Saying Goodbye to A.W. - Concealment and Confidant

Saying Goodbye to A.W. - Concealment and Confidant (A.W（アレン・ウォーカー）に別れを告げる・掩蔽と腹心, A.W. (Aren Wōkā) ni wakare o tsugeru ・ enpei to fukushin) is the two hundred and twenty ninth chapter of the D.Gray-man manga series written and illustrated by Katsura Hoshino. It was published in Jump SQ Rise on July 19 2018.

Short Summary
As Chaozii and Krory arrive into the town to join the search, Allen and Johnny have managed to escape safely with the help of General Tiedoll and Kanda.

While Tiedoll and Johnny talk outside the carriage, Allen remains silent after finding out about Timcanpy's death, but silently worries about the consequences of telling the others about Apocryphos.

He begins to summon the Ark, and assures Kanda that he will deal with the human-shaped Innocence himself. When Johnny eventually peers into the carriage, he is shocked to see that both Kanda and Allen have disappeared.

Long Summary
Chaozii and Krory meet with the search units who are still in the process of combing the town in search of Allen and Johnny—they speak with three Finders who had originally accompanied General Tiedoll, but ended up staying to help with the search. The Finders inform the two Exorcists that they have not yet been able to locate Allen or Johnny, and the only ones who had left the town are General Tiedoll and Kanda.

When Chaozii wonders how Kanda is doing, the Finders maintain that he is probably fine, despite throwing a massive tantrum in the carriage as he is seemingly escorted back to the Order's headquarters by the General. With that, the Finders are ordered to escort Chaozii and Krory to their Emergency Headquarters, which is located in a church. As the two Exorcists make their way there, Krory is silently relieved that Allen had managed to escape, however Chaozii does not look impressed.

Now that they have managed to escape the town, Johnny, with Timcanpy's remains in hand, takes a moment to join General Tiedoll outside the carriage. While Johnny initially claims he brought Timcanpy out with him because the carriage is cramped and Timcanpy needed fresh air, he also explains it is also because it is painful for him to see Allen's reaction to Timcanpy's death; he has neither shed a tear nor spoken a single word.

Discussion then turns to Apocryphos. Johnny wonders if human-shaped Innocence could even exist, and if it does, considers the possibility that it is the Heart. Moreover, he wonders why Allen chose to hide its existence. However, his thoughts soon wander to Link, who had faked his death in order to pursue Allen, as well as Lvellie, who he suspects may be pulling the strings. Nevertheless, his train of thought is soon interrupted by General Tiedoll, who wishes for Johnny to speak with him so he does not fall asleep.

Johnny takes this opportunity to ask the General why he chose to help them. Tiedoll explains that while he initially intended to turn them in, since Lenalee and Marie are in on it, and Kanda was insistent that he would help Allen no matter what, he chose to hear his apprentice out. Nevertheless, he also offers another reason—he is also interested in the human-shaped Innocence and says they must get it before the Noah do. But helping them in exchange for this information is strictly for the record. Despite Tiedoll's answer, Johnny still seems to be unsure about whether or not they can trust him, though he is moved to tears when Tiedoll expresses that he is grateful to Allen for taking a stand for Kanda and Alma. However, the General tells him this will be the only time he will help them.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, Allen is concerned—if he tells everyone about Apocryphos, the Exorcists would start to doubt their Innocence and as a result of that, they could potentially become Fallen Ones. Furthermore, he regrets having brought Timcanpy along with him when he left the Order, but he was terrified of being alone. He thinks back to the death of Mana's dog Allen, and to Timcanpy, and as these memories flow he begins to summon the Ark. He apologises to Kanda and assures him he will retrieve the human-shaped Innocence himself. Johnny is only alerted to something going on inside the carriage when he hears Kanda yelling, but when he pulls back the curtains he finds both Allen and Kanda are gone.