Moko-Chan: Yep, yep. As per usual, D. Gray-man belongs to Hoshino-Sensei.
Froi Tiedoll was not the kind of man who would regard anyone badly. No matter how horrible or dislikable their behavior may be, he would somehow find the nicer, brighter side to them. However, the man in front of him now was different, no words could describe how Tiedoll felt about the red-haired General except for great distaste.
Marian Cross had requested for Tiedoll to meet him in the Black Order's lounge so that they could have an important discussion regarding his youngest disciple. Apparently, Cross said that he could provide some hope to the situation. If not for the fact that his disciple's life was at stake here, Tiedoll would have scoffed.
"You know, if you don't cut down on smoke and drink, it would be recorded that 'General Cross died of cancer' instead of 'General Cross passed away gallantly while battling the Millennium Earl.'" Tiedoll pointed out when he noticed that Cross lit another cigarette.
"I didn't come back to hear you preach, old man. Do you want to hear me out or not?"
"By all means, speak." Tiedoll said, his mouth curled to a smile but his eyes still showed suspicion and extreme disapproval.
"Now I understand that one of your kids is in quite a fix, a non-parasitic Innocence draining his life and all that. And I may have a solution to alleviate the situation."
"And the catch?"
"You always think there's a catch whenever I start being nice, don't you?" Cross asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Because 'Being nice out of goodwill' is not in your dictionary." Tiedoll replied, still smiling.
"There's no catch since my solution is not perfect. It's your disciple who's going to suffer when something goes wrong anyway."
Tiedoll's smile faded at this sentence. So, after all, it is Yuu-kun who would have to bear the brunt of the consequences. The master can't do anything for the student. He thought to himself.
"However, I shall offer some alternative solutions before you decide that I should use my hocus-pocus. It's troublesome, tiring and so god damn unreliable that I rather not do it unless I really have to."
"I believe whatever solutions you offer should be decided upon by my disciple, not by me."
"I rather discuss this with someone who can think rationally. And I know that children like going by their guts rather than their brains." Cross said. "Option 1. Give that brat his Innocence back, send him on a mission. At least he dies an Exorcist."
"You should know that I wouldn't even consider that a solution."
"You won't? I would." Cross said with a cruel smirk. "Option 2. Take the Innocence away. There are other jobs in the Black Order besides being an Exorcist."
"No. Definitely not."
"Option 3. Send the brat back to his home country. He wouldn't need to participate in this Holy war and he gets to die where he was born. Or do you want to throw another child into the war?"
Tiedoll reflected upon Cross's question. Who would want to participate in a war? Tiedoll had always felt immense sadness whenever a new staff member entered the Black Order, especially if the new member was to become an Exorcist. They are the ones who would face the enemies, depending only on themselves. At least, other members like the Finders can cling onto the hopeful wish that someone would save them soon.
But sending Yuu-kun back to Japan is like sending him to hell. A worse hell than if he stayed here.
"I rather throw my disciple into a war than let him go back to Japan. A child with no kin? He'll definitely get preyed on by Akuma there."
Cross paused for a moment, wine glass in hand and cigarette ashes falling onto his lap. Then he gave a wolf-like grin.
"Your brat's from Japan?" Cross laughed as though it was the funniest joke he had ever heard. "Interesting. Very interesting. Who would have imagined that Japan had enough non-Akumas to produce an Exorcist?"
"I'll save your little twerp. I want to see how far the Black Order can use someone from the Land of the Sun."
"You don't have to make everything sound that negative." Tiedoll commented.
"That's what the Order does. Makes use of every Exorcist like their tools and squeeze them dry. Which is why I don't pick up disciples."
"For now. You would, sooner or later." Tiedoll said even though he personally felt that it was difficult to imagine any Exorcist surviving under Cross' guidance.
"You can mock me then. May I now explain how this sorcery, if done correctly, works?" Cross said, dragging the conversation back to its original topic.
"I'm eager to hear it." A rare sarcastic remark from the kind old man.
Blood to petals, petals to blood
The stronger blooms, the weaker wilts
Both are imprisoned by these chains
When one completely perishes, the other will follow
(Excerpt from some spell book)
"A spare battery, in other words." Cross concluded. "It would probably give your disciple a good twenty years or so assuming that he does not suffer any fatal injury."
"His Innocence is absorbing his life." The older General gently reminded Cross.
"Around ten years then. Better start teaching him how to guard his vitals then."
"The catch then? You said that the solution's not perfect."
"The life binding spell would give your disciple some sort of rapid regeneration. Meaning that he would recover from any injury he receives more quickly than normal." Cross stubbed out his cigarette on the table and finished his drink.
"Immortality?"
"That's only what desperate people call it. An immortal with a very short life is how I rather put it." Cross got up from the couch and went towards the door of the lounge.
"You seem sure that I have accepted this method." Tiedoll said as Cross opened the door.
"If I'm not mistaken, you said," Cross used his fingers to make quotation marks, "I rather throw my disciple into a war." There's no other option left besides death, no?" The door closed with a squeak and the General left the lounge.
For some reasons, Cross absolutely loathed the Black Order. Maybe it's because he had witnessed so many people, some still wide-eyed youths, being thrown straight into their graves. Maybe it's because the Higher Generals never showed their faces during crisis and sat idly in their thrones while treading on and stamping out the breath of those beneath them. Or maybe he's just biased.
Nah, that's not possible. Cross thought in amusement.
And the place in the Black Order which irks him the most? The infirmary. Even though they were in the midst of a war, the hospital was ironically empty most of the time. For the obvious reasons that most of the staff usually either return alive, in need of little treatment or they return in coffins.
And it was also the place where the only person he loved and cared about breathed her last.
Sad memories indeed, but there's no point dwelling upon them.
As he passed the infirmary, a small figure in black walked out and walked straight into him.
"Ow…"
Cross looked down and saw that it was a young Asian girl. "Watch where you're going." He would have yelled, if it was a boy.
"Sorry." And she went off, in the direction where Cross was heading. Thus, he "followed" but kept his distance.
The child entered Komui's office and Cross saw her run to the Supervisor.
"Is there something wrong, Lenalee?" Cross heard Komui ask.
"Nii-san, is Kanda going to be okay?" The girl sounds like she's tearing up. "He's really ill."
At that point of time, Cross decided he was not going to waste any time listening to a "touching, teary" sibling bonding session. And he walked in at, of course, a very wrong time.
"Kanda will be fine. That gentleman over there said that he has a way to help." Komui said gently to his sister.
A very wrong time to enter. Cross could swear he saw a flash of maliciousness underneath the caring elder brotherly smile.
"Really?" Lenalee looked at Cross. "You can?"
No one, not even the great General Marian Cross can say "no" to that hopeful look.
"This "gentleman" isn't allowed to say no, is he?" Cross said with a forced smile. He shot a look at the smiling supervisor and mouthed the words, "You scheming bastard."
"Run along now, Lenalee. Nii-san needs to speak with General Cross." Komui patted Lenalee on the head and she went off. When she passed the General, she said "Thank you."
"And I thought Leverrier was bad enough, you're even worse." Cross said, feeling a tad annoyed by the fact that he just got tricked.
"Just in case the discussion between you and Tiedoll didn't work out."
"For your information, I agreed to help." Cross went on to explain the effect of the spell and its limitations.
"I'll carry out the spell tonight. Moonlight always helps to make spells more effective." The General put his hand on the doorknob. He would have left immediately after this discussion but there was something he really had to do.
"By the way, Four-eyes…"
"Hmm?"
"Pull a bloody trick like that again and I'll introduce you to Judgement's bullets." Cross growled. "Understand?"
"Yep!" The Chinese man was still giving a happy smiley face.
And the door slammed.
Night fell, and the walkways of the Church were only illuminated by the light from the full moon. At times like this, General Cross would have been in some bar, somewhere else, flirting with some waitress. Now the only woman he'll be meeting is the Matron.
"You can come in. Supervisor Komui told me about you." The Matron said as if Cross had committed the dreadful sin of disturbing the peace in the infirmary.
"Is the kid awake?"
"Yes."
"Good. If you would excuse me, Matron, may you stay outside?"
The Matron gave no verbal answer, made a huffing sound and stood outside the ward.
"Thank you, my Lady." Cross said as he brushed pass the nurse.
Kanda was feeling very bothered. He has never felt so weak in his life. First, he faints in front of Lenalee and now he can't even get out of bed without being hit by a wave of giddiness.
And now, what's adding to his annoyance is that a man reeking of smoke and alcohol had just entered the vicinity.
"Who are you?"
"Is that how you question someone who's going to save your life?"
"I never would have expected my savior to stink." Kanda said rudely.
And this kid is supposed to be Tiedoll's disciple. I expected someone more well-mannered. Cross thought. He dragged a chair from the nearby bed and sat next to the young Exorcist.
"Say, kid. Has anyone told you that you are dying?" The child's eyes widened.
"What?"
"Shinimasu. Your Innocence is killing you."
The Japanese child went silent. He seemed to be thinking.
"But I can give you more time." Cross said.
"And why would you?"
Because it's interesting.
"You don't want it?"
"I don't want to die yet. I won't allow myself to die so soon."
"That's the answer I wanted to hear." Cross said with a laugh. Who would want to save a weak-willed brat anyway?
Cross put a gloved hand on the boy's forehead.
"What are you doing?" The boy asked in a surprised voice.
"Making you sleep so that I can do my job." Cross muttered a string of chants and the child was unconscious.
The old man really owes me for this. He owes me a lot.
It was midnight by the time Cross was done with the spell. The child's chest was now permanently marked with a Sanskrit symbol. It would not be present when the spell is not in full effect.
Great. It works. Cross picked up the artifact which has been summoned as a result of the spell and walked towards the science department once more.
"Oi, Supervisor. Wake up." The General has been trying to rouse Komui from his sleep for about 10 minutes already. But the Supervisor remained in his dreamland.
This cannot be happening. Maybe I should use Maria to do something. Nah, that won't work. Cross was exhausted from casting that spell and he doesn't have much mental power left to summon Maria.
Just then, the Science Department Head, Reever, walked in. He took a look at Cross and then at Komui and then asked, "Do you need to speak with Chief Komui?"
"Yes, I need to speak to him. Can you wake him up?"
Reever walked up to the Supervisor, bonked him across the head with a stack of paper and commented, "Jeez, looks like I have to use that. This guy's really asleep."
"That?"
"Yeah, the most powerful waking agent. Stronger than coffee." Reever leaned forward and whispered into Komui's ear. It was soft, but Cross caught the statement that was said.
No way. His sister's only a half-pint. There's no way anyone is going to fall for that…
Komui shot up like someone stuck pins on the seat of his chair, grabbed a machine gun from god-knows-where and hollered "NOOOO! HOW COULD YOU, LENALEE?" in a piercing cry.
This guy has a sister complex. Cross concluded. It's even worse than Tiedoll's son complex.
Reever swung the stack of paper at the Supervisor's cranium, knocking him back to his senses.
"Sorry. You need to speak with me, General Cross?" The just awakened Komui asked.
Cross put the artifact on the table. It was an intricately carved hourglass which did not contain any sand. Instead, there was a lotus, not yet bloomed, on the top half of the hourglass.
"This represents the brat's time. Explain everything to him when he wakes up."
He left straight after that, returning to his quarters to get himself a drink.
"Can I go in, please?" Lenalee asked the Matron in the morning.
"Go ahead, but Kanda's still asleep…"
"It's okay." Lenalee went into the ward. She noticed that Kanda's looking a lot better now. At least there's some color in his face and his breathing is not so shallow anymore. She breathed a sigh of relief.
I was so worried. He seems okay now.
She was about to leave his bedside when she felt Kanda's hand touch hers. Lenalee smiled to herself.
"I'll stay a bit longer, alright?" She said aloud even though Kanda was still asleep.
"Arigatou…"
"I'll stay a bit longer, alright?" Aiko patted Yuu on the hand. "You'll have to learn how to take care of yourself but I'll stay for a while."
"Arigatou…"
Moko-Chan: Okeee… I can't do poetry and I hope whatever words that appeared in front your eyes are comprehendible.
Review anyway! If there's something that seems hard to understand, I'll try to explain.