Akirina: Enjoy! :)

Chapter 10

"Well, Link?" Allen tapped his foot impatiently. "Is there any reason why we are standing outside in the rain?"

Link cast an amused look at his young (by 2 years) charge. "Nothing much." He replied with a straight face. "I thought you would like a wake-up present. This is it." He gestured to the rain drops shining in the air with a straight face.

Allen glared, clearly not amused with Link's antics. "Well, then, if that's the case, I'm going back in to enjoy my warm, comfortable bed." He turned on his heel and started to move into the halls of the American Branch of the Black Order when someone stopped him.

"Ah, Allen! I've been trying to find you."

"Branch Head?" Allen said.

"Allen, you have a new mission." The American Branch Head, Renee Eipstein (is this her name?) came forward, but stayed under the shelter. "You'll receive the details when you reach the Black Order Headquarters."

"What?" Allen asked sharply, hardly daring to believe his ears. "I'm going back to the Headquarters?"

"Yes, you are." Link replied in an amused tone. "And the sooner we set off, the sooner we will reach the Headquarters."

Allen let out an uncharacteristic whoop and dashed down to the elevators with Link and Renee watching him.

"He really misses the Headquarters, huh." Renee observed.

Link's eyes darkened for a moment, remembering the nights when Allen had come to the American Branch…

"You can't imagine…" he murmured softly, earning a confused look from Renee.

"Link, what are you doing? Hurry up, so we can reach there sooner!" the excited teen called to Link.

"I'm coming!" Link called back and hurried after the younger teen. He smiled. Having a happy Walker was better than having a depressed one, he supposed. But he couldn't wait to see the reactions of everyone back at the Headquarters as he knew that Allen wouldn't pass up this chance to prank his friends…

AINAINAINAINAINAINAIN

"What mission do you have for us, Komui?" Lavi lounged lazily in his chair, his visible green eye fixed on the black mission file that Komui held in his hands.

"Yes, brother, what mission is it that needs three Exorcists?" Lenalee asked her brother curiously.

Komui smiled at them, "Let's wait for your last group member to join us first, shall we?" he said.

"There's another Exorcist coming?" Lavi asked; his eye fixed on Komui.

"A General, to be precise." Komui replied. "The youngest one to be known throughout the history of the Black Order.

"The youngest General…?" Lavi pondered over it. "Well, I know that General Cross became General at the age of twenty-two—significantly younger than any of the other Generals when they were promoted… But seeing as General Cross is on another mission, it must be someone that we've not met…"

"Ah, that's where you're wrong, Lavi." Komui smiled. "You do know this person."

Lavi frowned. "What do you mean, Komui—"

"I think he refers to me, Lavi."

The three Exorcists swiveled to look at the new participant in their conversation. Leaning casually against the door jamb was a seventeen-year-old Allen Walker, clothed in the customary Black Order outfit, but instead of a silver crest that represented the Black Order, Allen's was golden.

Lavi frowned softly. Only Generals had gold crests… which meant that the General following them was…

"Allen!" Lenalee exclaimed, getting up from the couch. "When did you come back? How was America? Why did you come back?"

Allen chuckled at her questions, "I arrived just today. America was nice, but I liked life better at the Black Order Headquarters." He replied. Then he raised his eyebrows at Lavi. "Well, Lavi, have you figured out why I've come back?"

"It would take an idiot not to notice, Beansprout." The samurai who had been silent up until now spoke. His blue eyes blazed intensely at Allen, filled with an emotion that the others couldn't identify. It seemed to be hateful, yet it was different…

Allen bristled automatically upon hearing his old nickname. "It's Allen, BaKanda!" he retorted instantly.

Kanda snorted. "Beansprouts don't grow, Beansprout. It's clear that you haven't gotten any taller—or muscular—these two years in America."

Allen flushed darkly. It was true that it seemed that he had not aged ever since the day he left the Black Order Headquarters…

"Well, then, BaKanda, I suppose that you haven't gotten any smarter during these past two years then." Allen retorted back. "After all, people who are mentally challenged usually take two years to figure out where their friend disappeared to."

"What—you little brat—I'm going to kill you." Kanda spluttered as he laid a hand on his katana—a gift to him after his chokuto broke when he was battling with Skin Bolic two years ago.

"Well, now, Walker. I would expect you to try and keep yourself alive when you're with friends, but it seems that even with friends, you have a death wish." The other speaker pushed Allen into the room and stepped in after him. The three Exorcists stared at him in shock.

"Ah, Officer Link! I was wondering where you and Allen were." Komui greeted the two in the shocked silence.

"Yes, yes," Link waved the pleasantries off. "Are we going to start now? Allen still has to meet Hevlaska."

"Ah, yes." Komui remembered. "Then he has an appointment with me to check on his Innocence…?" Komui cast a very (to Allen, disturbing) interested look at Allen's Innocence and the younger male moved nearer to Link.

"Come on, Walker. Let's get this over with, then you can start the mission as soon as possible and come back to eat all the dishes you want." Link herded Allen to the couch gently. At the word 'food', Allen obediently sat down and Komui started his briefing.

"We have had news of explosions happening in the town, Gresh and people disappearing only to end up charred in these explosions. We sent a finder and he has confirmed that there is Innocence in the town, but there is also a Noah there, hunting the Innocence." Komui started. "You are to go to Gresh and find the Innocence. And please try to avoid the Noah and Level 4 Akumas… Have you heard of what happened the last time the Headquarters were destroyed, Allen?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then I do not have to stress how dangerous the Level 4 Akuma is then…" Komui started.

"In fact, I think I came across it during one of my missions." Allen frowned as he tried to remember the mission. "It was white and it had an angel halo… a pot belly with a star on it… dreadfully annoying personality…"

The three Exorcists, Link and Komui stared at the young General in surprise.

"You… took on a Level 4?" Link squeaked, outraged. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know it was a Level 4!" Allen defended himself. "And you didn't ask, anyway. But seeing you were away for one of your leaves during that mission… well, I didn't expect to tell you about it…"

"During my leaves?" Link sounded very angry. "I remembered that I told you that you would not be taking any missions when I was away on a leave! It was to allow you to rest… What was Renee thinking?"

Allen looked guilty—for a split second, though. Lavi scrutinized his young friend and asked, "Renee didn't know, did she, Allen?" he drawled. And smirked when Allen turned wide, pleading eyes on him.

"What are you implying, Bookman Junior?" Link turned to Lavi.

"Renee didn't know. Allen sneaked out and destroyed the Akumas and retrieved the Innocence on his own, though I won't know how he got the information." Lavi speculated. "Although he could have got those mission files by sneaking into Renee's office, perhaps?"

Link turned on Allen, his expression thunderous. "Walker?" he asked in a deceptively calm voice.

"Yes?" Allen squeaked meekly, cowering behind Lenalee.

"The truth, please?"

"Um… Lavi's right?" Allen hazarded. Maybe Link wasn't so angry…

And he winced as Link started to shout angrily at him. His three Exorcist friends and Komui watched, half-amused at the scene and half-surprised at Allen taking on a Level 4.

"Um, Link?" Komui finally broke through Link's reprimanding. "If you would continue this later…?" he implored. Link relented, but threw Allen a glare that clearly told him that he was not off the hook. Allen whimpered.

"Anyway, continuing from just now…" Komui continued, "You three are to help General Walker in retrieving the Innocence and because of the Noah in the vicinity, you have to be careful. Especially Allen." He gave Allen a meaningful look. "Which means no wandering around by yourself. Link will be by your side 24/7."

Allen nodded reluctantly.

"Well, the rest of the information is in the file. Get ready for the journey. Your train leaves at three this afternoon." Komui finished and the four Exorcists nodded their heads. "Allen, come along. I'll take a quick check on your Innocence and then bring you to Hevlaska…" Komui smirked at Allen's wince when he heard that Komui was going to check his Innocence. "Come on, now… I'll be gentle."

AIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAI

"I'm never going to let him touch my arm again…" Allen moaned as he leaned against Link for support.

Link smiled in amusement to the younger teen's statement as Komui stepped out after him. "How was his Innocence?" he asked the older man.

Komui rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. "I've never seen such an interesting Innocence before! Allen's Innocence is much more interesting after it completely synchronized with Allen… Did you know that it could turn into a sword? And the semblance it takes on… much like a clown… Allen did well in naming it Crown Clown. It is very fitting for a seemingly majestic yet jesting Innocence."

Link nodded. "Allen calls the sword the Sword of Exorcism. But he is not saying something about it, I feel… something to do with the time he became a Critical Point, is it?"

"Yes." Komui nodded, "Lenalee says it has to do with the time he battled with Tyki Mikk, a Noah and he was stabbed with it."

"I see…" Link stared at his young charge. "He won't talk about the times he had at the Headquarters."

Komui frowned. "Really? That's… unusual."

"It is."

The two men stared at the young General in Link's arms for a moment longer before Link broke the silence. "So… Hevlaska?"

AINAINAINAINAINAIN

Allen made his way to the elevators in a wobbly fashion with Link and Komui walking behind him, murmuring to each other intensely. So much for escorting him down if he had to support himself the whole way…

"Idiot apprentice."

Allen's head snapped up immediately and his eyes sought the source of the voice and landed on a very familiar red-head. He narrowed his eyes. "Master. It's a surprise to see you."

General Cross Marian studied his apprentice with a practiced eye as he smoked his cigarette leisurely. "You're filthy, idiot apprentice!" Cross came to that conclusion and picked his surprised apprentice up by the lapels of his jacket and flung him towards the far wall on the other side of the corridor. His ploy at catching Allen off-guard was accomplished, but he had not expected Allen's responses to have sharpened during the two years away and Allen shifted his body so that his feet hit the wall. His knees buckled as he sprang off, hurtling towards his master and sending the surprised man down.

"I see that you've gotten better, at least, in responding to an attack." Cross grunted as he lifted Allen off him easily. "And you've been eating. You're getting heavier, idiot."

Allen flushed in embarrassment. "I'm not! I work out regularly, okay!"

"Whatever." Cross replied as he dusted his clothes. Then he turned to look at the stunned Komui and Link. "Well? Are you going to take him down to Hevlaska? Or are you going to stand there all day?"

The group continued their way down to Hevlaska's room. Allen questioning the General where he had been and how he had been doing—not to mention the insults that flew (more often from Allen) between the two. Cross seemed faintly satisfied at the way Allen was learning to retaliate, though, Allen realized.

"Allen Walker…" Hevlaska was roused from her rest. "You have come… finally…"

"Hello, Hevlaska." Allen greeted her politely, only pausing to glare at Cross when he heard the man murmur something flirtatious.

"It has been a long time since we met…"

Allen's face turned blank as Hevlaska picked up him, remembering the first time he had met Hevlaska. "Yes, it has been a long time, indeed."

Hevlaska set her head to Allen's without much delay and the light between them grew as Hevlaska approached the 100 mark… and then it went beyond. Hevlaska broke the contact once she reached hundred, and waited till the after-glow faded from the other's eyes before she set him down onto the platform.

"A Critical Point…" Hevlaska murmured, "My prophecy still stands, Allen. Even though there is a new presence within you…"

"Destroyer of Time..." Allen nodded, remembering her prophecy. Then he frowned. "New presence within me? What do you mean?"

Hevlaska hesitated. "I cannot tell you. That, you will have to figure out on your own. It is a challenge you much overcome before you become the Destroyer of Time."

Allen only looked more confused, missing the looks that Komui, Cross and Link exchanged. This was not good… not good at all.

AIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAI

"Allen! You've come back!" Johnny ran up to greet his favourite Exorcist. He was followed by many others of the Science Department who had known Allen and were on good terms with him.

"We missed you, Allen!"

"Did you miss us?"

"Welcome home, Allen!"

"Yeah," Allen smiled at Johnny and the other scientists. "It's good to be back."