A/N:
Here's another chapter! Thank you so much to you guys who have reviewed! I'm so happy to receive your reviews! Well, here's another chapter! Enjoy and don't forget to review after reading this one too, okay? And I'm very sorry for the very late update! I'm currently struggling with a schoolarship exam and thus, didn't have the time to post anything.
Oh yeah, for those who asked, yes, Allen does have an Innocence with her. Only, she hasn't realized yet that she has one. General Cross? Well…that guy's still unpredictable as always, right? How will Allen become an exorcist? I'll go into that part soon. And of course, I'm not going to make this fic exactly the same as the original story. That'll be too boring to write. I'll change the storyline starting from this chapter. : )
I will try my best not to make Allen a Mary Sue like one of the reviewers told me. And they don't belong to me (sadly, sob…). I got the idea to make this fic when I discuss about Allen originally going to become a girl with my elder brother (who's also a yaoi lover, lol. I think I'm a bad influence to him. :p). We discussed about who will be Allen's lover if so, and both of us shouted "KANDA!!" in unison, and then we laughed. Haha…
Notice: OOC-ness, coarse language and bad grammar. I'm still learning…
Disclaimer: D.Gray-man and its characters don't belong to me. They all belong to Hoshino Katsura-sensei.
Chapter 2-A Girl Finder?
"You're…a girl?" Kanda asked in disbelief. Allen's face was red. Redder than beet you might even add.
"That boy is…a girl?" Lenalee gasped slightly. Poor Allen looked so embarrassed. Timcanpy sweatdropped and flew low near its master.
"W-what are you expecting? A boy who has breasts?!" she retorted angrily and embarrassedly. Kanda blinked. He wasn't expecting this. No he wasn't.
"…suppose so." Wrong answer. A slap came from the girl right on the swordsman's left cheek.
"Ouch…" Reever sighed while holding his brow. Everyone else's eyes widened and they were unable to launch even a single word at that (even Lenalee).
"So…in short, General Cross sent you here to become a new finder?" Komui asked after reading some sort of a report paper signed by General Cross himself. The two were taken to his office, shortly after what had happened outside.
Kanda sat beside the girl with a red handprint on his cheek and without his coat, looking angry and annoyed. Luckily he wore his white shirt under the coat so he could give the coat to the girl to cover up for her ripped shirt. (A/N: He wasn't supposed to wear anything but bandages under it in the manga but…oh well. I mean, he can't go around being naked in front of a girl he just met, can he?)
"Y-yes…I'm sorry about the lie Cross-san wrote about my gender in the recommendation." She stammered, feeling slightly guilty at what happened to the swordsman. Apparently Komui had found Cross's letter of introduction and had read Allen's profile report also. Apparently, Cross wrote out the white haired girl's gender as a boy.
"I-I thought if you know that I'm a girl, I won't be accepted as a finder here…plus, I'm cursed as you can see…" she said. "So Cross-san suggested that I shammed my identity. My name is Vallentina Walker. But I'm called Allen for short…so…I…am sorry for causing a lot of trouble…" she bowed down her head.
"No, your apology isn't necessary. In any way, because Cross sent you, we might as well accept you as our newest finder. Welcome to Black Order, Vallentina Allen Walker." Komui smiled and stretched out his hand to her.
Allen blinked a few times and then smiled back a very sweet smile. "Thank you, Head Officer Komui-san!" she said while shaking the Head Officer's stretched out hand.
"Well then, Lenalee, please take Allen-chan to her sleeping chamber." Komui called to the girl who was standing behind him with the man called Reever.
"Yes, Nii-san." Lenalee said. "Hello Vallentina-chan, I'm Lenalee Lee, Komui Nii-san's little sister. Nice to meet you." She said. Allen hurriedly stood up and bowed down a little.
"Nice to meet you, and please, just call me Allen, Lenalee-san!" she said formally.
"I'll call you Allen in one condition." Lenalee winked. "Call me Lenalee, okay?" she said. Allen smiled again in relief. Thank goodness, Lenalee seemed to be a kind girl.
"Yes, Lenalee-san—I mean, Lenalee…" she stated.
"Then you guys might leave now." Komui instructed. "And oh, before leaving, Reever, please."
"Right. Here, Allen-chan." The man gave Allen a light yellow robe. A finder's robe. Allen sent a questioning look. "This will be your uniform. You have to wear it to show your identity as a finder."
"Y-yes sir!" the girl said right away.
"Well, it's almost midnight, please rest well." Komui grinned.
"Thank you sir!" Allen smiled and then exited the room.
"Well now, I shall take you to your room. Follow me." Lenalee stated after they exited the head officer's office. Kanda hurriedly turned around and was about to leave when Allen suddenly called.
"Ah, Kanda!" Kanda halted and glared over his shoulder with a full-force glare that Allen felt a little scared at it. "That's…your name isn't it? I-I'm very sorry about earlier! I mean, I was very distracted because you ripped my clothes and—"
"Shut up and just give me back my coat." Kanda ordered, suddenly remembered that she still had his coat. Allen's head snapped up and she realized she was still wearing Kanda's exorcist coat.
A pang of jealousy filled her petite heart. That's a coat she longed to wear. She wanted so much to become an exorcist. To become someone who could save people and akuma. Not just becoming a normal finder like she was now. But…she didn't have the quality it required to become an exorcist and she had to be satisfied by just becoming the exorcists' helper.
"I-I'm sorry. Here you go." She took it off and handed it over to him. But before the exorcist could take it, she pulled it back to herself again. "Y-you'll forgive me won't you? Please?" she asked. Kanda twitched his brow and snorted.
"Whatever. Now gimme that. I'm going to my room." He said.
"Does that mean yes?" she didn't give up.
"Yeah, it is, now gimme that, beansprout!" the irritable exorcist yelled in annoyance. Allen blinked.
"Beansprout? My name is Allen!" she corrected.
"It's none of my business. I don't get friendly with a mere finder." The older boy spat and walked away with his coat. Lenalee sighed.
"Don't mind him, he has just returned from a mission and is currently in a bad mood. He's not that bad of a guy once you know him well." She assured. Allen nodded. She wasn't into making enemies, but that wasn't entirely her fault! He ripped apart her shirt and vest! Well…though it was really an accident.
After that, Lenalee took Allen around the Black Order and showed her every room there. Allen gave herself a mental pat on the back. She was never a master at memorizing things. She was a master at getting lost instead. She just hoped she wouldn't get lost in that huge place.
"But really, Allen. Wearing a shirt, a vest and jeans like that, we really mistaken you as a boy." Lenalee giggled.
"Well, that was my intention…" She admitted. "General Cross-san also said that I looked like a boy, wearing clothes like that."
"You and General Cross…what's your relationship with him?" Lenalee asked curiously. Allen tilted her head.
"Huh? Relationship? Well…I guess you could say that he's…my savior. He took me under his care for a while after a really, really bitter incident…" she said, eyes falling. Lenalee became silent. What's that really bitter incident she was talking about?
"Really bitter incident…what is that if I might know?" the Chinese asked.
Allen bowed her head down sadly, seemed unable to find words to say. Lenalee sighed and patted her shoulder gently.
"If it's really that hard, then you don't have to tell me. But if you feel like telling someone, please tell me the first one, deal?" she winked. The white haired girl smiled in relief.
"Okay. Thank you…Lenalee."
"This is the finders' sleeping chamber. You will have this room as yours." Lenalee pointed at one of the rooms. Allen took her suitcase and entered the room. The room was a bit small but seemed to be quite welcoming and comfortable.
"I think I'm going to like it here. Thank you so much, Lenalee." Lenalee shook her head again.
"Don't thank me too much, Allen. You don't have to feel out of place here. In Black Order, we are all one family. You don't have to hesitate whenever you have something to ask." She said before closing the door. Allen smiled as she sat on her bed. The small bed was surprisingly soft and comfy.
"I guess this is a beginning isn't it Mana?" she asked while looking to a certain weird picture attached to the wall beside her bed. It was a painting of an ugly looking pierrot. She took off the white gloves covering her hands and stared at the left one. It was red and scaly. Four shiny green leaf-like marks were carved on it. So ugly, she thought.
'If only…I can do more than just being a finder…if only…' she sighed. 'If only I don't have this cursed left hand, then I'd be just like every normal girl right now. Playing with friends, chatting with parents, fighting with brothers and sisters…' she threw herself to the bed. 'I want all that…why wasn't I born a normal girl? Did I ever do something wrong to have a curse placed on me like this? I wish you were here…Mana…I really miss you…so much…'
While flying around in her own thoughts, without realizing, she had fallen asleep. It was a start of her new life. Allen Walker's life as a finder in Black Order, the organization of exorcists.
The morning sun shining from the window woke Allen up from her beautiful sleep. She rubbed her eyes hazily and yawned. Since when did she fall asleep? She hurriedly put her gloves back on and took a set of clothes from her suitcase. All the clothes she had were of boy's. That's reasonable enough because she had planned to disguise her identity from the very start.
Allen then took the yellow finder robe and put it on. It was unexpectedly comfy. The white haired girl always thought that it might be stuffy and humid but it wasn't. It was quite comfortable to be exact. The Black Order's scientists were really amazing that they thought of everything up to the most insignificant things like clothing.
"I wonder where Timcanpy went…he has been missing since I met Komui-san yesterday. If I ended up losing him, Cross-san will kill me…" Allen sighed. Suddenly a loud growling sound was heard. Allen held her stomach and sighed. "I'm hungry…figures…I haven't really eaten anything since I arrived here yesterday…"
The white haired girl opened the door of her room and stepped out. The girl thought hard for a while. "Let's see…it's just left after crossing this place, right? Okay, I got it. To the dining hall then." She said in relief. She was trying to remember the location of the dining hall as Lenalee told her yesterday.
When she got to the dining hall and was about to order, she was greeted cheerily by the cook named Jerry. "Ah, we've got a cute new member here today! What do you want to eat, kid? I can make you anything you want to eat." He giggled in a very fan-girl like. Allen sweatdropped. That guy's a man?
"Anything you say?" she asked. The cook nodded. "Then, I'd like potatoes au gratin, French fries, dry curry, mapo tofu, beef stew, meat pie, calpaccho, nasi goreng, chicken with tuna salad, some scones, tom yam kun in a cup, rice, and for dessert I'd like some mango pudding and mitarashi dango…20 of them!" she finished with a smile. Jerry sweatdropped.
"You…can you really eat all that?" he asked. Allen grinned. The cook sighed. "Very well then, wait a bit while I—"
"What the hell?! Say it to me once more time!" a sound of dining table being hit by someone suddenly echoed in the dining hall. Allen and Jerry immediately turned to check what's going on.
"Oi, knock it off, Buzz…" a fellow finder said, trying to calm the man standing beside him with a clenched fist. The man was a bald finder with a few ugly tattoos on his face. The taller man looked very angry. Beside him, sat an exorcist Allen knew well. Kanda Yuu sat beside the finder with a bored expression.
'It's that pervert from yesterday…' Allen thought when she saw Kanda, remembering yesterday's incident.
"Shut up. When you're whining about dead people when I'm trying to eat, that just makes my food taste bad." He said coldly while leaning his head to his left hand. Beside the raven haired boy, a katana; his Mugen sat silently, as if waiting to be used anytime its owner wished.
"Why you little—Is that something you'd say about your friend that died in the line of duty?! Even though we finders…support you exorcists with our lives…you say…you say…that it makes your food tastes bad?!" the guy named Buzz launched his fist at the exorcist. Allen looked in surprise as Kanda turned smoothly to face the man and grabbed the finder on his neck, lifting him a few centimeters from the ground. Such strength…Allen thought. Is that an exorcist's strength?
"You support us you said?" Kanda asked mockingly with a cold sneer. "Oh really? Isn't it more like all you can do is support us? You guys couldn't even become exorcists. You are failures that weren't chosen by the Innocence. There are millions of more finders where you came from. If you don't wanna die, get out of here!" he growled dangerously.
Allen clenched her fists. Those words were not only directed to the Buzz fellow, but to her as well. Well, it was true that they weren't chosen by the Innocence and couldn't become an exorcist but…that's not the nice way of putting it. She didn't know how, but right now, she was standing in front of the exorcists, grabbing the older boy's wrist with her gloved palm and squeezed it tightly.
"Sorry for butting in, but I think it's not the nice way of saying things." She said, interrupting the swordsman's murdering intent. Kanda glared at her.
"Let me go, beansprout." He ordered, trying to sound not too rude. That's Kanda's principle. He could not be as offensive to girls as he was to boys. Allen shook her head.
"It's Allen." She corrected. "Can't you just say that easy word? Allen, A-l-l-e-n, Allen." She spelled. Kanda twitched his eyebrows. He wasn't a 5 year old child. He didn't need a beansprout to teach him how to spell a simple word.
"Hn, whatever. I'll remember it if you don't die within a month here. Because a lot just come here and die. Just like this guy." He wrung the finder's neck even tighter. Allen realized it and tightened her clutch also, forcing the older boy to release his clutch on the finder. She was glad that he finally did. She had thought that she might not be strong enough to force him to do that but thank goodness that she was strong enough.
"Like I said, that's not the nice way of saying things." She said seriously.
"A cursed person is better not to touch me." Kanda replied coldly and Allen immediately released the older boy's wrist. "You've got a death wish. I hate people like you."
"Thanks for the compliment." She replied just as sarcastically as the older boy. That one sent a vein of annoyance to the swordsman's forehead. The nerve of that girl! And he was trying to act as nice as he could just because she was a girl. That's it, she's his new enemy. Forget about courtesy, this girl asked for it, Kanda thought.
Without noticing, sparks flew between them. No, not that kind of sparks, this one was the sparks of exasperation and burned the two in anger. Kanda was more annoyed than anyone could ever imagine because a girl dared to mess with him.
"Ah, there she is…Allen-chan!" Reever's voice called from the dining hall's entrance. The brown haired man was carrying a lot of papers, apparently important documents. And he was accompanied by Lenalee. Allen turned to see them and sent a forced smile.
"Reever-san, Lenalee, good morning." She greeted, trying her best to smile. Reever sighed. Kanda had just made another enemy. And it was a girl this time.
"There's a mission for you. Head Officer is waiting in his office." He said.
"My first mission?" she asked, sounded excited.
"Che, what's the use in getting excited, beansprout? A finder's job is not exciting. One wrong step and you're done for." Kanda snorted as he sat back on the chair. Allen sighed.
"I know that! You don't have to tell me about it, moron." She retorted. Kanda twitched his brow again.
"Che, fine, I won't be telling you anything anymore!" he spat.
"Hmph!" Allen snorted back as she walked toward the two. Reever sighed.
"Oh yeah, the head officer wants you too, Kanda." He called. Kanda immediately stood up, almost without expression and followed him to the head officer's office.
"Head officer…" Reever shook the man's sleeping form gently. No response. "Head officer!" he called again and shook him a little harder this time, but still no response. The brown haired man sighed and bowed down to whisper something to the head officer's ear. "Lenalee-chan is getting married."
"LENALEEEEE!!!!" the head officer immediately screamed with a glass-breaking tone that Allen had to cover both her ears to prevent it from shattering her eardrums. "KEEPING YOUR MARRIAGE FROM YOUR OWN BROTHER! YOU'RE AWFUUULL!!!" He whined while clinging to Lenalee's smaller form and making her blush.
"Sorry 'bout that. If I didn't do this, this guy will never wake up." Reever said as a loud 'Clunk' was heard and they all could see Lenalee knocking her brother's head with the small aluminum board she was carrying with her.
"Well…sorry about that. I stayed up all night so I was sleepy." The head officer said after calming down. "Well then, because we're running out of time, I'll just explain this, Allen-chan, this will be your first mission as a finder. However, I don't suppose you know anything about Innocence yet?" he asked. Allen shook her head. "That's why I'm sending you to this mission with a senior finder named Toma. You will go to the town of Calais in north France." He finished with a smile.
"And? What does that have to do with me?" Kanda asked impatiently. Komui gave a naughty smirk.
"Kanda-kun, you will be the exorcist I'm sending there. So in short…you will be coaching and protecting our newest finder, Allen Walker." He finished with an impish smirk.
"I WHAT?!!" Kanda yelled.
"Yup, you'll be going on this mission with her." Lenalee smiled. Allen shifted in her place uncomfortably. Of all people, why must it be Kanda?
"Wait a minute, why do I have to accompany this beansprout to her first mission?! Can't you send another exorcist there?!" Kanda asked angrily. Komui 'tsk'-ed and smiled.
"I will accept no complaints. This is a first mission indeed for Allen-chan so I thought I will send her there to educate her. Toma will be her guide and you will be their protector. Or…don't tell me you are not strong enough to handle this mission alone?" Komui smirked. Kanda twitched his brow.
"…fine!" He murmured heatedly and snatched the documents from the head officer and sat down again in annoyance.
"Actually, head officer, Cross-san told me a few things about akuma and Innocences before I came here, so I don't think it's necessary to involve someone who doesn't want to go." Allen said, a bit sarcastically. Komui smiled and shook his head.
"Nah, it'll be fine. Kanda-kun will protect you if you were to face any trouble, right Kanda-kun?" the head officer asked naughtily.
"When I come back, it will be your last day of living, damned head officer." Kanda said dangerously. Komui's face paled.
"What a horrible way of speaking." Allen commented.
"You just shut up, beansprout!" Kanda spat.
"I told you already, it's ALLEN!" She retorted.
"Anyway, Toma is already waiting. You guys better go now. And be careful." Reever cut.
"Remember, Kanda, this is a mission to train Allen, so be nice to her, okay?" Lenalee patted the swordsman on his back.
"Che." Kanda snorted and abruptly stood up, leaving the room in haste.
"Lenalee, I'm nervous…" Allen held her own chest. Lenalee gave a comforting smile.
"It'll be okay, Allen. Kanda is one of the order's most trusted exorcists. His skill is incredible. Just trust me, everything will be okay." She stated in perfect confidence.
"…alright, I'll trust you." Allen gulped.
After a short while, or more descriptively, after jumping onto a train and entered as jumping passengers, Allen could breathe in relief. Fortunately she had absolutely no trouble following the senior finder and the exorcist jumping around here and there.
Allen entered the reserved first class room and sat in front of Kanda. Toma had told her to enter and sat with the exorcist while he himself was standing outside. Of course Toma didn't have the heart to let the girl stayed outside with him. At least she deserved to sit for a while after jumping around here and there. She read the document file Komui had given her and sighed. It mentioned about a strange phenomenon.
"Nee, Kanda." She called. Kanda's head snapped up. "…-san." She corrected. She had heard Toma calling Kanda by the name Kanda-dono and so she thought she had too, because she was a finder too.
"Don't call me by that freakin' '-san' thing. It's annoying." Kanda said coldly. Allen sighed. She was in fact glad she didn't have to call him that. It was rather…uncomfortable for her to call someone at least three years older than her without a '–san'.
"What does this Innocence thing has to do with strange phenomenon?" she asked. Kanda frowned.
"Che." He spat. "And you said you know about innocence." he said sarcastically. "You know, about Innocence." Kanda said lazily, sounded unwilling to explain. "From the Noah's great flood to the present day, Innocences has changed their forms a lot. Somehow that causes a weird phenomenon wherever they are."
"So you're saying that this strange phenomenon is probably the Innocence's doing?" she asked.
"Yeah, in places where bizarre occur, there is Innocence." Kanda explained as short as he could. Allen nodded in comprehension.
"I hope I wouldn't get lost there…Timcanpy is nowhere to be seen…I wonder where he is…" Allen sighed as a sound of wings was heard and her face immediately brightened up at the familiar sound. "Tim!" she called at the golem that was currently flying around her. "Where have you been?" she asked while petting the golem.
"What the—" Kanda's eyes widened upon reading the report in his hands. Allen tilted her head and frowned.
"What's wrong?" she asked. Kanda stayed silence. She sighed and decided to read the report herself. It was about a huge lake which appeared near the harbor in the city of Calais which located near the ocean. This phenomenon happened once a week constantly at midnight and the lake was always filled with lotus.
"Lotus? A lake appears near the ocean? Is that even possible?" Allen asked curiously. When Kanda didn't reply, she grew impatient. "Oi, can't you at least answer when I asked?" she retorted. Kanda's head snapped up at that.
"…che. That's why it's called strange phenomenon, isn't it, stupid?" he replied. But somehow, Allen could sense a bit of uneasiness on the tone. There's something that was bothering that swordsman though she didn't know why.
"Hey, are you okay, Kanda? You sounded a bit…weird." Allen asked hesitantly. Kanda threw away his gaze. The last thing he'd want was making a girl worried about him. How pathetic that sounded.
"It's none of your business, beansprout. Just keep a watch to yourself so you won't become a burden, because if you were to become a burden, I'll definitely leave you for dead." Kanda said after regaining his equanimity.
"Humph, okay, if that's what I get from worrying about you, I won't care anymore." She pouted. Kanda sighed. Just as he thought a girl was nosy. Nosy but…that some kind of making him feel…noticed. Why? Maybe because nobody in Black Order ever cared about him, or more likely, were too afraid to care about his wellbeing. Kanda Yuu was not the nicest person in the whole world after all. So believe it or not, he was a bit glad that she was concerned for him.
"Suit yourself. I don't need your concern." Kanda said coldly.
"Kanda-dono, Allen, we've almost reached our destination." Toma suddenly interrupted from the outside. Kanda immediately stood up after taking his sword and hung it on his back. Allen abruptly stood up and followed him outside the train car. They were going to arrive soon, to Allen Walker's first mission.
"How much farther is it, Toma?" Kanda asked. Toma, who was trying to phone his friends stationed at the city sighed and hung the reception, there was no answer from his friends.
"It's not too far from here. The finders stationed there didn't answer to my call. I suppose they are hiding from the akuma right now." He replied. "We need to hurry, Kanda-dono, the finders reported just before we took off here that a lot of akuma had attacked them and they were trying to find a place to hide."
"I know, you don't have to tell me. I've read the report." Kanda replied. "Let's go."
"Let's go, Allen." Toma stated. Allen nodded and they quickened their speed.
Soon, they arrived in the city. The city was quite dead. There was no voice, not even the slightest whisper could be heard. They jumped from roof to roof and landed on one near the harbor. It was so silent like a graveyard.
Suddenly Allen's left eyes changed into a black and red pupil and images of souls imprisoned inside an akuma's body was clearly seen by the girl. She turned around immediately, followed by Toma. Behind them, two level I akuma had been waiting. Kanda, who had been aware of the akuma's being there since they arrived, snorted.
"So, your left eye can see akuma's soul." He declared. Allen was surprised at the statement as her eye returned to normal.
"Y-yeah…I got this when I was younger. Ever since I got the curse, I've been able to see the soul of akuma." She said a bit sorrowfully. Of course she would be. The only thing she could remember upon thinking about the curse was the one who gave her the curse. Her foster father, Mana Walker.
"Che, you should've told us from the very beginning, dumbass sprout." Kanda said coldly.
"Can't you think of better words to say to me instead of insults?!" Allen retorted. Kanda snorted.
"Don't get me wrong, beansprout. I don't think I know what's behind that left eye of yours, and I don't think I'll ever want to know." He said frostily.
"If you keep on doing rude things in front of people, someday it will turn back at yourself." She stated. Kanda shrugged.
"No time for that. There they come." He invoked his katana. "Let's go, Mugen, battou (draw)." He traced his fingers on the blade and it shined brightly. "Innocence: Activate."
Allen stared in admiration as the sword glowed intensely and Kanda suddenly jumped away from the two. The akuma shot him with their bullets, but no one hit. He dodged them gracefully and then yelled, "Mugen, saiyaku shourai: Kaichuu Ichigen!"
The swordsman waved his katana and white bug-like creatures flew away from the blade. The creatures struck the akuma and destroyed them in an instant. Kanda landed on the roof gracefully and then glanced around.
"Kanda, there's a lot more there!" She pointed as her left eye responded to two other akuma that appeared a bit farther from there. Kanda immediately chased them, followed by Allen and Toma. The akuma, instead of attacking, retreated slowly. That made Allen suspicious. Were the akuma trying to lead them somewhere?
When the akuma finally stopped, they found out that the finders had already dead. Allen clenched her teeth. How could—
"No! They've gotten killed…" Allen stated through gritted teeth.
"So that's why they didn't reply to my call." Toma said calmly. Apparently Toma was one of the most experienced finders in the order. And thus, he had already been used of seeing his friends died in mission.
"Hope they haven't found the Innocence yet." Kanda commented and jumped. The akuma shot their bullets at him again, but as usual, no one hit. Again, he summoned the bug-like creatures and destroyed the akuma. Allen clenched her fists. She felt that they've failed this mission even though they had finished all the akuma. Suddenly, they heard a quiet cracking sound. Allen's eyes widened. There was still a finder who survived.
"Th-there's still one! One hasn't died yet!" she yelled in glee. At least not everyone was killed. She recklessly jumped down from the roof and approached the finder.
"Oi, don't wander around by yourself, idiot!" Kanda yelled.
"Allen, wait, don't go there yet!" Toma called. But too late, Allen had jumped toward the finder and approached him.
"Hey, are you unharmed? It's okay, the order sent us to retrieve the Innocence." She said. The finder looked terrified at first, but upon seeing her smile, he gave a smile back.
"Thank goodness…the exorcist…has come, right?" he asked hopefully. Allen nodded.
"Yes. The order has sent Kanda. Thank God you're safe." She said full of relief. Suddenly a shadow lurked behind her. Her left eye reacted and she saw the finder's expression changed into a terrified expression. There was an akuma left. Allen gulped. Oh no, it's bad.
"Baka, run away!" Kanda yelled and as the akuma fired its bullets. Allen closed her eyes and waited for the impact, but none came. Instead, she felt arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her away from there. She opened her eyes and was surprised to find herself in the embrace of the raven haired exorcist.
'What the…' she thought as her cheeks went red. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, protecting her from harm. Kanda carried her to the roof again and landed there gracefully.
"What are you, an idiot?! What kind of people wander around in an unstable situation like that?! You expect to become a good finder that way?!" he yelled as he put the girl down. Allen bowed down her head to avoid eye-contact. She hadn't expected that. No, she hadn't. Didn't Kanda said that he'd leave her for dead if she was ever become a burden? Why did he save her then?
"S-sorry…" she squeaked. "T-thank you…f-for…saving me." She said shyly. Kanda snorted. And then she suddenly remembered about that finder. "Oh no, the finder?!" she yelled.
There was no longer a finder there. Only a finder clothes and dust left. The akuma's bullets had hit him and killed him. Allen's eyes widened. No…
"W-why…no…" she shook her head as the akuma smirked. "Why didn't you save him?" she demanded. Kanda twitched his eyebrows.
"How do you expect me to rescue both you and him, you idiot?! I have only one pair of hands!" he retorted. Allen gritted her teeth. She knew about that, but still…
"But still—"
"K-Kanda-dono, look at that!" Toma stammered. Kanda and Allen immediately turned away and saw something horrible. The level I akuma evolved in front of their eyes and became a level II. Its form was like an emerald greenish mermaid (or more like merman cause it's a man) with feet and a super silly looking face. Its left hand was in form of a trident that looked so sharp. Its right one was normal scaly green hand (A/N: That's normal? Oo).
"Level Up!" It said proudly. "I'm an akuma. I'm born from dark matter. Thank you for nurturing me." It then laughed madly.
"W-what the—" Allen stammered and unconsciously held Kanda's arms. Kanda frowned. This was not getting much easier.
"Damn. It evolved." He cursed. "Che, it's all your fault, beansprout!"
"What?! Now you're blaming me?!" she retorted.
"Kanda-dono, Allen, watch out!" Toma yelled. Kanda pushed Allen away as the akuma jumped to the roof and tried to attack them with its trident (aka. arm). Kanda stopped the trident with his katana but was dragged behind from the akuma's intense strength. Toma immediately pulled Allen to the side, securing her from the fight.
"Shit!" Kanda cursed. The akuma sneered.
"Exorcist! I will kill exorcist!" it said merrily. Kanda smirked back.
"You hope." Kanda waved his katana and the akuma was thrown backward. The swordsman jumped down from the roof and readied himself to attack again. The akuma cursed and tried to attack the swordsman again with its arm. This time Kanda was fully prepared as he leaped away and sliced the akuma's back, making it growled in pain.
"Unfortunately, you're the one who's going to die." Kanda said calmly as he cut the akuma in two. To his surprise, it was only shadows that he cut. The akuma was gone. Kanda looked around. The akuma…disappeared?
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure if I were you." A malicious voice said from his back.
"Kanda, behind you!" Allen warned. As Kanda was about to turn back, he was grasped by the akuma's arms and was pushed against the ground. His katana flew to the side and its power began to fade slowly as it dislocated its master's presence.
"Kanda!" Allen yelled in horror.
"I see your ability is making copy of yourself." Kanda smirked painfully as the akuma strangled his neck tightly. He grabbed the hand wrapped around his neck; trying his best to make the akuma released his neck. He had begun to feel strangled.
"Yeah, that was observant of you." It replied sarcastically. "It seems you are the one who's going to die, exorcist!"
Kanda smirked. "Oh now, you expect to kill me with that second class ability of yours?" he mocked. The akuma growled and struck him on the face, leaving a huge cut across the swordsman's cheek.
"Kanda! L-let go of him!" Allen was about to run to approach the older boy when Toma held her back.
"Allen, no! You don't stand a chance against that akuma!" he warned.
"B-but Kanda! What about him?!" she struggled. Toma shook his head.
"Don't, it's too dangerous!" he held her back even more strongly.
"Just die, exorcist!" the akuma threw Kanda against the wall. He collided with the wall with a painful 'oomph!' and fell to the ground. The akuma laughed maliciously. Before Kanda could react, the akuma had stabbed him with its trident. Allen cried in horror as she watched the trident went through his back. Kanda gritted his teeth, refusing to let go of a pained scream. That annoyed but also entertained the akuma as it smirked.
"NO!! Kanda!!" she yelled. Toma lost his grip on the girl and she immediately dashed forward.
'No! I can't let him kill Kanda!' she thought to herself as she took off the white glove covering her left hand. The hand immediately turned into a huge white claw. Toma's eyes widened. That…was…no…that can't be…her arm just…changed?
"Let go of him, bastard!!" Allen yelled and hit the akuma with her left arm, making him freed Kanda and after that sending the akuma flying and went through three layers of wall. After that, she transformed her arm into the normal, scaly red arm and ran toward the raven haired exorcist. She held the fallen swordsman's shoulders in panicky.
"Kanda! Kanda, answer me! Kanda!" she was utterly panicked.
"…shit…" Kanda growled in pain through his gritted teeth and Allen sighed in relief.
"Thank God, you're alive." She unconsciously lunged herself at him and circled her arms around the older exorcist's neck. She was too relieved to notice she was hugging the older boy. Kanda was too concentrated to his excruciating pain to respond to her attitude and thus kept silent about it.
"Allen, let's take Kanda-dono away from here. The akuma is liable to still be alive. It's dangerous in Kanda-dono's current situation." Toma said and Allen nodded.
The akuma cursed. "Damn it, how could that girl, I thought she was just a useless finder like the ones I killed earlier! Damned shit they're gonna pay for this!" it yelled. "Huh? They…fled? Damn it!!!" the akuma yelled. "Gotta catch them, gotta kill them!" it abruptly stood and ran to catch up with the three.
"…is it safe?" Allen asked. Toma nodded. They had found a slightly ruined house near the harbor where they could hide for a while.
"Yes, apparently the akuma is gone." He said. The girl sighed in relief.
"We've got…to…retrieve the Innocence…now. Before that akuma…" Kanda muttered as he took his Mugen and tried to stand, only to be proven to be in vain. Allen frowned and took his arm, pulling him back down.
"That wound is too severe! You can't move in this condition!" she scolded. "Wait a minute, let me stop the bleeding."
"…let it be." He ordered stubbornly, refusing to be helped by a girl. Allen ignored him and tore her finder uniform to wrap his wounds. Kanda winced a few times when Allen touched the wounded areas. She frowned. So it really did hurt. He was just too stubborn to admit it.
"There. It should stop the bleeding for now, but don't move around too much or it'll open again." She stated.
"Hn." Kanda murmured. Allen sighed. No thank you? That's Kanda, always so stubborn. Allen noticed the slash the akuma made on Kanda's cheek was still bleeding a bit and wiped the blood away with a little piece of her finder uniform she tore a little while ago.
"I will check on the condition around the harbor. Allen, please look after Kanda-dono while I'm gone." Toma said as he went to the harbor. Allen nodded and sighed. She sat next to the exorcist silently. She wasn't sure what to say to him to at least start a conversation. This silence was bugging her.
"Nee…Kanda…" she began. Kanda snorted. "You…saw that…right? My hand…" she asked hesitantly.
"Hn." Kanda replied lightly. "What's that?" he asked flatly, without the slightest enthusiasm. Apparently, Allen wasn't the only one bugged by the silence.
"…a curse." She replied quietly. "Ever since I was a child, this curse has been bugging my life. I was thrown away by my true family thanks to it…people took me as a monster no matter where I go. That's why I once decided to commit a suicide…but in the end, I chickened out before the blade even went near my arm. I didn't want to live…but didn't want to die either. I was so scared…utterly scared."
Allen was unsure. Was it fine for her to confess everything to the swordsman? Wouldn't he hate her more than he already had now? Wouldn't he tell the entire Black Order about it? But, heck, it was too late to turn back. She gulped. Here goes nothing.
"What's to be scared? Yes…what's to be scared actually…?" she asked, more to herself than to the exorcist. "I was scared…of being alone. Of dying alone…without someone dear to hold me close. I had already given up on my life that time…until…" she smiled. "Until Mana found me."
"Mana was a very kind man. He was a traveler and he picked me up to become his daughter on December the 25th. On Christmas." She smiled. She frowned upon seeing Kanda's indifferent face. It was as if he wasn't listening, but oh well… "I was so happy. Mana was truly kind. He took of me as if I was his true daughter. That was my happiest moment in my entire life. But you see…he…Mana…died three years ago. Due to a plague." She bowed down her head.
"…I wasn't able to help him at all. I was so…useless. I could only watch and cry as he died. It was painful…too painful. The first person who ever loved me died…and I wasn't even able to save him. Keep walking forward and don't ever stop…that was the last thing he said to me upon dying." She sighed. "…and are you even listening to me, bastard?" she shot. Kanda twitched his eyebrows.
"Call me that again and I really won't listen to whatever you say anymore." Kanda replied while clutching to his wound. Allen shrugged. Maybe he was really expressionless. She thought.
"Okay, so will you listen to me again now?" she asked. Kanda snorted.
"Whatever." He replied.
"Will take that as a 'yes' then." She grinned. "This is the first time I've ever told anyone about this…after Cross-san." She sighed. "Cross-san was…the person who saved me...after my father...Mana...that time…that time…when I met that guy…Millennium Earl."
"You made him an akuma." Kanda guessed. Allen nodded.
"Yes…this curse came from him. He was so angry at me that time…and cursed me. How pathetic… I disappoint the person dearest to me by making him an akuma... And then...I destroyed him with this hand of mine..."
"After that Cross-san found me...and taught me a few things about akuma, the Millennium Earl and Innocences. Because I killed Mana...I felt responsible for everything. That's why I joined Black Order...to repent for my sins." She smiled sheepishly a tear fell from the corner of her eye and she quickly wiped it off. "Sorry, I didn't mean to cry…" she stated immediately.
Instead of responding, Kanda stayed in silence. Allen sobbed a little and then continued. "The truth is…I want to become an exorcist…only that I can't. I am not compatible to any Innocence Cross-san was carrying that time…so I decided I'd at least come here and become a helper." Allen smiled bitterly. "I love Mana. I love humanity and akuma. They are such sorrowful beings…I feel I was pulled by some invisible string to save them. That's why Kanda… really, I envy you… you are an exorcist…respected and strong…"
"There's nothing to envy from me." He said coldly. A tint of sadness printed in his tone as Allen looked up to him worriedly.
"…sorry…for rambling." She apologized. "I feel a lot better now. Thank you for listening to me, Kanda. I must say you do have some good points after all." She grinned.
"Shut up, stupid beansprout." Kanda spat, countering that sarcastic remark from the girl as Allen giggled.
"You're cold and a bastard, but I guess all people have their own good points after all, right?" she giggled a bit louder as Kanda twitched his brow.
"Shut the fucking hell up, beansprout, before I bloody well make you swallow my mugen!" he threatened, beginning to feel annoyed at the girl again after a short while without getting angry at her. Frankly, she was the first girl who dared making enemies with the ferocious Kanda Yuu.
"I eat a lot, but that's one thing I'd never even touched." She sweatdropped. Kanda looked serious with his threats. And that glare was really scaring her.
Suddenly a crashing sound was heard and the akuma emerged with an unconscious Toma in his hand. The trident was pointed to the finder's neck. Allen gasped. Kanda frowned. Shit. This is great, just great, he thought sarcastically. That fucking akuma guy found them.
"Got the finder! Will kill the finder before the exorcist and the annoying girlie!" it laughed uncontrollably and threw the finder to the ground. "Watch!" it said cheerily as he waved his trident imbued arm around.
"No! Toma-san!" Allen invoked her left arm. "Don't touch him, bastard!!" she yelled and shielded the finder with her arm. The akuma smashed the trident to the girl's huge white claw, holding it down to the ground. The akuma smirked.
"Gotcha." it said cheerily. "Die!!" the akuma closed its fingers around the girl's neck and pulled her down to the ground. "Girlie dies first!!!" it pulled up its trident (arm) and was about to stab Allen when Kanda stopped the trident with his sword. "Y-you!"
"K…kan…Kanda…!" Allen said. She'd begun to feel chocked under the tight grip around her neck.
"Che! Don't join into the fight when you know well that you can't fight, stupid beansprout!" Kanda yelled in annoyance as he felt his wound reopened. "Don't become a burden to anyone if you don't want to become a burden! This way, you're just getting on my way, and I hate people like you, who like to get on my way!" he spat angrily. Allen smirked painfully. If she was only getting on his way, then why didn't he leave him to die instead of saving her?
"Haha…then why didn't you just leave me to die then, if you hate me so much?" she asked hoarsely. At least she knew now that Kanda wasn't as heartless as she thought.
"You really annoy me all the time." He said before cutting down the akuma's trident arm. "Prepare to die, dork! Mugen, saiyaku shourai: kaichuu ichigen! Return to oblivion!"
"Nooo!!! Damn exorcist!!!" the technique hit the akuma and destroyed it to pieces until it exploded. Allen sat up slowly and coughed. She thought she really would die in that akuma's hand. Kanda fell to his knees and cursed. Allen immediately crawled to his side and supported him with her arms.
"Kanda, are you alright? The wounds are reopening…" she stared. Kanda swatted her hands away.
"Let's go get the Innocence." He said and stood up slowly with his blade as a crutch. Allen sighed and followed him. She stopped to check on Toma first and sighed in relief to find out that he's still breathing. Apparently the akuma merely knocked him unconscious.
Near the harbor, exactly when the clock rang, the lake appeared right next to the sea. The lake was, as reported, filled with thousands of beautiful lotuses which strangely shined with beautiful light. Allen's face brightened at the sight of the innocent lotuses floating up on the surface of the lake. She smiled happily.
"…beautiful…it's so…beautiful…" she smiled widely. "Kanda, look at this, it's so…beautiful?" she frowned. Kanda's expression was sad. As if the lotuses remind him of something painful or sad. "Hey…you okay, Kanda?" she asked. Kanda's head snapped up and he shook his head.
"Let's take the Innocence and return to the H.Q." he said and walked wobbly to the lake and kneeled down next to the brightest lotus and picked it up. Inside the pink lotus, an Innocence shined warmly. Kanda's face softened. Too bad Allen wasn't paying attention to him or else, she would've noticed how gentle and calm but also saddened his face looked.
"Yes…we need to go back immediately. Your wounds need tending." She said, a bit disappointed that the beautiful scenery had to be ruined. As the boy took the Innocence, the lake disappeared. Allen sighed. The Innocence wasn't causing a bad phenomenon at least. It was really beautiful beyond words.
"Let's head back." Kanda said as he handed Allen the Innocence. Allen sent a questioning look. "You give that to Komui later. I'm in no mood to face him now."
"Are you sure you're okay, Kanda? You're a bit…weird…" she asked worriedly. Kanda glanced back from his shoulders and grimaced. The girl was putting a really worried face as if… as if he was going to die.
"Just shut up beansprout. Remember, this will be the last time I ever help you in time of danger." He said coldly. Allen sighed.
"Fine, I'll be more careful next time. Thank you for saving me back there…Kanda." She beamed. At least he admitted that he saved her earlier, instead of denying it. Kanda snorted. Suddenly Toma came from the direction of the ruined house where they hid earlier.
"Kanda-dono, Allen, I see you've retrieved the Innocence…thank God. I'm sorry for getting captured so easily earlier…" he bowed down his head.
"No…it wasn't your fault…" Allen shook her head. "Let us get back now then, Toma-san. Kanda's wounds need tending." She smiled.
"Yes, please follow me." He said and walked toward the station. Allen smiled.
'Mission…accomplished.' She thought.
Tbc.
A/N:
Finally…28 pages…a little less than usual…(sigh) I've never thought that making "the beginning of them" was this hard…oh well, my version is nowhere as good as the original, but this is all I can make for now. I'm not as clever as Hoshino Katsura-sensei, so please pardon me.
I'm sorry for the slow update…I'm a very slow writer, and plus, my cousins came to visit me a while ago and thus, I had to spend my entire time with them. It has been quite a while since the last time I meet them actually, so I feel I need to try to fix our relationship too. And after that...well yes, exam.
Sorry for the inconvenience (bows really low) for those who have reviewed, I thank you so much!!! I'm glad you guys reviewed! Love you guys for it! XDDD
Yeah, romance will begin soon enough. I've tried my best not to make Kanda too OOC, I mean, he has quite a courtesy not to be too violent to a girl. Yeah, that's my opinion from looking at his attitude towards Lenalee. Guys, need help here. Which one is better, Lavi x Lenalee or Lavi x Tyki? Help me decide please??? Lavi's so cute…X3
So far it's 1 for Lavi x Lenalee and 0 for Lavi x Tyki. Which one do you guys want:3