Trouble with mossheads
Edited01/28/2019
Renato Sinclair would consider his life to be a one giant cluster of chaos. Since his childhood he experienced life in the streets. Getting food from the dumpster or the back door of a compassionate bakery if the situation demands it.
Don't get him wrong. He wasn't abandoned on the streets. He was in an overpopulated orphanage on a war-ravaged town in Southern Italy.
The matron was a patient woman. Too patient for an adult surrounded by dozens of brats with little fund from the government.
The war didn't spare anyone when it finally caught up to their small town.
Tanks bulldozed those who stand in their way. Militia killed civilians who defy their orders, those who refuse to do such orders were punished. Everyone who were there witnessed the horror.
Disfigured bodies were piled on the streets like the leaf piles every autumn.
Their color were not far from each other either.
Yellow bruises and red blood cover their skins. Just like the dried leaves on October.
Renato was one of them.
A witness.
A despicable being who did nothing to save them.
He once thought he would have prevented their deaths from happening.
He couldn't.
Despite the despair, the misery, the mayhem-he lived on.
Just as the war had come to its end. The orphanage too had come to its closing.
Renato Sinclair was just an orphan. A nobody. No one would notice him if he vanished from the surface of the world.
He'd be another corpse. An unfortunate citizen that fell from the horrors of the war.
It was an easy way to leave this hellhole of a planet.
His fellow orphans were left on their own. Some were not so lucky. Men in suits grabbed them by the collar and were never seen again.
"Renato why are they taking sorella?" Small hands tugged his shirt as they watch the car drove further from them.
He didn't bother knowing from what group-famiglia- the men were.
Renato had heard of the stories about the abducted people. They were sold in the underworld.
He didn't want to tell the younger orphan. So he left him by the bakery as soon the week ended.
It was then when he first encountered the mafia.
He had hid himself in a trunk of an aristocrat so desperate on leaving. Anywhere is fine. The mayhem was too much for him.
It turned out the vehicle was owned by the mafia.
When the men found him one of the fitter men hauled him by his shirt and dumped him in front of their leader- their boss.
The glares that they sport intimidated Renato at first. It mellowed down as he integrated to their famiglia as a refuge.
He never quite fit in there despite their efforts to be parental to him. He never did.
Their parental capacity mostly consists of giving him-them- physical training and a gun. He didn't complain about it. They were freeloaders.
Soon enough the war ended and he along with the other refuge was given a choice by the boss to leave or to swore themselves in the famiglia. Those who chose the former were hunted down after a few days. They couldn't risk a loose string afterall.
It was then when he took up being a hitman.
His first kill was his mentor.
He never did recover from that. No sane person would recover from killing their own mentor.
He thought it would be practical to stay in the mafia to survive. Killing corrupt leaders were one of the best jobs at the time.
Soon enough he gave himself an alias of Reborn. Getting the alias was a complicated one. He'd get into it later. Although it had stuck in the minds of the gossipers and brokers in the field so he didn't even bother changing it.
Later on he had gained the moniker 'the greatest hitman in the world'. Without a doubt the title boosted his confidence on his work.
It also gained him a lot of hits. In which, he no longer have to find his targets since they come to him.
Such popularity has its pros and cons but he had handled it well enough to survived.
Along the way he discovered that he loved the adrenaline he gets from his work. His attachment to chaos grew closer. He became more some point he gained sadistic tendencies.
He took up a doctoral degree. Directed some films. Won some awards. Traveled through the world. He even picked up a small bit of the fashion industry.
All of those had happened in a span of 5 years. Under several different profiles.
Crazy how much work that could get done if you're motivated enough.
He embraced every mishap and chaos that had come to his way. Most of which was his idea.
Then when Reborn finished his last mission of the month he, along with six other people, had been hired by one man.
Reborn treated it as a mission with coworkers. Coworkers that are in the same caliber as him.
Except for Skull. He's simply a lackey with a professional drivers skill.
They were untouchable. In terms of the mafia hierarchy at least. (its quite questionable if you ask civilians) He continued to bring chaos and lived.
That is until a certain green haired brat arrived to their lives.
He barely kept up with the chaos that happened. Mostly of his sworn annoyance to the girl.
Although he would never admit that out loud to anyone at any situation. That would attract unwanted nuisance.
Gate crashing the meeting of strongest seven is unheard of. Anyone with a common sense would avoid them.
Apparently someone else had other ideas.
It was when they were tasked to live together in one roof when it happened. Most were well acquainted with him. He knows their strengths and weaknesses,and they have the common sense not to mess with him.
Not that anyone would actually have the guts to mess with him. The thought still counts.
One of them continued to irk his nerves despite his threat; the resident 'scientist' of the group.
The one with green hair and round glasses. Yes. That guy.
Back to the topic.
They were in the dining room discussing house rules like normal people. With civilized voice and civilized needs.
"My equipment would stay in my room. That's final." He reasoned. Anything can happen with them under one roof. It's better to be equipped than resort to drastic measures when disaster strikes.
Besides, he has to plan what kind of chaos he can set alight for them.
"That's quite unfair now is it? Everyone compromised for the sake of the group and now you refuse to move your armory?" That's Verde talking. He didn't like him and his ego one bit.
"Moving everything in another room is a disaster waiting to happen. If a-"
A thud interrupted his talk and their attention was moved to the source of the noise. A girl that happened to appear out of nowhere.
"Ompf, Apologies for the table. That wasn't supposed to happen haha." The room grew warm,like a fireplace during winter (Just like those times when the orphanage- no). Reborn dismissed it as a ventilation problem and took no action.
He stayed silent through the interactions that Luce initiated ("Ciao! I'm Luce-")and noticed she has the same green hair as Verde, who became like a statue. Rigid and unmoving.
Now that he noticed, the two have similarities. Green hair, round glasses, and wears a lab coat.
Not to mention the apathetic face. And if you turn a bit and stand in a reasonable distance they might as well be a parent-child duo.
"Oi, Verde. Is she a relative of sorts?"
"As if I would have such an idiotic relative."
And the haughty shithead is back.
Honestly, where can he get a decent conversation with these people.
Nonetheless, the girl is quite an anomaly.
"How do you like your caffeine? Espresso? Latte? Or do you prefer tea instead?"
The morning after the girl's untimed arrival was...interesting to say the least.
When they arrived the day before the interior of the kitchen has the standard necessities. A double door refrigerator fully filled with ingredients, two newly released oven and two-four stove tops. Like a newly bought house. So much better than- stop.
Just enough for seven people.(They wouldn't dare giving them less)
Then when Reborn went to the kitchen for breakfast he was greeted with a in-house coffee shop.
Stainless coffee machines lined up by the counter. It was also accompanied with a grinder and a press across the counter.
A stack of coffee bean containers were displayed in the isle across it. He was sure that those would take months to get a hold of a batch. The matron always complained when the younger kids topple her coffee off its container.
The scent of the ingredients came with the addition of course. Somehow he felt more relaxed with the situation.
Where did all of these things come from though?
Surely there are no delivery services that can manage all of these overnight. The stock room was completely deserted from traces of the previous tenants of the manor.
"I'll have oolong tea please." Fon replied from the porch just as he finish his morning activity.
"Water is fine for me dear." Luce told the kid from the dining area.
"Black Coffee is fine" By some miracle Verde came out of his cave just in time for breakfast.
"And you?" The girl looked at him for a response. Reborn did not comprehend why does everyone trust her. What made them comfortable with her?Bribe? Perhaps blackmail?
No,that's impossible. No one would act familiar to her if she blackmailed them. They would act cautiously if that's the case. Nervous atleast.
"Espresso."
It didn't made sense.
The following days took him to visit the hidden most corners of the manor. Veronica was never in one spot for too long so the hitman took some extra precautions just as not to waste his energy going after the kid wherever she goes.
That meant installing surveillance cameras throughout the manor. Mammon merely looked at Reborn for a moment and commented how ridiculous his actions were when they stumbled to one another.
Fon and Lal Mich didn't seem to mind just as long as they get to see the surveillance room.
His lackey only complained how much trouble he's into and how he should be practicing when he was installing the cameras.
The stuntman did ask once the reason of his paranoia but Reborn simply ignored Skull and got himself the blueprint of the manor.
Several hours were spent on observing the restless kid. The low quality footage of the cameras barely made Reborn see his target but so far she only seemed to be a knowledgeable civilian.
Too knowledgeable if you ask him.
On times where Verde works outside his lab the kid points out parts that's been left out, assuming that its been left out, the scientist began to look like the he figured the meaning of life.
Then the lunatic began assembling the thing and continued for hours. Luce gave him food throughout but the hitman was sure it was untouched until a frying pan flew to the mossheads cranium.
When she passed by lackey repairing his bike; out from nowhere the kid brings out a machine part and gave it to the idiot.
Sometimes she joins Lal and Fon on their exercises, not at the same time of course but you get the point.
Mammon rarely lets themselves be seen but when the kid spots them she whips out a book and shows them something. Reborn isn't so sure what it was but he's sure that it's something strange. His hunch was more likely correct especially when Mammon nods had this thoughtful gesture most of the time the situation happens.
If that's not exhausting still, she wears ridiculous costumes most of the time.
Her sea urchin (perhaps it's a porcupine? He's not so sure with the holographic fabric of it all.) costume is the most troublesome so far. The spikes were too realistic, his eyes almost got stabbed when she approached him.
"Isn't this convenient?! People would give you space AND you'd still be fabulous!" Needless to say, he still can't figure out why the others act so comfortably with the brat.
He almost forgot to mention that she also like to sing obscure weird songs whenever she felt like it.
"One taught me love, One taught me patience, One taught me pain-"
He never heard of such song anywhere which made it more suspicious.
"You seem unease with miss Veronica,is something the matter?"
Fon sat down and placed a cup in front of me. The scent of caffeine over rode by the scent of dried leaves.
"It's green tea. It can help your nerves."
Reborn thought that this is getting ridiculous. Surely some must have a slight irritation to the kid.
She's been going off like she owns the place.
"Why do you tolerate that kid? It's only been a few days."
Laughter came from Fon then settled when he realized that the hitman was dead serious.
"Have you not noticed the harmonization when she first arrived?"
Fon stayed silent as Reborn process the information.
"I do not blame you. Life energy is hard to grasp but it does exist. I believe Vongola refer them as flames?"
Reborn indeed heard of the instantaneous bond that natural harmonization brings. Nonetheless those occurrence had barely happened. Either the bonds were forced or they were chosen in the mafia.
"Have you felt anything unusual when she first arrived?"
"The only unusual is her arrival."
Natural harmonization is less likely to happen to them and the kid. Simply because of her feeble demeanor. It's impossible for her to have strong flames to bind us. Besides,
Luce is our sky ,not the kid. Yet everytime the kid was near, the manor would feel more home, safe.
"I suggest you get in tone with your flames more. Perhaps that will clear your suspicions." Reborn didn't like the glint in Fons eyes when he left.
"- Aand that concludes the details of the mission. I send you my salutations and have a good day. -The man in Iron Hat"
With that ,lackey started sprouting his idiocy to all of us while Luce place a tray full of snacks.
"First he wanted us to live under the same roof. Now he wants all of us to complete a mission. This man wants something from us." Lal Mich started.
"It does seem like a scheme but we have no knowledge of its specifics." Verde followed.
"All we know is that he needs us for something. Is it not?" Fon stated the most obvious fact while it held no additional substance for the dilemma it does holds several questions for us.
Most of us that is.
Veronica lit up in recognition when the snacks on the table were almost gone. "OH, I almost forgot." she then pulls out a metal briefcase in front of us and opened it."I got you guys a gift. For letting me stay and not outright killing me."
She's not so stupid than he thought she was. She cares-shut up.
Watches were handed out to each of us. Their design vary from one another. Reborn got a watch with gold lining. Simple and can be paired with any outfit or disguise; Perfect for his work.
Others also had theirs adjusted for their field work. He didn't bother going through their details as there were booklets being distributed. It's cover only contained our names in an elaborate writing. If he would guess each of the watches would have cost thousands.
Where did the kid get the money for these? More so when did she get these?
Reborn tried to clear his mind while he observe the others read the book and get familiar with their own watch. He might be reserved but he knows when people are thankful and it radiates throughout the room.
That is, all but Luce.
She stared at her watch with shock and fear so much that she barely could hide them. Her hands trembled despite her efforts to hide it underneath the table. Her eyes was out of focus so much more when her skin turn pale.
The hitman tried to bring her focus back at hand but the warmth in her seemed to decimate when he came in contact with her.
She's hiding something.
Reborn isn't sure if her reaction is a positive or a negative one. He looked at her watch and there wasn't anything out of place. The watch looked like any other watch so why did she react strongly to it?
"The watch has additional features on it. Now, if you could wear it that'd be beneficial."
Things got more surreal when a small letter appeared in his vision. The letter itself was similar to the pin that Veronica has on most of her clothing.
No, that would be an understatement.
She has the letter in all of her things.
He heard Verde murmur 'zeta' confirmed that he didn't hallucinate.
Veronica then proceeded on explaining the features of the watch. Most of the controls involved the wrists and mental maneuvers. Simply by going through the basics of the device made them all astonished.
Digitized interface. Holograms. Heck, there's even a flame storage. There were none of these existing in any market right now. This was simply a work of a mastermind.
" How did you get your hands with such device?" Verde demanded from her.
Reborn was also intrigued. Surely the device is much more advanced than those in the market. If there is one then it must have already caused an uproar from scientists all over the world.
"I made them."
He destroyed the feeling of pride when her statement resonated through the room. He shouldn't be proud of someone who just came for the past few days.
Reborn is passionate about chaos. The frantic people and their panic induced minds cause the adrenaline to run through his veins.
It brings him joy for others suffering. That he openly portray himself as.
He showed it so often that another title was added to his name.
Harbinger of chaos. The strongest hitman felt very amused with the title. Especially when it fits well with his more famous ,or infamous, reputation.
It doesn't bode well when he was at the midst of the chaos however.
That is also why he had such dislike to the younger female. She was too much of an anomaly.
He liked to think that he prepared himself for anything that might have happened.
This however, was beyond of his expectations. It almost made him feel slightly inferior in bringing imbalance to peoples psyche.
Almost.
It didn't bother him at all.
Chaos ensued in their minds as they try their wits on figuring out how did a teenager come up with such advance device. Surely there was something that can logically explain this.
They just lack the pieces to complete the puzzle.
They only have a handful, perhaps even less but that didn't stop them to prod the kid for answers.
Hours turned into days and everyone had the completion of the mission in their minds. They just need to retrieve a data after all. Easy.
Expect them getting cornered just because a fucking brat decided it's smart to follow them in a heavily secured mansion.
And they did. Almost.
Reborn barely got any details on what happened. More so, on how the fuck did the brat follow them when they made sure she was asleep and that he meant Mammon gassed her into slumber.
While they were on their target, on midnight, with a real illusion of the binary illusionist.
Six of them were just about to leave the mansion unscathed with the information that they needed. It only took them a few minutes to finish the job when an explosion wrecked the place.
Shouts and footsteps rang throughout the the mansion, many were busy going to the source of commotion when the five of them have secured their whereabouts.
All they had to do was go back to their vehicles and give the information.
Simple.
Fon just cleared the area when metal clunked on the floor.
"They already know you're here."
At first the hitman thought he was just hearing things. Annoying things.
Like the supposedly sleeping teen named Veronica to be specific.
"How do you say so? They were clearly invested to the explosion that you've caused." Verde confronted the kid.
With the air vent getting wrecked, Reborn doubt they'd all be still fixated to the explosion.
His deduction deemed correct when faint footsteps go through the hallway.
"They're gaining on need to move out. Fast."
"Lal, Get the door," The military instructor flipped her rifle and hold it like a bat. Ready to knockout anyone going through the door. "Fon, Get Veronica out of here." Fon grabbed the kid by her shoulders but she squirmed trying to get out of the hold.
"Please refrain from squirming. It will only get us in more trouble." Veronica still squirmed and the footsteps got closer to the door.
Fucking Hell. This kid is impossible to work with.
"Tone your voice down. Verde secure the data." Verde just coated the disk with lightning flames when it disappeared out of thin air.
"How-" Reborn swore and scanned the room. Detecting any illusionists that may have passed by their eyes.
Only to find Veronica looking enthusiastic of the event.
"Brat, Wha-" she cut off the questions when a floating screen came up from Verde's watch. And here was Reborn glaring at the teen barely holding himself back from shooting her.
"Explain." the word rolled through his throat as he hides the tension on his jaws. Reborn moved his hands to his pockets fiddling with the flash bomb inside it.
He didn't hesitate on throwing this for an escape in the past and he won't hesitate even if they have to sacrifice one-preferably Veronica- to escape.
" Your watches respond to your flames. It can store anything up to a hundred kilograms, it doesn't however store living things- though plants can survive depending on how durable they are."
"That wasn't in the booklet nor told us that it can store things." Verde intercepted.
Reborn postponed on reading the booklet since every watch has one with the difference in the packing. He didn't think that the bound pile of paper was worthless.
Not at all.
Every paper that came with the watch is worth reading.
Definitely.
"That's exactly why I'm with you lot right now. Explaining things." They received a deadpan look from the younger female as if mocking our competence. It didn't bode well to Reborn, unfortunately.
Despite having such negative view towards the undeniably difficult person he appreciated the fact that she didn't let us be in our own devices in a crucial event.
He would have appreciated it more if she explained those when she briefed us the first time.
"Is there any additional functions that we should be aware of? It would be greatly appreciated if you inform us."
He was still having a bit of a conundrum with the Chinese man. They have yet concluded their conversation from days before. If these situations would continue then it would take a long time before any conclusions would take place.
He just can't bring himself in Fons' perspective.
"You better make it quick. The men outside could have discovered us if not for my flames."
Lal's flames leaked from the doors' hinges. Transparency of her flames could have any average men a difficult time on spotting them.
" There's a teleport option to be used once a day. Skull discovered it first yesterday on his practice. He could have had a fractured leg if not for it."
"Enough with this nonsense. You can explain in detail once we're out of here. Tell us how to do it." He had enough of her nuisance. They need to leave now or get cornered.
Veronica sent Reborn an amused smile. That just doubled her chances to be killed by his gun.
The hitman swore he would see the end of the kid.
"We can't have you guys having a practice run here now do we? I'll help you guys for now." And just like that ; the five of them were back in the manor.
"Mou, it you guys long enough. Do you know how difficult it is to transport 5 vehicles? You owe me fifty thousand for it."
Mammon and Skull got back earlier than us. It looked like that Veronica already informed them that she'll teleport us back instead.
"Shut up! I did all the work for the two of us. You should be grateful to Skull-sama!"
almost forgot the other nuisance in their group.
A/N: Supposedly, I'm going to publish first the perspective of Veronica from HER start of the story but my mind said "nah" and proceed sprouting these scenes. I also think its interesting to see a different perspective of SI!OC's.
Please leave a review on your thoughts of it.
There might be some questions ya'll have about the plot.(like how tf this became an sioc) It will come together as this arc finishes.
You can also follow the story if you're curious. Or download it if you use the mobile app. Heck, do both. No one is gonna stop ya.