Disclaimer: I wish I owned Reborn and all the wonderful character but I still do not and never will.

The Half Ring Conflict continued with many excitements. None of which I really enjoyed because I never attended.

I grinned as I munched on a bar of chocolate and listened to Squalo as he rambled on about how he was the next fighter and if I really valued him as a senpai I should at least watch him mop the floor with some Yamamoto Takeshi kid.

"Why should I have to go if you're going to kill him in five seconds?" I complained. I have a logical reason, "It's a waste of time."

"THREE!" He roared, "It'll be the best three second murder you've seen in your entire life!"

"Boring." I rolled my eyes, "And I'm busy. I still can't seem to find Kyoya."

I knew something was off right away. It wasn't just Squalo-senpai that turned his head, Levi, Mammon, and even Bel were silent.

"What?" I narrowed my eyes on them, "Something happen?"

"Your brother's the Cloud Guardian for the other side!" Squalo snapped.

I laughed. That's hilarious and impossible. Kyoya hates being with other people. He hates it when people crowd together and he thinks anything more than two is a crowd. I was the only one laughing though.

"It's not a joke." Belphegor tilted his head toward the Gola Mosca, "Check his cameras if you don't believe us."

Alright they're not kidding but I wished they were.

"You better not quit on us." Squalo grumbled, "We're not going to forfeit any of the rings so you better show up to your match at least!"

"Yeah. Whatever." I was not about to take this. Kyoya as my opponent doesn't sound fun at all. Let's get this straight. I'm not scared of Kyoya and it's not that I'm afraid of hurting my brother either but the problem is that if I start a fight with Kyoya, it's going to last forever. We're pretty much even.

One more thing. I haven't seen Kyoya in two years. I don't even know what he looks like anymore but if he changed a lot I'm going to cry, instead of fight like I'm supposed to.

Oh well. We'll see in the future.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O

"He what?" I'm going to die before my match. I swear, I'm going to have a heart attack.

"That trash bit the dust." Xanxus snapped.

"..."

That can't be. Squalo's the strongest of the officers. If he had fought Kyoya and lost I might've believed it, but what the fuck?! What was the name of the guy he was supposed to fight? Yamato? Oh right. Yamamoto Takeshi. I'll kill that guy even if it's the last thing I do. Oh, don't get me wrong. I couldn't care less that Squalo-senpai's dead. I just want to show the world that I'm stronger than Squalo.

You can think whatever you want but everyone in the Varia thinks like that. If someone stronger than you dies, you have to be realistic. It's a chance to get promoted, there's no time to cry or be sad. We're assassins. We kill people and get killed in return. That's about it.

"Someone tell Lussuria." I cheered, "One of us is going to take Squalo-senpai's spot now."

"Shishishi." Belphegor snickered, "Lussuria already lost his match though."

"Oh…" I grinned, "Screw Lussuria too then! I'm about to be the boss' right hand!"

Xanxus snorted at me but didn't say anything against it.

I grimaced the minute the rest of the officers took their eyes off me. I can't believe Squalo lost. Out of all the people to lose, Lussuria and Squalo lost. Why? What kind of people defeated our top two? I couldn't help but feel a little bit bitter about it. Not only did they both lose but Squalo was dead.

A little part of me denied it. Squalo-senpai can't be dead. A Varia without Superbi Squalo just doesn't seem right. I was invited into the Varia by Squalo… without him, I wouldn't be here-I shouldn't be here. It feels… like nothing. Maybe I should be sad but I don't feel anything. Maybe the fact that I don't feel anything is actually sadder than Squalo dying. It's almost sickening.

"If you let that bother you, you're going to be the next to die." Xanxus called, lips smirking around a glass of whiskey, "I thought you spent these eight years training."

"We did." I said through gritted teeth, sneering at our boss who could only imagine how much we had suffered in these eight years, "Squalo might not have been able to show the strength we've gained but I'll show you without fail."

From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to believe Squalo was alive. Herbivorous and unnecessary feelings taking hold of my heart for the first time in a long time, I swore to take revenge on Yamamoto Takeshi for Squalo who I had spent more than a decade with.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O

The day of the Cloud Battle had arrived and at first, I didn't recognize Kyoya but he recognized me. His face went from pure confidence to momentary indecision then back to confidence. It was the curve of his lips into an arrogant smirk that made realization hit me like a truck.

"Kyoya!" Hugs first. Battle later.

"Off! Get off!" My brother complained, his tonfas coming up to defend himself.

"Oh, Kyoya. Just say you missed me and get it over with." I couldn't help but tease my cute little brother, "You're so tall now!"

"I'll bite you to death." He growled.

"Tch." I clicked my tongue, "What did I tell you about that?"

"Not to say it unless I mean it but I don't care what you say." He growled, swinging at me much more violently.

I ducked down and spotted the strangest thing in the world through the gap made by Kyoya's legs, "Dino...?!"

Kyoya gave me a look that said he saw this coming, "Someone you know?"

Bucking Bronco Dino was staring at me with wide eyes. He rubbed his eyes with his fists and looked back at me and then rubbed his eyes again. I couldn't hear him from the distance I was at but his lips moved to form my name, "Hibari… Kira?"

I abandoned Kyoya and went straight for Dino. I pulled my fist back, punching him in the nose, "Bastard!"

Dino's hand held his bloody nose as he stared up at me from the dirt in shock, "What was that for?!"

"I'm going to bite you to death right here." I growled, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him up to eye level.

Dino's eyes went wide again, "W-Wait!"

There were a lot of people here not just the Varia but Sawada's guardians too. And in front of all these people, I opened my mouth and bit down on Dino's neck as hard as I could. I'm not a vampire but I do like the taste of blood. Unlike Kyoya, when I say I'm going to bite someone to death, I mean it quite literally. The taste of Dino's blood filled my mouth and I heard several people, on Sawada's side, scream in disgust or confusion.

"W-Wait. Kyoya!" Dino's voice was panicky again, "This… This isn't…. KIRA! GET OFF! KYOYA'S GOING TO KILL ME BEFORE YOU IF YOU DON'T MOVE!"

My eyes narrowed. Oh no he's not. I don't like it when people steal my prey even if it's Kyoya I won't let it happen. My teeth left Dino's skin as I turned to meet Kyoya head on, "Kyoya~ Wait patiently so I can kill Dino quickly and fight you afterwards."

He looked tempted to obediently do what I said for the heck of getting to fight me but then he looked up at Dino and started to debate which fight would be more fun.

"Ahem!" The Cervello had arrived at the worst time possible, "Please don't start without our permission. Follow the rules."

I licked the blood from my lips and growled, "Gola Mosca! Take my place and fight Kyoya. I want to kill Dino."

I tossed the robot my ring and turned to chase after Dino, who had gotten a head start running away.

"Kira!" Kyoya called after me in an irritated voice but the stage was set and I was long gone, forcing Kyoya to fight Gola Mosca and win if he was going to come after me.

I could feel Xanxus glaring at me as I chased the Bucking Bronco but I didn't look back. I had other debts to settle with Dino.

"Is it really okay to leave the fight to that robot?!" Dino screamed, not looking back as he tried to persuade me to leave him alone.

"I don't care." I growled, "I just want to kill you first. I can fight Kyoya anytime."

"You guys are going to lose!" He screamed, "Kyoya doesn't like fighting weaklings."

"I don't care. That has nothing to do with me."

"This is not how a reunion is supposed to be!" He let out a choked scream as he tripped over his own feet and fell onto his face.

I slammed my foot down over his back to keep him from getting up again, "This is what you get for leaving without saying goodbye and what you get for not replying to any of my messages."

"Fucking Romario." He mumbled when he realized that he was alone and then he sighed, "I guess I should've worn better shoes."

My eyebrow twitched as I glared down at his back, "Is that all you have to say?"

He made a sorry attempt at getting out from under my foot and the only thing he managed was turning over onto his back, revealing his bloody nose to me, "Kira. It's good to see you again."

"Too late, Haneuma." I growled, pulling my gauntlets over my hands, "I'm going to kill you now."

"So you joined the Varia?" He smiled up at me.

My eyes narrowed, moving from his smile up to his eyes. If he's smiling, why does he look so sad?

"How have you been?" His searched me head to toe and then back up again, "I don't see any scars."

"..."

"Let me up, Kira." He wasn't demanding it nor was he begging for it. He was just suggesting it.

"Why did you stop talking to me?" I asked him quietly, even though there was no one else around I didn't want to seem weak for asking something so petty in a tone that suggested that I had been hurt by his decision to stop talking to me.

He was quiet for a minute before saying, "I didn't want you to get hurt."

My eyebrow twitched and I motioned for him to continue talking.

"I understand that most of the people who attended our school were members of the mafia but you weren't." He smiled at me so sadly that I thought he might cry if I teased him even a little, "I didn't want to involve you in mafia affairs so I talked to Squalo about it and he told me that I should decide for myself. I couldn't think of any other way to keep you from getting dragged into our world. I'm sorry."

"I was stronger than you when we first met. I wasn't mafia but I was stronger than you."

"That's why I was scared. We were young and you were so confident in your strength that you stood between me and anyone who tried to bully me. If it was just the bullies, I might not have cared but I'm in the mafia. I was afraid that you would get hurt trying to save me from other Families that came after me. I was weak until I met Reborn. I had no other way to protect you."

My eyebrow twitched once more, "So you cut me off completely and you ignored me and every effort I made to talk to you? I thought you were mad at me for the longest time. You couldn't have just told me back then that you were scared of my weakness?"

"Your weakness? Not at all. I was scared of my weakness." He tried to explain, "Really. I never thought of you as a weak person in my entire life. Not now, not then, not ever."

"Then why would you think I would get hurt trying to fight the people who came after you? If you thought I was strong, you would never worry about those things. You must've thought I was weak if you were afraid of stupid things like that." My voice came out weaker than I thought it should so to cover up the weakness in my voice, I kicked him in the jaw, "I have one more thing. Domenico Cavallone is your father?"

Gritting his teeth in pain, Dino stared up at me through annoyed eyes, "Yes? If you're in the Varia, shouldn't you know that by now?"

"Before his passing, did that man leave behind some sort of will for debts to be repaid?" I demanded, not letting him up although he squirmed, "You see, my mother says there's a debt your father owes her."

Dino's eyes widened, a bright smile breaking his pain stricken face, "Wait! S-Seriously?! So, you're the one… Yes! My father gave me solid instructions! Let me meet your mother! I'll repay the debt, I swear!"

I huffed, standing up and starting back towards the Cloud Ring Battle arena, "Good. After the Sky Ring Battle, come with me."

"Kira! Wait!" He called after me.

I didn't look back as I continued toward the school but if I had even glanced back I would've ran because Dino was scrambling after me. Once he caught up, he threw his arms around me from behind. I froze.

"I'm really sorry. If I had known that my decision would drive you into the Varia, I would've just asked you to join my Family. Please, forgive me." His apology seemed sincere but for all the wrong reasons.

My eyebrow twitched twice this time and I lifted my hand and drove it right into his forehead, "Piss off, herbivore."

Dino made a face of pure shock as he registered my words and then he began to laugh, "You know… You're much more intense than Kyoya."

"Stop calling my brother by his given name." I demanded, "Or else."

"Ehh…?" He scratched his cheek awkwardly, "It's alright, isn't it? I mean… I call you by your name too."

"Then stop calling me by my name too. We're not on friendly terms so you can't call me that." I snapped and turned to leave again.

Dino grinned at me with a mysterious twinkle in his deep brown eyes, "You might want to be a little nicer to me. You might end up stuck with me for a really long time."

I didn't ask what he meant but later in my life I would realize that I should've pried.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O

"Where have you been?" Levi interrogated me with a glare as I entered our hotel room nearly twenty hours after I had disappeared chasing Dino.

"None of your business." I snapped.

I wasn't about to tell the Varia that I had been spending time with the enemy. Well, technically Dino isn't the direct enemy because he's not a guardian but still…. He's on that side so he's the enemy. We didn't do anything special or even anything normal. He just followed me around all night long trying to get me to say something other than 'go away'. It must've been tiring but he didn't give up until I told him to get lost because I was tired and even then he didn't give up. He just said that he would see me again.

"All the guardians have to gather for the Sky Battle." Levi warned me.

"I'm not a guardian. I gave the spot to Gola Mosca." I punched him in the gut rather than simply asking him to get out of my way so I could find beef jerky.

"Bitch." Levi cursed, doubled over as my fist sank into his gutline, "Gola Mosca was trashed by your brother."

"Wao." I said sarcastically, "I totally didn't expect that."

"You bitch. You were just giving the win to him?!"

"Did you forget about showing me the results of your training? Or were you running because your kid brother is stronger than you?" Xanxus growled, meeting my deadly glare with his own, "Did you train for me or to chase Cavallone through the streets like a commonplace hitman? Which is it, Kira?"

"Neither! This strength is for me and me alone! I had some business with Cavallone." I snarled, "If you want to see my strength so badly I just have to go to the stupid Sky Battle, don't I?"

"Not if you're going to run out again." He declared, pulling a gun from his belt casually. He stared at it a moment before leveling it on me, "If you come with us, you stay with us this time. I'll kill you here if you refuse and I'll kill you there if you run off especially if you're chasing after Don Cavallone."

Seconding Xanxus' threat, Levi cheered wildly from the back.

My eyes moved from the gun trained dangerously on my vitals to the background. Bel and Levi… Only two left. Mammon disappeared, Lussuria's in the hospital, and Squalo's dead. I dropped my eyes to Xanxus' feet.

I don't believe in completing someone else's life goal after they died. If they died, their life goal remains uncompleted. It's their fault for dying not mine but I can't shake all the moments I spent training with Squalo and Lussuria from my heart. I could remember all the times we went and killed people together.

I try not to think about my feelings. There's no point. At the end of the day, I don't need them. My goal is to be the strongest I can be. Emotions have nothing to do with strength but today, I couldn't shake those pointless feelings of loyalty to Squalo and Lussuria. We trained so hard together for eight long years as we waited for Xanxus to come back to us. This is why we trained and this was our goal-all three of us. So…

"We trained." I told him, "These guys and I… Squalo and Lussuria. We trained for eight long years. If anyone is running out on us, it would be you. We waited for you for eight long years. I'll fight enough for all three of us so if you lose, I'll kill you."

Eyes narrowing in the deadly gaze of a hunter, his lips curved into a wild smile as he lowered his weapon, "Any less and I'll kill you after I kill Sawada Tsunayoshi. Even if you beg and cry and say you can't fight anymore, you'll fight enough for the rest of the trash."

A victory without Squalo seemed almost meaningless but… victory is victory and I'll take it. We are the strongest with or without Squalo.

Oh, Squalo. Stop weaseling your way into people's hearts.