"Allen, is there a reason you've been wanting to be partnered with Kanda for every single mission?" Komui asked one morning, as Allen took the envelope.

"I'm not," Allen shrugged.

"You've been requesting it," Komui said.

Allen tried not to show his panic. Had Komui noticed that Kanda really was still not right? It had been a month, at least, and Kanda had gotten by fine, but once alone with Allen, Lavi, or Lenalee he would start shaking and shivering.

"Well, I just want to get to know Kanda better," Allen laughed.

"Well, this mission, you'll be going with Lenalee and Kanda will be going with Lavi," Komui handed Allen another envelope. "Be a dear and take that one to Lavi or Kanda, assuming they're not together right now."

"Yes, sir," Allen took the envelope and left, trembling. Would Kanda be able to handle a mission with Lavi, who tries to make conversation out of everything?

"Hey Allen," Lavi greeted, walking by with his usual falsetto tone.

"Lavi, here. Komui told me to give this to you," Allen shoved the envelope into Lavi's hands. "He said…um…you're going on a mission with Kanda this time."

"Yu?" Lavi looked at Allen for a perplexed moment, then he smiled, his sing-song tone alive again, "Sure. I'll find him and tell him."

"No wait, there are a few things you should know about Kanda on a mission," Allen said, holding out his hand to stop Lavi. "Kanda is too afraid to lift Mugen."

"Afraid? Afraid of what?" Lavi asked.

"The Akuma, what else?" Allen continued, "Make sure Kanda is always in your line of vision. I let him out of my sight once and well…that didn't end up too good."

"What happened?" Lavi asked.

"I'm gonna leave that to whatever your imagination wants it to be, but it was awkward and bad," Allen mumbled. "Third, I beg you, please, do not let the Noah anywhere near Kanda. Especially Tyki and Road, I'll just shove those names into your hands for now. Those two seem to be catching on that Kanda is particularly the usual Kanda."

"What's so bad about that?" Lavi asked.

"A lot of things. Say, Kanda gets lost and Road finds him, then Kanda wouldn't be able to fight and what not. Let's not think about that and just keep our eyes one him, okay?" Allen asked.

Lavi nodded awkwardly, "Okay then."

"I know this doesn't seem nesacary, but it is, trust me," Allen said. He looked down at his hands. They were pressing the envelope into Lavi's hands. He let go quickly, "Well, I'm off to find Lenalee."

Lavi waved and watched as the white haired boy turned the corner. He looked at the envelope in his hand and was starting to think that they should tell Komui when a loud crash sounded from the lab.

"K-Komurin!" came a scared cry, followed by a screech for help.

Lavi's eyes widened and he ran towards the screech.

When he arrived, he saw Komui, being held back by Reever, and a bunch of scientist attempting to get near the gigantic robot, but was forced back by the robot's many hands.

"We have to find Kanda!" Reever said, his eyes falling on Lavi, "Lavi!"

Lavi rushed out, knowing that Kanda would most likely faint from shock, went to find Allen and Lenalee.

As fate would have it, he found Miranda first, then Krory, and then Kanda.

"Where's Allen and Lenalee?!" Lavi asked, panting.

Kanda had his harsh cold façade on when he ran into Lavi, but it melted as soon as Lavi spoke, "They already left. Something about a mission."

"Oh gosh," Lavi rubbed his face, then jumped at the explosion.

"What was that?" Kanda asked, his hand on Mugen.

Lavi noticed the motion and said, hesitantly, "Yu…do you…perhaps know how to use Mugen?"

Kanda's hand slipped off the hilt of the sword and looked at Lavi, his expression confused, "What? No…not really. It's been an instinct, but I can't move when I have to fight."

"Oh…well, maybe if the both of us try to take Komurin on then maybe we can kill the stupid thing," Lavi suggested.

"Komurin?" Kanda's expression when dark, catching Lavi off guard, then it returned to "normal" quickly, making Lavi think he had just imagined it. "What's that?"

"It's a robot Komui made. Do you remember it? Apparently, the first one stole your soba and you killed it," Lavi said.

"I-I did?" Kanda looked at Lavi as if he was speaking a foreign language.

"Yeah, so do you want to give it a try?" Lavi asked.

"W-well, if you…if you want to, I guess," Kanda mumbled.

"That's the spirit!" Lavi took out his hammer and enlarged it. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Kanda nodded hesitantly, gripping Mugen.

The attack on Komurin initiated when the large robot nearly trampled thirty finders who were looking for an Exorcist. Lavi launched himself towards the robot's eye and spashed it.

"Fire isn't safe here!" they heard Johnny cry.

Lavi pushed back on the robot and landed next to Kanda, "Do you remember it's weak point?"

There was a strange spark in Kanda's eyes, but Lavi had not seen it. Kanda shook his head, "No, I can't. It hurts if I try."

"But-"

"KANDA!" Reever cried out, the science department running towards the two Exorcist.

"Reever," Kanda greeted, his face a cold mask like it had been earlier. "How have you been?"

"Fine, fine, UNTIL KOMURIN CAME!" Reever shouted, gripping Kanda's shoulders and shaking him lightly, "Can you two destroy him?!"

Kanda, trying to mask his alarm, looked at Lavi, "Well, we'll try."

Kanda shrugged Reever off and unsheathed Mugen, but didn't activate it.

"Hey, uh Kanda," Lavi laughed nervously, "Um…aren't you gonna activate your Innocence?"

"Such a trivial thing doesn't require me to use my Innocence," Kanda said, glaring at Lavi, but at the same time Lavi saw Kanda's hesitance.

"But-"

Kanda lunged towards Komurin, using the robot's arms as a jumping point and sort of destroying the exterior as he went. He brought the sword down at the robot's neck and jumped back, hoping for an explosion.

"Ha! Sucks for you Kanda, but I fixed Komurin's weak point!" Komui exclaimed obviously proud, which earned a crap loud of yelling from the other scientists.

Kanda landed next to Lavi, gently onto his feet but unbalanced.

"Are you alright?" Lavi asked, his voice low.

"Yeah, just a bit woozy," Kanda said, gripping his head where he had been hit by one of Komurin's retracting arms.

"What now?" Lavi asked, somewhat shielding Kanda as the Japanese man recovered from the blow.

"We take him down," Kanda mumbled, "the state I'm in now can't quite take on Komurin. I'd have to activate my Innocence, but that wouldn't seem like me."

"Right," Lavi said, hoping this nice and polite Kanda would just get straight to the point.

"So, would you mind covering me when I try to find out another weak spot?" Kanda asked.

"Another?"

"Machines aren't indestructible. Everything has to have a weak point," Kanda said.

"Okay, I'll cover you," Lavi agreed.

Lavi jumped in first, Kanda following in suit. Taking every blow, Lavi was about ready to strike back, until he say Kanda jump on the robot's back and slash down with Mugen.

"First Illusion, Netherworld Insects," Lavi vaguely hears Kanda mumble.

Wait. First Illusion requires the swinging of his sword. How was he gonna pull that off?

Kanda rips sideways with his sword, creating a large cut on the back of the robot. He retreats quickly, and Lavi follows.

The robot explodes in a shower of wires and sparks. The horrible cries of Komui fills Headquarters, Kanda lands on his knees and looks about ready to pass out.

"Let's get you back to your room," Lavi suggests, helping Kanda up.