summary: pre-268. Heading to Vendicare prison, Nagi thinks back. Her allegiance is to her Master, always was, long before she ever met Varia's acting captain. She has no hesitation. 'If only you ordered me with you to Japan...'

Word count: 1182


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She knows his type of women.

'It's time, Nagi dear.'

She's even seen some of them confident, seductive, gorgeous.

She leaves Varia officer ring she inherited from Mammon lying on the bedside table. Box weapons, her Hell ring, spare clothes — that's all she takes with her. She's not going to liken herself to that greedy woman and drag a whole wardrobe to a mission.

He's far, far away now.

Illusionist's weapon is his mind. She needs nothing more.

Nagi walks out of her room and runs down the stairs.

"If anyone asks?.."

"Say, hmm… that I'm gone to see a boyfriend," a sudden idea strikes her. She's leaving, why the hell not?

"A boyfriend," Lussuria repeats, savoring the word, their little joke. "Squ-chan will be furious," he adds, amused.

She gives him a wink and a smile. This might be the last time they see each other. Or maybe not, but then next time they won't be so friendly.

And she's long since sworn loyalty to another.

Nagi leaves the Varia mansion without looking back.


She wraps illusion around herself, Ken and Chikusa, taking identities borrowed from two White Spell soldiers and a female officer. Today Byakuran negotiated freedom for his last Funeral Wreath and they're taking advantage of that. She's not really interested how Master obtained that information, not now.

Communications in the area were all jammed a sudden attack. She could feel their minds, the killing intent. An illusionist's senses are always on edge. She rushed to the place she felt his presence linger since last night.

"We are here on Byakuran-sama's orders", her voice, also modified to fit the foreign appearance, is low and steady. "to retrieve Rokudou Mukuro. We demand that you pass him to us immediately! Open up!"

"Open up, Squalo, there's no time!" she kicked the door, trying not to give in to panic. Levi went back ahead of them and promised to send someone for her wounded leg. They were just after a mission, they were tired, underequipped and had no data on their enemies. Of course, there has been worse. But they were only two against unknown adversaries, with no way to contact the mansion or Vongola headquarters and no clear idea who sold them out.

The gates are opening slowly, but there was nothing majestic about it. 'Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate. You'll be the first in history to leave this place, Master.' She makes a motion for her "soldiers" to load the container into their van.

"You have our gratitude, Vindice."

"Who the hell is yelling in such an ungodly hour?" a woman hissed, opening the door slightly. Eyes blinking, bed hair, dress unbuttoned and hastily put on. Yes, and a bite mark, right where shoulder meets neck. She knew, Squalo has gone the day before to see a woman. But looking at her…

"Names, numbers, direction?" he didn't even need to ask, why she barged there nearly on the daybreak. Nagi pointedly wasn't looking at the woman, who was staring at her blatantly.

"Undefined. From the south-east, still two kilometers between us."

"What? How the fuck did you spot them?"

"How do you know they haven't suspected anything?" Chikusa asks from the wheel.

"Vindice is straightforward organization. They see prey, they hunt. Such simpletons", she answers. "And when real Millefiore arrive, we'll be far away from that place."

"Hey! Did anyone contact that M.M. woman?"

"They cut off all means of communications in the town. Our long-range included."

He paused with his shirt half-buttoned. "Crap."

"That's better than I feared, but bad nonetheless," she says, when Mukuro falls fast asleep without even seeing anyone. "I don't know if Master really can handle a flight to Japan."

"What are you talking about? Of course Mukuro-chan can!" that woman's voice annoys her. "The real problem here is, what should I wear?" No, not right. Everything about that woman annoys Nagi.

That woman's look is aggravating.

"What, was she that bad?" she smirked, pointing nonchalantly to Nagi's bandaged hand and pronounced limp. The impudence!

"You dare..!" she raised her hand, ring blazing. No. Nagi forced herself to extinguish the flame. It was stupid and childish of her. Killing for mere words is Bel's fancy, not hers.

She stepped back and heard laughter from behind.

Nagi laughs. "You want me to return? Master, that's impossible."

Were he able to move, he would've waved her words away.

"Nonsense. Your actions benefit Vongola, as well as Varia now. Xanxus won't refuse you for this little stunt…"

"Running AWOL when we're practically under martial rule? Boss'll have my head and be in his right!.." she's slightly flustered at the prospect of getting back. To Varia.

She flushed a bit and walked straight out of the room, flinging him an intercom device over her shoulder.

"You're dumber than you look if you don't know when to hold your tongue", she heard him say to the woman as she was descending the stairs. Hmph. Whatever his relationship with that whore is, it's not her business. Her job is to break through and get home, with or without her captain.

He caught up with her only on the street.

"I got enough brats back at the mansion, so don't you behave like one", he drawled, squinting at her.

"I'm not", she responded too evenly.

"I'm not. I'm just being realistic!" Nagi exclaims.

"You're being childish, my young apprentice", Mukuro chuckles. "Xanxus owes me you and a little favor. Even if we forget that, we're standing together against that unpleasant man. You're a smart girl, Nagi, don't let personal reasons cloud your judgement."

'And I think I know the name of your reason', he smiles in her mind, excluding everyone around from their conversation. Nagi looks somewhat guilty. Master seemingly had some kind of agreement with Boss and she could've ruined it with her dramatic escape.

'I…' but Master cuts her off with a weak gesture.

'I don't mind. You're my apprentice, not vessel. Your life is your own', he says and sinks back against the pillows.

"Whatever", Squalo smirked. "As long as you don't sulk and fall behind – I'm not going after you!"

"Dream on, commander", she gritted her teeth, willing the pain in her leg to vanish.

Nagi wishes to disappear under Boss's heavy gaze. "Get on board", he growls and throws her Varia ring she's left at the mansion. When she passes Lussuria she hears a quiet "Squ-chan asked about you" and smirks in response.

He just grinned over his shoulder and ran, letting her cover him from the distance. Leaving her a trail of bodies to follow, even though she could feel his presence up ahead.

She checks for his presence as soon as they reach Japan.

"Three Real Funeral Wreaths are heading into the forest after Vongola", she announces.

"Intercept them", Xanxus barks.

The fun begins now and commander Squalo risks to miss it.


"…Yamamoto and Bucking Horse are still searching for him", Storm boy says hesitantly. Nagi snickers and winks discreetly in response to Xanxus quick glance.

They are the first to crack up with laughter.

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Well, that was unexpected. I wasn't planning for any kind of sequel, but the scene with the woman's remark just came to me.

'Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate' - "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here", inscription above the gate of Hell in Dante's "Divine Comedy".