Disclaimer: I own the OCs, the rest is Akira Amano's work.
Fratellanza
"Reborn," I asked my dear tutor once we were done training for the day. I had been shooting moving targets, several at a time by multiplying my bullets thanks to the Cloud attribute. "There is no chance the Ninth would ask me to be Tsunayoshi's Mist Guardian because we can't find any, right?" He stroked Leon in thought.
"Who knows? You also have elements of your own, Federico could have you as a Guardian because he was experienced, but I doubt Tsuna would know how to handle you. However, you have a powerful Mist, so it would be like a chain." I sighed, checking how many bullets I still had. Three. "How many this time?"
"Three."
"It's getting better." We made our way back to Namimori. When we were nearing Tsunayoshi's house, my heart was beating quickly in my rib cage. Reborn, who was walking on a wall separating the yards from the street turned his head to me. "Why the stress Luciana?"
"I just...I need to go to Chicago. In the week. It won't be long, but I need to go for..."
"Verde's tests?" he interrupted me rudely. "Fon should come with you."
"I know what to do now, I will be fine." Verde was a good alibi. "It's okay if I leave Namimori then?"
"Is Iemitsu aware?" I nodded quickly and Reborn seemed to believe my lie, my guts twisting in my stomach. A voice in the back of my head kept calling me a 'liar'. "Fine then, if it's just for a short while." It took a while for Reborn to accept the fact I had allowed Verde to use my flame. To him, it was a stupid idea that would come back to bite me in the ass. He didn't phrase it that way, but the meaning was there. "Are you alright Bakana? You've been acting strange for the past few days." I shot him a surprised look, crossing my fingers in the pockets of my jacket.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. Dino is here if you need to talk, don't forget that." I watched him enter the Sawada household, Lambo's annoying voice coming from inside, before going home.
It was the problem. Dino would be here, and try to keep me from…
Fuck, I was about to cause a jailbreak at the Vindice prison to free an Estraneo test subject, sure, but who was also a murderer.
I smirked bitterly. I was a murderer too. That day, when I escaped the Estraneos with Mukuro, when I awakened my flame...Mukuro wasn't the biggest reason for the massacre that happened. For the second lab yeah, but not the first.
I was. I killed in the worst way possible as many people as I could, my whole body consumed by pure anger and fury, my flame flying around.
I had never been as angry in my life as I had been that day.
Once I was home, I packed a bag as fast as I could and dialed Min-Jae's number. I asked Fuuta what I risked for doing what I was about to do and how to protect anyone helping me from the Vindice.
Delete all proofs and I would end up in jail the moment Mukuro was sent back, if he were. I could also be sent in jail if they discovered I was helping him.
There was no happy ending. I would go to jail for freeing Mukuro, I knew it, yet I had no second thought about doing it. I just wanted Dino and Iemitsu free of charge concerning me. I didn't want Min-Jae to face charges for helping me. He owed me a favor, and the Vindice knew what that meant in the Mafia, even if said favor was used to fuck up their whole security system.
"I will create a bank account, a Korean one, on which you'll transfer some money. Just say you owed me a certain amount for a favor if someone asks."
"You think it will be enough?"
"Yeah, leave it to me, just do your thing and I'll do the rest."
"Thanks." I hung up and dialed another number. A sleepy voice answered. "Arro? I need you to do me a huge favor, no questions asked."
"What...Lulu, is there something wro..."
"No question asked!" I cut him off. He stopped talking immediately. "I need you to...if someone asks, I'm with you in Chicago because Verde needed me."
"Luciana, I don't..."
"Arroganza, I'm your Sky and this is an order!" I snapped, breathing heavily. There was nothing for a few seconds.
"Understood."
"Thank you." I hung up and plopped down in my couch. I searched in my jean pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. I bought it without thinking and had not opened it yet. I torn the plastic off and took one, putting it between my lips. I lighted my flame but didn't light the cigarette.
I had never smoked in my life. I had asthma. It was a terrible, terrible combination.
Yet, I lit up the cigarette, coughing like never before in my life.
I smoked nonetheless.
I needed it.
No matter what, no matter what Mukuro would do once free, I would lose everything I had in my life the moment...I would lose everybody's trust, my place in CEDEF, Dino might just disown me, I would shame my tutors, I would lose everything but...but they all saw me as an Estraneo freak. I knew Dino didn't, but I was adopted because of that.
It was all I was. Not a human being, not a subordinate...everything I had was because I was a guinea pig with a powerful flame who had to be kept in line. The Giegue, the Estraneos...my blood family...it was the reason they kept harassing me…
It was all I was.
All I would ever be.
And the only person who could understand that feeling had protected me against a certain death and was now rotting in jail for taking his revenge on a world which spat on him, on us, and pretended we did not exist.
I swallowed back the lump in my throat.
Dino would never forgive me, but it was okay.
I would be sent in Vendicare and die a dog's death there. It was okay.
At least no one would try to abduct me there.
I stared at Dino's text. He was telling me to have fun with Arro, and not go in clubs or stuff like that. I snorted.
"We have reached the train station of Trento, two-minute stop," the train guy announced. I took my bags, one of them with Federico's letters I grabbed last time I was home, and got off the train. Trento was a city in the Alps. The Vindice prison was in the Alps, not far from there.
As for why I had the letters? Once out, I would force Mukuro to go to the VARIA HQ and I'd drop that in Xanxus' office, without being seen. For now, I would leave them in my hotel room.
As expected, finding the ride Min-Jae indicated me was easy, and I was left, walking up the mountains and in the wind. I stopped when I spotted a black door in a rock. I knelt in the grass and pulled goggles from my bag to put them on my eyes, goggles similar to Lal's.
"Well, that's exciting! I see everything!"
"Don't get too excited," I reminded the Korean coldly, looking around to see an entrance.
"Vendicare is an underground prison with levels deeper and deeper in the ground. I'd say there should be air ducts just beneath the ground of the entrance." I turned my head this way and screens appeared out of nowhere on the goggles. "Bingo!"
"Hey, calm down with the screens you create on your computer, I see them right in front of my eyes." He giggled and apologized.
Shaking my head, I went down a level.
"Okay, see that rock in front of you? Go check it out." I did, avoiding the cameras. A grating was there. Hopefully, I had all the stuff the CEDEF gave me to infiltrate. Carefully, I took out the nails and put the grating away. Then, I went in, pressing my hands and feet against the walls to control my fall.
And I crawled.
Again.
And again.
"Stop!" I did, just before a grating leading to a hallway. I shot a quick look through the bars to see a Vindice walking. They...I shivered. They were not human, there was no way they were human. "Give me a sec...okay, I'm in the security system, one click and all of the cells are unlocked. It will be up to you to lead your friend outside. I'd say you'll have five minutes until they get the control of their prison back. I'll make the biggest mess I can. At my signal."
I waited and barely a minute later, I was landing in the hallway. I ran along the cells, which were opening so I hid in an illusion, and stopped at the number 123. I opened the door and dodged a punch.
"Oya, my apologies Ana." The huge guy stopped his movement and I undid my illusion. Coming out of the darkness of the corner of the cell was a skinny, dirty but smirking Mukuro.
"Still a pineapple I see," I greeted him. He twitched. "Let's leave this..."
"Mukuro-sama!" I shot a look at the two new guys. The blond one pointed a finger at me. "Who are you byon!? What do..."
"Calm down Ken, she's a friend." He walked between us. "She's like us." I froze, like them. Estraneos too then.
"Is she the girl you were talking about?" Mukuro nodded with his signature laugh.
"Not that I want to interrupt or anything, but you didn't tell me about other people. We have four minutes left, so we're leaving. Now."
"We're following you Ana." Needless to say, once my illusions were back to change my appearance into a regular prisoner, it was hard for them to keep track of me among the other prisoners, but they managed. The guards were busy catching people.
"Shit!" I cursed loudly when a beeping sound rang in my ears. I sped up, knowing fully well they were struggling to follow me, and stopped in front of door. Door that was supposed to still be opened.
"Wait, I'll see..."
"There's no time for that," I replied, attracting three surprised look. Two, Mukuro knew fully well I wasn't acting alone. I clicked my tongue and pulled a bullet from my pocket.
The bullet Verde made me months ago.
Well, might as well try this. I emptied my gun and put the bullet in it.
"Get back," I ordered them, my gun drinking my flames. I shot, the wall exploding in a thousand pieces and the power of the shot making me tumble back. I burned off a piece with my flame in its pure form and turned around. "Okay, let's get out of this shit hole." We ran outside, the blond guy snickering in my back at the fact they were outside. I peeked at the huge guy following us above my shoulder.
Huh...strange. Who was he?
The next day, we were in an apartment.
"You're disturbed," Mukuro commented, a cup of warm chocolate in his hands and clean clothes on him in the couch, as his legs were on my lap. I shot him a quick look and went back to reading my magazine. "Kufufu, you feel guilty about lying, don't you?"
"The moment it is known I helped you escape, I'll be on the run and end up in jail one day or another," I replied bitterly, taking a cigarette to light it up. "I'm sorry if the fact I helped you ended my life is making me feel bad."
"I never forced you." I scoffed.
"Mukuro, I didn't go back to the labs because you decided to do one good action in your life. You knew I wouldn't forget it moron." He chuckled.
"It is true, indeed. Let's just say I couldn't leave them brainwashing you any longer." I raised a brow. Brainwash? "Believing the Mafia is good is foolish Luciana, you should know that. Otherwise, why would you keep to yourself the fact your blood family is connected to the Estraneos and everything that comes with it and that they have been after you for so long?" I glared at him and lifted my magazine enough to hide my scowling face. "Did it hit a nerve?"
"Shut it pineapple." He kicked me in the chest. I choked a little, but nothing more. "I have something to ask you. To be honest, you might find it fun and challenging." He raised a brow at me.
"Oya? I am all ear." I grinned at him.
"I need you to help me pay the VARIA HQ a visit!" He stared, blinked and burst into laughter.
"It is a great way to use my powers after so long!" He slapped his hand against my own. "I'm in. Kufufu, it should be more interesting than stealing food from shops." I grinned maniacally.
"We're no longer these brats Mukuro, that's why." He smirked slyly.
"It seems we're not indeed." Then, Chikusa exited the bathroom. Ken came back from the kitchen and the silent one, Lancia Mukuro said, was still there, staring at the wall. We were in an apartment I did not want to know how Mukuro got us in. The latter stood up. "I have some business to take care of with Luciana, stay outside of the Mafia radar."
"May I know why you want to infiltrate the elite of the Vongola Family assassins?" I snorted, the strap of my bag on my shoulder. Find Xanxus' office, leave the bag and flee. It was easy said like that.
"I want to see if they're as strong as their reputation says they are." He was clearly doubting my words, his mismatched eyes staring into mine, but he let it go.
"I will reinforce your illusions with mine while creating a diversion. Be quick Luciana." I saluted.
"Sir yes sir!"
It had been a decade since the last time I felt Mukuro's illusions on me. Heavy, cold, yet somehow comforting.
"Just like old time," I muttered to myself as I approached the castle. There were traps, mainly hidden in high-level illusions, but Mukuro and my own illusions were helping me seeing them.
Still, it was...I wouldn't say easy, but I was so used to Reborn's tricks, Fon's training and Lal's COMSUBIN regimen that I was expecting more...exciting things. The grunts I saw as I slipped in the castle were not even Flame actives and I avoided the sadly visible movement detector.
It was...it was…
"Ushishi, I feel a peasant~," the blond one with the bangs and Cheschire grin said in front of me. However, he was looking all around him. Hum...might as well see if my brother had good, powerful men at his disposal.
The guy, he had a fucking tiara by the way, threw knives at me, I dodged. Again, and again, until I felt something slicing my arm. I looked down. There was a bleeding cut on my limb, blood dripping on the expensive carpet under my feet.
"Ushishi, the Prince caught the pea..." I didn't let him finish his sentence that a thin coat of Flame of Wrath was covering my hands and I was burning the thin strings attached to the knives. "What?" I slid in front of him.
"Sorry," I whispered huskily and he tensed, feeling my breath in his ear, "I don't have the time to play with you today Prince Charming." He made a move to defend himself but I was in his back and knocked him out.
Surprise always worked against overconfident idiots. Although, I seriously hoped this didn't represent the VARIA Quality I heard about.
And no, Mukuro's illusions strengthening mine had nothing to do in me knocking him out this easily! I will not give him that!
I started walking again and froze on my spot when I spotted a flash of silver running past me. I entered the first room I saw, putting my ear against the door.
"VOOOIII FUCKING TRASH WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! BELPHEGOR YOU WENT TO THE SIGNAL WE HAD SO ANSWER FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Oh Superbi, you might need to give him a magical kiss to wake him up. I went to the window and snickered. Mukuro was creating a shit show with many attacks, but he wouldn't last forever.
I turned around and looked around with a frown.
That room...was…
I widened my eyes in shock. It was the exact replica of the room in my dreams! I gulped loudly. If...if this was the same then…
Once back in the hallway, I carefully walked the same path the me of that dream walked to go to her brother's office. I put a hand on the imposing door once if front of me. Biting my lip, I realized my hand was shaking.
I took a deep breath and entered the room. There was an explosion outside and I hurried, dropping the bag on the desk. I sighed in relief, but it was cut short when I heard the security of a gun being removed. Slowly, like a prey against its predator, I turned around. The sofa was in the dark and he was good at hiding his presence, but there was a man, a bottle of alcohol in hand and his feet on the coffee table, a gun resting on his lap.
Two scarlet eyes were staring straight at me though, even if I was hidden in illusions. Did...did he know?
I instinctively took a step back when he stood up, standing way taller than me or even Dino and came closer. He opened the bag and gave its inside a lazy gaze.
"Fourteen years, you cause a ruckus at my place and I can't even see you?" he asked me idly, frowning at the letter in his hands.
Damn, he knew.
My eyes found two pictures on his desk. One where I was with Federico and Leo, a lump appeared in my throat at that, and one where I was...with him, as a toddler and him as a child. It was old, the paper was damaged from being folded repeatedly.
The atmosphere between us though...was heavy and tense. What...was I supposed to do or say? He was my brother but a stranger. And, even if he looked calm on the surface, his eyes were filled with emotions I didn't want to see right now.
It was awkward.
"I'm sorry,"I whispered and he stopped breathing for a second, contrasting with his menacing looks. "I failed your brother." It seemed to take him by surprise. "He...the last thing Federico did was pushing me off the cliff to save my life. I..."
"Shut up." I did, his cold and deep, hoarse voice slightly scaring me despite all. I shot him a look and widened my eyes at his face. There was a scar on his cheek, and one on his forehead.
"What did that bastard's ice do to you?" I murmured in horror. I hesitated to reach out a hand to his cheek but his eyes suddenly turning to me made me change my mind. I was pretty sure those eyes were the same I had when someone mentioned the Estraneos inhuman experimentation. He looked like a trapped animal, but it was well hidden within his anger. "Sorry." He looked down in thoughts with a frown.
"It's a Thursday," he told me blandly and I blinked, not seeing his point. "You should be in school." I chuckled behind my hand.
"Oh, I've graduated two years ago already, I'm done with that." He raised a brow in surprise. "I...I have to go, my friend won't hold forever against your men." He seemed disappointed at my words and put the letter he had in his hand on his desk.
"I'm guessing Cavallone doesn't know you're here either." I smirked.
"You're right. He'd freak out." He nodded absent-mindlessly. "From the moment I was adopted, I had a roof above my head, a full plate at every meal and warmth when it was cold." Just like that, it seemed some tension was taken off his shoulders. "I'm glad to have seen you, I hope we will see each other properly one day."
"Why wouldn't w..." I didn't hear the end of his sentence that I was in the tree in front of his office window. He stared at where I was and, even if he couldn't see me, I smiled and jumped down.
"It's getting boring Ana," Mukuro welcomed me back, out of breath.
"Only because you're tired." He glared at me and I looked at the ground, where two men wearing VARIA uniforms were passed out. There were scratches on their cheeks. "Did you grow claws?" He blinked silently at me, his trident in his hands. "Oh I see." I still shot them in the head. "It's not you to show mercy though. Scratches won't do anything." He pursed his lips, staring at the puddle of blood growing at our feet. I frowned at the hidden anger in his eyes. "Mukuro?"
"You shouldn't trust what your eyes see." On this note, he turned around and left. I shot one last look at the bodies, the illusions behind me stopping, and I followed.
Did he have a trick in his sleeve I didn't know about?
"I don't want to know what your plans are, just...stay out of troubles?" Mukuro chuckled before they vanished into thin air. "I'm totally seeing them soon, ain't I?" I muttered to myself. I probably should go back to Japan now.
Being alone in Palermo was not the best thing that happened to me, yet I stayed for a few days. I was afraid to get lost, to miss my flight on my last day but ultimately, I reached the airport.
"Don't worry Arro, my business is done now," I told him as I answered my phone.
"Do you mind telling me more about it?" I froze, a cold shiver running down my spine.
"Dino?"
"Yeah." He didn't sound happy. He didn't sound happy at all. "Luciana. Where are you?"
"Where are you? Did you suddenly go to Chicago!? Wh...Where's Arro!?"
"Home, in Italy, because he freaked out after your call and flew here. What's going on Luciana?" I cursed Arro under my breath. Fuck him and him being my best friend seeing when I was about to do something big.
"I can't talk right now." I hung up on him.
The entire way back to Japan, I was nervous. I didn't want people to wait for me at the airport. Damn, maybe I should have ran and hid at the VARIA.
Many hours later, I hurried home.
I froze when the first thing I saw was Mukuro. I rubbed my eyes under my glasses.
"What the...Fuuta?" I mumbled, seeing the little boy tied up at Mukuro's feet, eyes wide in terror. I bared my teeth at the illusionist. "Mukuro..." I growled dangerously but he smirked at me.
"Don't resent me Ana, you're not my target." He waved a sheet of paper at me. "However, in the boy's ranking, you're the first who would go to the Vongola Decimo if he's in danger. You'll understand, knowing your skills, I can't let that happen."
"And how, exactly, are you planning to stop me?" I asked, my hand slowly going to the gun at my thigh. His eyes briefly looked at it, but his manipulative smirk remained.
"Kufufu, by doing one of the only things I might feel disgusted by later." I suddenly fell to the floor, my body convulsing because of the electricity running through it. Fuuta had tears in his eyes and Mukuro stood up to inch closer to me. He crouched next to me, ignoring my dark glare on him. "You see, the Estraneos liked to be able to tame their subjects, so we all had a chip implanted in the left forearm. You couldn't have known though." He looked at the small device in his hands. "Don't try to guess where I got that, but I wanted to be cautious about you and...how you are influenced by the Mafia. I have to be in control of my pawns."
"I'm not a pawn asshole!" He put his finger on my lips to shush me.
"You're going to fall asleep. Don't worry, everything's going to be okay."
"Mukuro..." I growled as I felt his flames making me fall asleep. "Mu...kuro..."
And nothing.
Stupid Bakana, stupid.
Fratellanza
Thanks for reading this chapter! And Happy New Year!