Disclaimer: Characters all belong to the wonderful Akira Amano, besides the few OC's that pop up here and there of course.

For How Long Can You Close Your Eyes

Childhood is generally regarded as a time of innocence and laughter. Of countless nights spent staring at the stars and marveling at their light, of pillow forts and soft toys begging to be held and cherished. It is a time when deep friendships are made in the span of mere moments, where adventures could be had in every corner should one merely take the time to look. The wonder of the world is great, and countless hours are spent making sense of the spectacular world in which one belongs to.

Though there also is pain to be found in childhood, from bloody knees and scrapped hands; to the simpler ones of split milk or fallen treats. In those early days a mere cold can feel like endless agony, and sniffles are a common enemy to all. Yet this pain is never meant to last, and oftentimes is quickly treated by those of whose care we are left in, until such hurts are a mere distant memory and laughter is all that can be heard once more.

Childhood is a time to look back on with a feeling of warmth and nostalgia. To smile at the thought of your silly actions and the warmth you feel from those who cared for you during your weakest moments. In my first life, this was a fact that I could attest to all too easily. Even now those memories, no matter how faded, are held dear in my heart.

Here however, any semblance of a childhood filled with nativity and innocence ended when I turned the tender age of three.

For it was then that I began to learn the cruel and harsh truth of the world I now found myself in. Childhood would remain but a distant dream to me.

Hell however…

That… I would come to know quite well.

The day had begun like any other. I had been sleeping peacefully in my room, the only machinery I was attached to being a simple IV and heart monitor. The others I had been deemed no longer in need of, and it was very rare that I found myself strapped to some type of cold machinery as I grew older.

The dim lighting of the room along with the constant hum of my monitor were constant background noises that I had grown adjusted to, their constant whirring an artificial lullaby by which I lulled myself to sleep with each night. My lights were never turned off, even if they were thankfully dimmed for me to rest easier at night. Bianco was wrapped tightly in my hold, his soft fur smelling faintly of my favourite lavender soap. He'd been washed recently, Lucca having done so during my daily exercises so as not to have me panic. It was a well known fact that I had grown attached to my friend, and any attempt to separate us was met with staunch resistance. He was after all my only friend in this world, as even Lucca with his beguiling smiles could not be fully trusted.

I was woken slowly, the handler that had come for me being new, and still not used to holding my small form. Unlike the others who showed signs of having been around small children before, he did not. His touch was always hesitant and unsure, as if to hold me would surely cause me to shatter in his arms. This of course did not mean he held any care for me, but rather that he made sure that nothing harmful were to happen while he was the one in charge of me, for fear of what his supervisors would undoubtedly say should I arrive to them injured in any shape or form.

My eyes had stayed closed during all of this, I huffed at being woken at such an early hour before leaning closer to him in search of some warmth. I had noticed that some of my handlers felt warmer to me then others and even gave off a faint sense of something, though what that something was I was still uncertain of. Lucca was warm, one of my warmer handlers, and at times I wondered if his blood was constantly boiling in order to handle the heat his body gave off. This handler was also warm, but it felt young when compared to Lucca, as if his body was still new to the heat it now radiated.

The walk wasn't too long. Most of the rooms I was taken to were close to each other, the only time I could remember being led far away from a room or corridor was after my mother…

The bright lighting blinded my eyes for a moment, making me close them with a frown as I hid my face in the handler's starch cotton lab coat. Instead of the grey stone walls I had grown used to, the walls in this room were pure white in colour, giving the room an almost endless appearance.

As my eyes adjusted I came to realize with a start that this room was different from any I had ever seen before in both my lives. The walls, which I had first mistaken as being pure white seemed to be embedded with a peculiar type of machinery; it was as if the room was all one large machine. Thin iridescent strips of light ran through small breaks in the walls, each of them a different colour. They reminded me of some of my handlers, though the light they held felt off, different then what I'd been used to till now.

I was taken to the center of the room, where a chair waited for me. It was built to hold an adult, but they had taken into consideration my small height, and had thankfully added a booster seat. Above me was something I could only liken to a chandelier, made of elegantly carved clear crystal and appeared almost invisible. There was six indents cut into the stone, perhaps waiting for something to be added to them later.

The scientist in the room were all quietly conversing with each other, and it was hard to miss the feeling of fear and excitement that ran through them all in equal measure. One of them was a woman, the first I'd seen since I was placed here. She was tall, extremely so as even some of the men were several inches shorter then her. Her hair was a deep vibrant red, almost the colour of blood. Her eyes were black and cold, showing little in the way of emotion. She was different from the others. It was easy to see that she was their superior in some way, as the way they deferred to her made it quite obvious just who was in charge. Unlike them she had chosen to forgo the usual lab coat. Instead she chose to wear a skin tight black suit that left little to the imagination. The only colour on her being a small amount of deep red from her inner shirt. Her hooded eyes slowly drifted to my handler, falling on me for the briefest of moments.

"Has there been any complications?" Her voice was low and husky. I perked in surprise. She was speaking in English, and while I knew many of my handlers and caretakers were multilingual, it'd been a while since I heard my native tongue being used.

My handler shook his head in negative as he adjusted the straps on my body, making sure they were secure. "A bit irritable from being woken up, but fine besides that, he's been cleared."

She nodded, glancing my way again. "It's odd isn't it? That his child would be like this?" She shook her head, a vicious smile on her lips. "Or perhaps it's fitting."

The conversations ebbed off after that. My head was caught up in what I had just learned. I knew they had known my mother, it was quite obvious or else I would not have been born here, but I had never even thought to consider that perhaps my father had also been known to them. Thoughts on him were constantly on my mind; who he could have been, where he was now and why he'd never come for us. A sickening feeling fell in the pit of my stomach as a dark thought slowly started to worm it's way into my mind.

Perhaps… perhaps he had known… had he…

Could he have been involved?

Perhaps he had been affiliated with these people? I swallowed thickly, maybe he had even sold us to them? I was not so naive as to assume such a thing was impossible. After all, I knew well enough how dark this world could be, and until I knew the truth, I could not dispute the fact that it may have been my very father that sentenced me to this dark and lonely world.

My attention flickered back to my handler as I watched in curiosity as the chandelier like machine was slowly lowered until it stood only a foot above my chest. On a closer glance I could now make out more of the intricately carved stone.

There were small symbols placed near each of the indents, the one closest to me appearing almost cloud like in form. The crystal was attached to the ceiling with delicate silver chains, and looked as though it belonged more in an elegant manor then here underground. It truly appeared to be more like a work of art then a machine, though the pure energy it was radiating alerted me to the fact that looks could be deceiving.

The woman from before reached into her pocket, pulling out beautifully carved stones that resembled the light I had seen running through the room earlier.

"So it's come to this." She murmured, her face being illuminated by the light the stones gave off.

"If this works we'll be gods." One of the men said in a hushed whisper, falling silent as she merely scoffed at him.

"And if it doesn't..." She muttered pulling out a blue stone and attaching it to an inlay in the glass. "We be looked upon as worst then the Vindice themselves, not even hell would welcome us into it's gates."

The clear glass began to turn a brilliant blue, drowning out the light from earlier as the machine hummed and seemed to glow with warmth from the small stone. It was as if a fire had been ignited inside the glass, and the flame was eager to be released. The woman looked back at me and smiled, her eyes softening ever so slightly.

"Let's see if you're as strong as your father Cielo."

With that parting she stepped back, just as the flame reached it's apex and grew solid and darker in appearance. It burst out of the glass in a thin blue line, hitting my chest and causing my eyes to widen in shock.

The fire hadn't hurt, the light hadn't harmed me like I had expected it to. I felt only calm, a forced calm but calm nonetheless. My eyes drooped and my head lolled to the side, the strength needed to keep it upright leaving me with ever passing moment. I felt groggy and tired, as if I had just woken from a nap but had wanted to stay sleeping for just a short while longer.

"Phase one complete, commencing phase two." A voice spoke out. I watched tiredly as the woman stepped closer again, this time adding a red stone to the glass inlay. The blue flame flickered and moved slowly to the edge, creating a purple colour whenever it came into contact with the red. The light from before changed, and from my quickly drooping eyes I could see what appeared to be chains of blue light running across my body.

This time from the glass center a large red flame roared itself into life. It seemed vicious and strong as it fought against the glass, trying to force it's way free from it's imprisonment. Unlike with the blue the red flame was wild as it was released, coming down upon me in a fury of sparkling red light.

The pain hit as soon as the light touched my chest.

Could I have moved, I surely would have thrashed and screamed, fought with all my might against this fire that no doubt aimed to see my death. It tore it's way deep into my core, and though there was no wound I felt as if I had been split apart, my very chest felt as though it were being tore into inch by agonizing inch. As if the flame were a dagger, the blade of red light pierced through me without mercy, not stopping until it could reach what it desired. After what felt to be an eternity, it seemed as though the flame had finally found what it had been looking for, and I naively believed the worst to be behind me.

I was wrong.

It paused for a moment, seeming to inspect my very core. I felt the light wrap itself around my center, taking a moment to consider what it now had to do. There was a deep pervading feeling of wrongness as it slowly drew itself closer to my core, and I wished for nothing more then to escape from it's hold. Then, with no warning, it pounced.

No no no, please stop this no-

The pain I felt was indescribable. It felt as if the flame had grabbed hold of my very soul, and finding it unfitting, commenced in ripping and tearing it apart from it's very seams. I felt my body seize at the sensation and for the first time in this life I screamed. The sound long and haunting for all that I could barely hear it, barely notice it from beyond the unending agony that was my very being. Death would have been preferable to this torture, and in truth I was sure that I would have begged for it could I find the strength to utter anything beyond a helpless scream as the onslaught continued.

"Phase… success… three." I faintly heard the words spoken and could see movement from the corner of my eye, but it was all lost to me in the tumultuous agony I was in. I practically cried in relief when the red flame dispersed, my body still shaking in phantom pains as I heaved and shook from what had just occurred. The blue chains were all that kept me still, for without them I would have surely tried to break free or collapsed in exhaustion. I was covered in sweat, and my black hair was plastered to my cheeks. My vision was blurred from my tears and in the edges of my sight I could see spots of darkness start to appear. I could hear my loud and hoarse pants of exhaustion, my chest trying to fill itself with air in the vain hopes that it would stop the pain I was in, for even though the red light was gone, my core was still in shattered pieces.

I whimpered softly as the light changed colour, taking on a dark purple hue. 'Please let it end, please…' I inwardly begged, certain that I could take no more of this pain. While the flame hit my chest with the same ferocity as the red did before, I quickly noticed it was not filled with the intent to harm. Small purple hooks seemed to grabbed hold of the tattered mess that was once my core. I felt the light pulse, sending what felt like a small shock wave through my body. My eyes opened wide at the sensation as a startled gasp left my lips. The pulse seemed to pick up in intensity, and I could feel something within me shift and grow warm. At first it felt like the last few embers of a dying fire, but as the pulse continued it grew, until I felt as if my insides were being filled with a raging inferno. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. The fire inside me simply grew, and just as it reached the point where I thought for certain that I would be burnt into a crisp, it stilled and for one moment I was filled with perfect clarity.

I knew how many were in the room with me, that they were all watching the proceeding with awe. I could hear the faint scratching of pen against paper, could practically make out what it was they desired to do. I could feel them. They were all scared, just in different levels. They were so desperate, so eager to disregard their own laws just to see this work. I was their final Masterpiece, for all that I still knew not why.

I could feel my body on the verge of giving out, I was too young for what they wanted to accomplish, already my heart had come close to stopping several times. I could feel that should I decide it, I could give in, and escape this pain. My heart would stop and I would die once more, but… I could also choose to live, to fight through the pain and see what comes after, no matter how terrible it was right now.

I could stop this, I could escape. It would be so easy, to simply close my eyes and give in. But…

I had never been one for the well worn path.

I needed to live, I needed to know, to know that this wasn't it. I needed to know that someday things would be better. And I needed to find him! Make him tell me why!

My heart came close to stopping, but something deep inside of me made sure that it did not come to pass, and so I continued to go on.

Even if later I would be left to wonder on whether or not I had made the right choice, for now I was certain I had.

The moment soon left me, and with it my clarity diminished as I was left feeling far more exhausted then I had ever thought myself capable of. I barely noticed as the flame changed in colour, even if I felt it's affects. Startling green, not painful for all that it made my hair stand on end. It held my core together and seemed to strengthen it. Bright and brilliant yellow, soothing as if to congratulate me for making it so far. And last but not least, gentle indigo, the last colour I was able to see before sleep finally claimed hold of me.

When I next awoke, I was once again lying in my bed, Bianco laying right beside me. With shaking hands I pulled him close, letting silent sobs escape my lips as tears fell freely from behind closed lids.

I had survived, had gone through such unimaginable torture and yet somehow survived. My chest was throbbing in pain and my skin hot and feverish, yet I was still alive, still able to breath and cry and feel.

It may have been a mistake, I may have made the wrong decision.

But I knew I would always make the same choice in the end.

It would be later that I learned the experiment had been a success. The scientist and handlers would be overjoyed with the information, once more sprouting off terminology I would have no hope of following along with. There was one thing I caught however, that caused me to feel dread deep into my bones.

What I had gone through was merely the first phase.

Eventually… my torture would begin again.

It would be a long time before I would see Lucca again, as after the success from my first test they had decided to transfer him to another 'project'. Each project had a different code name, and made me wonder not for the first time, if I truly was the only child suffering in these scientist's hands. There were several projects I would hear them discussing: Tempesta, Pioggia, Sereno, Fulmine, Nuvola, Nebbia and lastly my own; Cielo.

Elements of the sky, they would call it, their voices hushed as they whispered amongst each other. Their greatest Masterpiece...

Or…

Their greatest sin.

Which of the two they were however, was anyone's guess.

It wasn't with any great surprise that the discovery of just how much these experiments were affecting me came to pass. The affects took a while to show, and perhaps that is what allowed them all to claim ignorance. My core was constantly shattered and mended, the effects becoming worse with each passing procedure. Though for all the agony I felt, outwardly it appeared that nothing was amiss, as my skin was left smooth and unblemished, with nothing to show the torture it was constantly put under.

There was a weariness I felt, deep in my soul. My body constantly felt as if it were hanging together on burnt tattered seams, as though it needed just one more push before it could truly shatter. It was rare that a day passed without my body seizing, the effects from the flames causing me to grow ill and fevered constantly. Eventually it grew to the point that I was always exceptionally warm, and I came to realize that I could no longer feel the cold. I had never been given a blanket, it having been deemed a safety issue back when I was still attached to countless wires and machinery, later they simply deemed me not needing of one. The air where I was kept was constantly cool and damp, giving my surroundings a dungeonisque feel. Now, the cool air did little for my heated skin and even the cold baths I had once detested were now lukewarm at worst.

I'm not sure what they were trying to accomplish, or why, but the results were traumatic. Before I used to enjoy having them come into my room, if only for the fact my loneliness would ebb away with their presence, but now I feared it. I would watch them fearfully, wondering if today was the day they would take me back into that horrible room, and rip me apart once more. I started to flinch from their touch and shake when held. They would comment on it, but any concerns on my mental well being were for the most part brushed off and not given much if any thought.

The experiments themselves were long and arduous. Numerous times during them I would wish to scream and beg for mercy. Yet after that first day no sound seemed to escape my throat, in a way, my muteness had now become a reality, and I wondered if I would ever have the chance to speak.

But even if I could, would they even care to hear my pleas for mercy?

It had been a little over a year now since the experiments had first begun, and the strain they were causing my body was now too blatant to be ignored. More days then not I had to be carried to the testing room, the strength to even move my fingers having become impossible. Most of my days would be spent in a semi comatose state, only slightly aware of the world around me as my eyes remained drooped and unconcerned. My body was constantly exhausted, and it became common for me to suffer fainting spells as a result.

As always, my well being for the most part was ignored, except to assure themselves that I was still physically well.

This however, soon changed.

My hair, once a beautiful inky black that I would enjoy running my fingers through had soon become a shocking white instead. It had shocked them I suppose, physical proof that what they were doing to me was too much. My body was still far too young and the shock of their continuous experiments proved to be too taxing for me to handle.

At only four years of age, I was dying, and finally they had realized it.

After this discovery, it would be a long time before I entered that horrible room again. Instead they would watch over me, trying to heal what they had almost destroyed. I was different now, something they knew just as well as I.

In a way, their plan had succeeded, in time I truly would become their greatest achievement and their darkest sin.

Though it would be many more years yet before I fully discovered the truth of the world I now lived in, and the truth of what had been done to me.

But by then… childhood… innocence… they would all fade into distant dreams as I freely entered a world filled with darkness and blood.

Omake

"You'll be good for me, won't you?" Her soft and gentle voice instantly had him agreeing.

"Of course!" He shook his head vigorously, a bright smile on his lips. "I'm the future head after all!" His small chest puffed out proudly. "So any chance for me to help my Famiglia I'll gladly take!"

She smiled at him before slowly wrapping him up in her arms, making the soft scent of lavender seem to float around him. "My brave child." She murmured softly as she held him. He wanted to savour the warmth he felt as she held him, but couldn't help but frown in concern as he felt her shoulders shake. "My brave and wonderful child."

"Mama?" He questioned, trying to look up into her blue eyes that were so like his own.

"It's time to go." The stern voice seemed to break them both out of their small world, and he gulped in slight fear and trepidation as his eyes fell on to the cold ones of his father's right hand man. The man's face was all stitched up, making him look more monster then man. But he supposed that was the fate their family now had to go through since being black-listed by the Vongola.

He snarled mentally at the thought of them. They tried so hard to appear pristine and perfect, but in truth their hands were also stained in sin and blood.

There was nothing clean or holy in the world of Mafia after all, no matter what the Ninth claimed.

His hands clenched into tight fist as he moved to follow after Nerezza. Were it not for them, his family would still be strong, they would not have to cower in fear of being killed just for being braver and more willing to take risk. But now, with the experiments his family planned to do, they would rise from the ashes and take Vongola by storm! Never again would they be forced to hide away like sewer rats!

He would be a part of their new future, and would gladly do whatever was asked of him to make it a reality!

Then… perhaps then his Mama would no longer need to cry.

"Mukuro…" He paused, turning back to look into tear-stained blue eyes as his mother's lips trembled into a smile. "Be strong my child."

He smiled back. "Of course."

He would do anything for his Mama, even walk through the depths of hell should it be asked of him.

A/N: Finally it's done! I wanted this chapter to be longer to make up for the wait, but if I had tried I probably would never have gotten this chapter out. Sorry so much for the wait and thank you to everyone who reviewed, I hope you all keep enjoying this story as it continues!

There will be several more Omakes on Mukuro before the Fated Day, and maybe on other characters too should anyone ask after them, though finally we have a great reveal on certain aspects of this story, that will probably help along everyone's understanding as things go on, though don't be afraid to ask questions should anything confuse you. Thank you again and please review if you've enjoyed reading! They help greatly and always make me feel happy to know this story is enjoyed.

Story Fact: The 'Fated Day' takes place when Mukuro is 10, currently he's 6.