I don't have much to say, accept that I'm really really really sorry for making you wait so long. I'm horrible, I know.

Chapter 4:

+Komui's Office, Third Person+

Everyone stared. It wasn't to anyone or anything in particular they stared to. Leverrier stared at the book, Link stared at his pockets, Allen stared at Lenalee, Lenalee stared at a wall, Komui stared at the exit, and Lavi stared at the old man, who stared back. At the time, staring just seemed like the right thing to do.

And then Reever cleared throat, and spoke, "So, are we going to…give them a call and tell them they're going to be invaded…or something…"

Nervous laughter broke out in the room.

"Hahaha…" Allen started, "Well, they shouldn't be surprised if they have witches and Kishins, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Komui backed away toward the exit, "So, why don't one of you make the important call whi—"

Link grabbed Komui and pushed him back in, while Leverrier walked over to the phone and picked it up. He dialed in the World Reachover Number, and then the DWMA Reachover Number. After the moment he started talking.

"Hello. Is this Shinigami…sama…?"

"Wha—No! This is not a prank call!"

"I am not trying to sell—Why are you trying to sell something to me now?"

"I am from the Black Order, of a different world. I'm calling to warn you that someone will try to invade your world. We're sending reinforcements to you, and we'll arrive nearby by—"

Leverrier slammed the phone down before he finished his sentence, causing everyone to cringe.

"I hatethat guy! I'm not going. Walker. Prepare the ark. Figure out how to cross worlds. You, Lenalee, Kanda, Lavi, and Bookman will go as exorcists, since the others are out on missions. Komui will go as the head representative. That is all."

Allen took Lenalee by the hand and started walking out, while muttering inaudibly, "My ark. Our ark{1}. And no one else's…"

Lavi trotted after the two, and Bookman and Kanda followed him, glancing back at Komui.

After they left, Komui sighed and pushed his glasses up, "Anything else?"

Leverrier shook his head, "Just work out details with thatguy and submit a report later." Leverrier paused before fixing his gaze on Link and adding, "Keep a close eye on Walker."

+White Ark, Lavi+

Allen was acting weird. Just slightly, but it's noticeable—especially if you're a bookman. He let go of Lenalee's hand (pity), and never slowed down his pace, walking faster and faster. He kept turning his head around, to everything, as if sensing danger. Maybe his Noah was acting up…but right now, it's more important that he's okay. He's like a little brother to me, after all.

Suddenly, Allen stopped, and placed his hand on a big black door. Timcampy, who had been fluttering around, landed on him. Allen opened the door, peeked into the darkness, and shut the door again.

"This one."

I stared at it. "You sure, Allen?"

He nodded, "Although it's kinda just a feeling, b—"

"And how do you call that being sure?" Kanda glared at Allen.

"Because, you idiot, there was someone in there with a weird black coat and creepy white mask, dancing around and holding a sign that read, 'I am the great Shinigami-sama! Yay!'"

I sighed in relief. Allen and Kanda were fighting. Healthy sign. Good. That "Shinigami-sama" seems worrisome though.

"Maybe!" Komui popped out from somewhere, "It's a trap! Hey, hey~, let's just not go."

We all glanced at him, and "Eh~"s and "Meh~"s filled the air.

"If we're going, we'd have to go safely! Like, a BIG~ buddy system."

To that, "Eh~"s and "Meh"s filled the air again, but we all agreed to it. Allen led us into his piano room. I guess since it's his first time going to this other world, he needed more secure ways of traveling.

After some arguing, Allen sat on the piano bench, with Link grabbing on to his shoulder. Kanda grabbed on to Link, I grabbed on to Link, the old panda grabbed on to me, Komui grabbed on to Bookman, and Lenalee grabbed on to Komui. That way, Komui couldn't escape because he'd put Lenalee in danger.

After everyone was ready, Allen played the melody of thatsong, and hummed the lyrics. I guess he memorized everything by now. In a few moments, the room disappeared, or rather, faded away. We were standing on glass-like, glowing steps in the middle of…nothing. All around us was darkness.

Allen was still in front, but he stopped playing. He stood up, and both the piano and its bench were gone. He looked really sad, but led us up and down the stairs.

I wonder if he hates it—the piano, or the ark, or having to use it. I wonder if he hates the Order. I wonder if…if I would help him run away…if he wanted to…

Guh—I felt the old panda's eyes bore into a head. He probably knew what I was thinking. I knew what he was—something along the lines of 'You can't create special relations as a Bookman! You have to always see both sides of everything, and be only the observer!'

I knew that's what I'd have to do. I knew that's how I'd have to act. But that's for the future. I won't have to worry about anything like that for now. And if I still only act like a bookman, I can keep my own thoughts.

I bumped into Kanda in front of me, although he didn't seem to notice. Great. More people to worry about. I looked ahead. Allen had stopped, which was reasonable—there was emptiness in front of us. Before I could say anything, Allen turned to the left, and stepped out. Into a different nothingness, maybe. I started wondering if it mattered, when we fell.

+Soul Eater's World, Shinigami-sama's Room, Shinigami-sama+

I first saw one of them when a door opened in my roof. He was a teen, probably not this Leverrier. Well, at least I had finished my sign by then.

After that, I prepared coffee on my table. I'll only set out two cups. And if there are more people, they'd have to share. If they refuse my coffee…maybe they're the "invaders". But~, it's true I felt some weird presence lurking around me.

I started setting out the cups, but a big white object appeared from nowhere and crashed down. It broke my floor. I wouldn't usually worry about that—my floor got broken all the time. But the shock from the crash also broke my cups. Now that, was UNFORGIVABLE. No more coffee for them! They'll have to get their own! Unless they're actually the invaders, in which case I expect compensation, with new, full pieced tea sets.

BUT! Whoever was coming out of that thing, will NOT receive ANY mercy from my Shinigami Chop!

I waited. And waited. And waited. Well, I guess they'll have to receive extra chops for making me wait.

When they finally came out, in was at a weird angle, and all of them fell on top of each other. Because I'm patient, and such a nice guy, I waited until they all stood up, before bringing my ultimate Shinigami Chop of Anger down upon them.

An old guy with weird hair and another one with two dots on his forehead dodged them. I avoided the girl. Basically, what this meant was, more chops for the rest of them.

After venting my anger, the Two-Dots guy shouted out, "What was the reason of that?"

Well, he seemed close to a Leverrier, but he probably wasn't. "You people made me wait. And broke my cups!"

Two-Dots gasped. "Y—your cups? No!" He pulled out two boxes from behind his back and held them out. "A token of apology!"

Hmm. This guy isn't that bad. Probably not an invader. I carefully removed the boxes from his hands, and then took a good look at them all. Except for Two-Dots, and a guy in a white lab coat (who had passed out on my first chop), they pretty much looked the same—like people of an army. The girl was setting them face-up, and regarded me silently. Maybe receiving chops was natural to them.

"Perhaps we should sit down to talk," Two-Dots spoke again and sat by my table. The old guy stood next to him. The girl sat next to the person in the white coat. "My name is Howard Link. You may call me Link. The person next to me is Bookman. The white-haired youth is Allen Walker. The red-haired one is Lavi. The long-haird one is Kanda, Yuu. The one in the white coat is Komui Lee. And next to him is his sister, Lenalee Lee. We can talk about the circumstances when they wake up. Please treat us well."

"Hmmm~," I tilted his head, "Well, that's nice and all. I'm sure you know my name, but…I'm not if you're gonna survive here."

Two-Dots stiffened. "And, why's that?"

"Cause ya see, Two-Dots…except for you, no one else seems symmetrical." Pity.

END~

{1}He did not mean Lenalee by "our".

I know, it's short. I'll try and make it longer next time. I'll try to get the next chapter out soon too.

In any case, I really don't have Shinigami-sama's character. Maybe I'll try avoiding his POV…

But! Thanks for reading!