Amongst the fighting a single, painful yell could be heard. Yuko saw it all happen and knew this was going to turn into another incident. Everyone turned and saw Shiori on top of her captive, her teeth sunken into the neck and her nails ripping into the skin. She was growling like a beast. She ripped a chunk of muscle off with her teeth. She dropped it and snickered.

"Shiori?" Lussuria asked, terrified of what she did. The only person who wasn't in shock was Yuko. Shiori stood up and turned to face everyone with a bloody face. She looked around the room.

"It hurts." Shiori said lifelessly.

That's when Nono saw a familiar gold knife in her hand. She must have taken it from the restaurant. "What's wrong with her?" Levi asked Yuko.

"It's a little difficult to explain."

Shiori took a single step, terrifying the men. She smiled at that. She flipped the knife in her hand a couple of times. When she caught it, she sped off with insanity filled eyes and a rough cry. It was like the first night the Varia met Shiori. She didn't have any hesitation when it came down to stabbing her victims. To top it all off, she was smiling as if she enjoyed it. The men all turned on Shiori in an instant. She threw the knife into a man's back. When it made impact, a large hole was made.

"What the hell?" Someone yelled with shock. Yuko started shooting at Shiori.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Squalo yelled.

"I'm saving our asses!"

Shiori picked up the knife and threw it at a small group of men. It grazed a few of their cheeks. The scratches caused their heads to explode. She laughed at what happened, finding the bloodshed humorous. Nono knew exactly why Shiori was sick when he saw her last. She isn't sensitive to flames. She has a flame too powerful for her body to contain. Men were running out the building, screaming for their life. Shiori ran after them. She wasn't going to let anyone leave. Yuko aimed and fired a bullet into Shiori's arm. Yuko gasped when Shiori kept running. That bullet was supposed to stop Shiori. It was supposed to put her to sleep. A few gunshots were heard. Shiori fell backwards. She tried to get up with a growl but was shot again. Nikita walked in, her gun aimed at Shiori.

"Stay down, comrade." She spoke quietly.

"Sis?" Yuko said with surprise. She didn't think Nikita would show up as backup. Nikita looked at Nono.

"I'm not well-versed in flames. I do know you are, Vongola." She spoke, still aiming her gun at Shiori.

"What's wrong with her?" Nono asked, walking over. Shiori was struggling to get up. She was trying to crawl away. She was running purely on instinct alone.

"She got a lot stronger." Yuko spoke sadly.

"I can see that. It usually took one bullet to stop her. Now, it takes multiple." Nikita mentioned.

Nono walked over and crouched down to see if she was alright. "Shiori?" She yelled and tried to attack him. He got out of the way in time before she could harm him. Xanxus walked over to them. "Xanxus?" Nono questioned.

"Move." Shiori looked up with a snarl. Those dull eyes didn't hide her anger for the world. They showed what she felt, what she endured. It was almost as if he was looking into a mirror. It didn't suit her at all.

Shiori jumped and grazed her nail against Xanxus' cheek. The small scratch wasn't a big deal. He could feel her flame throughout his body. It burned him, but his flame burned worse. Blood spat from the scratch. It was as if his flame was pushing hers out.

"It didn't kill him…" Nikita said with disbelief.

Xanxus wrapped his arms around Shiori, making sure she couldn't move her arms to attack him anymore. She struggled, making him fall down. He still held her tightly, resting his head in the nook of her shoulder. This way, she wouldn't be able to bite him. Xanxus just wanted this to be over. He didn't want to see Shiori like this. She stopped struggling and took deep breaths after a tense ten minutes. She was finally calming down.

Nikita took out a cigar with a sigh. "Clean up." Men came in behind her and started to take the bodies out. Shiori's breathing became normal. Her whole body seemed to be relaxed.

"Well?" Bel asked his boss.

"She's sleeping." Everyone released a sigh of relief.

"That was close." Yuko said happily.

"Vongola." Nono looked at Nikita. "I take back what I told you earlier."

"You do?"

"Unless your men kill mine, I won't attack you." Nikita's words surprised everyone in the room.

"Sis?" Yuko asked with shock.

"It's always good to be wrong once in a while, Yuko. Besides, that man can help her in a way none of us ever could."

"Are we allies with the Vongola now?" Yuko asked again.

"No." Nikita answered.

"I'd say we're at peace." Nono said, keeping his eyes on his son.

"No one could calm Shiori down all those years back. All we could do was to keep her down there for days until she calmed down." Nikita explained.

"Will she be alright?" Nono asked.

"She'll be exhausted for a couple of days. There have been times where she pukes up blood. Other than that, she should be just fine after that. Besides, you know more about flames than I. Hopefully, you can find a way to save her from herself."

"I'll do everything in my power to help her."

Nikita looked at Shiori and smiled. "Let's go, Yuko."

"Huh?"

"She found her place. There's no need to worry."

"Even if they're Vongola?" Yuko questioned.

Nikita glared at Yuko. "I don't give a damn who they are. I won't be the one to destroy her happiness and if you do anything to destroy that, Yuko, I'll have you severely punished."

"Yes, ma'am." Yuko looked at Shiori. This would probably be the last time Yuko would see Shiori. At least, that's what she felt. Yuko looked at Nikita's face and frowned. Even Nikita was holding her emotions back.

"Let's go. We still have work to do." Nikita walked out of the building.

"I'll be there in a second." Yuko walked over to Shiori who was still sleeping. She smiled. "I guess this is goodbye for a while. You know, this is the first time I've seen you happy in years. It breaks my heart knowing you weren't happy with us, but Nikita said you found your place. I'll have to trust her on that." Yuko pushed a piece of Shiori's hair out of her face. "Don't be afraid to come to us when you have problems. You have a bad habit of bottling everything up. You've always been like that. We've all betrayed the world once. We won't hesitate to do it again as long as it's for your sake." Yuko looked at Xanxus. "I leave her in your hands, Xanxus. Please, save her. This is my only request."

The entire hotel lobby had a depressing air to it once Nikita and her men left. Nono sat down and looked at everyone recovering. "Why was Yuko sad about leaving?" Bel asked no one in particular.

"Shiori is important to them. They've known each other for more than nine years." Lussuria replied.

"That isn't it, Lussuria." Everyone looked at Nono. "They're constantly being targeted. They live knowing today could be their last day. It's why Nikita only recruits the best of the best." Nono responded with his head hung low.

"Why do you think Shiori is important to Nikita?" Squalo asked.

"I'm not sure. They didn't say when I asked."

Xanxus stood up with Shiori in his arms. "Boss?" He ignored everyone and took the elevator up. They all wondered what Yuko said to Xanxus before she left. Squalo followed after him. Something was wrong. Squalo opened the door to the room without even knocking. Shiori was underneath the blankets. Xanxus sat at the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands.

"Boss?" Squalo called out. He didn't answer. Squalo shut the door behind him and walked over to the bed. "What's gotten into you?" He saw a small tear fall. "Why are you crying?"

"You wouldn't understand." Xanxus replied.

"Try me." Squalo scoffed.

Xanxus looked defeated and raised his head. "When she finally calmed down, the real her came back. I felt everything she felt all at once."

"Like the way she could feel your emotions?"

Xanxus nodded. "I've never felt so afraid in my whole life. What the hell made her feel that? Why did she freak out when her hair was touched?" Xanxus questioned.

"I…don't know."

"What the hell happened to her?"

Squalo stayed silent. He didn't know anything and refused to tell Xanxus about her arm. "Boss." Mammon came into the room.

"What do you want?"

"She's alright."

"And?" Xanxus questioned.

"I checked her mind when she fell asleep. Her flame was fully activated, but it hasn't caused any damage to her. I had a nice conversation with her."

"Did she freak out?" Squalo asked.

"No. She's somehow always been able to sense my presence. Plus, with everything she's seen, a floating baby didn't bother her." Mammon responded.

"Why are you telling me this?" Xanxus asked.

"She could see everything that happened but didn't have control of her body. She couldn't hear anything but what Yuko told her."

"She didn't have control?" Xanxus questioned.

"It's her survival instinct. In her words, 'I became a monster to survive that hell'." This didn't help the two men feel any better.

"You know what happened, don't you?" Xanxus said.

"I do."

"Did you force your way into her memories like you do everyone else?"

"No. She showed me on her own accord."

"What did you see?" Xanxus asked, interlocking his hands.

"She told me not to tell anyone. In fact, she's adamant about you not finding out."

Frustration filled Xanxus. "Why?"

"I don't know."

Xanxus abruptly stood up and left the room. Mammon and Squalo looked at each other. "This isn't good. The boss is being obsessive." Mammon commented.

"I'm aware. It's gotten worse over time. What can we do about it?" Squalo asked.

"We can't cut them off completely. It's something we need to figure out before the battles. We can't have boss distracted. He needs to win."

Squalo looked at Mammon seriously. "Do you think it'd be dangerous for us to keep in contact with her?"

"That's a possibility, but there's a sense of harmony between us with her around. Just think about the first time you all met her. She instantly fit with us. It was as if she's been with us for years."

"We can't involve her, Mammon. Not for the battles."

"The battles are nothing compared to real life, Squalo."

"I know."

The two sighed. This was a strange predicament to be in. It's something none of them thought they'd face. Xanxus came back to the room. "Are you good, boss?" Mammon asked.

"I'm making her tell me what happened." Xanxus declared.

"If she tells you, will you tell her of our job?" Mammon questioned.

"No."

"That's selfish." Squalo commented.

"I don't care."

"You don't want to do this, Xanxus. She's a lot more messed up than you think. One wrong move and you'll never see her again." Mammon warned. The things he saw would make anyone queasy. For a seasoned assassin like Mammon, it made him feel sick.

"I won't know until I see."

Unfortunately for the three in the room, I was already awake, listening to them talk. It didn't settle right with me that Xanxus would force me to speak. I understood they were hiding something, but I already had a suspicion of their occupation. No. I already knew. Everyone has something to hide. It's why I understood. It was soon night time. Xanxus was sleeping beside me with his back facing me. I got up and washed all the blood off me. I wouldn't want to grab anyone's attention. I took the box Nikita gave me and then left the room. I've caused enough trouble as it is. The hallway was dimly lit. There was a small voice telling me to stay, but I ignored it.

"Leaving already?" I saw Mammon for the first time in real life.

"Mammon…"

"Are you shocked?" He asked.

"I can't deny my surprise, but you did warn me."

"Are you leaving because of what Xanxus said?" He must have known I was awake.

"I've caused enough trouble as it is. I wouldn't be able to stand myself if I stayed." I said quietly.

"Is it because you lost control?" I nodded and kept walking.

Mammon caught up to me. "Shiori."

"I have a lot in my past I need to face. I'm only using everyone here as a crutch." I admitted.

"You've only been using us to run away from the past?" He questioned, not sure how to take it.

"I tried to, but the more I'm around you, the more my past comes back. I don't want to face it."

"What's your relationship with Nikita? It has to be something more than you being Yuko's obsession." I sighed heavily and stopped. I let my head hang low.

"She was someone I'd see every so often at Genzo's shop. I'd serve her tea. That's it." Mammon knew I lied. "I need to go, Mammon."

"Let me go with you to the train station. It'll give everyone some sense of security."

"Alright." Mammon followed after me.

Tokyo was lit up as usual, but it was slowing down. Salarymen were sleeping on the side of the streets. Drunks were wobbling home. Gangs were patrolling their territory. "Where will you start?" Mammon asked me in regards of my past.

"I'll start from the beginning and then work up to the present. At least, I'll try to." I said, enjoying the fresh air.

"What started everything?"

"It all started with death and will end in more death. It's always been like that." We got to the station.

"This is as far as I can go. Be safe, Shiori."

"I will, Mammon."

"If anything happens, you can always call us."

"I'll be fine. I'm more than capable of handling any situation." I turned and walked onto the train. Luckily for me, I was on the last train home. I turned to face the door and saw someone standing next to Mammon. The train was empty. I was the only one who was riding it. Somehow, it made me feel at ease. The quiet really helped me think. "I guess it's time for me to see you again." I muttered to myself.

Nono stood next to Mammon as Shiori got on the train. "I'm surprised you followed us." Mammon said.

"I'm concerned about her."

"I think that's one of Shiori's hidden abilities. She makes everyone worry about her." Mammon said with a small smile.

"It certainly is a power of hers." Nono mused happily.

"Do you think she's been using us for emotional support?"

"That was a lie, Mammon." Nono turned around.

"I can't tell with her. It's frustrating."

"I think no one in the world can tell with her." Nono commented with a small frown.

"What do you think of her power, Nono?"

"That will be for another day, Mammon. Let's go back to get some rest. Despite what you say, you're just as worried as everyone else."

Mammon didn't answer and followed Nono back to the hotel. The next morning, Xanxus woke up and didn't see Shiori. She was probably downstairs eating since he couldn't hear the water running. However, when he saw the table full, Shiori wasn't occupying any seats.

"Good morning, boss." Levi put a plate of food where Xanxus was eating.

"Is Shiori still sleeping?" Lussuria asked.

"She wasn't in the room when I woke up. I thought she'd be here." Xanxus replied.

"She went home." Nono said at the opposite side of the table.

"How do you know?" Xanxus questioned.

"Mammon brought her to the train."

"Why did she leave?" Xanxus questioned.

"She needed to deal with personal issues." Nono replied.

"What issues?"

"I don't know."

"Calm down, boss. You need to focus on the upcoming battles." Mammon said, but it didn't calm Xanxus down at all. It only pissed him off.

It's been a few days since I arrived home. We were on our winter break. Mom's stuff wasn't in the house anymore. I guess she moved out as quickly as possible. Today, I decided to make a stew for dinner. It's freezing cold outside, so dad would really appreciate it. However, it's getting late and he should have been home by now. I put a jacket on and walked outside. I'll go check his work to see if he's still there. The company didn't mind me coming in to check on dad. In fact, they thought it was cute. So, I went and entered the office door.

"Ah, Shiori, are you here to find your dad?" The receptionist asked.

"I am."

"He left an hour ago. He probably went to the store to get you something sweet." The receptionist said with a bright smile. Dad was always fond of telling everyone about me.

"Thank you. I'll check." I left with a feeling on unease.

He should have been home by now. Hopefully, he's at a store somewhere. I entered the convenience store. He wasn't here. So, I bought a small cookie for a needed sugar rush and checked out. Surprisingly, I saw Gokudera. We locked eyes and he blinked a few times. He was probably figuring out how he knows me.

"Aren't you in my class?" He asked.

"I am."

"What's your name again?"

Did he forget about me? "Shiori."

"Oh! You're the one everyone talked about. You did well during the play."

"Thank you." I paid and took the cookie.

"What are you doing out late? You'll get hurt by thugs. They're out this time of night." He said with worry.

"I'm looking for my father." I gave a small bow and left. I didn't want to involve anyone with my personal affairs.

I kept walking around town. I couldn't find him anywhere. So, I went home to see if he arrived. Before I could open the door, I heard a rustling from inside. I immediately took a few steps away and hid. "She isn't here." I heard a voice.

"How hard is it to find one girl? Her father was easy to find."

"She's a snake." My eyes widened. It was mom's voice. "Where did you end up dropping him off?" Mom asked.

"The park. No one will find him alive."

My body shook with anger. It took every fiber of my body not to go in and lose control. It'd be the only time I'd willingly lose control. Once they left, I got out of my hiding spot. I ran to the park. I didn't have time to waste. Unfortunately, I ran past Kyoya. I didn't have time to react. I just had to run. At the park, I saw a small trail of blood. I followed it and heard a groan. There lying against a tree was dad. He was bruised and had cloth in his mouth to prevent him from screaming.

"Dad." His eyes widened when he saw me. I took the cloth out of his mouth.

"Run." He said weakly, looking behind me.

"What?" I looked back and saw Kyoya and his dad. "I'm not leaving you." My grip on him tightened.

"You'll get hurt. You've been hurt enough as it is."

I refused to leave his side. I'd rather die than leave him. "Let's get you to the hospital." I said calmly. I tried to smile.

"How? We're trapped. You can get out safe if you leave without me." Dad responded.

"They're just watching to see what I'll do."

"There's nowhere to run, little bird." The Kyoya's dad said in a taunting voice. I ignored him and kept wrapping dad's wounds with pieces of cloth.

"It looks like she's mute from fear." A familiar taunting voice replied to my silence. It was Kyoya's uncle, the more annoying one out of the brothers.

"It seems so." The two laughed. Once dad's major wounds were all wrapped up, I gave a sigh. "If you come with us, we'll make sure your father makes a full recovery. If not, you'll watch your father die." Dad looked at me with disbelief. He didn't know what to do. I didn't either. I stood up and faced the three.

"Promise?" I asked.

"We promise."

"Let's make a promise with blood." I suggested to them. I walked over and held my hand out.

I was handed a knife. "If you can even cut yourself, I'll consider it. You're a weak bird." Kyoya's father said.

"You need to make it a considerable cut too." The uncle said with a smile.

Kyoya just stared at me silently. Without hesitation, I cut my palm. A considerable amount of blood fell from the wound. They stared with surprise. "See? Look at all the blood that's flowing out of my hand." I moved my hand and fingers around. "I want to see your blood." The three froze.

"You actually did it." Kyoya's father said with disbelief.

"Where's your end of the deal? Or are you more of a coward than I am?" I taunted them with an innocent smile.

"Don't cut yourself for a bird, brother. I'll do it."

"I don't believe you made the promise. Stay out. I don't want your blood." I said with a glare. The man scoffed and took out another blade and made a small cut.

"I never knew you'd go to such extreme lengths."

He still didn't shake my hand. "I'm waiting for you to shake." I said.

"I don't want to get anything from your impure blood." He said with disgust.

"That's a shame. I'd say the same, but I'm no coward. Give me your worst." I said with an equal amount of disgust. He was reacting the way I wanted him to react. He was unsure but hated being taunted by me. It was such a great thing to see. In the end, he shook my hand.

"Brother!"

"I must say you improved with your taunts." My grip tightened. An ambulance came and took dad away. We still held hands. "I think that's enough hand holding. Come with us."

"As you wish." The younger brother bandaged my hand up. "That's awfully nice considering what you did to my father." I spat.

"It'd be a shame to have your blood over our beloved town."

Once I was all bandaged up, I followed the three. The two men led the way while Kyoya was slightly in front of me. I couldn't help but be thankful for Yuko and her stalking. I did the same thing to the three Hibari as I did with Yuko many years ago. It was a technique I had developed to get away from her. If this worked on a professional like Yuko, then these idiots would have no idea until they looked back. Matching my footsteps with Kyoya, the sound my steps made became quieter and quieter. Once I was completely silent, I stopped for a split second before walking into an alley. I made sure to be quiet and to keep my breathing steady. Next stop, home. I couldn't show my face at the hospital just yet. That'd be too stupid of me. I'm sure there are Hibari littered in the hospital that are watching dad. I couldn't let them catch me now. The goal of this game is to see them destroyed and now that they did this to me, to dad, I won't hold back. I'll show them what this little bird could do.