"Lavi... Lavi..." The old man frowned. He pulled his hand back and slapped the redhead across the back of his head. "Lavi!"

The redhead rubbed the back of his head, turning around, frowning back at the old man. "Hey, that hurt!"

"Idiot!" he shouted back. "Pay attention! Your name's Lavi now and you're about to observe the secret war between the Noah and the Exorcists."

Noah. He'd heard about them but knew very little. In fact no one really knew much about them. They'd appear throughout history then disappear as soon as they had arrived. They existed alongside history since the biblical Noah had existed within history. But any data about them was unknown. Who they were, what they did, even their involvement was vague at best. But now, he had the opportunity to observe the mysterious Noah first hand. This was great!

Lavi grinned, plastering a friendly smile across his soft features. "Don't worry, old man. I know what to do." Just act friendly and get the necessary information. This'd be a breeze.

…

The two walked into the ornate mansion dressed in less than ornate clothes. Their last record had left them with tears in their rather drab clothes. The two stuck out sorely, but were strangely greeted like nobility by the servants. The servants looked a little strange, as if they weren't human, but Lavi couldn't entirely put a finger on how or why.

"Ohoho~ " The laugh traveled down the stairs and echoed about the foyer. Lavi snapped from his observations of the room to a rather well dressed fat man with a tall top hat and long ears. He didn't look human by any definition of the word. And here Lavi thought he'd seen everything.

"You must be the Earl," Bookman stated strongly, offering a slight bow. Lavi followed suit, with a friendly inviting smile.

This Earl person had to be some sort of importance, Lavi figured, but what, exactly, he wasn't sure. What intrigued him more was how inhuman the Earl looked. The idea was intriguing, something he'd not once considered before.

"Ah, yes, Bookman~ " the Earl chuckled. "Perfect." He turned and shouted suddenly, "Oh, Rhode~ !"

Suddenly behind him appeared a young girl as she walked through the wall at the top of the stairs. She bounced down the stairs then leapt upon the Earl, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek. "Are they here, Sennen-ko? Is that them?"

"Ohoho~, so excited, Rhode~ " the Earl grinned. "Show them to their room, dear?"

"Just Lavi," Bookman interjected quickly. "I have business to attend."

"Huh?" Lavi's attention snapped to Bookman. "Whatcha mean, just me?"

Bookman quickly kicked Lavi in the shin. "Don't ask stupid questions, idiot. You're on your own this time. Don't mess up."

Lavi rubbed his shin, frowning. "Yeah, yeah, I gotcha." But he wasn't entirely sure he had it. Lavi had never been on his own for a record. He was still just an apprentice, just a kid really. The old man had always been there to make sure to keep him in line and give him direction on what to do next. He was almost like a crutch really, just a really old, panda-faced crutch.

But before he could say anything more, Rhode flung herself on Lavi. "C'mon, it'll be fun, Bookman~!" She giggled playfully and childlike, picking her feet up as she hung off his shoulders.

He wasn't here for fun. He was here to learn the hidden history. It was all just a job, really, a means to record the most coveted history in the world.

Rhode lead him up an ornate staircase, skipping happily, humming a tune to herself. Lavi'd never heard that tune before, so he tucked it away in his memory. Perhaps it meant something, like a local tune that he hadn't yet encountered. Every tune had a story and an origin.

Rhode then opened one of the doors in the hallway, "This is where Sennen-ko says you'll be staying~."

Lavi gaped. "No waaaay." The room was huge! He had grown so accustomed to staying in small inns or just sleeping outside under the stars. This was much too large for him. He'd seen smaller houses.

She poked him on the nose playfully. "Sennen-ko can be generous, but don't push your luck," she added with a dark expression.

"I'll keep that in mind," Lavi noted. He wanted to meet Noah and learn about them, not parade around with some nobility. Nobility was boring, always prattering on about pointless stuff and dressing up in ridiculously impractical outfits. He preferred to stay among the commonfolk, where they talked about things that mattered.

"Earn our trust and you may get to meet us all~" Rhode added.

Did she just read his mind? Was she one of the Noah?

"Shh~" she held a finger to her lips.

This might prove to be more difficult than anticipated, though he did enjoy a challenge. He had to meet these Noah, not only for the record but to satiate his own curiosity.