»VOI, are you shitting me, old fart?« He couldn't believe the audacity of that japanese bitch.
First, Mammon was trying to tell them what to do by ordering them to stay indoors all of yesterday, while that little fuck went to squeeze his contacts or whatever he said he would be doing. That already didn't sit well with him, but Bell did as told, Levi and Luss didn't want to anger their private loan shark and Xanxus didn't even move, so he couldn't say anything.
But nonetheless, Squalo was well aware of the fact that something smelled fucking fishy and it was sure as hell not his animal ring. Something was going on and it wasn't going to be pleasant for any of them.
Why would Mammon, especially now of all times, go all the way to Japan, just to meet the bitch of this bitch? It was like a bitch-ception and he wouldn't be a part of that, he thought.
»I need Mammon to come here, no matter the cost.« The pleading in his voice made bile crawl up Squalo's throat.
»No«, he answered, »that's Spanish for ›no‹.«
»Since when could you speak Spanish?« The unexpected words made him turn his head in confusion, where he could see the Varia-member in question floating just a few feet away from him in the air. »Who's on the phone, Squalo?«
For a moment, he considered what he would tell him, but decided it wasn't any of his business anyway. »Sawada Iemitsu. Wants you to run over to japan for him«, he told him straight, volume high enough for the boss of CEDEF to hear him loud and clear, even though that stupid shark wasn't holding the phone up anymore.
Mammon on the other hand became quiet. »No.« It was a curt answer, befitting the acrobaleno's nature. »I wouldn't know any reason why I should spend money on that.«
»Yeah. He says he wants you to take a look at his wife. I don't even know what that means. Does he want to auction her off or something?«
At those words, the tiny mist-guardian stilled in his movements. For a few seconds, it seemed outright uncanny, the way Mammon simply floated in place, not speaking a word, nor moving a muscle.
Then, suddenly, the head hidden under a deep hood moved, barely visible from behind, to shoot a backwards glance at Squalo. »Sawada Nana asked for me?«
»Don't know«, the silver-haired man responded while shrugging, »If that's her name?«
He barely remembered still holding onto a cellphone and why he did so, but when he finally wanted to put an end to that, his soon-to-be-spilled words of parting were cut off before he could even utter them.
»We will go.«
»We will what?«
Mammon couldn't answer Squalo's flabbergasted question, when Iemitsu's voice was heard for the first time in a while:
»We will be awaiting your arrival.«
Nobody understood why they had been brought here. Due to a private jet, they managed to get from italy to japan in less than 13 hours, but why?
The answer was solely up to Sawada Iemitsu, who had called them over in the first place. Truth be told, he had only asked for one Varia to come, but it seemed like all of them felt obligated to come anyway. That fact didn't mean they were somewhat cooperative though. They had been sitting here for fifteen minutes without saying a word, after getting off their jet.
»We've brought your wife, Sir«, a runt from the Cavallone said.
They had been providing the facilities they used back when they treated Squalo for a while, which was why he wasn't in the best of moods right now. He was still annoyed when thinking of that blonde bimbo, scurrying around him, pretending to do him a favor he hadn't even asked for.
Iemitsu on the other hand was anxious. When he saw Nana approach, he couldn't make his worries known in front of the Varia, but her appearance made him swallow hard.
There were still heavy bags under her eyes and her skin was too pale. But the most alarming was that look of defeat in her gaze; she wasn't even looking at him, despite facing him dead on.
He fetched her a chair to sit in between them, as this was now all about her, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt and wanting to protect her.
»So you did do as I asked after all«, she noted after settling down.
»I did.«
»Great«, called one rain-guardian out in annoyance, »now, why are we here?«
»I don't know why you are here«, Nana responded calmly while directing her words at him, before focusing on Mammon, »I only asked for you.«
»I'm aware. They wanted to tag along.«
»That's fine. Can you imagine why I've called for you?«
Mammon sighed in frustration. »I have a rough idea.«
Everyone else in the room simply listened. Basil, Lal, Colonello and two other CEDEF-members were in the room, as well as Dino, Romario and some of his runts. And, of course, the six remaining guardians of Vongola's tenth generation boss, together with their teacher, Reborn.
The latter had tried to find out anything he could in pursuit of his missing student. In fact, everyone in the room was nervous, except those guys from Varia.
Excluding the teenagers in the room, they had all been briefed about what had transpired, with Nana harming herself and the delusions she had been – and probably still was – suffering from. They couldn't understand why that Sawada Iemitsu would have called for those crazy guys, with all of that happening.
Every single one of the people in this room were allies whom Iemitsu put great trust into – minus this one bunch of eccentrics. Filling them in on the situation might backfire, as Sawada Nana's condition, as well as the disappearance of the next head of Vongola, were both highly confidential and served as a great weakness if it fell into the wrong hands.
Yet they couldn't do much as it was, so they simply observed.
A wry smile on Nana's lips was visible. Her tired eyes had a touch of relief shining on their matte surface. »I need information about a port close by.«
Without much of a reaction, Mammon hovered there, not even sitting on the chair below. »Why?«
Iemitsu couldn't even understand what she meant and neither did any of the others. In a way, even someone as disinterested as Xanxus couldn't help but wonder – since Mammon seemed not surprised at all, so he must have been aware of what she was saying.
»Because I don't have any connections to Typha left. I never needed to use a Port before, so I'm unaware of where to find one, as detections are basically impossible for them.«
»I know. But why do you need my help to find a Port in the first place? What good would going there do?«
Nana shook her head. »It's not about me going there, I just need to get someone back.«
»It's not safe to travel right now«, came a kind reminder from Mammon.
»Obviously. But that doesn't change the fact that I need to go. You are my only option. The only person that I could think of.« She emphasized the word ›only‹ to make sure her desperation was understood.
»We couldn't even make a call, all the lines are dead.«
»Doesn't matter, someone will be able to connect them again. I just need … something to work with. Please.« At this point, her desperate hope was starting to turn stale.
Tears threatened to form in her eyes, as Iemitsu knew because this was his wife sitting there. He leaned over and put a hand on her shoulder. »I don't think this was a good idea after all. I don't even know how you know each other and this doesn't seem to bear any fruit either way.«
This made Mammon click her tongue loudly. »What do you mean? We don't know each other, but that doesn't mean we can't have a conversation without a child like you butting in.«
›Child‹? The word seemed so weird, coming from an arcobaleno, but even more so, why would they call a man his age that way? Taken aback, he could only stare at the mist-guardian that the Varia had brought.
»It's fine, Dear«, his wife objected to his way of trying to protect her. »This is alright.«
»Well, why should I help you find a port?« Mammon was now starting to get mildly irritated, but not because of Nana, but because of the sheer hilarity which this situation was exuding. Why were there so many people around, sitting there and watching as if they were animals in a zoo? »What could you do for me in return?« It was an attempt to get this over with more quickly.
Mammon was well aware of what had happened on the other side. Well, not the whole ordeal, but she was aware of what caused all of that unrest in the atmosphere. The contract, binding this world and any other in an infinite oath of silence, had been broken. But just because you smothered a flame, didn't mean the smoke would instantly vanish along with it. This curse had eaten itself into the makeups of the realm of existence, became part of the very walls holding this dimension together. For more than 10.000 years, this had been an unwavering truth and comfort, as well as reason for anxiety among the people in the know of what they could lose to it.
But without Nana saying anything, it was yet again the blonde that interrupted further conversation between them: »Whatever it is that my wife is asking for, I will be the one to pay the price.«
»Sure you would«, the infant responded, »but I don't need what you can give.«
Now, even if nothing about this whole ordeal had been weird enough at this point, this would have definitely made them raise some eyebrows. Was Mammon actually declining money right now? Because surely that would have been something that CEDEF could give.
The woman sitting there, trying to make a deal, was already at her wits end with this farcical way of talking to the person she had hoped to see so much today. »I will be paying my due's with a Pledge of Equal Allegiance.«
»That would indeed be the most fitting as a payment«, Mammon mused, »but what makes you think I would need what you could give instead?«
The housewife could only laugh thinly at that comment. »Because you wouldn't be here if there was nothing you wanted from me.«
Silence followed, though it did not last very long. »You're right. There's something I need.«
»Am I the only one who wants to know what they are talking about?«, Squalo haphazardly threw in.
»Uhm«, Dino started right on cue, »Nana-san, would you please consider filling us in?«
»I can't recommend that.« Even with the contract gone, Mammon didn't wish to endanger the children with information like that.
»But why not?« The brown-haired woman shrugged her delicate shoulders. »We should fill them in, in regards to what is going to happen.«
»What is going to happen?« Iemitsu's confused and troubled face made her smile gently.
»Don't worry, I'm sure it will all be fine.«
Mammon on the other hand sighed deeply. »Well, it's true that we will make it through the storm eventually, but it's not going to be as easy as that sounded just now. The world is going to turn into a pandemonium.«
»On what basis?«, Lal Mirch, who had been silent up until now, just as most others in the room were, had to speak up at this point. »You are both so cryptic in your way of talking, I don't understand anything at all.«
A young voice jumped at the opening created by Lal's interference: »And we would like to know where the tenth is!«
At this, Nana remembered. Remembered that, first and foremost, she needed someone to help her get to the other side or send someone in her stead, if going herself wasn't possible. She had to concentrate more.
»Gokudera-kun is right, we need to focus on what we were talking about. No matter what.«
She got up from the seat, to put one hand above her chest, right where her heart would be. She then lowered her head and put her left hand behind her back, having it rest upon her coccyx. That action made even more people frown than before. It was eerily polite, almost respectful and close to a bow.
But that was exactly what it was. »I'm sorry to be impolite. I formerly greet the Blue King. As this is more close to an audience than a conversation, I have already taken up too much of your time, have I not?«
That made Mammon sigh even louder and more dreadful than before. »You are quite odd, you know that?«
»How so?« She smiled a slightly sterile smile, which made her look almost like a sales attendant.
»You are young. Yet you behave like the old.«
»Maybe I'm just a bit older than you think.«
»Trust me, I have a good perception of such things.«
With a nod, Nana accepted her being odd as a commodity for their deal. Who knew what use it held?
Though, the somewhat stunned audience was thinking differently. »What the fuck does that mean? What King?«
»Don't think too much about, Bell. It's a title that has long lost its meaning.«
»So you mean to say that it's an actual title?« Of all people, it was Reborn who has asked.
»It is. I am, by all means, a King.« Mammon acknowledged that fact. »A King with neither land nor people. A King without purpose«, she added on, »I am a King.«
It sounded like a mantra or a spell, as if it held any meaning, yet it held none at the same time. It was an odd feeling, listening to it, even for those who could not even fathom what they had just witnessed. Upon these words, she turned away, ready to leave after all.
»That's why«, Nana started again, her formal pose not wavering a bit, »from a parent that might lose their child right this second, to one who lost it already, I need your help.«
Again, Mammon stilled. It was something not anyone knew about, at the same time, too many knew. But there was no answer or reaction besides stopping in her movements.
Feeling that she was close to cracking this nut, approaching from this angle, Nana, one of the most resourceful Witches out there, could not hesitate. »No, from one mother to another, I need your help«, she rephrased.
The tiny, tightly covered frame, flinched at these words. It took a second for others to realize the meaning behind what was uttered just now. They couldn't linger on the conclusion though.
»I may be unable to see, but I'm not blind, Witch«, the King replied, »I'm not that easy to manipulate.«
»I'm not trying to manipulate you, Your Highness«, the wife of a Mafioso responded again, »I only wish to save my child.«
Another sigh could be heard, then a sudden surge of moisture fluctuated in the air. Water crawled through the cracks on the floor, sneaking by their shoes and furniture on the ground, until a wavering wall shot up, swallowing the small child floating in the air.
Gasps of surprise could be heard. Squalo became anxious, as well as Bell next to him. »Hey, Shark, the fuck's with that water?« As if he could have helped, simply because his flame was of the same element.
Thankfully, it only took a bunch of seconds for said water to evaporate without making the air any heavier with it. Left behind was only a rather fragile frame, maybe about as tall as Squalo himself. Slightly bluish hued white hair reached the lower back of that frame, clad in a frilly, yet at the same time, very plain dress. Stockings and a pair of patent shoes rounded her appearance, which was akin to a pretty doll.
The doll turned her head, to take a glance over her own shoulder. That expressionless porcelain face wouldn't show any hint of affection, but her next words made Nana's heart beat faster with anticipation: »I will introduce you to a friend, but I will need your name for that.«
The room was dead silent. Nobody knew what to say and some were frozen from disbelieve. That was especially true for the three other arcobalenos in the room. Even Reborn couldn't say anything.
Mammon – no, Undine Lafey, the Blue King and Primeordeal Guardian of the Water Body – was facing the front again, to take a look at her children. She looked at Xanxus, at Squalo, at Bell, as well as Lussuria and at Levi too. They were barely reacting. No, that was wrong, Bell did react. He had turned red for some reason.
She headed for that one first and ran her hand through the hair that wasn't entangled in his little crown. »What is it, Bell?«
Seriously, he could only blankly stare at her. The confusion among the general populous in the vicinity hit it's max already a while ago, now their processors were just flat out burning.
Nana on the other hand couldn't answer, because she was confused. »My name?«
This made the King of the Nayadi roll her white eyes. »I can't possibly go and introduce someone whose Name I don't even know.«
Shaking her head in front of her own stupidity, Nana caught herself quickly. »It's Irina von Valhaym. That's my real name.«
It was as if someone had slapped Mammon across the face at that moment. She had to turn around and blink at her conversational partner. »So you're a part of that family«, she remarked in a flat tone, »What is the name of your son on Typha's birth register?«
The way this question was brought up, had her develop an ominous feeling. »Mayzer – Mayzer von Valhaym. I had him registered at the palace shortly after he was born, so he would have legal identification papers on the other side. Why?«, the confused Nana started to ramble.
Again, Mammon became quiet for a while, but this time it was different. It was an eerie silence, devoid of any cues as to what one could expect. Not until that pale, rounded doll-mouth opened up again, at least.
»He's already dead.« There was no emotion in that voice, it was simply a fact without judgement.
»What?« Tsuna's mother couldn't help but laugh at that.
Yet, nobody else showed any reaction. They weren't sure how to react, as their conversation had left the realm of mutual understanding a long time ago.
»I had it shown to myself by one of my contacts from Gleipnir. He was at the center of the explosion in Valhaym, you should be aware of what happened if you are part of the direct lineage«, the cold monarch elaborated on her earlier opinion.
»I deem him long dead.«
