This chapter is LONG, and let's say… this arc is getting longer and LONGER because of extra scenes... AND I wonder if I can finish this as in how many chapter it will take? Seven?
BTW did anyone notice the cover for Sky Ghost Hunt is up ^^ for a full version please go to my deviantart page. Just google my user name and you will find it ❤
Case 07, Part 05
Vendicare Prison, Romania
Bermuda was annoyed, which was a rare occurrence nowadays with how content he was with life or afterlife, he was not sure how to categorize what to call it. With the three great skies basically telling Checker Face to sod his crazy off, Bermuda was content to work with them. He had made it clear he was going to continue being their police force, as in holding up their law, catch the convicts and judge them fairly.
They were good at what they were doing, he as the leader of Vindice even more so.
"So why am I subjected to this?" He wondered out loud as he tuned out the gopher Arcobalo's rant aka Skull of Carcassa famiglia. Well, he understood why the three Great Skies sent this idiot because Skull won't refuse and he could survive whatever Bermuda would throw at him.
"And so this great Skull-sama has come to-"
His lack of diplomacy skill aside, Bermuda thought sending Fon would be a better option. At least by now he would have heard what the heck the messenger was coming for.
"You dare to ignore…"
He picked up the word 'ignore' 'call' and 'skies' and realization dawned on him, he did ignore the call from Byakuran and Yuni, didn't he? At last after the whole day listening to Skull, the gopher got to the point. Seriously, not answering for a few days and the three Great Skies freaked out? He supposed he was at fault too considering they never ignored him, and the panic episode was a testament of how much those skies holder acknowledged their power.
Pointedly ignoring the messenger he inclined his head to the two kneeling subordinates, "Oi… that's a mishap in my part, I 'd admit… but there's no reason to fret just because I'm late to return my call. If you ask why… no we're not on a strike or anything, but I am still pretty pissed with that Mare-brat for the latest fiasco Millefiore almost failed to contain in time from last week."
Iris Haepburn winced at that.
In which there was a terrorist, involving second class mafia family in US and Millefiore almost blew the whole matter up because their late interference. His Vindice had a helluva fun time arresting the scattered criminals while Millefiore dealt with the clean up.
"So of course I am not impressed when he go to cry to Yuni-hime…" Which led to him ignoring the shaman in fear he would get swayed by the princess to forgive the Mare-brat. "Apparently that's not the case."
"So this great Skull…"
"So I can't help but wonder if that means I deserve." He pointed at still ranting Skull. "That to come just to talk my ears off."
Iris and Tazaru exchanged look, "Well, it's… her idea."
Bermuda sighed, out of all Three Great Skies there was one girl he didn't want to piss off for a good reason. Her brother had patience of a saint so long as Bermuda raised a white flag the boy would forgive him, his sister in the other hand…
"Alright, what did I do this time to piss off the princess of Vongola?" Hopefully not enough to make that girl swore revenge on him. Bermuda might be the strongest Arcobaleno in history but as he had learned before being the strongest meant nothing when a Vongola was determined to get you.
"We're not sure…" The man called Tazaru said hesitantly, "We don't have enough clearance to be informed of the matter the Three Great Skies want to discuss with you."
Iris's purple eyes quivered as she spoke, "And… as you know, there's no way our bosses would divulge it to-" She craned her neck towards Skull.
Sometimes he wondered how the heck with that sly vengeful mind Mai-hime had not developed flame of night yet. Even he Arcobaleno of the night was impressed with that girl's vengeful streak. "So the real messenger is just meat shield for you two." In case he got violent these two must had been given instruction to ditch Skull or using him as shield.
They nodded numbly, "Oh well… you may go and tell your Skies, whatever they're fretting over is a false alarm and I will contact Vongola's princess in person myself." That was as much as humility he would deign to show to the Three Great Skies.
He was getting too fond of peace, especially since the bastard Checker Face was not part of it. He was so absorbed by his musing he only noticed few hours later that the two subordinates forgot to bring Skull with them and the idiot was still talking. So Bermuda called Jager and told him to toss the gopher somewhere appropriate through their night flame portal, he never specified where to Jager but he did specified to kick the brat on the butt just to make certain princess appeased.
Miyama's Mansion, Japan (Mai's POV)
It was another fine day of measuring and today we didn't just measure the room but stairs, each steps to determine whether there was a hidden level in this mansion. Added by recent discovery from rolling flashlight John dropped, which meant the corridor's floor was slanting, we also had to measure the inclination of the floor with spirit meter. As if we didn't have enough problem measuring this place, at the time like this I really missed Hayato and Haru who had calculator brain.
For me whose ancestral mansion was three times the size of this one, I couldn't help but think if measuring one this big was already so troublesome that meant Vongola mansion was really a waste of space.
"What you said just now really hurts the ears of common folks like us." Yasuhara-kun commented with a sigh.
"And like I said, the tax really hurts our eyes." I returned promptly.
Seriously, we didn't even use all the available room aside from when we were holding a large Mafia gathering held in our mansion. Which had not been held again since our coronation ceremony.
"Why didn't you just sell the mansion then? If it's historical government would love to have it." Bou-san pointed out. "Twenty centimeters point three." He told me the measurement.
I snorted as I jotted it down. "That's going to wait until previous generation of our family to be six feet under, especially Hayato-kun's grandfather." And perhaps Xanxus too considering that bastard was fanatics about family inheritance, his blood aside. "And our ancestral mansion is also sign of status so we can't just let it go."
Bou-san looked at me pitifully, "Your large mansion really break the dreams of common people like me…"
"Welcome to twenty first century." I told him, spreading my hands in grandiose manner, "Where a private palace that's not inside Disneyland is a tax nightmare." We could afford it but didn't mean looking at the numbers was any less painful for us who had went through frugal lifestyle before we inherited Vongola's wealth.
John laughed at me, "God did say riches in the world matters not in the-" He paused when his shin touched something that blocked his path, it was a knob that protruded from the side of the stairs we were measuring. "I found a door."
"What a bad place to put a hidden door." I couldn't help but commented. "Especially since the knob is protruding, but the location below eye level is-" I stopped when I noticed the odd look I was given for criticizing how Miyama family hid their secret room. "Aha ha ha ha." I laughed nervously.
This was all Reborn's fault to teach us 101 ways ow to hide secrets in a mafia mansion, hopefully if we found the missing victim I could keep my mouth shut about hiding bodies. Why we were taught how to hide them in the first place I had no idea since considering if we killed someone we would have charred the body beyond recognition, or nothing left.
I will leave hiding body to Kyou-san anyway, considering he was pretty enthusiastic the first time around and had offered a number of times to help us with certain idiot's dead body. Fortunately John and I didn't find any corpse just a painting of a middle-aged man, which made me frown.
"Why a portrait like this is stored in such a secluded place like a trash?" I wondered out loud as inspecting the painting. A male was drawn on it: a frail, shrewd looking man in his forties. His hair was neatly combed, and he wore a black overcoat over his black kimono.
We brought the painting back to the base, as in the whole mansion this was the first and only portrait we found so we suppose it was worth investigating. Naru was in bad mood, because by the time hen we returned to base, the sun had long set; hence we were severely scolded by Naru.
He said, "Didn't I tell you to return before dusk?"
I sighed at him, "We tried, we really did." Then I added, "So we have not found the entry to the hidden level yet, be patient… worse comes to worst we could always ask Ohashi-san if we can knock one of two walls."
He gave me a exasperated look, "I am not Hayato, so no walls would be knocked off here."
Excuse me to think some property destruction is necessary, being a Vongola and all. "We did find something though." Bou-san showed him the portrait and handed it to him.
"So, whose portrait is this? ," Naru asked as he examined our find, eyeing the thin middle aged man on the portrait searchingly.
"It says 'Meiji 32, March, Self-Portrait, Urado'," Bou-san said. "On the back."
"I see," Naru said as he examined the back of the portrait.
I sweat-dropped, wondering if he could read the kanji at all.
"So who's Urado?" Ayako asked as she handed poor John a wet tower to wipe the dust off of him. He was the only one who could fit in there other than me, and since he was a gentleman and I was wearing white as usual… when on case. I really had to start to pack casual clothes with me on case, though that would mean breaking a routine.
"Since his self-portrait was hanging in there, I would guess it was likely someone close to MIyama-san." John gave his input.
I disagreed, "Isn't it Kaneyuki-shi himself?" All eyes were on me in instance. "The frame is simple but if you looks closely the carving is really delicate and it's made of a good quality cherry wood." I took the portrait from Naru so I could inspect them again. "I also didn't think after the whole mansion is investigated for days we would find a stranger's portrait in here… and especially not in such a high quality frame."
Ayako snorted, "You really don't believe Kaneyuki-shi is a philanthropist, do you?"
"It's nothing more than my intuition said so and the circumstances of his falling business."
Bou-san frowned, "By the way Mai, you can appraise antiques too?"
I nodded, "It's part of my education." As befitting for Vongola family members, we were no expert but I could tell high quality stuff at least. I loathe to admit it but appraising things was more of Xanxus' expertise, which was surprising such an uncouth man could be so good in this delicate business.
"Should we ask Mr. Ohashi if he knows anything about it?" Yasuhara asked Naru.
Naru's eyes lighted up in realization and he searched for envelop where we put the evidence, the 5 yen notes. "Urado… Urado." He chanted the name like a mantra until he found the bill and pointed at the character for 'Ura' and Do on the bill.
"Usually we will read it as Toura but." My eyes met Yasuhara and realization dawned on us, "We're idiots! This is meiji era so of course!"
Yasuhara continued, "The character is written backwards! From right to left unlike now." Yasuhara pulled out a pen and an empty paper, "So… now this read, "来(come) 这(this) 都(all) 死(die) 听(hear) 被(by) 浦户(Urado) 了(already) 走(walk) 吧(ba)"
"Still doesn't make sense but…" Bou-san trailed off, "More or less the first part say, everyone who came here is dead."
"If that's the case then the rest of the sentence should be simple." Ayako said with extreme displeasure. "This is a message left for someone or whoever comes next. 'The people who came to this place have all died. … run away'…"
Such an ominous message but considering two people were already missing and most likely already dead I was not sure if this message changed anything other than now we had the name of our monster. "Urado…" I frowned thoughtfully, that name sounded like something I had heard before from Reborn's lecture. A name of famous mafia boss? Or was it one of historical figures Reborn ordered us to take notes from?
Hannibal? Ricardo? Julius Caesar?
"I think I have heard a similar name to that before." I murmured softly, only loud enough for Naru who was standing close to hear me.
He frowned at me, "Where?"
"Hm… from Reborn's lecture, but I am sure it's some historical magnificent bastard." I concluded.
"...Why?"
"Learning from history lesson?" I offered timidly, I'd rather Naru never learned about Reborn's lesson plan in how to be a Mafia boss. "Anyway…" I trailed off as I made my way towards the window and opened it. "Good evening Madoka-san? Would you like some tea to warm you up?" I asked to rose haired woman who had one fish raised to knock the window.
She stared at me before her lips curled to a smile to mask her wariness of me. "I would love some of your delicious tea ❤ of course, Mai-chan!"
Wasn't this person so cute to still thinking her smile could fool me? "Let me help you." I pulled her up and her eyes narrowed at my hands in hers, no doubt as a researched he found it odd my temperature was higher than normal human and yet I didn't seem to be on fever.
Naru frowned at her, "I told you to not come."
"Ah la, of course it's because there's no danger on the front yard I dare to come on my own. I'm not as stupid as Naru."
She called Naru stupid on his face and judging from Naru's glare he was unhappy for sure. It was just 'stupid' Naru, seriously her insult was very mild. Reborn's insult could pierce your heart and leave you on the floor writhing with broken heart.
"Why is there no danger?" Naru asked as I handed Madoka her cup of tea. "In the front yard of this mansion."
Mori-san took a whiff of chamomile scent from her tea, " Hm… it is used as a child's playground… Apparently the neighborhood children often come here to practice baseball or soccer because it's so large." The she added, "Of course because of the disappearance incident around February they stopped using this place." She took a sip of her tea before continuing, "Of course, there hasn't been any incident of a child disappearing. That's why I said that there's no danger up to the gardens."
I frowned at that, "Children are curious by nature, did any of them come inside?"
Mori-san shook her head, "Apparently they've always forbidden children from entering the house. This place is also a famous haunted house, so although incidents of children secretly entering the house out of curiosity have happened before, no one had gone into the depths of the house. At the most they took a turn around the room by the window, and then stopped their activities just like that."
"I see." I cupped my chin.
"That's why I said, the dangerous part is the inside of this house. The outside of the house is safe." Mori-san concluded smugly.
"That's only for the day time right?" Naru pointed out.
"Ah la, one will inevitably tangle with a little danger in the work of a ghost hunter. I haven't done anything more dangerous than living in a house with a bad record." She retorted back expertly.
She raised a good point I had to admit. "Well, then… I will test something." I announced before skipping towards the window Mori-san used to sneak in and jumped off.
"Mai!" Naru called me out, he too jumped off of the window to catch up with me. "What are you testing?"
I was just a few meters away from the mansion but I could feel the scent of blood clinging to us like second skin had lessened. "No wonder when we was coming I didn't sense anything until we got in, outside is really a safe zone."
He frowned at me, "It's cold out here and you dress too thinly." He pointed out, eyeing my unbuttoned orange shirt, turtleneck shirt I wore underneath it and skirt disapprovingly. Before dragging me back inside.
It was just the beginning of spring and pretty cold outside it seemed, "I hardly notice the cold." I told him.
"It's no excuse." He told me, as for once I let him had his gentleman way, even helping me to get back in even though I could climb it myself. Was it just me or Naru and Gene since this case began were more attentive to me? Maybe it was just a phase since this mansion was messing with my senses, and I would get angry if they thought I was crippled or something.
Mori-san clapped her hands and retrieved a notebook from her sweater pocket. "Anyway about the latest missing person, Atsugi-san hasn't been sighted nearby too. He hasn't taken a bus or rented a car either." Mori-san said that while she turned a page. "And about the Miyama father and son situation. First up is Mr Kaneyuki."
We leaned in curiously, "He was apparently a very meticulous person, a man who worked in his silk factory embezzled some money and got fired. His eldest son was also working in the same factory and was also sacked. His third son was a staff member of the hospital, and was also sacked. And the owner of the house they lived in was Kaneyuki, so they were all evicted. – it doesn't stop here."
"There's more?"
Bou-san was shocked speechless. Mori-san nodded, smiling. "There is. His married daughter and her husband also rented their house from Kaneyuki, so they were also evicted. The convict's parents were also Kaneyuki's tenant farmers, and were also evicted."
Kaneyuki-shi was meticulous alright, Reborn would be impressed at how thoroughly he unrooted a family from his premise over one crime against him. Someone like this was a philanthropist? Obviously just a PR stunt.
"Therefore, Mr Kaneyuki really disliked interacting with people, and completely did not allow anyone to come near this mountain villa. Apparently even if there was an urgent matter he would also be unreachable. Unless Mr Kaneyuki contacted the outside, there would be practically no way otherwise."
He was also a hikkikomori then? Or just too closed off?"
Bou-san sighed, "You're right on the dot that Kaneyuki-shi is not a good person, Jou-chan."
Ayako nodded sagely, "When Mai is ever wrong when it comes to judging people?" She wondered out loud.
I shrugged and Shima stealthily slipped some papers to my hand. "Ah, sorry for interrupting… about the missing person list since Kaneyuki-shi's reign in this region. We get the complete list here… and wow, I am sure Madoka-san got this too."
"Eh?"
"There's a lot of girls who works as maid went missing around that time, around twenty or so? All of them were not native from Suwa region to boot… that's why it's so hard to get their information."
Mori-san nodded, "There's that many? And yes! Apparently he had employed a maid, but it's said that she wasn't employed from Suwa but from somewhere else as you said… I haven't confirm all of them were missing though."
I glaced at my list, frowning before I gave my orders to Shima. "Check the time period between their employment and report of disappearance…"
"Hai, Hime!"
Naru sighed before he pressed on, "And the son?"
"He was also a famous eccentric, and whenever anyone ask his reason for renovating the house continuously... He had said some words that made others concerned…"
"Words that made others concerned?" About his insanity perhaps?
"Yeah. When he was asked about the reason for the renovations, apparently he said: 'Because there are spirits in this house; this is to make sure they don't escape!' with a very scared look on his face."
He said, this is to make sure they don't escape… Suddenly on my mind an image of a tired man with eyes wide in fear entered my mind, he was sitting on a chair as holding his head, repeating what Mori-san just quoted. I winced as the image vanished, and my focus was back to reality.
"That's all I've found out." With a clap, Mori-san closed the notebook. She tilted her head with a very troubled expression on her face.
"It happens long time ago so there's not many people I can ask, so I think it is already very good that I've found out this much." She turned towards me, still not meeting my eyes. "So thanks Mai-chan! You're a life-saver!"
I beamed at her, "You're welcome." Her own student didn't say anything.
Naru did not speak. A 'thank you' would have been good at least.
Bou-san cut in. "Do you know this man? According to the date on the back as to when this portrait was painted, this should be somebody Kaneyuji-shi knew…" He asked as he held up the mentioned painting.
Mori-san glanced at the painting and answered promptly, " That's Kaneyuki-shi himself."
All SPR members glanced at me, "You guessed that correct again… your assessment of his personality is so spot on, you even guess he won't put anyone's portrait but his here." Ayako couldn't help but commented with a sigh.
Mori-san perked up, "Speaking of friends, Mai-chan… then what your intuition said about Kanayuki-shi's social life?"
It was not all my intuition at work, though it was part of ten generation experience dealing with various kind of people and a bit of psychology analysis in work. "Hm… he has reputation as philanthropist, but as I said before… it's just a cover, either for PR or some other reason. However… from his throughout way of firing the whole family from his business he is not a people person. It's either he has bad history with betrayal or he just…" Didn't see them as human in the first place, or he didn't care about human. "Don't like people in general… especially since it's said he didn't even live with his family. So for friends… business partner perhaps but no more than that?"
"Bingo." Mori-san beamed at me, "I've investigated it a little… But I've heard he practically has no one he would call a friend. And as for not liking people..." She trailed off, "The feeling is mutual, I haven't investigated further but Hiroyuki-shi, the son… it's said he really hates his father to the point he don't mind the man was never born even if that means he isn't either."
And with that last bit of information, Mori-san left accompanied by Lin-san again.
"So Urado was a pseudonym?" Bou-san looked repeatedly through the photocopies of the photos Mori-san had left behind.
It was a photo of a person standing beside a door post hung with a plaque, 'Miyama Silk Factory'. Regardless of how one looked at it, one could see the model for the self-portrait was definitely Kaneyuki-shi himself as I guessed.
Naru's expression turned a little severe.
"He's only an eccentric. 'The people who came to this place have all died'. 'This place' would definitely have to be this mountain villa, right? What happened here? 'Heard they were ? by Urado' – If we don't know the meaning of that sentence we can't figure it out."
Somehow Naru's tone of voice was strangely unsettling.
"But one thing is clear for sure." Masako trailed off. "What the spirits said during the séance."
'Save me' 'I don't want to die'
"It started to make sense." Why did they say that.
I glanced at the closed window and took a deep breath, this night would be cloaked in uneasiness. "Hm… Daniella just found something it seems, I will summon her back." I announced, letting my pocket watch to dangle from my hand. "Vi esorto, Ottavo."
In a brilliant burst of flame Daniella appeared, flame shedding away from her ghostly form as she smiled at us. "Buon Giorno, Fiammetta!"
Naru's POV
She was definitely as Hara-san said, so unlike ghost in fact she reminded me a lot of Gene in a sense he was a soul yet so life like. 'To be fair I'm not dead yet.'
'So she is also the same Daniella from Vongola family tree Madoka show me before?' If I was not mistaken she was the eighth family head, right above Mai's grandfather.
Gene hummed, 'She also said Timotheo is her son…'
Does that mean… Mai had eight spirits under her command, that fit the number of ancestors since the first head. Since she and Tsunayoshi were the tenth, and the ninth was still alive. 'Whoa! Wait a moment Noll! While the number made sense… don't you think it's a little morbid to trap your ancestor's souls and put them under your control?'
'Yes, I just made a wild guess… but even I can see Daniella have some degree of free will and she doesn't seem to be bitter with her situation.' More like downright cheery about it.
Which was if she was just happen to be one of the ancestors and the rest of spirits dwelling in Mai's pocket watch were from somewhere else was not a stretch of imagination either. Still what Gene and Hara-san said about Mai's spirits was still odd, especially the part where according to them Daniella was neither good nor evil. Gene never describe a spirit that way, and judging from Hara-san's reaction she never did either before.
"So I found two bodies in some sort of incinerator, males in unspecified age but I am sure pretty young..."
Gasp echoed in our base at Daniella's report, "You found the bodies?"
Daniella nodded, "From how much they already decompose I'd say… around two months or so?" Everyone in the room except me and Mai turned green, I was more curious with Daniella's report or how she even know how long a body had decomposed.
'Noll, your scientific curiosity scare even me sometimes.' Gene commented.
"I see, so the two bodies most likely belong to the missing teenager and firefighter." I cleared my throat, drawing her attention to me. "Is there any wound visible in their body?"
The spirit clad in red suit made a line over her neck with her index finger. "Yes,there's a huge cut on their neck… a very neat one made by a cleaver I think? It's a little rough to be made by scalpel or other delicate equipment. The two men died messily, there would be a lot of blood spilled because the culprit cut the largest arteries in human body." Daniella reported, still smiling as she tapped the side of her neck.
She could even identify the murder weapon, "A messy and bloody death…"
The rest of the group was clutching their neck now instinctively. "Ugh…"
"Where did you find the incinerator?" Mai asked Daniella. "This place bewilder our senses but I believe you know the general area, at least…"
She nodded, "Hm… right on the center of this house I believe? It's a really closed off room… a lot of walls blocking the way, unless you can walk through wall like me you won't be able to reach it."
Mai turned to me, "You heard that? We have to knock the wall off in the end."
"Why are you so enthusiastic to damage client's property?"
"I am sure we can convince Ohashi-san."
"That's not the point." I sighed, "Since you found them in incinerator, is there any sign of burn in their body to hide the evidence?"
Mai winced when Daniella answered, "I would know that like the back of my hand! Ha ha ha… nope! If not I will not find a rotten corpse but piles of ash and bones! But I did find some too… some human bones, little ones like calcaneus and metacarpals that I am sure doesn't belong to them!"
Matsuzaki-san couldn't help herself, as a doctor herself she knew about those bones but common people wouldn't know those small ones usually. "How did you know about human remains that well?"
Daniella pointedly ignored that question, "Is there anything else you need Fiammetta?"
Mai cupped her chin, "No, thank you Daniella… you may return now."
The spirit smiled in return, turned towards me and… winked ? Then her form was shrouded in flame again before turning to a small tongue of flame that vanished before our eyes.
Naru's and Lin's Room
'Gene, why did she wink at us?' I assume it was not just to me but also Gene.
My twin stuttered, 'Uhm, she may have seen through our feeling and… I forgot to mention it to you that somehow she also mention about marriage.'
What the heck did Gene talk about with her? I thought they were just run to the monster? I had not eve decide anything about this relationship business and her great grandmother talked about marriage with Gene?!
'On positive notes we get her approval and apparently Vongola family take in laws to their family, we have been forewarned.'
Seriously?
'And apparently Vongola family… uh, allow polygamy and polyandry too…'
My brain thinking process took an abrupt halt at Gene's latest information before rebooting, 'I am sure that's illegal in Italy…'
'Do you think a family that took in Shouichi who think it's okay to waltz in anywhere including Pentagon in his online escapade would care about that?'
No, they wouldn't care for sure. In fact I had a feeling considering how our three friends from Vongola acted, they were taught nothing was illegal as long as authorities didn't know about it. 'Forget it…' Thinking about train wreck like family of Mai's that put SPR ragtag bunch to normal spectrum in comparison was headache inducing.
"Hm?"
'What is it Noll?' Gene asked.
"There's something here." On the bottom drawer of cupboard in the room there was something pale pink and lacy stuck out a little from the gap. I pulled the drawer and found a very old handkerchief, obviously belonged to a woman with initials T.S with delicate hand embroidered sakura petals. Considering neither family heads lived with their wives here I would be right to assume this was something a maid or female employer left behind. Considering two dead bodies were found and two investigators were most likely dead, I'd say this count as last resort.
'Noll, at least wait until Lin get out of the bath and sit on the bed please?'
'Gene.'
'Bed, so in case you collapse at least we don't have to worry about concussion, right?'
He had a point for once.
3rd POV
Mai had chosen to stay in the base with Tojo and Shima until it was Lin's turn to switch with her, as it was established the front yard was safe, Tojo and Shima continued camping there for sleeping. Though as long as Mai was around it would be fine for them to use the base. Naru had been annoyed with her decision to stay back, but then she could be as stubborn and pointed out the base was no more dangerous or safer than their bedroom. At least the escape route was closer, she reasoned.
Though in her case first or second floor didn't matter much, she and her brother had jumped from fifth floor unharmed before. Vongola and height were best friends so to speak, in loosest sense of words. Speaking of best friends, she was never sure what to call the relationship between the Three Families and Vindice, friends would make majority of mafia population choke at the thought, allies was not right either so perhaps two sides with mutual benefits could describe it.
"And so… You're just avoiding Byakuran because of that mess in Chicago?" She remembered scolding Byakuran for being slow and threatened to throw something a few weeks ago. "Bermuda?"
Fortunately the Arcobaleno had enough sense to call in person, "Yes… you can't fault me for feeling cross with the Mare Sky, can you? Mai-hime…"
"I suppose not, but do explain yourself first to Yuni at least… I am glad this is just a false alarm but please please be professional next time in voicing your displeasure with our conduct at least." Mai pleaded, she almost had a heart attack.
"...You're not swearing revenge on me, are you princess of Vongola?"
Mai blinked, she swore Bermuda almost sounded fearful, "Why did I do to get that question all the time? No… I won't, I am pretty upset I admit. But it would require pissing me off to disastrous proportion and involved my brother for me to swear revenge on you." She told him blithely.
"...Thank you for the warning, so now I have expressed my sincerest apology for my mishap… for what purpose do you need to contact me Princess?"
Considering Bermuda was really sorry, what a feat for him to feel so in the first place. Mai supposed there was no harm to ask, "It's about the flame of the night." Mai began, "Is there any possibility Vindice members could stray from your organization?"
Bermuda raised an eyebrow at the question, "Well, I would be offended if you're questioning my subordinates' allegiance with that question… but as I have revealed to you Princess, alas such thing is not possible, and while loathe I admit our weakness… no, my subordinates can't betray me and live to tell the tale because my flame is their life support."
That was expected, "As so far we have known… you and certain pest of a ghost who had capability to produce it, so is there a possibility for another user?"
The arcobaleno became quiet before he answered, "Hm… with the right situation and condition I suppose, I had made a mistake to assume I am the only one before but after being proven wrong once…"
"I see…" Mai inhaled softly, "And the law pertaining its use is still on effect?"
"Yes, why did you ask?" Bermuda asked back impatiently. "Vongola Princess… please get to your point, we know we're both busy people…"
Mai scoffed, that was how Bermuda wanted to play? "Well, then I'd like to inform you that I found a night flame user and it have violate around dozens or so rules of yours." Mai finished in one breathe before pulling the brand new satellite phone away from her ears.
"WHAT?! HOW COULD THAT BE?! EXPLAIN!"
Great, Bermuda freaked out as expected. There was a good reason why they happily submit to Vindice's law on flame that violate the fabric of dimension. Bermuda could be a dictator but he could be fair and as long as certain bastard with mask was not involved he was very logical when it comes to maintaining his law.
"There's a haunted mansion in Japan…" Mai gave him the simplified version of the case and what they had found so far, there was a ghost with flame of the night that so far had abducted two civilians in her stay here. Before there had been another disappearance and all of the victims confirmed dead. In short the rule of using portal only when one had physical body had been violated, as well as the rule about attacking civilian and around a dozen or so laws.
Bermuda was livid, "I am really sorry for our oversight Vongola Princess but rest assure I will come personally to correct it if I must."
"No, you can't." Mai told him off promptly, "This place is full of civilians and your presence would send alarm all over Japan, especially since an onmyouji with ties to royal family is here too… that's too much even for us Vongola to take care of…"
"Are you expecting me to keep quiet? Vongola Princess?" Bermuda was unhappy with the situation. "This is a disaster because of our carelessness… another Daemon Spade! At least that wraith limit himself to our world but the one you found…"
Mai sighed, "I know… I understand Bermuda." Mai was pacing now restlessly, "I don't like this situation better than you do, but at this point just stay still… I will think of something. Worse comes to worst… I will contact the owner of this mansion as a Vongola myself."
"...Very well, but I'll drag this monster to hell myself if needed."
That was as good as an agreement she could get, "I will contact you again, Bermuda… jaa…" Mai ended the line as she flopped down on the couch, sighing tiredly as drowsiness began to claim her.
"...I'll just sleep here." With one eye open, she was no stranger to sleeping in dangerous place.
Then she began to dream.
Mai's POV
I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. Just as I thought, 'Oh dear', I realized my arms and legs were stiff and could not move. Naru told me that being physically unable to move is not a psychic phenomenon but a physiological occurrence. When the body is very tired but the mind very excited, such things would happen. A successful separation of body and mind, so to speak.
What an experience, perhaps similar to Reborn's sleep with both eyes open. It had been a while since I did that, but I wasn't going to scare civilian with that talent Reborn oh, so graciously had imparted to us. So it's only that my body cannot move, I thought; I was actually very calm. I looked to the side at the door, and my mind came to a halt.
I could turn my head? Then this was not paralysis phenomenon then!
My back rapidly turned cold and I could not make a sound. At the very least it'd have been good to have been able to make some vague or muffled call; as that thought passed through my head even breathing started becoming difficult. Cold sweat covered me from head to toe; I felt dizzy and disorientated. Why was I feeling this way now?
I closed my eyes and did breathing exercise Reborn taught us to calm ourselves, we had been calmer in the last few years so it was hard to recall what to do when we were still prone to panic. My body became lighter and relax, but a soft sound came from the outside; the room's door opened.
My body still could not move as I wished. Only my head turned towards the door. Black figures entered the room. Due to the abruptness of the situation I was slightly stunned. Because they were unquestionably human figures. Who was it? Just as I thought that, I recalled that I had locked the door of the base and each group of SPR had one spare key with them.
Then it dawned on me that this was a post-cognition dream, and in freaking first person. I would have noticed them if my Hyper intuition was working and these two would have apparated to the room instead of opening the door like human.
The figures stood on my two sides. In the darkness, I could vaguely see their faces. I sighed mentally as the two bend down, grabbing both my arms, and I was pulled into sitting position and then to standing position. My body could move. However, it wouldn't move according to my wishes. I wanted to resist but could not. I couldn't even move a finger as I pleased. It was clearly my body but it was controlled by whoever this memory belonged to.
It seemed in the past when they abducted someone they drugged him or her beforehand, perhaps the dinner. I supposed I should just enjoy the show for now, and I was dragged out of the room.
It was pitch-black outside the room and I was dragged down the corridor where I could not tell left from right due to the darkness. After walking a long distance, the men opened a door. I didn't know which room this was but I was sure from the base this path didn't lead to this place. So it was the old layout before the addition. The place was a relatively spacious room, with the furniture in the room was arranged neatly and the fireplace was in use. It really made one feel that there was someone living here. However, there was no one in the room.
The men dragged me into the room. They silently brought me in front of a closet on the right. After opening the closet, there was a corridor inside. The long, dark, narrow corridor extended endlessly inwards. Its narrowness and darkness was somehow nauseating. Still, while I had decided to enjoy the ride this was still a frustrating position to be.
My arms were grabbed and pulled inwards. Gradually, the corridor became a long narrow gravel path sandwiched by hedgerows. A maze garden?! As if this mansion was not labyrinth like enough already. It seemed whoever this memory belonged to regained their consciousness somewhat, but still feeling very groggy and unable to put up a fight so they could only let themselves helplessly dragged over the gravel path. Head lifted but unable to see the face of their captor, or rather I should be able to see but unable to understand what they actually looked like.
Typical of this dream, back in Vongola trial I could see faces clearly so this was more merciful because at least I couldn't see the face of my would be torturer.
Following the hedgerows twisting and turning as if to confuse whoever walked upon this path, at last we reached a corridor. A faint and familiar scent of blood wafted through the air. That wasn't all. The stench of something rotting also permeated the air. No wonder my Hyper intuition said this place was a slaughter house, there would be a lot of victims butchered in this place for this scent to cling to the whole place like second skin.
There was a door in a jutting out portion of the corridor. I cringed silently. I didn't want to go inside. I could feel there was the damned smell of blood inside. I felt it diffused from the door, they opened the door to another spacious room that should be the main hall, and then I was pulled upstairs to innermost room. Which was a bathroom or sorts like it. It was a small room laid with white tiles. On the wooden planked floor, the 2 men let go of my arms, then suddenly started taking off my clothes.
This was not my body and for who knows since when the clothes I was wearing had somehow turned into a kimono. It was a dark blue kimono. Yes, another confirmation I was dreaming of the past but it was still uncomfortable to be stripped naked by strangers. I tried to ignore the discomfort, and swore if these two were the underlings spirits Fujiwara said was trying to sneak behind Masako-chan, that meant these two were still here in ghost form.
I'd exorcise them painfully with my flame later, I decided with sadistic pleasure.
I was feeling comforted by my revenge plan and belatedly noticed they had dragged me deeper to the room which was covered with white tiles. So this was the room where the bloody jacuzzi was located, and indeed In the middle of the room, there was a bathtub that was as white as the walls. An antique bathtub, which I presumed was from… Wait! Stupid brain, don't appraise an antique bathtub now especially since it was misused one if the red colored substance flowed on the floor was anything to go by.
An overwhelming smell of blood and a sharp stench of decomposition made my breath hitched. I forcefully held back my nausea. My feet stepped on a lukewarm fluid. Stepping on that sticky substance was really sickening, it didn't help the whole room was like a painting out of worst horror movie. Was that a chunk of human flesh I saw floating on the bloody puddle?
There was a small bed or rather a pedestal covered in white tiles with metal loop on each corner. Both the metal and the tiles had turned mushy because of the red substance. The men forcefully dragged me onto the pedestal, like a sacrificial lamb. The victim's lips opened, letting out a scream and started to resist. She even desperately bit the two hands grabbing her , but her body whose consciousness I felt was still forcefully pulled onto those tiles.
After being pulled onto those tiles, my back felt the cold, slippery sensation of the tiles. The disgusting sensation of slippery, lukewarm blood and the soft fragment of something unknown – it was almost like slabs of meat or something – against my back caused a sensation of horror.
Alright, I had to admit even with memory of Vongola trials on the back of my mind this ranked pretty high on horror scale. It was even more terrifying and frustrating, how this body struggle futilely, sending the scent of blood to get stronger and nauseating even for me with her trashing.
"No! Let me go!" A voice that was not mine cried out and I cursed inwardly since I was feeling my limbs again now, which meant the drug used to sedate this girl had worn off. "No! Save me!" She cried again as the men started to tied her whole body down, with her head dangling off the end of the bed. This position was exposing my neck and what Daniella said came to mind.
"There's a huge cut on their neck…
A very neat one made by a cleaver I think?"
Thank you very much Daniella, now I knew the manner of how I would die here. The men left when I had the recollection, and had returned with… bingo! They did have a cleaver with them, they really saw their victim as nothing more than livestock to butcher. The cleaver gleamed under the light as the man who was standing on the side of pedestal grabbed the girl's hair. He pushed down forcefully; as though convulsing, my neck bent backwards.
Ice cold fingers touched the exposed throat. "I don't want to die! Save me!"
The man lifted his hands. An ice-cold blade pressed against the throat. It was a thin, sharp item. He inhaled deeply, creating a suspense I hated so much before the knife was sliding on my throat. A biting pain washed through my entire body.
At once a warm wet substance rushed forth from my throat and down my neck. My vision was stained bright red. Finally I sensed the pain of my neck being cut in immense wave in my whole body.
Damn, experience of your throat being slit before didn't make it any less painful. Or I'd have complete control of myself just because I knew this was a dream, my Hyper Intuition snapped awake and my flame went out of control. I should cut the link off when I could.
"HIME!"
My eyes snapped open and I realized where I was, on the base! Damn! How much damage did I do to this place? Then I belatedly realized my flame was not spreading but contained, it seemed Tojo and Shima noticed my trashing and activate the flame barrier before I got violent. I called out my flame, thankful it was just a brief outburst, not enough to knock me out.
The sky flame vanished, and I heaved a sigh. I was relieved for one second before I noticed I was on the floor full of soot and the couch was mostly gone. Damn it! Then we heard sound of people running towards the base, no doubt they heard the sound of explosion and screaming. Tojo and Shima quickly hauled whatever left of the couch and threw it out of the window, and I pulled the carpet to cover the floor.
It never ceased to surprise me how good we were in covering our mess, so when the door opened with a bang by Bou-san and co, there was nothing amiss in our base. Mostly, aside from the knocked table with scattered papers and me. I tripped on nothing when I moved to greet them and face planted on the floor.
"Oof!"
"MAI!"
That was embarrassing, Reborn would kill me if he knew I regained my second left feet after years of his teaching.
Naru's POV
"Naru?" Lin called me, checking my condition after the psychometric vision wore off.
I inhaled slowly, as usual this kind of vision was never easy. It was nauseating, so even though I hated to look weak I didn't move because from experience that meant stumbling, vertigo and vomiting. It didn't take long until I regain my composure and sat up, a thermos of warm tea was ready by the bedside table. Lin had reheated the one Mai brew for me with electric kettle it seemed.
'That's must be an intense one and you didn't even let me-'
'You'd rather not seeing it.' I told my twin. "Where should I start…" I pondered before taking a sip of the my calming draught.
BANG!
My eyes snapped open in surprise, so did Lin a sound of something like small bomb exploding followed by panicked yell of the rest of our team and stampede in the hallway. Somehow Gene and I knew Mai was the source of commotion, what happened to her?
'Shit, did you close your connection with Mai?'
I didn't, I didn't even know how in the first place. 'Damn it!' I cursed under my breath as I grabbed my black jacket and thermos of tea, knowing someone else would need it. It didn't take long for us to reach the base, where our co-workers who had arrived first were fussing over Mai.
She was sitting on the wooden chair Lin used, blushing furiously as Matsuzaki-san treated the bruise on her nose. While Bou-san who was standing beside her asked if she was alright and what she just dreamed. Mai was quiet before she opened her mouth, her eyes caught mine before tears started to flow uncontrollably.
"Eh? Eh?" She looked at the soaked fingers that touched the corner of her eyes. "Why am I crying?" She asked in wonder.
Matsuzaki-san pulled her to a hug, "Look what you did! Can't you see the poor girl is shaken?!"
"I am so sorry Jou-chan! You don't have to tell us!"
I sighed as I walked towards her and offered a cup of tea, she looked up at me in puzzlement. Her amber eyes shimmered briefly, and I swore for a moment there was something like fire flickered in the depth. "Thank you, Naru." She accepted the offered cup and began to drink the beverage.
I took my eyes off of her and surveyed the room, there were some things amiss. I was sure underneath the table there was a carpet but it was moved towards the center of the room where something else was missing. The ever present couch Tojo and Shima never failed to bring with us was gone. Though at this situation I was sure asking about a furniture would rile up some people like Bou-san and Matsuzaki-san.
"So about the dream I had…" Mai's eyes were tear free now.
Matsuzaki-san frowned at her, "That can wait for tomorrow, you broke down just now, Mai." It must be surprising for them since Mai rarely cried.
Mai blinked at them, "The tears aren't mine… it's just the emotion from the vision I had really got to me, I am fine now." She glanced at me, "I am afraid I will forget if I go to sleep again."
I sighed, why did she always want to be accommodating like this? 'Because she is Mai… seriously Noll, I think this mean no more recklessly delving to vision for us. Not if Mai would get the brunt like this.'
"There were two men coming in…" It had occurred to me before that the way of her storytelling was Gene like but now with Gene on my side I picked more difference. "Dragging their victim from bed… the body felt numb, it's still up to question whether it's the spirit's power or drug is involved…"
It was especially apparent as the vision was like a silent movie because no dialogue was exchanged.
"In previous visions there's always a tiled room with antique bathtub, the porcelain surface is stained with blood. Whoever used it ever bothered to clean the room, most likely it's in use too often so it would be a moot point to do so."
The atmosphere around us was tense as we listened to Mai's story, it was a captivating storytelling. Though obviously from their look Matsuzaki-san and Bou-san disagreed, they didn't like how Mai spoke of the experience as if she was watching a movie while it was obvious she was experiencing it.
"There was a pedestal covered in white tiles in deeper part of the room, the surface had became sticky with blood. The two men forcefully dragged the victim onto the pedestal, like a sacrificial lamb."
Her expression however didn't change, her voice was detached. However there was a drama she weaved, depicting the very real vision like a horror story she shared with friends instead of…
"At this point she regained control of her limbs… screaming and resisting, but her would be torturer were stronger. Her head was not touching the surface of pedestal so she can't help but exposed her neck." Mai craned her neck in the same fashion.
"They left her for a moment and came back with a cleaver, like one used in butcher… and then." Mai held her neck, "They slit her throat." Mai traced a line over her jugular. "And-"
Matsuzaki-san cut her off, muffling whatever Mai was about to say with pulling Mai to her chest. "THAT'S ENOUGH! NO MORE!"
That was when I noticed John and Yasuhara looked grim, Bou-sa was shaking with anger. Hara-san covered her mouth, her free hand clutching on Fujiwara-san -who knows since when was in our base again- the Onmyouji didn't seem to notice the proximity, staring at Mai with barely veiled shock. Lin's eyes caught mine, it seemed my guardian was unsettled that I had accidentally gave Mai a nightmare.
Mai pushed Matsuzaki-san away gently, "I can't breathe Ayako-san! I am fine… and alive."
I sighed, it seemed the whole team was going to fuss over her again and after she had taken the role of telling our vision to the rest of the group I supposed I had to spare her from further smothering. "Go back to your room… we have to rest to be in prime condition in the morning."
Then I turned to Mai who had stood up and sneakily scooted away from the group before anyone could grab her. "You too Mai, let's go back to our room." And swiftly pulled her by the waist to my side before stirring her to the exit door of the base, leaving our slackjawed co-workers behind.
Mai was silent halfway to our room before she broke it, "Naru?"
I swallowed, "I am sorry…. I was careless, I didn't mean it for you to see it."
She just smiled at me wanly, "It's alright."
"It's not." I hissed at her.
Mai chuckled softly, "If it's anyone else, perhaps…" She murmured softly, "But in my case…" She trailed off with a somber smile on her lips. "It's nothing less than poetic justice."
What did she mean by that? 'Why Mai gave us that kind of face, as if…' As if she hated herself, that she deserved the pain my vision inflicted on her. As if… that trial, she deserved to suffer it. 'No one deserve it, much less Mai…'
"Well… and even then it would never be enough."
Mai… stop it!
I didn't know who did it, and perhaps it didn't matter who pulled Mai close so her whole body stuck close to mine. "Stop that..." my lips murmured softly to her ears.
"Stop what?" She asked in puzzlement.
"Thinking that you deserve to suffer... as if you have wronged the world."
Mai pushed away from us slightly with her hands, smiling sadly. "You're getting too close to truth, it's almost scary..."
"Mai?"
She closed her eyes, sighing. "It's nothing, let's go to sleep. We both need it some, no matter how not tempting a bed is to us tonight."
We couldn't argue with that.
Back on the base (3rd POV)
The other spiritualists were all too distracted by Mai to notice but not Lin, when he came in he noticed the air in their base were humming with energy. He even took measurement of temperature and it said, 26 degrees, that was temperature at night in spring. Obviously something paranormal took place here. Tojo and Shima were silent on their seat as Lin inspected the carpet that had been moved, his hand reached out to flip it over.
Fujiwara stopped him, "You're a spiritualist but also a researcher so I couldn't blame you for getting curious, Lin-san. However I will warn you, you lift that you will have more question than answers. You would be tempted to dig deeper, and that's something akin to suicide."
Lin glanced at the other onmyouji before lifting the carpet, there was burn mark on the floor in whirlpool like pattern as if there was a storm of flame on the center. There was no smell of gunpowder or anything that suggest a bomb just exploded here. His shiki were restless, they had stayed right outside of the room as if anything that just happened here scared them. Fujiwara's shiki was in the same state and he swore he heard one of them was crying like a little girl.
"Did Sawada-san do this?"
Fujiwara didn't answer that question, "You'd better hope you never find answer to any question you have in mind now, Lin-san."
"Why?"
The boy hesitated before answering, "Those who belong to that side likes their secret, and they guard it jealously… and Sawada-san is no different."
And with that he left his fellow Onmyouji to mull over what happened tonight.
Somewhere unknown (Naru's POV)
We had slept, anticipating another dream after what happened tonight. And indeed once again, either because of our turmoil or proximity we were presented by another memories. For once it was not just Mai and her twins plus someone we didn't know, Hayato was in this vision and from his height we knew this was Hayato who was the same age as one we met back in our first meeting.
"And pull it up like this." Hayato was instructing Yamato Takeshi how to put his tie neatly. "Seriously… by now you should learn how to dress neatly."
"Aha ha! Sorry Hayato!"
Hayato scowled at him, "Idiota." Then he turned his attention to someone else, "Oi! Turftop! You too! Your cufflink! Button it up! Damn it!"
"Extreme!"
"Mukuro! Who give you permission to wear leather coat! Put your suit jacket!"
"Kufufufu fu… and dressed like the rest of you? No thanks."
"You do realize your girlfriend dress like us, right?" Then he turned to said girlfriend, "And Chrome, no offense to your taste but do you have other kind of eyepatch?"
"No, I don't."
He groaned, then turned to the child with afro hair clinging to Sasagawa Ryohei. "Is there any point asking Lambo to put on something green to match his position instead of cow print shirt?"
A chuckle softly filled the air and all eyes turned to the boy sitting on ornate chair behind mahogany desk, "Hayato… calm down, it's just a small ceremony."
"Hayato is as uptight as ever." Gene commented with a smile.
"This can't be a harmless vision, we will find something we shouldn't."
The door opened and Mai whose face was as pale as a sheet entered the room. "Onii-chan! Mother… she-" Mai cried out.
"What hap-"
Suddenly the vision was erased away and the world was repainted gradient of sky, from dawn to night. It was a spectacular sight that even took my breathe away, but then I noticed Gene gulping nervously. "Noll, first thing first... don't look down and keep your eyes on pretty skies above."
I raised an eyebrow at him, my eyes drifted down against his warning. I saw deep abyss below and my eyes quickly went up as Gene said. What did we stand on again?
"Second, be quiet and maybe we can left before she-"
The a familiar voice called us, obviously unhappy.
"Naru, Gene… what are you two doing here?"
Cliffhanger is art! To me at least ^^ I hope you ejoy my version of dream scene, and YES it's graphic… as depicted in novel…
An OMAKE after so long... You dear readers deserve one after your patience with me ha ha ha ^^
OMAKE: Tsu-kun, Mai-chan, I am your father!
Or alternatively how much Vongola suck with their biological family no matter how splendid they were with family.
Vongola famiglia is a family, but let's not talk about the biological family of the boss… it's a messy conversation, very much so. It was one unspoken rule in mafia to not touch this topic with a Vongola. There was a good reason why citizens of Mafia world were surprised Vongola for once had a boss who had a sibling by the time of coronation and their extended -secretly adopted- relative Xanxus was still alive after Sky battle.
Vongola loved their family strongly, but the less said about their own biological family the better. There was a good reason why Vongola history was basked with blood and steeped with cocktail of sin and tragedy. Though in current generation's case it was not so much a tragedy or blood, more like an extreme case of child neglect, idiocy in their father's part and indignation in the Vongola twins' part.
No one ever warned SPR of course, and guardians who had had the pleasure of meeting the ragtag team conveniently forget to do so. It started quite innocently when they had dinner in one of their cases, and went down from there to traumatizing conversation.
As usual Mai volunteered to cook, in fact she insisted because cooking for a lot of people really sate her urge to take care of people around her. Masako was annoyed because the fact Mai was a good mother and wife figure was shoved to their face, as all males -minus Naru- and even Lin admitted she was a good cook
It made Ayako who was also a lady from rich family curious. "Say Mai…" Ayako began, eyeing rolled pickled small radish that immaculately cut to chrysanthemum shape appraisingly. "Why an Ojou like you so good at cooking?" Ayako herself was so-so at it, simply because for her diet she had to cook the meal herself to make sure the salt content was right.
Mai's answer to that was prompt as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "Because my mother was a good cook, and she taught me and my brother."
No one missed the past tense, and silence fell in the room. Nothing could be heard other than soft sipping noise Mai herself made when drinking her miso soup. ""Hh…" She sighed contently, "Taste of miso soup is really heart soothing."
As if she didn't just from a mind breaking revelation that her mother had passed away Ayako being the brave soul she was, and impulsive as well blurted out. "Your mother is… already…"
Mai blinked at her, then answered. "She was no longer around when I was in second year of middle school."
"And your father?" Bou-san, the father of SPR team couldn't help but ask too.
She huffed, "As you know, still kicking and working in Italy but for most of the time he is travelling all over the world for business reason." Mai answered in clipped tone, before chewing on rolled omelette.
"Do you miss him?"
"How to miss someone who has never been around since you were five?" She answered too promptly to be natural. "In fact there's one time Tsuna and I forgot we have a father."
What?!
"Wait, more like… because he told Okaa-san to tell us he has become a star." Which was apparently happened when he was unsure he could come back alive from his mission. Not that he came back until years later, at least if he was dead he had a legitimate reason. "We just assume he was dead until we're twelve…"
Which father told his wife to say that to his children?! Mai's apparently.
"So it's totally not our fault when we met him again, or rather saw him sprawled on our couch in living room… Tsuna and I stuffed him to a sack and call a police because we thought he is a homeless bum sneaking into our house." Exactly what Reborn taught them, minus sending the sack to the police. Though in their defense it was out of consideration that blood was hard to wash off on their carpet.
And he was arrested because his own children forgot who he was?!
"And by the next day he returned, still sleeping in our house and on the floor… we threw the sack to the river next." Which was approved by Reborn, bonus point for no blood involved and death by drowning was very painful.
They attempted to murder him?!
"He is still alive by the next day and as people said, the third time's the charm… when Tsuna found the same idiot sitting in dining table and ate all the food we cooked for breakfast. Then as if he didn't just commit a crime he went to sleep on the couch again. So we…"
What did they do then?
"Like good children we call our mother and said, Okaa-san! There's a bum on our coach and he ate our breakfast! and then finally our mother inform us that the bum apparently donate half of our gene pool much to our shame." She sighed long and hard as if recalling the moment as the most painful time of her life. "We were pretty troubled back then."
Troubled how? By now, everyone but Lin and Naru were leaning forward closely to listen to drama of Sawada family.
"We live so comfortably because he is an awfully well paid bum, so our neighbor assumed our father is an… elite businessman, and yet here he was… dressed only in his tank top and boxer, like a homeless bum… drinking beer first thing in the morning and snoring like a cow. What if he was seen by our neighbors?! Imagine the gossip!"
Definitely not what their neighbor expected, but their reaction to the revelation was a tad too dramatic.
"Beside, we're getting very comfortable, too comfortable with the idea he was already dead." Mai clicked her tongue, as if saying 'a shame he was alive.' and that fact troubled her more than it was healthy even for teenager in her rebellious age.
This was no longer 'I hate you' level most normal teenager went through. Even Bou-san was scared for Mai's father life.
Lin was also perturbed with Mai's behavior, Naru was still seeping his tea serenely, unperturbed. 'Wow, Mai really don't like her Dad.' Then again in Gene's opinion her father sounded like a jerk.
"Onii-chan was in disbelief if that guy is indeed our father and that apparently the pest is not a bum. Could have fooled us, we thought." She shrugged. "He could have been a marriage swindler and our father have really become a star!
And her brother was still concerned whether the man was their father or not?! Even though their mother and the wife of the man said so?! Mai was also still hoping that was real?
Naru at this point noted her hands started to flail around in wild gesture, a testament of her Italian blood taking over. He supposed Mai was lucky out of all of them only he and John understood Italian at some degree and he was the only one who was familiar enough with the hand gesture courtesy of Hayato. Some was quite… improper for a girl to do, especially in regards to her own father.
"Still… there's a drunk in our living room so we got him a glass of water."
This was Mai and Tsuna after all, of course they would be kind in spite of their skepticism. Or so SPR minus Naru thought.
"We're in dilemma for a while."
Over what?
"Whether we should give it to him or empty it on his head."
What?!
"But in the end the decision was easy because he snored and open his mouth wide so… we empty it to his open mouth until he choke." Which was a quasi combination of both, and Reborn had been very pleased with their creativity.
You two were still trying to murder him?!
Mai rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "We went to school as usual and we forgot again because you know… we got distracted by our friends." Like Hayato blowing something up, and Kyouya biting someone again.
You forgot you had a father, again?!
"Until we went back, helped Okaa-san to cook dinner and saw our father is still very much alive…" She sighed again, this time wistfully as if she was recalling how she had hoped that was all just a dream their father was alive. "And real."
Was she hoping it was a dream?
"Sitting across us beside Okaa-san, shoving rice down his throat… and between eating he flirted with Okaa-san with cheesy lines, it's terrifying… when you were torn between your meal and watching traumatizing sight of your parents making eyes at each other…" Her voice became very small and she was mumbling now.
She was traumatized?!
"I wish he has become a star for real."
Did Mai just blatantly wish her father to be dead?
"Then at last he noticed we exist." Mai was gripping her chopstick so hard, it broke in two pieces. "Do you know what the first thing he said to us after seven freaking years?!" She asked, reaching for new chopsticks.
Mai was gritting her teeth, SPR members now leaned away from the girl. Except Naru and Gene who found the vexed Mai was a very enchanting sight for some reason, especially the rapidly rising temperature in the room, her flushed cheeks and how her amber like eyes shone with anger. Like a vengeful goddess.
Mai's frown turned to a full blown smile, as she beamed, "Hello my cute Tweedledee-Tweedledum Cielo…" She cooed, making kissy noise while she was at it. "Otou-chan miss you too! Tuna-fishy, Mai-kitty!"
There goes her second chopstick even before touching any of her food, and now they were really terrified.
"How dare he!" If before her hand gestures was still clear, now she moved her hands so fast they could only see the blurry of movement. Naru gave up following the gesture but he was sure he saw Italian version of 'screw you' a lot.
"Showing up at home as if nothing wrong and hurl insult he thought is endearing to our faces! He is so lucky our birth certificate use our Japanese name! If not we would become a laughing stock for the rest of our life! Would it kill him to make my first name Cielle at least?! When we took our position in the office, it creates so much confusion so we just ban that freaking name!" Mai fumed, her cheeks flushed with anger.
Naru and Gene found the sight so endearing, the younger twin didn't notice he had forgotten his meal like everyone else and staring at the mafia princess with open fascination. If Bou-san and Ayako were not too terrified, they would comment that Naru looked lovestruck.
"Onii-chan was in shock! Fish! He called Onii-chan fish!" Mai was on full blown rant. "And kitty?! How dare he!" The amber eyed girl growled, her temper shot up to its highest thinking about the implication of that supposedly endearing nick to her father's fearsome reputation as Vongola's young lion. "And Tweedledee-tweedledum?! The nerve!"
Only Reborn could call them that and live to tell the tale! Not to mention their mentor called them that as derogatory remark to teach them independence, Iemitsu in the other hand just thought it was adorable.
It was amazing in a sense their father could push all the wrong button in a short time he interact with his children in spite he had not seen them for years.
Then Mai's voice became small again, "And the next thing we knew… the plate of namero was on his face, his hair had a bowl of natto on it."
They threw food at him?! Sashimi bits with miso and smelly fermented beans of all things? They couldn't help but wonder if Tsuna and Mai were really throwing the food on impulse if they deliberately pick the smelliest food on the table.
"Okaa-san was furious, and we had to camp out in Ryou-nii's house until he left."
And you two ran away from home after that?!
Mai sighed dejectedly, "That's the first time in our life we got grounded… a black mark in our life."
The issue you hated your father so much should be a bigger issue, not the being grounded by your mother at the age of twelve. Was what they wanted to tell her but decided not to.
"We regretted it a little when he left though." Mai grumbled, a new chopstick in hand as she pushed the cherry tomato on her salad bowl absentmindedly.
So she had regret treating her father like that? Mai was a good kid after all.
She clenched her fist and the third chopstick in that one dinner met its maker. "We should have punched his face at least once! No, one for each of us!"
Of course not, it was so Mai to be unpredictable. She was terrifying when she got angry, it seemed her father was really a dangerous landmine of hers. In the other hand…
Jii...
"Hmph!" Mai harrumphed, stuffing her cheeks. "He didn't even clean up the mess he left behind!"
Jiii...
Lin glanced to the side where the window at night became as reflective as a mirror, Naru's reflection had different pose as Gene was resting his cheek on his palm while Naru had his chin on his laced fingers. However, the twins were both staring at Mai as if her angry-self was the most beautiful sight in the world, Naru was obviously entranced, Gene was even more so.
Amazingly Mai was so caught up with her temper she didn't notice the look she got from the lovesick Davis twins.
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