Chapter 4
Food: For A Time
Place – Somewhere Within Britain
Time: Mid day
"I'm huuunnngrrryyy…" Laia moaned tiredly while holding her noisy stomach, trudging weakly forward on the gravel road. "Isn't there anymore food left in that bag of yours, Yuu-sama?"
Clicking his tongue in disapproval, Kanda continues to walk without looking behind him, where he knew she is trudging along the road close to him just so that she could grab a few things from him. He had suspected something is taken from his bag when he notices his load is getting lighter, but when he finally gets to caught the culprit, it was too late. He could only watches on as Laia quickly gobbles down the last morsel of food in his backpack.
"You've finished mine earlier on, woman," Kanda muttered darkly, his fingers itching to grab his Mugen and trying to convince himself that Laia is actually a man disguising himself as a woman. It'll give him a good reason to attack her and slice her up a bit. "Now we had to find someplace to eat for the night instead of camping outside."
The Black Order's Chief Commander – namely a mad scientist who goes by the name Komui – has instructed his sister Lenalee to book a room for Kanda and Laia in a stupid hotel named Heavenly Rest Hotel. Their meals and room are booked and that for as long as they use the room and dine inside the hotel's cafeteria, the bills will go directly into the accounts of the Order and not one single note will be jotted down inside the Guest List in the hotel. That way, they will be able to rest under an anonymous name, safe from the prying eyes and sight of nosy Akumas.
Due to the rapidly declining amount of Exorcists on duties and unreliable, almost-useless Finders protecting Exorcists, the Order had set out a new rule. All Exorcists are to complete their missions in a group of pair and above. Ordering and bookings of rooms are to be done by Lenalee Lee, and that all Exorcists are to rest and stay inside the same room for safety's sake.
Kanda had sliced up those notices with his Mugen angrily upon seeing them pinned to his door. That means he would have to stay in the same room with Laia Elfreya, since he is tasked to be her partner and her bailer out of trouble since day one she enters Black Order.
"We are of a different gender, in case you failed to notice it with that messed up brain of yours," Kanda grilled Komui, placing his hand on the hilt of his Mugen in case the mad scientist needed some 'encouragement' and a good dose of threats. "It seems to me that her state of virtue and innocence has slipped from your mind. By forcing us into the same room, you are subjecting her into something that would have ruined her reputation everywhere!"
Komui grinned widely to himself while paying a close eye on the hand that rest ever so gently on Mugen. The chief of the Black Order Headquarters in Britain wouldn't have wanted another fight to break out in his office. His table has suffered far enough damage to call it a day. "I'm getting the idea that you are rather concern about her virtue rather than your own, Kanda-kun. From what I know in my extensive knowledge of Exorcists here in the Black Order, Kanda Yuu is a virg-"
"Not. Another. Word. Komui." Kanda threatened darkly after he removed Mugen from its scabbard in less than a second, his Mugen blade resting over Komui's shoulder, just an inch beside his neck.
"Suits me just fine, Kanda-kun," Komui stuttered out a reply, his eyes locked firmly on the rather shiny Mugen blade. "But the room stays though. Unless you wanted to watch her gets slaughtered by Akumas in the dead of the night. Amongst everyone in the Black Order, you knew her sleeping habits tend to extend to an extreme degree of deep sleep, and only you knew how to wake her up in less than 5 seconds."
While Kanda gritted his teeth angrily, the head scientist turns somber and places a hand gently on top of Mugen, trying to lower it down from where it rest on his shoulder. "We cannot afford to lose another Exorcist, Kanda-kun. We cannot win the war between the Earl of Millenium without Exorcists and Innocences. We need all of you to be safe."
Living in the Black Order as the Chief has limited his access to the outside world. He is just as important as the Exorcists. Without him, no mission would move no new inventions of devices and no Innocence weapon to be repaired by. As such, his views are limited to what happens in the Black Order Headquarters. He observes people interact with each other and picked up something much faster than most people would do. In Kanda's case, he picked up that whenever Laia's name surfaces in the conversation, Kanda's eyebrow would twitch a little, and his jaw would tighten ever so little and his eyes would twinkle a little. To imagine, Kanda's eyes, twinkling at the sound of Laia's name. He responds to Laia much faster than most people do. Komui summed everything up with his mind that Laia holds a special spot in his frozen heart. Without another word, Kanda stores his Mugen quietly into its scabbard and stormed out of the office.
"You're just like that Moyashi," Kanda grumbled, paying for the food and opted for fresh fruit from the cafeteria. "Stuffing yourself with food like you intend to finish all the food in the world…"
Laia stopped her munching and grabbed another chicken thigh. Digging into it, she munched her food while replying to Kanda with her mouth full of food. "*munch munch munch* I'm hungry…"
His eyes narrowed at the sight of food "Here-" the Japanese Samurai pushes his portion of food towards her and watches her smile growing wider at the offer. "I've lost my appetite."
"Thank you Yuu-chan!"
In less than a second, Kanda had drawn his Mugen out from its' scabbard and lay them against her neck in close range. "Don't call me by that name, Elfreya," the Japanese Exorcist grumbles dangerously, growing in irritation only when Laia appears to ignore the sword lying so close by her neck and immune against his dark mood.
For a good 3 minutes he watches as Laia devours all the food in his plate. It never cease to amaze him that Laia could gobble up food in the shortest amount of time and all done in the most graceful manner. There were a few fruits left on her dessert plate. When the fruit she encounters is too big or not served in bite sizes, she merely grabbed it with her fingers and threw it against Mugen, conveniently using it as a knife. With Mugen's sharpness, the fruit slices apart easily, which she captures in a plate on the other side of the sword.
She is surprisingly deft with sharp weapons. He couldn't expect more than whining and cries for help from someone who looked so weak and fragile. What he had thought of her had proven to be wrong as she had managed to save her own ass brilliantly again and again without his help, each time finishing her duty with a sad smile while looking up at the sky. He knew she could see what the Moyashi could see, and he had heard how Lavi describe those wrapped up lost souls floating near the Akumas when the Moyashi's cursed eye undergone what seems to be a level 2 change. The poor Bookman Junior couldn't sleep for a good whole week after claiming to have seen hell through the eyes of Moyashi's cursed eye.
As he watch her munches on the apple slices happily, he gritted his teeth in an effort to look angry and annoyed, when in fact he is surprised with everything that has to do with her. He couldn't stay angry for long when it comes to her, unlike a certain rabbit that comes from a hole and another stunted growth Moyashi. She is the first female that manages to make him draw his Mugen and lay them against her neck. She is the first female to make him want to smile. She is also the first female to make him want to do something more for her. It was with these thoughts that made him stay with her until now. She is different than most, and she is definitely someone he could stand beside with for a long, long time.
It was on day one he had thoughts like that.
On day two…
There is a deep, thunderous dark cloud looming above Kanda's head, shadowing most of his face from everyone who had dared to give him a glance. Those who did glance at his face – let's just say that the lightning above Kanda's head did the job.
It happens when Kanda wanted to buy soba and for once, he is happy that a decent breakfast is coming his way. That restaurant had a 'pay upon the serving of food' policy, and just when he is about to pay and dig in, he realizes that his little pouch of money is deathly light.
He had to watch his soba taken away right in front of his eyes and endure another round of growling from his protesting stomach.
"We ran out of money…"Kanda said darkly, the dark clouds above his head gave another strike of lightning.
"Well," Laia said casually, trying to divert topics regarding the quick disappearance of money. "Shit does happen from time to time…"
"No," Kanda cuts in curtly, his lightning-like eyes shined sharply upon Laia. "Shit happens whenever your stomach grumbles for more food."
Laia smiles widely and happily, albeit sweating profusely and swallowing noisily. "Yuu-chan, I'm happy that you're such an understanding person!"
"Understanding, my ass. You're just hungry all the time with those damn parasitic Innocences…" Kanda grumbles darkly to himself. The Japanese Exorcist couldn't seem to bring himself to badmouth her loudly or threw curses at her like how he treated a certain rabbit and moyashi.
Deep down, Laia felt sorry for squandering all the money for herself and her stomach. The insistent grumblings and hunger pangs really did her no justice, as it would spring up in the middle of the night and other untimely occasions.
And so…
"Don't worry," Laia patted the taller Exorcist's back in an effort to calm him down. "I'll get us some money, Yuu-chan. I'll be quick."
Kanda watches as Laia stood up and make way to the grand piano situated in the front row of the restaurant. He half wondered what she would do with that piano, and another half curiously awaiting some sort of music that she is going to play.
The restaurant offers a freelance pianist job to anyone who could play the piano. In return, they would be paid by the customers who had dropped tips into a large crystal bowl, which is then given to the pianists as a fee of playing wonderful music to the customers and liven up the mood in the restaurant.
Fingers gliding across the piano, Laia tested one key after another in a very amateurish way. Everyone in the restaurant threw her curious and degrading glances. Sure, Laia did look like some random layperson who is trying to grab the attention of all those rich diners and make some quick money by borrowing the piano for one song. She tested one key after another on the piano and sing along with it in an off tuned voice as well. The manager shakes his head when he notices all the rich diners have started to grumble at the terrible performance.
"Little Miss," the manager begun quietly in an effort to chase her off the piano stool, but at the same time trying to be nice to this little quaint beauty who had wandered into the restaurant with an extremely handsome Asian-looking man. She lifted her eyebrows at the sight of the manager, but continues to play her off tune singing and plays one key by one key on the piano. "Are you sure you are able to perform some breathtaking performance? You promised me those and yet all I heard from you is amateur skills. I'm so sorry, but my clients in the restaurant are powerful people. They're here to dine and enjoy some good music…"
Laia calmly stops her playing and turns towards the manager. Smiling widely at the manager, Laia nodded towards the manager and said, "Thank you for the concern. You are so polite at trying to chase me away. I'll thank you by giving you some performance you have never seen before. It's rare for me to perform, but since we are short on money and that people have been talking about this place, which allows you to play one song and earn some generous tips from these rich diners, I have to do it. I'm just warming up to my voice and piano skills since it has been quite a while since I had last played on a piano…"
Leaning back, Laia spotted Kanda sipping quietly to his tea and smiles at him widely. "Yuu-chan!" Laia exclaims loudly, earning many disapproved looks from the diners. "I'm sorry for spending your money and got us this broke, but I'll earn some money back to pay you! I promise!"
The first note began with her fingers gliding gracefully across the keys of the piano as if she has been playing piano all her life, in extreme contrast to her earlier childish playing. The customers and the manager blinked their eyes in a confused way, mouths almost gaping wide open with the sudden skills she seemed to gain after playing armature music for a while. Closing her eyes and immerses her into the song; Laia takes a deep breath and began to sing in a beautiful voice.
Who is the reason, the one you're living for?
Who is the reason, the one you're crying for?
If I look deep inside the caverns of my heart
All I see is you smiling back at me...
Everyone in the diner watches with awe at the sound of her beautiful voice and equally graceful piano playing. The manager – too – watches on, seemingly awestruck with such a beauty being able to sing and play at the same time. Kanda notices his jaws gone slightly slack in the left side and quickly regains his composure. No one in the Black Order – that includes himself – has ever imagined that Laia could sing.
This is where it all begins,
Your hands so soft and gentle
I won't let it go
No, I won't let it go
On the last day on the earth
All I wanna do is share a smile with you
Till I cross the twilight
Nothing could be truer than this love I have for you
My love will testify and last through the ages
Her voice singing loud and clear in the restaurant had silenced everyone. Slowly, the chefs in the kitchen came out to watch who had sung such a beautiful siren-like song. Everyone enjoys the beautifully sad song, and watches on as Laia sings in impressive different high notes and tones.
Every soul alive, the shadows in my heart
Every soul alive is looking for the true light
But when you let it shine, the blackest shadow hides
Darkness receding from the light of day
Nothing would ever be enough, but you spread your wings
As if to wrap around me now, you wrap around me now
On the last day on the earth
All I wanna do is keep a smile for you until I close my eyes
Nothing could be truer than this love I have for you
History books will tell our love through the ages
No matter how hard I tried, to find a reason to be living
Nothing mattered till
I found this love in us
On the last day on the earth
All I wanna do is keep a smile for you
Till I cross the twilight
Nothing could be truer than this love I have for you
Everyone will know our love through the ages
Aaa-ah aaa-ah
Aaa-ah aaa-ah
Aaa-ah aaa-ah
Aaa-ah aaa-ah
Who is the reason, the one you're living for?
Who is the reason, the one you're crying for?
If I look deep inside the caverns of my heart
All I see is you smiling back at me
The song ends with a series of keys and notes going up and finally ends with her pressing onto the last key on the piano. Closing her eyes, Laia breathes in deeply and smiles contentedly. It's been a while since she had sung and plays her heart out. Standing up quietly, Laia walked towards the front side of the piano and glances at her audiences. Everyone had stopped eating and watches her with interested gleaming eyes. Her eyes searched for the crowd for – aha! – Kanda Yuu. Laia smiles widely at the sight of the Exorcist watching her, and knew she had done a good job by the slight, almost non-existent smile on the Asian Exorcist's beautiful visage. Holding herself in a straight position, Laia gave the crowd a wide, perfect smile and a beautifully performed curtsey.
Before she could stand up, she heard a thundering noise of applause from the diners. Looking up, Laia saw the diners have stood up and gave her a wonderful round of applause, shouting 'Bravo, Bella!' and all sorts of praise showers down on her. Her eyes searches for Kanda Yuu again and felt her heart soar when the Japanese Exorcist – too – gave her a round of applause, his eyes twinkling brightly against the dimmed low lights.
"Bravo Bella!" one of the rich customers shouted to her, standing up and clapping his hands enthusiastically. "Bravo!"
"Beautiful, ma Cherie," another rich customer said loudly. "Simply too beautiful!"
"We'll give you a big tip!" one male customer said loudly. "You've earned them! Well done, beautiful!"
Unable to speak anything else, Laia smiles widely at all the applauding customers and bows gratefully to them for appreciating her musical talents.
Place-New Black Order Headquarters Britain
Cafeteria
Time: Early Morning
Since that fateful incident whereby Laia earned extra pocket money through performing on a piano, the Black Order had took great care in giving certain Exorcists extra pocket money. A large sum of money goes to the Parasitic Type Exorcists, seeing as they sustains themselves and their Innocences through food and that they requires a large amount of food compares to the other Weapon Type Exorcists. It seems that they do not want the Exorcists to expose themselves through means of having to earn money or anything.
As per usual, the other Exorcists had their morning breakfast together. Everyone is in the Order, gathered together for Innocence Weapons inspections as per Komui's order. There was always a particular Exorcists that everyone paid attention to, seeing as she has somehow distances herself from the others.
Everyone watched as she tore through her meals in a rabid way, not caring for table manners and instead opted for making good use of her hands and stuffing mouthful after mouthful of chicken meat and buns into her mouth. Even Allen's mountain of food looked rather normal compares to the monstrous amount of food covering thetable. A whole dining table complete with food that keeps on coming until she estimated her requirement for food is enough. Jerry had to prepare her meals 2 hours before her meal time, which is always sharp on the clock; 3 main meals, 5 snacks and desserts. That is enough to put the Order a run for their money. Not caring the looks that are thrown her way when she gobbles down her food one after another, Laia ate her meals heartily, looking as though she has been starved thoroughly.
"Don't try to bother her when she's having her meals," Madarao said coldly to the group, his eyes fixated upon Laia, who had begun to attack a roasted chicken. "She has two parasitic Innocences. She needs all the energy she can muster up to keep fighting for the order."
As Madarao walks away and sat in front of the chair facing Laia and her monstrous mountain of food, the other Exorcists watch her with a strange new light in their eyes.
This is precisely the first time they have ever seen her eating in the cafeteria. Most of the time, she would just came by to the cafeteria, orders what she wants, give a sideway emotionless glance to their group, and returns to the hospital ward. The matron gave strict orders for her, and that she is to remains there after returning from her assigned missions each and every time for a good whole week. At the same time, she has been getting assigned missions at such a demand from Komui that her orders are practically piling up one after another, even when her current mission isn't done. Komui have received specific orders from the matron that Exorcist Laia follows what she says or else her food and medicine will be cut off immediately.
Even with Allen's mountain of food and Inspector Link's mountain of cakes, both people's diet couldn't possibly beat the monstrous pile of food lining up on the trolley that keeps coming one after another after she finishes one.
Lavi leans into the group and instinctively, everyone opens up their ears and prepares for the story Lavi is about to tell them. "I heard from Jerry that when she first wakes up after her Innocence evolved back at the old Black Order in Britain, she finishes almost all of the food in the cafeteria's kitchen, and she had even requested for more! They had to restock everything in less than 6 hours, and lately with the increased amount of Finders, Jerry had had to order for food from the outside 6 times the normal amount at Britain!"
"What the-" Chaoji Han said in an almost disgusted way, giving Laia a strange glare from the sides of his eyes. He did not like Laia, especially with her status as a possible Heretic, along with Allen Walker. "That's disgusting, stuffing herself silly with that way. She looks like a pig that way."
Kanda's Mugen slammed on the table almost instantly after Chaoji finishes his words, jolting him out of his seat. His silence approach to the group with his soba and the merciless way he slams his Mugen on the table surprises absolutely everyone. Link gave him a tasteless click of his tongue.
"Kanda…" Lenalee said, one hand over her chest with surprise at the sudden appearance of the Japanese Exorcist. "You surprised us..."
Ignoring Lenalee, Kanda glowers down at the now shivering Chaoji and said in the lowest and coldest tone he ever summoned. "I dare you to repeat that again, stupid."
Everybody knew Laia's previous partner is Kanda, and that he practically knew her from the inside out better than any other Exorcists that are left in the world. Kanda understands her predicament as someone who wields 2 parasitic Innocences, and that from what he observes from her, it is more of a burden than a gift from the Gods.
In a way, Kanda shows his protectiveness for Laia against those who did not know what she has gone through with a good threat from Mugen despite her being cold to them.
He knew, deep down inside, there is a stupid reason for what she is doing right now. He knew it. And he is waiting for her to tell him all about it.
Burning under Kanda's glare, Chaoji excuses himself immediately and hightailed out of the cafeteria. His fear for Kanda's cold dark eyes prevails over his hate for Laia Elfreya.
"Poor Laia-san," Lenalee said absentmindedly, looking over to where Laia sat as she greedily gobbles down her meals. "She looks almost…pitiful."
"You don't say, Lenalee," Allen picked up from the last sentence with an almost soulful look in his eyes. "I felt hungry all the time with my parasitic Innocence, and I only have one. Wouldn't her hunger be worst if she happens to have two parasitic Innocences?"
"That is just a portion of my story," Lavi piped in again. Leaning back in, Lavi dropped his voice an octave low and continues almost somberly. "Guess what kind of medicine she requests most from the infirmary?" When everyone gave him a blank look, Lavi leans in deeper and hissed the answer. "Painkillers – and it's the strongest ones at that. It seems strange that she requested them in large amount, as if she's suffering from some kind of pain."
"She is though, in a way," said Tokusa suddenly, a grin on his face, as if he's proud that he knew that particular information, grinning all the more when he felt all eyes on him.
God, he loves the attention.
Allen is the one who beats everyone into asking him. "And how do you know about that, Tokusa?"
Tokusa replied almost gleefully, an excited glint in his eyes at having being paid attention at last by the group of elite Exorcists. "Madarao told me," he said proudly, and while everyone's eyes flitted momentarily to the Third Exorcist guarding Laia, watching him pushing another plate of steamed chicken thigh towards her direction, Tokusa continues. "Laia-sama is strong, stronger than all of you combined here if she pushes herself to, but she couldn't escape all the pain from the wounds that she received from the Noahs. Her body couldn't seem to bear all the changes the Innocences put on her, and now that she keeps increasing in power due to orders and to keep up the deal with Lvellie, her body starts to show signs that she's taking the final toll. I heard that because Madarao had to bail her out of trouble and hightail out of the fighting scenes with hundreds of akumas surrounding them when she collapses all of a sudden in the middle of a fight a few times back, and it's been happening regularly now…"
Crinkling his eyebrows, Allen asks, "Why?"
"And what's that got to do with Lvellie?" Lavi piped in, his face somber with wants of answer. "What deal?"
Tokusa smiles slyly. "She had to, for everyone's sake, and that deal is a secret."
"I know about that, Tokusa," Allen said, frustrated with Tokusa's habit of turning a fine conversation into a riddle. "But why? Why everyone's sake?"
Grabbing a drumstick from Allen's pile of food, Tokusa bites down on it and chews slowly. "Now that the Noahs have abandoned her, the Black Order is all that she has left. She loves her adopted brother, and she loves the Black Order. She wanted to see through the end that everyone is safe, and if there is a choice in between sacrificing herself so that the Exorcist members would not be forced to go on dangerous missions, she would do it. Ever wonder why your missions are so simple? It has to do with Lvellie."
"And she's doing it now, isn't it?" Kanda said suddenly, his voice long thought to be lost from the group. Kanda glances up from his now empty tray of soba and gave a cold glare to Tokusa.
Tokusa placed one finger on his lips and grinned teasingly. "You didn't hear it from me."