost identical to hers.
"Mr. Laboun?" she asked, and he nodded his head. "Thank you so very much for lending me these garments."
"Ah, no problem, Ms. Walker. I'm the shortest guy around, so we thought it would be fine. Feel free to keep them."
Allen was relieved he said so, because she'd already stitched the pieces so they would fit her. After eating, the Exorcists started going back to their posts. So did Yuu Kanda, who could be heard making up theories about her torso having only a single organ inside, a stomach.
Land was too far away to see already, and she had only travelled on a ship once. This ship was not a luxury one, but it was quite big and interesting. It was tempting to walk up the stairs and enjoy the beautiful scenery, but she didn't want to be seen idling while the others worked hard. She went back to her cabin, a small but comfortable space provided with the basic furniture she would need. Timcanpy was laying in the bed where she had left him in the morning, after waking up from the little rest she managed to get that night.
"What do we do now? Komui said I shouldn't go and work yet…" she asked the little golem, poking at her wound. It still hurt a little, and perhaps the man was right, but inside these four walls lay boredom and madness.
Timcanpy just flew around her, and she wondered whether she should open the door and let him out. It would be good for him to get to know the ship, but she worried the others would try to get rid of him. It was very embarrassing to greet the people still covered in bites and scratches from their fight with the golem from yesterday. And who knew? Perhaps this ship had a cat.
She started playing around with Timcanpy, pulling at his wings and tail every time he tried to escape from her reach, knowing he would eventually be fed up and bite her. Then she had an idea, and stopped messing with him. The golden golem hovered in the air right in front of her eyes, as if asking 'what is it?'
"Tim… would you mind playing Master's message again?" she asked, and Timcanpy complied, going to the floor and projecting Cross Marian in front of her.
"Hello, idiot. I don't have much time. As you must have surmised, I have left."
Surely there had to be some secret meaning to this message. She spent most of the night wondering why she'd been expelled from Rose Cross – no need to sugarcoat the truth with words such as 'temporarily dismissed', as she tried to say in one of her most optimist moments – and ended having only a few hours of sleep before being woken up to meet the crew and have breakfast.
"I am ordering you to go to a tiny boat currently anchored in the coast. It is owned by some stupid dick-"
Undeniably, Master. Undeniably.
A knock to her door interrupted her sour musing. She asked the person to enter. Timcanpy didn't stop the message.
"Hello," said Lenalee, staring at the unexpected image of Marian Cross' back, "um… would you mind if we talked a little?"
"They're actually an Exorcist organization, no matter how insignificant-"
Allen winced apologetically. "Sorry for that. Please sit," said Allen, pulling the single chair for the Chinese girl. She giggled a little. "What is it?"
"Oh, don't get me wrong, but you are quite gentlemanly. When you first entered this ship carried by Daisya I thought, what a cute boy."
The white haired girl laughed, unbothered. "I'm used to playing the part. How may I help you?"
Lenalee seemed a little bothered by the third "person" in the room. Fortunately, the message was coming to its end, so Allen just decided to let it run out.
"Enjoy your new life with your new silly little friends. See ya."
"What were you doing?" Lenalee asked curiously after Cross' holograph disappeared. Timcanpy flew to rest over Allen's head.
"I'm trying to find some secret meaning in Master's message. I find it quite hard to believe he told me to go away."
The other girl didn't say anything about that but, if her face was anything to go by, she was pitying Allen for her unfounded hope. "Alright," Lenalee said, putting her hands together in her lap in a rather cute pose, "I want to see if you're ok. How is your wound? Brother was going to ask himself, but he is… busy."
"It is much better. I'm sure it will be properly healed soon."
"That's so nice! Are you up for a walk? This ship is not a cruiser, but it is nice to stay in. We could get to know each other better."
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As expected, Allen recovered very fast. The wound became nothing more than a small scar, for which Komui apologized profusely in his Captain's name. Allen didn't consider herself a vain person, and didn't mind the new blemish in her body. Finally considered healthy, she was given permission to work.
"We always have a schedule set on this board with everyone's duties for the upcoming week," Kazaana Reed, a tall Exorcist who was a close friend of Laboun's explained, "there are basic tasks such as cleaning, cooking, being the helmsman or standing in the watching post, among others. There is also the 'checkup', where you have to walk around the ship and verify if everything is alright. See if there is any damage, if the food and medicine are well stocked and how much is still left, look for leakage and so on."
She nodded, wondering whether anyone would teach her how to… how did they say it? Drive the ship? That just sounded wrong. But still, it would be a completely new and unexpected experience. She looked at the board, where the paper with everyone's duties was nailed in. The chores were distributed in a way they were evenly balanced, avoiding overburdening anyone. To her surprise, Kanda's name was written there too, tasked to do everything from steering the ship to cleaning it. She had expected the captain to avoid any manual labor, but he appeared in the same frequency as the others. Actually, only two names were missing in the sheet.
"Komui doesn't have normal tasks. His duty is to… well, keep this ship in one piece," Reed said when she inquired about it. "When you see it, you'll understand. And we couldn't have known he would discharge you today, so you're just to help Suman Dark. He's doing cleaning today. Is that alright?"
Allen readily agreed, and Reed guided her, descending the stairs until where the other Exorcist was already scrubbing the ship's storage room. There the two stayed by themselves. The older man wasn't one to talk much, being a very quiet person, and Allen was fine with that. They worked together peacefully for a couple of hours, when a alarm bell went off.
"Don't be alarmed," said Suman, "This one just means all Exorcists are to come to the conference room."
"A conference room? I've seen none as I explored the ship."
"Well, to be honest…"
It was revealed that the "conference room" actually consisted of the dinner area, with the table cleared of any plates and food, and everyone sitting around it. Kanda sat in the head chair. As Suman and Allen entered, he started speaking. Apparently, they were the last ones to arrive, likely because they were working deep down in the bowels of the ship.
"As you must know, we were in the standard operating mode, acting mostly as a patrol than anything else, due to the lack of information on new Innocence, accommodators, Akuma attacks and the usual matters we deal with," he started. "The plan was to head North, where stupid territorial conflicts are causing lots of deaths… and therefore, most likely, Akuma are being created. An informant's message today changed my mind."
"A message, right now?" asked Lavi. "How would they manage to send one to us while we are here? I didn't see anything approaching us, at least."
"That just proves how important this message was. You know we aren't the only ones Komui provided with golems; our most trusted contacts also have received one each."
"What happened?" asked Suman, grimly. Allen noticed everyone was worried about someone using a golem to send them a message. She hadn't seen many golems in the ship. Actually, the only ones she saw were a black, one eyed one that floated by Lenalee's side as she hurried somewhere, and her own Timcanpy. Golems were a traditional means to communicate in Rose Cross, and she'd have to ask what was the big deal about an informant using it to talk to the captain.
"Nothing bad," Kanda assured them all. Had something terrible happened the last time they received such a message? "At least, let's hope it's not. We should keep our guards up constantly. But it seems like a man named Sheril Kamelot wishes to strike an alliance with our organization, specifically."
The Exorcists visibly relaxed. Komui pushed his glasses that were slipping from the bridge of his nose up, looking unusually solemn. "What is this man's significance, if we are going to completely change our ship's direction in order to meet with him?"
Kanda rested his elbows on the table, looking impatient. "Lavi," he called.
"Mr. Sheril Kamelot comes from a noble Portuguese family. He is the Head of his branch of the family, which changed its surname and came to Italy in the past generation. They own successful businesses and hold a great wealth. He also started a career in politics ten years ago and has grown in the area with an alarming speed. Now he holds the position of Minister, being able to vote in the country's most important decisions. Add to that his many allies, and we can say he has an enormous influence over his country and, to a certain extent, others."
Most of them seemed surprised, even Komui. Allen didn't know whether to be more impressed by this Mr. Kamelot's power or Lavi's extensive knowledge.
Daisya broke the silence. "So… it would be nice to become friends with this guy, right?"
"It would be lovely," Kanda said, spitting the last word. "That is, if it's not a damned trap. You all know protocol: be prepared to fight at any time, and never leave the ship with less than four Exorcists. Keep your golems active and with you all of the time. This will not be a standard stop where everyone gets to leave the ship and take a stroll. They're not in Italy right now, but in an English city. We will go over the instructions when we anchor there, but I explained the basics. Any questions?"
No one said anything for a while. Then, Lenalee raised her hand. "You said at least four of us were to stay in the ship. Does that mean the rest will go with you to meet this person?"
"I don't know. There'll probably be a previous meeting with some messenger of Kamelot's to set how many people should go. I want enough people in the ship, and at least two with me. The others can patrol the surroundings and see if we're being followed or observed by third parties."
"Why are you so apprehensive that this could be a trap?" Allen asked. She couldn't help feeling this was a newbie question, but the others also seemed to think this meeting was abnormal.
"For one, Walker, you should always distrust good news in our line of work. I don't know much about the place you come from, but it is ridiculously rare for our organization to receive a proposal of partnership from such a powerful politician. Most of them are too afraid to intervene in our fight against the Earl to do anything to help us, and the ones who aren't bloody cowards are already affiliated to other groups." Kanda interlaced his fingers in front of his mouth, staring at the crew's newest member. "Second, our communication methods aren't safe unless they happen face to face and, even then, we have to be very cautious. It wouldn't be the first time one of our contacts got killed by the Earl's supporters, who would then send us a fake message, leading our people to an ambush."
"Even the voice recognition system I inserted in our golems is useless, as it is proved there are Akuma who can imitate people and sound exactly like them," Komui pointed out. "That is why we usually tell our associates never to send us messages through this system, unless it is really important."
Allen nodded her understanding, feeling uneasy. It was this serious, then.
"If that's all, you can go back to whatever you were doing. We will arrive to our destination in a week or so."
"Three days," said Komui, and the others stared. "I've finished the improvements on the ship. We can't afford to be too late."
That was wonderful, Allen thought. She had just discovered Komui not only worked on the golem's technology, but actually was improving the ship, too. Perhaps he even had a hand in building it. The intelligent man was clearly more than a medic responsible for first aid. Kanda looked at the scientist with a strange expression that seemed torn between satisfaction and… ire?
"Are you sure, Komui, that these improvements are perfectly safe?"
"Of course, Kanda! Nothing can go wrong. These engines are the result of months of hard work, and they will cut out travelling time to less than a half!"
"Are you really sure? As in, 'I know Lenalee is in this ship and she would die too if it sunk', sure?" asked Lavi, with an uncharacteristically narrowed eye.
The other Exorcists were staring at Komui with expressions much less amiable than the gratefulness Allen expected they would show the man. What in the world brought such feelings? Suman must have noticed her confusion, but he just gestured for them to leave the "conference room" so they could continue their job.
::::::::::::::::::::
They anchored in a coast city close to Bristol in three days, as predicted by Komui. It was quite fortunate the engines that accelerated the ship only stopped working when they were already close to the city. The crew was tense about this mission, due to their own cautiousness and Kanda's suspicion. Allen just hoped it was unfounded.
They had already rehearsed how each of them was to act. Daisya Barry, Chalker Laboun, Suman Dark and Allen would stay in the ship. Yuu Kanda, Lavi and Arystar Krory would check in a hotel as soon as they entered the city the Minister was staying in. There, they would meet Kamelot's representative and set the date and hour for the meeting. Lenalee Lee and Kazaana Reed would patrol the surroundings, looking out for spies, Akuma and anyone with hostile intentions. Komui Lee would…
Throw himself from the ship's railing and fall in the beach's fine sand, crying hysterically and loudly contemplating the possibility of leaving the crew and living in the city with Lenalee by working as a pharmacist.
"What is happening with Komui?" asked Allen, very disturbed by the display.
Lenalee had a smile on her face, but it seemed a little strained. "Brother is always like this. He suffers from seasickness. Every day he locks himself in our cabin for hours because of this… disorder. It is always a relief for him when we reach the coast."
"I never noticed he was ill," Allen said pityingly, still staring at the dramatic exhibition. Was the man actually building a sand castle?
Back on track, Kanda had prepared everything, and made sure everyone knew what they should do, so there would be no mistakes. Everyone received a position where they would have a very specific task that would put their abilities to good use. The Japanese was an impressive leader.
To Allen, however, the only instructions were to "kill Akuma if you see one, or call for help if you can't." He didn't even bother to learn about her Innocence and skills. It was very aggravating.
Another thing Kanda seemingly didn't care about was working on the anchoring arrangements. She could see angry men coming from the docks, complaining about their ship being fixed in an unauthorized place. How troublesome, she thought. Now they would have to find somewhere else to stay. Instead of listening to the man's demands, though, Kanda started to furiously snarl nonsense about how they would do whatever they wanted, because they were Exorcists and the other men weren't, or at least it sounded like that to Allen. How could this horrible person expect to go to a diplomatic meeting, with such terrible people skills? Seeing as no one else reacted to this pitiful exchange, Allen surmised this must be an usual occurrence, and found it unacceptable.
Calmly walking down the ladder, she reached the place of the commotion. Krory looked like he just wanted this all to stop, while Lavi whistled and took a look towards the city's buildings, obviously waiting for the conflict to solve itself. Kanda continued intimidating the men with his drivel. She was sure his violent countenance was what was making the men consider retreating, instead of his words.
She walked towards the Japanese man, staying just a step behind him, and to his right. "Good afternoon, gentlemen," Allen said in her most polite tone, pretending she was facing one of Cross' debt collectors. "Can we talk? I'm afraid my captain isn't feeling well, after the long and tiring travel we just went through."
"Beansprout! What the hell are you doing here? Go back to the ughh-" Allen pinched him, hard and from a position the harbor workers couldn't see, below the ribs in that special way she knew hurt like a bitch. Cross used to do that to her when she was rude to one of his lady friends.
"There, you see? It must be his old battle wound. He's been working too hard," she explained to the dumbfounded men. "Please, captain, take a rest, and let me talk to these friends. Lavi, take him to sit somewhere, he doesn't look too good."
Lavi snickered as they took the incensed and incredulous man away. Allen could feel him glaring daggers at her back, but paid it no mind. "I hope you can spare a moment of your time?"
Bewildered by suddenly dealing with a very polite young man instead of the monster of before, they didn't say anything for a while, until the one in the middle, a rotund middle aged man with a mustache, coughed in his fist. "Now, see here, lad," he said, regaining his posture, "you can't just anchor anywhere you please. There are places to discharge cargo, places travelers already booked to leave their ships in, and so on. Your captain just won't understand that."
"Ah, he is such a rude person," Allen complained, sending Kanda a theatrical glare, "I understand you absolutely, sir. You see, we are Exorcists in a mission, and we just received this urgent message from the Minister ordering us to come. We just had no time to talk to you before, otherwise we unquestionably would!"
"The Minister?" asked the man, appearing concerned but also suspicious. "Why would he call for you?"
"Why, haven't your heard about the…" she came closer to him "Akuma?" she whispered loudly enough for the whole group to hear, as if telling them a great secret. The men's eyes widened, as they visibly blanched.
"A-Akuma! You mean…"
"Indeed. These monsters have been attacking this place for a while, and now, it is only going to get worse. Italy's dedicated Minister counts on us to help the city. See, many of us came just for this job. It is for the good of everyone, really. Surely you heard about the disappearances?"
Allen knew nothing about any specific disappearances, but she knew any populous city would have plenty of them. It was just normal in a corrupt society filled with violence. Considering humanity's terror in face of the Akuma, blaming the demons for such incidents would awaken fear in the hearts of just about anyone. The previously peeved men now paled before her, utterly devastated.
"Oh, for goodness' sake, if you had just explained before… Lad! I mean, honored Exorcist! Please free us of such abominable creatures!"
"Of course, sir. It will be a dangerous battle, but we will put our lives in the line," Allen assured them all with a pained but courageous smile. They all nodded in unison, suddenly seeing the bothersome Exorcists in a new light. "Now, about the anchoring…"
"Please stay for as long as you wish!" A thin and tall man who stayed quiet during the whole exchange exclaimed. "And if you need anything, ask us! Anything to help you in your hazardous and noble journey!"
"Your cooperation is a great help," Allen said, eyes moist with fake emotion. "Thanks to your generosity, we will win this fight and rid this city of these monsters!"
The men cheered loudly and Allen smiled widely, before biding them farewell. Even as she walked towards Kanda and the others, the group of sailors could be heard chanting encouragements and blessings towards their ship. She even heard a "Long Live the Minister!" from someone. Krory and Lavi had eyes so wide they could fall out of their sockets, and even Kanda looked bewildered.
"Allen-chan, what did you just do?" Laughed Lavi, who gasped trying to keep a semblance of calm. Likely, he only refrained from rolling in the sand in pure amusement because the men would realize what had happened.
"When in a new place, we must take advantage of our surroundings and the people we meet. Now we don't have to worry about people trying to hijack our ship because of a grudge, and we can even ask these guys for a favor or two while we're here. They'll gladly help."
"Thank you, Allen," said Krory, looking happier now that there was no one hating them.
Kanda was far from grateful. He looked pissed. "You actually hurt me, you little…"
"You pierced me with your sword for no reason. I pinched you to stop you from being an idiot. Stop being such a baby!"
"You used your Innocence arm, idiot!"
She stared at the man's side, where some blood could be seen staining his shirt. Allen's covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, heavens, Kanda. I'm sorry. I forgot-"
"Shut up. Just shut the hell up, and follow me, you damn woman," the Japanese barked, turning away from her – his ponytail actually hit her face – and marching towards the city.
"Shouldn't I stay in the ship?" Allen asked, confused, but following nonetheless. The others walked by her side, quickly accepting the new situation.
"You showed us an unexpected side today, beansprout. Let us put it to use. And if you try to rip off my flesh again, I'll shove Mugen down your throat."
::::::::::::::::::::
"The richer they are, the most stuck up. That's why we have to do this," Lavi complained, poking at his tie.
After they left the ship last night, they checked in a hotel as planned. It was quite decent and therefore expensive, so Kanda wanted to fit them all in the same room, arguing that there would be no scandal, as Allen looked like a boy. The others insisted at least Allen should get her own place to stay. Kanda complained about financial problems and pampered women, until she solved the problem by paying for three rooms. She handed a key to a surprised Kanda and other to Krory and Lavi, staying with the third.
"This way, this lady here can have her privacy," she said, winking at Krory, who had been defending her honor as a young woman, and Lavi, who protested against evil captains, "and no one deserves to share a room with Kanda, so he's by himself. Is everyone happy?"
They seemed very surprised and Kanda demanded to know where she'd gotten the money. The truth was that she had some reserves from what she earned in her last poker game before Cross abandoned her, but just said her Master gave her an allowance the last time he saw her, and they seemed to accept that. After dinnertime, a polite employee of the Minister informed them the meeting would be in the afternoon of the next day in Mr. Kamelot's mansion, and three people would be allowed entrance. Kanda decided he would go with Lavi and Allen and they talked about the standard protocol to be followed in this occasion.
The next day, the Exorcists were dressed in formal clothes, far from extravagant but decent enough that they wouldn't look strange in the rich community they were walking in. Allen was trying to get used to the feminine clothes, as it had been a long time since she last dressed in such a way. Lavi didn't seem much better, constantly fidgeting in a very uncomfortable looking suit. Kanda looked surprisingly good in his attire, his constipated look the same he always sported in general.
"These shoes are hurting my feet," Allen complained, "I almost tripped in the pavement. These decorative stones aren't pretty, they're dangerous."
Kanda hit the back of her head, to her annoyance. "Pay attention. I feel the need to reinforce that the Kamelot Family has been rising in power these past years. They are wealthy politicians, and it was a good surprise to discover they're interested in negotiating with us. It's very important to make a good impression. Of course, we will see if they aren't full of shit before starting an agreement, but first we have to be diplomatic and talk around."
"You've proved to be quite a little manipulator back in the harbor, Allen-chan, so we are taking you with us."
"I can comprehend that quite well," Allen said, not denying Lavi's claim. She was very adept at wearing masks and using her charms to have people doing what she wanted. However… "What I cannot understand is what you two are doing coming, too. Are you sure you're capable of polite, intelligent negotiation?"
Lavi looked hurt, but she didn't care much, as he was prone to dramatics. It was Kanda who answered her concerns. "The idiot rabbit is usually a nuisance because he wants to, but he is very knowledgeable and, I dare say, the best one in the ship for this sort of job." It seemed like it pained him to praise the redhead, if the disgusted grimace was anything to go by. "And I'm not some uneducated moron. I was never a bonbon from a rich household, but I'm not incapable of being civil."
"Could have fooled me," Allen murmured, annoyed at the way her legs kicked her skirt as she walked.
"Don't listen to him, I'll do most of the talking, and you can help. Yuu-chan will stay tall, imposing and silent in some dark corner while we do the civilized conversation. He's got to come because he is our leader, so it would be rude of him to be absent, like saying the Kamelot family isn't important enough, you know?"
Allen nodded. Lavi clearly knew what he was doing.
They finally reached the street to the mansion. Lavi let his arms, previously folded behind his head, fall to the sides. His posture straightened and his haughty expression turned one of cold arrogance, just enough that it wouldn't be rude but showed how sure he was of himself. Allen also started walking gracefully in her heeled shoes. She was not kicking her skirt around anymore; instead, it moved elegantly around her legs, as she suddenly showed the grace of someone who was used to wear formal attires, looking elegant even in her simple but appropriate outfit. Her bothered looks of before melted into a sweet and small smile, her face perfectly fitting that of a gentle woman.
Kanda stared at the two by his sides. "You two are fucking scary."
"Please mind your language, commander, it is most inappropriate in this formal setting," Lavi corrected him, all pompous and dignified.
"Indeed, we cannot afford to insult our friends with such callousness, isn't that so, Mr. Johansson?" answered the kind lady Allen Walker had turned into, and Kanda growled, feeling the glint in the eyes of his companions. This would be a long day.
::::::::::::::::::::
The Minister's mansion was easily the most beautiful they had seen in the neighborhood, and they walked through many lavish rooms before being finally taken to Minister Kamelot's office. Lavi made sure to drop a couple of polite comments when they passed near some pieces of art, sharing impressive insights and knowledge about the artists, their work and story. It was like when he adopted the fake surname of Johansson, he became a truly different person. She wondered how much he had to study in order to properly do his part, and was embarrassed at her earlier comments when she doubted his ability.
The Minister was a tall man with long hair and a friendly smile. Contrary to his welcoming manners, however, his face had some harsh lines in it, as if this person was most used to frowning than to smiling. The three Exorcists sat across from the him and spent some time in small talk about culture, family and the current state of the world.
There was a knock. Mr. Kamelot told the person to enter.
"Ah, it is so good that you managed to make it here in time. Esteemed visitors, this is my younger brother, Tyki Mikk. Tyki, these are Allen Walker, Lavi Johansson and last but not least, Yuu Kanda, their captain. They're all Exorcists."
"It is a pleasure to meet you all," said the man, who kissed Allen's hand and shook the hands of the other Exorcists, not sparing a glance at her left arm, completely covered as it was with white fabric. Tyki was, very much like his brother, a perfect looking gentleman. He had the same dark skin that was apparently a trait of the Kamelot family, and long black hair tied in a ponytail. Perfectly dressed and proper, he had a very friendly aura as he stared at them with his youthful face.
Too friendly, Allen thought. Used to pretenses herself, she usually could feel when someone was wearing a mask. While she didn't think the man was displeased to see them, his gentleness seemed fake, as if there was another emotion, quite different, lurking behind.
His dark eyes caught her grey ones and he smirked with a glint on his gaze. Allen almost gulped, but managed to keep her smile frozen in place. He knew she knew, and she was suddenly apprehensive.
Allen tried to let her worries go. It was quite normal for people to disguise their true feelings in diplomatic meetings. Wasn't she doing the same thing, herself? But somehow, that man bothered her.
Tyki also took a seat, and Mr. Kamelot easily continued the talking.
"As I was saying, we made contact with a few Brokers by pretending we were allies of the Earl. They gave us plenty of information in exchange for a decent sum of money. Thanks to this, we now know the identities of many of these evil agents in the country and beyond."
"That was… awfully dangerous," said Kanda, and in Allen's mind she immediately translated his speech to that was insane, you damn idiot. Do you want to die?
Kanda was trying very hard to be nice. How endearing.
"I can only imagine the danger your family went through," Allen said with a worried frown, and this time she wasn't faking it. She couldn't help but detest it when civilians were put in danger in order to fight the Earl. She heard Mr. Kamelot had also a wife and a child. But Allen knew it would be best for her to avoid putting emphasis on any sacrifices made by the Kamelot family, as the patriarch would surely use them to his favor.
"Undeniably," said Mr. Kamelot, doing exactly that. "But we must destroy the terrible Earl, no matter what," he said, and Allen felt a small suspicion, but tried to shake it off. It wouldn't help to be paranoid. They had Kanda for that.
"I suppose it would be better for you to get rid of the Brokers. When the Earl asks them for information they already passed to you, they'll realize you were pretending to be one of his allies," Lavi said sensibly.
Mr. Kamelot put his hands together and smiled nicely. "Ah, would it be wise to take such great measures all of a sudden? I don't know."
Translation: I can dispose of them, but only if we are in the same side.
"That's right," Lavi agreed quickly, interrupting Kanda, who seemed like he hadn't noticed what the man meant and was going to give the aristocrat a piece of his mind. "Well, Minister Kamelot, we know you and your family have managed to ascend admirably in society, and you have respectable resources and connections. We would truly appreciate having you as one of our allies in the fight against the demons who wish to destroy humanity."
Nice dramatization, Lavi. While it was all very true, it was important to point out they were fighting not only against their own enemies, but also against the enemies of the whole mankind, including the man who was negotiating with them.
"Ah, yes, but there is only so much we can do without taking excessive risks. Your friends pointed the danger themselves."
"That means-"
"I want protection. From Exorcists, to be clear. We cannot work from the shadows for too long while only relying on bodyguards who cannot defend us from Akuma."
"That's impossible," Kanda said quickly. "We don't have a stationary base, and can't afford to navigate in a limited area. I believe we are the only Exorcist organization to patrol the seas, if not in the world, at least in this side of the globe."
Allen hid her grimace, but wasn't smiling anymore. This wouldn't go well. While Kanda had a very strong point, Mr. Kamelot wasn't unreasonable to expect some sort of shielding. Couldn't the ship spare some fighters? It was always a blow to lose Exorcists, but they would still be under Kanda's command even while protecting the Kamelot family, and in exchange they would win a strong ally.
"I thought so," said Mr. Kamelot, and Allen expected the meeting to end here, so she was surprised when he continued, "that is why I want to do another exchange with you… I want information."
"Information?" Kanda frowned. Exorcists usually looked for those, but politicians rarely wanted data from Exorcists. "of what kind?"
"First of all, let me explain. I do require Exorcist protection, but it doesn't necessarily have to come from you. I've talked to other organizations, and there's one from Germany that is willing to listen to my demands. See, Germany already has quite a few Exorcist societies, more concentrated than in here. The group I contacted is small enough to be able to leave their country without causing a commotion, but also has enough members to make us feel safe. They are willing to actually transfer here to work as Exorcists and help with our protection in exchange for a few incentives, such as political and financial help and… information of the kind only Exorcists usually gather."
"What kind of information?"
"Most of the information you deal with. Where you are finding new Exorcists. The places where allies can be found. The discovery of new Innocence. While this information is very important to you, I doubt very much you can manage to recruit every Exorcist you find. You may also have in your possession Innocence of unknown accommodators. And the allies would be a help for the German Exorcists who will come here without knowing much about the country."
"Basically, whatever we can't use, we tell to you. Exorcists who won't work with us, Innocence in their crystal forms we can't find a person to synchronize with…"
"That's right. If you can take an Exorcist or use an Innocence, then they are, by all rights, yours. But there is no point in keeping such data for yourselves if you cannot do anything with it."
Kanda seemed quite tense about the proposal. Lavi also bore a closed look and Allen merely remained expressionless.
Knowing the final decision was his and his colleagues would not say anything right now, Kanda said, "We cannot accept your proposal. At least, not immediately. This sort of data is very confidential."
Kamelot nodded. "I would have thought it strange if you accepted immediately. Do not worry, but please think about it. I'm sure my offer would benefit both of us greatly."
And while this meeting was a great pretense of a friendly gathering, when the negotiations ended it was time to go. The Exorcists bid farewell to their hosts and started leaving the great mansion. Tyki accompanied them to the door.
"We hope to hear from you soon," said Tyki amiably, after they formally said their goodbyes. "Are you sure you don't want to stay over? We have many rooms to spare."
"Thank you, Lord Mikk," answered Allen, to whom the Portuguese man seemed to have warmed up the most, "But we must stand guard over our ship. One can never be too careful."
The friendly man nodded. A child's laugh could be heard from the garden. The Exorcists looked in its direction. There, a young dark haired girl wearing a beautiful dress played with a woman who wore a maid's uniform. Sitting in a comfortable looking chair by the shadow of a tree was a blond lady who observed the two.
"Ah, those are my sister in law, Tricia, and my niece, Road. They are enjoying the good weather."
Allen stared at the happy scene for a few more seconds before nodding and leaving with Kanda and Lavi. What a beautiful family, she thought. She hoped they would be able to find some sort of agreement so that everyone would be safe.
::::::::::::::::::::
As they left the posh part of the city, the three Exorcist's true characters were once again free. Allen got rid of the uncomfortable shoes as soon as they were walking in sand, and Lavi was once again in his characteristic slouch.
"What do you think about today?" asked Kanda. Allen remained silent, expecting Lavi to reply. The redhead was quiet and stared pointedly at the girl.
Allen was unsure Kanda actually wanted to listen to her opinion, but decided to say it anyway. "Rose Cross would never accept Mr. Kamelot's deal," she said, sure of herself. "Such important information is what actually allows us to exist as organized and relatively powerful groups. Not only it is usually disclosed exclusively to other Exorcists, but there must be a lot of trust, built from a long term relationship."
Instead of quickly dismissing her opinion, the captain seemed thoughtful. "You're right. On one side, we really need strong allies such as Kamelot. On the other, there is no way in hell we're letting him have such power over our dealings. If in the end of it all he is an enemy, we'll be destroyed after giving him so much data."
"We should try to meet him halfway," said Allen, "instead of becoming true allies with official bonds, do a favor for a favor. It can be useful some day and, on the other hand, we can cut off any kind of relationship at any time, without actually being disloyal."
They reflected about the meeting as they entered the ship, receiving a warm greeting from the very friendly harbor workers who wanted to know if they needed anything. Some had actually given them extra materials just in case their ship needed repairing. The Exorcists who hadn't watched Allen's interaction with the men the other day seemed very puzzled by the welcoming behavior from the people of the city. Kanda explained how the meeting went to everyone in a reunion, and they decided to stay around until they finally formed a decision.
::::::::::::::::::::
"Have you enjoyed making new friends?" Tyki asked, sprawling lazily in a rich purple sofa. "Esteemed visitors, indeed…"
Sheril turned from the window, where he had been staring at the three Exorcists who just left the mansion. "Don't you point your finger at me, little brother. You were quite friendly to that white haired woman, to an unnecessary extent, I must say."
"She's an old acquaintance of mine," the younger man answered, smiling as he stared at the ceiling.
Sheril raised an eyebrow. "How so? Don't tell me you're actually hanging around with Exorcists on your free time? That is not what I expected from your 'white side'."
Tyki smiled dreamily. "Last time I saw her, she stripped me from my clothes in a train's wagon. It was quite fun. She had the same smile of today, all polite but with an evil glint underneath. I couldn't help remembering the good times." Only silence met his outrageous statement, and Tyki stopped staring upwards, taking a peek at Sheril instead. The man's face was frozen, except for his left eye which was twitching continuously. He must be wondering whether Tyki was having him on, or not.
"Nonetheless," Sheril finally said, weakly, "there is no point in playing such games with these Exorcists if they aren't powerful enough to be of relevance."
"What are you planning to do?" Tyki asked, stretching. It had been a hard weekend, working with his friends to build a warehouse in a farm far away. It was nice to relax for a while.
Sheril just stared at the window once more. The Exorcists were already out of sight, but he knew exactly where they would be. "Let's give them a little test, shall we? Nothing too complicated. Just enough to see if they're worth our time."