Moko-Chan: I don't own D.gray-man, of course. D.gray-man and its characters are Hoshino's belongings.
6 Months later… (Speeding up time, am I not?)
The Black Order was suddenly a much happier place. With Komui Lee and his "team" (slaves) taking care of the Order, many have forgotten the traumatizing rule of the previous Chief. Sure, the current supervisor's a slave driver, the scientists have to work on unpaid overtime, they are underpaid……but they had fun. At least relatively more fun compard to last time. And Komui's cute younger sister and her coffee provided some alleviation to the suffering.
Lenalee was now willing to train herself and could activate her Dark Boots properly. The problem was that she stuck to her brother whenever she could, not that Komui minded all that much, it was just that she can't be clinging on to him for the rest of her life.
What if she suffers from separation anxiety on her first mission? Komui thought. No, even if it pains Komui to have her leave his side, he must let her be more independent.
"Lenalee, don't you have any friends in the Order?" Komui asked his sister who was getting another mug of coffee for him.
Lenalee paused for a moment and then muttered something under her breath.
"Did you just say something? Nii-san can't lip-read." Komui said cheerfully.
"I don't know if Kanda hates me." Lenalee said, troubled by the fact that her previous escape has, or so she heard, gotten the Japanese Exorcist punished.
"Why would he hate you?"
"Because he got punished for trying to help me leave."
"And have you tried talking to Kanda?"
"Don't dare to."
Lenalee saw an amused look appear on her brother's face. She was about to ask him what he found amusing when Section Chief Reever walked in and dumped a pile of paper onto Komui's desk, if a paper covered wooden structure could be called a desk.
"You need to look through this…" Reever mumbled and then staggered out of the office. The pair of siblings stared as the Australian disappeared. Upon seeing Lenalee's worried face after a resounding crash from the hallway, Komui assured her that Reever would live.
"Now, regarding your friend, here's what you should do…"
Meanwhile, at the Black Order's dojo, Tiodoll's three "children" were sparring with each other. The only casualty of training so far was Daisya, sporting a bruised eye.
"What in the world have I ever done to deserve this?" Daisya muttered as he put an ice pack over his throbbing right eye.
"You pulled Kanda's hair." Marie pointed out.
"It was flitting around; of course I'll try to pull it. Use whatever tactic to stop your enemy, that's what I'd like to say." Then Daisya turned to Kanda. "Ever thought of cutting that hair of yours? It makes you look like a girl!"
"Shut up or I'll hit your other eye, followed by your nose. Your yapping is giving me a headache." Kanda hissed menacingly.
Daisya was about to retort with his usual 'Show your Senpai some respect or I'll tell Master' remark when somebody entered the training grounds.
"Yo, Missus Lenalee. What brings you here?" Daisya greeted the visitor. Marie just said hello while Kanda gave Lenalee a glance before turning away and resumed hitting wooden dummies with Mugen.
"May I speak with Kanda for a while?" Lenalee asked.
"Ask him, don't ask me."
"Kanda, can we talk?"
The Japanese Exorcist kept silent. Lenalee gave a sideways glance at the other two. Daisya took the hint and said softly the Marie.
"She wants to talk to Kanda in private." He said with a smirk. "Let's go!"
As the two older Exorcists walked out, Daisya said in glee, "Our little Kanda has a girlfriend. Can't imagine what she sees in him."
"They're still children. Such things aren't on their minds yet. Besides, they act more like siblings to me." Marie gave his opinion.
"Geez, you're too serious."
"Thank you."
"What is it?" Kanda finally asked after Lenalee stood behind him for a full two minutes.
"I'm sorry." Lenalee said.
Kanda turned around but did not give any reply. Then, to his utmost surprise, Lenalee bowed.
"I'm really sorry for getting you into trouble. And I didn't even thank you for trying to help me. I got distracted after my brother came and I didn't even try to speak to you. Please forgive me!" Lenalee said with her head lowered.
"Look up." Lenalee heard Kanda say. She glanced up and Kanda thrust Mugen's sheath at her forehead but stopped it a few centimeters before her. Lenalee, a bit horrified, backed up a bit. The raven-haired boy lowered his katana and sighed in exasperation. (Aww, he can't hit her.)
"Sheesh, baka! Don't bow unnecessarily!"
"My brother said that you'll forgive me if I bowed."
"Then go kick him or something. It's not like I asked for an apology." Kanda said.
"Then you're not mad at me?" Lenalee asked.
"I wasn't. Your apologies are pissing me off now."
"I'm sorry."
Kanda glared at Lenalee and she put her hands over her mouth.
"So, we're still friends, right?"
Kanda gave a barely audible "yes". Lenalee smiled happily and then she noticed something strange about the older child.
"Kanda, are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I just got a headache." His ivory face was as white as a sheet and Lenalee noticed that the hand holding Mugen was trembling. The Chinese girl went up and grabbed Kanda's arm as he started losing his balance. His arm was cold and clammy.
What's wrong with me? It wasn't the first time Kanda had a headache or felt giddiness after activating Mugen. But this one was extremely bad.
There was a queer roaring sound like wind rushing through a tunnel and his vision started blurring. He felt Lenalee wrap her hand around his arm to stop him from falling. She supported him and helped him lie on the dusty ground.
"I'll go get help." Lenalee said anxiously and sprinted off. Kanda looked at Lenalee's retreating back and closed his eyes.
So the Innocence is at fault?
I would not put it that way. If it had not been tapping on the child's life, it would have become useless.
Why is there even a piece missing?
General Tiodoll does not know and he said that Kanda does not remember.
But now the Innocence is acting like a parasitic type.
No, it's even worse. It is unlike Suman's Innocence. Mugen is absorbing Kanda's life to give itself power, to keep itself stable.
How far has the damage gone?
I do not know. But if nothing is done soon, the child would surely die.
Komui walked out of Heveleska's chamber. He has asked the medical team to give Kanda a check-up first and it seemed like the Japanese boy was just ill for no rhyme or reason. But now Komui knew the real cause.
Who knew Innocence could do something like this? Komui thought to himself. Is there even a way to help? It would take a miracle!
Komui entered his office and saw one of the chefs there.
"Supervisor Komui? We need a bit of help at the cafeteria." The chef looked as though something nightmarish had appeared at the cafeteria.
"Eh, I can't cook." Komui said with a smile. "How about you ask the rest of the Science Department for help?"
Meanwhile, outside the office, the scientists who have been buried under their paperwork shuddered.
"It's not that we lack people, it's just that one of the Generals showed up at the cafeteria and he's…uhhh…. Causing a disturbance." The chef clarified.
"Oh really? Which General?"
"General Cross."
General Cross. Komui has read his files before. Doesn't have a very good reputation. Komui remembered that there was an interesting remark made about General Cross. It could be something that may help with Kanda's situation.
General Cross knows sorcery.
"Alright. I'll go lend a hand."
"What do you mean by there's no White Romane Contie Boquets? Isn't the kitchen supposed to be able to produce all kinds of food and beverages so we can have our fill lest it is our last?" A deep husky voice could be heard bellowing loudly.
"But that wine's too expensive!" The head Chef Jeryy squeaked.
"Then get one of your lackeys to go out there and get some!" General Cross Marian demanded.
"Just give him whatever is available, Jeryy-chan." Komui has arrived at the scene.
"Komu-tan…" whined Jeryy.
Cross glanced at the Chinese man who just arrived and upon noticing that he was wearing the white supervisor's coat, grinned. "That mustache man is finally off the hot seat, huh? So the supervisor's job has been promoted from scaring little kids to patrolling the cafeteria." Cross remarked sarcastically.
Komui made a face. Is it even possible for this person to help? At first glance, he just looks like a drunkard in priest's clothes.
"General Cross, you know sorcery, do you not?"
"What, prying into my private life already?"
"If you do know sorcery, may I make a request?"
Cross made an uninterested face but Komui continued talking anyway. "If you have nothing important going on, I would like you to come to my office. There's something I need to discuss."
The General ran a gloved hand through his red hair and leaned over the cafeteria counter. "Where's my wine?"
Jeryy passed Cross a bottle of red wine. Cross uncorked it and took a swig.
"Bah, this trash is only good enough to rinse my mouth."
"General Cross." Komui addressed Cross in a strict tone.
Cross, bottle in hand, strode pass Komui. "I know where the ruddy office is." Then he went off.
Great. This is going to be difficult. I wonder if General Cross would be moved if he knew that a life was involved here.
Komui left the cafeteria and made his way to his office.
As Komui entered his office, he saw Cross on the couch, drinking the red wine. Cross, seeing Komui enter, cast him a glance and asked, "So what is so important that you must demand my presence, huh?"
Komui took a deep breath before answering. "It's about one of the younger exorcists."
"If you want me to take a brat under my wing to teach him sorcery, you can forget it. I'm not planning to do anything like that, they would just pull me down with their idiocy."
"It's not like that. Besides, he already has a master."
"Who?"
"General Tiodoll."
"Oh, that old man with a son complex?"
"That's beside the point." Komui said, trying to steer back to the original topic. "One of General Tiodoll's disciples, there is something wrong with his Innocence."
"And do I look like I am an expert in Innocence?" Cross asked, eyebrow raised.
"I'm not asking you to study it." Komui said shortly, a bit annoyed with Cross' manners, or rather, the lack of it. "Because of the flaw in that child's innocence, it is now taking his life in order to function. As a result, his lifespan is being rapidly shortened. If this goes on, he would die before he can even carry out his first mission. I was hoping that your sorcery would be able to lengthen his lifespan."
"So you could use him for a longer time? Seriously, you're no different from that bas…"
"No! It's not like that!" Komui interrupted Cross. "I'm not lengthening his lifespan for something like that. I just want him to live longer, because children like him simply do not deserve to die early."
"And at the same time, he would be able to fight the war, isn't it?"
Komui fell into slience, not knowing how to rebut that statement. It was true, as they extend Kanda's life, he would inevitably be thrown into the war.
"Anyway, lucky for you all, I do have a solution, extending the brat's life, that is."
"You do? Then how…"
"However," Cross emphasized that word. "That does not mean I will. I'll have a talk with Tiodoll first before I decide." Cross said before taking his leave, abandoning the empty wine bottle on the cluttered desk.
Moko-Chan: YAY! I finally updated another. (It has taken way too long) :p Read and review please.