Saying Goodbye to A.W. - Poison and Guide

Saying Goodbye to A.W. - Poison and Guide (A.W（アレン・ウォーカー）に別れを告げる・毒と標, A.W. (Aren Wōkā) ni wakare o tsugeru ・doku to shirube) is the two hundred and twenty eighth chapter of D.Gray-man written and illustrated by Katsura Hoshino. It was published in Jump SQ Rise on April 16, 2018.

Cover
Cross Marian is holding the shard of Cornelia in the palm of his gloved hand. The wooden shard is glowing and floating. He is wearing his usual white mask on the right side of his face, rectangular gold frame glasses and earrings. He is smoking and the smoke rises in a red plume. The theme colors are red and black.

Short Summary
Allen recalls the memory of when he first met Timcanpy. During the memory Cross Marian notices that Allen befriends Tim just like Nea did. He is also shown to have a shard similar to that which killed in Timcanpy in previous chapters.

Long Summary
The chapter opens in Mother's house, in a bedroom. Cross Marian with his hand on the golem presents Timcanpy to a young Allen. Cross asks Allen is he knows whata golem is, Allen confirms, they were present in the tales told by Mana. The boy takes Timcanpy between his hands and wonders if people can become friends with golems. Cross seems lost in his thoughts and recalls Nea and Timcanpy : this thought makes him grit his teeth.

Cross suddenly stands up and tells Allen he leaves Timcanpy here for the night so he better hurry and get to bed. Allen asks if he he can befriend Timcanpy. Cross slams the door, stating he doesn't care. The general thinks that Tim may be a comrade for Nea but him it's different as he actually wishes to destroy Tim.

He takes a box in his pocket and opens it. Cross stares at the wooden shard in it while recalling Mother's warning: Tim is the only clue left but even destroying it won't set Cross free as by touching the truth he has "crossed humanity's boundaries". But keeping Cornelia 's splinter with him is a guarantee that he can't  still destroy him and helps him moving on. Timcanpy serves as a guide

Cross then departs with Allen and throughout the years the three of them travel in the world and fight akumas. Several years afterwards Cross is shot by Apocryphos with Cross's own gun innocence. The independant innocence then takes Cornelia's splinter, opens his mouth and swallows it.

Remembering all these things Allen is on his knees, in shock in front of Timcanpy's remains. He slowly reaches for the jar.

Chapter Notes

 * This chapter  supposedly retells Allen's memories upon seeing Timcanpy's demise. Though the confrontation between Cross and Apocryphos is shown despite Allen not being present in this scene. This can be explained by the fact Allen received memories of this event when making contact with Apocryphos.
 * There seems to be tales with golems in them. It is thus likely that golems have existed for a long time.
 * In his head, Cross addresses to someone.  This person is Nea but Cross is also answering to Allen question, which shows that in his mind Cross equate Allen and Nea.
 * Cross keeps with him Cornelia's splinter. Cornelia is the tree in the Campbell Residence . It apparently has mysterious powers.
 * We learn how Apocryphos got Cornelia's splinter. Apocryphos also seems to have the ability to absorb items, stock them in his body and get them out when needed.

Trivia

 * This is the first chapter of D.Gray-man in the Jump SQ Rise. Previously it was featured in the Jump SQ Crown, the former quaterly issue of the magazine that was replaced by SQ Rise.


 * With 12 pages this is the second shortest chapter of D.Gray-man (behind chapter 224).