Aria tapped her fingers on the table, thus producing random beat. It had been five hours since her arrest.
Sitting in cold, dark room, with the silence engulfing her, could be eating her alive. But it was Aria. And she had always been a better player when it comes to playing mind games.
At the same time, Tsuna was worried sick. His guardians shared the same sentiments, with an exception of Hibari. That skylark didn't have that word in his dictionary.
Not now, or ever.
"I wonder how Aria-san's doing now." Being in the mafia world for 10 years long, Tsuna had a decent idea what and how Vindice usually does things.
"There's no need to worry about her." Mammon butted in. Varia looked like they wouldn't give a cent despite one of their best had been arrested, and worse, could get sentenced to death. "In fact, if you wanted to worry, it would be the Vindice. Aria is not one to tolerate bullshits."
Sighing, Aria finally spoke after receiving silent treatment for seven hours. "Either you come out or I'll hunt you."
Her tone was so nonchalant, yet so intimidating that a minute later, the door to her detention room was opened, revealing her interrogator.
"Aria of the Varia. Do you know why you're here?" The question was direct without beating around the bush. It was very much to Aria's liking.
"Yeah. Because you dragged me here."
"Again, your mark was found at the recent crime scene. What's your excuse?"
"Duh. What kind of a moron am I to leave my mark and got arrested?" Aria retorted. Her explanation was logical but her interrogator had no intention of believing her.
"We know about you. We know about your games. We also know-"
"Then, you should know that if you pissed me off, I'll burn this place to nothing." Flame was lighten up in her palm, proving her point and her seriousness.
"We will be watching you closely, [V]aria." And with that, Aria said no more word and left the room with empty thought in her mind.
She didn't feel like going straight home, so she took a detour and visited her usual napping place on the hill where she can see the sunset clearly.
Aria laid down on the comfy grass with her eyes closed.
The incident this time was worse than the previous. This time, not only the Regalo family was wiped out, but their servants and maids along with their families were completely annihilated. The town itself was painted red with their bloods.
As much as the war going on between the mafias, civilians were kept out of the business. At least, they're still human enough not to kill innocent people.
Her eyes were now opened, prying on the vast sky before her. The sky of sunset hue. The sky of the same red of the town.
Her marks. That way of merciless killing. The abnormal feelings.
Aria gritted her teeth unconsciously.
When were they going to learn from history exactly?!
Somewhere at the abandoned basement, a man was sitting on his rocking chair leisurely. Half glass of white wine was brought to his lips. The devilish smirk was planted on his face as he saw his plan falling perfectly as it supposed to be.
"Aria...The long-lost child. Finally I found you~"
"Master." A manly voice greeted. He bowed with his palm on his chest. "The preparations almost complete." The stoic face didn't express any expression at all.
The smirk widened. "This should be fun. Now, what would you do, Aria-chan?~ Who's side will you be on?~"
A/N : And here comes the story unfolding on her past~