This was an idea that I have been playing around with for a while, possibly a good one, but then again, I have not a clue. So let's try it! Hello, Kurokumo here, and I welcome you to yet another fan-fic written by me. I hope you do enjoy it! So! Let us commence forthwith with Chapter One of 'Linked'!

Disclaimer: D. Gray-Man is property of Katsura Hoshino and Funimation. This series is a parody and nothing more, so please support the official release. Got it? Damn well better.

1. Lost

The sky, if it were at all possible, was bleeding. It was covered with stains that should not have been there. It should not have been like that. It was stained with innocent blood, one that was reflected off the pools of water that were darkened by the thick clouds of worry and doubt. Something was terribly wrong. In the murkiness of the water that surrounded him, it was more than obvious to him that something was far more than just 'terribly wrong'. In the heat that was fading from summer blaze because of those bleeding clouds, he had lost one of his friends, and they were no where to be found. He tripped over his own feet and landed face first into the dark water. Coughing, gagging, he pulled himself up again and continued to run towards the next vacant space and the one after it. He felt as if he had been running for days when it had only been ten minutes.

Please, God. Please tell me it isn't true.

They had fought a losing battle up against the Noah, and one was tossed carelessly aside like a chew toy that belonged to a dog. And now he was lost. And Allen didn't know what to make of it aside from trying to find him. Lenalee had went on ahead to search by air to see if she saw the lost Exorcist, but so far, there was no sign that she had seen him. It was incredible, really. The amount of strength that one Noah member had-- He had picked up Ōzuchi Kozuchi as if it were nothing but a stone and threw him. Threw him hard. And then he was gone, just like that. Not one of them saw where he had landed.

He tripped again out of him running in desperation, but this time on a patch of the bog ground, and picked himself up once more. It was literally covered in nothing but wetland, and the chances of Lavi landing in a pool of water while being knocked out were extremely high. All Allen had to cling onto was hope and the many prayers that were forming in his head, and nothing else. What were the chances? He swallowed down the fear that was trying to cling to him and stopped running, taking in several deep breathes. He was tired, exhausted, and the wound on his left shoulder was not doing him any good. He couldn't help but to stop. But he didn't want to. He couldn't, not now. Even if his breathing became ragged, even if his body wore out on him, he had to find Lavi.

He just had to.

"LAVI!" he yelled, staggering a few more steps ahead. The yell was loud, clear, but nothing responded but a murder of crows flying from where they were resting. His lower lip began trembling as his hands clasped around his mouth. "LAVI! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

When nothing but silence came to greet him, he sank to his knees, burying his head in his hands. Lavi was gone. There was no doubt about it. He couldn't find him anywhere. The crows called once more as Lenalee came from the sky and landed with ease next to him, eyebrows furrowed into an expression of sadness and empathy. The rain began to start coming in buckets, the sky gone from the colour of grey to red in his eyes, which were blurred by the many thoughts rushing through his head. What would they tell Bookman, Kanda, and the others? Lavi had been close to all of them, no doubt, and…

"LAAVVVIIIIIIII!"

"Allen-kun, stop it," Lenalee said, her voice sounding a little broken. "We can't find him anywhere. We tried. We need to go back to the Order and…" she paused, swallowing as if she couldn't bare the truth herself. "…and report what has happened. There is nothing else we can do. Come on, Allen-kun."

"I can't! Lavi's-- He's-- There has got to be a way!" Allen moved his shoulder away from Lenalee's hand. "Anything! There has to be something! We can find him, I know we can, if we just persist a little longer--"

"--and kill yourself while doing that?!" Lenalee interrupted, anger and sadness making her voice sound louder than just typical yelling. "Would Lavi want that?! Look at your shoulder, for God sake's! Would a friend really want another friend to be pushing himself to the extreme and nearly dying for his sake?!" She stood up, turning away from view. Something glistened as it fell off of her cheek. Lenalee was crying. "Lavi, of all people, wouldn't want that, and you know it! He would probably want us to get home safe, and here you are, telling me that if… If we… Oh…" she fell to her knees, sobs wracking her shoulder and her entire body. Allen looked at her helplessly, unable to try to comfort her. He was unable to do that to himself, so how could he expect to give her some? The rain lessened a little bit as he tried to find words to say, to wipe that expression off of her face, but couldn't.

"Lenalee…" he whispered, then cast a look down at the earth and the forming puddles beneath his knees. He wished for all of his life that Lavi were actually alive and was looking for them right now. He wished that, but no matter he tried to reassure himself, he couldn't think that his wish would come true. "…Lavi…"

Somewhere in the far distance, the murder of crows cried once more, their raspy tenors not reaching their ears. The rain had restored itself to its former viciousness. The sky was bleeding once more, and he didn't care. He had failed another person, and this time, it was one of his closer friends.

Please… If you are alive, Lavi… Just… hang on… I'll find you.

He stared at his own reflection in the pool of water that was growing larger, liking that thought that was dancing in his head. He would come back here and look for Lavi. His hand tightened into a fist, looking up at the seemingly-endless bog but saw nothing but his friend's face.

I'll find you.

"Allen-kun," Lenalee had stood up without him even noticing. "Allen-kun, we should start heading back, or else we're going to get lost in this bog…"

He paused, his weak knees trying to tell him to stay down, but he knew better. He stood up slowly, his eyes blank and distant, and turned towards Lenalee. Masked by the rain, he was crying quietly. He knew that she would be able to tell, but he didn't care. He started to walk ahead of her as she just watched for a moment. He stopped, turned back once more, gritting his teeth. "I'll find you," he repeated in a breathless whisper, and started to walk again.

Allen-kun is putting on a tough face… Oh… She looked back as she followed him quietly, her face still stuck in that expression of sadness. Please, Lavi. Tell me you are following us unknowingly… Tell me you're okay…

He felt broken. Not only could he not move his legs, but he couldn't see a thing. Every nerve of his body felt as if it had been torn apart by an axe and was left to bleed out in any form possible. He didn't know when he had woken up. He didn't know how much time had passed. He did know, however, that he was in pain, and that he was separated from Allen and Lenalee. He could hear the rain and the faint rumble of thunder in the clouds, but he couldn't hear their voices. He wanted to get up and walk, but his legs were not budging a bit. Gasping, he tried to at least sit up without success. He couldn't believe it. That guy had picked up Ōzuchi Kozuchi and threw him.

How am I not dead?

He was cold and wet. He did just want to die. It was the only way out of the situation he was in. And he probably was going to, anyways, given the way he felt. There were no voices he could hear, and no one would want to live in a bog-area. He was done for. Wincing, he took in another ragged breath, applying pressure to his left side. It felt warm, felt wet. Blood. He cursed quietly as he tried to sink back into the unconscious state he had been in before he realized what was going on. Pain didn't allow it, though. He gave up, then tried to call his friends name. All but a whisper came out of his throat.

"Allen… Lenalee.. Guys…" he managed before something salty with a hint of copper filled his throat. He had punctured a lung, possibly both. He was a goner.

His right hand tightened a tiny bit around the handle of his hammer. He was surprised it had not broken. All he wanted was to go back to the Order and see everyone again, for at least one more time. But Death did not give exceptions, especially to him, and he knew that. He swallowed with great difficulty and sighed.

Just take me now. I don't wanna deal with this.

The world slipped past him as his eyes unknowingly closed. A few voices that were unfamiliar to him yelled loudly, but they were probably just illusions, mirages of people he did not know nor care about. Everything fell quiet to him, fell dark to him, tasted salty to him. The world became Death's domain.

He passed out.

It stayed like that for several minutes or several hours, he could not tell. He was just happy that he couldn't feel anything, that he was in a state of that close to sleep. He sighed, a bit too relaxed for the situation he was in. But pretty soon, voices started to reach his ears. They were not happy voices, they were desperate voices. He could imagine Allen and Lenalee calling out for him, trying to find him, and he could do nothing but lie there and practically be dead. That thought saddened him more than anything. They were so close, and yet, they were so far away.

Don't come to find me. I don't want you guys to see me like this.

He was starting to feel again, the sounds around him starting to grow louder. It was those voices from earlier, only there were more this time. They were barely audible at first, but as they seemed to come closer the voices grew louder. He didn't like them. They sounded warm and friendly, like a family would have towards one another. He was in a state of death. For a family to view something like this, it was… He couldn't find the word for it.

"Ma! There his is, the man I saw fall from the sky earlier!"

Who?

"Quickly, get him to the house! We have no time to lose. This man has punctured a lung. Grab that hammer, will you, Carroll? Come on!"

What… Leave me be… I'm dead…

"…eyes are severely damaged, too… … …can fix them… …"

I don't…

"…try…"

…I…

Too short of a chapter, I know, I'm sorry. This is just a basic introduction of what is going on… It'll be longer for the next chapter, promise. So! Did you like it? Hate it? Love it? Destroy it? Hit me with a review, por favor! I'll see you all in two! --K.S.