Summary:
Fran's not blind, and Fran's not deaf; she can tell she's only a replacement. Yuni was the trusting, benevolent "Aria's daughter". Fran was the suspicious, bitter "spitting image of that-guy-who-married-Aria". She's even born with the "wrong" Flame; a strong primary Mist and a weak secondary Sky. But now that Yuni's vanished, Fran's the (grudging) Giglio Nero Boss. Byakuran's intrigued by a Fran who differs so drastically from her parallel selves. Meanwhile, Yuni being gone has a greater significance than any of them realize.
Disclaimer:
KHR! rights go to Akira Amano.
The cover picture may or may not be mine, depending on which one I'm using. I tend to switch frequently. In case it isn't mine, then this is a general disclaimer for that. So, yeah. Don't sue me, please.
Note:
/insert words here/ are thoughts.
Assume that they are speaking Italian unless otherwise stated or implied. Fran is canon-ly French, so her father here is French, and she is fluent in it. When stressed and cursing, whether out loud or mentally, she has a tendency to slip and slide back into French. So, congratulation, you will probably be picking up an assortment of French profanity.
Reviews:
Thank you, 'xxx' for your review. I'm flattered that you loved it!~ :]
Thank you, 'Someonepassingby' for your review. I actually have a few AU one-shots of this fic planned out; there's a B26 one mixed in there, because, well, I personally also support B26, and you're the 2nd reviewer who has commented on that. So yeah, just hang in there; expect 'In Another Life' to come out... soon? Well, as soon as I'm inspired enough to write that as well. Cranking out a chapter every day from scratch takes a lot outta you, y'know?
Thank you, 'Teafully', for your review. First off, I love your pen name. (Much more unique and whimsical than most I've seen!) Secondly, I'm honored you decided to review this fic. Reviews are what motivate authors to continue a young fanfiction in it's wobbly, uncertain 'baby days'. I was honestly hoping that everyone would love this concept as much as I loved it; after I saw a great picture of Fran in Yuni's clothes, I spent a few hours spent doodling and dreaming at school, and BAM! I had a basic plotline planned out. And I know, right? There should be way more Fem!Fran stories; if there are so many of Fem!Mammon, why not of Fran, who's also an androgynous illusionist? (Well, if his voice was a few shades higher...)
~The Gesso Library was a small, quiet, and rather deserted room tucked away into the labyrinthine maze of hallways that unfurled underneath the 'official' Headquarters. Still, the man appointed as 'librarian' (but who mostly stayed as the Gesso vice-Head of Intelligence) was the sort who appreciated the little details, so, without fail, he would place a flower into the vase on his 'desk' everyday.
Cinnamon grows on trees, and is actually the bark, but as flowers, they can be described as tiny, soft yellow flowers sprouting from light green buds. One cannot refute the fact that cinnamon is a spice, however, and a rather common used and well-liked spice.
It can be analyzed to mean my fortune is your's.~
"Assume away, Francy-chan, it's a free country, after all." - Byakuran
If Fran is anyone else, she will sneak a wary glance at the brightly smiling teen to her left.
But she isn't.
She's Frances Brume, the Giglio Nero Decima (no you're not, they whisper, you're just a secondhand, a back-up, a last resort; perfectperfectperfect Yuni is the real Decima…), and she'd be damned before letting Byakuran and everyone in the room notice her apprehension.
(It was different when she is alone, or if it is just her, Gamma, and bunch of sealed-into-secrecy nameless maids; then she can feel free to rip off her blanked features and let all those confusingtorrentcan't-handle-can't-handle-can't-handle emotions break past and crash over her brutally like a Doomsday tsunami, until she can't talk and she can't choke and she can't gasp and everything is just too much with her tears {whywhywhy?} burning like a hissing acid.
Then she stops and she slows and she breathes; she breathes until she's in control again, and puts her blanked features back on like a familiar, cooling lotion that reassuringly smooths everything over {soothes the itch the rash the wound} so it's all okay again, all okayokayokay.
{ithastobeokay}
And it has to be okay, or else she starts thinking about Yuni again, and Aria, Yuni and Aria who always looked at her with those puzzled but fondkindloving looks of acceptance, and who were the only ones who ever helped more than they hurt, even if they couldn't tell they were hurting her with their distance and their absences...)
So instead she steps forward, surveys her tensed Famiglia (but not family, not true family, no they'd never be her true family, that was a right reserved only for... ?) with cool (if not cold) eyes, and rests them on Gamma at the end.
"I," she starts abruptly, voice reserved and carefully cleansed of any 'tells' or subconscious 'cues'.
Several of her jumpier members flinch, causing her to glance briefly at them with a mental twang of disapproval and irritation at their show of weakness in front of another Famiglia.
(Allied, now, but they didn't know that.)
"I, Frances Brume, Decima of the Giglio Nero, hereby give my orders. We will be partnering with the Gesso Famiglia to form the Millefiore Famiglia, in a merger-alliance of mutual standing, respect, and authority. The Gesso Decimo and I will be co-leading, naturally, as the Millefiore Primo and Prima. Further details and instructions will be given at later time, estimated to be sometime next week, and we will stay in personal contact to collaborate on efforts for a blueprint and agenda whose benefits for both our Famiglias we are confident in."
Fran pauses (a bit dry-mouthed from the long phrases and complicated formally binding words), and looks pointedly at some of the people who seemed about to burst out into questions and protests, sharply spiking her Sky Flames.
It's effective in silencing them, even those who might ordinarily show signs of reluctance.
(She can't allow herself to show any trace of the weakness in her muscles; that is a consequence of using her secondary Flames.)
They should've known better; full names and formalities are only evoked for especially important and often permanent changes. Using a full name and title to give orders is akin to a verbally binding and lawful contract-agreement.
/And this is why they'd never obey me fully; if they can't trust my judgement, how can I trust them to be there when I need them? Respect's a two-way street, and I already chose to take the shortcut through the woods a long time ago./
"Genkishi Rei, the Phantom Knight, please step out."
/Hey, I can be polite to people I detest, too. Especially if I'm going to do what I'm going to do next./
A moment passes, before the crowd of Giglio Neros part with faint rustles to let the black-haired man through.
Genkishi proudly stops in front of the two, intentionally bowing to Byakuran first before sparing a shallower bow to his (technically) true Boss.
Slight whispers weave their way through the ranks about Genkishi's blatant insubordination, before being silenced again by yet another one of Fran's pointed looks.
She then smiles faintly; as in, faintly menacingly, which nonetheless still shocks most of her Famiglia, who rarely ever see their heiress-turned-Boss crack an expression, other than her signature eerie blankness.
Only Gamma has a look of understanding dawn upon him.
/Smart man,/ she thinks with amusement. /I can understand what Aria saw in him, I suppose./
(Now, amusement she can handle, and other mild feelings.
It is just rage and horror and heart-wrenching grief that seem to slip through her desperately outstretched fingers like water, water that taunted and tempted the thirsting beggar {mememe} who has never before understood the concept of water and refreshment and relief from the horrible blandness of uncaring drought.
She can feel it, perhaps, but she can't put a name to it.
And names have power.)
/He knows exactly where I'm going with this./
Even Byakuran appears lightly befuddled at this turn of events, though how much of that is an act, and how much of it is true, is difficult to decipher.
(Fran doesn't trust him, because she doesn't know him.
Really, really know him.
The idea of him knowing her is one that makes her properly wary.)
He angles his body fractionally, just enough to thoroughly look at her.
(For the admittedly short amount of time since she has first met Byakuran, his gaze has never failed to unnerve her. It's like he's examining her, scanning her very being, trying to puzzle out what makes her tick and how to make her dance to his tune.
She refuses to dance.
{But whoever said that the tune is an audible one? Byakuran is a genius, and a genius who knew people, making him all that more dangerous for it.
He just doesn't know Fran yet.
Yet.
Only a matter of time and patience...})
"Genkishi Rei, you are hereby expelled and exiled permanently from the Giglio Nero Famiglia on counts of high treason, abusing your position of trust in order to gain access to confidential, sensitive, high-security intelligence, and willingly giving away said confidential, sensitive, and high-security intelligence to another Famiglia not allied at the time," Fran states concisely, feeling her amusement swell at the gloriously gobsmacked expressions that spring onto everyone's (in the room, that is; except for Gamma and Byakuran) faces.
The amusement on Byakuran's face mirrors her own, which causes hers to falter.
Without tearing his disconcertingly sharp and calculating lavender irises (so sharp that they feel like tiny blades skating up and down her skin, leaving chips of crimson and fleeting cuts that shift and prickle unpleasantly) away from her own placidly passive teal eyes (lay calm and cool like a well of still water, deceptively shallow and offering much-needed refreshment, promising safety and drawing others closer until they trip and fall and drown, still making nary a ripple as they envelop them and swallow them whole with a silent yawn), he speaks up with a sudden flash of a knives-for-teeth grin.
"Eh, Genkishi-kun, how'd you like to join the Gesso instead?" he queries, tone carelessly casual. "We'll all be united and one under the Millefiore banner, after all."
/He makes it sound so simple, so reasonable. Hmm./
Fran lifts her right shoulder an inch before dropping it, signalling that she doesn't mind.
(And she doesn't, she truly doesn't.
That is what she's been expecting this entire time, after all.
That is what she's been planning for.)
Blinking off-handedly, she breaks off from Byakuran's assessing gaze and refocuses on Genkishi (that traitorous lying bâtard [bastard]), searching for his reaction.
She needn't wait long.
Almost immediately, the black-haired man pounces eagerly on the proffered opportunity, beyond happy to have been given the opportunity, the privilege, by his self-proclaimed 'God'.
"Of course, Byakuran-sama! I would be honored to be allowed as part of your Famiglia, and I pledge to obey and follow you until death!" The 'Phantom Knight' proclaimed fervently with vaguely starry eyes.
A sideways glance at the Giglio Neros reveals that that little display has convinced most of them that, yes, Genkishi is quite obviously a traitorous lying bastard who's been spying for the Gesso.
/Just what I've been saying for months./
Thus, the disgusted and furious faces they wear.
Some of them look confused, however.
They are the ones probably questioning why they are entering an alliance with the Gesso, then, if their Boss knows of their blatant treachery?
Fran doesn't give them any time to ruminate and think up absurd conspiracy theories.
(Lesson 1 in Mafia Management: Don't let rumors start, or at least, don't let uncontrolled speculation begin. Fact is often blander than fiction, unless Flames are involved, in which case fiction is fact.)
Clearing her throat, she continues curtly, "As second-in-command, Gamma will be your interim leader, and don't you dare say anything about him not being a Sky. I seem to recall several people voicing their, ahem, opinions about me not being fit for Boss, either, because of my Mist Flames. Many minor Famiglias do not have Skies as Bosses."
(She wisely refrains from adding that it is one of the reasons they are 'minor' Famiglias.)
"My supposedly ultra-classified and top-secret Mist Flames, which I now find has been leaked outside of the Famiglia. I'll still officially be Boss; I simply relinquish all ruling rights to him, so I'm nevertheless a Giglio Nero in name, and still retain all my accessing rights. Oh, and that doesn't kick in until we're all settled at the agreed upon Millefiore base, so as of now I have not changed from being your Boss."
She 'graciously' allows the roomful of people a half-minute to erupt into frantic chaos, before dragging up the dregs of her rapidly dwindling secondary Sky Flames and forcibly flaring them to quiet everyone.
Fran bulldozes onwards, with an inkling of satisfaction at their oh-so-amusing reactions.
"And that concludes todays' meeting."
. . .
Meeting Byakuran's eyes again, she inquires, "Should I expect the initial draft of our merger terms to be drawn up and sent over for scrutiny sometime next Monday?"
"Two days? You drive a hard bargain, Francy-chan, but it shall be done. I have very good lawyers, you know."
"Well, I don't know, actually, since the Giglio Nero have not infiltrated the Gesso, but yes, I assume that you'd need them to get out of any troubles you may have found yourself in."
/You're the one with the spy, and probably spies. The lawyers have needed to do some fast-talking to fix your meddling, haven't they?/
Another infuriating upside-down 'U' eye-smile, as he brushes off her insinuated accusations.
"Assume away, Francy-chan. It's a free country, after all."
"It certainly is. Now, will you call for an escort to lead us out, or do you believe us to be capable of finding our own way? I trust no tampering was done to our vehicles; it'd be a horrible shame for any Flame residue or high-tech trackers to conveniently end up burned to a crispy ash."
"I'll summon one of the 'gophers' to show you to the door. And of course not, Francy-chan! I'm offended you'd even accuse me of such a backhanded, sly, heinously plotted thing. Besides, can ashes even be crispy?"
(Backhanded, sly, and heinously plotting pretty much sums up Byakuran Gesso.)
"I'll make them crispy if I have to. Don't doubt me, Gesso."
"Again, please, call me Byakuran, Francy-chan."
"Again, no, Gesso. I tolerate your fanciful nicknames, and that is it: tolerance. Besides, it would be rather rude of me to refer to you so casually after such a short period of acquaintance, although I trust that we will be seeing more of each other as this alliance matures."
"Mou~. So mean, Francy-chan! Eh, but your escort's here, so I'll see you in a week!"
"Unfortunately…" Fran mutters, seemingly restraining an eye-roll, before sweeping out of the room.
A still rather shell shocked procession of Giglio Nero trail behind her, along with an anxious Gamma who appears to be pleading (and losing) an issue.
Byakuran merely closes his eyes, pops in a marshmallow, and smiles privately to himself.
(He is also ignoring the black-haired Mist swordsman who is trying to get his 'God's' attention with an expression of pure worship and adoration. Until Genkishi starts getting a whole lot more useful, Byakuran doesn't have any particular interest in him as anything more than another potentially useful acquirement.)
/Hmm… at least this Fran's more interesting than Yuni would've been. And we all know how much I hate to get bored. Those I get bored with tend to have an unfortunate habit of mysteriously vanishing. Oops./
Bite.
Sever.
Chew.
The poor marshmallow is reduced to a pulp in no time at all.
/Just remember… all this 'Ultimate Power' is for the sake of her, for the sake of her memory, to construct a perfect, peaceful paradise where she would've been able to live.
Not die by my hand.
Where she could have just been a loving, affectionate mother; and I could have just been a loving, affectionate son.
This is all for you, Madre [Mother]./
Deleted Scene
(wherein fran probably murdered fawkes and robbed draco malfoy):
"Besides, can ashes even be crispy?"
Fran suddenly gains a very wide and creepy grin.
"If you slather a phoenix in globs of Sneerington's Super-Strength Shiny-Slick-Snobby-Smooth Stiffening Solution hair gel and then shoot it with a flamethrower... then yes, yes they can be crispy."
Byakuran blinks, feeling like he has somehow gotten the stoic and snappy tealette's personality completely wrong.
"Um... okay?"
She waves him off, eyes aglow with the glint of past memories better off forgotten, that supremely OOC grin still there.
(Belphegor shivers in the Varia Training Room and sneezes.
"Why do I want to stab a frog and sue them for copyright infringement?" he mused aloud idly.)
Byakuran slowly edges around her and hustles the Giglio Nero into leaving.
... He can hear hysterical cackling from the hallway windows five minutes later.
The cackles faintly sound as if someone is trying to say, "Serves that stupid overgrown flaming turkey right for trying to poop fire on my mansion roof!"
Revised 6/3/15
Added: extra info in parentheses, 'Mama' is 'Madre', streamlined some text to make it easier to read, and bunch of little stuff that's better off with you rereading it yourself to find out, put it in rpesent tense, added the deleted scene.
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By the way:
-Extra scenes are more serious/less light-hearted moments that can be taken as Replacement!canon or totally non-canon
-Deleted scenes are just crack
-Omakes are less serious/more light-hearted moments that can be taken as Replacement!canon or totally non-canon
-Background Info is extra information for world-building
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Gasp! Major plot reveal (and character insight)! So Byakuran turns out to have a (maybe-somewhat-cliche?) reason behind his want to achieve the Tri-Ni-Set and rule the world. Everyone thinks they can do something better than the person currently doing it, after all.
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Does anyone have a guess as to where Yuni went? Hint, hint: the Sky Pacifier is missing.
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~Please Review~
~I love getting reviews more than Reborn loves being a sadistic baby tutor from Hell!~
