"Cousin," Kyouya begins. "Come in here for a moment."

Xanxus, having just returned from wandering around Namimori and terrorising the civilians (who seemed used to someone threatening them oddly enough), pauses at the entrance to the living room and stills.

"These are our uncles," Kyouya says, gesturing to the two sitting on the couch opposite.

Xanxus scans the bandaged figures with tall top hats and heavy black cloaks. One is over seven feet tall while the other is infant sized, but Xanxus immediately links the smaller to the Arcobaleno and decides the infant is the greatest threat.

"It's nice to meet you," the taller one greets politely in a rough voice. "My name is Jager and this is Bermuda. Kyouya called us to discuss your…"

"Herbivore," Kyouya cuts in, offering up the word as a replacement for 'father'. Timoteo is nothing to Xanxus and the fake link will be burned to ashes.

"Yes, your herbivore." Bermuda takes up the line of conversation. "As it wasn't against mafia law, we cannot officially step in as Vendice but we can give you options as to which routes you have."

Xanxus moves into the room cautiously and sits on the couch beside Kyouya. "And what do you get out of this?"

"Why would we need anything?" Jager replies, honestly confused. "You're Hibari."

Xanxus shoots a glance to Kyouya to check that this was usual for the Skylarks. The kid nods easily enough, the action telling Xanxus that the offer is both normal and expected for a Hibari.

Xanxus turns back to the Vendice. "I was planning on removing the Varia from any Vongola links, but it's too entrenched. I'll take the Decimo position instead – the old man's kids are useless and it'll be easy."

CEDEF managed to get away from Vongola but the only thing bonding them at the start was Alaude being a part of both. The Varia are actually a subdivision with all of the higher decisions running through Vongola.

Bermuda says nothing for a moment as he deliberates and then nods. "We'll go with the first, since that's your favoured option. It'll take time," he warns. "Maybe a month."

"A month?" Xanxus and Kyouya both blurt out for very different reasons.

"It can't possibly be managed in a month," Xanxus snaps, strangely offended that Bermuda thinks Vongola could be manipulated so easily.

"What would make it take so long? Isn't that a rather pessimistic estimate?" Kyouya says with scepticism.

The two turn to each other, rather confused at the very opposite responses they have.

"You can't take on a powerhouse like Vongola and rip away one of its arms," Xanxus rejects. "Not in a month and not in a decade."

"Vongola isn't a powerhouse," Kyouya says slowly to let it better sink in. "Uncle Nagato is a powerhouse. Aunt Morigana is a powerhouse. Even cousin Mikoto is a powerhouse. Quite frankly, Vongola isn't even in the top one hundred."

"I think you're underestimating the mafia, trash," Xanxus barks.

"I think you need to see a Skylark in action, herbivore," Kyouya snaps back.

"Fine," Xanxus snarls. "Show me what you can do, brat." He throws out an arm, gesturing for Kyouya to take command.

Kyouya turns back to Bermuda with a smirk. "Shall we do this subtly or should I get the anti-tank rifle?"


The Vongola is on fire.

Xanxus tilts his head to the side and reconsiders his words.

What's left of the Vongola is on fire.

Half the compound is torn away, with large holes punched into the walls still standing. Smoke rises to the sky and bright splashes of orange and red denote which parts are on fire. The flame actives are also bright spots but they're quickly snuffed out without mercy.

"Who's that one?" Squalo asks, pointing upwards.

There's a brown haired man hovering in the air. He's dressed in a white coat with the number five on the back and flowing black clothes that belong before television. A pair of glasses are perched on his nose and he's smiling calmly.

"That's 'Uncle' Aizen," Xanxus replies. "He's the anti-tank rifle."

Said Uncle promptly conjures a whirling ball of black energy which he fires down at the Vongola mansion below. The black energy grows exponentially when it leaves the Skylark's hand and washes over the remaining Vongola building gently.

When it disperses the structures it touched are non-existent.

"I like him," Bel comments.


Xanxus shakes the images away and says a firm no to calling in Aizen, especially after looking at his information and hearing the extra descriptions Kyouya gave. Maybe after the Varia is separate he'll consider it but if the Vongola are attacked the Varia are always sent in first.

"Okay, then we'll go subtle," Bermuda says. "Kyouya, find your cousins L and Izaya."


It takes three weeks actually, and Kyouya looks insufferably smug. Xanxus lets the brat get away with it because he's too busy looking insufferably smug as well.

He now has the Varia, completely unhindered by any links. The next week he takes calmly, just watching the Vongola panic when they finally discover that Xanxus is gone. The mist double had dissolved into air, leaving a body imprint in the ice, as soon as the Varia separated.

The new Varia compound is massive and has even more secret rooms and tunnels than the last one. The entire structure had been built in three days as a 'welcome home' gift from an aunt, and Xanxus graciously gives Kyouya a tour of the new building.

Not that Kyouya has any say in the decision. In fact the ungrateful brat has been complaining about herbivores and crowding ever since he was kidnapped from Japan. Xanxus has to sling him over a shoulder to move him anywhere.

Lussuria is delighted with the idea of changing Varia uniforms to separate them from the other mafia famiglias and Xanxus orders a bird in flight sown onto all of them. He is a Hibari and damn well proud of it.

It gets a lot more people to try and kill him which is a good bonus.


.

A/N: So, can you guess the named Skylarks?