Author's note: This is going to be a two-part story. You might find this rather awkward and weird, though, but thanks a lot for reading—Soleil

Taking a Break

Lenali Lee, Miranda Lotte, and Allen Walker stride the crowded street together. Despite being exorcists and everything, that day seems so peaceful for the three of them.

"Don't you think it's great, Allen, Miranda? Finally we have a holiday!" Lenali remarks happily.

"Yeah, I was almost sure we exorcists will never have a holiday," Allen smiles, "But we eventually have."

"Y-yes," said Miranda. Her voice sounds weak and timid as usual, but she seems to be in a good mood, "—and it happens that a fair's just opened up, so we can go and look around…"

The three of them keep walking until a group of children excitedly run out of a building and across the road, "Whoa, I've never seen such big crowd of kids around here," says Allen.

"It's because you don't get out much, Allen! They are students in the school over there. I guess the lesson's just ended," Lenali explains.

"So that's it," Allen nods. It is a good view; happy, innocent children happily running back from school, walking home with friends, and once they get back, a warm loving house is waiting for them. Allen has always dreamt of a life like that; happy and carefree. However, it's impossible, isn't it? Although the world seems ignorant and the three of them are going out together to see a fair, nothing can change the fact that a big war has erupted; a war between the Millenium Earl and the Noahs against the Black Order, fighting for the fate of the world.

Among those children, there's one girl who doesn't blend in. Her hair is short, dark-coloured, and messy. Her skin is dark and she's wearing frilly gothic Lolita top and skirt. She looks just like any other kids, but she doesn't seem to get along with the other children. Most of the children walk with one another, chattering and walking together. Although some walk on their own, at least they look happy. However, this little girl doesn't seem to have any passion like the others; she looks emotionless and bored. One more thing, she sure looks familiar…

"Hey, I think I've seen that girl before…," Allen says suddenly.

"Which one?" Lenali asks.

"The one with short hair and pale pink outfit," Allen describes the girl, but he avoids to point at her.

"That one? Yeah, I think I've seen her too. But who could she be?"

They become silent, trying to recall.

"Uh, um…," Miranda who has been hiding behind Lenali all the time finally breaks the ice, "Isn't she… Isn't she a Noah?"

Speaking of the devil, the little girl seems to catch the word 'Noah' as she passes by the group. She turns to them. Her emotionless, bored face becomes lit up with joy and excitement, "ALLEN¬¬!"

"R-Rhode?!" Allen and Lenali scream in unison. They were shocked and fear-struck while Miranda sinks to the bottom of the sea of despair. How could they not recognize Rhode Camelot, the Noah they have encountered so many times and tortured them every time they meet?

"Allen! And Lenali and the Clock Girl! Yay!" Rhode sings and jumps around the horrified threesome. They instinctively step back; ready to invocate anytime the least threat sign appears.

"Drawing weapons already? How rude¬!" Rhode stops skipping around and puts her hands on her waist, "It's okay! I'm not here to kill you! At least not yet¬!"

"Phew," Allen lets his guard down, "Allen!" Lenali worriedly yells at Allen. She can't trust Rhode; how could Allen let himself be vulnerable before such formidable enemy?

"Hahaha!" Rhode chuckles, "Lenali is sooo cuu¬te! Getting all worried like that… It's okay, really!"

"So it's Rhode… I thought she was just a schoolgirl…," Allen looks away.

"What do you mean? I AM a schoolgirl!" Rhode replies.

"Eeh!" Allen, Lenali, and Miranda exclaim together. Rhode goes to school?! Such a psychopath goes to school? Bet she's the queen of bullies!

"Why do you look so surprised? Is it THAT weird if I go to school?" Rhode tilts her head a bit, "Allen! I see you laughing!"

"S-sorry… I can't help it… Haha…"

"By the way, where are you going? You don't wear those black cloaks today, I wonder why."

Miranda and Lenali dare not say a thing. They've always been terrified by Rhode's presence although she appears in such casual way. She doesn't even have that murderous, sinister aura she usually has when they meet. Rhode somehow seems so normal, but can a Noah be normal? Still the two girls don't have the nerve to talk casually to Rhode, but Allen has, "It's holiday, so we're going to the fair. Are you on a break too?"

Allen's so brave. The thing is; Allen doesn't see things the ways others do. Not only is he so kind to everyone, he also feels for the akuma and the Noahs. While all other exorcists destroy the fiend akuma out of hatred, Allen sees it as a way of salvation for the akuma's soul; Allen kills akuma to save it. He is also able to see the Noahs as fellow human beings although everyone sees them as monstrous enemies.

"Since the Earl's got no scenario for me today, I guess I'm on a break. Yes! I'm having a break too!" Rhode skips towards Allen, "So you are going to the fair… What's a fair?"

Even though Rhode's appearance is childlike, she obviously has lived far longer than Allen, Miranda, and Lenali. How come she does not know what a fair is?

"Don't you know what a fair is?" Allen asks with disbelief.

"Nope!"

"Uh, how do we put it? It's like, um…," Allen seems not sure how to define the word for Rhode.

"It's like a market," Lenali explains, "But it's only set up in special occasion. There are shops and sometimes there are various performances too!"

"Yeah, that's it," Allen remarks, but his mind seems to be somewhere else. Images are rushing through his head. He recalls the times when he was still with Mana Walker. They first met in a fair. They went together to a lot of fairs too. Mana would perform in his clown costume while Allen helped with everything. It was fun, but now it somehow felt so distant…

"Cool! Can I come along? I don't want to go home; I want to see the fair!" it's such an unexpected response from Rhode. Rhode Camelot, the oldest of the Noahs, is asking if she could follow exorcists-off-duty to a fair; how weird is that?

"What?!" Allen, Lenali, and Miranda are startled, "A-are you sure? I mean…"

"Yep! I want to go to the fair!"

"Oh, okay then," Allen replies with a smile.

"Allen?!" Miranda and Lenali exclaim at once. They know Allen's a good guy, but they'd never thought he could go so far as allowing an enemy who'd tortured them so much to come with them. Meanwhile, Rhode leaps and hugs Allen as she sings joyfully, "Yay! Allen, you're the best!"