SUN AND LIGHTNING

PART 1

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"Impossible," he whispered as he stared at the burnt remains of the Scuro Mansion. It was too surreal. It was too unfair.

"Signore," the General turned away from the horrid sight, "I am afraid, no one could have survived that fire…"

Giotto stood frozen in his spot.

Everything was happening so fast.

He closed his eyes and remembered his friend's words before he and G left for Japan. Why didn't he foresee this? It was obvious and yet he didn't pay attention to the omens.

"Let the legacy live on, Giotto. Never back down…"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Our father who art in heaven, hollowed be thy name…"

Inside the chapel, you could hear the ringing bells, resonating within. A soft prayer was being spoken by a young priest, kneeled down, with his hands clasped. He was praying rather solemnly.

"---thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen."

The priest stood up, after making a sign of the cross, and turned around, to face his visitor. "It has been a while, Giotto," he said with a bright smile. "Ever since you visited here, you were only fifteen."

"Indeed it has, brother," Giotto smiled back, uncrossing his arms. "It has, indeed, been a while since I have last stepped inside a chapel."

The priest raised an eyebrow at Giotto, "You never have been a practicing Catholic. Perhaps, you need time to speak to the Lord. Perhaps, now, is the time, my old friend"

"You may be right, brother," Giotto didn't call the priest anything else but, brother. It was already a habit, ever since the first day they met. The priest insisted on letting Giotto call him 'brother' and nothing else.

"Is there anything troubling you?" the priest asked, placing a hand on Giotto's shoulder.

"A lot," Giotto muttered under his breath.

"Then, let us hear it then," the priest said, offering a seat to the tired man.

And so Giotto narrated what had happened the past months. He didn't hold back. He narrated what had happened when he met G. How he was tempted to kill the man that killed his father. How he had killed many people. How he had traveled to Japan. How hundreds of civilians got involved in Mafia related conflicts; and how Aldo died just a few days ago.

The priest did nothing but listen. He let the young Sicilian speak his heart out.

"--- Aldo has always been an old friend of mine…" Giotto finished with a sigh. "I just don't know what I should do now"

"Follow what your intuition tells you," the priest said "You always had, hyper-intuition, if I may say."

Giotto couldn't help but smile, as he leaned backward on his chair. He decided to change the topic, "So, how is your sister doing?" he asked.

"She's fine," the priest said with a huge grin on his face. He was always excited when it was about his sister. "She tells me that she will be back soon. She said she will be bringing souvenirs from Paris."

"Good for her, then," Giotto said.

"Indeed," the priest stated with a smile.

"Thank you for your time, brother," Giotto said as he stood up and smiled. "I need to go back, or else G would probably destroy the whole town, looking for me"

"This 'G' person sounds interesting," the priest chuckled before he too, stood up from his seat. "I am willing to listen Giotto, if you any more problems, do not hesitate to talk to me."

"I'll stop by, some other time, brother," Giotto promised.

"Take good care of yourself, Giotto…," the priest managed to give Giotto a smile. "I will always pray for your safety"

Giotto nearly flinched. He wasn't really a practicing Catholic, and he wasn't quite sure how to react. "I appreciate it," he said, turning around to take his leave. He didn't want to disappoint his old friend by telling him that he did not believe in God. He considered himself an Atheist. After the sorrow he had been through, he had lost his faith in the Lord.

May you guide him through his path, my Lord, the priest turned to the altar with his hands clasped, around the cross that hung on his neck, Do not let him make the wrong decisions, as I did in my time.

The twin oak doors to the chapel echoed throughout the hall, as it was closed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Watch where you're going, stupido ragazzo," G growled after colliding with a fifteen year old boy with messy dark hair.

"Who're you calling a stupid boy? Strano," the teenage boy, childishly stuck his tongue out.

"Why you…" G aimed for the other boy's face, but his fist never collided with the dark haired boy's face, instead it was caught by another hand.

"It's a bad habit to punch someone you just met before," a cool and collected voice said.

"S-signore Giotto!" G pulled his hand back to his side, "I am deeply sorry!" he said, bowing his head.

"Shouldn't you apologize to…" Giotto blinked twice before turning to the young boy, "What's your name, young boy?" he asked.

"Lampou," the boy answered, placing his hands in his pockets.

"Lampou," Giotto repeated with a smile before he turned to G, "You should apologize to Lampou, G," he said.

"G?" Lampou raised a brow, "What kind of stupid name is that?" he snorted.

"Signore! Please give me permission to kill just one civilian!" G glared at Lampou, his hands twitching for his crossbow.

Giotto couldn't help but sweat drop, at this point. "I'm sorry. G. but a civilian is a civilian."

"Oi, brat, are you part of the mafia?" G suddenly asked, nearly making Giotto fall (anime-style). G was just so…so…blunt.

"Why would you care, stupid-G?" Lampou asked.

"Just answer the question, brat!" G growled. If Giotto wasn't there, Lampou would've been dead already.

"Yeah, I'm part of the Mafia—"

"He's not a civilian, Signore!" G stated, pointing at the young boy in an accusing manner. Giotto just stared at Lampou, shocked at how young the boy was. "Can I kill him now, Signore?"

"H-he's just a child!" Giotto pointed out. "He may be lying, G," he added, even though he knew otherwise.

"I am not lying," Lampou said in a blank tone. He glared at Giotto. Just because he was young, doesn't mean he wasn't part of the Mafia. It wasn't his fault he was born in the underground world.

Giotto's cerulean eyes hardened as he examined the boy. Lampou looked like he was just, about, twelve years old, or so.

"If you don't mind, can you tell me," Lampou blinked twice at Giotto's change of tone, "From what family are you from?"

Lampou lowered his head, as if in shame, "The Agnello family," he said.

G raised an eyebrow, "So you're part of that stupid excuse for a famiglia," he snorted. "The weakest of the bunch, or so I've heard from an old acquaintance," he added as if adding more salt to the wound.

"The Agnello family is not weak!" Lampou countered, his face turning red.

"Don't fight, please," Giotto said, stopping the two.

"Forgive us, Signore," G said, bowing his head in shame.

"Where is your family right now, Lampou?" Giotto asked, placing a hand on the teen's shoulder. "We'll take you back."

Lampou's lower lip trembled, "I don't know," he said, attitude suddenly changing. "T-they left without me. When I woke up this morning I received a small note," unconsciously, he reached for a small paper in his pocket.

"May I?" Giotto asked, looking at the small piece of paper, on the boy's hands. Lampou nodded and let the paper fall into Giotto's hands.

"Lampou,

If you are reading this, it must mean that we are already gone.

We didn't let you come with us because it is dangerous.

That is why we want you to go to the Scuro Mansion and search for a guy named Aldo.

Tell him that I sent you, and that they are in deep trouble.

Don't come back to the mansion.

And live on, brat.

--Your awesome boss, Folto"

Giotto frowned. He had heard a rumor, a few days ago, that the Agnello family was killed. But after he saw Lampou, he thought that the rumor was false. And now, it seemed that the sad rumor was indeed, true.

His eyebrows furrowed. Who was responsible for the murder of the different families? And what was their goal?

"Do you know who Aldo is?" Lampou's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Giotto could only smile wryly in return, "I'm sorry, boy, but I am afraid you won't be able to meet Aldo, anymore."

"E-eh? Why?!" Lampou asked.

"Because he has left," Giotto stated. "And it seems like he is never coming back."

Lampou lowered his head in disappointment, tears were threatening to escape. He had failed his boss, Folto. He couldn't meet Aldo, just like what Folto asked him to. He was a failure to his family.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Knuckle smoothened, the white table cloth, as he fixed the altar. He threw out the stagnant water from the vase and replaced it with fresh water, from the well, along with a few chrysanthemums.

He heard the door to the chapel, creak. "Is there something you need?" he asked, before turning around. "Giotto?" he asked.

"Brother," Giotto greeted back, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Ask away, my friend," Knuckle smiled, gently, despite receiving a deadly glare from the man beside Giotto.

"Can you look after him for a while?" Giotto asked, looking at the teenage boy that stood, in front of him. "He has no home to go to, and I am afraid I cannot look after him, as I continue my journey."

Knuckle took a few steps forward and examined the teen. His eyes were devoid of any emotion. He was pale, and he looked thin. "I shall do what I can, my friend." Knuckle stated, "But, it is late, I want you three to rest. In fact, I shall prepare the rooms, immediately."

"We don't want to trouble you…" Giotto mumbled.

"Nonsense!" Knuckle said.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"He has lost something important, hasn't he?" Knuckle sighed as he stared at the bright moon. "His eyes show everything, and it reminds me of yours, when you had lost your father."

Giotto looked down, "He has lost his family," he said.

"Are you helping him because you see yourself in him?" Knuckle asked, turning around.

"He and I are not the same, brother," Giotto stated, "And I don't want him to follow the path of revenge. I am helping him, in order to preserve himself."

"It is his own decision on what path he shall walk upon," Knuckle shook his head.

"But, at least, I can guide him in making the right decisions," Giotto countered. "We know the truth, even if it is only partial, but even if that is the case, we try to minimize the damage even by keeping people at a safe distance from the truth. That is why I want to entrust him into your care."

"You read too much books, Giotto," Knuckle chuckled at his words, "I swear you are much too wise for your age."

"Fratello? Padre?" a high pitched voice, interrupted their conversation.

"Is something wrong Lampou?" Giotto asked, worriedly.

"I can't sleep," Lampou said, rubbing his right eye. Lampou's drowsiness reminded Giotto that Lampou was still a child, even though he talked dirtily, especially towards G. "I keep on having nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Giotto asked, crouching down to face the boy. Lampou nodded.

"Why don't you tell him a bed-time story, Giotto," Knuckle suggested with a goofy grin. "Remember the ones I told you and my little sister, Andrea, when we were young?" he added. Giotto, merely, glared in response. He was not a babysitter. "Oh, for heaven's sake, Giotto, you should take full responsibility for the child."

Giotto sighed, "Fine," he said, "Come on, kid, let's get you to bed," he managed to give the kid a reassuring smile, "Don't worry. I won't let anything harm you."

"Grazie, Fratello," Lampou said with a yawn.

He even considers him as his brother, Knuckle thought as he watched the two, go back to their rooms.

"That kid," a gruff voice nearly growled, "That kid will become a burden to Signore Giotto."

"How are you so sure?" Knuckle asked, as he turned to another figure.

"Attachment will become Signore's downfall," G muttered as he stepped out of the shadows, and lit his cigarette.

"Then, you, too, shall be part of his downfall, if that's the case," Knuckle said, wrinkling his nose. The priest clasped his hands together, "Is that why you are trying to convince him, to treat you as a subordinate?" G didn't reply, "Let me tell you this, G—("It's the General, for you," G growled) – sometimes, attachment to another person is what feeds our desire to grow strong. Remember what I had told you, young man."

"Tell me," G took the cigarette, hanging on his lips, "Were you the so-called Iron Fist, who killed thousands using his fists, and mysteriously disappeared years ago?"

Knuckle smiled, wryly, "I changed my ways, after my baby sister was born. My eyes were opened, and I knew I cannot continue to bear that name. And so, to atone for my sins, I entered the convent."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Giotto sighed in relief as he noticed that Lampou was fast asleep. He placed the blanket on the young boy, to avoid him from catching a cold. "Good night, Lampou," he muttered as he patted the young teen's head. When he was about to, stand up, a small hand reached for his sleeve, making his attention turn back to the sleeping child.

"Don't leave, Fratello," Lampou whispered, "Big brother… Boss… Please…."

"So this is what your nightmare is all about," Giotto whispered, "You are scared to be left alone."

A small whimper escaped the young boy's lips.

"I won't leave, Lampou. Everything will be fine," and as if his voice was like a tranquilizer, the young boy's face became calm, and his breathing became normal.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note: I really need to finish this fic, since the Vongola Primo Arc will be starting at episode 178 O_O. I need to work harder.

I'm sorry for killing Aldo, and I promise I'll make it up to you guys. (Aldo is also a favorite OC of mine)

Knuckle and Lampou, finally, make their appearance ^^ His brotherly relationship was inspired by my classmate's words. He told me that he thinks that Giotto serves as Lampou's father figure. So I made it look, almost like that, except that Giotto is like Lampou's big brother.

Please Review, minna-san ^^

Ciao~ for now~