The Varia Arrives!
I zipped past the trees dodging them as I flew passed them. The target sign designated an obstacle in front of me. I turned around, landing on the side of the tree. I used the tree to push myself back, heading towards where I came from. The truck cracked under the weight.
I landed gently on my feet in front of my mother. She grinned.
"I knew Eden was going to be helpful." I winced as I touched the white and gold cuff on my left cartilage.
"Ow! That hurt," I cried as my mother placed the gun back in the case.
"Don't touch it too much." She poured a bit of alcohol on a cotton ball and pressed it lightly on the wound before pulling out a white and gold cuff. She closed it on my ear. She turned back to her case and pulled out a mirror. She handed it to me. I glanced at my reflection and noticed that it was engraved on the cuff "Eden V2".
"That's its name," she answered without looking at me. "It's a miniaturised android. To activate it, simply call out Target Lock On." I stood up as I said those 3 words. A target sign appeared in front of my left eye. A red square framed my mother's face. Multiple facts about her scrolled down along the side.
"Eden can determine multiple things such as the wind direction and speed. It can also lock on to a certain target, and follow it no matter where it is. Its database is quite vast, so you can search up the opponents you'll be facing in the future," she explained, hopping from tree to tree. The target mark was locked on her, no matter where she went. She landed back in front of me. "It also has voice recognition and control. So you don't have to worry about anything when you'll be fighting."
I fell onto my bed, exhausted. My left ear was still throbbing due to the piercing. I glanced at my window, before slowly crawling towards it. I opened it, allowing the cool autumn breeze to enter my room. It slightly calmed the pain. I looked outside at the dark sky. This was only my fifth day of training. We had 10 days to prepare before the encounter with the Varia.
"What is the Varia?" I asked my mother, as I unwrapped the bandages on my left arm.
"They are a special assassination group within the Vongola, whom only follows the orders of the Ninth," she replied looking up to the sky. "You shouldn't take them so lightly. They are very strong."
The phone buzzed, inching slowly across the table. I slammed the window shut before reaching out to answer it.
"Hello?" I answered.
"This is Sora Li Walker right?" the voice asked. I glanced at the screen. It indicated Caller Unidentified. I held the device back to my ear. "Your family needs you. Meet up at the intersection just passed Tsunayoshi's house." It hung up, leaving the monotone beeping sound to answer my questions. I got up and rushed through my door. The breeze was particularly cold tonight, but I didn't stop running. That is until I spotted a familiar explosion up ahead. The smell of gunpowder suddenly filled the streets. I was near.
I spotted up ahead a small group of teenagers. Along with them was a young boy wearing a cow jumpsuit. He was rolling on the ground, despite the warning of the young boy with brown hair.
"Sora!" someone called out. Yamamoto waved at me, a huge grin painted onto his face. He was carrying wooden sword, the type you would usually see at a kendo competition. Beside him stood Sasagawa and Gokudera.
"Ciaossu Sora," a rather high pitched voice said. Reborn tipped his fedora to me. Just before I could ask any questions, rustling was heard and a man jumped out of the bushes. He had black hair, spiking upwards. He also had facial hair which covered his chin. A long chain connected his lip to his ear. Multiple swords like handles were protruding from his back. His brows furrowed, and his eyes were cold. Murderous intent emanated from him.
"So, you are the brats who defeated my squadron," he said. His voice was low and husky. It sent shivers down my spine. "My opponent is the one who wields the ring of thunder, the kid with the perm." Lambo slightly flinched as I caught a glimpse of something that shone in the moonlight in his messy bunch which rested on his head. He clutched onto Sawada's leg.
"Anyone who dares interrupt, I shall eliminate you," he warned, his hands on two of the handles. Yamamoto and the others flinched.
"Hold on Levi!" a voice called out just as he was about to attack us. Several other silhouettes appeared from the bushes. They stood beside the man, whose name appears to be Levi. One of them had brown hair with a side part of green hair. He wore an open trench coat with orange fur lining surrounding the hood and the cuffs. Underneath, he wore a white button up shirt and a tie with dark sunglasses. He had a black panel hiding his left leg. Next to him stood a rather dangerous looking robot. It had red goggles and three pipes sticking out the lower portion of its head. On the other hand, a baby like figure stood beside Levi. He was of similar height to Reborn and wore a black hood covering a good portion of his face. Two purple fangs on his cheeks poked out of the hood. A frog rested on his head. Finally, a young boy with long blond bangs covering his eyes and wearing a crown stood next to the small figure. He wore the same trench coat as everyone else and underneath, a striped purple and black shirt. A menacing aura came from all of them.
"Varia," I couldn't help but to whisper. My mother had warned me about them, but I had no idea they would be this dangerous looking.
"Don't hurt them down all by yourself," the one with the green hair pleaded.
"It looks like the other wielders of the rings are here as well," the baby added. Finally, the man with long white hair advanced, looking more frightening than ever. I flinched at the sight of him. Sawada, Yamamoto and Gokudera did the same.
"Hey you pieces of trash! How dare you trick me?" he called out to us. "Which one of you is the wielder of the ring of the rain?" We all glanced at Yamamoto, who took a step further.
"That would be me," he replied, confident. The man grinned.
"3 seconds," he said. "I'll slice you up in 3 seconds." Just as he was about to advance forward, a hand was placed onto his shoulder and pushed him back.
"Move," a voice ordered a final silhouette slipped out of the shadows. He was much fearsome than the rest of the group. He had pitch black hair with feathers and what seems to be a racoon tail extensions. He had scars running across his face.
"There he is. I'd never thought the day I would see him again ever come," Reborn paused and looked at the man straight in the eyes. "Xanxus."
Xanxus was clearly the leader of the group. He looked down at us as if we were nothing but trash. He glared at Sawada, whom fell to the ground by fright. He held his hand up to his face and a faint light came from his palm.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi," he called out. Sawada flinched, clearly afraid. We all were.
"This is bad. Run!" Reborn ordered but neither of us could move. I ordered my legs to move, but I remained there, pinned down by fear. I closed my eyes and waited for the impact but nothing happened. Instead the light faded. I opened my eyes only to see a woman with long black hair and red streaks blocking Xanxus' fist with her bare hands.
"Mother!" I couldn't help but to call out. She glare Xanxus, her eyes filled rage and hate. Xanxus smirked.
"Well, if it isn't Kathy Li Walker," he said, only causing my mother to tighten her grip on his fist. "Did my father send you here to stop me?"
"If you dare lay a finger on my daughter, I swear I will slay you where you stand," my mother replied, ignoring his question. Rather, what was the relationship between my mother and Xanxus? A sudden murderous intend filled the air. I dropped to my knees and hugged my chest. This wasn't Xanxus, it was my mother.
"I think you are scaring your daughter more than anything," Xanxus said, glancing at me. Gokudera stood in front of me, shielding me. My mother did not reply, but rather simply stood there and glared Xanxus.
"That's enough, Kathy," another voice called out. My mother grinned. The members of the Varia flinched.
"You're late, Iemitsu," she replied calmly, without taking her eyes off of Xanxus. Another figure appeared. A tall man with blond hair and brown eyes approached us.
"Dad?" Sawada called out.
"What? The Tenth's father?" Gokudera asked.
"You are the one who saved us from the explosion before," I said. He glanced at me and smiled before reverting his gaze back to my mother. My mother snapped her tongue before releasing Xanxus' fist.
"You really have become a dog, haven't you?" he asked her. My mother turned back; ready to punch him in the face only to be blocked by Levi. She snapped her tongue once again before finally jumping down the ledge and joining us. Yamamoto and Sasagawa helped me up on my feet.
"Listen Xanxus, I only obey whomever I choose," my mother replied. "And I will not let you become the Vongola Decimo." Xanxus simply laughed as my mother clenched her fist and pursed her lip. Reborn smirked.
"It's rare to see you taking orders from Iemitsu," he said simply. My mother chuckled.
"Well, desperate times call for desperate measures," she replied calmly.
"Taking orders?" I asked Reborn.
"Your mother rarely takes orders from anyone and no one dares gives orders to her. However, she swore loyalty to the Vongola Ninth, also the person capable of controlling your mother, besides your father of course," Reborn explained. I couldn't help but to think that the Vongola Ninth had to be a powerful person to be able to give orders to my mother.
"She considers the Ninth as her father," Reborn added, as if he had read my mind. I turned back to my mother and to Sawada's father.
"What are you doing here?" the white haired man asked, raising his sword, ready to strike.
"Xanxus," Sawada's father called calmly. "Is one of your subordinates planning to lift his sword against me, the outside advisor? Not to mention clearing defying Kathy Li Walker's orders to stand down?"
The atmosphere grew tense, sending shivers down my spine. Gokudera took off his jacket and handed it to me.
"You're gonna catch a cold," he said as he draped the jacket on my shoulders. I rushed out of the house, without a jacket, wearing nothing but a tank top.
"Don't stick your comments in now Iemitsu!" the swordsman yelled. "All you did was nothing but run around." Basil soon popped out of the shadows, boomerang at the ready. My mother also took a step forward, clenching her fist.
"Basil, Kathy," Sawada's father ordered. Both of them took a step back. Xanxus seemed quite amused at the sight of my mother backing down.
"I told you," he said. My mother snapped her tongue before turning away. Xanxus smirked.
"I wasn't running away," Sawada's father explained. "I was awaiting orders from the Ninth. I was questioning the way you guys have been behaving recently so I sent messages to the Ninth with some significant questions and an order which I assume is his reply has just arrived." Xanxus had a troubled look on his face, but refused to let it show, remained calm.
As for myself, so many questions were rattling in my head. Why was Sawada's father here? What is his connection to the Vongola? What was my mother's connection to the Vongola?
"I don't get it," Sawada cried out. "Why is dad—"
"He's the outside advisor. That is Iemitsu's job in the Vongola," Reborn explained, finally providing answers to our questions. "He is a Vongola but at the same time, isn't. He is not involved during regular times, but when the family is in a state of emergency, he has the second hand authority, after the boss."
"My dad is the number 2?" Sawada asked, shocked.
"And the outside advisor has the same voting power to choose the next heir, in other words, the authority to give the half of the Vongola Rings to the heir," Reborn resumed. I glanced at the ring sitting on my finger.
"What do you mean by half Vongola Rings?" I asked.
"When the two parts are assembled together, they become a Vongola Ring."
"So that's why the shape is weird," Sawada replied glancing at his ring.
"If you can't gather both halves, you can't be the heir." Reborn pondered on something before resuming his explanation. "But for the boss and the outside advisor to choose different heirs, that isn't something that occurs very often." Sawada's eyes widen at Reborn's last statement. He pointed at my mother.
"What about Sora's mom? What does she have to do with the Vongola?" Sawada asked.
"When the next heirs are chosen, they must be tested by the Li's first. They have the power to revoke your ring. Kathy has equal, if not more, authority than the Vongola Boss. The Li's and the Vongola have been working together since the time of the first Vongola Boss." I couldn't help but to glance at my mother. If she had this much power, couldn't she simply just tell Xanxus to leave?
"Because she chose to remain as one of the Ninth's guardians," Reborn added, once again as if he had read my mind. "Not to mention the loyal guardian." That's why Xanxus called her a dog. I glanced at Gokudera who lended me his shirt. He was very loyal to Sawada. My lips curled into a smile. My mother wasn't so different from Gokudera.
Basil handed to Sawada a letter. Xanxus also had one in his hands.
"Direct order from the Vongola Ninth," Basil said. Sawada and Xanxus opened the letter, revealing an orange flame at the top of the letter.
"That's the dying will flame!" Sawada cried out. My mother flinched at the sight of the flame. "It's written in Italian. I can't read this." My mother sighed before snatching the letter out of Sawada's hands. Gokudera was about to protest, but chose to back down.
"Until now I thought that the one worthy to become the heir was Iemitsu's son, Sawada Tsunayoshi, and so I compelled to that," my mother translated. "However lately, because I'm nearing the end of my life, my intuitions became sharper and I've decided to select an heir who's more worthy. My son, Xanxus, is the one worthy to be the true Vongola Tenth."
"He's the Ninth's son?" Sawada cried out.
"But, there will be people who aren't satisfied with this change," my mother ignored Sawada and continued reading the letter. "Currently, Iemitsu refused the offer to give Xanxus the rings." My mother slightly paused and a puzzled look set itself on her face.
"However, I don't intend to have a useless battle between my own family members. So let us start the traditional Vongola battle to satisfy everyone." My mother raised her eyes from the letter. She clenched her fist, causing the sides of the letter to crumble up. "In other words, those who wield the same ring type will fight in a one on one battle."