In the early hours of the morning, a young boy lay curled on his side, fast asleep despite the cold, hard surface he rested on. His chin-length, straw colored haired splayed on the ground from where his head poked out from the much too large jacket encasing his frame. And it was not only the jacket that was oversized. Buried in the too big garments as he was, it was almost impossible to make out the steady rise and fall of the boy's chest.

And something was insistently nudging his cheek.

The child huddled deeper into the pile of clothing, tucking his head further into the collar of his red military style jacket, to escape the prodding.

"Go'way 'Kusa, isn't ev'n sunrise ye-" his sleepy statement turned into a yawn, and he seemed to go back to sleep.

The poking started again, more forceful now.

"I said quit it! 'm too tired t' g't up yet…" the boy whined as he attempted to bat away whoever was trying to rouse him, oversized sleeve flopping about with the movement of his hand.

Apparently, that was the wrong answer, as the next moment something dove into his jacket, and several sharp somethings clamped down on his ear. HARD.

"YEEOOCH!"

Link shot up into a sitting position, eyes wide and instantly awake, scanning his surroundings for his attacker, only to find a fluttering gold sphere with wings hovering to his left, looking far too pleased with itself. It took the blond a few seconds for the sight to register, before he realized that no, it was not Tokusa being an irritating prick of a morning person; waking him up far too early after another night of sleeping on cold stone just to relieve his own boredom.

"What on earth!? Timcanpy!? why would you—" the blond froze.

That was not how his voice should sound.

"Timcanpy, what—" no, still strange.

"What is going on, where…" Link trailed off as he finally took in his surroundings, irked that he had let his awareness lapse that much. His voice sounding odd could wait for later, he had bigger problems.

The Inspector was sitting on the slate cobbled ground of an unfamiliar, narrow brick alleyway, a set of stairs in front of him and the blue light of early dawn just beginning to filter in through the entrance to the street behind him.

How did I…? I don't remember how I got here… What's the last thing I—

'Graahh.'

Timcanpy bumped into Link's head again, adamant on getting his attention.

"Would you stop? I already have a headache, and your teeth didn't help!" glaring at the golem, he lifted his hand to his bleeding ear. He received a surprise when, instead of the smooth cloth of his gloves that he was expecting, he felt the thicker fabric of his jacket sleeve.

Confused, he brought his hand back down to look at it, finding that the cuff hung far past his hand. A quick glance confirmed the same was true of the other sleeve, as well as the rest of his clothing.

"What on Earth!?" the blond stared, blinking in shock at his now extremely oversized uniform.

Timcanpy had apparently had enough with being ignored and slammed into Link's forehead.

"Aagh! Alright! Alright! What is it!? I swear, if all this is some sort of sick prank cooked up by Lavi or Chief Komui…"

He let the unspoken threat hang in the air.

Timcanpy bobbed in the air, in a way somehow very reminiscent of its master rolling his eyes. Link was fairly certain the only reason he could make that connection was because of how often Allen did so.

Wait… Walker. There was something about Walker, I just can't…

His train of thought was pushed aside for the moment, when Tim tilted its head upwards and opened its mouth; projecting a grainy image of a Central uniform piled on the ground, with blond hair spilling out of the collar. The image zoomed very quickly towards the collar, and went dark for a moment, before sound joined the projection.

"YEEOOCH!"

Whatever the Inspector had been expecting, it wasn't this. When the darkness in the image receded, it was his own face staring back at him.

"Timcanpy!? why would you—" the image froze at this point, on his shocked and bewildered expression from a few minutes ago, which he was likely wearing again.

Because not only was it his own face he was looking at, it was his own face as he had looked right after he had been recruited to CROW.

Which had been when he was eleven.

Well. That explains my voice. The sarcastic part of his mind thought.

"I don't understand." Wide eyed, he turned to look once again at his oversized clothing "How did this happen? Wait…" Link's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Is this more of the Science Department's 'Chibi' potion!? Because if it is I'll—!" His growing anger deflated when the golden golem frantically shook its head in the negative. Well, shook its body.

"If it wasn't one of the Science Department's potions, then what happened?" he demanded, before twisting to observe the alley again.

"And how did I get here? I don't remember what—" he sighed "Give me a minute, I need to think."

Timcanpy, apparently satisfied with having said, uh, showed, its piece, obliged him and settled on his shoulder to wait for him to gather his thoughts.

Okay, what do I remember last? Madarao and the others were transferred to the European HQ a few days ago, and then there was the wide-spread akuma activity. I accompanied Walker, Kanda, Tewaku, Madarao, and Tokusa to Jordan. Walker, Tokusa, Madarao, and I left to deal with the akuma, while Kanda and Tewaku stayed to guard the camp in case they decided to attack there. I lost track of Walker, Tokusa, and Madarao in the chaos and they stopped responding over the communicator. I returned to the camp, but it had been attacked and there were no survivors accept Tewaku. When she came to, she mentioned the… vision… the Noah gave her, and we both proceeded to head to the North America branch via Ark. Upon arrival, we discovered a barrier blocking us from entering, along with a few Level 4s. Timcanpy…

Link glanced at the innocent looking golem sitting comfortably on his shoulder.

Uh…Grew.

Shaking that particular memory from his head before it made his headache any worse than it already was, the blond skipped over the breaking of the barrier and moved on.

Once the barrier was down, we made our way to the wreckage of the North American headquarters where Tokusa was—

The ex-CROW gritted his teeth as something in his chest tightened.

Not important now.

After the Noah left, Walker was imprisoned. That's what I was thinking of earlier, wasn't it? There was a meeting, and then I asked Jerry for the bowl of food. I took it to Walker and…?

Link frowned, realizing he could not remember anything past kicking in the door.

No, wait. There was something about the Noah, what… what was it…?

Pulling his sleeve up so he could actually use his hand, he rubbed at his forehead, trying to relieve the growing pain there.

Footsteps, echoing in the empty cell. Mounting dread. Can't breathe…!

"ACK!"

The blond hunched in on himself as the pain spiked, startling Timcanpy from its perch. Clutching his hands to his head and squeezing his eyes shut. He stayed in that position, until the feeling of an icicle being stabbed through his temple receded to the dull ache of before.

He slowly untensed and lowered his hands to his lap, eyebrows drawn together in confusion. as Tim fluttered worriedly around him.

"What was that about?" he muttered.

Timcanpy landed again, this time on his knee, and tapped it twice with its small hand. Once more requesting his attention. Link gave it, and watched as Tim opened its mouth to play yet another recording. Only to grow cold with shock as the events he was missing played out in front of him through the static ridden projection. When the video ended, the ex-CROW took a deep breath to center himself, and gave a hard look to the golem on his knee.

"So, let me get this straight. I actually told Walker about my relation to the thirds, before he collapsed from the Fourteenth trying to take over again. That… thing…disguised as a Cardinal came in and tried to do something to him. I attempted to stop it and… failed…miserably," Link didn't know what to think of this part. Its speed was terrifying and the fact it could, and did, erase his memories rose all sorts of alarm bells in his brain. But mostly, "Walker attacked it in an attempt to… save me," which was backwards and strange in so many ways he barely even knew where to start. Ugh, he had spent too many years in Central, the idea of anyone other than his superior officers not wishing injury and death upon him was difficult to comprehend. Especially considering the circumstances under which he and Walker had been forced to become acquainted.

Idiot. Trying to be friends with everybody. I'm not- (worth it) … I can't- (I have my orders) …

He shoved the confusion aside to deal with later and continued.

"Innocence proved to be…VERY ineffective. The Noahs decided to drop in, out of almost literally thin air, and apparently, IT is responsible for General Cross's murder. I bound it and released you in an attempt to both help Walker escape and to reveal, Apocryphos they called it? By forcing it to kill me and draw attention to the circumstances of my death. Which apparently failed on both accounts, firstly because you did not manage to get Walker outside where he could at least get away from the Noah."

Link glared accusingly at the golem, who fluttered its wings indignantly before playing a part of the recording it had skipped before.

Allen lay on the ground where Apocryphos had released him upon being sealed, the Noah-child standing in front of him protectively, arms spread with an expression of surprise on her face at being unharmed

"RUN FOR IT!"

Upon hearing these words, Timcanpy rushed towards his master. Only to be beaten to him by the long -haired Noah, who grabbed both Allen and the girl and leaped toward the wall, where a heart shaped door had just appeared and opened. Tim's desperate attempt to reach Allen ended with him slamming into the door just as it closed completely, the explosion from the spell strips going off right after. Panicking, and knowing he needed to hide quickly to be of any further help at all, Tim shrunk to his smallest size and used the not-yet-cleared dust cloud from the explosion to obscure his flight over to the collapsed Inspector from The-White-Monster-Who-Wanted-To-Hurt-Allen, and concealed himself inside the blond's jacket.

Link sighed as the recording faded.

"So the Noah beat you to him. If Road hadn't opened that door, you would have , Tim." the golem nodded sharply, satisfied.

"And secondly, it failed because it figured out my plan and decided it could kill two birds with one stone by turning me into its pawn instead of killing me. Which would both leave no trace for the Director to investigate, and give it a useful puppet." He huffed out a breath.

"And it was planning to accomplish this by erasing most of my memories and…" he paused to look down at himself, "turning me into a child. Which it apparently has already done to Walker."

Which, frankly, is what disturbed the Inspector most about this situation. Even more than the feathers that had been… protruding from his eyes. It raised a lot of questions with no clear answers.

"Though it appears to have been slightly disappointed with the results of Cross's meddling," Timcanpy made an odd sound somewhere between its usual 'graah' and a snigger, "and so has decided to send me to a place it seemed certain there would not be a repeat. Though that seems to have been thwarted before it even began thanks to you interrupting him before he could completely erase my memories."

He tried to infuse the look he gave the golem with as much gratitude as possible.

"Thank you for that, by the way."

Tim just grinned widely and made a happy sounding 'grahh'.

The corner of the normally stoic Inspector's mouth twitched for a second, before he sighed and slumped against the alley wall.

"Did I get everything?"

The golem nodded happily, pleased it had gotten the Inspector up to speed successfully.

"What a mess. Now that just leaves the question of where we are? And why did it think that I wouldn't encounter anyone who would turn me against it here? It looks like any other alley in Europe, there isn't anything special about it. Since he didn't manage to completely erase my memories, and you

recorded everything that happened in that cell, all we have to do is make our way back to the Order and warn someone."

He wanted to be relieved. He wanted to be happy that things had turned out all right, even though he had failed to leave evidence for the Director back in the cell. But there was a queasiness in his gut that told him something wasn't right, and that it wouldn't be that easy. And he hated it when he got that feeling.

Because he was usually right.

"Well, best get started. No point in waiting around here and worrying." The Inspector attempted to rise to his feet, only to trip and fall back to his knees due to his over large clothing.

Timcanpy was up in the air again, and Link just knew it was amused at his fumble.

"Yes, yes, I forgot. Go ahead and laugh at the disoriented Inspector," he said dryly, giving an irritated glance at the cheerfully bobbing golden sphere.

At least this problem is easily fixed.

He sat back down and began to remove his jacket.

I never would have imagined that one day I'd be grateful for the years of having to deal with whatever ill-fitting clothing we could scavenge.

Setting the jacket aside, his gloves followed suit. He began to roll up his sleeves until they were above his elbows, revealing the serrated switchblades hanging loosely on his wrists over the black cloth bracers meant to keep the straps from chafing. He tried adjusting the straps, but when it became clear that they wouldn't be able to tighten enough to prevent them from sliding around on his now scrawny, eleven-year-old arms, he sighed; before loosening them again and removing them as well.

Kicking his boots off the rest of the way, he set to work on rolling up his pants, until there was a thick band of folded fabric hanging around his ankles. He hesitated for a moment, as he didn't have a belt for these, and there was no way they would stay up on their own now, due to his shrunken frame; but then hiked up the waistband and pulled his shirt out to lay on top, before taking his jacket and tying it snugly around his waist to act as a makeshift belt. It made him look even more like a ragamuffin than when he was a child, even back then they had had the decency to tuck their shirts in, but function was more important than propriety at the moment; and this way he would be able to tell more easily if they started slipping. It meant he had to move the spell strips he had hidden in his jacket sleeves though, and he stuck them in its pockets so they would still be reasonably accessible.

Now that left the problem of his boots… they were too big to stay on his feet, and whereas before they came up to just beneath his knees, they now reached mid-thigh and were not made to bend in a way that accommodated that. It was warm enough, wherever in the world he had ended up, to go barefoot; but if he encountered trouble and had to run, things could get sticky without anything to protect his feet.

He had seen what could happen under those circumstances when Madarao had outgrown his pair one summer, and ended up having to run from a stray dog before he could find new ones. It had taken him hours to dig out all the bits of broken glass he had accidently run through.

Not willing to risk it, he took his gloves and wrapped them around one foot, along with his bracers, and shoved it into his boot in the hopes it would make it fit more snugly. It did, so he did the same to his other foot, this time with his vest, and forcibly folded over the material of his boots so they would end below his knee again, which had the added effect of making them fit closer to his legs as well. After a moment's thought, he slipped his switch blades down his boots as well, one each.

Getting to his feet, this time without mishap, he finally noticed that his hair was brushing the sides of his face. Looking around in the hopes that his hair tie had come here with him and had just fallen to the ground yielded no results, so he improvised and used his ribbon instead, slipping his Central emblem communicator into his pocket for safekeeping. It didn't work as well as he had hoped, as his hair was now too short to stay completely pulled back, and some still stuck out beside his face. He would have to wait until it grew out again.

Now that he could actually move properly again, he headed toward the mouth of the alley, where warm sunlight was beginning to filter through. As he reached the street, still empty at the early hour, he felt Tim plop down on his head.

"Bad idea Timcanpy, you aren't exactly a normal sight, and we can't afford to draw attention. It's already bad enough I look like a child, we're going to attract too much as it is."

The golem made a disappointed growl, before swooping down and into his pocket instead. He could feel it wriggle around a bit, getting comfortable.

The child-Inspector patted the pocket it was in as a silent apology, and turned to head down the street hoping to find out what part of the world he had ended up in. It didn't take long, as about twenty yards down, they came to a cross street with a street post in English.

"Somewhere in America or England then, though my bets on England, considering the architecture of these buildings," he muttered to himself.

The streets were still empty, which struck him as odd. There should be someone at least, going to the market or heading to the bakery before the crowds got heavy. The street he was walking on was fairly small and narrow, probably one that didn't see a lot of traffic, but still. A bolt of tension went up his spine as he considered the possibility that he had ended up in an akuma ghost town, where the majority of the population was akuma, so much so that no one walked the streets for fear of them. But that wouldn't make sense, considering Apocryphos's intentions for him.

If he was planning to turn me into a puppet to assist him, why send me to somewhere so deadly, in a state in which I wouldn't be able defend myself? I'd be dead by sunset, if not sooner.

As he continued walking down the street, someone walked out of a building a few yards ahead, a tavern, and set to propping up a chalkboard menu advertising the day's special outside, whistling a cheerful tune as they did so. Dressed in a white button-down, slacks, and apron tied around their waste, it seemed likely this was the bartender, perhaps the owner as well.

Scratch the akuma ghost town theory, no human living in one would be that carefree, and no akuma would bother to try and maintain a human cover anymore. Time to get some answers then.

"Excuse me!" Link called, running up to him before he returned inside.

The man paused in opening the door, and turned to face the little blond boy in surprise.

"We won't be open fer another half hour, lad." He said, accent very obviously British.

That answers that question.

"Ah, no. You see, I'm afraid I got a bit turned around, would you mind telling me where the train station is?"

Link hoped there actually was a train station in this town or city, otherwise he would sound a bit crazy. But then, he looked like a child, he could just say someone had tricked him and no one would pay him any mind. Probably.

"You got turned about quite a bit then I'd say, King's Cross is back the way you was coming from," the man's eyebrows rose high on his forehead.

King's Cross Station!? London!

The ex-CROW wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, London meant he could just take a quick train to the coast and be back at the Order in a matter of days, but his twisting stomach wouldn't let him, just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He stamped down the feeling, and gave a nod to the man in thanks.

"Thank you so much, I was starting to get worried. Could you give me directions so I won't get lost again?"

"Of course, here, let me write 'em down. Yer not from around here, are you? You talk different. Don't sound American either though. Where are you from?" he asked, head tilting in curiosity as he pulled out a pad of paper and pencil and began writing down the directions.

Link figured there was no harm in answering with the truth for this.

"Germany originally. But I've traveled a lot, so I don't really sound like it anymore."

"That so? Well, here you are." He ripped the top sheet off the pad, "directions to King's Cross. But where are yer parents lad? You can't be wandering 'round on yer own? Yer only a boy!"

The blond faltered for a moment. He had expected people to assume he was just another orphaned street brat. Though maybe speaking properly like he had been taught in Central, was a bit of a giveaway… He had forgotten just how differently he used to talk. Implying that he had parents might cause some trouble, if some good Samaritan were to try and locate them, or insist on escorting him to them. But saying he didn't could cause its own set of problems… Half and half then.

"I don't know my father, and my mother is ill. I was going to the train station to greet my cousin, they're coming in on today's train to help out." when the man still looked concerned, Link added, "I've gone there by myself before, it's not far from our house, but I accidently took a wrong turn this time and ended up here."

Taking the paper containing the directions, Link very discretely got ready to bolt if he hit a dead end with his story. He knew he wouldn't be able fight his way out of the situation, not without his spells. He could only hope that he would be as good at running away as he had been when he actually was eleven. The problem was, he didn't know this city. Not like he knew the one he grew up in.

The bartender's expression softened a bit in sympathy, but not entirely.

"I'm sorry to hear that, I hope she gets better. Still, this is an awfully long way to have gotten lost heading to the station, especially fer someone yer size." He looked just a tad suspicious now.

Probably thinks I'm a runaway. That's my cue to end this conversation.

"Which is why I better hurry, I don't want to miss my cousin's train coming in. Thank you for your help!" He turned and waved to the slightly bewildered man as he ran off, only pausing to study the directions he had been given when he was out of sight and then some.

Timcanpy popped out of his pocket and looked over his shoulder to read along with him as they continued walking.

"Hm, not as far as I thought. From the way he was talking you would think it was a couple of miles."

The golem bobbed in agreement, before returning to its hiding place.

Orienting himself, Link turned towards the direction of the station and headed off, looking down at the paper holding the directions every so often to make sure he was still going the right way. He really didn't need to, as he had memorized them almost immediately, but the streets weren't becoming any more familiar as he went.

"This makes no sense. I've been to London, and King's Cross station, plenty of times before. Including a good deal of the area surrounding the station." He began to cross a street, "And yet I still haven't recognized anythi—"

HOOOOooOONK!

Link was startled almost out of his skin by a sudden, loud blaring. Turning, his eyes widened upon seeing something large, black, and made of metal come speeding towards him. He dove for the sidewalk with a shout of alarm, and stumbled, scraping his hands and knees on the rough surface, before rolling to lessen the damage. The thing screeched to a halt only a foot or so from where the blond had been walking.

The de-aged Inspector sat where he had landed, trying to get his adrenaline back under control, and stared at the machine that had nearly run him over. Now that it wasn't hurtling towards him, and he was able to get a good look at it, he realized it looked somewhat like the "automobiles" that had been popping up across Europe and America the last few years. Before he was transferred from Central to the European HQ, he had overheard some talk of the Order trying to develop some for its own use, but that had been rendered moot with the acquisition of the Ark.

The door on its side opened, and out stepped a young man, tall and lanky, with messy brown hair and stubble on their chin.

And a very angry expression.

"Bloody Hell kid! What were you thinking!? Going out into the middle of the road like that! Didn't your Mum ever teach you to look both ways before crossing!?" He shouted, gesticulating wildly.

The man seemed more stressed than angry now, probably just as stunned as Link at what had almost happened. Finishing his rant, the man dragged his hand through his hair, before leaning heavily on the top of his door, deflating with a huff.

"Don't do that kid, scared the crap outta me. You okay?"

Heart finally starting to slow down, Link got to his feet, still a little dazed, and brushed himself off.

"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry, I should have been paying more attention." Which was beginning to become a problem, he really couldn't afford to continue being this inobservant.

"It's fine, just be more careful from now on, a'right? What's a little guy like you doing out this early anyway? It's not even six thirty!"

Link was beginning to get annoyed with his physical age. He didn't remember people asking so many questions the first time.

"I'm heading to the train station to meet my cousin, they're coming in today."

May as well stick to that story.

The man's eyebrows shot up and he straightened against the door.

"That's a half hour's walk from here! You sure you can make it?"

Very annoyed.

"Yes, thank you. I have before." He said hotly.

The man raised his hands in surrender.

"A'right, a'right, no need to get defensive about it. All the same, you want a lift? Free of charge, of course, considering I almost hit you. I was headed that way to begin with anyway." He jabbed a thumb back at his vehicle.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

The blond was getting really tired of being caught off-guard. The man rolled his eyes, looking amused.

"Well I am a cab driver, driving people around the city is sort of what I do for a living."

I hate looking like a child.

"Are you a kidnapper?" Link deadpanned.

That got a reaction. A downright affronted one.

"I most certainly am not! Take a look at the license if you don't believe me!"

The man pointed towards the rear of his vehicle. Taking a quick look, sure enough, there was a sign on the back that said 'licensed taxi' with a serial number beneath.

"forgive me if I've never seen a cab like this one before." In my experience, they're normally pulled by horses.

"Where have you been living?"

"Not London." It wasn't a lie.

The man didn't seem to have a response to that.

"Listen, you want that ride or not?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

Link drummed his fingers against his leg, considering. Eventually deciding that saving his energy would be worth the risk. And if things did go south, it's not as though he was helpless, handicapped yes, but definitely not helpless.

"Alright. I'll take you up on your offer."

The cabbie reached back and pulled the back door open.

"Hop in then."

Link did so, the door closing behind him. The driver got into his own seat, starting the engine and continuing down the road.

"The name's Geoffrey by the way."

"Link."

"Well, nice to meet you then Link, even if it isn't under the most normal circumstances."

They aren't the strangest I've met someone under. Trust me.

"Likewise."

It was silent after that, Geoffrey concentrating on his driving and Link watching out the window, continuing to look for familiar landmarks, every now and then glancing at the directions he had received to make sure the cabbie really was taking him in the right direction. After a few minutes, the ex-CROW began to see people start to appear on the streets here and there, as they got to a busier part of the city. But the scenery didn't get any more familiar, only seeming more off as they went. The lettering on the shop windows was a style he had never seen before, and he had even seen what he thought were other automobiles, except these looked more like something Komui and the Order's Science Department would come up with.

He was starting to get worried by this point. There was definitely something wrong, He hadn't been to London in a while, but it couldn't have changed this much. He was about to ask Geoffrey how much further until they reached the station, as he couldn't tell with how off everything was, but the words got stuck in his throat when he caught sight of a massive building, rectangular in shape and as tall as one of the towers of the new HQ building, seeming to be constructed from glimmering panes of glass. As if a switch had been flipped after making this observation, the buildings on either side of the street began to change as they went, brick and wood being replaced with glass and metal. More of the enormous structures appearing in the skyline. There was a decent sized crowd on the sidewalk now, but they were all wearing strange clothes that might not have looked out of place amongst the eccentric staff of the Order perhaps, but was definitely not the norm anywhere else in the world.

This is not the London I remember. Something is very, Very wrong.

"You okay back there? You've been awfully quiet, normally kids your age can't shut up."

The blond managed to stop himself from jumping at the sudden question.

"I'm fine, just… looking outside…"

"Beautiful, ain't it? I wouldn't want to live anywhere else."

There was something very strange going on, and the only way Link would figure out what, would be by gathering information. Geoffrey had just opened up the perfect opportunity to do so.

"Have you? Lived anywhere else I mean."

"Nope, London boy, born an' raised. What about you, munchkin?"

Link frowned at the nickname.

"Please don't call me that. I was born in Germany, but I've moved all over. I've only come to London recently." An hour was technically still 'recently'.

"How about squirt then?" Geoffrey asked with a grin.

"No. How long have you been a cab driver?"

The cabbie shrugged at the blond's refusal of the proposed nickname, and answered the question.

"Three years, passed The Knowledge when I was 22." He looked extremely proud of this accomplishment.

"Is that young?"

"You bet. It takes most five or six years to pass, I started studying right out of secondary school and made it in four."

"Secondary school?" Link hadn't heard that term before.

"That's right, class of '87. You look about the age to be starting yourself. You might be used to the term 'high school' though."

The Inspector frowned. That math didn't add up. For Geoffrey to have graduated in 1887, spent four years studying, and passed two years ago, it would have to be 1891 now. But Link knew full well it was 1893. With how often he had to date his reports it was impossible for him not to.

"You graduated in 1887?" He asked, wandering if maybe the cabbie had misspoken.

To his surprise, Geoffrey started laughing.

"Oi! Do I look a' hundred and twenty-two to you?! Class of 1987." The cabbie said with a grin.

Link's blood ran cold upon hearing the teasing response. Still he had to respond normally, or there would start to be awkward questions.

"Sorry, I misspoke."

"Ha-ha, sure you did munchkin."

The blond muttered a token, "Don't call me that," to keep up appearances before turning back to the window, hoping to end the conversation. Thankfully, Geoffrey didn't ask any more questions, still chuckling to himself occasionally.

1991!? That's- how is that possible!?

Link's eyebrows drew together as he looked out the window at the foreign architecture and clothing.

I, well, I suppose it would explain the differences. Almost a hundred years is a long time. Things would change.

He let his forehead rest on the glass.

But still, a hundred years!? Why? What could Apocryphos gain from this?

The queasiness he had felt earlier had left, leaving only a hallow feeling in his chest, now that he had discovered the full extent of his circumstances.

I hate being right.


The rest of the ride to King's Cross station passed in silence, only being broken upon their arrival.

"Here we are, King's Cross as promised." Geoffrey stated genially.

The station was the first landmark Link had been able to recognize since waking up here, but even it had changed. By now though, he had managed to regain enough of his composure to maintain his act of normality.

"Thank you." He said, climbing out of the cab.

The glass in the window of Geoffrey's door slid down, allowing him to stick his head out.

"No trouble at all. Have fun meeting your cousin by the way, tell 'em I said hello."

"I will," Link said, simply being polite, before getting an idea and adding, "Actually, one more thing, would you happen to know where the nearest library is?"

"Sure, Pancras Square Library isn't even five minutes' walk from here. See that street up ahead?" He pointed straight ahead.

Link nodded.

"That's Pancras Road, turn right an' keep going 'til you hit the next cross street, the library is on that corner."

"Thank you."

The cabbie smiled, giving a lazy two fingered salute, "No problem. Just remember to look both ways before crossing this time," he said laughing, "and wait for the traffic lights."

Link huffed, still somewhat embarrassed at his earlier mistake.

"I'll remember."

"See you later, munchkin!" Geoffrey grinned, before raising the glass in his window again, and pulling back out onto the street.

He's as bad as Lavi. To a nickname, as a dog is to a bone.

Link turned to head towards the train station. If he wasn't crazy and it really was a hundred years in the future, he wouldn't be able to simply take a train back to the Order. He would, however, be needing food and money, which meant he would have to pick up an old habit from his days before CROW.

He would make his way to the library later. It was much easier to not get caught in a busy, crowded area like a train station.

Time to see if his fingers are as quick as they used to be.


Unbeknownst to Link. an hour previous, coinciding exactly with the Inspector's arrival, in a small locked tower of an old castle in the Scottish Highlands, a long, faded quill floated out of its inkpot. The Quill of acceptance floated cautiously towards the Book of Admittance, as if afraid it would slam shut and refuse it entry. The book did not, and so the quill began to write, a name following its strokes in silvery lines and swirls. Once done, the quill floated back to its inkpot, to await the next name.

The name it had written would be found the next day, by one Professor McGonagall, as she gathered the list of chosen students, specifically, the list of those she would have to visit personally.


AN: I almost forgot his switchblades, I had to go back and write them in… oops.

Don't expect chapters of this length to become the norm!It took longer than I thought to include everything I wanted to, and I couldn't find a good place to split it. This length might eventually become a thing, but I'm not ready to commit myself to doing it every time yet. (How the heck did I manage to write 13 ½ pages for one chapter anyways? 0_0)

Apologies for the horrible attempts at accents and "British-speak". With the bartender who gave Link directions, I was trying to use a very watered down version of what Hagrid's accent looked like in the books. Not sure I succeeded.

I don't know why, but every time I come up with a DGM crossover where the DGM characters go to the modern world, I always toss in a scene about them nearly being hit by a car. No idea why.

Also, the reason why Link didn't notice the car, even though he has super special CROW ninja training, is that, firstly, he's used to listening for horse hooves and carriage wheels when crossing the street, not car engines.

Secondly, he's had a bit of a rough time the last few days: Of the people he considers his family, two are now dead, and three are now puppets for their worst enemy. The only person in the world who treats him as though he's a friend, Allen, was locked up, and from Link's point of view, presumably not far away from execution. All of which he feels personally responsible and guilty for (I make this conclusion based off A: he outright says he feels that way about the thirds' fates in Allen's cell. And B: because right before he zoned out in the meeting, he was thinking of Allen saying he wished Link had trusted him more). He didn't even notice his own name being called at first during the meeting, it was affecting him that much.

And not to mention, lastly, he's just been knocked around by Apo-creeper pretty bad and de-aged, his awareness and reflexes are going to be a little dull until he can pull himself together again.

As for why he doesn't start to clue in to the fact that somethings up after seeing it, I blame it on the Order. They have floating elevators and mechs for crying out loud! I'm operating under the assumption that for those working there, the lines between what exists within the Order only, and the outside world's capabilities get a bit muddled sometimes. Next to a Komurin, a car isn't exactly all that unbelievable.

Yes, Link was a pickpocket as a child. At least in my fic.

Thank you to neah20, geme1, and Guest for reviewing, and to neah20, geme1, Twinkles43534,and vanumi-victoria for following. It really means a lot, Thank you.

LeapFroggy out.