Disclaimer: I own the OCs, the rest is Akira Amano's work.

Fratellanza

I was blown away.

And I was sent in a wall, my arms burned by lightnings, but it was a detail.

Basically, the boy was killing people, Cris tried to stop him because he could use flames but was sent in a wall. I tried to do something and I was sent in a wall as well.

The good thing though, no one but us was around. Everybody else was or dead, or whimpering on the ground.

I raised my brow when I heard Cris laughing. He stood up, some blood running down his forehead. He had a wicked grin and a crazy glint in his eyes though.

In the blink of an eye, he made a step and used his flames to propel himself to the boy. He punched, his fist covered in very bright and dense lightnings, the Mist barrier around the boy, reinforced in Lightning Flames.

"Again!" Another punch, and another, and a kick with those same flames and the barrier was gone.

The thing was, Cris was efficient and destructive. However, there was no technique whatsoever in his movements, he was just trying to hit and hurt. I knew you were taught some close range fighting in the army though, there was no way...it was his regular way of fighting.

The arm he hit turned into mist. Cris kept going though, slipping behind him and putting his hand in his back, lightning flying around as he probably grilled his spinal cord.

It was a machine against a sadist and it was slightly scary to watch. I tried to light up my ring but nothing.

Shit Arro, what was taking you so long!?

The boy made a step forward but mist wrapped his back. He was using illusions to keep standing and moving.

Cris kicked his ankles, grabbed them when he fell and electrocuted his legs. They were fuming and the skin was burned. If we could keep him alive though…

"Cris, calm down!" I bit my lip when he smashed the bone of the leg.

I tried to light up my ring once again.

It worked, the purple flame dancing on it.

I immediately called for Cloud so that he absorbed the flames while I dealt with Cris. I ran at him and used my Flame of Wrath to counter his lightnings. He made me turn my Cloud Flame to my Sky Flame because…

His flames were intense and wild, untamed.

With some Mist Flames mixed with my Flame of Wrath, I did the Exploding Lotus Kempo. He didn't dodge, just countered it but I hid in illusions and slipped behind him. I had to use my flames to press a pressure point and get him to calm down, but eventually it worked. Although, my hands were burned.

"Heh?" Cris said as I was kneeling on his back to keep him down.

"You calmed down?"

"Oh, I lost control again..." he muttered.

I immediately raised my head when the boy was about to kill us with his lightnings. They were going too fast and…

Would it be enough?

I lit up my Mist Flame on my Leon Ring and sparks of orange were shining in the indigo. Immediately, although I still had to focus a lot, I managed to stand in front of Cris and made a barrier of Mist Flames with some Flame of Wrath reinforcing them.

The Mist blocked the flames, the Flame of Wrath turned them into stone and destroyed them. However, keeping mixing my flames while keeping them steady was difficult with the intensity of the flames against me. Hugin was doing his best to help me from inside the ring, my Box Weapons loved helping without really coming out, but I was still struggling. Eventually, Cloud threw Cloud Flames at the boy who stopped attacking and I stopped the barrier, panting.

The boy was about to attack again when a huge chunk of wall was thrown at him. I watched him blowing it up with bulging eyes.

"I really thought it would work, my bad!" I turned my head toward the voice.

Relief washed over me at the sight of my stupid Boss in a suit, walking casually toward us.

"Luciana." I looked back.

"Basil..." I whispered, falling to my knees. "Finally someone who can actually do something." He smiled at me for a second before looking seriously at the boy.

"What is his problem?"

"Unstable and I think the experimentation just erased his consciousness, he's a like a machine. Maybe if the Boss uses the Harmony of his Sky Flames to appease him it would make him sensitive to your Rain Flames." My co-worker nodded and shot Cris a look. "He's with me."

"Basil, it's worth a try!" Iemitsu screamed at us, a flame burning on his forehead as he charged at the boy. Basil ignited his boomerang in a blue flame.

After a few punches, and Iemitsu's stupid high physical resistance allowing him to take some hits without it being it too bad, the boy's flames started wavering. Basil used this opportunity to send his Rain dolphin do the work.

The boy's flames died and he fell, although his eyes remained wide open.

"Is he dead?" Cris asked me.

"No, I can still feel flames coming from him," I replied.

"Luciana." I looked back at Oregano, out of breath. "Are you injured?" I showed her my hands and arms. "I see, we'll take care of this while the Master and Basil finish dealing with him." She shot Cris a look, who grinned at her.

"He's with me," I informed her quickly, standing up. "Do you know what happened to Arro?" She nodded.

"We sent Lal, Colonnello and Turmeric there to help. There is no severe injury." I sighed in relief.

"Wait Colonnello?" She smiled confidently.

"The Master thought the one way to efficiently fight the army was with him and Lal."

"Makes sense."

"Now we can use Flames, we are getting the advantages. CEDEF is the only organization here for now, but the other Families who were supposed to come should be here soon." I nodded.

A lot had happened in a short amount of time and although I was glad my colleagues were there to help, I wouldn't be able to break free from my 'we might die stay on your guards' mindset right away.

"Basil get back!" Iemitsu yelled, running toward Basil to tackle him to the ground.

Green lightnings pierced through his skin, like indigo Mist and he yelled as he was being killed by his own flames. We all watched in utter shock as he released his last breath, his body mutilated and fuming from the electricity.

"What was that?" Basil asked and him and Iemitsu got up.

"The flames destroyed the body trying to tame them?" Cris muttered behind me.

"Oregano, Luciana, secure the area. Basil and I will keep helping," Iemitsu ordered.

"Yes Boss!" the three of us responded in sync.

"You took a beating," I told Arro, my arms wrapped up in white bandages from the elbows to the tip of my fingers. He had a black eye and a broken leg, as well as a broken arm.

"You can't really talk." I smiled faintly. "We're done not talking to each other?" I nodded weakly.

"I think so." He pursed his lips and gulped.

"Lulu...to be honest I think for the first time in a long time I felt really frightened during the fight." I leaned against the wall of this hospital room.

There...were a lot of bodies to collect, and a lot of injured.

"I mean...I never thought I was that dependent on flames. I couldn't use them to deflect regular attacks and if I were shot...I wouldn't be healed immediately thanks to Sun Flames. It was scary. Fighting the Vindice was scary but I still felt safe with my flames but today...I felt so regular that it scared me shit less."

"Ultimately, even if we can be harder to kill because of the use of Dying Will Flames, we're still mortal the same way everybody is." I looked through the window. "I've had my flames since I was five. I felt naked when I was fighting. You're not the only to have been scared. It was like a war in the streets, nothing like the Mafia fights we are used to."

"It was really like war." I looked at the door.

Lal was there, in a commando attire with her rifle on her back. Next to her was a six year-old Colonnello.

I sat down on Arro's bed as they closed the door.

"I've interrogated a few other students and they said you took the lead immediately," Lal told me. I nodded.

"None of them really had fighting experience."

"You did good, although moving forward like you did and then doing your own thing is more Mafia than military. People died under your commandment." I looked away.

"Lal," Colonnello said in a reprimanding tone.

"It's true Colonnello. That being said, COMSUBIN was involved and you being on an island was an advantage to them. However, when you take the lead you also take the responsibilities that come with it."

"I know."

"You're lucky that sniper came to your help and knew where to shoot." She looked at Arro and I and sighed.

"That being said, the battlefield and a Mafia fight are two very different things and it's a good thing you've survived. It's what she's trying to say," Colonnello added with a grin. Lal blushed.

"Colonnello!"

"It's true!"

"I swear...you'll give your report once you're back at HQ, until then it's rest time." I nodded and the two soldiers left the room.

I visited my VARIA team, who was basically fine if not for Diego whining he was fine and could walk just fine. He saw me entering the room and shut up immediately.

The next morning, I was greeted by Dino's tight embrace.

"Too much, too much," I mumbled, tapping on his arm.

"Sorry, but Iemitsu told us what happened and..." he sighed and sat down next to me on my bed. "I swear, I knew there was something wrong with this place but Iemitsu still kept me in the dark."

"Sorry?" He shook his head.

"It's not your fault, I mean I know where he's coming from and you're legal and his subordinate but...I don't like how I didn't know the real reason you came here."

"If it makes you feel better, I actually enjoyed my year if we forget about the side shitty things." He pursed his lips, a heavy gaze on me. "What?"

"He told me about the experimentation. Are...are you okay?"

"I was close to having a panic attack when I discovered about them and I was disgusted and I was in the lab but..." I didn't really remember what happened at the Estraneos.

The lab just highly disgusted me and gave me goosebumps. I had the urge to hug myself.

"We're going home later today." I nodded and my other brother came in the room. I raised a weak hand to greet him and he made me raise my head to him.

He was frowning.

"I'm good, just the arms," I said, showing him my arms.

"Hn." I buried my face in his stomach.

His hand was in my hair a second later. With Dino in the room, it was all he would do for now.

When we went to the boat later on, I kept my gaze right in front of me, ignoring the destroyed buildings around me and people looking through rubble to look for bodies.

A week later I was at the CEDEF HQ. I had started coughing a few days before though, so I wasn't not at my best but still gave my report.

"So, what's the plan now?"

"How about you're telling me where your Lightning comes from and where you got information in the first place?" he replied seriously. "I'm not dumb Luciana, you're one of the best in CEDEF but there was information in your report you didn't get on the island. Where did you get them?" I swallowed with difficulty.

I mean...I'd have to quit CEDEF, might tell Iemitsu as we…

I started coughing. I raised a hand in front of my mouth and took a step back, turning around to cough. However it lasted for several minutes where I was struggling to breath. Iemitsu even stood up to see if I were fine.

When I stopped coughing and saw blood on my palm, the iron taste of the liquid still in my mouth, I paled. I was no doctor. I had a degenerative condition, I knew a few things but I was no doctor.

However, I knew you were not supposed to cough out blood.

"Luciana?" I raised my head to my Boss and showed him the blood on my hand, a shaky smile on my lips. He widened his eyes.

"It's not good, is it?"

He took me to the infirmary of the HQ, where there was always at least one doctor. He asked several questions and did his things. He also had my file given by Shamal.

His face was not reassuring at all.

"I need to run some tests, and on you too Boss." Iemitsu raised a brow. "And put you both in quarantine until I'm sure of what it is."

"What do you think it is?" The doctor looked at me with a grim look.

"I'd say pulmonary tuberculosis." I froze.

"Wasn't this eradicated decades ago?"

"The first successful treatment was found decades ago," the doctor corrected me.

A few months ago, Dino told me, not explicitly, that he'd like me to spend some time in a private clinic in Switzerland. I had changed the subject because my health was something I...I tried to think less and less.

However, once it was confirmed I had tuberculosis, while Iemitsu was fine, I was sent there. Dino was scared and clumsier than usual because he was nervous. Xanxus was angrier than usual because he was anxious.

I didn't know anything anymore.

I was depressed. Seriously, the treatment for tuberculosis was quite heavy. It usually lasted at least six months, with four antibiotics or something. Shamal, who came all the way from Japan, cut that time in half. I was stuck in a private clinic because tuberculosis with my other conditions, especially my asthma, my smoking habit and my shitty kidneys, could create other problems. You would think the fact I was vaccinated against it would help, but no. My condition completely overran the vaccine.

I had been here for a month and a half. I mean, my brothers were visiting, and by visiting I mean a lot. Arro came as well and Rick wanted to as well. It was tough to convince him to stay in Japan.

Talking about Japan, I was aware Reborn knew I was in a clinic, but apparently, he didn't say anything to anyone about my situation and I couldn't be grateful enough for that. I knew what it was like to have someone slowly dying and getting weaker and weaker with each passing day.

Now I was the one causing this and I hated it.

Iemitsu came once with Basil and Lal to check on me. Iemitsu complained he had too much paperwork, Lal scolded him, Basil watched with an amused smile like me. It felt nice to have some normalcy. I had to beg Iemitsu to give me some work to do from my bed because I was turning crazy, stuck here with my bad health as my only preoccupation.

So I decided to make a timeline. It was about Federico's, Massimo's and Enrico's deaths to see if I could pinpoint when there could potentially be a murder attempt on Tsunayoshi. So far, the obvious thing was the difference in the Guardians. It was usually a long process to find Guardians, but because of the Ring Conflict Tsunayoshi had all of them quickly. It was not the case of the other three, which made them more vulnerable. Then, after asking Iemitsu, I discovered there were all eliminated approximately six months before they inherited. However, as Tsunayoshi had six...or seven Guardians if you counted Mukuro and Chrome, then it would be more complicated to reach him, especially with how these kids were stronger than many adults.

I would personally say there would still be an attempt before he became the Decimo, but closer to the Inheritance Ceremony. Tsunayoshi would turn eighteen and officially inherits in October of next year. He would leave Japan for Italy in late March, early April of next year.

It would then place the assassination attempt in Italy, which in a way could be good because it would be seen as him not knowing the country yet and maybe making a mistake.

I raised my hand toward the ceiling, my Mare Ring held by between two fingers.

"Can't you give me a hint all-knowing ring?" I muttered.

"Can I come in?" Shamal asked through the door.

"Sure." He did and sat down next to me, a file in hand. He seemed concerned. "What now, a tumor?"

"Lord save us," he muttered. "No, it's just it's seriously time to make progress for a cure." I looked through the window. "The thing is that, studying the serum you gave me years ago gave me a hint for a potential cure, although it's medicine that hasn't been discovered yet. However, that very hint was given from someone's blood. The serum was made from someone's blood, the first version not the one I made that was weaker on the kidney during the Representative Battles."

"Huh."

"Luciana." I bit the inside of my cheek. "You know there's a way to cure you, don't you? You've kept quiet for years because you don't want it because of the way it's done?" Dang it, that doctor was smarter than his playboy looks made him seem.

"I'm able to make decisions," I stated after a few seconds, "if I refuse to get the cure then you can't force me." He sighed.

"You're one stubborn patient, I'll give you that." I shot him a look and he laid back in his chair. "You brought the serum from the Future, so...I'd say with Byakuran, there was a way to make it real that cure."

"Maybe." He folded his arms.

"You know, I already got the answers through him." On cue, Romain opened the door. I frowned at him.

"What are you doing here?" He shrugged.

"I felt like eating Swiss chocolate." I rolled my eyes. "I heard you were under medical care and I saw him." He walked closer to me. "I'm not sick."

"You're not because you naturally had Sun Flames and the serum merged with them. I had Sky Flames, it didn't work and here I am, with a pathetic immune system."

"That's why..." he muttered, running a hand in his hair. "So I can cure you? I mean, I know in the Future I gave blood to Xanxus and it saved him but..."

"Well your blood would be the foundation of the cure, then you'd need other things in the formula and probably a long treatment to cure everything the serum damaged in her body," Shamal explained. "And formulating a stable cure that would work would require several testings."

"Not if you ask Byakuran, right?" Romain asked him. "The guy must know a lot, and her face tells me I'm spot on." They both looked at me. I looked away, my lips pursed. Romain grabbed my face between his hands, squishing my cheeks and making me pout. "Hey, in the Future I was taken against my will and Byakuran's way of doing was similar in some ways to the Estraneos, I'll give you that. But do I look like I'm being forced right now?" I shook my head from left to right as I could and he released me. "Actually, now your doctor is aware about me and the cure, you don't have a word to say in its creation. You can refuse to take it, but you don't have a say otherwise."

"Why are you helping me?" He seemed taken back and folded his arms, looking away.

"Fighting against someone who already has a foot in the grave is not interesting." I pursed my lips.

"I'm not stopping either of you?"

"Not really no," Shamal said idly. I sighed.

"Have fun then I guess. Just...don't tell anyone. I don't want to be pressured into taking it."

"Why don't you want it?" Shamal asked me.

"I want to deal with my father but it will take time. When I do, I want him to see the extent of what he did to me." I sighed. "The only thing I want is for those pills you made me to stabilize my Sky Flames to keep working."

No other word was said.

"I am as good as new, so what do you have for me?" Iemitsu stared at me.

"I'm still waiting on an explanation."

"Explanation?"

"How did you get hold of these information Luciana?" I took a deep breath.

I had to tell him anyway.

"Yeah, I figured. You're not going to like it Iemitsu." He frowned. "I...my father came because this Irish guy stole from him. He said he'd give me information to help me because he'd be rid of that guy, but in exchange I'd have to accept to go in Spain. And do a favor to Hide Nishimura." He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why didn't you ask me first?"

"I didn't have the time. He was offering me information on a silver platter and anyway...we both know I can't run away from him, from my family, forever." I slouched in the chair in front of him. "We both know that from the moment I accepted that ring," I said, showing the Mare Ring around the chain on my neck, "I wouldn't be your successor. Too much power cannot be gathered so closely." He sighed deeply, looking at the ceiling.

"I know, I know...and I knew you'd want to deal with your father on your own." He looked back at me. "So, when are you quitting?"

"I made a deal with him. I made him accept to let me finish my business with the Vongolas and now...with that internal war about to happen that has a connection with so many murders, I'll probably leave after this if I'm still alive."

"Now don't talk like that, it's depressing," he scolded me with a frown. "What will you do once you're in Spain?"

"I send him in Vendicare. After the Arcobaleno fights, Bermuda made me go to Vendicare to make a deal with me. Basically, I help them send my father in their cells and I'm released from all charges I still have."

"And when your father came to the island you accepted, it makes sense," he finished for me and I nodded.

"I know you had a formation planned and everything but..." He waved me off.

"I haven't started that at all yet, I was waiting on the day just before."

"Thanks for caring that much," I said in sarcasm. "So, do you want me to quit?"

"No, we'll proceed exactly like planned." I raised a brow. "Oh this is actually getting exciting. I'm not made for a desk job but it might be glorious!"

"Huh...Boss?" He was starting to scare me.

"You're going to train as my successor until we notice Tsuna's life is in danger. Then..."

Not gonna lie…

Even if Iemitsu's plan was still in the making, I could work with the picture he had started to paint.

But oh would it be a mess.

Fratellanza

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