"Welcome to Pfeilisolierung*! How many people in your party?" The receptionist asked.

"Four. Could we get a table for four, please?" Replied Maria.

"Of course!" She smiled and gestured the group to follow her.

Mary stood there, fidgeting with her fingers. She wasn't sure how she ended up at this restaurant. She wasn't sure how she ended up standing next to Cross. Mary looked at the older boy, who, catching her gaze, averted his red eyes.

Mary frowned. She wasn't a fan of this situation, but what could she do? Besides, she was starving.

-

2 Hours Before

"Maria! I was looking for you." Mary exclaimed, walking towards the woman.

"My apologies." Maria put her hand on the young girl's shoulder and smiled apologetically. "I seemed to have gotten a bit sidetracked."

'Sidetracked?' Mary thought to herself.

The taller woman looked back at Cross, who stared at her with a scowl. She moved closer to him.

"Why are you here?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Am I not allowed to visit Brandenburg?" She raised an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean."

Completely ignoring his remark, Maria looked past the boy to the man lying on the ground.

"What happened to him?"

Crossing his arms, the redhead glanced behind him, his scowl becoming even bigger.

"Bastard tried to get more money outta me than I owed." He spat.

"He would've been beaten to a pulp if I hadn't heard his voice." Mary chimed in.

Cross's eyebrow twitched.

"I would not!"

"Yes, you would!"

"Would not!"

"Would definitely!"

"Oh please, I didn't need help from a dwarf like you!"
"What did you say, you stupid—"

But before Mary could jump Cross, Maria clapped her hands together, catching the two's attention.

"Now, now, this isn't the best time to fight, is it? Have we forgotten we're in a dark alley with an unconscious man?"

"Ah..."

'She's right...' The young girl thought.

"What should we do then?" Mary inquired.

"Leave the premise, obviously!" Maria chirped.

"W-wait, we're just gonna leave him here!?"

"Of course!"

The periwinkle-haired girl looked at the exorcist incredulously. To leave an unconscious man by himself was something she thought was absurd.
Maria peered at the young girl from behind her glasses.

"Don't worry, he's far from dead. At worst, he'll have a concussion for a while."

Mary still looked at her dubiously, but in the end, trusted her judgment. Maybe it was for the best they left. After all, that man would be enraged if he saw them again.

"That's settled then! Let's go. You too, Cross." She beckoned the boy to come with them.

"But—"

"No buts!"

"..."

Even after all the hostility he gave the platinum-haired woman, he still followed her.

-

Present Time

Mary looked at the boy sitting next to her. With his left hand holding up his head, he looked mesmerized at the sight outside the window. Curious about what caught the redhead's attention, she leaned over him. From the elevated view, she could see St. Peter and Paul Cathedral and all the people coming in and out of the church. Mary saw many types of people, but especially clergy. Lots of clergy.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Cross clench his fist.

"If you're upset, why keep looking?" She said, glancing at him.

"That's none of your business." He replied, looking away.

Deciding not to say anything, Mary slumped back into her seat. She looked at Maria, who was sitting on the opposite side of the table. Suddenly, the be-speckled woman called to her.

"Mary, dear, could you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" The young girl tilted her head.

"I sent Georges on an errand with Ur-Canpy, but he still hasn't come back. Will you search for him? He should be near the cathedral right now."

"Oh... sure." She nodded. She didn't mind getting away from an awkward situation with Cross. Looking for the brown-haired Finder would also give her a chance to look around more and not be worried about where Maria was.

The young girl left the restaurant, leaving only Maria and Cross at the table.

"You did that on purpose." said the boy.

"Maybe so." Maria gave the redhead a sly smile. "Either way, you don't seem to enjoy Mary's company."

"Of course not. She reminds me of you." He frowned.

The platinum-haired woman laughed heartily. "I guess I've rubbed off on her quite a bit."

She leaned back in the seat. "Don't give her too much flack. That girl's been through a lot."

"Haven't we all?" He retorted.

An unreadable expression fell on Maria's face, the glare of her glasses covering her eyes.

"Did you run again?" She questioned.

Cross scoffed. "No. I got kicked out. Something about 'coming back when you finally repent' or whatever." He laughed bitterly. "I'm really not fit for priesthood."

"And yet, you keep trying."

"I don't break promises."

Maria smiles at him sympathetically.

"Well, if you want, you could always travel with me again."

"Travel with you?"

"It's not like you can go back there immediately, yes?"
"That's true..."

"If you're worried, I'm not going back to the European Branch anytime soon." Maria looked through the window, spotting both Georges and Mary. "I'd like to keep her away from it a little longer."

"She's an Accommodator, right?"

"You knew?"

"Just a hunch. She had decent combat skills and, I hate to admit it, has a pretty nasty punch." He let out a snicker.

Maria grinned, adjusting her glasses. "I taught her well."

The two sat in silence for a while. Then Cross spoke.
"I... I might take up your offer." He muttered.

Maria immediately brightened. "Really?!" She leaned over, smiling.

Cross adverted his eyes, embarrassed. "Why are you so happy?" He questioned.

"Because you seldom say yes to anything I ask!" the exorcist said bluntly.

The redhead's eye twitched.

"You..."

Cross opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it.

"Oh! I almost forgot. I have something for you." Maria exclaimed, digging into her briefcase.

"What is it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah! Here it is." the exorcist handed him a white object.
"A mask?"

"Yes. I spent quite some time working on it."

Cross frowned. "Knowing you, it's probably not just a simple mask, is it?"

Maria smiled. "You'll see."

The boy narrowed his eyes at her in suspicion, but then put the mask away. A pair of footsteps approached the table.

"Oh, welcome back!" Maria smiled. "I see you've found Georges."

Georges sighed. "She kept yelling my name; it was hard to not notice her...and all the attention she caught."

Mary averted her eyes and scratched her head.

"I assume you've done what I asked?" said Maria.

"Yes, Lady Maria." The brown-haired man replied.

"Well then." Maria shot in from her seat and grabbed Mary.

"Huh—"

With quick ease, the taller woman switched places with the young girl— Mary, now sitting where she once sat. Mary looked at her blankly, still processing what just happened.

"Why don't you two get to know each other while Georges and I talk?" She said.

"Hah?!" Mary's blank stare morphed into a shocked one. "You want me to sit alone with him?!"

"Oi, what's wrong with me?!" Cross argued.

"Ya attitude, that's what!"

"That's hilarious coming from someone whose attitude is no different!"

As they bickered on and on, Maria and Georges left for a more quiet and discreet place.

"I fear your influence has affected Lady Mary for the worse. She's gotten more hotheaded with you."

"There nothing wrong with having a little bite." She shrugged. "It'll save you from a lot of problems later on."

"And also cause more problems..." Georges muttered. "Anyhow, the boy—"

"He'll be coming with us."

Georges raised his eyebrows.

"Really?" He asked, not believing what he heard.
"Shocking, I know." Maria laughed. "But I have no objections. I've known that boy since he was very young, and no matter how much he tries to act mature and like he doesn't want anyone's help, he's still a child."

"..."

"Anyway," Maria started, her tone much more serious. "Let's get to the main topic, yes?"

-

"I'd like this and that and this—"

Cross stared at Mary, dumbfounded. He didn't know what to think of the scene in front of him.

"You've already eaten so much, how are you still hungry?" He asked.

"I dunno. I guess I just have a big appetite." Mary replied as she finalized her order.

'What type of answer is that?!'

Cross shook his head, not wanting to think about it anymore. He asked the young girl facing him a question.

"How long have you been with Maria?"

"Hmm... almost two years now." She continued. "It feels like I've known her for ages, yet, at the same time, I barely know her at all."

Cross chuckled. "Trust me when I say you'll probably never completely understand her. I spent six years traveling with her and still don't."

"Six years?!"

"And I've known her for a lot longer than that."

"Huh..." Mary looked at the boy. She knew Cross had known Maria before Maria had met her, but she didn't think their past extended so far before then.

"Y'know, Cross, you're not so bad to talk to..." she said.

"You're not so bad either, pipsqueak." The boy replied.
"Hey! I'm still growing." Mary frowned.

Cross snickered. "Sure you are."

-

A/N: This was a fun chapter to write, but a hard one to start >.<! I'm excited to reveal more of Cross (and in turn, Maria)'s pasts :D Extra chapter up next!

Footnotes:
* = a literal translation of 'arrow isolation' ; it's meant to be jibberish
For reference, Cross is 16 here
[edited] + Mary currently stands at 165 cm (5'4")