Chapter 27: promises

"Thirteen…"

"Are you alright, Muku-chan? You have been repeating that for five minutes already…" I sweatdropped when the pineapple haired teen in my illusionary cliff muttered that number again. After I told him that I've been reborn thirteen times already he suddenly turned into this shocked state… was it really that unbelievable?

"You have been born thirteen times?" Mukuro asked incredulously again.

"Well…" I began hesitantly. "Yes? Though I've lived life's that ended while I was quite young…"

"That is… do you know what the trigger was for your situation?" Mukuro asked me.

"…Hmm. No, but it isn't anything special."

"Not anything special? Thirteen life's, Zero. That is more than twice life's my six life's!"

"At least you have inherited some useful skills that will help you as a Mafioso." I tried to get him out of that shocked state. "The only skills I inherited are my skills in cooking, card games, illusions and for some unexplainable reason my ballroom dancing skills."

"…Right." Mukuro smirked. "My skills are more useful in combat I guess… does that mean that I should be able to defeat you in a fight?"

"Hmm, nope." I smirked back. "I've more battle experience."

"Oya? What kind of life's did you live to get that experience?"

"A life as the daughter of the best hitwoman of the world and the sister of current best hitman of the world… And life as the tutor of the first generation of the Vongola."

"…Repeat that last one please." Mukuro deadpanned. "I know about the arcobaleno, but the teacher of the first generation of the most powerful Famiglia with the bloodiest history after the Estraneo?"

"Rather than a teacher, I was a tutor. And the Vongola isn't that bad, I mean look at Tsuna!"

"But he is a wimp."

"…Alright, he might be a bit cowardly but he does resemble the first boss of the Vongola!"

"Then it's a miracle that the Vongola still exists."

"You have to agree that he is a good person. I mean, you shared the same hospital room for three days right?"

"He is an interesting person." Mukuro nodded hesitantly after thinking for a while. "He is different... totally unsuited for being a Mafioso."

"…You are saying exactly the same thing as Daemon about Giotto." I sweatdropped.

"Oya oya, you called me Daemon the first time we met as well… who is that guy?"

"He was my childhood friend and self-proclaimed love-"

"He was your what?!"

"Let me finish Muku-chan! He was my self-proclaimed love rival!" I blushed. There is no way in hell that Daemon was anything like that to me! No way in hell! No way in hell!

"…How did that happen?" Mukuro asked almost curiosly with a hint of, oddly enough, relieve.

"He didn't know that it was me." I sighed before giving Mukuro a summary of my first life. "I was… almost killed by my relatives back then. They threw me in the lake and left me to die, however I was saved by the one who would become my teacher later on. I could live thanks to him, but because my family didn't know that I was still alive I had to disguise myself… so my teacher made me disguise myself as a guy, both for my safety and as a training for my illusions. And then one day, my best female friend ended up being Daemons crush. Because Elena and I were pretty close he thought that we were something more than friends and proclaimed me as his love rival."

"That sounds complicated." Mukuro sighed. "...You were almost drowned by your own family?"

"Yes." I nodded wryly. Drowning wasn't really a good memory to have, especially if it was your own relatives who tried to drown you. "I was mostly ignored when I was younger, but when it became impossible to ignore me they tried to kill me and they almost succeeded when I was eleven. The saddest thing is that this happened in the only real childhood that I had. I remembered everything that happened in my next life's..."

"It must be harsh to remember all that." Mukuro sighed, probably partially understanding my feelings about remembering unwanted memories. He only remembered his past life's in this life and could live a normal chilhood... if the Estraneo didn't excist. Now he had a horrible childhood like I once had and I'm afraid that there is nothing that he could to to forget that.

Just like my memories... though those memories are what made me the person I am today. And despite the bad memories, there are things that I'd rather never forget.

"Hmm, it kind of is... but at least I remember the good times too." I smiled. "And we have to look at the brighter side! If I didn't remember my past life's and experiences I wouldn't have met you!" I smiled.

"Then I'm grateful for that." Mukuro smiled at me. I flower-smiled back before looking back at the illusionary night sky and enjoying the feeling of familiarity I got from sharing this illusion with Mukuro.

"I have to go now, paperwork to do and breakfast to cook." I sighed after a while. "Are you going too?"

"Kufufu, I will stay for a little longer." Mukuro chuckled. "I've missed this place."

"Kufufufu, I will take you to this place in reality too, sometime in the future. " I promised.

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the peaceful face of a sleeping Mukuro, just a few centimeters away from my own face. The only reasons why I didn't scream were because I was honestly too tired to, because I didn't want to warn the new inhabitants of my home, or my uncles for that matter... especially my uncles, and because it was Muku-chan.

If it was Daemon I would have screamed bloody murder and kicked him out of my bed.

After prying off the arms that were, oddly comfortably, hugging my waist I put the owl plushie in my place and crawled out of my bed to walk to my desk with a pile of fresh paperwork.

"There is no better way than starting the day than with paperwork." I stated sarcastically while I began writing.

"Zero-sama, there is a new pile of paperwo- did you know that there is a guy in your bed, Zero-sama?" Seth deadpanned when he walked in with more paperwork and a cup of hot chocolate.

"I'm aware of that, uncle Seth." I smiled wryly as I accepted the pile and the cup. "We still haven't found the thieves?"

"Not really, Zero… you know that there is a human pineapple who is cuddling an owl plushie in your bed, right?" Chris asked when he walked in as well.

"I'm very aware of that, uncle Chris." I sighed while continuing reading my paperwork. I frowned when a smaller piece of paper fell to the floor while I turned a document around and picked it up "…If we haven't found the thieves yet, then how could Spanner actually complete his Gola Mosca without the missing blueprints?" I asked when I saw the picture of a smiling Spanner in front a robot and a practically seen destroyed wall.

"He probably improved it without the blueprints, you know that guy. Always trying to make more destructive robots." Chris sighed. "And don't try to distract us from the guy in your bed."

"I wasn't." I protested. "And I didn't know that he was there until I woke up either!"

"He didn't do anything to you right, Zero-sama?" Seth asked with a dark edge to his words.

"No he didn't! I'm only eleven! Eleven, way too young for this kind of thing!" I blushed.

"What are you too young for byon?" Ken asked as he came in my room as well with Mukuro's band of misfits.

"Nothing!" I shouted before Chris and Seth could say a single thing. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Exploring this residence." Chikusa stated emotionlessly... Or not? I could never be too sure about him because of the tone he used, though his way of communicating kind of resembles the skylark language. Maybe learning how to communicate with Chikusa is going to be easier than I thought.

"Right… be careful when you enter some of the basements lower than the third, some of the rooms there contain some dangerous stuff." I nodded before literally abandoning my paperwork. With all these people in here I wouldn't be able to finish it anyways.

"What is Mukuro-chan doing in this room?" M.M. asked when she noticed the teen sleeping in my bed.

"That is a very good question of which we want an answer as well. What is that guy doing in your bed, Zero?" Chris asked with a smile that sent shivers through my spine.

"Hmm… I believe that I... have to make breakfast!" I shouted before using my illusions to slip out of my room. It was kind of sad that I had to run away from my own room.

My own room!

"We know that you are here, Zero. Just become visible again so we can eat." Chris sighed when everyone except Mukuro and I were visibly sitting around the dining table with a plate of... something that resembled scrambled eggs on it. I sighed and hesitantly made myself visible.

"And now you are visible again, why is Mukuro-chan in your room?" M.M. asked me before prodding her food with her chopsticks. Ken was already halfway his meal and Chikusa was eating in silence, but my uncles were giving me the look that you give your children when they came home after their curfew.

"Hmm… I kind of woke up and he was… there." I flower-smiled, hoping that the flowers could safe me from another scolding. "And we were catching up in our 'dreams'?"

"…Catching up in your dreams?" M.M. echoed incredulously. "What do you mean with that?"

"You should have listened to Mukuro-san byon." Ken stated between swallowing his food and putting another handful of scrambled eggs in his mouth.

"What Ken means is that Zero over here is the one who taught Mukuro how to use his illusions." Chikusa explained calmly. "It is only natural that they are able to… communicate through dreams."

"Hmm, it is actually more like an illusionary world." I mused before eating my breakfast, hoping that this matter was over now. However my hopes were easily crushed by my uncles who were still watching me with suspicion. Luckily enough, just before Chris or Seth could ask me anything, Mukuro walked in with his familiar smirk.

His smirk however faltered once his eyes crossed mine.

"Alright, Muku-chan, what did you do?"

When the day began, I never expected to wake up with Mukuro next to me and he continued surprising me with whatever he did… though not exactly in the positive meaning of surprise.

"Let me repeat that… You accidentally met someone in their mindscape when you were leaving the cliff and promised them to safe their life?" I deadpanned as I was looking at the old hospital in Kokuyo that Mukuro dragged me to in the morning. Too early in the morning.

"Kufufu, that is right." Mukuro chuckled.

"Then why am only I here and not your band of misfits?"

"Because she knew you." The pineapple teen answered. "She even asked me to call you from a business card from something that is called 'Nemo company'…" My eyes widened when I heard that and I turned my head to look into Mukuro's slightly surprised mismatched eyes.

"Nagi-san's life is in danger?!" I exclaimed in horror.

"Oya oya, so you really did know her." Mukuro mused before nodding.

"Damn it! What happened to her?"

"She was in a traffic accident while trying to save a cat. She lost most of her organs and one of her eyes. According to the girl, her mother refused to donate her organs to save her life because she wasn't worth it…"

And for the second time in a week I snapped. I was already worried about Nagi's eating problems and now this? What kind of parent does something like that?!

"I'll help." I stated bluntly before casting a small illusion to change my appearance to look like a darkhaired Chris and entering the hospital. I walked to the reception and smiled a flower-smile at the man behind the desk. "Excuse me, where can I find the room of Hirajama Nagi?"

"Excuse me sir, but the visiting hours are-"

"No, excuse me, but I need to visit her now. It's an important matter." I interrupted him. I could see Mukuro standing next to me in the corner of my eyes, he was disguised as Lanchia.

"Kufufu, I think that you should listen to him. This is a matter of life and death." Mukuro stated.

"You can only visit during the visiting hours and those are-"

"It seems that he won't listen to us…" I whispered while the man behind the desk continued talking.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Mukuro whispered back.

"If you are thinking of traumatizing this young man, then no. Let me do this." I sighed before putting a small illusion of the darkhaired Chris and Lanchia in front of the reception and gesturing to Mukuro to follow me.

"Do you know where we have to go?" Mukuro asked me as we entered the elevator.

"The convenient thing about hospitals…" I began before putting another illusion around us to change our appearance into those of two doctors that we passed by. "Is that doctors have the right to ask where a patient is…"

The first time that Nagi saw Zero was in a café in Kokuyo where she was glaring at her gaming device. It had been a though day for Nagi, so she could remember almost every detail of that day. How her mother was disappointed in her because she couldn't be as perfect as her, how she literally ran away from her home because the pressure of that disappointment was too much for her to handle. How she ran blindly through the streets of Kokuyo and how it began to rain, forcing her along with other people to seek refuge in the shops along the streets.

Or in her case, in the small café which was rumored to have the best hot chocolate in Kokuyo.

Since it was raining outside, most of the tables and seats in the café were taken by others. However, one table was not surrounded by people. Only a small girl who looked completely unaware of her surroundings sat between the empty seats around the round table. After gathering her courage, Nagi asked the white haired girl if she could sit with her.

She expected that the girl would say no because she was waiting for her parents, but to her surprise she said yes. She didn't expect the girl to order food for her either or the semi-scolding that made her yearn for a loving mother that she didn't have.

Sure, Nagi had a mother… but a loving mother? That was like a faraway dream ever since her real father died…

The second time that she saw Zero was in a bus to Kokuyo health land when she needed to get away from her home again. This time she was glaring at her gaming device as well and just like last time, the seats surrounding her were the only seats that weren't taken yet. This time Nagi didn't have to gather her courage to approach the girl, though a small feeling of fear was still there.

What if Zero thought that she was a bother?

But the girl smiled warmly at her before frowning in worry. She showed that she actually cared, unlike her teachers at school or her classmates or even her own mother. But before Zero could confront Nagi about whatever she worried about, she had to leave the bus. Nagi wasn't sure if she had to be glad or disappointed of that.

She really wanted to talk about her situations with someone, but she was afraid of telling her family-problems and her feelings about being caged to a stranger as well. No matter how friendly the stranger was.

But even despite her doubts, she still felt desperate to talk with someone. She felt desperate for someone she could call a friend, someone who cared and the only one who gave her a hint of that was leaving… however, her expectations were wrong again as the pale purple eyed girl gave her a way to contact her before leaving.

Maybe this would be her chance of having a real friend. A chance to change the life that she was living for her mother into a life that she lived for herself.

And then she lost all her chances to live at all and she was literally abandoned by her own mother and stepfather. She felt guilt for not being able to contact the girl and sadness for she lost her last chance of having an actual friend and a real life… and then he came.

The blue haired teen wihth mismatched eyes appeared in her dream to his and her own surprise. He told her that he didn't meant to invade her dream, but still asked if something was wrong when she suddenly started to cry.

Nagi wasn't sure why she cried, maybe because of the life that was about to be robbed away from her or because of gratitude that she could at least tell someone about her life now. Even if it was a stranger, it didn't matter anymore. She was going to die anyways.

After telling the guy in her dreams her story, about the expectations and the dissapointments that her mother held to her, she felt free. But still, there was something that bothered her. It didn't take long before she knew what that was… Zero. She still had to contact her, thank her for caring, though it was impossible now.

So she asked the blue haired teen to call the girl, half-expecting him to refuse her or ignore her… but he offered a way for her to live instead.

"Kufufu, Zero would be disappointed in me if I left this situation as it is… and your story kind of remind of what she told me about her own life just now. Abandoned to death by your own family, though she had someone that saved her… would you let me and Zero be the ones that will give you a chance to live?" he smirked nonchalantly, though Nagi could see the sadness and determination behind that smirk.

"That is impossible." Nagi smiled wryly. "It wouldn't be much longer until I die because my organs are giving in…"

"We can do it." The guy argued with his determination even stronger than before. "Believe in us… believe in yourself."

"I'll try." Nagi smiled before the darkness overwhelmed her. It was scary to not feel whatever was happening and only faintly hearing voices that simply didn't make sense. It was tiring to actually think about it, but Nagi still tried.

Was it really alright to let her life be ended like this?

Has she lived the life that she wanted to live?

Does she have to give up, just because her mother gave up on her all those years ago?

No.

This is her life, not her mother's. This is her life and it actually just begun so she shouldn't give up. She shouldn't give in to the sadness and try to change to the person she wanted to be. The person that she actually was. Nagi would live her own life from now on, not her mother's.

And I'll believe in myself.

Nagi didn't know how long she was in the terrifying darkness, however after strengthening her resolve she could see light. No, she could see a flame. A warm indigo flame that reassured her that everything was going to be fine and when Nagi opened her eye, she knew that everything was indeed going to be fine.

"Good to see you again, Nagi-san." Zero smiled softly before nodding at the teen that Nagi saw in her dreams. "If you are ready, Muku-chan."

"Kufufu, of course I am. Listen to me, my dear Nagi, we are going to replace your organs with illusionary organs. This way you should be able to live until organs become available." The guy referred as Muku-chan smirked.

"Don't worry, Nagi-san. We know what we are doing and I will personally make sure that you will be able to get those organs." Zero added and somehow, Nagi knew that she could believe that promise.

"…T-thank you." Nagi smiled through the tears that started to fall. She could feel her life begin again, her strength returning to her and her heart beat normally again as the warmth of foreign, but faintly familiar indigo flames gave her everything she needed to live.

"Kufufu, all done." The guy chuckled.

"And by the way, Nagi-san?" Zero began. "Welcome to our family."

Nagi could feel the warmth that the almost-stranger gave to her with only a few words. And she could feel that everything was indeed going to be fine now… no, everything is fine now.

Omake: name

"You need a new identity now." Zero mused as she gestured me to sit down in one of the green couches.

"Kufufu, I'm glad that you have experience in this." Mukuro chuckled. The albino girl gave the blue haired teen an amused smile before showing a document to me.

"This, Nagi-san, is going to be your new identity… Do you have a request for your name?" Zero smiled. I blinked a few times in surprise before glancing at the still smirking teen next to the still smiling Zero.

"N-no I don't" I whispered. After their explanation about their situation of being Mafioso I felt a bit of fear for my future. I heard a lot of bad things about the mafia after all… But still I couldn't help but wonder if they are really as bad as the stories made them sound like when I looked at the two people in front of me. They saved my life and offered me a chance to live as myself despite having no profits with saving me.

They are the ones who gave me everything that I could've wished for.

"T-though it would be nice if I had something of your names in my name."

"Hmm, our names?" Zero tilted her head cutely in surprise.

"Then what about Dokuro Kuromu?" Mukuro mused after five minutes. "That is an anagram of my name…"

"Something tells me that you've been thinking longer about this than five minutes… " Zero sweatdropped before returning her attention to me. "Hmm, what about Chrome instead of Kuromu? It is easier to remember that way."

"I-it sounds pretty good." I nodded. "Chrome sounds good."

"Then it's done." Zero nodded before filling in the blanks of the document and shoving it to me. "You only need to sign it, Nagi-san."

I looked at the piece of paper and the neat handwriting that professionally filled the blank spaces. It looked official and complicated, but Zero somehow managed to make it beautiful as well. This was going to be my new life… and then I saw the name that was going to be my name.

"Estraneo-Dokuro Chrome?" I read out loud. "Isn't Estraneo your last name, Zero-chan?"

"Well… I was thinking of adopting you." Zero smiled brightly, making me blush in both embarrassment and in confusion.

"A-adopting?" I stuttered.

"Oya oya, aren't you too young for adopting her?" Mukuro sweatdropped.

"Hmm, I'm mentally older than I'm physically am, Muku-chan. And we are in the mafia, our very existence is illegal…" Zero mused before smiling with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Or could it be that you are jealous of her? Don't worry Muku-chan. You named us, so you are kind of our mother."

"Why the mother?"

"Most of the times It was my mother who named me... except for my first one. My grandfather named me back then..."

"...I'm not becoming your mother or grandfather, Zero. Not even your son." Mukuro deadpanned before Zero could offer to adopt him too.

"Kufufufu, you can always marry one of us to officially join the family." Zero chuckled, but Mukuro didn't answer and gave the younger girl a very thoughtful look.

"When is the wedding?"

"W-what?"

"Kufufu, you just proposed right?" Mukuro smirked.

"I was joking, Muku-chan. And we are too young for this anyways."

"Oya oya, I'm mentally older than I'm physically am, my dear Zero. And we are in the mafia, our very existence is illegal…"

"...you are going never going to let this matter go, aren't you?" Zero sighed though she still had a fond smile on her face. I suppressed a laugh at their antics, I could see that they were close though in an almost awkward way. It was plain visible that Zero was only joking while Mukuro was only half-joking, though it was all good-natured... right?

After looking at the fond, and exasperated in Zero's case, smiles once more I returned my attention to the document that was waiting to be signed. I picked up the pen and smiled as I signed it:

Estraneo-Dokuro Chrome.

Hey guys, doubleyy here.

So, like I said Chrome will appear though she will definitely have a different role in the storyline. And more about Zero's first life, though it was just a rough summary without details... don't worry, more details will come later on. Hmm, maybe it's time for some romance now... just maybe. I think that the only pairings that will work out are either Zero with Mukuro or Tsuna... I don't really think that a pairing with Hibari would work out, but that is also a possibility (no matter how small it is). And though I really like Enma, he is simply not in this story yet :(. In any way, the suitor will have to go through Reborn. Anyways, I will be thinking about possible pairings (though there is a possibility of having no pairings at all as well).

I'm glad that you like this story, mysterious guest number 1. And it was pretty obvious that she would play card games to be sure of her victory kufufu. The crush... was pretty inevitable I think.

Hmm, what kind of punishment you ask, Grizzmon? It doesn't contain violence though a lot of guilt trips, what-if-scenarios and Leon hammering were involved... allright, maybe a bit of violence was involved. But nothing that Zero couldn't handle! Paperwork could be involved as well, but she is bound to do paperwork anyways.

That is indeed the case, ddmahan922.

And I totally get what you mean, Raven-V-Blackshade XD!

For mysterious guest number 2: Mafia-seduction would indeed be usefull for that... *sighs.

Alright! The next chapter will be either the extra chapter or the first chapter of the Varia arc (it depends on which one is finished first)! Anyways thanks for reading and please review.

Doubleyy out.