Clear to cloudy

Target 40: A legend reborn and the cosmic sky

"Let me tell you a few tales Kotsu… about Ywan and Zaccaria…" Primo says sitting on the bench in the park with Kotsu getting rather tense as he feels he's about to be told two VERY legendary stories.

"T-they already have legends?"

"That's right…"

-NII-

Ywan… a name that by this time strikes fear into many men… For many reasons. His strength. His wisdom. His tenacious will to win and be in the right. But there's another reason people fear him… his lineage.

From the moment he was born Ywan has been raised among three brothers in a Russian family from Moscow. Not a wealthy family in the slightest. He was born in Italy where the family had ended up fleeing over the years. He never knew his father as his mother was a simple prostitute, so his father was likely one of her clients. From the moment he was born the odds were stacked against Ywan… he was the target for so much of his siblings' anger and frustration as his mother could not work for nine months thanks to him. Even his own mother despised him. They almost all starved because of him. When he learned to speak and walk his siblings did not take kindly to him. Beating him up at every occasion. He was bullied in school as well for his mother's line of work. After much time of living as a human punching bag Ywan finally snapped. He ran away from home and lived on the street for many years. He taught himself how to fight both barehanded and with a knife he found.

The young Ywan is walking back into an alley where he's 'set up camp' for the day seeing that a few thugs looking at him. "Hey kid… where's you momma?" One asks and the young Ywan pulls out his knife trying to be threatening much to the thugs' amusement. "Oh what're you going to do stab me?"

"Yeah! I-if you don't leave right now!" He yells right back and the thugs laugh at his clearly fearful expression. "I… I mean it!"

"Alright alright kid…" the main thug says before they all begin to walk away. However as they walk past him one of them kicks the knife out of his hand suddenly. Ywan's eyes go wide before he's picked up and thrown against the wall with the thugs beginning to beat him up. "Who the hell do you think you are?! Threatening grown men like that?!" Ywan cries as he's ruthlessly beaten on. The world had always been cruel to him… why? What had he done to deserve this? Be born? That's hardly a good reason… he wouldn't accept such a thing! NO WAY! No one looks down on him! NO ONE! He starts crawling a bit to get to his knife enduring the pain as the thugs have a little laugh. "Yeah right! Like that'll help you!" He yells as Ywan grabs the knife clutching it hard. It suddenly bursts with sky flames and it's as if his pain disappears. The thugs take a few steps back.

Ywan slowly stands up. "Who do YOU think YOU are? Beating on a helpless kid like me… I'm tired of it… tired of being punished for existing… so I think I'll start getting the world back for it…" He says raising his knife as the flames boom up even more and he swings it at the air as all three thugs are enveloped in flames.

For almost a year Ywan lived on his own on the street. He was now six years old and had already killed… However that was when he met him… a kind old man. Timoteo. Or as others know him the ninth boss of the Vongola family. "You look frightened young man… where is your mother?" He asks looking at Ywan sitting on a streetcorner with his knife.

"What do you care old man…?"

Timoteo gives a typical old man's laugh. "The streets is no place for a child like you…" He says kindly and Ywan looks up at him with almost angry eyes.

"Get lost old man… or I'll kill you," He says holding up his knife as it bursts into flames. The appearance of the flames is darker than normal sky flames and appear to be forming a longer blade around his knife. This causes Timoteo's eyes to widen.

"A knife? Those flames… hmm… you're just like 'him'…" He says only annoying Ywan further.

"I SAID… get lost!"

Timoteo holds out his walking cane and it also lights up with sky flames. "Do not get high and mighty child… your ability is simple and unrefined. While I have mastered mine… you would lose a battle with me… however I can teach you… in fact I MUST teach you if you truly are what I believe you are…"

Ywan seems quite intrigued and stands. "Fine… but if you try anything funny I'll kill you old man!"

"Sure child what is your name. I am Timoteo,"

"Ywan…"

Timoteo took in Ywan and allowed his guardians as well as other people within the mafia to let him live the life he wanted. However on his tenth birthday Ywan decided to revisit his old home. He wanted to tell them and show them how strong he'd gotten thanks to them. He was a natural talent at fighting and leading. He stops in front of the door hesitating a little. But gathering his courage he happily swings the door open horror striking his eyes. His mother laid dead on the bed. He runs in to see if his mother was alive. However he quickly finds that she isn't. And his brothers were nowhere to be seen. Did THEY do this? Once more the world had tossed another tragedy his way as if to tell him to stop trying. However this drove Ywan to become better, so that he might one day track down his brothers and ask them what happened… and if it came down to it… kill them.

When Ywan turned fifteen Timoteo called for him. "I wish to show you something Ywan…" He takes Ywan to a large room at the back of the manor they live in. Here he showed Ywan a great hall to honor the previous bosses of the vongola family. The largest painting in the back is of the original Primo with a pair of flaming gloves. "This… is the hall of bosses. Soon I will be joining in this hall myself in fact! Hohoho… But what I wish to show you is this…" He says going to one of the many paintings on the wall. The one of Vongola Terzo, the third vongola boss, a man with quite a similar face to Ywan. In front of the pedestal is a knife which seems to resemble the one the man has in the picture.

"W-what's the meaning of this!? Is this me from the future!? What's going on!?"

"Not quite Ywan… it seems you may be a sort of… reincarnation of Vongola Terzo… It is unheard of… but it seems that it may be the case," Ywan touches the painting.

"So…? What about it? What do I care I'm the reincarnation of some old guy!?"

"Do you not realize what this means? It means you're a rightful leader. A man meant to rule. You are among the second generation of the will of the very family you are in!" He says and Ywan can't help but smirk slightly.

"A man meant to rule huh? Sounds like something I might like…" He looks to vongola Terzo's knife. "Mind if I take that then…? Since I'm actually the guy in the picture?" He says and Timoteo just taps his cane.

"Absolutely not… Vongola Terzo's dagger is among the strongest weapons ever conceived. It must never leave this hall… just as the other vongola bosses weapons we keep here," He says and Ywan looks around seeing that on all the other pedestals there're weapons as well.

From then on Ywan was never the same. He became quite obsessed with earning power and respect like his predecessor. Wishing to be in the right at all times. And not only did he want to… he successed completely and by age 20 he was among the highest ranking members of the Vongola council as well as a strong battler. He truly was… a legend reborn…

-NII-

Primo leans his head back after telling Kotsu Ywan's story. The younger boy looks almost terrified. "B-but I thought all the vongola bosses were… you know… nice people…?"

"After the previous Vongola Primo, Giotto… the vongola started going down a much more violent path under Vongola second… and one would think things could only get better with Vongola Terzo… but of course the second wouldn't choose a man who wasn't in tune with his ideals… so Vongola Terzo was just as powerhungry and violent as his predecessor. And Ywan is quite well-encapsulated in that. However he truly cares for the Vongola's survival and honor. That much I know…"

Kotsu gulps again upon hearing the story and looks at the ground. "T-that's terrifying… a guy who thinks the Vongola needs to be restored is up against me… who wants it to stay as kind as you do…"

"Yes indeed… but while Ywan is strong and scary from a rough childhood and life… the same cannot be said for your other opponent I'm afraid…" He says referring to Zaccaria and Kotsu is unsure whether he should be relieved to hear this or afraid that it means something more ominous.

-NII-

Zaccaria. Born to two members of the Vongola family. He has cast aside his last name… to strike fear into anyone who meets him. Because he does not want to be seen as a person but as a threat. He is incredibly powerful. Born to lead just like Ywan but for another reason… he was chosen from birth.

When he was born the Vongola doctors were taken aback as he was glowing a bright orange and his eyes were the purest orange one can imagine. Why was this? We wouldn't find out until many years later…

His mother's name is Angelina, truly a fitting name… god's messenger… His father was one of the strongest fighters of the vongola family… Valerio… a name that simply means powerful and strong… which he certainly was… he held one of the strongest weapons in existence. Most people could not understand how he battled with such a large weapon, but he did. He was regarded as a hero among the Vongola family…

The young Zaccaria who, in spite of the strange abilities he showed at his birth, had shown no special abilities highly regarded his father. He wanted to become kind and strong like him when he became older. They were all a loving family. Worried when Valeria was out fighting and happy when he came home. Zaccaria did well in school and was quite popular among fellow students. However one day he was targeted by assassins as they wanted leverage on Valerio.

Zaccaria's father stands in front of Zaccaria and his mother. "Stay back you two… papa will handle this…" He says taking out a katar which is the same one Zaccaria walks around with in present day.

The assassin laughs seeing the weapon. "Is THAT the legendary weapon known as 'Valkyrie'!? I HAD heard it got worn down through repeated use in spite of it being 'invincible'! But that's pathetic!" He yells and Valerio grits his teeth holding the katar up preparing to fight.

"It may be worn down… but I have still won many battles with this weapon!" He proudly declares. Zaccaria looks terrified hugging close to his mother. Valerio looks back at him and smiles in a gentle manner in spite of the situation. "Don't worry lil' buddy… lets go get icecream after this alright…?" He says before turning back to the assassin to find him charging at him.

"Don't turn your back to an enemy!" He yells striking at Valerio with his spear who blocks with his katar surprisingly well.

"Just because my back was turned doesn't mean I stop paying attention!"

The two fought a long hard battle but in the midst of the battle when it seemed Valerio was winning… The assassin turned the tides with a simple trick. He went after Zaccaria who was frozen in terror. He tried stabbing the young boy with his spear and in spite of him having trained to become strong like his father he couldn't get himself to move, which lead to the result one could predict. Valerio got in front of the attack getting impaled in the back to protect his child.

He coughs up a bit of blood. "That's… a really dirty trick…" He says looking over his shoulder at the assassin.

"P-papa…? PAPA!" Zaccaria yells tears filling his eyes seeing his father like this and Valerio smiles at him.

"Yeah Zaccaria…? What is it? You alright?" He asks and Zaccaria tries pulling the spear out of him.

"I-it doesn't matter! I-I don't want papa to die because of me!"

Valerio chuckles coughing a bit more. "It's alright son… pulling the spear out will just get messy and kill me even faster… and if I die from this… it definitely wasn't because of you… I chose it myself…"

Angelina pulls Zaccaria back. "Sweetie don't… don't watch…" She says and Valerio smiles at her.

"Well honey… I think this is the end for me to be honest… I kind of expected it to end sooner rather than later… nothing THIS good lasts for long after all… take good care of Zaccaria… he's kind and smart… he deserves a good life…" He says as the assassin pulls the spear out of him and he falls forward.

"Aww… ain't that sweet? How about I make your family join you in death? Besides… I don't like leaving witnesses…" He says glaring at Zaccaria and Angelina.

Valerio grits his teeth trying to get up to protect them. But he's too close to death. He closes his eyes not wanting to watch when suddenly the spear is stopped by a single hand grabbing it and melting the thing inbetween the fingers. It's Primo who's in hyper dying will mode. He's with Yamamoto. "Valerio! They're safe!" He says glaring the assassin down intensely. "Find your peace… you will be remembered…" He says and Valerio smirks.

"Just in the nick of time as always huh Primo…? Thank you…" He says as he finally bleeds out in peace knowing his family is safe. Zaccaria gets out of his mother's grasp and runs to his father.

"PAPA! PAPA! NO! T-this isn't how it goes! Y-you're a hero! You're supposed to win! Every time!" He yells and Yamamoto pulls him away again.

"It's alright Zaccaria… everything will be alright…" He assures but Zaccaria just kicks and screams in grief as his mother is also sitting and crying.

-NII-

"Zaccaria wasn't the same after that. We never recovered Valkyrie. It simply wasn't there. Turns out Zaccaria had stolen it off his father when he shook him…" Primo finishes and Kotsu once more looks at the ground.

"Both of those guys… they seem so… so much more worthy to be boss than I do… I just… I just want to be boss because I've got nothing better to do with my life…" He says sadly thinking it must be hard to lose so much of what you love.

"It certainly is tragic. But don't allow that to discourage you. You've met them both… they're not fit to govern the Vongola family. They're both too violent… that is where you differ Kotsu… but there is another thing you should know about Zaccaria…" He adds and Kotsu wonders what ELSE that guy has hidden up his sleeve.

"Shortly after he watched his father get killed… he unlocked his flame through training with his father's weapon. The flame that has given him his name. 'Void-flame' Zaccaria. He holds a sky flame. But not just any sky flame. The highest quality sky flame in existence. It turns out there're others like him. People with flame quality far beyond what anyone has ever seen. All of them were born around the same time… around 20 years ago in fact. The seven warriors chosen by the flames themselves. They've been dubbed… the cosmic flames. Zaccaria is the cosmic sky flame… However we only know the identity and whereabouts of one other of these seven…" He explains and Kotsu gulps.

"B-but if these guys are really that powerful then how can I possible hope to stand up to Zaccaria!? Not only that but Ywan, who's a reincarnation of one of the strongest people to ever live!?"

Primo looks up gently hitting Kotsu in the chest. "With your heart Kotsu… and with the trust you put in your own strength and in your friends… I believe in you Kotsu… I really do…" He says and it's as if Primo's fist is transferring hope and power into Kotsu's little body. He also looks up at the sky. He will prevail… and he'll make sure to accept and carry around the tragic stories of both his opponents.