Hana: And we're back~ I had so many errands to do, though. AND I had to check for repeated paragraphs...because that's a thing apparently.

Lavi: So many excuses~

Hana: What're you doing here? Where are Allen and Kanda?

Lenalee: We decided to let them take a break here. They went five chapters straight in this area, y'know.

Hana: Huh...okay then.

Lavi: Han-chan, and XavierForest don't own D. Gray-man!

Lenalee: Only the story you guys are reading.

Hana: Uh...happy reading, everyone!

... ... ... ...

+ - Chapter 6 - +

"You look like you got more than finals on your mind." Fou pointed out, as she took note of Allen's notes. Or there lack of for the matter. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Huh?" Allen blinked in confusion, before shaking his head, "Oh, uh, no, nothing you'd be interested in, honest."

"Fou's right, Allen." Lo Fa pointed out. "You're usually more focused."

"More than Shifu here is, little man." Rikei commented, crossing his arms. "I think you're lucky Professor Chan let you off the hook this time."

Shifu nodded, "You sure there's nothing on your mind, Allen?"

"I'm sure!" The youngest in the group pouted. "Uh...that being said...could I trouble any of you for the notes this lecture?"

Fou laughed. "Who are you and what have you done with the shorty?"

Silver eyes narrowed to slits. "You're shorter than me," he reminded the girl.

Instead of getting insulted, the other just smirked. "I'm a girl; I'm supposed to be shorter than you."

"What's Bak's excuse?" Allen asked, crossing his arms. "He's what? In his thirties and barely any taller than I am.

Silence, and then a burst of a laughter. "Damn, that's a good one! I'm gonna use that against him!"

"Glad to be a good source of material? But seriously, can I borrow your notes? Please?"

Fou nearly rolled her eyes as she handed over her notes from the most recent lecture. "Sure, whatever."

"I envy ya though." Rikei sighed. "IF you didn't catch something, you can still go and check with him whenever y'need him."

This time Fou did roll her eyes. "Don't envy me 'cos of Baka Bak."

"What did you see in him?" Allen asked, tucking the notes in his notebook. Seeming stumped, Fou crossed her arms, as she thought that over.

"You know? I have no idea anymore."

. . - * - . .

"Yo! Allen!" Turning to face the oncoming ball of energy, Allen barely had time to dodge his attack. "OW!"

"Lavi, if you're trying to be a ninja, I think you're failing at it."

"It's funny, I said that same exact thing when he saw you walking."

"I'm not surprised, Lenalee." Allen chuckled, greeting his friend. "What brings you two here, exactly?"

"We were finishing up a lunch date...uh, let's just leave it at that..."

"It wasn't that bad, Lena!"

"Sure..." the girl said dubiously.

"So, Moyashi-chan," Lavi began, trying to change the topic. "How was Yu-chan's birthday?"

"It was fine." Allen deadpanned, already knowing Lavi was trying to be his normal prying self. "He liked his present, and that's all I'm telling you of anything."

"No fair."

The Brit shook his head. "Private matters should stay private."

"But I'm your bestest friend!" Lavi whined, latching on to the younger's waist.

"You're also my STRAIGHT friend. Why would you want to hear of anything like that to begin with?"

"You know? I asked that question too." Lenalee sighed. "But I can't come up with an answer for the life of me."

"Right..."

"...and that's for the weather, back to you Miss Anderson." From the corner of his eye, Allen caught sight of a photo of a man.

"Yes, thank you Grant." A woman says, before looking directly to the camera, "Father Marc the pasture of our very own local Church, was found dead by hanging..." A man Allen realized he'd seen in passing. "He was found by his wife, Claire, who told police there must've been foul play. We will keep you updated-"

"That's...Marc?"

"You say something, Al?"

"That man on the News."

"What about him?"

"He's one of the AKUMA who used to work under the NOAH."

Both Lenalee and Lavi went silent.

"How odd..." the boy went on, frowning eyes on the screen. "For an ex-AKUMA to die like that..."

"Um...Allen?" Said male blinked, before looking to his friends, and blushed, scratching the back of his head.

"Ah! Sorry, sorry...um, Father Marc from the church, he was an AKUMA...but he did enjoy helping people more than killing them. For the life of me, I can't say why he even was a part of them."

"You know, I remember when you would've soon rather hide what was troubling ya." Lavi pointed out. "Do we have more trust then?"

"Huh...you're right. I guess you do. We've all been through all of hell and back, after all."

"You know, I feel like I achieived something." Lenalee said, but then looked at the screen, "Do you think it was foul play?"

"I know he was a happy man..." Allen mused... "He had no reason to off himself...there must be someone who had a vendetta against him or something."

"But who? Tyki's in jail, Wisely is...doing something or other...and Neah is..." Lenalee paused, trying to think of the word."

"Uncle Neah is just that. Uncle Neah."

"Fair enough." The couple decided.

"Really though, even if Marc only ever made it to be an AS-1, he shouldn't have been taken out that easily..." Allen mused.

"You gonna tell Yu this information too?" That snapped the younger out of his thoughts.

"No. He's already dealing with this other case. I doubt they're related, and the last thing I want is for him to have more than what he wants to handle at a time."

"Fair enough."

"No it's not!" Lenalee fumed. "Allen, this isn't something you should withhold. It'll only lead to trouble later."

"Well, it's not like we really know much of anything, Lenalee." Allen quickly explained. "Besides, we only just heard about this...I think we should hold off telling my fiancé anything until we know what really happened...what in the?" Another image popped on screen, this time of a woman. "That's Sachiko's friend..."

Then another came up, and another, and another, all Allen recognized as ex-AKUMA.

His tongue felt heavy in his mouth. Oh god... what was going on...?

Seeming to sense that something was up, Lenalee tapped on the boy's shoulder, startling him from his daze. Not wanting to worry them, he gave the woman a bright smile. "Ah, don't worry! I just felt dizzy all of a sudden."

"They're all Ex-AKUMA." Lavi bluntly stated. "That's it, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah..."

Hands at her hips, Lenalee quirked a brow. "Then why didn't you say anything?"

Guiltily, the younger looked away. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it..." And then he ran a hand through his hair. "I'll talk to Wisely and Neah about it when I see them next."

"Aren't ya seeing them later today?" Allen looked at Lavi as though he grew a second head. "Eh...I may have peaked at your phone..."

"LAVI!"

"What? That's what bestest friends do!" The red-head protested in his defense, hands raised.

"No! That's what stalkers do!" Allen shot back grouchily.

"So~ can we come?" Lavi asked, completely ignoring the younger's earlier comment. Knowing there was no way out of it, he agreed to let them come.

. . - * - . .

Allen stood awkwardly at his uncle's front door, Lenalee on his left, Lavi on right, Neah with brows raised.

The eldest then sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "Somehow, I doubt you're here to just pay your dear old uncle Neah a visit."

"Well...that was my original plan..." Allen quickly explained, "But...then I saw the news on the way here..."

"I see. You saw that too." Allen nodded. "I'll give you points for not keeping it from your friends."

"HEY!" He glared to either side of him, his friends having started laughing a little. "May we please come inside now, Uncle Neah?"

"I should warn you, Cross is passed out on Miss Sachiko's couch."

Lenalee blinked, "Cross is here?"

"I bet he failed to pay mortgage."

"Right in the bull's eye." Neah sighed. "Oh~ I have good news though! I've finally found a nice place of my own~"

"Great, now let us in please." Allen sighed. Seriously, why was his uncle forgetting to let them in?

And he just kept changing the subject, too... Well, the people in his family were all a bunch of oddballs, so if he tacked it up to that, he guessed it made some sort of sense.

"I try striking up a conversation, and this is what I get..." Neah sighed, stepping to the side to let the trio in. "Is Kanda working?"

"Yes." Allen said, walking past his uncle. "He should be back tonight though."

"I'm glad you're settling with a wonderful young man." Neah nodded to himself, before gesturing the group to the living room where Cross really was passed out.

"Did he drink himself to sleep or something?" Allen asked, his nose wrinkling at the heavy scent of booze.

"Not...exactly..." Neah cleared his throat. "He was drinking...so I knocked him out for a bit."

"Neah!" The young Brit chastised, secretly pleased with his uncle's actions.

Neah chuckled, "Hey now, aren't we here to talk of the ex-AKUMA?"

"Where's Chomesuke?" Lavi asked, looking around. "Doesn't she need to know too?"

The group blinked, confused. "Uh...Cho...mesuke?" Allen asked.

"You know, the chick that lives here?"

"Sachiko." Neah, Lenalee and Allen all corrected.

Lavi shook his head, confused. "Chomesuke."

"No, no, Lavi, her name's Sakicho, not Chomesuke." Allen tried, but it seemed that wasn't going through the older male's brain.

"Lavi, where do you even get Chomesuke from, exactly?" Lenalee asked. "I can understand 'Moyashi'-"

"HEY!"

"-For Allen, because well...he's shorter than you and all...but where on earth does Chomesuke come from with Sachiko?"

The redhead thought on that for a moment, then shrugged. "Because she always says 'cho', I guess."

"Okay, I get the 'cho' part, but what about "mesuke" part?

Lavi blinked slowly, before shrugging. "No idea."

"Anyway..." Allen said, clearing his throat. "About the ex-AKUMA?"

Scratching the back of his head, Neah stared off into space, frowning slightly. "Being an AKUMA wasn't exactly the best job out there. It'd make sense if someone had a grudge... of if they knew something and the killer is just trying to cover his tracks..."

"We should tell Kanda," Lenalee said firmly.

"Why?" The white-haired Brit sighed, eyes shut. "NOAH is gone, so this is a completely different case with different motives that someone is probably already working on. The killer will be caught, and that'll be that."

"I wonder about that, short stack." Lavi spoke up, a somber note in his tone. "Exactly fourteen faces have shown up on the news screen while we were on our way here."

"Fourteen...?"

"Al, I doubt they know about them all being former AKUMA. The police, I mean. But if this killer held a vendetta against anyone, shouldn't it be the remaining NOAH who still hang around?"

"I never let any AKUMA see my face, so I'm safe. Wisely worked in Intelligence, so he didn't get around to meeting many people, and Neah was presumed dead, so he's good, too."

"There aren't many people with white hair though." Lavi stated, "I'm sure they'd of figured that much out about you as well...and even if they don't put two and two together, then what about Mikk?"

Allen, in all the going-ons had forgotten about Tyki Mikk. The man that had harmed Lavi and whose niece had harmed Lenalee.

Distress was clear in the pale boy's features, white brows narrowed, plump lips downturned at the corners. "I don't... Tyki is... They might try for Tyki, but I doubt he'd go down easy, even if he's still behind bars. He's not the type to join forces with someone like that, either, so we don't have to worry about that."

"You seem sure of yourself." Lavi sarcastically remarked. "Al, you're like that little brother I always wanted, but never got. Even if the guy ain't going after the NOAH, who's to say that maybe...he's trying to catch their attention?"

"But that's like signing your own death warrant." Allen said, "But at the same time, it'd be pointless in doing so. 'Crowned Clown', is dead, Tyki's behind bars, Neah is...uh...Neah-"

"Now hold on there, what do you mean I'm just Neah? How rude!"

"Not...the point..." Allen sighed. "We need to get back on topic. Even if the lunatic is trying to gain the attention of any NOAH still out there, the real question is, why? Most of the Clan is dead, and then there's the rest who no longer have anything to do with them."

"NOAH did have a lot to do with everything in our lives." Lenalee pointed out. "They took Lavi's parents away, forced you into becoming Crowned Clown, and nearly stole away my legs."

Allen bit his lower lip. He really doubted that this person -he thought it a little stupid to only assume that there was one, but he'd do so for now- was after NOAH. "For now, we'll do nothing and see what happens. We don't exactly know what's really going on, anyway. There could've been discord amongst the ranks back when NOAH was still around, or maybe there's an ex-AKUMA out there going around killing the rest of them. Besides, we don't want to go getting ourselves involved in something this messy when we could have avoided it completely."

"That doesn't make it scarier, cho." Sachiko said, as she entered the room. "When I...uh, 'retired', I was a two. Almost a three, cho."

"You heard all that?" Neah asked. Sachiko nodded. "So I guess news of your friend hit you hard."

"We were like sisters, cho..."

"There are...uh, were four AKUMA I knew in this area...there's you, Marc, Eli-" Silver eyes widened, as he rushed out.

"Uh..."

"No, no..." Neah sighed. "Don't ask."

"Wait..." Lavi's single eye went wide with realization. "Did he say 'four'? Who's the fourth?"

. . - * - . .

Allen was running, heart beating loudly against his chest, only hoping he made it in time.

"What do you think you're doing here?" An unmistakable woman's voice sounded from the shop. "Get out! You're not welcome here!"

"ELIADE!" Allen called out, racing towards the Antique shop.

"Kuso!" A man's voice cursed as he neared. Allen knew enough Japanese to know it was one. A cloaked figure dashed out of the shop, just as Allen got to the door. He caught a glimpse of something on the man's arm, but was unable to fully register it as he hurried to check on Eliade and Krory.

"Eliade, are you and Krory alright?"" He asked, the moment he got there.

"I'm fine." Eliade said, "A little shaken, but I'm fine nonetheless. Arystar isn't here, he'd left to run some errands, and that man came in about twenty minutes after he left."

Allen sighed in relief, letting his eyes trail over the woman. She most certainly wasn't shaken, as she'd just said, but he couldn't blame her for trying to keep up with the charade that she was just a normal person and not an ex-AKUMA.

He couldn't just come out and let her know that he knew, either. That would raise too many questions.

"That being said, what are you doing here?"

The boy smiled, hiding his worry. "I heard shouting and came over as fast as I could."

"Try again." Eliade grumbled.

"Pardon?"

"I said try again. I can tell you were running a while. You were in quite a rush. The odds of you being here in that state and that guy coming by? A little too convenient if you ask me."

Paling, the younger of the two stilled. "I... I just... be careful from now on..."

Eliade stepped back, automatically suspicious. "Why?"

Wetting his lip, Allen looked away. "AKUMA..." The woman's eyes went wide. "They're being targeted. Don't ask me why, and don't ask how I know you were one... just... watch your back."

"I see." Eliade stated. "You know, women have a way of finding things out. Don't think too lightly of us, kid."

The Brit backed away, sweating slightly. "W-well I can see that you're fine, so I'll just be on my way!"

And with that, Allen ran from the store like the devil was on his heels. Women were scary, he realized, knowing that he should have figured it out sooner, especially after knowing Lenalee.

( * * )

"OMPF! What in the-Allen?"

On the floor, and in shock from falling on his rear, silver eyes looked where he first heard the voice, only to be seeing not one, but two familiar faces. "Jean? Leo?" the two boys grinned, having been remembered by the British male.

"Wow! You're not as much a midget as you used to be!"

"Hey! I'm still taller than both of you twerps!"

"You sure about that? I think we're catching up now, right Jean?"

"Yeah!" Jean grinned, fixing his aviator's hat. "Last time I was like twelve, now I'm sixteen! Seriously though, why were you running? You steal some poor sap's money again?"

"You mean cheated them out of their money?"

"Hey, it's only cheating if you're caught, and I'll have you know, I've never been caught, so I've never cheated. That they can prove anyway." The two boys could almost see the devil's horns sprouting from his head of white hair. He was cackling enough for it. "Hey, that reminds me, what are you two doing here?"

"You have to answer our question first," Jean teased.

"Huh? O-oh... um... I was running from... a woman... because she scares me..." The boy hesitantly admitted, glancing around himself to make sure he hadn't been followed. And, thankfully, he hadn't.

"You mean that Eliade chick, right? Right? No one's scarier than she is!" Jean exclaimed. "I only met her last week, but boy! She's a real scary lady!"

"Her husband's even scarier..." Leo muttered. "We sure he's not a real vampire?"

"I'm pretty sure." All three blinked, and looked before finding a bemused older male with a white streak in his black hair. "But my family has come from Romania, so who knows? Perhaps there's some truth in there somewhere."

"Ah! Krory!" Of all people, how did he not notice Krory's presence? Allen wondered to himself. Was he really losing his touch?

"Allen, nice to see you again. And I see you've found those two troublemakers."

Chuckling in embarrassment, Leo and Jean both scratched the back of their heads.

The black-and-white haired man turned to Allen. "It's been a while, what were you doing all the way out here?"

"Oh!" Flashing the elder a grin, the youth nodded in the direction of where he'd just come from. "I just had to talk to Eliade about something important."

"What could've been so important?"

"We were causing Miss Eliade trouble again is all! Allen just came by when we were making our getaway." Leo smoothly lied. "When she said she called someone to take care of us, we didn't think it'd be a beansprout!"

"Again, I'm taller than you!"

"Yeah, but we're still growing," Jean snickered, earning a glare from the Brit. "You're gonna be short forever."

"Actually, men will continue to grow until...I believe their early twenties." Krory pointed out.

"HA! I won't be short forever!"

"You totally called yourself short." The boys pointed out.

Allen's face fell. "Oh..."

"And aren't you nearly twenty?" Leo asked cheekily. "I don't think you'll be getting any taller."

"Th-there's still time!" Allen tried, mostly to convince himself.

"I believe you have until your...mm, I believe it was twenty-one to twenty-four...around there, perhaps?"

"You know, if you turn out wrong, he might swindle you out of the clothes on your back." Jean mentioned. "I've seen it happen with this bunch of hobos."

"No mercy for the homeless." Leo agreed.

"That was one time!"

"And the guy has never been seen again." Jean added, putting in his two cents.

"I didn't mean for it to go that far!"

"But it did," Leo sighed, shaking his head. "Such cruelty."

Krory crossed his arms, no longer understanding the conversation. "I should be going back. Eliade is expecting me, after all."

"Man, how you land a chick like that is beyond my understanding." Jean said. "Seriously, you're like all timid and scary-looking, she's like...a freaking model or something."

"I was under the impression you'd say goddess, Jean." Leo mentioned. Jean merely shrugged. "Well, either way, Jean's old man's expecting us back anyway."

"AH! WE TOTALLY FOROGT THE GROCIERIES!" Leo paled at his friend's outburst. "BYE ALLEN! NICE SEEING YA AGAIN1 BYE MR. KRORY!"

Allen and Krory watched with boy bemusement and confusion respectfully as the two ran off. "Well...that was..."

"Interesting? I guess so. But to forget groceries? That's a first." Allen mused.

"No, they've done it before..." The eldest mused, eyes on the white-haired youth beside him. "Well, I suppose I'll be seeing you."

"Oh, yeah...I think I might have to explain to my friends...and uncle...of the sudden ditching of them for a bit..."

"Allen Walker ditching his friends?"

"Don't you have a woman waiting for you?" Allen internally winced realizing that was something Cross would say. Damn bastard...Krory just smiled, not catching the boy's internal struggle, and waved him a good day.

. . - * - . .

"ALLEN WALKER, WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT?!" Lenalee was furious, as she shouted into the phone. Lavi could imagine Allen holding the phone at arm's length.

"What do you mean 'you had something important to do'?! Do you realize how worried we were?!"

Yes, the boy would definitely be holding the phone far from his ear. At least, that's what Lavi would have done.

As it was now, he felt like covering his ears as the girl continued to yell into the speaker about how stupid Allen was for not telling them where he was going and how he could have been hurt.

As it was, it was already amazing how Cross was staying asleep through all this...did Neah really only knock him out? Sachiko held out earmuffs for the red-head, and he gladly took them, sighing contently when his girlfriend's shouting had been muffled, if not muted.

'I really wish she didn't have to yell, cho', Lavi lip read. He nodded in agreement.

'But that's just Allen for ya.'

'I suppose.'

Something wacked him over the head, and Lavi found himself looking down into glowering violet eyes. Ah, she was still angry, the red-head realized dejectedly. This was going to be painful.

. . - * - . .

After being scolded for the past ten minutes, Allen was glad to have it all over. However, he winced when he heard Lenalee's voice from all the way down the street. Lavi must have done something...

... ... ... ...

Well, that's that~ If ya like what you're reading, then please, show this story some love! R&R and next week might get here sooner...maybe not. A week is still a week, after all...

Alright then...see ya guys in the next chapter! :D