Mutatio

Sunlight spilled into Allen Walker's room, warming the space and the bed that set just to the right of the tall window. As the brilliant golden light touched the otherwise dark and dank room, it revealed a sparce living space, with a bed and one trunk at its end.

Cool silvery eyes popped open as the sun's rays fell upon Allen's face. Bringing a hand to rub his eyes, he yawned loudly, as he sat up straight in his bed. Noting that he was still in his exorcist uniform and his shoes, he shed them quickly and got ready for the day ahead. He looked at his watch and saw that it was already lunch.

" Uwahh ! I missed breakfast...oh well. I'm starving ! " As if on cue, his stomach gave a huge rumble and he already felt weak from lack of food. Since his metabolism moved fast with his parasitic Anti-Akuma weapon, he was able to consume insane amounts of food in a short amount of time.

He got cleaned up and ready quickly, dressing in plain black pants, and a dress shirt of white with a black vest resting over it. He quickly slipped on a while belt, to cinch up the pants that had suspiciously gotten a little slack, and red and black striped ribbon to tie loosely at the throat of his upturned collar. He looked like the traditional English schoolboy, except with the red leathery hand, and striking blood-coloured curse mark above his left eye. Running a hand through silky moon-coloured hard, he practically skipped down to the Mess Hall for his lunch.

Reaching the hall at peak hours didn't faze the short exorcist, in fact, he brimmed with excitement as he stood in line rocking on his heals. He made courteous small-talk with the various Finders in line, many whom offered to let him in front of themselves, to which he respectfully declined saying, " We all must wait our own turn for things. "

Finally reaching Jerry's counter, his smile reached ear-to-ear as he spouted off his lunch menu.

" Hello Jerry ! I would like Gratin, Fries, Dry Curry, Mabo Tofu, two orders of Beef Stew, three Meat Pies, Carpaccio, Nasi Goreng, a Chicken, Potato Salad, a couple of Scones, Kuppa, and Tomoyankun with some Rice. Oh, and for dessert could I have some Mango Pudding and 40 Mitarashi Dango. "

Jerry's face fell into amazement and awe for a moment before replying. " Allen-kun,...that's even more than normal ! Are you sure you're going to eat it all ? "

Allen laughed heartily, while scratching his head a moment. " Of course ! I never waste food ! "

After a few moments, which for Allen seemed like years, he got his weighted down tray of food. Glancing around the Mess Hall he looked for an available table, which seemed useless because of the amounts of people there. Spotting an entire table and its vicinity open, he headed toward it happily.

When approaching the table on the left side of the room, he saw the reason why it was empty and the entire three-foot area around it was suspiciously vacant. Kanda Yuu was a private person, and everyone knew not to bother him while he ate his ritualistic bowl of noodles.

Allen smiled and decided to do the impossible : sit at lunch with Kanda. Just because there was no where else to sit, and it would certainly be quite amusing. Walking down the row, the Finders on either side got quiet, and watched where he was walking. A couple of them started praying outloud, and he chuckled a bit, thinking it wouldn't be THAT bad.

Placing his tray across from Kanda, he sat down watching the exorcist's face slowly tilt upwards. It held the same look it ever did : a slight mixture of constipation and anger. Allen smiled innocently at him, as he noted that one of Kanda's eyebrows was starting to twitch.

" Hello Kanda. " He offered happily, looking at the fuming mass of the other exorcist. Tilting his head to oneside, he often wondered how Kanda got away with looking so beautiful and yet so constipated at the same time.

Kanda's reply was cold and indifferent as he straighted, forcing Allen to look up at him. " ...Moyashi, what in God's name do you think you are doing ? "

Blinking at him a moment, the benevolent smile twitched upwards in amusement as he looked at Kanda. " I'm going to eat lunch ? " He said it innocently, but Kanda knew it was a slight jab at him, though no one would ever suspect Allen to be anything but 'pure'.

Kanda narrowed his eyes at him, knowing full well that his mask of innocence was just a ruse. Kanda was one of the only people that Allen was himself around, and publically displayed anger towards. " Of course you're doing that, Baka ! Why the hell are you sitting here ? "

By this time, the Finders turned in their seats with bated breath watching the "entertainment". Some were already taking bets on whether Allen was going to either be :

1. Eaten

2. Crushed

or the most popular -

3. Sliced in half

Allen tilted his head to one side, looking at him with a quiet patience for a moment while he opened up his silverware and placed his napkin in his lap. " For one: it's the only place open, two : I have a good view of the room, and three : I don't see anything wrong sitting here. "

Kanda's hand fisted on the table, while the other made sharp, jerky movements toward Mugen. " ... You can't sit here. ", he bit out, with his teeth clenched and a couple of veins popping out of his forehead.

Taking a fork in hand, he looked up at him curiously. " Why not ? "

Kanda seemed to reach a problem. He had no real reason why he couldn't sit there, and Allen sat across from him, his innocent smile growing because of that fact. Scowling, he picked up his chopsticks and pointed them fiercely at him. " Because I said so damnit ! "

A smirk played on Allen's lips as he prepared to eat. " I don't see your name written on it. "

Standing abruptly, Kanda unsheathed Mugen, causing at least thirty Finders to gasp and start putting piles of money in the middle of their tables. Bringing down the blade quite close to the smiling boy's face, Kanda carved his name in Kanji on the wooden table. He sheathed the weapon and sat serenely, his face still frowning.

" I can't read Kanji. Look's like you're stuck with me. " Allen smiled whole-heartedly, obviously winning the battle, and started to make quick work of his meal.

Sitting with his mouth open at the brat's display of eating ability, and at his obvious disregard for his privacy. Openmouthed, he had to talk to himself severely in order to not cut the kid in half. Seeing as it would cause many problems for the Order, he scowled and twitched silently at him. " Well, Don't make it a habit, Moyashi. And for God's sake, don't bother me, or make noises while you eat. " Starting to eat himself, he sipped his Tea, and ate his noodles quietly.

Allen, however had already devoured half of his meal by that time, and was making quick work of the last bits. The Finders all sighed and a couple of " Awws " were heard, seeing as nothing exciting happened.

Kanda glanced up at Allen, seeing him already pat the corners of his mouth with his napkin. A raised eyebrow was shown in question at his superior eating.

Allen looked at the older exorcist, who ironically, showed a mild interest at how fast he could eat. " You sure do eat slow. Or maybe it's just I eat fast ? " He mused quietly, stretching his arms as if he had run a mile or did extensive training.

Ocean blue eyes studied the boy closely, seeing the difference after he had eaten. Already the boy looked healthier, his face rested. Sipping his tea, he resumed eating his lunch at a much slower pace. " You're just a Glutton, moyashi. Better enjoy the food here while you're still alive. "

Stacking his plates onto one another, he pushed his tray slightly away and leaned his chin on his fists, as he sat his elbows on the table. " Do you eat that every day ? "

Kanda didn't even give him the pleasure of looking up nor answering. He sipped his noodles quietly and grunted in approval.

" Allen-kun ! Yuu-chan ! "

Both swiveled their heads around to view the excited redhead walking across the Mess Hall. A laughing emerald eye fixed onto Kanda, then to Allen. Smirking, he sat next to Allen, leaning his hammer between the bench and table.

Allen turned to Lavi, his benevolent smile beaming upwards. " Hello Lavi ! "

" Hey Moyashi. " Turning to Allen, he ruffled his snow-white hair, smiling broadly. He changed his attention to Kanda, as he also set his elbow on the table, his all-knowing smile turning toward his next prey. " What ? No 'Hello' , Yuu -chan ? "

The older exorcist's cold gaze sat on Lavi for a moment, spitting out a " Che ", and picked up a couple of noodles with his chopsticks.

"Ooh, I didn't know you dined with others Yuu-chan. Why the sudden change of attitude ?" It was obvious Lavi was trying to hold his amusement under wraps, but a broad smile was plastered over his handsome face.

Allen sat back, amused at the entire situation and was trying quite hard not to laugh.

Kanda snapped his chopsticks together, placing them stiffly on top of his teacup. " If you two are quite done giggling and whatnot, I'm leaving. " Standing quickly, an eyebrow stuck up as he grabbed his tray and stalked off, obviously annoyed.

Lavi watched Kanda swiftly exit the Mess Hall and turned to Allen, and bursted out laughing. " Ahahahahaaa !! Moyashi ! How in the HELL. Did you sit by HIM ?! " He sat his head on the table for a second, his shoulders shaking from laughter. Raising his head a bit, his emerald eye searched the ever-unreachable Allen.
Grinning widely, Allen chuckled a bit. " Ah, it wasn't that bad. He was just as cranky as always. " Picking up his tray, he headed for the trash bin, and the tray dropoff. Noting that Lavi stood and followed him, he assumed that he was most likely sent by Komui for another mission.

As if on cue, Lavi came up beside Allen as he was exiting the Mess Hall, and into the Main Hall. " Well, I was actually here to get both you and Kanda for a debriefing. " He swung his hammer around childishly as he continued up the stairs with Allen. " I'm going to go ahead and drop you off in Komui's office while I go and collect Yuu-chan. "

They continued up the stairs, and Allen became a tidbit nervous seeing Komui. He hoped that he wouldn't have to see him for another couple of weeks so he wouldn't try any new drastic " Surgical Experiments " on his newfound Parasitic Anti-Akuma Weapon user. Shuddering a bit, he didn't notice till they were already outside Komui's office. It didn't help that there was blood smeared on the door. Looking at Lavi with a nervous, tenative smile, he muttered a small, " Well, I guess I better ...go on...in..."

Lavi smiled clapping him on the shoulder roughly. " Don't worry Moyashi, he won't do anything too drastic to you before a mission. "

'Oh, that's wonderfully comforting' he thought briefly before waving him off. Turning towards the door again, he took a deep breath and opened the door to the pit that was " Komui's Office. " Walking in he saw huge floor-to-ceiling bookshelves stuffed with books, papers, magazines, newspapers, and various other articles of research. Looking around the large room, even the floors had papers and books stacked in various little islands determined by topic. He made his way cautiously to one of two lone chairs in the vast room. Of course, across from the short nineteenth-century chair, was Komui's desk, which in itself looked like an entire planet full of information. For once, Komui looked like he was doing work, working viciously on a certain piece of paper. Coughing a bit, he saw Komui's face raise quickly, beaming at him widely. " Allen-kun !! I'm so glad you're here. How was the last mission ? "

" It was good, Komui-san. There were about forty Akuma in all, but most were only Level 1, and only two were Level 2. " He smiled nervously at him, hoping he wasn't going to 'inspect' his weapon for damages.

Komui smiled innocently and relaxed back in his chair a moment, seemingly about to say something, but deciding not to. He looked to the vacant chair, and then to Allen. " Where's Kanda ? I thought I sent Lavi to collect both of you. "

" He had already left from the Mess Hall back to his room, Komui-san. Lavi went to go get him. "

Nodding, Komui murmured an, " I see, I see... " Sitting thoughtful a minute, the silence was broken by the door opening to a loud, " Excuse me ! "

Opening the door, he ushered Kanda in, quickly muttering a couple of excuses along the lines of, ' So belligerent...' " Well, is there anything else you need me to do Komui ? "

Scooting his chair to the side of one of the many islands of papers, he smiled happily. " Nono, You're good. Go on and do whatever the Bookman needs of you. "

" Ok, See you later guys. " He gave a nod to Kanda, who was looking the other way, and a small wave to Allen, who looked a bit skiddish.

Komui scooted quickly behind the desk completely, so he could see both of the Exorcists. One who looked severely annoyed, and the other was slightly unnerved. " Well, as you can see, I called both of you down here for your next mission. Both of you are going to Eastern Germany to check out a disturbance that a couple of Finders noted in a small rural town. The name of the town is Kaden, and you will be boarding the train tonight in order to arrive the day after tomorrow. " Handing them a packet of papers including the information about Finders, and possible locations of Akuma, the possible numbers of said Akuma, etc. " You both will leave tonight, and catch the midnight train out. " Smiling at them, he hoped that assigning another mission together will help their relationship a bit. He despised it when exorcists didn't get along, because not only do they suffer, the mission in general suffers due to lack of cooperation.

" Wait. What the hell is up with the length of stay Komui ? " Kanda's face was striking, as he brushed some of his deep ebony hair out of the way of his face. " It says here the length of stay is at least a month and a half. By myself I can rid the town this size of Akuma in a week. " Completly ignoring the fact that Allen was there, seemed to strike a nerve with the boy, but decided not to act on it.

" You two are there not only for the destruction of Akuma, but to investigate some certain holdings there in that town. I need you two to do an extended stay with minimal amounts of Finders, in order to not alert the Earl. " Saying this with a smirk on his face, he turned from Kanda to Allen observing their expressions. Obviously Kanda was angry, as he always is, and Allen...was unreadable as ever. He wondered when he would be able to crack the mask that the boy had put in place.

Allen flipped through the pages quickly, a nagging feeling pulling at the edge of his mind. " Ano, Komui-san ? " Setting the pack down straight in his lap, he noted Kanda showing a tidbit of interest by glancing over in his direction while leaning his hand on his fist with his elbow on the arm of the chair. " You haven't told us what exactly we're investigating. "

Komui beamed at the boy's brilliance. ' Smart Smart Cookie ', he thought quickly before starting. " Well, you are going to investigate the current and future actions of the Noah Clan. We believe that they have currently stopped in this small town, and set up base. You two will be there watching their every move, and recording it with these guys. " Flourishing a hand up, a normal black golem appeared as well as the shiny golden ball known as Timcanpy.

" Timcanpy ! Where did you go ? " Seeing the golden ball rush toward his face, he smiled as he felt the cool surface of the metal rub against his smooth cheek. Giving him an affectionate rub on the forehead, he directed his attention back to Komui.

" Wait, so, you mean it's just me and HIM ? " Kanda sat up straight, looking livid as ever, his left hand almost crushing the paper-packet.

Smiling maniacally, Komui nodded in assent and spoke happily, " Yup. You two better get ready, you have a lot of packing to do. "

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ACK. OMG. This chapter was SO LONG. It took forever-and-a-day to write. X.x I really hope everyone enjoys it. Comments and Critcisms are adored.

-Kami