Viper is lazing in the large swivel chair of one of the smaller Sfondo offices, feet propped up on the dark wood desk and ankles crossed.

The other Mist smiles, flat and hollow, having just stepped through the door with a Rain at his side. "Viper, I didn't realise we had a meeting planned."

"Must have slipped your mind," Viper sneers and their eyes flicker to the other Guardian. "Put that gun down, you're a fucking Rain, what can you do?"

Because maybe Viper is a flame elitist. Mist, Cloud and Lightning - in that order and everyone else is support. Reborn and those other freaks are the exception, not the rule.

The Rain narrows his eyes and his trigger finger twitches. The real Viper is sitting on the windowsill off to the side, so the Rain can shoot and Viper will laugh this bitch out of the damned window and down three storeys.

Matteo sighs and moves further into the room, wearing a fancy suit instead of his usual leather jacket and jeans. Curly blond hair rings his head like a halo and a stack of files fly through the air after him with Mist flames. He looks straight at Viper's real body.

Viper inhales through their clenched teeth. "Matteo. I didn't know you hopped on Don Sfondo's dick, we should celebrate you moving up in the world."

Matteo just laughs. "And how about you, have you caught that handsome Sky you've been panting after?" Matteo widens his eyes in surprise. "Oh, wait a second, I'm the one who caught him. Maybe pick up the pace next time, yeah?"

Viper grimaces. "Reborn would eat you alive."

Sure, Viper doesn't want Reborn, but having a Sky is still a good thing - it's a sign of power and wealth and elitism so Matteo is not taking Reborn.

Matteo rolls his eyes. "And what are you going to do about it? You have secrets and lies and shit else."

The illusionary Viper drops their feet off the table and stands, while the real body begins to float. "You are not taking my-"

"He's not yours," Matteo snaps. "Show me a bond! Viper, you're an informant with no backing, you can do nothing because you are nothing." Matteo gestures at the door. "Be grateful I'm even humouring you now and leave."

Viper's fingers twitch and Mist flames swell under their skin. Viper's strength lies in something less confrontational but the Sfondo aren't big enough to even get an opportunity at the dirtier businesses, while petty adultering or stealing won't be enough blackmail to force a hand. Viper could try to manipulate the Don's mind but that kind of thing never sticks for long.

"Fine," Viper mutters. "Go ahead, see how fast those people smear you across the walls."


A hit takes Reborn pretty far out of the city centre and after he gets that ticked off his list, he finds himself only twenty minutes out from Verde's main laboratory.

He debates knocking on the door and explaining the invitation because Reborn does need someone to bounce ideas off and Verde is very good finding plot holes. However, he pauses at the pedestrian walk and while waiting for the lights, he notices the speed camera turn to him.

Reborn chickens out and ducks into a diner after crossing the street. Verde shows up anyway and they have a nice lunch together but Reborn can't bring himself to explain anything. Verde would misunderstand.

Reborn heads home and halfway back he contemplates waiting in a restroom because look, Fon doesn't have a phone and Reborn doesn't know where the man lives so this is his only option to get in contact. Reborn thinks about it but doesn't because he's not that desperate yet, thanks.

So Reborn gets home and sits down to plan out his introduction as Sky - mainly whether he wants to own it and scare people into submission or deny everything and claim he's only a Sun.

If he does claim he's a Sky, people will expect things from him. Some people want to take charge and lead others, and that's fine, but it sounds awful to Reborn, who really just wants to do whatever he feels like without needing to warn people or ask for permission.

Colonnello once asked Reborn to check in with him before the more dangerous hits as a safety precaution, and Reborn did try, but even that was suffocating so he put a stop to it very quickly.

Reborn ends up pulling out his phone to call Skull because the man's thought process is a bit skewed, and if Reborn wants to make his arguments air-tight, he needs someone to come at him from odd angles.

Reborn sips espresso while it rings and after a long time the call finally connects.

"Not right now!" Skull yells in a rush before Reborn can even open his mouth, muffled under all the rushing wind. "Oh my God, there's like an actual evil mastermind set up in Sweden. Like he has a -ohfuckme- a ray gun, you would love it here, I'll try and bring one back for Verde."

Reborn inhales. "Skull. We need to talk about your Interpol adventures, and I also need the name of whichever dumbass is letting you have free reign like this."

"It's not Interpol," Skull admits shyly. "I was in the area for -shitwatchit- for a circus gig, saw a gun fight, wanted to play too."

Reborn rolls his eyes. "Have fun? Don't die."

"Babe, you'll never be free of me," Skull laughs. "Kisses!"

Reborn hangs up. Whatever, Skull is an adult, he can make his own decisions.

Reborn tries calling both Colonnello and then Lal next, but the automated voice says the numbers can't be reached, so they might be on a mission. Reborn taps on Colonnello's bond to make sure he's okay and the reply comes quickly in Morse code.

TANKBOOMLOL

Yeah, Colonnello is fine.

Reborn tosses and turns that night in bed before giving up on sleeping and goes through his weapons cache instead. When it finally hits a decent hour and sunlight is streaming through his windows, he's lying on his dining table surrounded by assault firearms and enough ammo to wipe out a small country arranged neatly over every spare centimetre of floor space.

Reborn runs a hand down his face and finally admits that he's panicking just a little bit. He thinks he needs to talk to someone to calm down but Reborn doesn't want the others to see him...like this.

It would be nice though, to have at least one person backing him up during the meeting, at least waiting outside if Reborn's rejection doesn't go over well and he gets dragged into a basement somewhere. It would give him more options, a little bit of leeway.

Not that he needs help or anything.