Story 7

Author's Note: This is inspired by the latest chapters so it contains spoilers.

Opening her eyes, Chrome discovered that what she had hoped to be a bad dream was real. Not only was she tied, she was severally wounded due to her struggles. If her capture was real, then this meant that the ones who took her were her captures.

She was not presented when the Shimon family were introduced to the Vongola but she did receive some basic information since she was acting as the mist guardian. However, both Ken and Chikusa told her that the inheritance ceremony was not their problem at all, since they were not part of a mafia family.

Mukuro said a similar thing, as well as telling her to be very careful.

"After all, the mafia are capable of doing all sorts of things." He had said very darkly, no doubt recollecting the memories of his past that had once caused him to think that the world should be destroyed.

"…I am so sorry, Mukuro-sama." Chrome whispered. Despite him telling her to be careful, she must still have let down her guard by ending up in this position. For a brief moment, her insecurities and self doubts were back, but she quickly dismissed them by reminding herself that she must concentrate on escaping.

This was not that easy because her body was tired and injured due to her struggles when she was attacked. However, the young girl continued, pushing her body to the limits.

"…Chrome, my adorable Chrome…"

"Mukuro-sama?" she answered the call without thinking and immediately regretted this, because she was ashamed of letting him see her situation. He was too kind to reproach her for it, but she was sure that he would be disappointed.

"Why would you think that?" Mukuro asked with a laugh, but this laughter was not mocking. "You have already done very well, my adorable Chrome. The power that you have learnt and mastered in such a short amount of time is most impressive."

"But I am unable to defend myself!" she cried out, casting her head down even though he was not standing in front of her.

"Few would be able to do so in that situation." He pointed out, and even though he did not say it, he definitely considered himself as an exception. "But you have done very well, the injuries that you give are most impressive."

"Then let me show you that I can save myself!" Chrome pleaded. "Mukuro-sama, I can do this."

"If you are not so injured, if you are not so tired," he said gently, although his tone was very firm, indicating that he would not accept refusal. "But now you need rest…"

"No! I can't…I can't always have Mukuro-sama rescue me!" she cried out, and her yell then broke into a sob. "I can't…I can't always rely on Mukuro-sama."

"But Chrome, I am happy at this." Chrome could not see him, but she was sure that he was actually smiling. "Therefore, let me help you. I want to help you."

As well as punishing the ones who dared to hurt you, Mukuro did not say this, but Chrome still heard it.

"Mukuro-sama…thank you." She whispered before she nodded, closing her eyes.

Initially, Tsuna and his friends were worried about being late due to Chrome, but when they arrived, they almost wonder whether being late was dangerous for the Shimon instead. If they had arrived for a few moments later, then the already small Shimon family would probably be even smaller.

"What is it?" Mukuro aside, temporarily pausing the hand that was going to guide the trident down.

"There is no need for you to kill them even if they did kidnap Chrome!" Tsuna yelled out. "And I am sure…I am sure that Enma-kun did not intend…"

"Intention does not matter, it is what they did." Mukuro said coldly.

"Enma-kun, why?" Tsuna began. "I am sure that there is a reason. Please tell me and I will try to help you."

Enma smiled bitterly- a very strange smile that seemed very uncharacteristic in the face that usually appeared very blank and even emotionless.

"I wanted to believe you, I really did." He admitted before his voice turned hard. "But you just showed me that you are not that different. In the end, you are still more concerned with yourself. I told you, the Shimon family is weak and so we suffered a lot…"

It was a very bitter story and even though most of them could not approve of their decision, they could still feel a deep empathy toward the family, especially when they became rather close with some of these members.

"I am sure we can sort out something." Yamamoto begin, "After all – "

The trident made a loud noise due to the force Mukuro smashed it against the nearby wall, although this was actually restraint on his behalf as he did not stabbed it into the injured people around him.

"And so Chrome should be hurt?" he said coldly. "I don't care what happened to you, but the crime for hurting Chrome is punished by death."

"Mukuro- " Tsuna was just thinking about what he should do when a too familiar figure walked pass him with the words of: "So this is the interesting thing I would find here."

"Hibari-san!" Tsuna yelled out in surprise before he turned to Reborn, "I thought you said that no one could find Hibari!"

"I didn't find him." Reborn said simply. "But I just left a note on his desk."

"I am busy right now." Mukuro said. "If you want to lose to me again then you can do so after I finish."

"Reborn- do something!" Tsuna yelled out.

"Isn't this your job at the leader?" was all that Reborn would say. This basically translate to "Do it yourself, I am not helping you."

"…being experimented by our own family…"

"…everyday was like hell…we didn't even the strength to live…"

"…I will start by destroying the mafia…"

Suddenly, Tsuna was hearing the words that Mukuro and the other two had said to him when he first fought against them. It was the same situation: the suffering that you endured made you resentful and sought revenge by hurting those who you regarded as belonging to the group of those who hurt you."

"Mukuro, don't you remember what happened to you!" Tsuna yelled out. "You were victims of the mafia like them!"

Mukuro was actually startled, and he then began to chuckle.

"Yes, they are like me," he admitted before his voice hardened. "But that does not mean that I will forgive them for what they did to Chrome! I said it before, Sawada Tsunayoshi, I am not a nice human being."

"And that was what I said before! I am sorry at what happened to you three but I cannot just let you destroy the things that I care about!" Tsuna continued. "So…please stop!"

A very long pause followed, which was finally broke by Mukuro.

"You are still extremely naïve." He said, "Perhaps this is contagious. However, I will make my warning now: I do not tolerate any mistakes. One more thing…" at this point his voice actually turned gentle. "Chrome needs rest."

Then he was gone, with Chrome back. However, she was asleep with a smile. This was because she was with Mukuro in the illusionary world that had become very previous to them. She was resting there while he was right beside her.

What happened made him realise how precious she was to him.

Author's Note: The idea is that due to reasons, the Shamon family captured Chrome and kidnapped her. I got the idea for this story when I read about how they actually suffered a lot from the other mafia due to being rally weak. I then immediately thought of Mukuro, as I think that was a similar situation.