Two year time-skip

(Because I'm a crappy author, I'm going to skip to the next arc and leave the skipped parts for readers to imagine. Don't throw those tomatoes, please.)

"Cheers!" The members cried and clinked their glasses together. The other customers of the restaurants shot them weird glances. It wasn't odd for them to do so; thirteen weird-looking people celebrating with beer.

Beer; that was the main problem now.

Although they were here to celebrate their major success at stealing their newest target, Mizutsuki was forbidden to drink. Even after two and a half years, she was still holding the label of Worst Drinker. Hell, she could have set a new world record for bad drinkers. Even at such a big celebration party, she was appointed the designated driver.

"I AM TWENTY-ONE." She hissed angrily. The glass in her hand threatened to shatter. "I can handle my own liquor."

"Doubted." Feitan waved his hand in the air carelessly. "I've known you nearly two or three years; saw you drunk several times during training, every time you drank there was chaos."

She slammed her fist onto the table. "Feitan…!"

"There, there," Shalnark laughed. "Mizu, don't be mad! You just have to practice drinking."

"Well you guys aren't letting me practice at all."

"That's because that we're in the public." Phinks replied. "We can't afford to let you go crazy."

Mizutsuki facepalmed. "Fucking godammit…!" She hissed.

Uvogin laughed and slapped her back (almost broke her spine). "Ahh, don't worry Mizu-chan! When we get back to the hideout we'll buy plenty of beer for you to drink!"

"That's a totally different thing we're talking about!" She threatened to turn over the table. "If so that would be a one-man party of drowning myself in alcohol! It wouldn't be about celebrating our success!"

"Mizu, just shut up and eat." Machi stuffed food into her mouth. "The more you think of it the sadder you'd get. Here, have some cabbage." Within a few seconds Machi had successfully placed all her assigned-to-eat cabbages onto Mizutsuki's plate.

"Gah!" Mizutsuki swallowed the food in her mouth and felt the pain as the unchewed blob went down her esophagus. She kicked Machi under the table. "Machi! Don't just give me things you don't like! Eat those cabbages godammit!"

"Meh!" Machi kicked her back. "Don't complain that you cannot drink then!"

"As I've said, these are completely different things we're talking about!"

"Agh! Can't you guys eat quietly?" Franklin finally snapped. "Machi, I didn't expect you to act so immature either. You eat those cabbages and Mizu you can't drink."

"That's still unfair!" Mizu protested. "Machi still gets to drink!"

"Mizutsuki, don't complain…" Pakunoda said quietly. Her queen-like aura was pressuring on her. Aren't they all members on the same level? Why is she feeling so weak?

"Tsk…" She bit her lip. Fine. "Uvo, you'll treat me to beer, right?"

Uvogin nodded. "Yeah, yeah. It'll be fun to watch you go crazy, it'd be the perfect dinner-show!"

A knife was thrown at him but Uvogin caught it between his fingers. "Heh, your knife-throwing skills have gotten better. I didn't even see you raise your arm. But still, out of all your abilities, I like the Meltdowner best."

"Don't just try to change the subject…" A vein was bulging in her forehead. "Gosh…" She reached for a plate of almond junket. She dug her spoon into the food and took a huge bite. "Why am I in such a bad mood when we're celebrating such good news?"

Her mood was about to get worse.

Danchou's face was suddenly concealed by a dark cloud of depression. "Mizu… that almond junket was mine…"

"Huh? Oh, sorry Danchou." She shrugged. She had pretty much forgot the hierarchy rules of the Mafia and she was enjoying her time with the Genei Ryodan.

Far from the restaurant of where the Genei Ryodan was celebrating, on the other side of the town, was a poor slum.

"Mother, I'm hungry!" A child mumbled.

His mother brushed her bangs aside, she was still in her early twenties, but her dark hair was streaked with strands of grey. "I'm sorry, Kagami... But we're too poor."

Kagami pouted slightly. "I know..." He mumbled. "We are poor because we don't have money." The way he said the word money was filled with confusion, like he didn't know what money was. "And because we are poor, mother you don't have good clothes to wear..."

His mother's wary smile faltered. Her child was young, but he was smart, not to mention mature as well. She had him when she was fifteen; she was tricked by a man and then dumped. The man took all her fortune, what he left her with was this only child. "Kagami..." She tried to recover her smile. "It's okay; I don't need to wear pretty clothes. As long as you are healthy and alive, it's alright."

"But... I really want to see mother in pretty clothes for once... And I don't want my tummy to feel so empty anymore..."

His mother almost couldn't take it. Why did an innocent child like Kagami had to suffer such a horrible fate? If god wanted to punish someone, he should punish her and her only, not her child. "Kagami, come here."

Kagami trotted over. His mother wiped the dirt off his face. "Don't complain." She placed her hand onto his shoulders. "We have to be grateful that we still have clothes to wear and things to eat."

"But..."

"No buts." She put a finger to the child's lips. "Go wash your face, we're going into town."

Instantly the boy's expression brightened up. "Yay!" He exclaimed and dashed back into the house.

Hannah was the name of Kagami's mother. After she saw that her child had left the room, she let out a deep, frustrated sigh. "Why...?"

People turned their heads back as the two people of the slum wormed their way through the crowd of the market. Hannah was straining tears and she pressed her hands to her son's eat, to prevent him from hearing the foul words thrown at them. She had a fragile heart due to her unfortunate fate.

"Eww, they stink!"

"They're from the slum right? Don't go near them..."

"Are you even sure you can afford to buy the vegetables here? Woman."

"Fuck off! Go away!" Another sneered. "We don't need people like you in our town."

Every word that came out of the people's mouths were like a sharp blade cutting into Hannah's heart. "Please... Stop it..." She mumbled while biting back tears.

"Mother?" Kagami looked up. "Don't cry."

Hannah blinked. "Ehh? I wasn't."

"You looked like you were about to." Kagami replied. "Don't cry, mother. Don't you remember what you just told me? Be grateful that you are alive."

Hannah nodded slowly. "Oh..." Deep down, she knew it herself. That was just pretty talk to cheer them up. No one could ever be grateful enough of what they have.

Suddenly, three men approached them. "Yo." Their faces were written with bad thoughts. They were planning something dirty. Hannah immediately pushed her son behind her. She could sense that they were no good people.

"Hey missy, how're you doin'?" One snorted.

"Fine..." Hannah stuttered. "Just buying groceries..."

"Hey, are you even sure that you can afford things here?" The man in the middle snorted and grabbed at her wrist. "Why don't we talk somewhere else? With less people..."

Hannah was terrified, but she forced herself to stay calm. They were just normal people, who take advantage of others just because they think that they're more superior. For this instance, they are thinking that it would be fine even if they abused them. Since no one cared about people from the slum.

"No, please let go of me..." She said. "Or I'll call the cops..."

The third man kicked her lightly. "Oy, oy, who do you think you are? Do you honestly think that the police would help someone as filthy as you?"

Hannah felt a shiver down her spine. Kagami was clinging onto her worn-out, dirty skirt. "Mommy..."

"Run..." She whispered. "Kagami, run…"

Kagami looked up at her in horror; his innocent little face shocked. His jaw was hanging open. "Mommy...!"

"RUN!" Hannah screamed and threw herself at one of the man. She wanted to buy time for her son to run. "RUN!"

Kagami fell onto his bottom and stared. It wasn't until after a few seconds he finally snapped back to his senses. He turned and fled away, screaming and crying at the top of his lungs.

"Oy! Don't let the brat get away!" One man screamed. Another was about to chase down Kagami when Hannah tackled him. "You are not touching my son!"

"Agghh?" The man snarled and kicked her in the stomach. "What did you just say? Crazy bitch from the slum... People like you are only good for fuck!" With that he ripped off one edge of her skirt. Despite that this was happening under broad daylight, no one offered help for the poor woman. They simply ignored the scene and walked on.

This wasn't the first time Hannah felt dread to the world. She cried for help but still no one came to her rescue. Her son had run away due to her order, that was a good thing though.

After a good fifteen minutes of kicking and beating, she was left half dead on the road. She pitied herself for her unpleasant fate. Only if she was stronger...

"Huh? Mizu, what are you doing here?" A voice came.

Hannah opened her eyes and saw a man staring down at her, looking mildly amused. "I thought that you were the kind that wouldn't hesitate to kill even under broad daylight, or even when your warrant pictures are scattered everywhere."

"Huh...? Wha..." Hannah sat up and the sight entered her eyes. The three men that were abusing her just minutes ago were lying on the ground, unconscious. The crowd was whispering.

"Who is that? And why is he helping that woman from the slum?"

"I don't know, but he sure is good looking..."

"Hmm?" The man looked around. "Mizu, is the Genei Ryodan really so hard on you that you're living in a slum? Jeesh, do they give you salaries to be in there or...?"

Hannah was still staring at her savior. "Who are you?" She finally asked after swallowing.

The man laughed. "Oh my, Mizu, don't tell me that you've forgotten me already. After all the deals we've been through. Why aren't you using your Hunter License though? You could live in a place better than a slum with the money."

"I don't get what you're talking about..." Hannah mumbled. "I don't know who Mizu is and I don't have a Hunter license either."

The man frowned. "Hmm... This is weird. Are you playing stranger? Or are you suffering amnesia? Or perhaps that you damaged your brain somehow in a fight and the Ryodan kicked you out? Or are you actually hiding from someone? Poor you..."

"I really don't know who you are!" Hannah exclaimed. "I'm grateful that you saved me, but I don't understand a thing you're talking about."

The man sighed and held out his hand. "Can you walk? Let's talk somewhere else." His smile was warm and sincere, unlike the three men that were abusing her. "If you have to remember me again, I'll tell you my name. I'm Pariston Hill."

Kagami ran and ran, he didn't know for how long, he just ran.

I must get help! He thought desperately. Or else... Mommy would be in danger!

"Somebody please help me!" He screamed to the crowd. "Someone... Please save my mom..." He was almost crying now, just by recalling the scene made him sick. Those townspeople...

"PLEASE HELP ME!" He screamed again. He couldn't take it anymore; this was too much for him to bear. He wanted to protect his mother, but he was too young and too weak.

The Genei Ryodan had finished their early dinner and were walking back to their hideout.

"Hey," Machi nudged Shalnark. "Something is going on over there."

Danchou seemed to have noticed as well, but his eyes were glued to Mizutsuki. The wrath of the stolen almond junket was burning. She could feel Danchou's hollow gaze on her back.

"Hmm?" Shalnark looked up from his phone. "Eh, seems like a child is screaming something and everyone is ignoring him."

"A child?" Feitan frowned. "It's just a brat, what is it to make a fuss about?"

"The kid looks like he's from the slum." Nobunaga whistled. "Damn, he's bone thin..."

"Advantage with heights..." Mizutsuki muttered; they were all over 180cm. Coltopi and Feitan didn't reply.

"Lemme listen to what the brat is talking about." Uvogin volunteered. "Maybe there would be something fun."

"Don't..." Danchou said. "Maybe it's a child's prank. Better not waste time..." His wrath was still burning.

"Actually, I think that I wanna check it out." Mizutsuki said cautiously. She would do anything to get awa from Danchou's revenant-like behavior now. Quickly she slipped away without looking back. Danchou was acting like a ghost; GIMME BACK MY ALMOND JUNKET. Something like that.

"Wait, Mizu!" Machi exclaimed. "Tsk... Danchou?"

Chrollo sighed. "Fine... Machi, Feitan, follow Mizu, the rest can keep walking."

Without another word, Machi and Feitan sprinted after Mizutsuki, who was relieved to have Danchou's gaze off her back.

Kagami was still screaming. "Help us...!" He cried.

Mizutsuki pushed her way to the front of the crowd, Machi and Feitan had caught up with her. The three of them studied the child closely. The boy looked about five or six, due to his bone-thin body, it was hard to tell. He had messy black hair and brown eyes. But his skin color seemed rather pale under the dirt and filth.

"Please… someone help…" The kid whimpered once again.

"Oy brat." Mizutsuki called. "Isn't it about time you go home?"

A smile broke across Kagami's face as he finally heard a person respond to him, although not quite on the same topic. He blinked when he saw her face. There was silence between them as he stared at her for a few seconds. "Mother?" He said in a hollow tone.

Silence.

Thunder rumbled in the background as the single word stimulated their brains. Their jaws popped open. People could imagine how epic their face expressions were then. Even Feitan looked shocked. "WHAT did he just call you?" He hissed at Mizutsuki.

"I'm pretty sure he called her mommy." Machi answered instead. She turned to Mizutsuki. "Mizu, explain, what is this situation? Do you guys know each other?"

"I don't know." Mizutsuki cried. "I've never seen this brat before in my life! It's him who called me his mom, why don't you ask him?"

"Mommy?" Kagami looked nervous. "Who are they?"

Machi grabbed Mizutsuki's collar. "Mizu! Explain now! Whose child is this? Is his father one of the Ryodan?" Her expression was horrified at the end.

Feitan shook his hand. "Just to clarify your guess, Machi, this brat is not mine. I'm not interested in woman whose chests are flatter than an airport. And it is not Phinks' either I think. This brat has eyebrows."

Machi nodded slowly. "I see... Mizu! You still have to explain!" She grabbed her collar tighter.

"Gah! Really! I have no idea who this brat is!" She cried. "Machi you're choking me! And Feitan what did you mean about that my chest is flatter than an airport?"

Feitan shrugged. "Just what it means. Anyways..." In a split second he was standing behind Kagami and he pinned his arms back. Kagami gasped in horror. "We'll have to question this brat..." Feitan's tone was coated in pure, poisonous evil.

Sorry, but I didn't have time to write in detail of how Mizu and Feitan's training went. Just imagine it like... dark and gloomy and stuff... No hate please! During the Kurta arc his hate had already turned into a grudging respect of her abilities; that's a start. And volunteering to train her is also an improvement in their relationship. In my mind the reason they came to like each other was because that they liked the same author Trevor Brown. They are good reading buddies! I know that it's disappointing that Feitan didn't get more screen time in the story. I didn't want to waste time and drag on with the other secondary details. I wanted to move on with the big plot.

So yeah... don't throw those tomatoes... don't hate me, please...

I'll try to make this arc a good one, I swear that I'll make up for my crappiness.