Chapter Six –

Nadeshiko looked warily up at Lavi, since he was a good inch taller than her.

"Your singing is very beautiful, Klara." Thankfully, Lavi remembered to use her fake identity.

"…Thank you... Leo…" Nadeshiko replied hesitantly, wondering why Lavi was smiling like that. Surely it couldn't just be because of her singing…?

"Follow me – I want to show you something." The red-head grabbed the brunette's hand, and pulled her through the crowd of people, careful not to bump into anyone.

"La – Leo!" Nadeshiko corrected herself quickly. "What are you doing?"

"I told you – there's something you need to see." Lavi replied mischievously. After a short while, he stopped dragging the brunette, but didn't let go of her hand. He turned her so she was facing a small group of dancing couples.

"See! Look!"

"…What am I looking at?"

Lavi sighed and let go of her hand finally, only to grasp both her shoulders. He pulled her in front of where he was standing, and positioned her some more. Eventually, he pointed. "Look closely."

Nadeshiko peered into the crowd, and saw –

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed, laughing. "Komui would kill 'Alexander' if he saw this!" She whispered the end to Lavi, who nodded in agreement. Allen was currently dancing with Lenalee to a new song that was being played on the piano. His right arm was around her waist while his left was holding her right. Lenalee's own left hand rested on the white-haired teen's shoulder, and neither noticed their two friends choking down laughter a little ways away.

"That was definitely worth being dragged across the ballroom." Nadeshiko said as her laughter died down.

"Ah, sorry about that…" Lavi replied sheepishly. He released the brunette's shoulders from his hold as he realized he was actually still holding them. Nadeshiko turned around and smiled faintly at her red-headed companion, but blinked in confusion when he extended his left hand out to her.

Seeing her puzzled face, Lavi chuckled as a new song started to play. "May I have this dance, Lady Klara?"

Nadeshiko blinked a few more times before his words sunk in, and a light blush crossed her cheeks, but faded quickly. "Alright." She took his hand with her right, and Lavi lead her into the same frame they had seen Lenalee and Allen in.

As they danced, Nadeshiko shared the information Vera had told her in the back room. When she was done, Lavi looked thoughtful. He spun the brunette around, along with some other dance partners in the large room.

"Hm, I wonder where the Innocence is then…"

"What are you two talking about?" A voice snapped Lavi out of his thoughts and made him and Nadeshiko glance to the side. Lenalee and Allen had somehow ended up beside them during their dance, and were looking at the two in question curiously.

"I just told Lavi what I learned from Vera." Nadeshiko replied. "It's not much, but it's still information." She relayed the facts to the other two Exorcists, who nodded in understanding when she was done.

"Alright then…" Allen murmured thoughtfully. "It's a start."

"…I wonder when the prince is going to show up." Lenalee suddenly said. "I mean, I haven't seen anyone from the royal family other than Vera at the beginning of the ball."

"Yeah, you're right…" Nadeshiko agreed.

"Normally, the person the celebration is being held for will enter halfway through the party or ball." Lavi explained. "Makes it more dramatic I guess." Lavi made some sort of gesture to Allen that the girls didn't understand. The two females shared a questioning glance, wondering what the males were thinking. Suddenly, Allen and Lavi spun their partners so that Nadeshiko was dancing with the white-haired teen and Lenalee was dancing with the red-head.

Nadeshiko blinked, registering her new position. "How in the world did you two learn to dance so well?" She asked suddenly.

Lavi shrugged. "I've been all over the world to all sorts of balls and things. You're bound to become good when that happens."

"As for me," Allen smiled sheepishly. "I wouldn't say I'm good at all. I'm just copying the others here."

"Well you're doing a good job at it." Nadeshiko encouraged. "I sincerely doubt that anyone knows you're faking."

Allen laughed. "Well that's good. I don't think I'd make a very convincing noble if I looked like I didn't know how to dance."

The song came to an end and the males twirled the females back to their original partners before all four stepped back to allow themselves some space. Instead of a new song coming on though, a hushed silence overcame the crowd of people.

"I guess the prince is going to make his entrance." Lavi said, and the other three Exorcists nodded in agreement. A golden curtain at the west end of the room opened to reveal an eighteen year old male with black hair and royal blue eyes. The features were familiar, and reminded the group instantly of Vera.

There was no doubt that this newcomer was the one known as Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy.

Some servers and a couple of late guests walked into the room at the same time the prince had, but stopped in their tracks to either bow if they worked in the castle or smile at the birthday boy if they were a guest.

Suddenly, a glass, gear-like monocle appeared over Allen's left eye, and the white-haired teen quickly covered it with one of his white-gloved hands before any guest could notice.

"Allen? What's wrong?" Lenalee asked in a worried tone. "Is your eye bothering you?"

Allen shook his head and spread his fingers apart enough for the other three Exorcists to see his activated eye.

"Shit." Lavi cursed, scanning the room for any possible Akuma. "How many people enter the room just now?"

"…Maybe it was all of them." Nadeshiko pointed out in monotone, serious attitude reappearing.

"We have to get to the prince!" Lenalee exclaimed, but quietly so that none of the surrounding guests heard. The others nodded in agreement, and headed towards the west end of the room while the other guests started to dance once again.

AN/

:O AKUMA HAVE FINALLY ARRIVED! But who is it…?