Author's Note : I'm not getting the carbon-copy email of a new chapter post as I usually do, and I'm not being warned/alerted I have new reviews. Although it's nice to hear you guys are getting them, kind of. I'm getting nothing from the site, which is… unusual. I usually just get the reviews, or sometimes just the carbon copy, but right now I'm not getting either. I've not changed or even touched my email address and it's still the same, so I have no idea why or if it has anything to do with the server migration.
Probably means I'm not getting emails of any PMs too, but no one's asked anything for me to see if so and I'm checking the guest review moderation every day until I do get copies again.
So, there's that… and I'm sorry about this long as F mid-story explanation, but there's no way to pull it off in-story without kind of abusing Luce's POVs for a not topical reason for no clear motive for you to see. Canon kind of went off the damn rails with Sonya's dealings with Checkerface and got kicked into the stratosphere with her utter freakout in the face of the Italian Mafia, we're getting firmly into AU territory now. Just, only now, with Fiorella's continued survival meaning she has more and more of an effect and Skull's canny dodging of weird shit he doesn't like being stress tested like this. Surprise.
We're kind of backwards coming at this same situation I think happened in canon to directly explain two entirely separate incidents down the line. Skull 'originally' kicking and screaming about not wanting to be Mafia or a killer during the Arcobaleno situation of the now triggering this very same review of Italian Flame user deaths in-country going on eventually, which will later feed into a MASSIVE plot hole about one of the main canon characters. Maybe two? Kind of… sort of. From a very tilted kind of point of view, also a third… and possibly a tiny bit of a fourth's. Because yes, I am that level of overachiever to do all two major and two partials out of the ripples of one 'starting' incidental event that has no connection to any of the four later situations that happen because of it happening. Clear? As mud? Good. Here we go.
Originally, Skull's passive aggressiveness flat out denial of things he hates should trigger a 'hey, there's more of us appearing all over the world… why aren't there so many more of us in the Mafia here too' review from Timoteo and Vongola. Famous stuntman, turns out to be the undead Strongest Cloud in the World escapee from the Soviet Bloc. Surprise.
Without his sisters to show that there's more than just one Cloud able to do this, Fon would've kept his mouth shut after that 'team exercise' missions out of appreciation for Skull dying for him as he had. Then Reborn would've bitch slapped Skull's mouth closed with 'Lackey to the World's Greatest' to keep the man 'unpoached and contained' for them while the Arcobaleno thing was going on… for reasons of our next mission, I believe. Until he could spare the time to unfuck Skull's situation somehow to let the civilian go from what he shouldn't be caught up in as he didn't want. Reborn knew Skull couldn't escape, but also knew the professional showman was trying his level best to get out of their way so he gave Skull the nod to stay on the fringes if he could at least handle that. The Cloud would've, in revenge the last way he could before the Curse stopped all unfucking plans cold, done a 'press announcement' of his enforced retirement because 'spooky shadowy cult thing is hunting him, sorry guys it's not safe'. His disappearance from the world's spotlight would've upset all the shit, because what? Reborn would've utterly regretted being 'nice', but had to admire the level of shit that stirred up by almost accident. He's got a nice little sliver in his black walnut of a heart for shit kickers of that degree, just look at all the chaos one press release stirred up. Much to Skull's utter mortification at his fans rioting, in trying to find him and smashing into badly prepared Mafiosi not expecting them to bullrush over armed men like that. It obviously doesn't end well after the surprise wears off, because right now we're in the early years of the 'Year of Lead' Italian background history. There's a lot of unrest that would've bled over we haven't had the time to touch on yet.
Then Timoteo (depressed to heck because Fiorella was dead in canon at this point) would've gone 'WHAT THE FUCK do you MEAN this is COMMON?' (when Flame users are found in the civilian ranks) and would've looked into WTF in Italy. Then facepalmed so hard. And fixed it the best he could to the point of neglecting… several hundred things, as we'll see him not do because Fiorella is alive. The base details have changed but the general timeline of what to do next has not… yet.
We're losing touch with canon events as Luce pointed out, some of them. The events she foresaw hinged on not only Fiorella's almost impossible survival against Deamon Spade stopped by foot placement of all things that she did know about, but Checkerface not realizing in his mopey depressive slump at having to do this shit again… that Sonya knew something she shouldn't have known early enough to count… which she didn't know to foresee.
Noticeably, these events we're on would've worked out so much differently had Sonya not had her massive freakout right after Skull revealed himself as undead to the entire Mafia. While yes there was greed and a 'get there before anyone else to have undead Cloud' kind of motive for half of that shit that freaked her out that Reborn slapped 'his Lackey' title on Skull to flat out prevent, Sonya's instinctive response to the same thing had… lasting effects. In the 'holy hell that thing is immortal and pissed with us' kind of terrifying way that'll have its own repercussions and consequences… as soon as some Mafia men change into their third best pants and get some heart medication for the stress of trying to figure out the siblings together.
(Aziz and Nahum have been background driving a whole part of the plot themselves, guys. Aziz getting very sick was why Mauricio stopped in Hungary for Skull to flatten and drag out of the way with Viper's help, and the two of them broke off to (very roundaboutly) ask Vongola to return their homeland in return of it becoming a Flame User's Sanctuary. Instead of continue being side-show freaks in whatever outfit wants a snake charmer and a witchdoctor to thrill paying guests, like the rest of Skull's… side-show minions do on their own unless he needs something from them in-between touching base with him once per year. If you need refreshers of where they show up in story, just drop me a PM asking for it (just those two or all of them, if you don't make it clear I'll give you ALL of the scenes) and I'll give you chapters where they do show up. Surprise, they were kind of important too…)
Russian Roulette : Second Chamber
Chapter 88
(Sunday the 6th of February, 1972. The Family's Dining Room, Top Floor, The Iron Fort, Italian Republic.)
Timoteo patted Fiorella on the hand as she seated herself next to him at the table. "Of course she did it immediately, she was paid to do so. Mafia Land agents are not the foolish sort, dearest. Those foolish types don't last for long in that cutthroat market of the best in the world at what they do for hire."
"Sonya dropped that detail just so I wouldn't 'worry' we might be getting her killed with an almost impossible request." Complained his wife in utter exasperation, blowing her new and fashionable bangs out of her face with a sharp huff. "Already stole it, no we're on fraud Fiorella. Proving it illegally occupied in legal court. I did the stealing ages ago and it was the easiest part. Of an entire bloody island. Islands. The whole island chain. I love the woman, but she's ridiculous."
"Thankfully… we got your request in before she became known as Nightshade." Mused the Sky of Vongola's Ninth Generation, unable to help his very tart and wry tone as he poured her a cup of coffee the way she liked to enjoy first before being 'mom in charge'. "Heaven knows the prices for five years of work would've been at least ten times higher had we not."
The whole last month had been too painfully expensive to want to contemplate how high the price for the same job would've been now. Timoteo could only be thankful they had gotten Donna de Mort hired early, and that Tatiana deemed paying for her to be in the country for half a month adequate 'gutting' for her offense at her brother's death in their defense.
Vongola would still be paying Viper's bill off until next quarter.
When things went wrong for Timoteo, things tended to go spectacularly wrong. That they could pay money to smooth it all over was a rarity and it still didn't even cover everything in this 'one incident' either. As per usual for that, honestly.
He should've asked the Headmistress of Moscow's Flame Academy who was Tutoring his wife if she had any advice about 'confronting' her Dual Guardian Prospect Cloud children as his Intuition nudged him to do. He hadn't, not in front of the whole of Italia that Fiorella graciously allowed to eavesdrop on her Tutoring session after being told he had the 'rights' to ask them.
That was his own damn fault, the tagalongs were less his fault and more pushy morons that rather deserved the scare of Sonya attempting to behead them all.
Thankfully, the only man who died from that foolish choice of his to not 'show weakness' could just as easily get back up from his own death. Skull made a career from doing it and somehow pulling it off in the public eye without anyone noticing he should be dead on select occasions.
"I greatly prefer you vent at me, Fiorella, instead of…"
"Yes, I remember. We are not to speak, even 'unofficially', of the work she's doing for us." Admitted his lovely, though now only formerly civilian, wife with a sad sigh into her mug cradled in both hands. "Especially not now, and doubly so for after the fact. She's supposed to be left anonymous and without the credit for doing it, we are to only admit it was a Mafia Land agent that did the work and only rarely at that. That's… well, no. I see why, I still wish it could be otherwise because it's such a lovely cause she gave me to cut my teeth on."
Coyote Nougat passed up a full plate for her, made of the breakfast choices already on the table he knew she preferred. With the servants and staff banned from the immediate family wing and floors, allowing Fiorella the privacy to speak freely on the whole topic she had been stewing over all night, his Guardians generally did the various bits of work needed themselves.
It was a war-time measure from his mother's era he kept firmly in place, just simply so they could be a family without needing to keep in mind the eyes and ears lurking around every corner. He had greatly enjoyed at least seeing his mother and her Guardians before each day of grim fighting in his childhood, and they had enjoyed the moment of peaceful family time themselves. It was a nice tradition to keep going to pass on to his children.
"Thank you, Coyote." Fiorella smiled gratefully for the Storm Guardian, more settled now and as always appreciative of every small thing anyone did for her. "You look a little stressed yourself, is… ah, anything you would like to complain about too?"
The Storm Mafioso just smiled back wryly as he sat back with his third cup of coffee to await the others and the children showing up to need breakfast themselves. "Entirely too much paperwork and figures, Fiorella. I'm chewing through it at a good clip now everyone's reporting in their own figures for a wider view of the situation, should be done in the next few weeks. I'd rather have all the facts for the full picture before saying anything about it now, though."
The Alliance meeting for that mess was going to be just as painful as the meeting Timoteo had to do to 'explain' Skull de Mort to the Italian heads of the Famiglias. Where he had all the permission and rights to reveal the former Moscow ambassador for non-criminally inclined Flame users to the Dons, assuming responsibility for all the deaths in their own homeland about not having something like Skull here was… ugly necessity.
It required correction as fast as possible, and they had the man here fully willing to continue doing it for them if requested until they no longer needed his help. A pointed reminder not to admit they had no such men or women that did the same in their ranks was also due at the same time as revealing Skull's real use.
…he needed to speak with the Headmaster of Mafia School next. There were now several items pending that deserved a face-to-face meeting instead of an inadequate and impersonal phone call, he should see to it this week just so next week could be entirely dedicated to Ganauche and Visconti's efforts to 'Voodoo' him a new eye.
Timoteo fetched the memo pad from out from under the plate of croissants it ended up under and a pen from his wife's stash of extra supplies that may be needed at any time. Just to jot that down and put it to the side for it to be arranged after family hours and Mass.
Fiorella leaned against him in thanks, a sad smile on her lips now. She obviously knew full well what wasn't being said was both Mafia business and not at all good, but she didn't ask. Likely as sure as he was that when Coyote and Timoteo had to admit to the death toll being calculated for last year and the whole last decade, entirely too many people would be upset and angry.
Flame users made up a percentage of the Mafia, and not all that large percent of it either. There were entirely too few of them despite the rising number of revealed cases to be willfully murdering those just not inclined or already well trained for their specific careers already. Just because they refused to become criminal figureheads or linchpins, when they suspected or knew full well they didn't have the skills or the temperament to live with it. Or the desire.
That wasn't their fault.
The deaths from trying to force a willful, talented fraction of the human race into doing it regardless… that was the Mafia's fault.
Timoteo knew the vices of greed and envy all too well himself, this was not the way. Those now dead Flame users could not pass on their unique talents and types to their children, who could be better options for various Famiglias to court and entice if the parent was ill-suited.
Vongola Mafiosi reported those individuals to the CEDEF to keep watch on and left them alone to live as they liked as long as they heeded the Vindice Laws in Vongola territories. Apparently that was not a common habit in this country.
…and that also meant there would need to be some way to keep an eye on all those disinclined Flame users to protect them from being stolen or poached against their wills regardless. Them and their children, regardless of where or for what reason they opted to stay out of the Mafia's ranks.
The Flame user's orphanage Vongola ran could only hold so many, and it would be better for all parties if the parents remained alive to raise their children.
A good chunk of them were probably willing to move into Mafia retirement Sanctuaries, to help the aging and sometimes physically disabled populations live out the remainder of their days in peace. Not just Vongola's, as there were different townships for all the well-established Famiglias. There would also be as large of a chunk of them unwilling to uproot themselves for it as well.
Fiorella's brand new, not even established yet, island Sanctuary with a Flame-friendly government could be very enticing if presented right. If she allowed him to use hers as temptation to safeguard their kind.
Timoteo also put that thought on the memo pad for sorting out later today, or Monday.
"Coyote? Oh, hi dad. Mom." Federico popped his head out of the children's hallway and shot them all a smile. "Are we to be early or late today?"
"Late Mass, Fed." Answered his wife simply. "Wake your brothers?"
"Of course!"
"Less than thirty minutes." Timoteo betted her with a long sigh.
"Late Mass and Sunday? Less than an hour." Fiorella countered dryly, setting her mug aside.
His Storm Guardian snorted a laugh at them both. "Plus little new cousin who needs to be told and included in what and why, Fiorella. Hour and a half before they tumble out of their rooms to join us."
His very proper wife stuck her tongue out at the Mafioso playfully before tucking into the plate he made up for her. Only to pause and eyeball the oddly rumpled Visconti's very late arrival in concern.
He absently hitched a shoulder for her as he took his place at the table while Coyote made him a larger than usual plate. "Just tired. Lot of Flame use."
Things started to assemble themselves around the Storm to make up yet another plate for Croquant Bouche instead of delay what their Cloud needed or to bother with feeding their Mist too as he suddenly appeared in his usual place. "Not easy?"
He mostly agreed with a grunt. "Density, not simple copies."
"No. No." Brow Nie pointed rudely in their Cloud's tiredly unimpressed face as he too finally joined them for the not entirely usual pre-Mass breakfast. "No. I just talked to Tats about Voodoo, yesterday. No. I don't want to know. Give me a week, I'll ask then."
"That bad?" Inquired Fiorella cautiously, appearing entirely willing to take back the question if his Sun Guardian seemed to want her to.
In response, he instead dropped his head onto the table hard enough to rattle the silverware and left it there instead of getting himself coffee before Visconti could grab the pitcher first. "No. It's awful. All sorts of awful. I'm equally as sorry Tats is their older sister and the only one they trusted with the basics first, as I'm bloody grateful for the same damn thing so she knows all the pitfalls before I needed to ask. Just… good news, both de Morts can use it on others in a medical emergency and will listen to whichever medic is directing aid if they're caught up too. Sonya's better than Skull at applying it to another. That's the only good news."
"That… is good news, right?" Coyote eyed their doctor suspiciously.
"Three."
"…what?" Croquant even went so far to make up their Sun his plate of breakfast to bribe him into giving more when he didn't verbally respond at first.
"Skull. Was three." Brow Nie hissed, sitting upright suddenly and snatching the bribe to put where his head had been. "Fell down the stairs and broke his neck. Surprise, immortal. Got up and wandered off once he got over the scare, utterly unaware he scared the hell out of his original parents with the same stunt. That's where Cloud Voodoo started from."
Timoteo wrapped an arm around Fiorella at the soft pained noise she gave. They had three sons, the youngest of which was about that age.
…four. Thankfully their newly adopted in one was much older than that, but the scares in that case were as awful in their own ways.
"Sorry, but… it doesn't get much better from there." Admitted his Sun Guardian ruefully for them both, rubbing a hand across his eyes before taking a bracing breath and continuing. "Like I said, it's awful and… thank heavens Tats was there. She's got most of it locked down already, their methods and a way to copy it for someone else's benefit. Once Saint Julian's has the way to teach it, we're getting the doctor approved lesson plan for us and Mafia School. Timoteo… we need a wide-spread announcement that Voodoo like the de Mort siblings can do isn't normal. Straight up undeath, of just ignoring gunshots wounds that should kill them, is a top-tier Cloud skill. Skull's the most powerful Cloud in the world right now, his sister's a step away behind him in power at most. There's a limit to what a normal Cloud can do, there is a way to teach it pending medical approval, and slitting their throats isn't how you find out."
"…excuse me, dearest."
"Go."
Waiting just long enough for her to press a kiss to his cheek, the Sky swiped the memo pad to drop off the rudimentary to-do list in his office and got up. "Any advice to stave that off with?"
"Yeah, stop by the butcher's instead and ask for some organs for them to try it on first."
Visconti huffed at all of them in irritated aggravation.
Brow Nie was utterly unmoved. "How many pig eyes have you burned out, now? Want to contemplate trying to get that Voodoo to stick in an emergency instead?"
His Cloud answered with two middle fingers raised, which utterly confused Schnitten on his way into the partial dining and partial living room center of their wing.
Fiorella very pointedly cleared her throat, equally as unamused as his Sun Guardian. "This is a holy day, gentlemen. Behave yourselves."
His Rain Guardian cleared his throat awkwardly when that subject was dropped obediently. "Um… Timoteo?"
When he glanced over to see what he needed before running down to his office before rejoining them for Mass later, the Mafioso had two silvery-white metal bars in his hands held up to clearly be seen.
"And so it begins. Apparently again." Coyote mused very tartly as he got the last adult-sized plate to fill up. "Get used to it, Schnitten. You did Donna de Mort a favor, apparently this is how she says thanks."
"…oh. Well." Eyeing the palm-sized bits of precious metal first, then their Storm in something approaching questionably, and then risking a glance to be entirely certain their Sky didn't find it concerning or strange, he shrugged and tucked them into a pocket. "That's nice of her. Slightly… surprising she got into my bedroom to leave them, but nice."
"It's not going to stop at once."
"…oh no."
"Oh yes." Countered the other Mafioso pointedly, waving a pair of tongs over his shoulder. "She's been doing it to one of the maids for a few years, we didn't even notice. Skull said it'll take three or four years before you can nicely ask her to stop."
"The same maid that took young Shamal to the hospital wing, Fiorella." Timoteo informed his wife as he passed back her pen to hide in the decorative centerpiece of the table, now that he had his Sun Guardian's advice written exactly as he gave it. "She doesn't have an uncanny knack of finding lost things, she's the target of 'a thief's appreciation' like Schnitten is now."
"Oh that's lovely." Blinking when everyone eyed her in confusion, she pouted in mostly faked offense. "Her mother's ill, chronic and nothing to do about it. The only thing they can do is make her comfortable until the end, and that medication and the round the clock care is expensive. Most of Carmela Iannucci's pay is sent directly to the hospital her mother is at."
His Rain Guardian held up a finger. "I don't have an ill mother… can I-"
"Put up with it. Because you do deserve it." Fiorella finished for him firmly before biting into her last piece of toast. "Just because Sonya's a little… odd, does not mean you should disrespect her appreciation like that. Or ruin it for someone else, who I suspect hasn't been getting the benefit she deserved from it."
"I spent fifteen minutes trapped in my bathroom, utterly terrified of even touching them." Schnitten admitted very blandly and without care as he finished wandering to the table to eat his part of breakfast.
"Very sorry I didn't warn you it was going to happen, Timoteo and I are a little busy." Coyote defended himself waspishly, setting the final large plate in front of their Rain. "If you want to swap in for a couple hours here or there, I'd love the help."
"Ha… no. It'll take me hours to just catch up. I'll take whatever you're neglecting instead." Getting poked in the arm by a highly curious doctor, he dug out one of the bars for him as Timoteo passed them to leave. "Here. Stop it."
It was immediately passed on to the Mist Guardian, who almost as immediately passed it back. "Platinum."
"Not silver?"
"Nope."
"…damn." Brow Nie whistled in appreciation as he passed it back to the Mafioso it was left for.
"Ahem." Fiorella interrupted the by-play pointedly as Timoteo headed for the stairs down. "The children could be here momentarily, behave."
Yes, he did win the bet. Federico snuck him a cheeky wave before firmly leading Lucian Pello, the very Active child Sky and the last of Primo's bloodline who had been left running loose in Italia's countryside before Croquant Bouche could track him down with Ganauche the First's and Second's intermittent help, into the main room of the wing.
A good thing his Intuition nudged him to search for Lucian's end of the family line when it did, the young Sky had only been orphaned for two weeks before his Mist Guardian could get there. He had gotten a little wild on his own, surrounded by nothing but civilians entirely too willing to bend to his whims, but Fiorella was working on getting him firmly in hand.
Hopefully, Ganauche the Second was the only one the child would accidentally 'poach' out of ignorance. Timoteo didn't remotely mind, as his Ganauche the First would likely be healthy again come the end of the month, but he doubted any other Famiglia would be as permissive about suddenly losing key members like how that Harmony happened.
(Monday the 7th of February, 1972. Moneglia, Province of Genoa, Liguria, Italian Republic.)
"Jaq!"
The burly strongman swept Sonya off her feet to hug gleefully the moment he got himself wedged off the train's slightly inadequate doorway for someone of his size. "Little Sister Sonya!"
She couldn't help the startled laugh as she was gently squeezed to massive and completely bare pectorals, surprised at his very fluent Italian and frankly very happy to see him too. He might've been the Großes Volksfest's bouncer for the trapeze girls and strong arm in the dark for nasty types that got in on the sly, but she totally deserved him keeping an eye on her way back when. Besides, the guy was fun to drink with.
He hadn't ever blinked an eye at how much she could put away in a night.
The thief got perched on one broad, bare and still as dark as ever shoulder. Then Jaq turned on Skull with a broad shit eating grin and wide-spread arms. "Big Brother Cherep!"
"You saw me not too long ago, man." He whined in good natured humor, but he also didn't run from getting his own hug from the massively muscled black man. "It's good to see you too, Jaq. We got someone to introduce you to!"
Jaq looked down, because he always had to in order to meet new people.
Shamal had to stand on his tiptoes to wave a hand in his sight.
Leaning forward to see around his own damn muscles, the strongman instead knelt as he put a tolerant Skull to sit on his other shoulder. "Even Littler young… ah?"
"My godson, Jaq. Shamal."
"Littler Godson!" Snatching the kid up in one beefy mitt, the entirely over the top circus man tossed the highly amused Mist up to catch again in a better hold to put in Sonya's arms and balance them all on his shoulders as he got back to his feet. "I am Jaq, the Strongest Man of Africa! Behold my MIGHT!"
…this was what all his broken German had been about?
He was even sillier than Skull was.
Shamal couldn't stop his startled laughter for very long at all, warily eyeing the ground then the man who was posing with them in full view of the public with them on his shoulders. "Hi, Jaq. It's nice to meet you too."
"Yes! Now then, business!" He actually took a moment to pose with them in a slightly different way for everyone gaping at him. "I am the lead agent this time for the wonderous Großes Volksfest! I am to get all permits and permissions needed, then promote the traveling circus' arrival in a few days time!"
"We got your permits, you just have to turn them in at the courthouse as a member of the group." Skull informed him brightly as he put an elbow on top of the man's shiny shaved bald head.
"You have our permission to set up on the land we own, and we have the entertainer's certificates for you to put on a show in the commune." Sonya added in politely as she rested her boots against his bicep to account for the brat's wiggling as needed. "Including amenities, we put in a well in the clearing for you to use too so it's legally livable for a few days."
Shamal leaned forward in her lap to catch the amused strongman's eye in excitement. "I promoted you to all the people I could! My whole school, everyone here, and others!"
Jaq boomed a laugh and slammed one fist into his other hand to make a loud crack of pure skin against skin. "I have been preempted! Oh, alas!"
Yeah, sure he had. Everyone around the train station watching in fascination at the strongman casually balancing 'Miss Bazanova and her brother Mister Bazanov from the castle up the hill' on a shoulder now also knew what was going on and the circus would be here this week.
Shamal was pretty young yet, he couldn't get to everyone local to tell them all about what he was getting for his birthday.
Skull slipped off Jaq's shoulder the same time she did, before either of them strained the strongman's back at the tiny flex of both shoulders that let them know he was reaching his limit for the 'show'. Her brat's slightly disappointed 'aww' earned himself just another loud laugh as Sonya put him back on his own feet.
Jaq planted a massive hand on a hip and gave the kid a wry but still cheerful smile as he flexed his other in the air. "You have to be approved by our trapeze mistress before I am allowed to juggle you, Littler Godson Shamal! Soon! She and the rest of the Großes Volksfest will be here TOMORROW! We shall see to it THEN!"
The massive man still had massive lungs, go figure.
"I think we at least owe you a drink, Jaq." Sonya informed him dryly.
Skull barked a laugh as he put both hands behind his head just to grin as brightly as the strongman. "A drink? I think we owe him the entire bottle, Nya."
"Little Sister Sonya! Big Brother Cherep! No need to argue." Jaq paused and rubbed a hand behind his neck sheepishly. "The train was very small for me, yes. I would like a drink in a bottle, please."
She wasn't exactly sure who started the laugh, but it was pretty damn infectious and at least in good humor at the 'poor' man's expense.
He was very big and muscled, it made a few things rather awkward for him. Like fitting into places meant to be 'compact' or finding a damn shirt that fit him.
Pants, no problem. Shoes and socks, and other underthings, not as tricky but possible.
Shirt that could fit over his massive barrel of a chest without tearing?
Generally not something he found all that often. Everything she knew he had was made by the acrobats specifically to fit him, and he tried to save those for when it was freezing outside.
(ooo000ooo)
(Monday the 7th of February, 1972 continued. De Mort Castle, Moneglia, Province of Genoa, Liguria, Italian Republic.)
"When you get back, tell Master Liam we need to talk." Sonya told Jaq, after an entirely too long day of showing the African Strongman off locally and waiting while he stopped to speak to whoever didn't turn and walk quickly away from the chatty mountain of muscles. "We now know everything we need to in order to not needlessly risk his life. Or anyone else's. Whomever he feels needs to know, about Cherep's… ah… extra skill."
He shot a look at the open kitchen doorway, but the only one who could be seen was Ruslana and two of the maids. "Are you… certain, little sister?"
Figures Liam's way of talking had spread to even this man, now they had a decent language in common to fully communicate in. "That's me. My side of the coin. That's… not safe, Jaq. No, we got Skull's to work."
Pondering that, he shoved his empty plate to the side and leaned forward a little. "Are you sure? We had… curious lookie-loos very interested in the two of you recently."
"That was part of it. They agreed, Jaq. Skull's needed where he is."
Not being a very stupid muscle-bound man, Jaq slowly nodded thoughtfully. "You changed the game rules, little sister?"
Sonya smirked at the twist of his own mouth that could be mistaken for wry amusement on his face. "I love my brother, Jaq. And it's not in our natures to bend our necks easily to another's whims. We did change the rules here, we wrote them elsewhere. Time to set up the new pieces and see what gambits we can play with them."
She refused to teach him how to do what information gathering she could, some years ago. Suddenly reversing their silence on what they even were could really only mean one of so many options.
That something had changed was an easy and broad guess to make.
Jaq doffed an imaginary cap to her, then easily reached across the table to clap both her shoulders in his massive hands. "I am sorry the same cannot be done for you."
"I committed myself long before I met you, Jaq. I don't mind. I was raised to be what I am, and I'll do it happily. Skull… can't. It's just not him."
She got a light squeeze before he let her go and sat back. Sonya was kind of jealous, for all the power in his massive if purely human frame he could still be gentle with it. Envy was such a bitch.
"I should be quiet, yes?"
"Yes, it's still fragile. We can only do a little right now, but we can do more in time."
"It is how all good things start…" Jaq made another of those almost expressions, this one not at all able to be mistaken for positive. "…and many bad things. Let us hope this is a good thing."
"Presumably, it'll save lives." Sonya had gotten, through Dimitry and Tatiana, a copy of the early 'Flame users death toll' numbers leaking from Vongola as the bloody number kept rising the more famiglias reported their own numbers. Lisa heard through both her daughters and was scrambling to prevent the same damn thing from happening in Moscow too. "If those are good lives…? I can't tell you that, Jaq."
"Is good first step, no? First step, we will build from there for better."
She got up from her chair, which coincidentally was exactly when Skull came back with another of the bottles of whisky Vongola gave them to be manipulated into giving her brother exactly what he wanted. "Jaq! I got it!"
"Yes!" A glance told her he was fully aware he was being passed off and was utterly amused by that, but he had no reason to stop her slinking away.
Sonya slid into the kitchen, and Shamal grinned at her brightly as he took over keeping certain information to certain people. "Okay, Cesare. I need you to be on the same page as Skull and I, since you're here more than we are."
"…ah?"
"We're expanding Skull's network." The thief didn't lie a damn bit, that was literally what they were doing. "Usually he does things himself, but since he agreed to Don Vongola that he'll help whatever Don decides he's needed… he needs more people if he's caught out with public appearance needs on one hand and an emergency on the other. Not need, but wants to 'make up' for it before it can become a problem."
Her killer chef thought about that, hands still busy prepping the pie shell for Larion's filling. Spinning that down the counter the moment he deemed it done for his apprentice to fiddle with, the Mafioso turned to see her clearly instead of talking with her at his back. "Explain away then, Lovely Bossy Dragoness. The maids?"
"Shamal."
"They think you're talking about the favorite foods of all the people going to be here tomorrow." Volunteered the brat, still 'safely' doing his homework under Ruslana's eye as he had to for at least another week. "You're good, mamma, Cesare."
"The Großes Volksfest's how we initially figured out that… well, no. There was a Sun that decided to run in Moscow? Either him or Master Liam telling us that 'magicians had a strange tendency' to be Mists in hiding. That's how we figured out that willful asshole fucks with special skills also sometimes ran for it without knowing the Laws instead of stick around when dodgy types were after them."
Cesare thoughtfully frowned in puzzlement as he scrubbed his hands free of gritty flour on a hand towel hung from his oven's handle. "Where Skull met Viper, right?"
"Right. He waited for me to visit before confronting Viper, actually. The fucker ate popcorn while we were arguing after doing it too."
He gave her a wickedly amused grin.
Sonya rolled her eyes to show how little she cared that he found her amusing. "So. They're the oldest we know of and well established, where we started, they have their own network among their… type. Skull's co-opting them to doubly ensure there's no leaks there now he's got an excuse. They're not stupid, Jaq already knows you're 'not good' just like me. Master Liam's going to know on sight too. Tats is going to take Shamal and the dogs in 'disapproval' to help hammer that they should be cautious with this information home. Discourage any and all curiosity as you want, I really don't give a fuck. But that's why they're going to be here tomorrow, and why we'll be going heavily into the Flame stuff and what to look out for. I highly encourage you to eavesdrop."
"Would 'discouraging' anything hurt or help?"
"Probably will help reinforce the 'other side of this is so much worse' bit, so…"
"I'll speak with Skull about what limits he would prefer I stick to." Decided her Mafioso on his own, which was actually very sweet of him. Tapping a finger against his chin, he then slotted a skeptical look at the doorway to the dining hall. "He's… strangely wholesome, isn't he?"
"Jaq? Bouncer for the trapeze girls when they have persistent admirers, usually gets bribed with alcohol afterwards too." She gave him a wickedly amused grin of her own. "Also tends to be the arm in the dark, when they have 'nasty' types in need of watching like 'Big Brother Cherep's Little Sister Sonya'. It's how we started drinking together. Him and Faris, the stabby one when just an arm of muscle isn't enough to keep things peaceful and taught me to juggle knives. Muslim, so he doesn't drink, but Faris was the alternate."
Cesare barked a surprised laugh. "Really? Oh that's adorable. They do have claws."
"They have suspicions of me, and I'd prefer it stay suspicions." Continued the thief with his same darkly amused edge because it really hadn't been enough, had she actually had intentions like that. "Fon's fault, the jackass. But… well. No, Shanghai was entirely his fault."
He glanced pointedly at her, she glanced at Shamal's bowed head as he did multiple things that likely made his homework suffer in quality.
Humming the last of his faded amusement out as he likely did the right math in his head to realize that was when Renato shoved Shamal into her arms the first time to help with 'baby Mist brat' issues, Cesare then cocked an eyebrow at her.
"In the end, whatever happens or what's agreed to, I want you to know the faces of every single one of them. Just in case." Not to kill them but he could assume that if he'd like, Sonya didn't have a damn doubt Master Liam would stab himself before them in the back with the information dump they had to give him. "If any of them come back and they've bitten off more than they can chew… Cesare… I'd rather you stay alive. But if you can do anything…"
"…I shall use my best judgment, honey. And enlist some help if I require it from your menagerie, too."
She pointed in his face. "Stop gossiping with Galina, I give her enough to do and she went and added a husband on top of it all. She's got no room to give me a 'zoo'."
(Tuesday the 8th of February, 1972. De Mort Castle, Moneglia, Province of Genoa, Liguria, Italian Republic.)
Rubbing a hand over his own mouth vigorously, then patting his waxed mustachios back into place, Liam placed both elbows on his knees and clapped his hands together softly. "I wondered. I will admit to it freely. I… regret the truth of things."
"That's not 'I did not expect this', Master Liam." Skull de Mort pointed out for him, Big Brother Cherep's face in place of the stuntman's white-and-purple war paints.
There was less and less of a divide between the two faces these days, which was… sad. Cherep was kind because he was kind, Skull was more jaded and a touch cruel to protect his softer nature from unkind others. From the shadow of the unstated which even now touched his back in at least one way in the heart of his own home.
"If you travel the world as often as I do, you… see things. Wonderous things, horrific things. Your soul fire talent is uniquely beautiful, these Laws enforced on you are… starkly terrible." Liam glanced to the palmful of purple Flames lit in Little Sister Sonya's hand as she… watched. As always, just watching a touch removed. "Ah… no. I am not surprised. There is always more depth to everything than what you can see on the surface from merely passing by. I have… passed by quite a lot."
If the brother had switched to being just a bit jaded and crueler while still pursuing his dreams freely, the sister had… become far darker in nature for standing in place guarding his back. All the starker of a change from the inner light she jealousy held for them both, and a change equally as not regretted by the one showing it.
This one without the time at his side to adjust to, nor a crafted mask to blunt the shadowy edges of her now.
Little Sister was, as always, a brutally frank and blunt woman. At least some things never would change as much as other parts could.
"Crina would've crowed from the rooftops, that she was right." Jiayi informed this shadowed-shaded version of one of her acrobats, bluntly for she too was a woman of harsh self-honesty. "Shanghai had been the last straw for your temporary hiatus from… whatever you do. Had you continued, the 'old bat' as you called her would have figured it out before long."
Though it did a disservice to both these 'Clouds', Liam was honestly surprised Sonya seemed sad at the mention of her former master. She froze first, utterly still to the point even the fire held in her palm did not so much as flicker, and then slowly loosened that entirely too rigid self-control a little. For them.
Instead of immediately hiding, as her first instinct was very clearly pressing her to do.
Touched, he could only watch on himself as the light held in her hands went out and she slid from the couch she had placed herself on to watch her brother's back. In her own home, while he did something vastly uncomfortable for her to allow him to do without speaking one protest.
Going only as far as the doorway to this open doored parlor room, little sister beckoned to someone awaiting further down it.
"This, Jiayi, is why Shanghai happened." Sonya finally spoke up for herself, stepping slightly aside for an even younger girl to edge cautiously into view.
A younger Chinese girl, dressed in European fashions to have lived here for some time to be that comfortable in them.
Just a touch younger than she had been when she showed up to 'join' the Großes Volksfest regardless if Liam would allow it or not. Eyes as red as a fine Chinese fellow that liked to frequently check up on them whenever the circus traveled through his homeland, and only smiled politely when confronted about it.
Apparently, Liam owed that young man a heartfelt apology for undue suspicions. He had not been still searching for another of his type in his circus as feared… or at least, that was not his only motive.
His little sister fisted a hand into the very little shirt material of the woman that had obviously also decided to guard her, which oddly didn't have the older girl immediately moving to put space between them, biting her lip in uncertainty before speaking in decently serviceable Russian too… after her greeting. "Nínhǎo. I… aa… I apologize for dàgē, he is… forceful. We were running out of time, though that is still no excuse for what he participated in out of curiosity to see if Miss Sonya would… work."
"I think… I suddenly do not mind." Offered the circus master very dryly with a flick of a hand to help dismiss any blame that could need apologizing for. "It is hard to fault another for a desire to protect their family from cruelties and harm they know too well."
The little girl gave him a tremulous smile, though most of her attention was still fixed on her elder countrywoman who had practically stopped in place herself.
Less in grief, more in shocked wonderment.
Jiayi fell to her knees, still graceful as she always was, and the fierce silvered lioness from China impatiently beckoned the girl over to her. "Show me."
The even younger Little Sister lit three fingers with wavering blue Flames obediently, not yet secure enough to let go of the pale and yet dark guardian she had been placed with.
Skull made a motion he caught only out of the corner of his eye, and Liam allowed the stuntman to physically haul him out of the way of the tenuous connection being forged. Hauled right off his own feet, gingerly set on the floor safely out of the way from distracting either, and they both made haste out of there much to Sonya's annoyed irritation.
Almost like old times, escaping the annoyed and irritable Little Sister uncertain of what to do with him near the end of her tenure with his circus. As always, with the Big Brother's gleefully willing help.
"It's bad, don't get me wrong." Skull quietly informed him as they wandered with a purpose outside and away from the delicately new female sensibilities being forged. "It's really bad in some places, here specifically. Doesn't even exist, in others. I can't run, so… I'll face it instead. I can maybe do something, just a little. So the next one won't have to face what we did."
"Skull… Little Sister Sonya is…"
"She was always going to be that. It's not that they got to her early, it's just… even if that hadn't been what she ended up as, it's her nature. You don't blame a hunting dog for hunting. Nor a cat from toying with mice they catch. Nya is nice… sometimes. You just have to earn it first."
"Did we?" Liam wondered whimsically, thinking back to the open clearing they had for free to rest themselves in just to entertain her godson for his day of birth and any other paying customers interested to see what they can do.
For that alone he would've deviated the route this last year, rest stops were few and far between when he had to afford them for his circus performers on their own merits. Little Sister insisted on paying for the 'imposition' anyway on top of it all, and he was not so proud to turn that down when the road was never assuredly safe for all. If any former members could pay, they all insisted on paying what they could regardless of what puffed up false offense he tried to give.
"You stuck Jaq on her. Immediately. Recognizing she was not… nice, before anything could even happen. She respects due caution of her, disdains ignorance of the same."
"…we did." Ah… you'd think he would have learned his lesson by now, not all questions should be answered.
"Fon is fucking useless. Good muscle to have with you in a pinch, don't expect much else from him." Skull advised dryly, for some strange reason fascinated by the concrete drive that led to his very impressive home under his heavy boots. "Mingxia, the girl's, older brother. You've… probably seen him around in a very specific place."
"A very good not quite a guess, my friend. Yes. We both have… occasionally seen him from time to time. Have you forgiven him?"
"I tried, for years, to see if Nya would let me abscond with her. Elsewhere. Just… somewhere else. She'd always, every time, just watch me or read quietly while I did so. Until I said something stupid. Then she'd respond. Kind of hard to blame him for succeeding where I failed."
"Envy is a cruel mistress." Offered the circus master sadly. "The heart is not nearly so smart. I suspect… there was a reason Little Sister Sonya never agreed or turned your offers down."
The stuntman laughed, not happily. "Because she knew we just didn't know enough to make it for long, that where we were was actually decent for us if I'd just look around… but she wouldn't put that on me when I wasn't okay and she was already trying to figure out what was possible for us. Fon just got the luck to be able to do it for his little sister instead."
Eying the man, Liam gestured vaguely in the direction they had just left. "That is… an unbalanced burden. Your Little Sister Sonya and his Little Sister Mingxia are not similar. Your sister is very dark natured, more so now than before yes. Even then, she still was if you knew how to look for it. His sister is very… not. I think, Skull… you may need to reverse the roles here. This Fon character protected his adored sibling with the nature she had not, your own sibling protected you with the nature you have not. Not honestly."
"…well, excuse me for not being a total asshole."
He chuckled with actual humor, certain he had the last missing piece to make sense of the strange tension they suffered through the entire 'explanation' of only parts of a whole. "She's mad at you?"
Skull made a face right on back, not offended nor shy of his own faults or that he was amused at finding one. "I… forgot. Nya uses me to measure her morality, it's really the only way it works for her. She knows right from wrong in a logical way, just sometimes she doesn't care what it is. When it hits that point, then she uses what I'd be okay with to help her… not be… very bad. Except…"
"You are her adored big brother. The one she will face down everything and anything for."
"When my assumed, not my own, morals get bent out of the way," he agreed very dryly, "then she still holds that past-me opinion in mind instead of asking me what my current opinions are. And I've said some stupid shit to her about what's right and what's wrong for years while I figured out what even were my morals. This time was just… it wasn't fair of me to expect them not to care. Hell, my brother-in-law cares, his boss cared enough to import my older sister for half a damn month because of it. But that's Tats for you, nurse and the wholehearted healer she is no matter how 'dark' she's okay with. She picked someone who has a heart and isn't afraid of using it. I didn't care, Nya did care, and that left her a bit… bewildered and confused when I wouldn't listen. And now really mad at me for not caring or respecting that she does care without needing me to guide her to realize it."
"It was not us she's wary of."
"It's me." Skull confirmed simply with an equally simple shrug. "Nya's still adjusting to the fact I was wrong, she was right, and that it wasn't alright. She's not used to being the moral one."
"I believe… you have just told me a little fib." Liam pointed out for the younger man brightly. "Is it moral to not let another drown if you can help? You are not fit for what darkness she dwells fully in. You… do not have to."
He held up a hand to waggle back and forth. "Have to, no. I could leave. Nya would let me. That whole side of the mess she's hip deep in is sticky, Liam. She'd let me leave… but those like her wouldn't. Where I am now is a kind of precarious middle ground. I technically am and technically am not."
"Well… who else is best fit to balance on that tightrope than a circus performer?" Tapping the stuntman squarely in the chest, Liam could only smile broadly. He had always been fond of these siblings, more of one than the other true, and he was now equally charmed to see them holding steady for the exact reason he found them admirable. "You have not lost your kindness, you gave it to your sister. I am… heartened to see this was not misplaced."
"…did I?"
"It has more contrast with her, when she chooses to give it. She is dark for all her paleness in features, yes… but once 'proven' worthy, the depths of her kindness has expanded greatly from when I last saw her."
"We know more… hell, Liam. We didn't know shit when we left with you that first time. All the basics maybe, nothing higher than that."
Waving that off, the master of the Großes Volksfest could only spread his arms wide. "That does indeed allow you both to feel 'safer' in many respects. To take calculated risks and gambles on others with their own if slightly less fiery wills to do what they will with it. That… wouldn't make Little Sister kind. She was not kind when you both joined us, Skull. Caring, yes. Loved you greatly and was utterly unashamed of her filial love that drove her to remain so long past what she would have tolerated otherwise. Concerned enough to spread her own guarding as thinly as she could over my whole circus, and that loyalty to something only tangentially connected to you? Was not kindness. It was doubt of us, nothing really altered that. Showing Jiayi her little gifted cousin she guards here and now as she once guarded you? To allow my old friend to regain some of her faith and love for her homeland and her people that she witnessed be damaged? That… that is kindness. Unsought, startling kindness."
The laugh he earned this time was brighter, more Cherep's than Skull's jaded and sharply humorless bark. "It's not one way. I'm more used to and can deal with her side of the coin… and she's getting the same thing in reverse. We're paired, Liam. It's not well understood, but sometimes there's another of your same shade you're compatible with. Things then start to… blend. Hell man, I forgot she's 'eroding' the same degree as I am. Who knows when that started for her, I'm just realizing some bits of it now."
"She gave you her natural thorns to use yourself, you gave her your kindness to protect. A fair trade, yes?"
"Yeah, actually. I'm utterly okay with this." The boyish grin of excitement was all the Big Brother, not the famed stuntman. A bit more the honest curiosity and glee of finding something new that had this man following Liam across the world several times, even if the route rarely changed all that much. "Thanks, Liam!"
"I am always pleased to be of service to old friends."
Skull didn't need the words pointing out his aims, and he could only ruefully shrug in return. "If it was just them, I'd still be going with. It'd take me another month or so, but I could've caught up to you. It's… there's another thing, we can't even figure out which side of the coin it's coming from. We don't expect it to end well, not from how it started and how it's going. Nya knew of it, but not a whole lot more. And I can't say it's not needed, but one week every other month is a little much to ask of you."
Liam stroked his waxed mustachio thoughtfully. "I am not certain I can even begin to guess, and to be frank I have had more than enough truths to fill me up for now. In summary, Skull… yes. All I spot are indeed due warning, and if possible I shall be the one to give word to those in need with your very bright skills. I find this request of yours quite admirable, for whatever recompense it is to earn or need it fills."
"They admitted there's a need, so I am to be left to do my own thing as long as they see that need. Despite the fact the expectation is that I am to go… as dark as Nya is. I can spread that."
"I am glad to be your balancing weight as you walk that tightrope. If I can make it easier, I shall."
"Nya tried, once, to get the enforcers to not arrest or leave behind this guy who got used in something… naughty. It failed, Liam. So… don't risk yourself. We can't do anything if it happens."
"I am the master of a Traveling Russian Circus, my friend. I know my risks, and I know what I can risk. With what you've given me, I can now also clearly see what you risked so I may see these new ones in full for myself and those that follow me. I will not betray the faith you have in me to navigate the road, no matter the pitfalls in the way."
"Vipes still owes you one, Master Liam." Skull instructed pointedly with a waggle of a finger. "One. You have an emergency 'oh shit' panic button, will probably get a physical trinket to break that's literally it. Try to never use it, Vipes rarely gives out favors… about as bad as my little sister about it. You let me go early to nurse Vipes back to health, and that one has ledgers to balance and never forgets what's due. But they're also a lot more… patient about owing someone as long as there's structure to it than Nya is."
"That… is actually uniquely different. How strange, and wonderful. If you can, assure them that if I am 'owed' then that is the only cause I will deem important enough to use it in."
He may be losing yet another friend to the long road of life, but in this case Liam was well reassured the cause was as worthy. It may not be a marriage, or the expectation of a child's birth, or worse yet a death of the individual… but to be the living torch in this darkness for others to follow safely through it was a delight to assist in.
(Friday the 11th of February, 1972. Lando's flat, Ancona, Province of Ancona, Italian Republic.)
"Spent the entire day just dodging around this little lioness of a Chinese grandmother. She'd pop by for just three seconds to ensure the brat was enjoying himself with whomever wanted to regale him with stories or show off their own talents to him, then run off again before the 'mistress of the trapeze' could catch her." Cesare brightly reported because he was still six different shades of an asshole, like all of them… remaining. "Right on up until the very 'last' show of the night, then the Lovely Bossy Dragoness finally let herself be 'caught' to do a part of the high wire act."
Lando paused just to roll his eyes, then refocused on the tiny slivers of bone that needed to be carved out for his… only real use these days. Just because he had an 'exploratory' surgery next week didn't mean he could afford to not do what he was paid for. Literally couldn't afford it, whatever happened he still needed to eat something.
"Shockingly skilled at it, though my poor little heart could've done with a warning of her high-wire antics."
"You got a point for this bragging, Cesare?"
"There's always at least three levels, if not more." Turning from the shop stock he had yet to take in to be hawked for him, the professional chef shot him a pointed look. "Renato chose finely for his own tastes. It started simple, yes. But now it's never obviously what's on the surface, Lando. The circus ended up being 'expanding Skull's network with Don Vongola's permission to expand into Italy' on top of 'Shamal's birthday present', and then under it all there was 'reassuring the locals that the boss' habits were natural'. 'Miss Bazanova' dislikes being publicly confronted, she will dodge it if she sees it coming. Everyone in Moneglia and Sestri Levante were able to witness the same first-hand… and what lengths she will go to do so."
"And then…?"
"Let me eavesdrop on the solely Flame centric stuff for my own information, now I am unable to be parted from them."
…had Renato survived, Lando would've owed him a punch to his smug face. Lucky bastard. "And she was alright with him? His whole… everything? Natalina wasn't alright with everything Renato was, and she went into that with eyes wide open."
Cesare scoffed dismissively at the mention of the hit woman and flipped a hand in his face. "I wasn't there, Lando. I only saw them together once, when he introduced me to her. She had no blessed clue why or for what reason a Mafioso brings another to someone intimate to them, just merely I was a man he trusted and he wanted me to take over her kitchen. She looked at him, looked at me, and let me have a fair shot to earn it while they sorted out moving Shamal from the church he attended in the Iron Fort to her place. Interestingly, while the Lovely Bossy Dragoness is not always loquacious… her brother is. And saw them together thrice himself, twice with their circus and once at her own home in Moscow. Between Skull and Natalina… I do believe we have most of the full picture."
"It's Renato. We know fuck all." Per usual.
"You could just ask… but her wound from his loss is still raw even now, she will cry on you."
Lando angrily threw the fine carving knife to stick into a corkboard for later, even if that made him need to resharpen his blades entirely too often. With his leg missing, the few shortcuts he still had to pay for were mildly less aggravating than stomping his way across the room to put it away properly. Which he still had to fucking do anyway, but at least he wouldn't be falling over his own damn ass with a blade in his hands if his prosthetic caught on something again.
The new cuttlebone carved relief was tossed at the other Mafioso's head to be added to the, thankfully free, running around he'd be doing for him. Delivering things for him, while he finally got off his ass to limp and stagger his way to the airport.
"…do you think it'll work?"
Cesare took a moment to admire the image of the Virgin Mary left exposed in the bone, then added it to the collection he was responsible for delivering. "I saw, with my own eyes, Skull take a bullet through the neck. Then grin. Perfectly alive, and I know for a fact it hit his artery with that bullet. That volume of blood spray only means one thing. But no, stood there perfectly utterly fine and unconcerned and talked. Natalina… ran across Sonya and one of her Chinese friends after she got shot in the chest twice. Didn't even suspect the woman had been shot not seconds beforehand. They are trying to see if their undeath will work for others, Lando. And so far… so far it seems to be possible."
"To this degree?" Lando countered pointedly, both hands indicating where Renato chopped his damn leg off to stop the eternal burning. It had been messy, mid-thigh, and that he wasn't eaten alive by 'Storm Flames' was the only damn blessing to be had.
It hadn't even started badly, just a slight burn on the side of his calf. The problem with Storm Flame users was if you didn't kill them their will could continue to burn. The scramble to try to find the fucker once Renato realized why the burn kept growing from Lando's own semi-delirious explanation… Cesare only got there well after the 'Sun' hitman had to amputate to keep it all contained to that limb alone.
Frankly, he'd rather lose a leg than his dick. Renato's fucking guilt complex for having the ability yet being unable to use it on them fully could go take a damn hike, they all knew better than to expect him to be able to heal everything.
They had all also known that if Renato pressed it to try… it'd still go worse than just leaving it be. Black and necrotic, instead of healthy new flesh. They weren't 'Flame users' like him, Flames did some nasty shit to those unable to use it. Just burns were the least of a guy's worries when they got mixed in.
"I will admit… you are the 'shot in the dark'. The proof of concept, to see the limitations."
"Great… long-shots. I fucking hate long-shots."
"She is still willing to try. For free. We're paying her nothing to do it." Cesare pointed out calmly, tapping the pads of his fingers against his mouth rapidly in thought. "Regardless of why, and I know it is not to gain herself another Mafioso because she barely has any idea what to even do with me except keep me in the loop, I appreciate it. Not just her, Lando. Tatiana, the lovely dear, got you in because you are one of us and Renato gave us to her sister to stand in for him if he… failed to survive. If all else she can do fails… Skull is standing by. You will likely be moved to him, the original undead Cloud, to see what his ability can do for you."
…Lando still really hated that fucker. Lightly, in a friendly 'why the fuck are you so shit to be not friends with' kind of way. He wasn't even still around to be punched in the face when his manipulative bullshit started getting out from under him. However magically he found a girl willing or able to put up with it all on her own, it was all still utter shit she got stuck holding a damn kid alone in the end.
You couldn't even hate Renato for doing it to her either, it was the damn godson. He didn't knock her up before he got his ass killed, intentionally or not, but it still fucking felt that way.
"…can I at least piss on his grave? Once?"
"Still have no idea where it is, but there's an empty one with a nice gravestone next to the brat's parents." Cesare offered cheerfully like the utter asshole he and they all were. "Which… now you bring it up… is Shamal's stance of what happened to his godfather. Until there's a grave and a body, he flatly refuses to hear that the Mafioso that came back for him is dead. Skull and Sonya are slowly stealing chinks out from under him gently, so he can't blindly believe it, but… I've only been warned of a Mist tantrum. I'd like to see it at least once if you don't mind."
"Fuck you, Cesare. You voted yourself the consigliere, fucker. You stick your finger into that trap if you're so fucking curious."