Ashes And Rain
DGM
Chapter 12
Wake Up Drill
Allen laid in a white hospital bed, Cross sitting in a chair beside him as Komui entered. It had been a day since they arrived back at the Order. For some reason Cross stuck to pupil like glue as he remained unconscious for the third day. He should wake up soon. No, Cross knew he would wake up today. "General Cross," Komui started to say, "I have some news to tell you."
"I'm well aware of the situation, Komui." Cross said flatly.
That's the thing, Komui knew he had known about the situation for months. This was Cross, he may have known about it long before they did. "Your mission from five years ago?" Komui asked.
Cross eyed Komui fishily. His eyes slanted, the cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. He hadn't been able to get his hands on his wine yet and he had to settle with smoking away. However, he didn't think Komui would bring up his assignment he was given a long time ago so fast. "It's not yet destroyed, but I know where it's at. I got sidetracked because of this idiot." Cross jabbed his thumb in the air to signal his student.
Komui gazed at the newcomer and resisted a laugh. Cross was never one to keep in touch on missions, but Komui never thought he would actually find a new exorcist because he neglected his job extremely. When he heard he picked up a pupil, Komui choked on his coffee hearing this. Not only did his General job, to find new exorcists and train them, he had worked on his last assignment, but without any knowledge being given to the Order. "This is your student, correct?" Komui asked already knowing the answer.
"Tch, yeah."
The Supervisor suppressed a light laugh as he pushed strands of hair away from Allen's left eye. A patch was on it. He expected no less because of how his eye got injured. He remembered when it had been Kanda and not this boy. All the exorcists from this supposed simple assignment, had gave him a personal report from their own perspective either on paper or in person. Komui was stunned by this kid and also very grateful. He showed his capabilities and his thoughts on the war. His story was remarkable and tragic. Komui couldn't even begin to tell you what else he had been put through being Cross Marian's student. "The Order is going to expect much from him since he is your student, but I think he's already proven our expectations to be true. The good thing is he's nothing like you personality wise." Komui teased.
"Don't you have work to do?" Cross growled.
"Yeah, I do, but so did you and you kept away." Komui smartly retorted.
"You're still the same."
The Supervisor smiled. Why would he have changed? He has his wonderful sister and her amazing coffee and- "Sister complex." Cross grumbled, knowing what Komui had been thinking.
Komui didn't react. He was being unusually calm. "When the boy wakes I would like to see him in my office, do you think you could manage that?"
"Send someone over to guide him."
Komui left the infirmary. Cross might not show Allen where to go and Komui sensed the newbie to wake soon. Very soon. He would send someone there once he reported to his office. "Oh my, I forgot to tell him about the meeting later." Komui thought aloud, but continued on, shrugging it off, saying, "I'll have someone inform him."
Around lunchtime Cross was starting to get pissed because Allen was still asleep. He always knew Allen loved his sleep after being exhausted, but dammit, it's been three days! He was going to wake up one way or another. Grabbing Judgement, Cross smirked, pointing it at Allen's head. "Time to wake up, Allen." Cross whispered with glint in his eyes.
Allen's head turned a bit and Cross stopped pulling the trigger, pulling his weapon closer to him and leaning in to see if he was really waking up. Sure enough, Allen's eyes soon fluttered open. Allen was groggy and in pain. He knew why, too. He blamed Cross was not being there and because that was why the whole thing started. Speaking of Cross, Allen saw his glimmering red hair and some other shiny object from the corner of his right eye. Allen shifted his head and found his lovable mentor.
Cross didn't know what was running through Allen's head as he stared at him for an endless amount of time. Time just passed as Allen's pale face remained expressionless.
Lavi and Lenalee had ran into Komui while on the way to the infirmary to check on their favorite buddy. It was a good thing they did because he even asked them to go there and when Allen wakes up bring him to his office like he knew Allen was going to be up any minute. Lenalee wished he would. She was excited to have him here and wanted him to meet everyone as soon as possible. They had Allen's room ready so far. Then she's sure he'll be hungry since he hasn't eaten in a few days. . . . Lenalee wanted to thank him as well.
Lavi wanted to see how the youth was doing for the heck of it and out of boredom. That kid was doing a good job at livening the room whenever he was around. "I hope he's awake." Lavi finally said.
"Me, too. I feel bad he's the only one that had gotten drastically hurt." Lenalee answered.
"Yeah, I'm sure everyone does. We could only watch while he strived for his survival and our own. I bet Yuu is mad because he had to save his innocence."
Lenalee giggled, not doubting it at all. "I heard the science division was repairing yours, Kanda's, and Daisya' s innocence weapons. How is that going? Any luck yet?"
"They're working on it, but they're fixing Yuu's first, that big meanie. What a pushover. He scared them into getting Mugen done first."
Lenalee listened as Lavi went on and on about how mean and cruel Kanda was. He was whining because his Iron Hammer might not be fixed for some time. He might have to wait two weeks at most. But something disturbing stopped Lavi mid-sentence.
"Mas-" Allen stared at Cross and then he noticed Judgement pointed at his head and his mentor's smirk. His eyes bulged and he screamed. "UWGAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Lenalee and Lavi glanced at each other then looked straight ahead. A loud scream had echoed through out the entire Black Order building making finders and scientists alike stop eating their meals and looked at the cafeteria doors. Komui had been writing on a piece of paper, sipping his coffee when he heard the scream and spat his drink out all over his desk from surprise. He looked at his door and his workers did also, though some were mentally complaining about dropping their stacks of paperwork on Komui's floor. "What was that!" Johnny asked.
The whole building had froze for a few minutes before everyone decided to get back to work, not hearing another scream. That meant they did not have to worry about another Sir Komlin from Komui. The exorcists didn't take this too lightly like a few others. Those who recognized the voice hurried to the infirmary where everyone was gathering. "That was. . ." Lavi trailed off.
Lenalee ran ahead of him and they both dashed down the halls. "Allen!"
General Tiedol looked away from his artwork and smiled. "It seems he's awake. I should visit him." And he got up, leaving the other two Generals in the dark, dim room.
Lenalee and Lavi burst through the doors in time to see Allen crawl off the bed and on the floor into the corner stuttering "M-M-M-M-M-M-Mas-Master!" and their sweats dropped. What in earth did he do?
Allen huddled in the corner, looking like he was about to cry, as he rocked back in forth, repeating sorry and gibberish. A few nurses had entered the room and the Head NUrse stormed in, walking over to Cross at once. A crowd started gathering at the doors. "General, what did you do to him!" Head Nurse questioned loudly.
Cross had put his gun away and leaned back in his chair, taking a long drag from his smoking stick. "I did nothing."
Allen lifted his head to stare at Cross, obviously scared of him. "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry Master. . . So sorry."
The Head Nurse moved her eyes from Cross to Allen. When she looked back at Cross, she gave a stern gaze. "I doubt you did nothing."
Lenalee knelt beside Allen with a warm yet concerned expression. She put her hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Allen?"
He stopped mumbling words and shaking. Allen found Lenalee and lightly smiled. "Lenalee."
"What happened?" Lenalee asked.
His smile fell and he trembled as he said, "Judgement. . . Judgement was. . . aimed at me. I woke up to a gun at my head."
"General!" Head Nurse shouted.
"What? I was going to wake him up."
"With a gun!" Lavi exclaimed.
"Yeah, so?"
Lavi smacked his face against the wall. Cross was a demon, a devil! He pitied Allen. At least Allen was up. "He's scary." Lavi said.
The Head Nurse turned to the crowd and ordered them to leave. The exorcists hesitated, but all the workers and warriors left except Lavi and Lenalee. Lenalee was patting Allen's head like he was a cat and he stayed close to her, weary of Cross. "Hey, Allen, will you be okay?" Lenalee asked.
Allen nodded. "That's good because the Supervisor wants to meet you. Let's go, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on." Lavi said, jumping up and down.
"Supervisor?" Allen tipped his head childishly.
It was so cute and Lenalee's smile got bigger. "Yeah, we're at the Black Order, Allen."
Allen was now standing up, focussed on his friends rather than Cross. He was trying to forget Cross. "Really?"
"Uh-huh."
Allen couldn't help but wonder. "Where's Mana?"
"He's safe. He's at the circus still. He wanted me to give you this." Lenalee said and pulled out that folded photo that was in Allen's suitcase. She have it to Allen and he held it close to him, held it for dear life.
"Thank you, Lenalee."
Allen spent a lot of time trying on clothes to find an outfit that would fit him because Lavi told him he was wearing his old ratty clothes and his most decent outfit was damaged in the fight. It took maybe an hour when he got his new outfit but Lenalee had to go in town to buy him an outfit he would wear. In fact, Allen told her exactly what to get. When she got back, Allen quickly changed in to it.
Allen wore black pants that would sometimes resemble leather even though it was leather. He had a long sleeved white shirt that buttons up and a gray vest over that. For the first time ever, Allen buttoned this vest up. He finished it off with black boots and a lovely red ribbon Lenalee gave him. He tied it around his collar.
His photo of Mana and himself rested in his pocket. Allen turned his head from right to left as they went through the halls. It was hard to see well because his one eye was wrapped up in a patch. He almost looked like Lavi. Allen often heard someone greeting Lenalee or Lavi, or both. You could see their bond here.
When they got to a messy room with scattered paperwork all over. People dressed in white coats were on the floor picking papers up and reading them as if they were searching for something. When they heard a few sheets crunch underneath the exorcists feet they looked up. "Oh hey, Lenalee, Lavi, uh, who's this?" Reever got off the ground and put some papers on Komui's desk.
Komui looked up from his doodles and averted his eyes on Allen. He smiled. This kid was worth appraisal. "Allen Walker!"
Allen stepped back as some guy with purple hair and glasses skipped in front of him, grabbing his hand and shaking it viciously. He was a bit weirded out here. This man already knew his name. Still, Allen couldn't help but notice the silver rose cross on his white coat. It was different from everyone else's. "Hello! How are you? Better I hope! My name is Komui Lee and I'm the supervisor here at the European branch."
"Hello." Allen greeted.
Reever pulled Komui away from Allen seeing how he was freaking him out. Yet, when he turned his head around he found a smiling boy instead of scared child. "Sorry about that, um, Allen, right?" Reever spoke. Was this kid really Cross' pupil? "I'm Reever, the section leader for the science division."
Johnny walked up to Allen and adjusted his swirling glasses and a pair of headphones. All the scientists in the room were looking Allen over like he piqued their curiosity somehow. Allen wasn't sure why, but it normally had to do with his face. "It's nice to meet you, Reever, Komui."
Silence followed this comment as the scientists thought about what he said. He was kind. Was he really Cross' student? They just couldn't believe Cross has a student that is nice. "Is something wrong guys?" Lenalee asked.
"No, sorry, we're just a bit surprised is all." Russel defended.
"About what?" Allen asked.
"Well, you. Being Cross Marian pupil we expected you to be. . ." Tapp didn't finish his sentence, but Allen understood.
"I can honestly say I am nothing like him." Allen seethed, clenching his fist.
Lavi panicked when he saw Allen getting a little crossed. He didn't want Allen to get like he was the other day and he accidentally hurt Lenalee's feelings-it seems they have made up about that-so Lavi had to change the subject fast. He went on about his job being a Bookman Jr. and a little bit about his training, he talked about the old Panda, his Iron Hammer, ahem-Yuu-chan, then he brought up Allen's innocence. "Oh, yeah, Allen! You're innocence is so cool! I mean super C-O-O-L, cool! It fits you and it does all these amazing things." Lavi flailed his arms in the air trying to remake the fight.
"The Noah was like poof, ush, take that, ooh, and you were like-" He made weird sounds that just made him look crazy. "And you gave him quite the pounding! I mean you're so strong! Nobody thought you'd last against a Noah because you're so kind and gentlemanly and all, but seriously, you kicked ass! Rock on!"
"Thanks Lavi, but are you, uh-um, are you alright?" Allen wondered nervously.
"Don't worry, he's always like this." Johnny informed.
"Really? Because I got a different impression in Liverpool."
"He can do that." Lenalee commented.
"Oh, you know something Allen?" Lavi went on.
"Hm?"
"Not only are you a ass-kicking fighter, you're kinda cute, friend. Not as handsome and sexy as me, though." Lavi replied, pulling Allen's cheeks, pinching them until they turned rosy.
His cheeks weren't rosy just because of Lavi pinching them.
Lenalee silently told herself he was handsome. She wanted to say it aloud, but god only knows how her brother will react. It's not like it's Allen's fault he's so cute. "Brother, didn't you want to talk to Allen?"
Allen turned to Komui and then back at Lenalee. "He's your brother?"
"Yes, I am! Aren't I lucky to have such a terrific little sister?" Komui clapped his hands together and smiled.
That was a little creepy. I hope he is not one of those brothers, Allen mentally noted. "Anyone would be lucky to have someone such as Lenalee as their sister. Lenalee is gifted." Allen said.
Lenalee and Komui stared at Allen. He held an innocent expression, so innocent. Lavi didn't think he understood how Allen sort of made it sound like, or if that's how Allen meant it. Lavi turned his eyes on Lenalee and smiled. Do we have sparks or what? Lavi thought, This may be the beginning to a spectacular thing. Komui narrowed his eyes for a minute and then he went back to normal, deciding to leave it be. Allen was much too young for Lenalee after all. He was like, ten? Lavi read all that on Komui's face. He was like an open book, almost everyone was; but still, it wasn't like Komui to drop something like that so easily. He better keep an eye on Komui. Or a dumb act of dimwitted bravery. Allen, be careful around this guy. He's as deadly as the Noah.
"See, Allen understands! Unlike any of you unappreciative others." Komui mumbled. "Furthering our serious conversation, Walker, we need to ask you a few questions and get your registered. We need to know about your health and all."
"My health?" Allen looked deep in thought. "Sir, I don't think I ever had a medical issue except for a few minor colds or something."
Was this kid serious? He was oblivious yet again! "That's not what I meant, Allen. We need your medical history. . . . Never mind, I'll get it from the General. Later you are going to have to go back to the infirmary so the Head Nurse as your present medical file. We have to make sure our exorcists stay healthy after all! Oh, Johnny has to get you fitted for your uniforms and Lenalee, would you mind giving Allen a tour after we take him there?" Komui informed.
Allen never thought there'd be so much to do for a new exorcist. It was a bit confusing. He'll have to take it step by step. "Before we do anything, though, may I ask if I can see your left arm, as I have been informed your left arm contains your innocence?" Komui added.
That did it. Allen held his hand to his chest and he looked away from Komui. He's never showed anyone his arm except Mana and Cross, perhaps Mother and Barba, too, when he was out of it for a month. "Go on, Allen. Everything will be fine. We won't judge you." Lenalee assured.
Feeling reassured and thinking about them having seen it before without mentioning it except its innocence fragment, Allen agreed and slipped the glove off his left hand. Komui held his arm and moved it around, making sure it wasn't damaged. Sadly-he means thankfully-there wasn't any injury. Another time hopefully? "Well, there's no doubt it's innocence. You're a parasitic-type exorcist, Allen! That's good."
"Parasitic?"
"That's right, Cross wouldn't tell you about this kind of stuff, would he? How typical, he puts little effort in everything that has to do with his job." Komui frowned at this. This meant he had to explain more about the war because he obviously didn't know too much about the war. He does now. "A parasitic-type is the rarest form of innocence. It's when the fragment is embedded or one with some part of your body. That's where you come in. Whereas the equip-type form in within most others. Lenalee and Lavi are a good example. Lenalee's Dark Boots and Lavi's Iron Hammer are equip-type. SO is Kanda's Mugen, his loving sword."
"If that's what you call love then I'd hate to see what he thinks is the opposite." Allen said blandly.
Komui liked Allen so far. "Before we do anything else, mind telling me your age? My own superiors are going to want to know that much."
Lavi put his bookman face on and waited. He had to see how this went. "I'm fifteen." Allen answered happily.
"You're. . . fifteen?" Komui repeated unsurely, like he heard Allen wrong.
"Yes, why, you don't believe me?"
"Oh, no, no, it's just hard to believe seeing how you're so sh-"
"Such a beansprout." Lavi said.
Allen's one eyebrow twitched. Putting his glove back on, he turned to Lavi with an obvious fake smile, but it appeared dangerous. "I'm sorry, I must have heard you wrong, would you mind repeating that?"
Man I love this story. Everything is in the air and I kinda want to burst out laughing sometimes with these crazy ideas I get. Maybe I should write a comedy story, ne? I'm thinking about writing another small story. We'll see. As always, REVIEW! ! ! ! SUPPORT ME READERS! Please and thanks you. Continue reading.
Thanks for reading!
~ ~ ~ Anon Novelist ~ ~ ~