DGM Reverse Novel 2

Chapter 3: The Black Order’s Party

translated by DGrayCHARA@deviantart

Part 1

A blue sky such as today, the open sea was seen outside a window. The tall man who had the refreshing smile that is good for such a day, is alone and walks along a corridor. He is Komui Lee, 29 years old, who stick to an important job, a general manager of a religious community of the time. Of course he had the ability that was good for it, but was also a troublemaker of one of a kind.

"Good morning everyone" Komui opened a door and looked around inside.

He catches sight of approximately 10 people of the scientific members. But not one person answered Komui's greeting, as if he isn't the boss at all. But of course because nobody answered, the desks were all pitiful. Everybody was all deep asleep on the floor. A color is dark, and fatigue is left in all faces and does not seem it is the number, and to get up.

"Well, of course...they had been working for non-stop for 5days in a row now..."

Komui, who was the only one with a refreshing expression, walked slowly and carefully towards his desk while being careful not to step on a member who slept on the floor. Then suddenly, as he was walking past the sleeping people, one person had grabbed the hem of Komui's uniform from the ground.

Komui who was shocked, looked down at the person with his hands up.

"H-hey, Reever hanchou" he greeted looking down at the scientific group: hanchou (group-leader)

Reever Wenhamm, who lay at full length on the floor who looked up to Komui with eyes full of tiredness and suspicion. His eyes sunk, along with his sunken cheeks, and a stubbly beard of an exhausted man.

Komui cannot help feeling pity at the figure looking older than age of 26 years old.

"Shitsuchou~(general manager), where had you been?"

Komui smiled warmly at Reever who had eyes full of jealousy, suspicion, and curseful eyes.

"Why doing my job of course. I was in my command moduling room all the time"

"Last night, somebody said they saw you at the big bath house"

Komui's cheek twitched a little.

"I think they were mistaken by another person~"

"You must've tried to disguise as someone else but they said you were just wearing an afro"

Komui looked away as if running away from Reever's curseful eyes.

"What is the meaing of this..."started Reever but as if he lost all his strength, Reever fell to the floor again and fell asleep.This time Komui walked away more quietly and carefully, not walking anyone up as Komui thought,  Next time, I'll have to be more careful…

His face didn't not reflect any shame or regret.

The mountain pile of paper work reflected his eyes as he was walking towards his desk. He was about to turn his back on it and go somewhere else when he suddenly dashed towards his desk. The print that reflected Komui's eyes. It was 'Lenalee’ – yes, his dearest,loving little sister's name. Komui took into his hands, the magazine which imprinted Lenalee's name that was on top of the mountain pile of paper work.

"What's this?"

The magazine-newspaper-ish thing had imprinted words 'Kyoudan Hou' (religious community report. kyoudan=from kuro no kyoudan-the black building where some exorcists call 'home')

"Oh, yeah...."

Komui brought back his memories from a little while ago. Johnny and the others had said something like they were going to report about the Kyoudan for a monthly magazine. If it doesn't fill too much of the details of the Kyoudan, Komui had gaven permission to them.

This one must've been the very first magazine they had made.

Lenalee's name was printed in the 'Pick Up! This month's member of the Kyoudan' corner.

It seems to be that there was a purpose of introducing each member of the Kyoudan each time.

Come to think of it, just a while ago, Lenalee had told me she was interviewed. Was Lenalee chosen as the first member for introducing the religious community report? Well, Lenalee is like an idol of the religious community so of course she will be first to be interviewed.

Komui had a smile with full of satisfaction and took a look at the entry briefly.

'A cute member, of the series of overwork'.

'The bedrooms are full day after day'.

'Words from a medical group, "Shanghai party reports from an Asian branch office"-.'

This attracted Komui's attention, and which had withdrawn Komui's smile.

"Wh-What is this-!!" The exclamation of Komui did not disturb happiness or unhappiness of the scientific group in their deep sleep. Komui crushed the religious community report in his hands.

"I cannot leave this situation unsolved"

Then, Komui's face turned to a face expression as if he was up to something – something secret as he left that place quietly.

*

A boy with white hair walked along the large corridor of the Kyoudan boredly, as if nothing to do and was just walking around. Probably because of the colour of his hair and eyes, he looked vain.

The name of this boy is Allen Walker. In spite of being young at the age of 15 years old, he was one of the exorcists of the religious community. The deep sorrow that did not balance with age appeared on the face.

"Hey, Allen. Have you seen this advertisement poster,sa?"

(Ryui: The 'sa' Lavi says, is just a habit which he often uses after each of his sentence)

The person who came over to talk to Allen was a red-haired guy with an eye patch.He had a really warm expression unlike Allen. Walking swift with quick, smart movement.Many wouldn't be able to hesitate following his heartedly figure with their eyes.Allen, who got asked a question by Lavi – who was glittering his uncovered eye –shook his head.

"What is the advertisement about?"

"This evening there's going to be a 'Kyoudan membership party',sa"

"He-ehh....."

(Ryui: Me again. 'He-' is when someone says 'I see' or 'uh,huh' or hmmmm...' ...along those lines in Japanese. And it's pronounced 'he-eh---')

"What's wrong,sa, Allen. You seem a bit dark..."

Just then, in a coincidence, Komui walked past. When his Allen met his eyes with him, Komui smiled and went closer to Allen.

"Hey, Allen-kun. Of course you are coming to this party as well, right?"

"What are we doing at the party?"

"You to start as a new exorcist, lots of new exorcist came to this Kyoudan, right? So this is a chance where other people can meet other members of this Kyoudan because normally you don't often meet them. And recently, there has been so much work going non-stop so it's sort of like a break time for them. At the party, we will be having games. There will also be a prize for the winner so good luck!"

Komui looked really happy and walked away with his hands loaded with the advertisement posters.

"Komui-san seems really excited about this"

Looking at Komui's back – who walked off without making much footstep sounds – Allen sighed deeply.

"He does some really random things all so suddenly, but it sounds fun,sa"

"I wonder what the prize will be. I personally hope that it will be money"

Allen's face was really determined.

"Wow, that's a really vivid remark,sa! Do you have something you want?"

".....Cross shisho's (Ryui: 'shisho' means 'teacher' in Japanese to those of you who don't know. Normally, school teachers are called 'sensei' but teachers who are sort of like 'tutors' are called 'shisho') debt fuss has all been coming up again. And somehow, I'm the one who has to pay"

Allen's dark eyes suddenly changed direction to a different direction.

Cross shisho is the life-saving person who directed Allen which path he should be going.

But he was also a person who would borrow a lot of money from lots of people and leaves all the payment debt and every other troublesome things for Allen to solve and pay.

"Well, it is not very suprising though because I have already had quite a few experience of this," Allen said in somewhat despair.

Lavi patted Allen's shoulder as if for comfort.

"Well, I do not mind if the prize is something which can be sold for a high price"

Allen had pulled a dark smile across his face.

"H-hey! You're becoming the 'Black Allen'!"

(Ryui: If you don't know the 'Black Allen' or should I say 'Evil Allen'? Then see D.Grayman Vol.5 Chapter 42, page 101. (Sorry to those who have only seen the anime because I don't know which one it is...It might not even be on the anime... but if someone knows, please, do tell me!)

"Fufu...(Ryui: 'Fufu...' is *evil laugh* but dark. Not like Mwahahahahhha!!! But like Naraku saying 'kukuku' (to those who know Inuyasha...)Do you wish for me to give you an idea of how much dept he has?"

"Wah---! Allen's broken (Japanese idiom)! Let's change directions of your emotion, sa! We're going to a fum party,sa! Right?"

Lavi pulled along Allen who was still snickering evily.

Allen let out a gasp of amazememnt out loud by accident when they arrived at the party.

"Wow..."

The place was so high, it was almost impossible to see the ceiling and was so huge that it seemed endless.

And in that room, there were so many Kyoudan people -that you couldn't count how may there were- who were all squashed up and the hot air made by these people made Allen feel dizzy.

"So many people are here"

"It really is spectacular,sa. Hey, Jijee (Ryui: Jijee means grandad or old brute and this Lavi is actually indicating 'Bookman' as an old brute) is here already"

Lavi found his shisho, Bookman very quickly.

A person who is only about 140cm tall isn't suprising to get lost in a huge crowd and also not easy to be found by someone but Lavi found him ever so easily.

He might have unknown special ability hidden in him which makes him even more anonymous than he is now.

"Oh, Miranda-san!"

When Allen called, the lady who had black hair -and looked worryful- looked around to the voice.

She was also an exorcist, Miranda Lotto.

She had worn balck clothes with hunched shoulders and was looking worryful as if she looked like a weakful witch.

"Oh...I'm glad. There are so many people I didn't know and I didn't know what to do"

"There are many people here, aren't there. I don not know most of these people either"

Allen looked around the whole crowd full of Kyoudan people.

"Hey, Kuro-chan's here too,sa' Lavi said aloud, excitedly.

(Ryui: In Japanese 'kuro' means 'black' so Lavi's actually calling Krory 'blacky' because his name said in Japanese sounds similar to 'black'.(Krory= Ku-rohh-ri-))

Arystar Krory had one bundle of hair sticking out.

He wore black clothes like always and was looking about excitedly as if he was having fun.

First thought in first appearance, he might have cold eyes and look pretty scarybut he can be really excited and act like a child which can be pretty cute.

Suddenly, Allen felt a bump on his shoulder which shocked him.

"Oh, sor-"

When Allen turned around, he saw Yu Kanda with his sullen face.

Very sharp black eyes which reflectslight, black-long hair tide in one like always. And on his waist, he had a sword --Mugen--.

He wears his exorcist uniform and seems all simple with a normal, fine face which never showed a smile and his coldness never changed.

"Don't just stand there unaware like an idiot, Moyashi"

(Ryui: You should all know by now that 'moyashi' means 'beansprout' and thats what Kanda calls Allen, probably because of his white hair.)

After saying these words, Kanda turned his back on Allen.

---He is always such a rude person. He is the one who had bumped into me.

Allen had the urge to pull that black-fine hair of Kanda's really hard.

Kanda is so cold-hearted.

Kanda made his way through the crowd, swaying a little.

It looked as though he was a bit drunk.

(Ryui: He is drunk!! >///<

"Huh? Isn't that Kanda? It's suprising to see him here," Allen heard somebody say and looked over.

It was a finder who was speaking to another.

"Just before, Komui had made kanda drink sake or medicine-ish suspicious thing"

( Ryui: Sake is a Japanese rice wine)

"...I see"

Allen looked towards Kanda's behind along with the other two finders.

Kanda -who was swaying- had hit his head on a wall pretty hard.

---Oh, well.

Allen looked away from Kanda's back figure.

"Hey, Allen"

"Reever-san"

Reever -the group leader of the scientific member- came over to Allen from the crowd.

Part 2

"This party is very lively isn't it. Does a Kyoudan party this big occur often?"

"No, just Komui's thing to get out of boredom. He set up and planned this party all by himself last night. He even said he didn't need any help which is unusual"

"Oh,and he had said something like the Kyoudan members were having a pretty hard time recently. I guess he thinks it is his responsibility to think for the Kyoudan members and give usa break time for a change"

"...Thinking for us. Would you think he will take this much time and fuss just to organise us a break time party?"

"Huh?"

"I hope I'm only just thinking too much..."

Once Reever put his hand to his beard, he sighed deeply.

Reever smiled to Allen who had a worried look across his face.

"My bad. I just said something weird"

"Yeah, yeah. It's just a party so let's just have fun,sa!"

Reever nodded at Lavi's comment.

"Yes, that's right. Well, I'll see you guys later"

After Reever raised a hand up lightly, he went back to the group of scientific members.

Then, the stage light -which had been sent up- lit.

The two who were standing in the light beam was a man with a microphone in his hand and a slim cute girl.

Both black hair with an asian face.

The tow sibling of Komui and Lenalee.

Komui looks around happily.

"You all made it here~. Okay, we will now officialy open this 'Kyoudan party'! I,Komui is the organise, and my assisstant here, will be Lenalee"

Everybody started a hesitating clap of confusion.

"So then, the first thing we'll be do is give a toast. Everyone, good work! to the Kyoudan members! Kanpa-i!"

The Kyoudan members took the glasses from the table which was ready and they drank up.

"So, it might be quite a rush, but we will start the first game. The winner will get a prize!"

The spotlight turned on to the middle of the stage.

There, in the middle, was a huge box which Komui might be able to go in it completely.

Many raised their voice in amazement.

"What is that!"

"Huge-!"

"You'll see what's in it later!"

Komui smiles heartedly.

"Komui shitsuchou, he seems really on a high..."

"Yeah, it seems a bit suspicious"

The scientific members of the Kyoudan looked up at Komui -who seemed like he was about to dance any moment now- worryfully.

"Now I will explain the game. First, we will have everybody involved in this game which only the people survive will keep going to the next stage and the others will be eliminated. The first round will be an 'Eating Competition'! Everybody, be seated anywhere you like!"

From the order of Komui, the Kyoudan members seated themselves along the table which was set up.

Allen sat in the middle of the room with Lavi.

"Eating competition~. This will be easy"

"Yes, it is"

Allen nodded at Lavi's words.

Allen, who had a 'Kisei' type innocence, eats 10 times more than a normal person easily.

(Ryui: You guys should know innocence by now so I'm not going to explain, but 'Kisei' type is a type of innocence which is part of your body. So Allen's is a 'Kisei' type and Kanda's is a 'Soubi' type because it is an object, not part of his body)

"An eating competition!? Why do I have to do such an unwell-mannered game like this!"

A loud voice which Allen had heard before.

Allen turned his head around.

Behind his table, Bak Chang  from the Asian manager of the branch office.

Many started looking towards his way.

A slim guy whos appearance seems slender.

Actually, he had some talent in him and his family social standing was pretty good as well.

But since he doesn't seem like a son of a rich family, many of the Kyoudan members tease him for being cute.

"Oh, Bak office manager was here too"

"He sometimes gets himself involved in these kind of things"

"He gets pretty lonely sometimes, so"

The Kyoudan people murmured among themselves.

Bak slowly raised himself and gave a cold stare to Komui on stage.

"I demand change of game!" Bak protested, pointing at Komui who ignored Bak's cold stare.

Komui just kept a warm smile and looked about to the Kyoudan people.

"Everybody is seated now. The time given is 30 minutes and your job is to finish eating by that time to get to the second stage"

"You ignore me!? You dear ignore ore-sama, Komui!?"

(Ryui: 'ore-sama' is when somebody says 'I' or 'me' but raising yourself up and looking down on others. In Japan, all Japanese people put themselves down to respect people and not much people raises themselves up. '-sama' is used to people you respect very highly like 'kami-sama' which means God just like when we put a capital letter for 'God'. Raising yourself isn't a natural thing you normally do and not much people do it but some odds do it like Bak.)

The Asian group members held Bak who was shouting aloud.

"Retire is an option but there will be a X game (batsu-game) so try your best in this game! By the way, if you stop your hand movement for more than a minute, it will be notified as retirement. The helpers are the chefs!"

(Ryui: X game is when you lose or retire from a game and get a punishement type thing. It can be very painful... (--'') Japanese people do it a lot when the play together. Even just for paper, scissors, rock!! >< )

"Eat lost everyone!"

Jeryy and the cooking staffs started putting out plates cheerfully. On the plate, there was a silver lid on it and the insde was still a mystery.

"Komuiiiii, listen to ore-sama~!!"

Won tries very hard to calm Bak who was behaving violently.

"Really! When ore-sama had my party at the sea, we had a -"

The members muffled Bak's words who was still trying to complain.

What had been brought, was a huge plate as big as a wheel of a horse-carriage and the silver lid was so huge that one adult would only just be able to hold it.

"Wow, I wonder what it is. I'm so excited,sa!!"

Lavi glittered his eye and looked longingly at the plates which was laid on the table.

"Hh. What a waste of time. Why do I have to do this," Kanda said in a miled tone beside Lavi.

Kanda's cheeks had turned slightly pink and his eyes looked a little tearful and unfocused.

Just as expected, Kanda seemed he had alcohol inside his body.

"Yu, don't start complaining before the game has even started. It's indecent,sa"

While hiccuping, Kanda looked past Lavi towards Allen's direction and glared.

"I won't lose, especially to that moyashi over there!"

Allen glared directly back at Kanda.

"I do not plan to lose either, to a person like you who is grown up but has too much likes and dislikes and is selfish like a small child!"

"What did you say!?"

Lavi tapped Kanda -who had his hand on Mugen- lightly to calm him down.

"Oooh, scary,scary Yu. Now,now. Let's calm down,sa. Your win or lose match can continue in the eating competition"

By Lavi's word, Allen and Kanda both looked away from each other's glare.

Miranda, who was sitting in front of Allen, sat straight and was looking nervous.

"This is the first time I've ever contributed in an eating contest......"

Nobody had ever even invited Mirand to a party before. She seemed nervous and she had gripped her shivering hand, hard.

The table next to them, was some of the members of the scientific group who looked at each other while waiting.

"X game?.... I have a bad feeling about that"

"Well, its Komui who's set this up... you won't know what he'll do to us. Let's eat as if our lives are counted on it!"

Every scientific member nodded deeply.

Komui -who didn't know his men were saying such things about him- held up his microphone.

"Okay then! This is 'Russian cream'! (Custard cream/eclaire) Everybody, take you plates! Start!"

To Komui's words, everybody opened their silver foil to reveal the food.

And on there, was a mountain pile of shew chou-cream.

There was about 50 Chou a la creme (Pronounciation in Japanase: Chou cream=shuu kuri-mu), each about the size of a fist.

"Wha-what is this!" many shouted out loud.

In the cries of the Kyoudan members, Allen and Lavi just stared at the chou-cream without any amazement of shock.

"Which part of this Russian chou-cream is Russian?"

"By the looks of it, it looks like a normal chou-cream,sa"

Allen and Lavi titled their heads side ways in confusion but nevertheless reached over to get the very first chou-cream of their own from the top of the pile.

As if answering their question, Komui started explaining.

"Russian chou-cream is meaning Russian roulette chou cream. Most is normal chou-cream but some might have unusual things contained inside!"

The Kyoudan people started murmuring loudly.

"Russian roulette? I hope it has something you can actually eat..."

Ignoring the Kyoudan people's murmur, Krory glittered his eyes towards his chou-cream.

A food he hasn't seen before.

Kyory's heart leaped with excitement as he took his first chou-cream.

Slowly and hesitantly he took his first bite, and the sweet cream melted on his tongue.

"It's delicious, de aru!"

(Ryui: Like Lavi, Krory has a habit of saying 'aru' or 'de aru' at the end of his sentence (except when he is raging) and it sorta means 'it' or 'it is' ^^'')

Looking at Krory's glittering eyes, the Kyoudan members started to take their first chou-cream.

Krory got shocked from the suddness of the man of the Kyouda member sitting next to him when he suddenly shot his hand up.

"Um-,I, sort of have a stomach ulcer so its hard for me to eat"

"Um-,so, you are wanting to retire?"

"Yes"

Komui smiled brightly.

"Then, X game!"

Komui pressed the button which was before him.

The floor underneath the Kyoudan man opened and the man -along with the chair- fell down.

"Wahhhhh-!!" (Ahhhh!)

His shout gets quieter and quieter.

Suddenly, everybody stopped their movement.

Krory also looked down at the hole where the member disappeared to.

The black hole seemed very deep and was unable to see anything.

After a while, from below, a scream was heard from that member who had fallen.

"Wahh-,what is this! Gyaaaah!"

There were sounds of splashing water, and an unknown living 'thing' growled, and then silence.

"So, that's what happens. Everybody, try you best not to retire~"

Komui who held the microphone, smiled brightly.

"Wha-what is this trap door-!"

"What's down there, another experiment of Komui's!?"

A the people murmured, Komui glanced at his watch.

"Now, there's only 28 more minutes to go~"

Everybody started to eat furiously at top speed.

Part 3

"Aah-, I can't eat all of this!"

As one of the Kyoudan member shouted this out loud, another tried to dash to the exit door.

Komui pressed another button. At that second, the shutter of the door moved.

In front of the Kyoudan members, a really thick metal shutter fell to the door making a loud noise.

"Until the game finishes, nobody can run away from this room"

Komui's eyes were serious.

Everybody quitened down and ate furiously with face expressions like soldiers at war.

------- which part of this a Kyoudan party?

Many of the people here would have thought that.

But nobody deared to ask out loud.

The room felt as if the night wind blew through the darkness, and in that, Lavi tried to speak up brightly.

"Let's have more fun when we eat,sa!"

But Lavi only recieved glares from the people around him.

"Right, panda jijee?"

Lavi, who panicked, spoke to Bookman for support who was sitting in front of Lavi

Bookman has black markings around his eyes.

Indeed he does look like a panda.

The only person who says his name like that was this old man's student -Lavi- only.

Everybody knew the outcome of when Lavi calls him that and everybody was looking to see it happen.

But Bookman gave no reaction whatsoever.

"Huh? What's wrong,sa, jijee?"

(Ryui: As some of you have already realised, jijee means grandpa)

The second Lavi said that, Bookman's head hung down to the table like a Marionette (stringed puppet) which got its strings cut off.

From his hand which had no strength in it left, came out a chou cream.

"Wh,what!?"

"Poison?"

The Kyoudan members stood up with a cold chill running down their spine.

If it was Komui, he really might've done it!

All the members nearby thought that.

Not one of the members trusted Komui.

"Oh, come on-,I haven't put any poison-! Everybody's thinking to seriously~"

Everybody's spine was chilling with coldness again as they looked towards Komui who had a twisted smile.

Lavi then looked at the Bookman's chou cream and shouted.

"Oh....right, banana,sa!"

Allen looked at the chou cream beside Bookman's hand. The half eaten chou cream had a half eaten banana.

"What is wrong about the banana?"

Lavi nods towards Allen's question.

"Bookman can't eat bananas,sa!"

"Bookman, disqualified~"

The floor opened up and Bookman fell down.

"A-a, jijee, he got disqualified so quickly when he's supposed to be the history recorder. Too bad. I'll have to fight and win this game---"

As Lavi put his own chou cream into his mouth, his face turned pale.

"Bwhou!!"

As Lavi made a weird noise, Lavi leaned against the table for support.

Again, all members stopped and became dead silent.

"Wh,what!?"

"Is this time really poison!?"

"I'm telling you, I haven't put any poison!!"

Komui shouts again but nobody even cares to look his way.

"Wh,what is wrong, Lavi?"

"Auuuuuu....."

Lavi pointed his shaking fingers towards his chou cream.

"I-inside there's wasabi....."

"Huh!?"

Like he said, the green colour was visible from his chou cream.

"I can't eat.....wasabi,sa"

Perhaps from the stinging sensation from the large amount of wasabi, Lavi wiped his tears and was sniffing from his runny nose.

"O-h, wasabi"

"Scaring us for nothing"

The members' voice was cold. Everybody was all scared to death by this situation where life was depending on, and their hears all sunk low.

Lavi grabbed hold of Allen's shoulder.

"Uu, Allen~, the tears won't stop,sa! By a lot of meaning!"

"A, hey, do not wipe your tears on my clothes!"

"*sniff*"

"Uwaaaahh, do not blow your nose on me, please!"

Panicking, Allen pushed away Lavi with both his hands. Lavi lands his head on the next table beside them.

"You're mean,sa, Allen....."

"I-I apologize"

Feeling sorry for Lavi who was still wiping his tears, Allen took his first bite into his chou cream.

"!!"

"Wh-whats wrong,sa, Allen! Trying to sound like 'The cry of a Munch'!?"

(Ryui: ....don't ask)

"I am not!"

Allen's face was drifty as he put his hand to his mouth.

"Th-the smell of alcohol...."

"Heh? Oh, a liquor contained bonbon was in it"

(Ryui: Bonbon is sweet/lolly in French, so French liquor sweet was in Allen-kun's chou cream)

Lavi leaned towards Allen's chou cream and his face became dreamy from the smell of liquor.

Allen's face was scrunched up as if he ate umeboshi.

(Ryui: umeboshi is 'dragon eye'. People who don't know dragon eye, its a sour plum which Japanese people eat a lot. I think it originated from China.)

"Ah, Allen, you can't drink alcohol,sa!"

"Yes...because of having a trauma...."

Having guts, Allen once ate Cross shisho's liquor sweet before. After that was so terrible that Allen hates to even mention it------ If he remembers about that incident, even now he still feels as if his heart is tightened with a rope and his stomach feels really heavy.

Lavi looked around, then whispered to Allen.

"I can eat that chou cream,sa"

Lavi nodded towards Allen who looked at lavi suprised.

"I'll attract attention towards myself, so in that time, swap your plate with mine,sa!"

"I understand!"

--------------For now let us pair up together and clear this stage!

Allen and Lavi paired up.

Lavi looked beside him. And beside him, was Yu Kanda. In a different meaning, he was similar to Komui. Many were afraid of Kanda.

"Yu, did you know,sa? Chou cream is best eaten like this,sa"

As he took the sauce which was on the table, Lavi put a whole heap of sauce on top of Kanda's chou cream.

The sauce slowly dyed brown from the pile of sauce.

The atmosphere froze. Every single person stopped their movement of their hands and was waiting to see Kanda explode.

Kanda glared at Lavi. The death glare which everybody had seem before.

"Oh? Do you have somethingto say,sa?"

"Not really"

Kanda just kept eating without changing the slightest of face expression. His grip on his fork was unstable.

His head was swaying foward and sideways as if he was about to fall asleep anu moment now.

--------Huh? He was supposed to get angry now.

Lavi felt defeated from his failure of succession because he had a different outcome from his plan.

Kanda just kept eating the over-sauced cho cream without the slightest change of his face colour.

-------Uwaaa-h, the plan failed,sa! He was supposed to explode with madness at this point! What should I do? Should I just punch him without any reason?

As Lavi was thinking, the tea pot reached Allen's table.

"Oh, I will pour the tea"

Allen poured each person's cup who was sitting at their table with care.

When Allen was about to pour Kanda's cup, by a weird timing, Kanda randomly picked up his cup.

As the tea had nowhere to go, it split on the table.

"What are you doing, Moyashi!"

Kanda wiped offf his clothes where tea had splattered and he stood up.

He stood straight up and glared at Allen and didn't look like a person who was drunk with alcohol.

"It is because I was trying to pour tea for you but you suddenly pucked up your cup, is it not!?"

"Who asked you to pour my tea? In which hour,which minute, which second!?"

Kanda shouted at the shouting Allen as if he was biting him furiously.

"Stopping saying things like a small child would!!"

Allen and Kanda glared at each other. Neither of them seemed to look as though they were going to stop the fight and apologise.

Kanda pulled out his Mugen without another word.

Allen slowly raised his left hand.

The members all started to panick.

-----Their not really intending to activate their innocence here are they?

-----It's these two. It won't be a suprise if they did!

Kanda and Allen also didn't have any trust from the members.

All members knowing what was going to happen, they gulped and just looked at the two figure for any movements.

"Hey! What are you doing!"

Lenalee's voice rang like a bell from the stage.

She put her hands to her hips and glared at the two and everbody's face expression softened by the pretty girl wearing a miniskirt.

Even if she's angry, she was very cute.

"This is just a welcoming party so no fighting. Stop it, both of you!"

By her words, hesitantly Kanda put back his Mugen into his sheath, and Allen lowered his hand.

Everybody sighed at the cute Lenalee.

"Lenalee is so awesome....."

"No wonder"

"Lenalee-,bravo-!!"

Many great words were called to Lenalee for stopping the fight.

She seemed as if to be an idol a concert.

The tension and pressure seemed to become weired and was subsiding from the members.

Lenalee seemed to look really embarrased at the person who was punching the air next to her saying 'Lenalee,you're the best!!' which was definately and obviously Komui.

Lavi, who was sitting next to Lavi, whispered to Allen.

"Allen, well done!"

"Eh?"

"You attracted attention for me so I was able to swap the plates easily,sa!"

"It was not on purpose though....."

"From now on when we need to make Yu angry, we should use Allen!"

".... it is troublesome to other people so please do not. I beg you!"

As Allen stopped Lavi's intention, he started eating his wasabi chou cream.

It stung Allen's eyes a little but the chou cream was sweet so it wasn't impossible to eat.

"This has quite a large amount of volume doesn't it? I do not think ladies will be able to..."

Allen started to say but his eye caught attention to Miranda who was sitting right in front of him.

Her mountain of chou cream was more than half gone already.

Miranda didn't look the slightest troublesome and just kept continuing without any change of face colour.

"Y,you are alright, Miranda-san?"

Allen spoke out to Miranda.

------- She is so thin, I wonder where all the food she eats goes.....

"Oh, yes. I am quite alright"

Miranda smiled.Her face expression didn't seem as though she had already eaten more than 20 chou creams (although she did).

"This chou cream is so good"

"I-is that so..."

Though she is a soubi-gata, exorcists are most probably different to normal people.

Allen started eating again for he was not intending to lose.

"This is my limit!"

From the Asian group member's table, a girl with glasses and plaits gave a cry.

She is Lofa. She is a learner of the scientific member of the Asian group.

Before her were still a mountain pile of chou cream.

"I cannot eat anymore~. It is impossible~, impossible, impossible"

Bak looked coldly at Lofa who was leaning foward on the table.

"Oh, really? Then retire already"

"No-. Bak-sama, are you retiring already? I was going to ask you to eat mine for me......."

"Who said I was going to retire! Listen properly! And why do 'oresama' have to eat yours as well!?"

He was cold to all girls other than his idol Lenalee.

That was Bak Chang.

Lofa, who was glaring at that Bak, suddenly raised her plate up.

"Oh, my hands slipped-!"

As she put her plate sideways, the whole heap of chou cream on her plate fell into Bak's plate.

Bak started at his huge pile of chou cream which was bigger than what he started off with.

"Ki-kisama-!! How dare you!"

(Ryui: 'Kisama' is a very, very badd way of saying 'you!'...more like saying 'you bastard'!...? I guess... And is used mainly by boys when saying it to an enemy or when saying it to a person when you hate him. To be presise, girls, Don't use it! Sesshoumaru (from Inuyasha) is a great example of the user.)

Bak grabbed Lofa's shirt by her collar.

"Aw! Stop acting so violently from happiness~"

"Look at this face closely! Where abouts of this looks happy!?"

Lofa didn't freak out by Bak's biting shouts.

"My glasses are slipping, I can't see~"

"Urgh-! You annoy me! Oresama am delicate! Keep doing that and you'll get me the nettle rashes again!"

As Bak was shaking Lofa back and foward, he noticed his mountain pile of chou cream had gotten bigger.

"Wh-what the hell!!?"

He threw away Lofa and looked around to see another plate emptied.

It was Won's plate.

"Won, kisama~!!"

Bak glared at Won who was neatly cleaning his mouth with a paper napkin.

"Huh? What is the matter Bak-sama"

"You put your chou cream on my plate, didn't you!?"

"I am an old person with a short life. I will not be needing much to eat for growth. But you Bak-sama, you are still a child and is still growing up so I thought a person like you should at least need this much for growing a lot more."

"Who is growing up! I'm already 29 years old!"

All of a sudden, Bak felt a bad wave coming through and he turned around.

The other Asian members had come and surrounded Bak with their plates.

Dark faces and gleaming eyes, stomachs looking as thought they're about to burst.

It was like a fat group of zombies. Bak gulped.

"Bak-sama...."

"Eat ours too......"

"Please......"

It sounded like voices from beneath the graves.

"Aaaahhhhh-! Gross! Don't come near me-!!"

"Oh,no-! Bak's out of control!"

"Wohhh~!! The nettle rash is coming out~!"

Bak started scratching his body furiously.

To Bak's shameful appearance, Won called for help.

"Ah, Lenalee-sama!"

"Yes?"

Lenalee turned this way.

"Please call out a cheering shout to Bak-sama please!"

Lenalee looked confused for a second but soon retrieved her smile.

"Huh? Oh, right. Bak-san, go for it!"

"H-hai!"

--------- Lenalee's cheer--- Lenalee cheered only to oresama cheered cheered cheered cheered-.

The happiness echoed in his mind and Bak's face expression became dreamy. The nettle tash soom disappeared.

"Bak-chan, go for it~"

In Bak's dreamy eyes, Komui's figure became visible and Bak glared at him.

"Don't cheer me with that disgusting voice, Komui! And don't say 'Bak-chan'!"

--------- Everybody's pulling my leg. But I, Bak Chang will not be defeated just by these people!"

"Nwohhhhhhhhhhh!"

Bak stuffed chou creams into his mouth at top speed.

"Wow, Bak-sama!"

"Bak-sama, you are wonderful!"

"Shut up! You betrayers-!!"

"Now, only 5 more minutes to go. You should be near finished."

Everybody glared by Komui's cheerful voice, but nevertheless eating furiously.

A voice was heard from the table next to the scientific members who were half eating, half crying.

"Hmph, man we are having to cope so much troubles by the scientific members!"

"They should isolate those weird people!"

The people saying bad things about the scientific members were the finders.

Normally, the scientific members would be able to twist a smile on their faces but at a time like this, made them boil with rage.

The scientific members stood up angrily.

"We are coping trouble as much as you guys are!"

"We are being controlled by that (Komui) you know!"

Not wanting to lose against the scientific members, the finders kicked away their seats and stood up.

"You guys are the boss! Why aren't you stopping him then!?"

"If there's a person who can stop the shitsuchou, bring him here right now. Ba-ka!"

"The person who says baka is the baka! Ba-ka,ba-ka!"

Nobody was able to stop these members and finders who were fighting childishly.

In the end, they were throwing cups and sugar holders.

"Okay, people on that table~. There's only 3 minutes left so there's no time to play-"

By Komui's voice, the fight stopped abruptly.

"Damn-, I'm so not going to lose by you scientific members!"

"Shut up-, we'll show you the power of the intelli!"

(Ryui: 'intelli' is short for intelligent, meaning gifted... Japanese people love to shorten words! ^^ A great examply is Pokemon. It's actually called Pocket Monsters in Japan but people just shortened it and only used the first few letters for each word Pocke,Mon= pokemon. Many people shorten especially comic books like D.Gray-man= D-gure, Full Metal Alchemist= FullAl / Hagane no Renkinjyutsushi= Hagaren,etc )

With their last bit of strength, the scientific members and finders started gobbling up their chou cream again.

But, most finders were fit and had better body stucture so all their plates were near empty already.

"Reever hanchou! This is bad!"

"We'll just have to use our secret weapon then! The scientific members' hidden sword (idiom), see this!"

Reever took off Johny's spiral glasses -who was eating furiously- and grabbed his hair to make him face the finders.

All the finders stopped their hand movement and spitted out their chou cream from their mouth.

"Bwahahahaha, what the hell's wrong with your face!...Ow my stomach hurts!"

The finders were laughing hard out. There were one's grabbing the'r stomachs, one's thumping the table and the laughter spread.

"That's dirty... damn, I can't stop laughing!"

The finders keep laughing painfully.

Reever and the others smiled in success.

"Yes, we won!"

Johny looked towards Reever who was balling his fist in triumph.

"....hey, I was always wondering, is my face that funny?"

"Baka-! Don't look this way! Bwahahahahahaha, what's wrong with your face~!"

The laughter spread towards the scientific members as well. And-

"Ha-i, time's up!. You guys over there seem to be having fun. Bye,bye-"

Komui pressed the trap button with a smile and many members and finders fell down while laughing their heads off.

All the scientific members feel while laughing except Johny.

"It's great to have people laughing happily!"

"Really? It looked like they were laughing painfully"

Lenalee looked at the open hole worryfully.

All the people left in the party room were looking really exhausted.

"About 20 people is left. Most are exorcists. Okay, we will move on to the survival game!"

"Survivial?"

Allen and Lavi looked at each other.

"Anythings okay if we don't have to eat anymore......."

Johny had his hand against his full stomach.

"Let's go to the next game then"

The tables were carried away, and a huge room was brought in.

In the room -which looked like a greenhouse- had a table and chairs.

"Okay, the left over people all go into this room!"

As Allen opened the glass door, a cold breeze was felt from inside the room.

"It-it is cold! What is this? It is like a freezer!"

Komui shook his head towards Allen who stopped abruptly before the entrance.

"Freezer? Too easy~. The world inside there is -30℃!"

"So, meaning the survival game......"

"Yes, handling the coldness. You will lose if you come out of that room."

"Hurry up and get in, moyashi"

Allen tumbled and fell in as Kanda kicked him in.

Part 4

The rest of the Kyoudan members hesitantly stepped into the room.

"It's cold,de aru~" (Krory's talking habit)

Krory sat down on the chair shaking.

The second he did, he jumped up like a spring.

"Hyaah!!"

"What is the matter?"

"This seat, it's made out of ice de aru!"

Shocked, Allen felt the chair to check for himself.

And it definately was stinging cold.

"Now sit there please"

To Komui's words, everybody sat down without a word.

But three finders ran out of the room.

"What the hell are they doing?"

Kanda -who sat without a reaction- started rocking again as if rowing a boat.

Many looked at Kanda thinking he's a weird living creature.

"Doesn't he feel anything?"

"No wonder he's Kanda, the unemotional one"

The members mumbled amongst each other.

Komui smiled widely.

"Now, eating time~"

"You're still going to make us eat!?"

"What are you trying to do to us? Make us fat and eat us!?"

In front of the members, a mountain pile of kakigouri (shaved ice) was placed.

"Time given is 10 minutes! Strawberry or melon flavour, choose your favourite one!"

"Who cares about which flavour!"

But rules were rules, the members starting eating the kakigouri while shaking violently.

"Fufu..... it's weird, my tongue is getting numb and starting to feel warm..."

"Eh? Aaa! Johny-san is on the floor! Are you alright?"

To Allen's shout, Johny was carried out of the room.

Johny, who had a faint smile, said "Aahh... I can see my dead grandma..." and retired.

Even though Bak was shaking his hand hard, he kept eating.

"Wahh.... it's cold. I mean I can't feel anything... where abouts of this is the welcoming party...?That Komui..."

"Bak-sama! Your eyes are drifty! Do not fall asleep! Wake up, wake up!"

Panicking, Won used his last strength left in him to hit Bak's cheeks as hard over and over.

"Adadadada!! Stop hitting me as hard as you can! I'm fully awake already!"

"O-oh, really. Sorry. If something happens to Bak-sama, I will have to cut through my stomach" (Seppuku/Haragiri)

"What are you talking about! You are Chinese! If you're that worried about me, eat my kakigouri for me!"

"Huh? Did you say something? A bug must've went into my ear and I can not hear"

"Why would there be a bug in this dead freezing room, aah!?"

As Allen watched Bak and Won, he sighed.

The breath he let out was white.

"Bak-san and Won-san are so lively...."

"True,sa. But where abouts of this is the welcoming party,sa? Don't you think it's weird?"

"Yes.... This is more like a true survival game"

There might actually be a real reason behind all this.

Shaking, Allen glared towards Komui who was behind the glass.

Komui had a warm fur coat on with a warm coffee in his hand which Lenalee had made for him.

-----F,feeling...jealousy... No. I mean why did we have to eat so much and show our ability of how much we can bear the coldness? I do not get it. How should I know what is going inside a mad scientist's mind anyway?

Inside Allen's mind, Komui was put in the same category as Cross shisho. And the name of that category was 'Un-understandable weird people'.

Allen looked across at Kanda.

Kanda was eating kakigouri without the slightest change of face colour.

-----What is he? A cyborg?

Allen decided to put Kanda under the same category as the other two.

"Hai,10 minutes is up~. The people who couldn't eat, failed!"

Two frozen members were kicked out of the room.

"Next is a parcel of ice. Use it freely!"

"Stop saying that so cheerfully!"

Lavi tried to stand up but his pants were stuck to the chair so he fell down along with his chair.

In thins condition, nobody tried to help Lavi get up.

It was a desolated scene.

Miranda, who was the most closest to the enterance door, took the pitcher filled with ice.

"Uh...um...should I put this here?"

As Miranda tried to put it down on the table, she tripped over nothing.

All the ice fell up on one of the nearest member's head.

"Gyaaaah!"

As the member shook the ice off, he ran out of the room.

"I'm sorry! I am so foolish!"

As she rushingly kneeled down to pick up the pitcher, she acidentally head butted the next nearest member.

Even without Miranda's help, that member was already hovering between consciousness and unconsciousness, and he crashed down to the floor withoug a word or a shout.

"A-ah! Are you alright? Please answer me. Kyaah, his eyes have rolled back!"

"Hai, retire~"

Miranda started crying while seeing the member being carried out.

"Aaaaah, it's all my fault! I'm really sorry! I will take responsibility!"

As she said this, she grabbed the pitcher and dashed outside.

"Mi-miranda-san, calm dow-.... I am too late aren't I...?"

Allen just watched Miranda disappear.

Allen looked around to find that the only people left are Lavi, Kanda, Krory, Bak, Won, and himself only.

"Krory-san, you are strong agains the cold"

"Y-yes,aru na. Lot's of snow used to fall where I used to live, de aru kara"

Lavi suddenly burst up laughing.

"Wha-what, de aru ka?"

Krory looked at Lavi hesitantly.

"'What, de aru ka?'"

Lavi repeated Krory's words.

Seeing Lavi clutching his stomach and laughing, it seemed that it was Krory's talk habit which was the cause of Lavi laughing.

"W-why do you copy me, aru ka?"

"'Why do you copy me, aru ka'~"

Lavi continued as he laughed-------but soon enough his face froze.

Krory had looked weak-ish just only moments ago but now he had eyes glowing, hard like ice.

"Kisama, what are you laughing at?"

"K,kuro-chan, your way of speaking has changed,sa. Stop looking so scary, aru yo!"

Lavi tried to smile to calm Krory down but instead it was like putting oil into the fire. (Japanese idiom)

"How long are you attempting to make fun of me!? I will not forgive you!"

"K,Krory-san, calm down!"

Even Allen's words seemed to have insulted Krory and he bared his fangs.

"Waaaah, run away,sa!"

Lavi jumped over the table.

"Leader Bak, help me,sa!"

Lavi swiftly hid behind Bak's back.

"Wh-what!?"

Bak, who was cuddling up into a ball, raised his head,

In front of him, was Krory with baring fangs.

His eyes were gleaming from anger.

"Ugyaaah, what the hell is he--!!?"

"Bak-sama!"

Won stood up sensing danger for his master.

"Oh, Won!"

----- Even though he does many things to me as if I were a child, but at times like this, he actually attempts to save me!

Bak suddenly saw something he couldn't believe.

Won had started running towards the opposite direction towards the nearest corner of the room.

"I am trusting that Bak-sama will definately be able to deafeat him himself~"

"Kisama, why run away to a safer place-!!?"

"For Bak-sama's training for growing up to a strong and noble man, I shall have to bear watching you without any help!"

"I am already 29!!! I've been telling you that I've already grown up!"

Bak-sama held up the table and hit Krory.

Krory dizzied for a moment but threw away the table with one hand.

Bak ran straight towards Won with a crooked look on his face.

"Hiiih! Bak-sama, why come over this way-!"

"Shut up!"

The second Krory jumped up, Bak ducked down low.

"You are mean-!!"

Krory had let out too much stength of hte jump that he headed towards the wall where Won was.

"Nuoooo, Even an old person like me, I am Won! I will not let you attack me without a profit to me!"

Won's glaring eyes sparked.

As Won grabbed Krory's clothes near his chest, he jumped up and put up his legs in the air to flip.

"Recieve this, the Tomoenage-!!"

(Ryui: tomoenage is a type of Japanese technique where you flip people over)

"I told you, you are CHINESE!!"

As Krory recieved a perfect tomoenage, he crashed into the glass wall hard.

And he started to topple out of the room through the glass.

"Nuu!"

Krory used his last bit of strength and pulled Won's sleeves.

The two fell from the broken glass and rolled together on the floor on the other side of the room.

"Hai, disqualified~"

Without hesitation, the floor opened up and the two fell down together.

Allen stood near the broken glass and stared in shock.

"......U-m, the room is broken now so the left over members, please step outside"

Allen, Kanda, Lavi and Bak all looked at each other.

"Four members left. The last person left is the winner. And the game is...."

Part 5

"And the game is...."

He pulled out a set of cards.

"A game of poker!"

---- I won!

Allen did not show it on his face but in his mind, the 'Black Allen' realised the confidence of winning rising greatly.

Doing this game everywhere before, can cheer completely without getting noticed. There was no way he would lose.

But even still, I must not let my guard down.

Allen looked around his members.

---- When Bak get's excited, he gets rashes all over his body. Kanda is stupid. The most dangerous person I have to face is Lavi.

---- It is alright. If I play like usual, I can win this, Allen said to himself.

"Now, we shall start the game. The rule is the normal draw poker. Everybody knows it, right?"

They all nodded.

Holding 5 cards, throwing away what you don't need and draw only the amount you threw away from the stack.

Everybody sees who's 5 cards are the most highest and who wins. That is draw poker.

"It is the normal high poker. So it goes from highest which is A,K,Q,J,10 down to 2. I will put in the wild card -which can be a replacement of any card- which is the joker."

Allen kept his poker face while he shouted joyfully in his mind.

Hiding the most needed cards, Allen had a definite and most sneakiest way of cheating.

If there was a wild card, the joker could keep the suspicion low.

--- I still love many loaned money of shisho's. I have tried this hard. I need to win this and get the prize for money.

5 cards were given out.

Allen looked at his cards in his hands.

If he played normally, he would get a one pair if luck was on his side.

---Normally

----But this is time to go full on without hesitation.

Allen became into a 'win or lose' mode and his kind face expression faded as it replaced itself by dangerously glittering eyes sensing his wing and looked as though he would beat a person into a pulp if they interferred.

"It's the 'black Allen' again,sa ...."

Lavi said quietly but Allen stayed dead silent.

Each person threw and drew cards.

Allen quikly and naturally hid some cards up his left sleeve.

To get this cheating mastered, Allen had gone so much hard work and trouble doing so.

----This makes me remember the times where I had to pay shisho's debts.

Allen looked around but there were none who were cheating -except him.

----I can win this!

At the instant he thought this, he realised Bak was looking at Allen's cards from behind.

"Wh-what are you doing, Bak-san!"

As soon as Allen shouted, Bak quietly slid his arm around Allen's neck.

(Ryui: A~~~h!!!! Hentai!!! Get off my Allen-kun!!!!!!!)

And when Bak held Allen, Bak quietly spoke, " Walker, I want you to do a favour, can we swap our cards?"

"No! Why do I have to do such thing?"

"Well you see, as for the leader of the Asian group member, I think it shall look better if I win this party game."

"You are just saying excuses just because you want to show your good appearance to Lenalee!"

"Idiot! Your voice is too loud!"

"I have be helped a lot by Bak-san previously and I am grateful fot that. But this is a 'win or lose' game. Let us play properly!"

Allen smiled cooly showing no sign whatsoever of cheating, and pulled off Bak's arm.

"Kuu, so it shall be!"

Bak brought out a spray.

"W-what is that!?"

"Asia group's secret weapon! If you breath the smoke that comes out of this spray,you will be in a dream (fall asleep) and lose your memory for approximately a minute. If I use this and swap my cards, I will win!"

"Bak-chan, you're not supposed to give away your secret~"

Komui, who was smiling gleefully, clicked his fingers.

Jeryy and the other cooks held Bak and confiscated his spray.

"Aah!"

Komui took Bak's cards and showed them out.

"Bak-chan has a one pair of number 3"

"I win!"

The red-cheeked called out aloud with full confidence.

"Eh!!"

Everybody's eyes were upon Kanda.

Allen felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

Can it be---?

Kanda threw down his cards to show.

"Double three cards!"

"HUH?"

Everybody shared a confused look as Kanda had said something random which no one was able to understand.

"But you've got 6 cards!"

"So what!?"

Answering so casually, everybody's head slumped down.

"Somebody teach Yu how to play,sa"

"Hai, Kanda-kun lost~"

"What!?"

Kanda tried to go for Komui but fell down before him.

"Yu!?"

When Lavi checked him out, he gave a wry smile.

"....He's asleep,sa. Seems that his drunkness ended up making him drowsy,sa. Now, it's just Allen and I"

Lavi grinned.

"Allen, we have fought together side by side this far but now, it's just win or lose. So don't envy me, sa."

Allen felt himself freeze by Lavi's words.

He didn't know what Lavi was thinking, so he didn't know what Lavi was going to come up with either.

"The strongest cards of poker, Royal Straight Flash,sa!"

The second he put out his cards, there were a lot of voices of amazement.

Royal Straigh Flash -having the same mark with the numbers being A,K,Q,J and 10.

This is a set which can be in a possibility of only 1 in 65000 chances.

Meaning it's almost a miracle.

"Ah! Wait please!"

Allen found just one clover in all the spade cards.

"See, 10 has a different mark! This is just 'straight'"

"Ehh, oh! You're right,sa"

Allen proudly showed his set of cards.

"This is the real 'Royal Straight Flash'!"

In a load full of diamonds, there was a joker for a replacement of K.

If Allen didn't use a wild card, he thought it will be too suspicious.

"Uooooh! That's great,sa, Allen!"

Lavi slapped his shoulder and Allen nodded proudly for his win.

Bak was cursing Allen by saying 'Walker~ curse you~", but Allen just ignored him.

"Allen-kun, congratulations for winning! Here's your prize!"

Komui opened the enormous box.

Allen gulped nervously and waited to see what his prize was.

From the box, came out a big, supportive chair.

"Eh, it is...a chair?"

A prize totally off guard of what Allen was thinking.

Is it a masters craftman, or just special somehow?

"Here you go!"

Getting pushed hard by Komui, Allen started to sit on the seat.

As soon as he did, his arms and legs got strapped to the seat.

"What is this!?"

Komui looked coldly at Allen who was confused.

"Komui-san?"

"I was thinking that it might have been you, Allen kun."

Komui pushed his glasses up with his middle finger and the lens gleamed.

"What are you talking about?"

Allen couldn't figure what was happening and he just looked at Komui helplessly.

The straps seemed extrememly tight and Allen couldn't move even if he used his full strength.

"What's going on,sa? Komui!"

Komui ignored Lavi's shout but looked towards him with a cold look.

"Kukukuku---Bwahaha!"

"Wh-what,sa?"

To Komui's sudden burst of laughter, everybody was looking at him fearfully.

"There was no such thing as a 'Black Kyoudan's membership party'! It was just a lure to find out ---"

Komui pointed his finger straight at Allen.

"--who Lenalee's boyfriend was!"

"Haaaa!?"

Everybody who was in that room looked stared Allen.

"Eh? Allen is going out with Lenalee,sa?"

"Lenalee has a boyfriend!?"

Part 6

Allen, still tied up, looked extremely suprised at Lenalee.

"It's no use trying to cover it up, Allen-kun!"

"What are you saying, nii-san!"

Komui looked sadly at Lenalee's wide-opened eyes.

"I know already, Lenalee......"

Komui brought out a piece of wrinkled ball of paper.

"What is this....ah!'Kyoudan Hou'!"

"I've read that interview..."

Komui's face turned into a painful look.

"This has got nothing to do with the party"

"Yes it does! This was all to find out and finish your love. I'll read it, ok?

"Lenalee-san is now the age of love. What kind of man do you like?

----Um. I'm really into making sweet things right now, so I would like a person who would like sweet things and eat a lot for me.

"What else?"

-------A serious person, taking their mission seriously and get it done. Doing everything done as it should be is a very nice person who I can respect greatly.

"In other words, is there a type who you say 'no' to?"

-----Not really. If I like a person, I would like to respect every part of that person.

"Is a gambling person OK?"

-----I think a person who does it for fun is alright. Actually, a person who's stong at poker would be very amazing.

"In this kyoudan, is there are man who you particularly like?"

----......(Judging by the looks of Lenalee who flushed deeply and became silent, we believe she does have someone she likes!)

"Thank you very much. This was Lenalee-san's interview"

...see, do you get it now?"

"What about it?"

"What I'm trying to tell you is that there is a boyfriend who loves eating many sweets, can do poker well and strong right!?"

Lenalee ,suprised at the suddenness of Komui shouting, became silent.

"I held this party to investigate who it was!"

"Is that the only reason why you made us go through impossoble things like loads of eating! And I went all through this for just...."

Allen felt all his strength in his body give away.

"Calm down, nii-san. This is just answers given for the interview! I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Really, Lenalee? But Allen-kun is really the exact of everything you like about guys. We should get him pinned down earlier before its too late..."

Komui made a clunky noise as he brought a dangerous looking drill machine.

"I've made sure he can't move aswell..."

"Komui-san, do not stare at me like that with eyes so deathly!"

Allen didn't look like he was able to get out because of the tight belts made of skin around his arms and legs but yet he still tried to escape, moving around desperately.

"I am innocent!Excuse me, someone take this off me please!"

"So that's what it was all about..."

Allen gasped as he heard this ghaslty voice as if it was a cursing echo from hell. Without realising everybody had been back.

It was something like over 100 people. Everybody was drenched, many had bits of ripped clothes here and there, and they all had dark glowing eyes. It was like soldiers back from the Geurilla war.

The shutter which was blocking the door was gone.

Komui's face hardened.

"Hey, you guys, came back from the underground?"

"Yes, from the help of the scientific members finding an exit...."

The kyoudan members all glare at Komui.

"Komui-shitsuchou....what is the meaning of this?"

"It was not a party but a criminal investigation?"

"We went through all this when we weren't even related to any of it...."

The members glared flashing eyes just like Komui before had a 'never-going-to-lose' deathly look and they all surrounded and closed in on Komui.

"Hey everyone, calm down. See, look. Normally members are all around and not much of working together was going on and now, right now everybody is all going in the same direction of been teamed up together! You know the phrase 'As a result it was alright' , don't you? Eh? Is it sophism? Don't you also know the phrase 'From a lie you gain honour'....too much?"

They lessen the gap between Komui and the members.

Komui little by little tried to back up.

"Ku, now!"

Komui himself made a deliberate fall into his own hole down to the underground.

"He escaped to the underground!"

"Chase him!"

"We will go round from the outside!"

"Bring a heat sensor! And also infrascope!"

"Allen-kun, are you alright!?"

From the help of the scientific members Allen was free at last.

"Thank you very much! For a second I thought I was a goner...."

Allen sighed deeply.

Forced to eat that chou la creme and getting a feeling of trauma, forced to stay in an unbelievably cold place and forced to eat shaved ice, wrapped up and nearly got killed----- and his dream of getting money all gone.

"So giving me the prize was a lie......Here goes again of my bad dreams of having to pay back the loans of money. Fufu, fufufufu....."

"Wa-h! Allen's turned into Black Allen again!"

Beside the trembling Lavi, Allen raised his right fist high.

"Now, everyone, let's go!"

"Yeah!"

To Allen's shout, all the members raised their fist and the revenge war started.

But that day, the members truly did---- become one part together.

Komui after all, did bring all the members together...but by coincidence?

END

ll'liP ity and frightfulness, do such a thing!?

“He went to the Statue of the Dawn Goddess, this one did!” Dobie said, laughing. “That little girl died, and, clutching at straws, he tried to cause a miracle!”

“Wha…”

Not letting the opening left by the shocked Rabi pass, the knight thrust his spear.

“Gah!” Pushing off from the balcony floor, Rabi leapt far out of the way. “Are you talking about Colette!? Did Colette die!? Why!?”

“That foolish son of the man who’d turned into an Akuma suspected her of stealing the diamond pendant. The foolish son strangled her to death with an excess of force!” said Dobie as it fidgeted its flapping wings.

The diamond that Rabi had smashed along with the Akuma.

“There is no God—no need for one. No need—none,” came a muffled voice. The knight approached with a heavy clunking sound. A despairing voice that sounded like a curse could be heard from the iron mask.

Dobie regarded the knight with enjoyment. “Heheh…the winds of despair are blowing through the world. We will make this rotten world anew.”

“Destroy, destroy, destroy, destroy—destroy—” from the slot in the iron mask, two brilliantly glowing eyes held Rabi.

Colette—the ill-fortuned girl who had finally opened her heart to Doug. Killed for an unfounded crime, then dragged back into this world, the girl’s soul must have been torn to pieces.

How painful it must have been when she was killed. When she was called to heaven at long last, she was called back and turned into and Akuma—how she must have suffered.

Colette’s soul had been broken, then bound by chains. Words would no longer reach her.

Rabi gazed at the hatred-filled eyes of the Akuma with unbearable emotion.

“You so-called apostles of God who were so crafty at first—I’ll slaughter you all! Go!”

As if triggered by Dobie’s voice, the knight began to shout. “Die die die die die—!!”

A knight boiling with hatred and brimming with the urge to kill.

Doug, you never wanted this tragedy.

You idiot. I never even trusted my heart to you. But you trusted me so much.

Idiot. What an idiot, to die so soon.

The events that unfolded after he’d returned to the Black Order surfaced in the back of Rabi’s mind. Doug, hurrying to Colette with a white ribbon in his hand. His heart was surely leaping as he imagined Colette’s overjoyed face.

But what he’d seen was Colette lying on her side, no longer breathing. What had Doug thought when he lifted her small corpse and set out towards the forest, clinging to a ray of hope?

There is no God—that’s what he must have thought.

Doug must have cried out in front of the Statue of the Dawn Goddess. Cried out Colette’s name countless times, feeling as if he were coughing up blood. Betting on a one-in-a-thousand chance.

Doug had been a boy who approached everything earnestly, kindly, clumsily. At times he was so compassionate it verged on weakness.

“Idiot…you’re really an idiot.” Rabi silently closed his eye. “The statue of the Dawn Goddess was a rumor spread by the Earl to take advantage of the feelings of people who’d lost their loved ones, wasn’t it.”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s a trap to draw out foolish humans!” Dobie said proudly, drifting now to the right, now to the left.

That’s right, Serge had said the fortune-teller had a bat with him. And there had been a lot of bats flying around in the forest. The Earl’s servant Dobie must have been among them.

Rabi slowly opened his eye. I will defeat him. And Doug and Colette, who have become an Akuma, too.

An aura that burned like flame rose from Rabi’s body. The sight of him was enough to make one’s will falter, enough to make a chill run down the spines of his enemies.

However, speaking triumphantly, Dobie didn’t notice. “He’s killed so many people in merely the space of a week, and is now superb Level 2 Akuma. Look, his—”

“Shut up.”

Dobie noticed Rabi’s rage-filled eye, like a crimson flame, too late. Rabi’s hammer flickered—Dobie’s body burst open and went flying. Rabi spun his mallet once and hefted it again.

There was a heavy metallic sound as the knight hefted his pike. The sinister weapon that had taken the lives of countless Order members was pointed straight at Rabi.

This isn’t Doug. It’s an Akuma, Rabi told himself. And I’m an Exorcist. One who defeats Akuma. “Big hammer, small hammer, grow-grow-grow!” He activated his Innocence, and his hammer grew huge in the space of an instant.

Hammer in hand, Rabi faced the knight. “Hah!”

Rabi swung his hammer in a wide arc, but the knight blocked the attack with his shield. He swung the shield around.

Sent flying along wit the shield, Rabi somersaulted in midair and somehow managed to land.

“How about this!” Rabi faced the head of the hammer downward and held onto the hilt. “Extend, extend!” The hilt lengthened, and Rabi renewed his grip on the hammer.

“Take this!” Rabi attacked the knight by smashing him from above—or tried to. However, the hammer embedded itself into the wall.

The knight dodged it by a hair. Level 2 Akuma were more than just show. They were not only heavily equipped, but sharp-witted.

“Damn!”

The knight raised his pike and charged at Rabi.

In the knight, Rabi saw Doug.

He collided with me head-on, telling me to truly look at him when I spoke to him.

When Rabi came back to himself with a start, the knight was right in front of him.

I can’t dodge! Taking a fierce blow, Rabi went flying.

He impacted the wall and hit the floor. “Ugh…”

A sharp pain shot through his back, but Rabi managed to breathe out. He was assaulted by a pain that felt like he was vomiting up all his innards.

He’d somehow managed to guard himself from the head of the pike, but he’d taken the attack’s fearsome power head-on.

Standing up shakily, Rabi saw the Bookman, who had approached him at some point. The Bookman did not come running up to Rabi, just fixed him with a cold gaze.

“Who are you?”

I am the Bookman’s successor. Belonging nowhere, my heart unmoved…

The knight came for Rabi once more.

“Come on!” Rabi gripped his hammer and ran towards the knight. There was a sharp clang as the pike and hammer crossed. Neither the knight nor Rabi retreated a single step, and the grueling test of strength began.

The usual voice echoed in the back of Rabi’s head.

“What are Akuma?”

Akuma are malevolent weapons created by the Earl.”

The knight’s strength gradually increased. Rabi gritted his teeth.

“What are Exorcists?”

Those who prevent the evil aspirations of the Millennium Earl, who is trying to destroy the world. Those who use Innocence to defeat Akuma.

Rabi could see the two eyes shining blue from the gap in the iron mask. Eyes the same blue as Doug’s—

I will ask you this once. Who are you?

I am the Bookman’s successor! That’s why I don’t become attached to others. I don’t care about Doug! It doesn’t bother me! Forget it! Forget it!

I’m an Exorcist too. Defeating the Akuma in front of me is my work! That isn’t Doug! This has nothing to do with Doug!!

“Uwaaaaaagh!!” Breaking the impasse, Rabi swung his hammer, the knight his pike. The instant Rabi felt his hammer hit, a sharp pain ran through his cheek. Rabi had just barely dodged the pike’s attack. Any slower and the flesh of his cheek would have been sliced off.

I feel something wet on my cheek. Guess I’m bleeding. But it’s just a scratch. Nothing serious. Rabi strengthened his grip on the hammer.

Rabi hadn’t realized. The wetness on his cheek wasn’t blood, it was tears.

The Bookman merely watched silently over Rabi.

Rabi stretched his hand holding the hammer up, as if trying to reach the heavens. “I’ll settle this!”

Around the hammer raised high, a shape like a round seal surfaced and began to spin around the hammer. Inside the seals were the signs for Fire, Water, and other elements.

Rabi’s memories of his times with Doug crossed his mind.

Doug when I first met him. The way he saw through my false smile and gave me a cold glance.

Doug when we fought together. He went running off all by himself, drawing away an Akuma in order to save a companion in danger. I can still remember it clearly. How I ran into a crumbling building to save him. Doug’s look of surprise when I found him—and how it changed to a look filled with trust.

And Doug when I met him a year later. Doug, who looked straight at me. Doug, who worried about Colette. Doug, who ran up and hugged me.

The memories became a flood, and they began to whirl through Rabi’s mind. He wanted to scream until his throat burst.

Rabi trembled violently. Doug! He concentrated all of his will on shutting away his memories of Doug.

Rabi planted his feet firmly and cried loudly, “Innocence, second release—seal!” He hit one of the seals, Fire, that spun around his hammer. “Fire Stamp!” The sign for fire appeared on the side of Rabi’s hammer.

Rabi leapt high and brought the hammer down as hard as he could on the floor. A Fire Seal ten meters in diameter appeared there and began to glow.

“Raging Flames—Fire Seal.” The moment Rabi quietly recited this, an enormous pillar of flame roared upwards from the knight’s feet.

The raging pillar of flame enveloped the knight’s body in an instant. The flame became a snake that swallowed up the knight, making it tremble violently, and burnt it to ash.

Doug and Colette’s tragedy became dust.

The instant the Akuma vanished, Rabi thought he saw Colette’s face for a moment.

Rabi quietly closed his eye. He was shaking—a deep weariness oppressed him, and he knelt on the floor. Each time he breathed, an awful pain assaulted him. He could only moan at the wounds deep in his body—no, in his heart.

Clenching his fists and suppressing the pain, Rabi noticed that a white ribbon lay at his feet. Rabi silently picked it up.

It was a lace ribbon as light as down. It was like a symbol of the ephemeral life of the girl who was supposed to have received it. And the life of the one who would have given it to her.

An eleven-year-old girl and an eighteen-year-old boy had been lost forever. Neither of them would ever smile at him again. He couldn’t even meet them—

Rabi somehow managed to swallow down the hot, bitter lump that rose like bile from the bottom of his heart.

“Rabi.” The Bookman silently approached.

“What.”

“Well done.”

Rabi silently nodded at his master’s words of praise. In the corner of his eye, a track left by tears remained.

***

The next morning, Rabi sat on the bed, blankly waiting for the Bookman’s return. Komui had called the Bookman to his office.

Some period of time must have passed. There was a knock, and Komui and the Bookman entered the room.

“Thank you for your work yesterday. Thanks to you, we escaped with few casualties.”

“Yeah…” Although he nodded at Komui’s words, Rabi did not smile.

Komui noticed that Rabi was holding a white ribbon. “What’s that?”

“Oh.” Rabi looked like he’d noticed the ribbon for the first time. “It’s…one of Doug’s things.” He smiled faintly. It was a smile to rend the heart of anyone who saw it. “I’m going to go place it on the grave of the one who should have it.”

“I see.” Komui quietly dropped his gaze. “Doug was an excellent Finder. What happened was unfortunate, truly.”

“Can’t be helped. This is war.”

Komui widened his eyes in surprise for a moment at Rabi’s seemingly detached words. “I apologize for asking when you’re so worn out, but I want you to go along on the next job.”

“Where to this time?”

“The Rewinding Town in Germany.”

“All right.” I don’t care where we’re going. I’m the Bookman’s successor, after all.

At his side, the Bookman was watching him with piercing eyes.

Don’t become emotionally involved with others any more than necessary, don’t interfere—

We are the observers of history.

That is the law which is the fate of those who will become Bookman.

That’s what his eyes told Rabi.

Rabi averted his eyes from the Bookman’s.

***

Combing a hand through his flame-like red hair, the boy closed his eye not covered by an eyepatch.

In an instant, the darkness arrived.

In the pitch-black, lightless world, a grave voice asked:

“Who are you?”

The one who will succeed the Bookman.

“Who is the Bookman?”

The Bookman walks through the world, pursuing history.

“What must a Bookman be like?”

Like a gust of wind. The wind doesn’t stay in one place. It feels nothing for the places it’s passed through. It just keeps wandering—

“I will ask you this once. Who are you?”

I am the Bookman’s successor. My current name—

—Rabi.

THE END