Title: Capro Espiatorio (means scapegoat)

Summary: The Vongola has a secret; one shield who shoulders the weights of their sins every generation, their precious lamb. Now comes the end of a cycle and the new boss, Giotto, Vongola Decimo has to decide his fate, and that of his family.

Warnings: T beware of violence, death and swearing,(^.^).

Humans commits sins, it's a given. Sins accumulate, like memories, like heavy stones that slowly bend the strongest backs. And people in the past noticed how the accumulated sins caused disgraces, and sickness and dead.

So, they discovered a solution for their woes, whispered by faceless shadows… a solution, a shield. One day, every year, they gave their sins to a goat, the most innocent one in the flock, they adorned the animal´s coat with papers and tablets, containing their greed, betrayals, murder, and lies. Then they chased the animal out, to the desert, with bells, and yells and screams of joy they expelled the bearer of the sins and then they rejoiced, because now they could start again with light shoulders and clean eyes…

Prologue: Four hundred years.

The tradition of the scapegoat is now part of folklore, an amusing legend to tell children, for the times changed, and the people forgot tales of spirits and demons, and the warnings in them. But others remembered the tales, and the traditions, and the power inside.

Four hundred years for a Mafia Family to exist and prosper is a strange thing, four centuries of continued glory and almost absolute power more so. Nine generations in the Mafia brings forth enough sins and hatred to eventually destroy the family.

Three hundred and sixty years ago when accidents, sickness and bad luck began to overwhelm the family, the first boss of the Vongola was approached with an answer and a solution:

The disgraces where caused by their sins, they said, the blood and hate of their enemies contained a powerful curse… A lost bullet, a bad step, small accidents and bad luck could often overturn the course of a battle.

So, what could he do? How to stop something as intangible as bad luck?

"The solution," said the two masked women who approached the boss, "is to either stop the sins and make amends, or if you prefer… bring forth a shield."

The First Boss of the Vongola stared at the women. The mafia was a ruthless world. He wanted peace and for his family to be at ease, but at that moment and time, to stop violence, to stop fights just by wishing it was a laughing matter. He had tried already after all…

"Tell me about this shield, Cervello."

For his family, he would do anything…

For generations, a rumor spread among the Mafia: the Vongola had a mysterious amount of good luck and lack of misfortunes, except for the first year when a new boss was designated. For months, bad luck was a too innocent description for the things that occurred to the family. Then suddenly, the accidents, sickness and bad omens came to a stop, as if a mystical curse was suddenly lifted from the family.

The Vongola possessed a strange power that every boss controlled: "Capro espiatorio" was murmured among the families; a shield to misfortune, when asked directly, the current boss in the family would just smile and deny the whole thing.

However, among the Vongola protected by the omerta, the most sacred code of silence, the Vongola members were subjected to a vow in the anniversary of their joining of the family, or coming of age.

'To protect the Capro espiatorio'.

Four hundred years since the Vongola was born, the tenth boss was to be designated among 5 candidates, the five sons of the current boss, Timoteo, Vongola Nono. His two oldest were born a year apart, the third three years later, born from a mistress, fifteen years later an unexpected fourth came in the form of a adopted one, one year later the youngest was born. He had named him Giotto in remembrance of the first boss who founded the family; for when the small baby had opened his eyes, Timoteo had seen the eyes that every morning stared across at him across his office, from the painting of Vongola Primo.

Timoteo had ruled the Vongola for forty years, now, the time to choose a new successor suddenly became pressing, "they" had told him that one or two years where left at most… the decision came between his adopted son Xanxus, and Giotto. The two were strong and promising, but only one possessed the blood necessary for the continuation of the Family… and the contract. So, with a heavy heart and fully conscious of the problems that would come in the future, he put his signature at the bottom and stared hard at the ink that proclaimed his successor.

"Nono, I'm sorry to interrupt but the Hospital called." said Coyote, his storm guardian, who looked at him with sad eyes. Timoteo exhaled slowly and clasped his hands to stop their trembling.

"Is she…?" He asked and cleared his throat, and stared at his guardian and friend who nodded solemnly. "She is deteriorating…" The ninth boss bowed his head and breathed once, twice.

"I will inform the family of this." He said finally. His friend looked at the finished letter on his desk. "Have you come to a decision then?"

"Yes, as things are, I cannot detain the inheritance no more…"

The guardian nodded and excused himself, giving his boss the privacy necessary to write a very difficult letter. Timoteo raised the pen, feeling the metal contraption suddenly horribly heavy. With careful strokes he started the announcement to the family and allies of the Vongola. The protection of the Capro Espiatorio was coming to an end, so measures should be taken until the inheritance of the new boss of the family and his choice.

He stared once more at the words feeling detached somehow. He closed the letter and imprinted his dying will flame into the letter, it would given to Coyote who would take it personally to be read once by certain individuals and then destroyed. He sealed the letter proclaiming the nearing dead of his wife and called for his guardian once more.

Ten times a new boss came to be. According to Agrippa, "ten is called the number of all or universal, and the complete number marking the full course of life." With the tenth, a circle is fulfilled, and a new beginning is uncertain.

Vongola Decimo, Giotto, is the designated one to rule the empire.

The Vongola has a secret; one shield who shoulders the weight of their sins every generation, their precious lamb. Now comes the end of a cycle and the new boss, Giotto, Vongola Decimo has to decide his fate, and that of his family.

tbc

This chapter was betaed by Sinful Emerald on July 2012 :)