Reborn interrupted before Iemitsu could continue. "I was invited by Kawahira to do jobs with what would become the Arcobaleno. I was cursed when Iemitsu was fourteen."

XXX

Italy

Iemitsu was out on a surveillance job, oneof the things the kid was actually talented at. Which meant Reborn was at the apartment tonight, and he got to drink some.

Reborn pushed open the apartment door. He tacked another picture to the photos on the cork board.

He whirled around and aimed his pistol at the unknown man sitting in the chair at the end of the hall. The person had a weird metal checkered hat. "Who's there?"

"As I thought, you really are qualified, huh?" The man mused.

"Who are you and on who's behalf are you here?" Reborn questioned.

"Oh, it's just me."

Reborn narrowed his eyes. "Don't move!" He barked.

XXX

For the sake of his growing curiosity but against his caution, Reborn decided to go to the event he had been invited to.

The mansion, on a mountain, was of a respectable size. He entered through the door. His mind hyperaware of the weight of his various hidden weapons.

Nearby the entrance, three familiar people were in engaged in a quiet discussion: Lal Mirch, a COMSUBIN instructor and former hitwoman. Fon, a Chinese Triad close combat fighter. Verde, a rather famous scientist who's non-public research bordered on shady at best.

"Chaos," Reborn drawled.

The three other Mafioso turned towards him. Lal Mirch's right hand moved towards the gun at her hip. Verde tensed.

Fon smiled. "Ah, Reborn. It's a pleasure to see you," he calmly replied.

"Fon, a pleasure to see you. A pleasure to see you, Verde and Lal, as well." Reborn flashed his teethin a more threatening version of a polite smile.

Unlike Fon, the other two were visibly far more uneasy.Verde pushed his glasses up and nodded.Lal Mirch gave a small smile.

A woman opened the door at the end of the hall. She was wearing an orange and white dresss with a large hat. "Hello, I'm Luche. Dinner is ready and other two are already in the dining room."

Luche led the four Mafioso to the dining room. As they walked, Fon and Lal Mirch exchanged a quick glance that Reborn caught. Reborn wondered briefly what the two had been talking about before he has walked in. Likely, something that had to deal with the current situation.

At the table, as Luche had said, there were two people. An unfamiliar purple haired person andViper, a famous information broker.

XXX

Reborn almost regretted going on this job. The room was in a state of chaos, to put it mildly. Now, usually, he enjoyed chaos, but not when it was just people trying to yell over each other.

Skull was loud and was obnoxious. Verde was a bit of an a*s at times. But his smart aleckcomments were, admittedly, usually very funny.Lal Mirch had gotten over her apprehension and whole heartedly tried to force everyone to do things. Fonand Viper watched the scene with blank faces. Luchewas exasperated and exhausted. She didn't feel like corralling everyone this time.

Reborn stood up. He stalked over to the bunch of squabbling children and threw a dagger into the map on the table. "Enough, you three, shut up," he ordered in a dark voice.

Luche sighed and stood up. The room was quiet, but she was going to have to replace that wooden table now. "Alright, everyone. Lal Mirch and Fon, plan out the entrance point. Verde and Viper, I need you to figure out how we get to the target. Skull, figure out the escape plan, with Reborn."

XXX

The fourth job the group went on was an unusual one. Instead of being specifically hired to kill someone, they were being hired to find and protect a kid...and kill the kidnappers.

But, their job ended up going really south...again.

Around him, the group of killers had their hands zip tied behind their backs. Guns were being held to the back of their heads.

A man in green army fatigues stood in front of them. A pistol in his hand. "You're going to be feeding the sharks."

At that declaration, Reborn remembered why he didn't do rescue missions.

Then the kid broke down crying.

And that, that is why Reborn didn't do kidnappings.

XXX

Reborn went on jobs with the other Arcobaleno about three times a weeks. Heusually walked away and disappeared almost immediately after the job was done.

"How has it been going?" Lal Mirch asked.

Viper scowled, the Mist was rather irritated. "Dead ends, dead ends, and more dead ends."

"So, why isn't following him an option?" Skull brought up.

The Cloud backed up a step as theother four turned to him. 'Are you stupid? It's Reborn,' Was clearly written on three faces.

Verde fidgeted with his glasses and cleared his throat. "Well, that is an actual option, and far more simple. To keep the chance of him finding out low, we just need Viper to cloak us in a high quality Illusion."

XXX

They had decided to go for it and paid Viper a large amount.The five of them followed Reborn to an apartment.

Lal Mirch stepped forward and knocked. The door swung open part of the way.

Reborn scowled at them and then opened the door completely. "What are you five doing here?"

"We were going the same way and saw you walk in here?" Skull said, a questioning lilt to his voice. The other four sighed with exasperation and second hand embarrassment, feeling the urge to bash their heads against the wall.

Reborn stared at Skull. "Yeah, definitely," he sardonically replied. "You might as well come in."

The five filed through the door way. They noticed thechameleon on the potted plant and the photos on the cork board.

Viper narrowed her eyes in thought. Were the photos of Reborn's targets or clients? Or both?

"Now that we're off the street. What's all of this about?" Reborn questioned. There was a dark glint in his black void filled eyes. He was currently holding back the part of his brain that urged him to just cut his losses and kill the lot of them.

"We were..curious," Skull warily admitted. He gave a sheepish smile.

"Well, I'm not going to invite you to explore around my apartment. So you might as well leave." Reborn gave a pointed look towards the front door.

The entire group winced, even Fon. They quickly obliged with Reborn's request.

Reborn cooked dinner, then started packing. In the suitcase there was a stack of photos, a bottle of tacks, cutlery, four plates, a taken apart shotgun, the appropriately sized shotgun shells, and a few stacks of gold coins.The messenger bag held rows of neatly folded clothes, guns, and ammo.

He gave an apologetic look to Leon as he passed. There was no way the large potted plant or heating lamp was going to be lugged anywhere. Reborn would just have to buy new ones.

The front door opened. Someone walked down the hallway.

"I'm home," Iemitsu muttered as he opened the door to Reborn's room.

"Go eat dinner in the kitchen and then get your stuff. We're moving," Reborn ordered.

"Why? Did someone find us?"

"Unfortunately, yes. The group I've been taking jobs with followed me here." On Reborn's shoulder, Leon lifted his head and blinked at Iemitsu.

"They managed to follow you without you noticing?" Iemitsu asked, surprised.

Reborn's expression soured, as if he had accidentally just bitten into a lemon. "They paid off Viper, the group's Mist."

"Ah," Iemitsu muttered intelligently.

XXX

In a different section of Palermo, closer to the bay,Reborn got a slightly smaller apartment.It had one bathroom, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and a living room. Iemitsu immediately claimed the bedroom furthest from the front door.

Leon's plant and heating lamp had been ordered and was on their way.

XXX

Reborn doesn't usually bring Leon on jobs. Due to being cold blooded, the chameleon was sluggish in cold weather and also didn't enjoy the cold. Which meant that using Leon as a weapon in most places during winter and places like Russia-all year round-were out of the question.

However today was that of a sunny Mediterranean summer. Leon was rather energetic and wanted to move around. Plus, the new apartment was lacking a heating lamp and plant for Leon. With that in mind, Reborn decided to take his chameleon along.

The others stared as they realized that, yes, Reborn did have his pet chameleon on his shoulder.

"You're late. Did something happen?" Luche asked.

Reborn put a dark frigid fake smile on his face. "I was moving," he smoothly explained.

The other five shifted uncomfortably.

XXX

It didn't take long for it to become apparent that Luche was trying to Flame-bond with all of them. Skull and Verde very quickly bonded with her. Fon and Lal Mirch eventually trusted Luche as well. Viper and Reborn had held themselves back. Viper was a rather paranoid person, she really trusted no one and was ready to make an escape at any moment. Meanwhile, Reborn was paranoid as well and much like most Clouds hated the idea of being tied down against their will.

Begrudgingly, Reborn admitted to himself that he was started to care after the twenty mission mark. Luche was the closest thing to a real life angel. Viper lowered her prices for the group. Fon was a tranquil person who was willingly to lend an ear to anyone's. Skull messed up, a lot, but also tried to keep the group's spirits up and was an adequate getaway driver. Post mission one, Lal Mirch kept everything orangized and on track. Verde often rambled on about various scientific research papers he read and made useful deadly vials and gadgets.

A few months later, Viper finally caved and bonded with Luche.

There was only one Sky Reborn even somewhat trusted to the extent necessary to bond and it wasn't Luche.Reborn held out, but relaxed even more while in the group. He was surrounded by a group of crazy, somewhat skilled idiots after all.

Then the mountain and the curse happened. Luche's betrayal happened.

XXX

Iemitsu stared at the small toddler in a black suit. A bright green cartoonish lizard was curled around a small fedora. "So...you got cursed...and turned into a little kid...?"

Reborn kicked Iemitsu lightly in the shin. "Yes, that's what I just said," he curtly replied

Iemitsu stuck out his tongue. "Okay, yeah, it's you, I know. But...This is just really ridiculous and unbelievable." His gaze turned thoughtful.

"Well, the proof is right in front of you," Reborn drawled.

A/N

I figure the Arcobaleno to be more accurately described as toddlers, then babies.

-Silver