Author's Note:
Sorry for late update! Two more chapters to go and this story will be finished! This chapter is shorter than the previous ones, and I'm very sorry for it. But please review so I'll know what you think.
Three days later, meeting room, third floor, Vongola HQ
The training at Cavallone Family base was over. Giotto and his guardians went back to their HQ at Friday morning, a day before the invasion would start. Giotto ordered his guardians to take some rest the whole day so they could keep their stamina and able to fight in perfect condition the next day.
"That concludes our last meeting about mission tomorrow. All of you dismiss." Giotto closed the meeting and the guardians for exception Talbot, G, and Ugetsu, left the room to take their own rest. Giotto looked at his storm guardian and rain guardian in confusion. "Why both of you still here…?" he asked them.
"I'll ask you back, why are you still here? And we are here to make sure you take some rest too and to check do you have any works left. For two weeks you haven't rest properly and usually overslept in your desk." G. replied.
Giotto shrugged before replied. "Do not worry, G. I do not have any works left and will take some rest for today. I am still here because I wish to speak with Talbot in private. So can both of you leave us alone here?" Giotto requested his two guardians.
"Okay then. G. let us go!" Ugetsu told G. as he pulled him from his seat. G. shouted in protest and Ugetsu had no choice but to quite forcefully dragging him out from the room. Until Giotto and Talbot could no longer hear G's yelling, Talbot took a seat in front of Giotto.
"So? How is it?" Giotto asked him.
Talbot shook his head "No, that man said that he does not know anything about the spy and only his boss and several upper subordinates know of it. However, he said that their family's goal is the Vongola rings you and your guardians possess." Talbot explained about his interrogation on the enemy they had caught.
"Our Vongola rings…? For what reason…?" Giotto asked again, putting his finger on his chin.
"He said that his boss wants the great power of the Vongola rings, so he can control the mafia world and become its leader…" Talbot continued.
Giotto raised his brow "Just for that reason…? How ridiculous…" Giotto commented.
"You should know well, Primo. Our world is not soft and it's not uncommon if there are many people after a great power. And I think you already know that just by seeing Sir Daemon." Talbot added. Giotto shuddered. He had forgotten that Daemon also one of those kind of people that obsessive with strength and power.
"Yes… I know that…"
Dining Hall, First Floor, Vongola HQ
Lampo ate a big pile of food with Knuckle beside him. Lampo ate happily since he was very hungry and tired with the training he had gone through that he commented like a hell and not satisfied with the food he has eaten at Cavallone base. He kept eating and didn't realize that he was spilling foods over his mouth and table until Knuckle told him.
"Lampo, you should watch your behavior when eating. There is much food so you do not need to eat quickly to the extreme like that. You are spilling some of it on your mouth and table." Knuckle scolded him and snatched the plate from Lampo's hands.
Lampo frowned. "Fine, fine, I will be more behave, now give me the food! I am still hungry!" He yelled while tried to snatch back the food from Knuckle but to no avail.
"Pleaseeee give me back the food…?" Lampo finally begged like a child. Knuckle sighed and chuckled as he saw his expression. He patted his head before giving back the food.
"Do not spill it over or I will drag you out from this hall if necessary." Knuckle said with smile, but Lampo sure that he was serious.
"Okay…" Lampo ate slowly and properly.
"Hey! You can let me go now, Ugetsu!" Lampo and Knuckle turned their attentions to the door, revealing Ugetsu was still dragging G. until they arrived at Lampo and Knuckle's seat.
He let go of him. "I already let you go, now." Ugetsu said cheerfully, ignoring G.'s glare at him. "We want to eat too!" Ugetsu said to the other two guardians.
"There is no "we" I only here because you forced me, sword-freak!" G. protested.
"It is still early in the morning, be quite G." Knuckle said as he restrained G.
"He is right, stupid-G! Behave yourself." Lampo mocked and stick his tongue out to G.
"Shut up seaweed head! Don't try to anger me more than you do if you want to live longer!"G. brought out his gun on his grip. Lampo immediately hid behind Ugetsu, who then tried to calm down G. as Knuckle restraining him.
Vongola garden, Vongola HQ
Éclair and Alaude were walking around the garden while watching the snow fall. Though, Éclair was mostly the one who talked while Alaude just listened to her.
"You should be more talkative you know. If you do not, no woman would like you." Éclair commented.
"I despise affiliating with anyone… I only here because you insisted me like a kid." He countered.
"How rude... It will be hard for you to find your soul mate if you keep that attitude." Éclair added again.
Alaude just replied by saying. "Hmph."
"Éclair! Alaude!" Bertesco Primo called them as he ran to them.
"Brother!" Éclair shouted back.
"So, how is your training?" Her brother asked.
"Please do not ask about it now, I am already exhausted just by remembering about it… I want to relax my body and heart today." Éclair protested, refusing to answer.
He chuckled and patted her head as he leaned closer to her. "Okay then, if you insist… how about you, Alaude?" He asked to the skylark. Alaude just kept silent and walked away.
"He did not want to answer too? Is the training really that hard for both of you…?" He asked in teasing tone.
Éclair elbowed him hard "Are you not the same as us?"
"My training is nothing compared both of your training." He replied, somehow sounded proud of it
"How can you be so proud of it? Stupid brother…" She uttered.
He smiled and patted her head again "At least I am better than Alaude who spent most of his time sleep regardless of the weather."
"Well…you are right about that…just what kind of skin he has? Sleep in the middle of cold weather like that." Éclair commented.
"Who said that I am sleeping…?"
Éclair and her brother turned behind them, and saw Alaude was walking back to them "A-Alaude! How long you have been there? I thought you already gone back to your room!" Éclair asked nervously.
"Long enough to hear you accused me sleeping and I never said that I am going back to my room..." He replied calmly.
Éclair's face turned red "I-I am not accusing you…!" she protested in nervous tone.
Bertesco Primo chuckled. "Well then, I guess I will leave both of you lovey-dovey alone, bye bye!" He walked towards the exit only to be halted by Éclair who grabbed his arm tightly.
"What do you meant by "Lovey-dovey"? That would never happen in billion years, brother." Éclair stepped his foot hard.
Alaude still stood in his place, watching them until he yawned. "I am sleepy... I am going back to my room now." He simply said and left.
"Wait-"Éclair was about to stop Alaude from leaving, but then surprised as she realized that her brother hugged her "Brother…? What is-"
He hugged her closer and whispered into her ear. "It will be Christmas soon…we have to celebrate it on behalf of our brothers… after this war is over. We will come back here… for sure… both-no all of us, will survive this battle together… I already prepared some present for you…" he smiled gently. At this, Éclair realized that even her brother who was one of the important bosses in Vongola Family, was worry about tomorrow battle.
Éclair put her hands around his back and smiled. "Yes… we will survive this battle…"
Lacey's room, Whitehouse of Vongola
"Brother and the others should've arrived here from the training at Cavallone base… But tomorrow is important day for them, so they must be resting on their own by now…" Lacey muttered softly with sad smile on her face.
She had awakened earlier than usual, hoping to see her brother and the others from their training. But then upset as she remembered that tomorrow they must go for an important mission and today they must rest so they can fight in perfect condition. There is no way they will visit her… That's what Lacey thought at least…
And not to mention, whenever there's war or battle, there will be bloodshed. Her brother and his guardians will have to put their lives on the line to end this war…and the worst scenario that highly might occur, death. She trusted her brother and his guardians, but she also could not help but worrying about it. She felt helpless at this. She wished to become stronger…strong enough to help her brother…to help her family.
She sighed and opened her music box, listening to the music until she noticed someone opened the door of her room.
"Hmm~ you should be more confident that I will visit you…" Daemon entered.
She turned to him and blinked. "This is a surprise. I thought you will hide in your illusion again or come from the window." She said playfully and feeling glad by his visit.
"Hmm~ is that so? Oh, well then, I guess you would not be surprise if I do this again." He again, carried her bridal style and jumped from the window. However, he kept carrying her even though they already reached the ground. He then, walked while carrying her all the way to the riverbank.
Riverbank, Forest
Daemon put her down as they arrived. The river was frozen because of the weather. Lacey tripped as she tried to stand on it. Daemon chuckled and helped her stand. "Thank you." She thanked him as she took his hand and stood up.
"But…why are you here now…? You're supposed to be resting by now. Tomorrow is important day for you and the others." She asked.
Daemon placed his hand on her head and leaned to her. "I am resting right now…" He replied as he held her closer to him.
"How was your training…? Are you hurt somewhere?" She asked, worried.
"The training was nothing. I just got a few scratches. How about yourself? Did you felt lonely while I am gone?" He said teasingly and showed her his playful smile as he leaned his face closer to her.
"Maybe I did…but now, you are here by my side. So it does not matter anymore." She said calmly. "Tomorrow… all of you will finally attack their base to end this war… by putting your life on the line…" She muttered in sad and low tone as she turned away from him. "But all of you are strong, so there is no need to worry about it… I trust…all of you…you-you will…" Tears started to burst out from her eyes down to her cheeks which she immediately wiped out.
"Sorry… I suddenly say something like-"she was interrupted by Daemon embracing her. Her face flustered all red instantly.
"I will come back… I will come back for sure." Daemon whispered into her ear. He then break free from the embrace and brought out her harmonica. "Here, if I carry it, I might as well lose it or break it." He placed the harmonica on her palm.
Lacey shook her head and gave the harmonica back to him. "No, just keep it for now. I already say it to you that I entrusts this to you… As prove that you will surely come back. I will be waiting for you… even if we were to fade away…unable to meet in here again…across times…anything…I shall wait for your return…"
She smiled and placed her hand on the side of his face. "You… still yet to found what your heart is searching for… I… already found mine…I finally started to realize it, after meeting you… that is why I want to thank you."
Daemon's eyes widened at this. But this time, he didn't try to run away like before even though he felt uneasy about it and stood still on his place as she continued. "Do you remember when I tell you that I want you to promise me something…?" She reminded.
Daemon nodded. "Yes, what is it you want me to promise you…? I already promised you that I will come back."
"No, not that… I want you to promise me… is…" She said somehow in nervous tone as she blushed harder and looked down to her feet, fiddling her fingers together. Daemon waited for her, patiently "Is… that you… you will-"again, they were interrupted by Talbot who called out Lacie as he ran to them.
"Lady Lacey, Primo is looking for you. He is waiting in your room by now… Oh~ so Sir Daemon is with you huh~" Talbot looked at Lacey to Daemon and Daemon to Lacey with a grin and understanding eyes.
"I will go back now… see you…" She glanced at Daemon and ran back on the way to the tower, leaving the two men alone.
"Sorry, did I interrupt both of you…?" Talbot said in small teasing tone.
"It is too late for you to say that now. What is exactly do you want here? I doubt you come all way here just to call Lacey." Daemon asked with his playful smile on his face but Talbot could feel a threatening aura from him.
"You should be more honest to yourself… just like Lady Lacey said to you or else… you will regret it."
"Are you mocking me…Talbot?" Daemon brought out his scepter.
Talbot just smiled, not afraid. "Oh no, I am just telling the truth like Lady Lacey said…because I am sure now that my guess is true. You never honest to yourself or accept the truth…that is why you seeking for strength to hide your inner self from everyone. Once someone pointed out the truth about you, you never want to admit it. I know this…after I saw your smile that you gave to her at the flower field three days ago…"
Daemon shuddered and clenched his fists as he turned away and walked back to the HQ. He knew what Talbot had said was true but only for a second. He quickly dismissed this thought. He never wanted to admit any of it. Once he admit it, that will be the time he forgot his goal and he didn't want that. He must not forget his goal…at least that was what he thinks.
Talbot sighed and stared at the frozen river before following Daemon. "I think I have to give him more push to change his mind… but I am afraid I do not have much time…"
