Chapter 8

Belphegor sprawled on top of the coach, Levi and Lussuria were sharing a seat, Squalo was pacing around the room, Aoi was sitting in a corner, Fran was leaning against a wall and Xanxus lounged on his comfy red throne. There was a tense aura in the room.

Unable to withstand it longer, Squalo shouted, "VOOII! Boss! Why are we here?" Aoi winced; she hated it when Squalo started every sentence with a "voi!", it was starting to get very… nerve-wrecking.

"Urusai, trash, I'm the one who's gonna do all the talking here," Xanxus scolded, his eyes full of hatred, "We're holding a Vongola-style Birthday Party tomorrow."

"Ushishishi, who cares whose birthday is whose," Bel said, "Hey boss, whose birthday party is it? Let's crash the merrymaking instead."

"MINE," Xanxus said, pointing his gun at Bel's direction, "Got any problem with that?"

"No, boss," Bel muttered in a small voice, he heard Fran snicker. He was soo going to rip that replacement of Mammon into shreds…

"The Ninth said to prepare whatever you're going to show for the party," Xanxus continued after ignoring Bel's apology.

"Huh? Show? Show what? For what?" Aoi asked; she'd never been in any party, much less the famous Vongola Birthday Parties.

"Arara," Lussuria sighed in disapproval, as if it was Aoi's fault for not knowing. "There's a talent show, you have to prepare for that. The birthday celebrant would rank each performer, the highest would receive a huge amount of prize money and have his/her wish granted while the loser along with his immediate family will be killed. Fun isn't it?" he ended in a positive note.

"Yeah, very," Aoi sarcastically replied. "What if we choose not to participate?" she asked. Squalo and Lussuria laughed.

"You can't NOT participate, it's something that's inescapable," Lussuria said, "Think of it as a gift to our boss."

Xanxus rolled his eyes at Lussuria's sentence. He couldn't help but think why he accepted Lussuria as part of the Varia. It seemed like he got fooled by the gay guy. "The Ninth also said that we have to wear something formal, for both men and women, no buts. Now… leave!" he barked out his command.

The guardians filed out of the room. Lussuria and Levi paired up; they were thinking about doing a comedy act. Squalo chose to perform by himself. He was going to make the most beautiful ice sculpture for the boss using his sword for his carving utensil. Bel forced Fran to work with him, probably thinking of something gory to show his leader. Aoi, had no other option but to do it alone. She sighed. What was she going to show? She looked at her electric guitar that she had hidden under her bed. There's no other choice, if she didn't play, she would die, if she played, she would die out of embarrassment. Either way, it was hell. She sniffed, all her hard work of keeping her skill a secret was all for nothing. The good-for-nothing Vongola party, plus, she had to wear a dress. God, she hated those! She had an idea, pretty stupid but an idea none the less, she called the maids and ordered them to buy here a black tuxedo, purple necktie, black pants and leather shoes her size. Now the worry of her outfit was cleared. But oh wait! What if the boss didn't like listening to music? If that was so, she would literally and surely die. In order to find out, Aoi took the great risk to sneak into Xanxus room to investigate. Three meters away, she could hear heavy metal rock in full volume playing from the speakers Xanxus stole from somebody when he was a kid. Whew. That was a really close call. All was set then.

The day of the birthday came, the Varia officers were assembling in the lounging area, all of them wearing coats and ties. They were waiting for Aoi to emerge from her room.

"Ushishishi, she's probably in the middle of wearing a huge beige dress with lots of ruffles and lace and she's probably putting on white face powder and huge amounts of lipstick," Bel laughed, while picturing Aoi in such clothes. Lussuria and Levi followed his example.

The door opened, the object of conversation came in wearing a… a… a black tuxedo that had been tailored to fit her. Squalo jawdropped. Bel, Lussuria, and Levi sweatdropped. Xanxus and Fran stared. They had not been expecting Aoi to abhor wearing a dress to the extent of wearing men's clothes… tailored men's clothes.

"VOOII!" Squalo broke the awkward silence, "What the fuck are you wearing? It's a boy's outfit! You look like a guy!"

"Eeh, what's wrong with that? It's better to look like a guy instead of wearing a dress," Aoi shuddered, "It's totally unfair if I have to wear a stupid and idiotic dress, feeling like a complete full when you guys are wearing comfortable pants and stuff…" Aoi pouted.

"Trash," Xanxus said, "You're spouting out trash… MAIDS!" he roared. The girls who took charge of the cleaning hurriedly entered the room, expecting this scene to happen. "Don't make her leave this room until she looks like a girl as ordered by the Ninth," he held up the Ninth's letter for everyone to see.

"Eeh? That's cruel!" Aoi screamed in protest, "That old geezer…" she cursed.

"We're leaving," Xanxus ordered the male Varia officers to pile up in the car.

"Wait! Damn it! What about me? You can't just leave me behind!" she asked, she got hit by a heavy object on the head and passed ot.

"You can follow us when you look respectable to the public, "Xanxus told the unconscious Cloud guardian. He glared at the maids; the girls got the point and immediately started working on Aoi.

"Ugh…" Aoi groaned, she tried to grab her aching head with her hand but she found out she couldn't. She came to her senses and saw her reflection on the mirror. The maids were making final touches to her hair. "AAAHH!" she screamed as if she was being tortured, which in a sense she was, "Get these off me! What the fuck are you doing to my hair?"

"Aoi-sama, you look fine, you're actually very pretty," a maid tried to console her mad mistress.

"Pretty? Me? Pretty my ass!" she ripped her hands off from their restraints with brute strength, "Agh! Why is it soo hard to walk in heels?" she sighed. "Take me to the car, I'm leaving." She grabbed her guitarcase and amp. The maids looked at each other. Whatever would happen if the girl arrived to the ballroom? She might go on a killing rampage! But one look at Aoi-sama, the maids was convinced that she looked calm and composed. Well, they'll leave her in their master's hands.

Xanxus was greeted with silence and fear as he stepped out of the car. It became even more silent when his subordinates revealed themselves. "Trash," Xanxus said in a harsh voice. He made his way to the huge red chair at the side of the room, and sat down. "Continue doing whatever you were doing," he ordered with a wave of his hand. Once the mafia present received his permission, the noise was restored as people initiated their various conversations once more.

"Ushishishi… I can't wait to see what abomination Aoi's wearing," Bel said, licking his lips. His fellow Varia officers nodded, except for Fran. A car was heard screeching to a halt in front of the back door entrances in order to draw less attention to its passenger. "I bet that's Aoi," Bel predicted.

Aoi entered the ballroom. Despite all her attempts, she had attracted everyone's attention. Who was that petite girl in a light blue dress? Was she a lost princess? If so, what the hell was she doing in a mafia party? The males blushed and some of the women frowned. Who was this blue-haired girl?

The girl wore a slight scowl on her face as she walked over to where the Varia was staying, "Mataku… It's your entire fault that people are staring at me," she scolded, "Now look at what you've done, I was trying to avoid all this commotion" she blamed. She then strode away to find drinks. She was immediately surrounded by her admirers, asking her to a dance or about her personal information. Aoi merely smiled and politely excused herself.

"Ne, ne, I heard that the Varia had a girl in their team for the first time in centuries," Aoi heard a wife of a mafia member mutter.

"I heard that she looks like a monster, fat and lumpy," her friend gossiped.

"Where the hell did they hear that rumor?" Aoi thought to herself, she nearly laughed out loud.

"There's no chance that she's the pretty girl over there," the friend pointed to Aoi, "That girl's probably one of Xanxus's fiancé candidates… I heard that he has many of those."

Aoi almost laughed at the absurdity of the gossip when…

"VOOII! The Cloud Guardian of the Varia! Get your ass over here!" Squalo shouted. Aoi stealthily made her way towards the stage at one side of the ballroom. She caught a glance of the Ninth sitting beside Xanxus. She stood behind her boss's big chair, taking great care not to be seen.

"I would like you to all welcome the newest member of the Vongola Family. She just recently joined the Varia and became their Cloud Guardian," the Ninth introduced once he was sure Aoi was around. People nudged each other, expecting an ugly, fat, muscular girl with a permanent glare on her face. They never expected the princess (as they have called Aoi since she didn't reveal her name yet) to be the latest addition to the Varia's number.

"Uhm… thank you for having me here, I'm Aoi Tsubasa, pleased to meet you," she bowed.

"Hai! Hai!" Lussuria said, not wanting Aoi to be in the spotlight for much longer, "Let's begin the talent show! Since Aoi-chan's the newcomer, she would honor us with her skills first!"

"Eeeeh?" she protested. She looked at the mafia audience, they all wore eager and nervous looks on their faces like they wanted to find out her abilities but were too afraid to do so. What a complicated feeling. She sighed, looked for an electric outlet and plugged her amp to it. Her amp had her pure black electric guitar plugged on it. She wore her headset. "Hey boss, what song do you want me to play? Any song requests?"

"Tch. Stricken by Disturbed," he replied, figuring that she'd have a hard time playing that particular song.

"Coming right up!" she said brightly, pleased to be presented with a challenge. She strummed the intro; the sound of her guitar reverberating in the hearts of those present.

That I am stricken and can't let you go
When the heart is cold, there's no hope, and we know
That I am crippled by all that you've done
Into the abyss will I run

She sang the song in perfect tone, her fingers pressing the correct chords. Everyone stared at her in awe, she had godlike skills. She literally rocked the house and started with a talent show with a bang as her fingers became a blur on the guitar's fret board while she plucked the guitar solo. Squalo, Lussuria and Levi couldn't believe what they were seeing, she was the girl in the park. They all had to admit that they all were impressed.

"You want more?" she asked. There were murmurs of 'More! More!' around the room. She played plucked the fast intro of "Through the Fire and Flames" by DragonForce. Some of the people were singing along. Some were banging their heads.

So far away we wait for the day
For the lives all so wasted and gone
We feel the pain of a lifetime lost in a thousand days
Through the fire and the flames we carry on

"Her voice sounds nice," Xanxus thought and listened to Aoi as she played the song. "She picked the right tracks too…" he added to his thoughts. The boss was in a good mood… for once. His voice trailed away as Aoi pulled off the long and complicated guitar solo. It was her first time doing so, and she had a great time. She was smiling while playing with her eyes closed. People were full of awe, admiration and fear for the guitar princess. Even if she lacked the drums and base, the song sounded perfect with just her wonderful 'guitar-ing'. The whole song lasted for seven minutes and twenty-four seconds. After she was done, many whoops and cheers came from the audience. They waited Xanxus's score for Aoi.

"Ninety-eight points," Xanxus scored. Everyone gasped. No one got a score higher than ninety-five in a Vongola Party before. But, they all agreed that Aoi deserved it. The rest of the party went past like a blur. Aoi could only remember pictures afterwards. Mafia playing dangerous games. She, being awarded with a million bucks by winning the talent show. Seeing Fran teasing Bel and couples dancing on the dance floor. Then, a whole enemy mafia family came, trashing Xanxus's birthday party.

Thus it resulted to the Vongola Birthday party ending in disaster. All Xanxus's enemies as well as enemies of the Vongola attacked. They were headed by the boss of the Millefiore Family, Byakuran. They captured the Varia officers and all they saw who were posing a threat to their Family, right in the middle of people waltzing on the dancefloor. But, the party poopers failed to abduct two teenagers.

Fran asked Aoi for a dance. Aoi, who was forced to act like a girl (for once) couldn't refuse. They moved along with the slow music, Aoi was slightly blushing but Fran still wore his pokerface.

"Ne, Fran, do you even have emotions?" Aoi asked, attempting for a conversation.

"Huh? Who knows," Fran said; his eyes devoid of any sign of happiness.

"Eh? You don't even smile or anything?" Aoi asked another question while they waltzed.

"I do smile… sometimes… rarely," Fran replied.

"That's too bad," Aoi mumbled. Without noticing it, the pair had danced into an empty area; far away from the where the party was being held. Both of them were lost in their thoughts. The empty area suddenly turned pitch black. Aoi gripped Fran's hands tighter.

"Oww…" he moaned.

"Eh? Where are we?" Aoi asked, taking a panicked look around the darkened place.

"Someplace far from the ballroom… probably," Fran replied, unsure of what to do in a dark room alone with a girl, but not just any girl, the cloud varia guardian was with him.

"Thanks for stating the obvious. Agh! I can't see a thing!" Aoi growled in frustration. "I hate the dark, I hate the dark…" she whispered again and again, still noting letting of Fran's hands. She accidently had trodden on Fran's foot in her state.

"Ow," Fran said. Aoi was about to apologize when they heard sounds of battle somewhere far from them. They unmistakably heard Xanxus shouting orders, Squalo's "vooii's" and the chuckle of Belphegor. The din faded away and they heard footsteps approaching.

"I'm sure I heard someone talking in this place," a Millefiore soldier mumbled. In one quick movement, Fran pushed Aoi against a wall, warning her to keep quiet. He used his body to shafe her light blue dress away from the soldier's sight. He pried his hands free ad muffled Aoi's noise of protest with them. "Hmm…" the guy said as he went nearer to the Varia guardians, carrying his box animal which provided light. "Hey! You two! You're-" his voice trailed away.

Fran had a totally Shamal-like idea, he grabbed Aoi's chin with the hand that bore his rings and skillfully covered her Varia ring by holding her hand with his free one. He leaned down and kissed her, hoping that the soldier would leave them alone. Well, at least that scene always worked in movies.

Aoi's eyes widened up. What the hell was Fran doing? Why now? She felt his soft lips press down against hers. She tried to move her mouth but Fran easily stopped her attempts with his. All at once, she realized his plot to make the soldier leave. If she could've sighed, she would have, no choice, she had to go along with the illogicality and silliness of his idea. She moved her lips along with Fran's as she closed her eyes. He responded by pushing her harder against the wall. He deepened the kiss. The Millefiore dude took the hint. With one small apology, he turned away and left. But instead of separating from each other at the enemy's dismissal, they continued, too caught up by the moment.

She's making it harder, harder to breath.

I'm getting weaker, so pulling the strings

The lights are all lost, there's no one around

We both lost our minds, nowhere to be found

It's getting hot, I'm not saying this is hell

But I swear, this girl's a mess you could sell

"This isn't hell," Fran and Aoi thought. Wait… they guy's gone! What are we doing? We don't have feelings for each other! With this, the two pulled apart, Aoi's cheeks were hot.

"Uhm… I guess we should check on what happened to the others," Aoi said, meeting Fran's eyes for a brief moment. They looked away from each other from their eye contact, covering their mouths.

"Uh… yeah," Fran agreed. They refused to look at each other again. Fran felt a twitch on the corner of his mouth. It was a beginning of a smile, but before it could fully develop, he resumed his blank face.