Corrupted Innocence (Lavi)

The Return

Knock. Knock.

A pale white fist pounded on the door of the Black Order HQ, and almost a hundred cameras zoomed in on it. People in the security room grew frantic, tossing around paperwork and shouting for the director. The clatter of keys on a keyboard filled the room. A camera trailed down the arm and a face came into focus, small and fragile. Light blue eyes peered out from ivory bangs shyly and a grim expression was plastered over the doll like features. There was a sudden silence in the room as everyone collectively gasps. No one moved, except for the director, who charged through the mass of people. A navy blue beret sat atop his almost matching hair, and reading glasses perched on his nose. He swiveled his head to look at the screen, his features going from annoyed to downright shock.

A whisper to himself. "Is that...?"

The one operating the camera nodded slightly, not taking his eyes off the screen. "Yeah, that's Jezebel Hunter. But I thought she was dead..."

A deadly silent anticipation filled the room. Seconds ticked by and more knocks came.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

The director snapped." Someone open that damned door and let her in!! And tell the other Exorcists'!!"

A big red button was pushed, and the doors of the HQ slid open. The girl in the camera, Jezebel, widened her eyes in mild shock and delicate lips parted as if to say something. With a moments hesitation, that something came. "Thank you, Komui." And then she stepped through the threshold.

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

Lenalee ran faster than she ever had before. Her eyes were wide, as if she she could see farther then with them normal. She bypassed sweet little Allen Walker, who called after her, looking worried. Past stingy, arrogant Yu Kanda, who slurped down soba noodles and glared at her for no real reason. She raced around talkative red headed Lavi, who chased after her asking for a date, before finally giving up. Her heels clacked against the marble flow and she slid to a stop, breathing heavily and staring at the short ivory haired, blue eyes exorcist. There was no doubt about it. Her eyes burned with tears.

"Jezebel...it really is you...."

Lenalee collapsed and sobbed into her hands. Jezebel was here, alive. Jezebel who had been her friend ever since she came here, Jezebel who had defended her through thick and thin against Kanda, Jezebel who had left five years ago and never came back.

Warmth enveloped Lenalee as Jezebel put her arms around her. Her hands shook and when Lenalee looked up, she saw silent tears in Jezebel's eyes. And something else. A patch of spiderweb scars starting in the corner of her right eyes and fanning out to the hair line, and a long jagged scar a few inches above her chest. Lenalee's eyes widened. Those certainly weren't there when she left three years ago. She was like a porcelain doll before, but now it was as if someone had shattered her.

"Jezebel.....what on earth happened to you."