The Difference Between You and I (D.Gray Man fanfic) (Lavi Story)

Chapter 24: Initiating

Noticing that Leah had refused to tell him anything, or even acknowledge his presence, he turned to look outside the window. A little girl, owing the grey eyes of Walkers, was making a dandelion chain. Why, do girls make chains out of weeds these days, and not daisies? And that man, something was off about him, like a certain power lays latent in him. 

'I heard her name's Astonia. Astonia Viceroy - now that's a grand name for the future of the Walkers. Any tell-tale signs of an Exorcist yet?' He asked, the silly grin plastered on his face. It won't come off, and never will.

'No. I dare hope she'd never display any of those curses.' Leah replies for the first time.

'That's rather rare of you to speak.'

'Or would you rather read my mind, Uncle?' Leah replied crossly. She never liked him. Never will, she tells herself.

'Marshall Viceroy, he's an Exorcist, isn't he? Though there's something off about his type. Parasite or Equipment type?' The Earl prompted, and leaning closer to her, 'Or is he like you - neither? A mutant Exorcist?'

Leah's eyelashes battered twice for a second and it was enough confirmation for the Earl.  Leah and Marshall were both acquainted with the Black Order, he had seen him walking around with the Rose Cross and exterminating his Akumas - pitiful loved ones his cold mechanical heart had no remorse for.  But the very thought of Leah plotting something against his grand plan was rather a big thorn.  Family politics - he'd play this on a large scale.

Of course, he came prepared. The Heart, after several calculations, will be born again into the Walker family. The Heart came to be reincarnated into one of each family of the people who've seen the Ark. Great-great-great grandfather of his grandfather's, Mister-the-First-Walker of Walkers was the last to see the Ark, and it was calculated by the Earl and his team, that the pure and truthful Heart will be born into this family, this generation.

Since Leah was the firstborn, it is possible that her children will inherit the Heart. For that, he had prepared a fake Heart - the White Heart. Since Leah professed Astonia displayed no Exorcist tendecies, it was possible that she was an empty vessel, perfect for cultivating the White Heart.

'Excuse me, dear Leah, I shall take my leave. Where is your husband, this Viceroy fellow? It will be rude to not as much as greet him.' The Earl starts, getting up from the sofa. He takes his purple umbrella and Leah swears to the pumpkin head wink.  

'In the front yard.' 

The Earl was shown to the door by Meesta, the servant girl who grew up with Leah. She developed certain tendencies about being a Equipment type, but the Innocence left her, he was told. Perhaps it never did - he feels its power faintly emitting from her. But of course, it is no concern for him.

He watched as Marshall Viceroy lifts his little girl up in the air and let the dandelions circle them. What a pretty picture, he thought, but no prettier than the grandeur of his plan. 

'Marshall.' He tilts his tophat a little as he bows. Marshall Viceroy returns the favour. Astonia hides behind him. 

'Nice to meet you, Astonia.' The Earl attempts a friendship with his niece. She eyes him with suspicion, very much like Leah. 'I don't bite.' He tries to win her over. 

Marshall smiles slightly, gestures for Astonia to say something in return. She makes a hurried 'Hi Uncle.' The Earl lets out a hearty laugh and reaches into his suit pockets. He pulls out a white crystal heart necklace with gold chains, and hands it to her. 

'Uncle's going to go away on a long journey, you see. So make sure you take good care of this necklace and return it the next time we meet. Will you promise me that?' He hands it over to Astonia, and she looks at her father for approval. He nods, thinking for once that Leah's account of her 'evil, manipulative, strange' uncle was not the villian she makes out to be after all. 

The Earl fastens the gold clasps on her neck and grins wider as he alone senses the compatibility between the White Heart and Astonia's Innocence. Like a parasite, the White Heart will consume whole her Innocence, and she'll be left with none. 

Two weeks later, her necklace vanished and she spent few days sulking about it. But she never noticed it shrinking day by day for the past week, before finally disappearing into her skin. The White Heart's synchronisation with her latent Innocence was complete. 

***

Outside Komui's office, the battle sounds of Kallistei and General Cross echoed throughout the Black Order. Kallistei - the merge of both her parents, Marshall Viceroy and Leah Walker, mutant Exorcists who tried overcoming the grief barrier that bound the Akuma to the Milennium Earl. Snow White ran closer to the source of metal-clashing, gunshots from Judgement, General Cross' Innocence. As she ran, she remembered the events on the day she received the White Heart. Why had she only remembered it now? She just needed to give away one more shard, and everything will be fine, the White Heart will no longer regenerate itself and the Earl will no longer have any leads to the real Heart.

Hi Guys, this is Crimson Rain here :D

This is the end of The Difference Between you and I.

Jokes, this is the second last. 

If you are still confused, shoot me with questions and I will try as I may to cover all  loopholes in the finale chapter, Chapter 25: Ending :)

Thanks for reading this fanfiction all the way to this stage, I thank you guys very muchhh :)