Nero: Yeah!! Next chapter will actually go some where!! Hopefully. Remember to review!!
Last time:
"I don't know what you're accusing me of, but I assure you, Inspector, that I am not," Gabriel emphasized the word, "guilty."
"Ah, I am not accusing you of a crime, but of lying to your superiors. Tell us, is it not true that you are in fact the daughter of Cross Marian?"
Gabriel was silent. How he found out she didn't know, but whoever told him was going to ne tasting her boot up their ass!! Allen was just as shocked. Had Komui told Rouvelier? No, it couldn't have been. Komui was just as shocked as the rest of them.
"You must all bear in mind," Roulevier sneered, "that my family has eyes everywhere in this organization."
Rouvelier caressed Gabriel's cheek with a gloved hand. In an automatic reaction, she slapped his hand away and glared daggers. If looks could kill, then Rouvelier would have been pushing up daisies in no time.
"What does my lineage have to do with anything!!"
"So, you don't deny the truth."
"You have no right to question her like this, Inspector," Komui stepped forward. "She isn't even an exorcist."
Indeed he didn't. She hadn't down anything suspicious. If she was guilty of anything it was for assisting Allen and Lavi in annoying Kanda.
"Oh, but I do." Rouvelier handed a piece of parchment to Komui and said out loud what was written as Komui read.
Supervisor Komui Lee,
By order of the Pope, you are to relinquish the newest member of the Black Order Europe Branch, Miss Gabriel, to Inspector Malcom C. Rouvelier and Howard Link. Said member has been charged with treason against the Vatican as she has lied about her identity and has been seen using the Ark without the permission of her superiors.
May God be With You,
Pope Benedict XIII
"As you can see, the Holy Father wrote this himself. Now if you will retrieve 's things, we will be leaving as soon as possible." Rouvelier and Link left the room with a heavy tension in their wake.
Lenalee looked at Gabriel with concern as she could see the younger girl was shaking. Even if they weren't the closest, she was still worried for Gabriel's well being.
"Tell us, is it true?" Lavi asked with an uncharacteristically serious tone.
"I'm sorry," Gabriel choked out, her voice shaking slightly.
Hesitantly and with Allen's much appreciated support, Gabriel explained everything to them. She told them of her family and how her father was. She told them how she really got to the Black Order and of her uncanny ability to stumble upon the multiple exits and entrances of the Ark. Everything was on the table, no secrets.
At the end of Gabriel's story, everyone except Allen was more or less silent and shocked. Gabriel wasn't sure if they were mad, disappointed, both, or not.
"So, what now?" Lavi asked.
"Che, isn't it obvious? We have to hand her over, whether we want to or not."
"Well, thanks BaKanda. You're so supportive," Allen snorted.
"You got a better idea, sprout!?"
As Allen and Kanda threw insults at each other, Krory was looking more pale than usual, Miranda was in hysterics about some unrelated problem, Lavi was deep in thought, and Lenalee was comforting Gabriel.
"Thanks Lenalee. I appreciate it."
"Don't worry. We've dealt with worse."
Lavi on the other hand had concocted a beautiful plan.
"Hey... Hey!!" Lavi just couldn't get their attention. "HEEEEEEEYY!!" he screamed.
Kanda and Allen looked at him with a 'what the hell do you want' face.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. I have a plan, why don't we suggest Two Dots keep an eye on Gabriel. Just like Allen!!"
"Problem, you idiot. Shorty is a girl!!" Kanda kindly pointed out. "Having that guy stalk her around would be sick!!"
"Not to mention wrong," Lenalee added.
"Well then they could just send somebody else!! Come on guys, its totally fool proof!!"
"That would be great if the Pope were a fool," Allen snorted.
"Humans aren't perfect, and as far as I can tell, His Holiness is human. It could work," Gabriel agreed.
Komui sighed, this was gong to be a lot of paper work.
"Alright, lets get to-."
Suddenly a huge explosion erupted from the roof. Chunks of stone and mortar flew everywhere. Screams could be heard as HQ was swarmed by akumaof multiple levels. Everyone was in a panic as exorcists and finders alike prepared for battle.
"Komui, get the Science Department out of here!! Gabriel, you go with them!!" Allen shouted, activating Crown Clown and rushing into battle.
"Right behind you, Moyashi-chan!!" Lavi bolted after him.
Kanda and Lenalee followed them into battle as Komui yelled orders and ushered Gabriel to the Ark portal.
"K-Komui, what are you doing!?" Gabriel struggled against him. "We have to help them fight the akuma!!"
"The best thing we can do is retreat and not get in the way!!"
Komui more or less dragged Gabriel who repeatedly tried to escape and 'help' her friends, even if she would put them in more danger. In a flash of black, a level three akuma knocked Gabriel and Komui apart.
"Hello Dearie, how would you like to die?" it hissed.
"I dare you to take me on, you tin can!!" Gabriel shouted back in defiance.
Kanda saw Gabriel cornered by the humanoid akuma.
Damn.
He sliced his current opponent down to size. Kanda dodged the strikes of his enemies to get to the young girl.
"Ha ha ha," the level three cackled. "Say good bye." It raised a clawed hand to deal the death blow, but Gabriel didn't bat a lash.
Just as the claws descended on the young Marian, the samurai blocked the blown with his prized Mugen.
"What the hell are you thinking, you idiotic girl!?" Kanda hissed.
"Kanda, watch out!!" Gabriel rushed forward as a second akuma broke through Kanda's defense.
xxx
The battle was over. Many were injured, but thank the Heavens that no one died. No Noah had led the attack, but the number of high level akuma had made up for that. Lenalee was crying as she assisted those too injured to move get help as Allen searched for surivors amoung the rubble.
"Oi, I need some help!!" an unexpected voice shouted.
"Kanda!? Oh no, Gabriel!!" Lenalee rushed to the samurai carrying an unconscious form. The young Gabriel was dreadfully injured.
Flashback
"Kanda, watch out!!"
Gabriel bolted in front of Kanda and took the slashing claws of the akuma. She collapsed instantly, her body a fountan of blood.
"Idiot!!" Kanda screeched as he destroyed the akuma, standing over Gabriel protectively.
End of Flashback
"What happened!? Kanda did she really piss you off that much!?" Lavi exclaimed.
"Fucking idiot, I don't hit girls. Only rabbits."
"Um, not to seem a nuisance, but we need to get Gabriel to a doctor," Allen intervened.
The four friends rushed to the infirmary, which was luckily untouched. Lenalee, Lavi, Allen, and Kanda, who was carrying Gabriel bridal-style, burst through the door.
"We need help!!" Lavi shouted.
"I'm sorry, but so does everyone else," the head nurse said gloomily.
Even so, the nurses quickly tended to Gabriel. Her injuries were worse than most and her breathing was labored as is. For hours, as the rest Order reorganized themselves, Lavi, Kanda, Allen, and Lenalee waited for Gabriel to come out of critical.
"Do you guys think she's okay?" Lenalee asked.
"I'm sure Gabriel is just fine," Allen reassured her.
"What has happened to my daughter, Idiot Apprentice!!?"
The four friends turned to come face to face with a pissed off General Cross Marian.
Nero: Heh, Daddy's home!!