Chapter Two: Dreaming Reality

Age: Three

Sometimes I would dream.

Dreams that would leave me crying and shaking and whereareyouhelpmeRebornhelpmewhereareyou

Dreams of rainbows and black lilies and flamesflamesflamesMioDioitburnsstopitflamesflamesflames

In the morning, I would hide the tear trails and puffy eyes by sleeping frequently.

Mamma and Babbo would often be away, only coming home after the bright thing in the blue sky (isn't it supposed to be orange?) had disappeared ("It's called the sun Lu-chan, the sun," Mamma cooed).

Weird men and women were often in the house, walking and talking and bustling.

I would think of scenes in my dream where it was very similar ("Buon capo mattina!" Men and women alike rushed in black suits, crying their greeting to her).

But I didn't feel loved.

The strange people laughed with me and played with me, but I didn't feel any of the bonds I had in the dream.

Sometimes I wonder:

Who is Reborn?


Age: Six

This is strange.

Mamma and Babbo are not here anymore.

Why are they in weird boxes?

"Balia, why are Mamma and Babbo in the boxes?"

I tugged on her black skirt.

"Balia?"

I tugged once more.

She turned red eyes to me(weird. everyone has black clothes and red eyes. why is water falling from their eyes?)

She suddenly wailed and hugged me.

"Mi dispiace giovane signorina, mi dispiace tanto."

At those words, everyone had more water coming from their eyes.

My brows furrowed.

Why is she saying sorry?


Age: Eight

I stared intently at the flowering bush.

Black flowers bloomed, bees hovering over the pollen-rich centers.

I peeked down at the book of flowers Balia gave me.

I think the book is called Borany?

No, it's Botany.

I flipped the pages absentmindedly, but a flash of white captured my attention.

'Giglio Blanco'

This isn't right.

It shouldn't be white...

I slipped through the pages more urgently.

'Giglio Nero'

Everything stopped.


"I have a mission for you. Go to this place with six others." A man in a checkered iron hat gave me the envelope.

what...

"Are you worried it's poisoned? Here, I'll drink too." I smiled as I sipped some of the espresso.

"See? It is not poisoned, Mr. Suspicious Hitman."

The man lowered the brim of his fedora.

...reborn?

A boulder rushed down the mountain, and I could only stare and clench my eyes.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

I turned and saw Reborn holding his green pistol, the barrel smoking.

The boulder was now in pieces.

Reborn...

We all stared at our infant bodies, but Reborn was trembling in rage.

I just put a hand on my belly, and prayed that Aria would be safe.

The Arcobaleno Curse...

"Aria... Her name is Aria," I panted, running my fingers over her perfect face. "Aria."

Aria...

"I, Luce, the Ottavo of the Giglio Nero Famiglia, Sky Arcobaleno and bearer of the Sky Arcobaleno pacifier, sacrifice both my flames and my life-force into the Seven Arcobaleno Pacifiers so the Curse shall be weakened."

Flames started coming from all over my body in small flickers, but when I finished speaking, the pacifier clenched in my hands grew hot, as if an inferno were trapped inside.

Flames erupted.

I gritted my teeth and tried to ignore the flamesflamesflamesMioDioitburnsstopitflamesflamesflames.

I could feel the flames consuming me and being captured into the pacifier.

'Think of Aria and Reborn and Fon and Verde and Mammon and Skull and Lal and Colonello. This is all for them.'

The last of the flames disappeared.