D. Gray-Man belongs to Katsura Hoshino. Please support the official release. Thank you so much for editing and being my wonderful editor, Grell. It means so much to me that you would do this for me. I love you so much! *heart*

Thank you also to Diavo for making me get my butt in gear and actually write a chapter. You are successfully the first person ever to make me actually finish what I wanted to. Thanks for that. :D

Allen did not scream as our consciousnesses collided, though he had every right to. After all, I was invading his private, innermost thoughts. He did everything he could to keep me out of his mind, but his attempts remained futile as my imagination overtook him. Within the blink of an eye, I found myself wandering through his mind as his thoughts and memories drifted by in a slowly swirling tangle of unsorted emotions.

Within the stream-like current, I saw disjointed images of a brown-haired youth, whom, upon closer inspection, was revealed to be none other than the Exorcist-boy himself. The images I glimpsed from these times gone by all seemed fixed upon a single figure in the boy's life: a man, a clown. Something about him drew my attention, and soon I realized I was gazing upon a face not at all dissimilar from that of my own Earl. Intrigued, I immersed myself deeper into those memories, and listened to the soft, ethereal voice emanating from within.

It's cold out. I don't want to be here... my only friend is dead… Isn't it funny to be friends with only a dog? But at least it's something... He was always so sweet to me, even though I'm just a servant for the circus. He didn't judge me, and I think he loved me, too. Poor Allen. I wish we could have lived together in this place for just a little longer than we did…

Someone's coming! Who is it? Oh, just another clown. I hate clowns. They are so big and stupid and can't take anything seriously. What is he doing? He's taking Allen away from me! How could he be so mean?

Oh, he's burying him. Maybe I shouldn't have tried to hurt him... Didn't he say his name's Mana? Maybe he's not so bad, even though he won't cry over my only friend.

I jolted out of the memory, surprised. So that's who Mana Walker was! I heard whispers of his name come from other Noah's lips, but I never was included in their private discussions. No, not me. Certainly not delicate, dainty, little Road. Oh yes, she mustn't ever know. I guess I had become too good at fooling people with my gentle side. I needed to let go.

There was no time to dwell on my own interpersonal relations, however, for I had been hooked by that first memory and needed some more. Curiosity raging, I looked into another memory.

"Allen. That's what I'll call you."

"The dog's name?" I asked, wondering just what the heck Mana was going on about.

"Do you like your name better, Red? I don't think it's a proper name for a boy. It just won't do. You liked that dog. I liked that dog. So your name is Allen."

"Allen. All-en. Al-len. Don't call me Red anymore, Mana."

I couldn't believe Allen Walker had been called Red. It didn't fit him whatsoever. Nothing about him said "red". Not his hair, not his face, not even his demeanor. I could understand why Mana had insisted upon calling him something else. It amused me to think he had named him after a dead dog, though.

My appetite for his memories had only just been whetted, but as I tried to transition into another memory I was met with nothing but solid resistance. Although I couldn't see anything blocking me, I simply could not gain any access into that particular memory. I pushed, I prodded, I tried everything I could to sneak past the defenses, but they were too strong for me. Again, I was met with a feeling of familiarity: what I had once described as hunger and what Tyki had described as indigestion. I beat on the barrier, trying to break the odd sensations I was experiencing, but I instead fell back and collided with another one of Allen's memories.

Mana… Mana… How could you? How could you abandon me? How dare you leave me alone?! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

I feel so… empty…

I want you back…

I need you back…

Please come back…

"… Do you want your father back?"

…

"Are you willing to pay the price?"

…

"Just say his name and he will be yours once again."

"MANA!"

Something grabbed my shoulder and I was yanked out of the memory. I flew to a corner of Allen's mind, just past the area where his memories flowed. I landed with a loud *thunk* and just sat there. I did not have time to react, nor did I have any motivation to do so, for my mind was completely obsessed with the memory it had just witnessed.

"Is that what you wanted to see?! Is that what you wanted to know?! You came here to pick through my memories and dig up my secrets, so here you go! Is this what you wanted?!"

Allen furiously grabbed my arm and shoved back into the memory I had just been pulled from.

Mana! Mana! You came back for me!

"How dare you?! How dare you turn me into an Akuma?!"

What? What is going on? Akuma? No. No! NO! It can't be! Mana couldn't have been turned into an Akuma!

"I curse you, Allen Walker!"

What is my arm doing? Why is it moving? It's never moved before! Wait! Stop! Don't hurt him!

"Destroy me, Allen. Destroy me!"

NOOOOOOOOO! MANA!

Again I was violently pulled from the memory. Allen pinned me down, holding my arms and sitting on my legs so I couldn't move.

"See what your precious Earl does? Do you like it? Do you approve? Do you enjoy seeing him rip apart the innocence of young, hopeless children and turning them into Akuma? Do you enjoy seeing a father kill his son or a son kill his father? Do you, Road? DO YOU?!"

I was too stunned to say anything. For once in my lifetime, I could think of nothing to say to get me out of this situation. I felt sick.

"I-I-I…" I stuttered, not being able to form a coherent thought, let alone an intelligible sentence. I could feel water leak out of my eyes from tears I never felt forming. Was I crying? How could I be crying over this? Allen sighed and loosened his grip on me.

"I know you can never see what you are. I know you see us Exorcists as the devils and you as the saviors. But how could you be a savior when all you do is attack and hurt innocent people? How can that better the human race?"

Allen slid off of me, releasing me completely from his grasp. He sat down beside me, not saying anything as I remained equally silent beside him. I was overwhelmed, shocked, and confused. I didn't know what to think, and I could scarcely even remember how to think.

We sat there for a while, completely quiet amongst the rolling river of memories. We watched each memory float away, catching only a glimpse of each before it drifted off to another segment of Allen's mind. Finally, I spoke.

"Please show me more of your mind."

Finally after 9 months we have a chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Please continue to write your wonderful reviews! I read and respond to every single one of them! I love you guys! :3