This is real, right? --Sadly Kind of Discontinued...Kind of--

The Order's Suspicions

Maria and I were back at the Order bored out of our minds. The Noah didn't try to kill us as promised. But, Road always mentions us to any and everyone connected to the Order so we are constantly questioned. This was one of those times. Allen sat across from us not really bothering to ask any serious questions. We know he was supposed to but, he didn't. I think he just knows we aren't allied with the Noah.

"So you guys have had some amazing adventures, huh?" He said.

"Sort of." I said.

"Lily nearly gets killed every time but, yeah." Maria said.

"Can I get some wine?" I asked. "I can't remember the last time I had wine..."

"Why do you want wine?" Maria asked.

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking?" Allen asked. I looked at him blankly from my upside down spot on the couch.

"What are you talking about?" I said. "I'm older than Maria."

"Really?" Allen asked.

"I'm just twenty-four." Maria said stretching. "But she's right, I can't remember the last time I had wine."

"Don't get any ideas, you could never hold your achool as well as me." I said smirking. I sighed. "My interest in wine is suddenly gone. I want dango."

"Dango?" The two asked.

"To the kitchen." I said standing up. "Maybe Jerry will let me borrow his kitchen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dango is amazing." The two declared. I nodded.

"Orimaru got me hooked awhile back." I said.

"Well thank you Orimaru." Maria said.

"Who's Orimaru?" Allen asked.

"A distant family member." I answered. "I have no idea where she is but, I don't think she'll be showing up anytime soon."

"Don't jinx it." Maria said. I laughed.

"So Allen, what were you doing before the Order?" I asked. "Out of curiosity. You don't need to answer."

"Actually, I tried to resurrect my adopted father...." He said.

"Oh." Maria and I said.

"My innocence protected me and Mana, my dad, cursed me so that's why I have this curse mark. It let's me see Akuma's souls." He said with his hand hovering around it. Maria and I looked at each other.

"Do you see anything odd when you look at us?" I asked. Sometimes time travel can have a different effect on those who do. What if Allen was seeing us as a Akuma?

"I don't see anything with Maria." He said.

"Safe!" Maria said. "I'm still normal." Allen looked confused.

"And me?" I asked before he could ask any questions about Maria.

"You have...a shadow around you." He said. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"A shadow?" I asked. "That's it?" He nodded. "Good, you haven't seen anything bad." I said with a smile.

"What do you mean bad?" He asked.

"What did we establish about asking questions like that?" I countered. He sighed.

"Don't. We'll be here all day." He said.

"Good boy." I said patting his head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So Allen tells me you have a shadow following you." Komui said once I sat down on the couch in his office.

"Yeah, I kind of expected it." I said. "This office is horrendous. Have you tried organizing it?"

"It is organized." He told me. I shuttered. So, it's worse? "Why are you not surprised?"

"It's a family thing." I said. "Couldn't explain it even if I wanted to."

"Can't or won't?" He said.

"Hmm, a little bit of both." I admitted. He sighed.

"This won't put my people on harms way, will it?" He asked.

"I'd leave this place before it could become a problem." I said. "And if its still threatens you, I'll leave this world."

"Well, I don't think you have to go as drastic as killing yourself..." He said. Oh, he thought I meant suicide. No, I'd just take Maria, Dean, and Cruise and we'd go to the castle or something. Speaking of, I suppose we should get going soon.

"I think it's almost time we left anyway." I said suddenly. "Maria and I have to get back to the castle..."

"Castle?" He asked. I looked at him before laughing.

"I was rambling." I said. "Didn't mean to say that outloud." I sighed and stood up. "Anyway, there is one person I'd like to speak to before Maria and I disappear. I don't know what Dean and Cruise will do."

"Who is this person?" He asked.

"He goes by the name of Marian Cross." I said. "If I'm not mistaken, he was a general at one point?"

"Hmm, that's a name that hasn't been uttered in awhile here." He said. "He was Allen's mentor. He's also gone off the grid. I wouldn't know where to start looking." I sighed.

"I see..." I said. "Well, I guess Maria and I will just search for him on our own. If we find any innocence or something of interest, we'll get a finder to come back with it."

"Where are you starting?" He asked.

"I have no idea." I said. "But, we wanted to go traveling anyway." He nodded and let me go.

~~~~~~~~~~{Komui's POV}~~~~~~~~~~

"Lavi, Bookmen." I said calling them from the shadows of my office. Lily had left just minutes before. "Follow her. Find out her business with Cross and her connection with the Noah. Something's off about her." The two nodded and left my office. I hope that I really have nothing to worry about with Lily and her friends. I really do but, one can never be too cautious.