Chapter 4: The Varia and the Servant

I walked into the Varia HQ. It was completely silent, which was a good thing, because it meant they weren't home. I remembered how loud that silver-haired guy was.

I kept on walking until I reached what looked like a large dining room. I entered it and sat in one of the chairs. I really had nothing on me but the clothes I was wearing, and the box of gifts Nono gave to me.

I looked into the box and, to my surprise, there was an envelope taped to the inside of the lid that I didn't notice before. I unfolded it and this strange orange flame (kind of like Tsuna's except, you know, smaller) was flickering slowly at the top of the letter. It didn't burn when I ran my finger through it. Amazed, I looked at the letter, which was written in Italian.

Thank god I learned fluent Italian when studying here, I thought.

I read the letter:

Dear Sawada Natsuki,

I'm sorry for tricking you, but I wasn't sure if you would take the job knowing you would be working for the Varia. Please forgive me, but I truly believe you can change them for the better.

Despite the fact they are cold-blooded assassins, I feel they are too extreme lately and they need something - or someone - that they wish to protect with all their hearts. Don't give up, Natsuki-chan, I believe you are that person. It will be hard in the beginning, but I know a girl as strong as you can pull through.

Despite my encouragement, I must also give you a warning. Out of the six remaining Guardians for the Varia, there are three you must watch out for the most: The Sky Guardian and leader Xanxus (my son); his second-in-command, the Rain Guardian Superbi Squalo; and the Storm Guardian Belphegor. These three are the most bloodthirsty and will probably give you the most problems.

Please keep out of sight until we break them the news. Keep safe, Natsuki-chan.

Timoteo, Vongola Nono

Oh, well, that was pleasant.

I was just reading a P.S. at the bottom (it said there was a separate letter for the Varia if I ever meet them face-to-face) when I heard distinctly a door slam shut. Followed by a "VOOOOOOIIIIIIIIII!"

Oh, crap!

"WHY IS THE DOOR OPEN?"

Oh, double crap! I completely forgot to close it!

"Whatever, trash." Came the voice of Xanxus, who yawned and went an opposite direction as the others. I felt a surge of dislike creep up my throat at the sound of his voice, but I couldn't slap him again.

Stupid stupid stupid stupid, I chanted silently to myself as I scurried away. I dashed into a room just seconds before the Varia rounded the corner and walked down the hallway.

Through a crack in the door I saw the silver-haired loudmouth who had a sword blade strapped to his left wrist. He stopped right in front of the room I was hiding in and stiffened.

"Voooi, I sense a presence."

Eeeek! I scrambled backwards, found an empty cupboard, and crawled into it. I shut the door the instant I heard the door to the room slam open.

"There's nobody there." Came the grumpy voice of that Levi person.

"Squ, you're being jumpy." Came a new voice, this one rather high-pitched.

So, the silver-haired swordsman was the second-in-command, Squalo?

"Whatever." Squalo muttered, and I heard the door slam shut again. I breathed out slowly in relief. My heart was racing, and it was so fast and so loud I could have sworn the Varia could hear it.

I crawled out of the cupboard and crept into the hallway. They were gone. As I walked down, I finally started to hear noises coming from what appeared to be a kitchen, as I caught a glimpse of a countertop.

"Vooooi, where are the stupid cooks? I'm starving!"

"You killed them all, remember?" Came the baby voice of the Arcobaleno.

"Actually, Boss killed them." Came the sadistic voice of that blonde-haired crown boy. Followed by a maniacal giggle. "Ushishishishi, Boss gets all the fun jobs. The Prince is jealous."

"Voooiiii, we need to get some more servants!" Squalo roared, and I distinctly heard the sound of a cupboard being slammed. "You expect me to cook?"

"Cooking is so not my style." Came the high-pitched voice again.

"Whatever, let's just go find the boss." Levi grumped.

I heard their footsteps. Not again! I dashed into the first room I saw. But then I heard them coming into this room, so I had to run into the room connected to that. It was so confusing.

So, you can kind of imagine what day I had. I spent the entire time running from room to room, hallway to hallway, like one big hide-and-seek game. And when they finally went to bed, I snuck into the kitchen and found this funny little alcove in-between a counter and the fridge. I took off my jacket, rolled it up into a pillow shape, and curled into the corner like a frightened rabbit.

It wasn't until I was drifting off to an uneasy sleep did I remember - Crapsocks! I didn't eat dinner!

If only I didn't eat all the chocolate at Nono's house, and they would hear if I so much as opened a cupboard. So in the end, I went to bed hungry for the first time in my life.

Before Squalo went to sleep, he sensed it again. Something wrong. Another extra presence.

There was no coincidence that the door was open when they came back, and that suddenly he felt like an extra person was in the house.

It didn't help either that he knew it wasn't one of the lesser Varia members scuttling about, because they all lived in a separate HQ from the main Varia Guardians.

And it wasn't a servant either, because although they lived with the Varia in the basement floors, all of the servants have been killed by either Squalo (because he caught them lazing about), Bel (because he loves practicing knife throwing with moving targets) or Xanxus (simply because he felt like it).

Squalo felt someone was there. Or maybe Lussura was right, he was jumpy.

But all the same, he didn't sleep peacefully.

I woke up with severe lower back pain and a crick in my neck. Thankfully, no one was around. But I was sure it had to be morning. And I was starving. A box of fancy Italian chocolates weren't enough to satisfy my hunger. For a girl as skinny as moi, I had a big appetite.

I stumbled out of the kitchen, clutching my box from Nono, when IT happened.

I ran right into somebody. The blonde-haired prince boy.

Then, like a doofus, I said "Oh, sorry! Are you okay?"

Oh, CRAP.

The prince just looks at me - sort of, I really can't tell with all his bangs. Then he mumbles something that sounded like "Mmmmbbble….knife….mmmbmmm…..prince…mmembmmammmm…."

Then his head slouched forwards until it rested on my shoulder.

Holy-mother-of-Jesus-walking-scarecrows-and-ponies-on-a-stick, he's sleepwalking.

Very, very lightly, I gently pushed his head up and let him lean against the wall. From up close, this boy was very fragile-looking, with delicate bone structure. Prince-like. I smiled. He made me want to care for him, like Tsuna almost. Except this guy was probably a psychotic killer, but either way, it gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling like I belonged in this hellhole.

At least, until I heard "Vooooii, Bel, wake up, you're sleepwalking again!"

I turned around…..and there was Superbi Squalo, half-dressed in his Varia uniform, still kind-of shirtless since he was doing up the buttons, and he stopped and stared at me in shock. I stared back at him. There was this whole Mexican stand-off stare contest going on here.

"Vooooii….aren't you that Sawada brat's sister?" Squalo said slowly.

"Ummm…..no?" I said.

Then I turned around and ran for my life.

A split second later, I heard "VOOOOIIIIIII! SOMEONE GET THAT BRAT!"

I heard doors crashing from just about everywhere. Oh my god!

"BEL, YOU TRASH, STOP SLEEPING AND GET THAT GIRL!"

There was silence. Then I heard an unmistakeable "Ushishishishishi…."

Suddenly, a knife appeared out of nowhere and somehow turned the curve and headed straight for me. I shrieked and dove away. It missed by inches.

One, two, three, ten more knives all turned the corner and sped towards me. I dodged them exceptionally well, but a few nicked at my sleeves and jean legs. One actually went deep enough for me to start bleeding.

Oh god.

"VOOOIIII, GOOD JOB, BEL!" Squalo roared "NOW WE CAN TRACK HER DOWN!"

Track me down? Wait, that's it! I searched my body quickly and, at the last second, found a small, thin wire attached to my sleeve. It was so tiny it was practically invisible. What's more, I felt what seemed like a slight numbness on my arm, so I couldn't feel it. Bel must have done that while he was sleepwalking.

So, he was psychotic creeper number three. Now I had to watch out for psycho number two (Squalo), and for god's sakes I had to get away from psycho number one (Xanxus) or he'll blow my head off.

I dashed down the hallway, but I was a tiny little girl and they were all grown, trained killers, and it was pretty obvious they were going to catch up to me. I kept running for all I was worth, forcing my legs to move faster and faster.

Squalo was catching up to me. He was practically on my heels. I was going to get caught.

I jerked sideways and dove through a door, tripped, and fell flat just as Squalo reached me.

"Vooooii, you better start explaining yourself!" Squalo sneered. "But make it quick, before I slice you up!"

Scared completely shitless, I scrabbled along the floor, crawling on the ground as fast as I could.

Then my hand touched a shoe.

No wonder Squalo didn't bother trying to tie me up or kill me or something. There was someone else in the room. I looked up slowly.

A pair of red eyes stared at me intensely in the half-darkness.

"Xanxus….." I whispered.

"Any last words, trash?" He said, and I saw a fiery glow appear in the palm of his hand.