Please read this first! ~~~~~ AN: You might find this brief explanatory chapter kind of dull, or dry and technical. Please don't give up on the story after reading only this chapter! I wanted to explain the Walker family/The Arc and the good that they did (and still do) before getting into the individual character's lives. It was written this way in order to avoid long explanations in later chapters.

This is about the Walker's history, and the next four are chapters about Allen, Kanda, Lena, and Lavi's early years. After that there's a time skip to their teenage years, and Kanda and Allen meet soon after.

Prologue

The Walker family was well-known throughout the world. They were British, with a noble lineage established centuries in the past. The family was very wealthy, but that was not the primary reason for their fame. It was their charitable organization, The Arc, that brought them into the world's eyes and its deeds that kept them in the world's hearts. Noah Walker founded The Arc in 1614. He wanted to provide opportunities and medical care for people regardless of their social standing.

Over time, The Arc built and maintained an orphanage, hospitals, and schools. They began with an orphanage in London and soon spread throughout the British Isles. They built a school in Bathgate, Scotland and a hospital in Clonmel, Ireland. They crossed the Atlantic Ocean in the 19th century. Once in the US, the Arc built a school in Maine. The following century, they built a hospital in Massachusetts. Each location, be it orphanage, hospital, or school, had a president. The president was always a male member of the Walker family. His responsibilities included serving as the establishment's public face, overseeing the charity events, finalizing all hiring and firing of employees, and proceeding over any hearings regarding violence, theft, or property damage.

The Arc broke ground for their US school, Black Order Academy, in 1855. Construction ended in 1870, and the Walkers searched diligently in order to have the best possible faculty and staff. The school opened its doors to students in the autumn of 1871. Many parents wanted to enroll their children in BOA, but admission was through invitation only. The President of BOA, the deans, and staff members known as Finders scouted for students and invited a select few. Nobody saw a specific pattern in their choices, but all who went there flourished.

Located in Eastpoint, Maine, BOA consisted of four schools: preschool, primary school (years 1-7), secondary school (years 8-12), and university. Black Order University contained three different colleges: science, the arts, and business. As time passed, the colleges added various degree programs. The College of Science offered degrees in biochemistry, marine science, mathematics, forensic biology, and environmental biology. The College of the Arts offered degrees in art mediums, theatre, music, design, and creative writing. The College of Business offered degrees in accounting, business management, human resource management, sales management, and marketing. Charity proceeds covered all of BOA's expenses. Students had no tuition or boarding fees.