White Demon, Red Scribe
A D Gray-Man and Assassin's Creed Revelations Crossover
Emil watched the redhead treat the wounds like he has done it all life. He described the possible complications, told him what to get in that and that case and before he could even write it down on a paper or repeat in in his mind, the one-eyed man stood up and marched into the library rubbing his hands together.
Hesitating between staying by Allen's side – which he was ordered to do – and saying his thanks to the still-suspicious man, Emil resolved to get some of the medical stuff from the doctors first and then try to talk to that Lavi guy.
Dashing out of the den as soon as he checked out on the other assassins and asking around what else was needed, he took the shortest way to the bazaar. Thankfully, he got all the things he needed pretty quickly and more or less from one area which made his trip considerably shorter. Not even an hour after he left he was already heading back, his bag full with newly bought medical supplies and fruits.
After everyone got what they wanted, Emil went to check on Allen, finding him still asleep on the bed. Judging that the lad would be alright for a while, he reluctantly made his way to the libraries.
Peaking around the corner he didn´t see what he was looking for. Grumbling under his breath, he went looking further.
After a very long while later, he started to be even more suspicious. The redhead was nowhere to find. But whatever. Emil still took his time to inform some of his friends to keep an eye out for him.
With nothing else to do, he returned to Allen´s room. Checking out his temperature and carefully cleaning his face and body again, folding his clothes and covering his body with a spare sheet, Emil finally plopped down on the pillows next to the bed and waited.
Soon enough he was nodding off, the tiredness from the battle catching up on him.
Lavi occupied himself at first with scanning through books, mostly at what types they were and how they were organized, to get an idea of what sort of information they contained. There were a lot of things... historical tomes, books with old folk songs from various countries, travel journals, fictitious stories and myths, bestiaries, weapons and armor guides.
He ended up settling for log books that were more immediately relevant to the area, containing important information on Istanbul himself that the Assassins had been keeping track of. History lessons and folk stories could wait. First he needed to familiarize himself with the territory and recent events going on in it.
Whoever their log keeper(s) was, he was going to have to congratulate them on a job well done. These were very thorough records. All of them.
There was quite a wealth of information to be had, everything from casualty count, to guard shift and route schedules, faction finances and spending, weapon and supply count, location of important places, and where different faction territories began and ended as well as how and when they changed from one conflict to the next.
Reading was all well and good, but he figured it was time to hit the field and test some of that information, toting the book along with him. He'd be sure it made it back in-tact and unchanged once he was done, since he knew full well that it was pretty sensitive information. Definitely not something you let get lost, and he didn't foresee too much trouble since he knew how to blend well.
He walked along the roads for a while, making a mental map of the place as he went and every fine detail that might somehow become important later, either to him or his temporary allies, whether the detail be something to benefit from or something to watch out for.
He found out where all of the shops were and who the shopkeepers were, double-checked the accuracy of the guard routes for himself with a vigilant eye, all of the roads(including side alleys and dead ends), and what sort of items seemed available to the general public, versus those that were exclusive to only certain people. He also made it a point to mark where new clothing more regular to the area could be acquired, since that would help him blend better with the locals, but he decided he'd hold off on purchasing anything for now.
He'd made it a point to watch and figure out how the Byzantines that marched the streets operated, some only marching about and doing the bare minimum of what was required of them, but not bothering anyone particular, while others were downright abusive and noticeably threw their weight around.
Lavi managed to scour the closest district before calling it quits and heading back, since there was only so far he could walk at any one time, especially when it was already nightfall. When he got back, Emil was back from wherever he had disappeared to earlier when Lavi first left, sitting by at Allen's bedside, dozing.
Lavi made it a point to return the book to its proper placement before approaching him and planting a hand on his shoulder.
"So, how's he holding up so far?" It had been a few hours after all, and the first day or two was more critical to keeping tabs on his physical condition, just in case complications arose.
Emil startled awake looking wildly around. When he saw the redhead he forced himself to calm down. Rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, he answered.
"He seems fine. His temperature seems more or less normal and he also didn´t thrash around or anything. I hope it will stay that way."
Lavi nodded his head in satisfaction when Emil said that Allen seemed to be doing just fine, removing his hand from the man's shoulder and straightening up now. Looking away from the white-haired lad, Emil eyed Lavi instead, giving him a suspicious look.
"And where have you been, if I may ask?" He didn´t really try to sound very polite. Lavi shrugged nonchalantly, pointing a thumb over his shoulder toward the library.
"Reading some stuff... checking out the town... confirming the accuracy of some information. Whoever keeps your guys' record books does a nice job. 'barely needs any updating at all."
He said barely because there were a few things that might have been slight mistakes, or there had simply been some changes that hadn't been written down yet, but it was nothing that needed immediate attention, so he left it at that.
"You don't seem to like me very much," he observed, though there was no accusation in his voice, only matter-of-fact. "More than the rest, anyway. Is he-" he directed to Allen with a flick of his hand. "-something important to you?"
He'd seen the way that Emil dogged Allen and kept a close eye on him, and even more so on Lavi when he was around in wary distrust, ever since he got here, like a faithful watchdog protecting its master. He was curious to what their relation was, though were truth be told he didn't care all that much, merely trying to play the trained part of friendly and approachably open as always.
Emil sighed, breaking the eye contact to stare at Allen.
"Yes and no. It is more complicated than that. All I am allowed to say is that I am ordered to watch out for him in case certain people come to find him." He didn't say that the 'certain people' are currently being taken care of by his teacher. He stood up, looking Lavi in the eye again, frowning. "A man suddenly coming here, looking for him certainly is suspicious." Emil squinted. "You seem like good friends, though, from what I have seen, so I´m going to trust Allen on this. However, don't you go too friendly with him." He left the implication of 'otherwise something bad might happen to you' unsaid.
He was supposed to report everything out of order to that man and this was something worth reporting. After all, he wouldn´t be too happy to learn there might be a potential competition. He could sometimes be unreasonably possessive.
Lavi nodded again. It was more complicated than his initial question implied, but still relatively simple. Assassins tended to attract enemies, so Emil's words came as unsurprising.
He listened in silence as the man stood and continued to speak, giving him a warning not to get 'too friendly'. That statement piqued his interest slightly considering it followed up on the statement you seem like good friends, like maybe the man was hinting at something a little more intimate.
True, there had been something like that between them... once, but that was a long time ago. People moved on in that amount of time. He knew that he had, even if it were only out of pure necessity. It had just been youthfully stupid infatuation, and he was over it.
He laughed and visibly waved off the warning.
"You don't have to worry about that. Vagrant lifestyles like mine don't do well for relations of any kind. It's hard enough just keeping basic friends when you move around as sporadically as I do."
"So, why are you even here, mister? You look rather out of place here, even despite your attire." Emil said, looking back at Allen again. "Just like him."
Lavi idly crossed his arms over his chest, tilting his hip to one side casually.
"My being here really ain't all that odd. I'm part of a faction known as Bookmen. It's at least as old, if not more so, than your own group, but we don't deal in killing or any of that stuff. Think of us like... traveling historians. We travel all around the world, gathering information and keeping record of major, historical events and sometimes even strange, isolated anomalies. I'm basically just chasing down the next big thing to happen, whatever that turns out to be. Finding Allen here was just a little side perk to that."
"Bookmen?" Emil asked, half relieved, half interested. This changed many things. Maybe he could use the man to his advantage. His mentor told him few stories about that clan but they have never encountered an actual member. "I have heard about you guys. They say you don't take sides, am I right?"
Lavi nodded his head, noticing Emil relax slightly.
"Yeah, we're mostly a neutral group." He didn't elaborate much beyond that, since he figured that was all that needed to be known. The fact that Emil could be sure Lavi wouldn't be an enemy for that reason seemed enough for him.
Emil perked. If he managed to get some information out of him it could make his mentor's headhunt easier. The redhead probably spent some time everywhere but Rome but it was worth a shot.
"Have you, by any chance, heard any interesting rumors about Rome lately... let's say… about the higher ups amongst the assassins?" Emil knew he was playing with fire now but the information was worth the burning.
A murmur tore him out of his musing. Allen was shifting on the bed, rubbing his face but still not quite lucid.
"Kanda~" He mumbled almost incoherently. "Have you cut your hair?" Emil almost felt like laughing. He wanted to reply, but seeing that the white-haired male lost consciousness again, he resolved only to adjust the sheet he was covered with and wipe the sweat from his brow.
"Sorry." He said, turning back to Lavi. "So, have you?" he repeated, bringing the attention back to his initial question.
"I spent a little time in Rome before," he nodded slowly. "Though it's been quite a number of years, so anything I know might be a bit out of date. Why? Is something happening in Rome?"
He was trying to place exactly why Emil needed that sort of information rather than simply traveling there or writing a letter himself, his mind branching out all the possibilities.
Could some of their leaders gone missing? Perhaps there were events unfolding that had forced them to go dark and lie low, not even contacting their own outside the region. Maybe the way to reach them was blocked by enemies like the Templars and messages were being intercepted. Or perhaps Emil and others had written and not gotten back replies.
Other possibilities crossed his mind. Maybe there was a usurper within their ranks... or there could have been a coup. Or perhaps an enemy spy, or a traitor. Or just a leader who was corrupt.
Lavi couldn't say for sure since he hadn't been kept very up-to-date on happenings in Italy since he left, his studies having been focused elsewhere, but all possibilities seemed valid guesses.
Emil mentally sighed. He should have guessed that not even the Bookmen knew about it. Or he could be bluffing. He glanced back at Allen again, weighing his options.
"No, not right now..." he replied absentmindedly, thinking about how many casualties are happening to certain Italian assassins. "Never mind that. Got some reliable friends in there?" Thinking about it again, it would probably be better if he changed the topic. "You know what? Forget it. So, you were talking about some inaccuracies in our records - tell me more."
He sincerely hoped a change of the topic would make Lavi forget about their initial conversation.
Lavi was trying to think of if he knew whether or not anyone from their clan would be in the area. He didn't think so, and even Bookmen weren't very close to each other so he didn't personally know most of the other clansmen other than his mentor, but he knew how he could arrange something with just a carefully written letter. It seemed Emil had changed his mind, however, adding to Lavi's suspicions that something was up.
But whatever. It didn't matter. Whatever was going on, it was the assassins' business, not his.
He shrugged his shoulders lightly.
"It's just a few minor things here and there, hardly anything worth mentioning, but I'm a stickler for fine details. Some of the soldiers carry a few weapons and tools that aren't listed in the logs, probably pretty recent additions to their equipment, and one of the shops in this district had a different shopkeeper than the one listed. 'probably sold the shop to a new owner or something, but still the same kind of shop. There's bound to be some difference in the exact items that they sell though, so that might be good to investigate sooner rather than later for future reference."
"Oh, well since it´s none of the crucial stuff I guess it doesn´t matter much. You should still talk to the records keeper - a guy with impossibly long beard and a scar on his forehead. He might be a little bit grumpy about it but it´s nothing you couldn´t handle."
Lavi nodded when Emil mentioned who their record keeper was, tucking that information away in his memory for later. He was used to handling grumpy old men. Hell, he'd lived under one for most of his life, so of course he could handle it. That thought tugged a small, fond smile to his lips.
Stretching his body, Emil sat down on the pillow next to Allen again, crossing his legs. He wouldn't move away from the white-haired lad's side even if the Sultan himself would send for him – it's enough that he let him get injured. If Kanda ever heard of it he would have his head.
"Oh, do you have somewhere to sleep?" He asked and judging by the face Lavi made, blinking in question as though it had never even occurred to the redhead, he guessed no. "Well you can either go check out the other dens for free beds, because we're out and I´m not moving away from here, or you can go grab some pillows from downstairs and make yourself comfortable there or up here." He offered, leaning against the wall.
Lavi laughed lightly.
"Nah, that's okay. Bed or not, I'll probably just end up passed out over a good book or something anyway," wherever that happened to be. He'd fallen asleep in more than one position most would consider uncomfortable, but most of the time he was too out of it to notice after working on his studies 'til he dropped. "Anyway, lemme know if anything changes. I should be around here somewhere."
He decided to return to their library and sit down with a couple of books until sleep beckoned his eyelid shut.