Futari no Sora
Reines read the newspaper her mother showed her in the living room.
'So now the statue is at large, whoever stole it is a secret Death Eater who missed being put to trial, I can see where this is going.' Reines scoffed.
'Where this is going?' Lily raised an eyebrow.
'Yes mum. Since I'm the one responsible, this news is to lure us back to get us involved. I say screw them and we don't show up, thus foiling their plans! Even Neville will see through this which is why we didn't get an owl from him.' she said. 'If it was of dire importance like his second year fiasco, we would've gotten mail by now!'
'I see...so we simply don't show up and all is good?'
'Yep. Why spoil our holiday for a bunch of Grinches anyway? They're not worth it.' said Reines airily and utterly uncaringly. 'I can see a lot of people falling for this though, but we're too smart for that.'
'Is that what your instincts say?'
'Yep. Let em' weep. They think they're so clever, think again.'
And so, they spent Christmas with the grandparents, after Rosette got wind she could not contact the Dursleys due to the Dursleys being 'unavailable at this moment'...
Thus they never knew that the Dursleys are dead long ago, and their phone number taken out of Service.
Lily made arrangements, so Remus could still enjoy Christmas without feeling miserable at home alone due to 'Moony Period'.
Not only that, more photos of Reines were sent to Rosette's family.
xxx
After a week of staying in England, they took the grandparents to their home in Switzerland for the New Year and for Remus not to feel too lonely.
Reines happily took her grandparents to tour in their barns, and enjoyed countryside cuisine with Rollie learning more from Lily and Reines in...Ruthless Bodyguarding 101.
All unaware that they've been watched, but that watch withdrew when Reines came home!
xxx
Varia...
Xanxus had a lot to think about since he was defrosted.
The truth in his old man's diary. The fact that after six months Squalo enlisted a young civilian Sky who wanted anonymity and obscurity in exchange for paying the Life Debt she owed him by thawing him out, and healing him!
To the Guardians, they know who Reines Potter is. To Xanxus, the only one who knows, is Squalo and Mammon who were made to swear their promises to the young girl who was just from a livestock farming family. Background triple-checked. Right now, he's in hiding and the shadow leader while Squalo was the 'front face' for now.
But when Squalo was out with the others due to politics shit with Vongola, he took the opportunity to know by sneaking into his room, and carefully rummaging whether by paper or computer file.
Needless to say he found out the whammy.
The fact that Squalo was protecting illegitimate Vongola Descendants(while killing off the bad eggs) and promised Reines that they would be left alone even though the farmer women had no idea of their lineage was a bonus. As far as Squalo is concerned, they are to be left alone.
However, if the Ninth and Sawada Iemitsu are unable to shit a new heir...Squalo would have to break his promise to Reines. Reines has the mentality evidenced by how she spent her time in the Varia as 'Flare', her mother clearly doesn't. However, this also meant opening skeletons in Vongola Ottava's closet about the bastard daughter she gave up, his old man having a bastard older sister he most definitely did NOT know about and wound up creating one hell of a connection!
Cleaning up his traces was easy. After all, he's Varia Quality he was able to perfectly leave the room as is.
Since they won't be back until next month, he grinned, why not pay a visit to the alps and see them for himself?
This meant going out without the resources he's familiar with and known for years. He'll have to do everything the ol' fashioned way!
That meant losing his usual accessories too.
xxx
Switzerland...to the Marauder Farm...
'Here it is.' he mused as he saw a bunch of young cows grazing on cold grass after the barely-there snow is clearly melted with fire, and a young blonde keeping watch over them in a dirndl and a bonnet on her head with a staff in her hands like a typical shepherd. Currently 13 this year, she was only four years younger than he is.
Squalo remarked in his notes that despite her education, she would be happy and content being in the alps for the rest of her life despite being multi-lingual that would have opened a lot of doors for her. She clearly doesn't like violence(but would do it if need be but would rather not lift her fist if possible).
Then she noticed him...from a mile away!
Damn, what an intuition.
And so...
'Squally actually gave you the clear to go out despite everything?' she asked him upon getting close enough.
'Feh, as if Sharko can keep me contained for long.' Xanxus sneered as he sat on the grass with his luggage. 'I hate being cooped up.'
'Well, all Skies do. And its plain criminal to coop us down.' Reines chuckled. 'So what made you come here?'
'Curiosity. I hate secrets just as much. So I wanted to see my healer face to face.'
'Oh...well, why not stay a while? You must have had a difficult trip, considering that you snuck out which means no usual Varia convenience.' Reines remarked thoughtfully. 'All I know is Squally and you guys work in the Varia but he never said what your jobs are though due to this Omerta thingy and he never did explain what Omerta is.' good call from Squalo, Xanxus thought. There's no way the Swordsman would betray mafia secrets to a civilian of all things. 'Squally kept my existence secret until we can smuggle you out and Lussuria looked after me.' she smiled. 'He's a motherly big-sis type of guy and I like him, too bad he was born the wrong gender or he'd be happier.'
'You're not prejudiced?'
'Senseless and pointless prejudice ruins lots of relationships and lives Xanxus.' said Reines softly. 'Prejudice and bigotry existed if only to make arrogant people feel superior over people they deem weaker or inferior than them to inflate their self-importance is utter pathetic...and its that very prejudice that got my father killed. He died protecting us from a terrorist cultist who blabbed about blood purity bullshit. Its why we live here and not in Britain.'
'Its easy to find the terrorist attacks news in the 1970s that ended in 1981 somehow.' said Xanxus. 'But even then its all hush-hush when one would think organizations would know about it back to back. Do you?'
'Well, all I know is my family was approached because daddy got a fortune from my paternal grandparents. They came to have him as their supporter. He refused as he refused to fund delusional self-important idiots. Needless to say he went down fighting. I'm not allowed to give too much details Xanxus...the whole story tends to upset mum. Her marriage lasted two years because of them. We fled out here for safety and to keep the family money away. And considering I painted a target on my back for turning their leader to stone as a baby...yeah. And Squally told me there's no cure for Sky Petrification. They'd be chasing me for the cure...as if.'
'Then why not turn them to statues when you clearly can?' Xanxus snorted.
'Some of his followers are high-ranking government officials...'
'Damn.'
'Yep. So hiding is the best option because we'd lose due to having convenient positions in the government which is basically unfair.' Reines sighed. 'So living life here till the end of our days is all we have. The only way we can win...is to live happy while they're on a wild goose chase. And if they ever make it here...we can simply make them disappear. They can't demand a missing person's search in a foreign country that easily and its easy to get rid of tacky statues.' she giggled. 'Mum's learning but its still baby steps for now. This thing takes years...I'm no different when I was a kid.'
'Well, that's true...when I was a kid it took me a while to light up my fist.' Xanxus chortled. 'So, how's farm life?'
'Peaceful and simple!' Reines smiled. 'The ideal peaceful life. And no crickets to annoy us at night either. So your sleep here will be peaceful! The Varia Mansion must be suffocating!'
'Ohhh you got no idea.' Xanxus grumbled. 'They're away for a month for politics bullshit, so I got three weeks here before I sneak back and make it look like nothin' happened!'
'I hope you'll be OK for the remaining two weeks because three days after New Year, I have to fly back to Japan so behave for my family OK?'
xxx
'Mum! Grandma, grandpa, Moony, I have a friend over for three weeks, will it be OK?' Reines asked them. 'Even though I have to fly back to Japan before winter break ends.'
'Oh! He's welcome, child! We could use some more youngsters when its just us old folks these days.' Jefferson laughed heartily. 'But!' his papa antenna activated. 'He's not your boyfriend from La Garenne is he?'
'NO!' both teens yelped, wide-eyed.
Out of shock, Xanxus dropped his bags, one of which, fell on his right foot!
While he was holding his throbbing foot and holding back a cacophony of italian profanity, Reines was in full sputter mode.
'H-he just needs a place to stay over since his folks have boring business and he really didn't want to go so yeah!' Reines sputtered out. 'And grandpa, I prefer to be in high school for that sort of thing because I'm NOT a believer of that puppy-love thing!' she cried in annoyance with hands on her hips.
'Just making sure dear!'
'Jeeeeeez!' Reines pouted as she took off her bonnet, letting down her blonde waves. 'Well be nice OK? He's Alexander Patterson.'
And so, Xanxus knew he had to be 'Alexander Patterson' for his stay here!
Honestly!
But still, he enjoyed his stay with them. Considering Rosette, Lily and Reines are fellow Skies, it have him a warm sense of home and here, he's just a normal guy.
Here, he's no foster illegitimate kid or the Varia Boss who leads a bunch of killer psychos.
He was treated normally with no lies and no acting, and he liked that.
He would enjoy this while he still can...though Reines asked how he has been since they thawed him out.
'It was hell. Sure you healed me but moving was hard.' Xanxus remarked gruffly as he helped her take eggs from the chickens. 'Six months on ice. Damn. Even if you harmonized my body to my flames to quicken my recovery after warming me up, its still nasty.'
'Well, anyone would be in atrophy in that situation. Supernatural stuff can't fix everything you know. If there's such a thing we'd have god-wannabes all over the place by now.'
'I suppose. But I recovered eventually but for some reason since I woke up...things are so clear. My anger is still there more more of tranquil fury, if you will. I can control myself better. Is that your doing?'
'Well, you're in utter disharmony so I had to make everything 50-50 for your sake.' Reines pointed out. 'Before I fixed you, you were 80% Storm instincts and 30% Sky instincts. Its an uneven balance that's no good. 50-50 is much safer and you can control your power better right? And you have better access to other Sky Traits. Even then from pre-freezing, you're a disharmonied unbalanced Sky and it in turn affects your harmony with your complete Guardians. No doubt by now your relationship is loads better?' she asked him in concern but in a good kind. 'And for the record I didn't tell them about that extra part.'
'Admittedly so...usually I need to be really pissed. Thanks, I guess.'
'You're welcome~!' Reines chimed.
'What about you? Finding Guardians sometime soon? A Sky without Guardians is a sitting duck.'
Reines looked thoughtful.
'Its not yet the right time Xanxus.' said Reines. 'I feel its not yet my time. Maybe someday. Because I have things I have to do before I worry about having my own family. I can be patient. Its my best trait considering I tutored a lot of people in my old school.'
xxx
On her last day home...
They killed one bull for beef for themselves. The oldest bull and their A5 Qualities.
'Hey, I haven't seen Lily and Remus.' Xanxus commented as they were out on pasture.
'Oh, one of our oldest bulls had to be butchered up.' Reines explained. 'Unlike the other youngsters, he was two years old when we butchered all the adults some time ago so he's ready to be on the dining table. Unlike what most people believe, we rarely get to eat our own beef since its for business. The only times we actually eat some is on special occasions only. And mum wants to have her folks eat high-class beef while they're still here and we have a guest too. You.'
'Hooo?' Xanxus grinned. 'A5-class beef huh?' Ohhh yeah, sure he buys some but he won't turn down free high-class goods, dammit.
'Yep, with all that beautiful fat marbling and everything! Its really great! Loads of wealthy people buy us empty every three years! Squally even told me that you'd be sure to buy a lot from us if possible.'
'Did he now?'
'He did. Ask him but then again, with his promise to me he won't admit it even if you make him do dodge bullet practice.'
'Ain't that the truth.'
xxx
And so...the Butchery...
'Well...wow. Never thought I'd see a woman do the butchering.'
Xanxus gaped at the fact that a woman is doing the butchering.
'Well, Moony got sick and he's on his way to recovering otherwise this is his job.' Reines explained. 'Mom's no slouch, don't worry.'
Indeed, Lily Potter did her job well.
From neck to feet.
Neck, Chuck Roll, Brisket, Chuck Rib, Shoulder Clod and Chuck Tender, Rib Eye, Strip Loin, Tenderloin, Short Rib, Short Plate, Rump, Top Round, Bottom Round, Knuckle, and the Shanks.
She washed the blood off herself, the meat and the worktable, and put away the cow's head and hide.
'Er, what do you do with the skin?'
'Sell it to the Tannery of course. Its leather y'know. As for the head...uhhh...trophy I guess?'
xxx
Tonight's dinner, is very beefy indeed.
Deliciously beefy with mother and daughter doing the cooking.
'Mama, you didn't forget what I requested right?'
'You mean some parts because you want to bring some to Japan? No I haven't.' Lily reassured her daughter. 'I saved up about 7 kilos of Sukiyaki and Shabu-Shabu slices.'
'Thanks!'
'Did you pack everything?'
'Yep!'
'Alright, here is the box.' said Lily, taking out a shrunken box with the Marauder Farm logo. 'I put it under numerous stasis and chilling spells, it'll be alright when you get there.' she said as Reines pocketed the box.
'Thanks mum. I want to see Tsuna-chan happy. I did promise him a good present if he worked hard and I know he will. He wanted my approval after all but that's just sad. Someday I want him to work hard for himself but raising him to be like that will take a long while.'
'I see...Reines, you'll make a good mother or teacher someday.'
'Guess where I learned it from?'
'Oh, shush.'
