Someone was kind enough to inform me that I was spelling Seijuurou's name wrong so I've gone through all the chapters and changed that! Thank you very much for correcting me
Warning!: not many, the usual, mention of blood and somewhat mature subjects bordering on complacent killing etc. But that's the general warning for the entire story so if you're reading this chapter you must be fine with its contents.
WARNING!: This chapter has a little bit of suggested torture (that's not quite it I can't think of the word) of a child, so if you are uncomfortable feel free to PM me and I'll give you an overview.
Please enjoy despite the grammar and spelling mistakes I am prone to.
To the Untrained Eye.
First day at Kyoshin. First days apart.
Kakei did not like this. He didn't like it one bit.
Mizumachi was excited. So excited he was suspicious.
Because- once again- they had been played by their little boss.
"Ne Kakei."
When said blue-black haired teen nodded, obviously not really in the talking mood, Mizumachi continued. "Why do you think Sena is making us go to school? And why'd he give us such a far away one?" now, to the outsider, Mizumachi would be moping and groaning looking all together like an overgrown child. But Kakei knew- having spent years with him- that the tall blond was seriously trying to figure it out.
Mizumachi looked like a fool to many, unable to keep his clothes on, an acute ADHD sufferer, but Kakei and Sena's family knew better. Mizumachi was smart, but he was a mind game player, he often acted out to trick people into discrimination or a false sense of security. He and Kakei made up the central core of Sena's defense force, he was an intimidating distraction maker, and it worked; after all Sena wasn't dead yet.
"I think," Kakei began slowly, he watches the other students walking in front of them as he strides along the sidewalks "Sena wants to give us some normalcy. We have been in the mafia since we were born, but Sena's famiglia has had their childhood taken from them, and I think this is his way of trying to make up for that." Kakei's voice is soothing and calm, he is neither angry, nor sure, but there is a hint of appreciation in his voice.
"It's not like we blame him, in the end all of us choose to join his famiglia... I mean how could we leave him after we saw what they did to him?"
"Ah, I know."
It was a horrible day, the worst day anyone had ever seen, and none of them would ever forget it, not for as long as they lived. It was just a month before Sena turned thirteen, and it was a truly beautiful day, sunny, warm, sun shining, and it was a complete contradiction to what was happening in the inner sanctum of Di Fortuna's headquarters.
They had all moved from Japan after Sena's parents were killed, and since then had moved to Italy from France, their families weren't told, the children were either confirmed dead, or reported missing, though, when you think about the families they had come from there wasn't even a need to do that much.
At that time Sena's family was not really that large, in fact it was only Kakei, Mizumachi, Seijuurou and Sena, with the sudden and very new arrival of Jumonji and his crew. Riku was also part of the family –not officially- but he was constantly being moved around by his father- Sena's uncle- who was training him to be in the mafia; to the outsider this seemed like an unwise choice, but Sena had left Riku in his father's care to ensure he had an ear outside the mafia at all time.
Now, all the boys were settling in, and already a strong bond between Jumonji's group and Sena's was forming, so much so that anyone within the mansion that looked at Sena the wrong way was faced with a shield of boys and glares that could freeze dry ice. Though they had only been in the mansion for a couple weeks they were about to meet the boss. Now, Sena knew what was happening, along with Mizumachi and Kakei, and they were scared, because none of the boys were even in their teens yet, so they couldn't protect themselves, they had to rely on Sena's guardian- one who was given to Sena the day his parents died- and his god father.
When they were collected to meet the ailing boss of Di Fortuna, Sena's guard Acciaio was nervous, he was fidgety and scared, because he knew Sena was being told that he was the next boss, due to the fact his father had been killed prematurely.
They arrived in the meeting room, Mizumachi remembered the tension in Kakei's shoulders as he stood to Sena's left, and could remember Seijuurou shifting into a position that was protective, but still lead the adults before them to believe that Sena was their boss.
Wasn't it strange though? Mizumachi couldn't remember when it was they had decided to become a famiglia it was so natural it was almost subconscious.
They were greeted, and the boss seemed genuinely nice, he was kind enough to order Japanese food, and seemed to genuinely believe that Sena was going to be a good boss, but Kakei and Mizumachi knew bosses were actors before they were genuine men, and this man had sad, regretful eyes; though Mizumachi and Kakei didn't know why.
They found out later why the boss was so regretful. Just as dinner ended, and the boys were lead to their shared room, Sena was grabbed, his arms bound and his face scared. The rest of his family fought against the other men as they dragged them to their room, all the while kicking and scratching and trying to get their littlest brother back into their grasps.
Sena's screams were heard throughout the mansion, almost like a warning that resistance was futile. Mizumachi still remembers throwing up when he heard the screams, because they were just that terror filled and painful, they were locked in a room, filled with enough beds for all of them, and were made to listen- unable to escape and save Sena no matter how hard they fought- as the young boy screamed and had god only knows what happen to him.
When he was finally thrown into the room, tear streaked, shivering, and his torso wrapped in bandages, well, he was never quite the same after that.
Kakei remembers well something similar happening in his old famiglia, when the cornet was passed onto the new generation's boss, and he never thought in his entire life that it would happen to Sena when he wasn't even thirteen yet, it was usually a cornet passed on the eighteenth birthday; on rare occasions when the past boss had died before the age-rite had passed.
Mizumachi was beside himself, he had never seen such an act, because he wasn't high enough into his famiglia's echelon to see it happening.
It was a horrible night, Sena was beside himself, hiding in the corner, not allowing anyone near him- not even Seijuurou- and it took another week before Mizumachi and Kakei could explain to him exactly what had happened.
"I know why, and if it means that I am now the recognized the heir and can protect you by leading the famiglia, then maybe it's better I do have this brand." Was Sena's only reply to their coxing.
Even now, Sena is branded with the marks of his initiation, the symbols of his cornet etched into his back, seared into the skin and torn into his mind. Not one of the brothers mentioned it when they caught sight of the scars in passing, when changing or during training; because all of them knew they were both a burden and a sign of his power and pride.
Sounds drifting from open gates down the road woke both Mizumachi and Kakei from their thoughts, and though neither would say, it wasn't strange for them to think about the same things, because despite their outwardly different expressions, they often fell into the same moods.
They arrived at the school quickly, and followed everyone else as they made their way to their homeroom. They sat down, pleased to see Sena pulled the strings to put them in the same class, and waited for the introductions to end.
They ended up at the pool, not really bothered about finding a club, because as long as Sena told them to do something they would, after all they owed him their lives in more than one way.
Mizumachi jumped right in, his swimming trunks were in his bag, and given that Kakei was looking after his gun and making sure they weren't disturbed, Mizumachi could lose himself in the rhythmic, therapeutic movement, feeling the water rush past him, and his legs sense around the holsters holding his knives.
"Hey Mizumachi, do you think everything is going to be okay?"
Kakei sat on the edge of the pool his legs dangling into the water. Though he didn't like swimming, he enjoyed watching Mizumachi swim, because he knew how much it meant to his friend.
"Honestly," the blonde fish began. "I don't know; Sena seems to think he's safe, but I can't help but feel that this move could be both dangerous and good."
Suddenly some boys stumbled into the pool area; two were very tall, and gangly, not really used to what must have been a very sudden growth spurt, the other was short, rather wide for his height and with an awkwardness air around him. They fell over their feet, looking over their shoulders with begging looks before finally turning to shocked looking freshman.
"Ah, we were wondering if, maybe, you'd be interested in joining our American football club." The slight one- who despite his height seemed to be in charge of the other two boys- stepped forward as he spoke.
"You want us to join your club?" Kakei asked incredulously, he was doing a marvellous job of hiding their guns.
"Well yes, you're height would be an asset to our team, we're one of the tallest teams in the tournament, and with your height and athleticism, we'd like both of you to join."
It is fair to say they were interested by this information. They never really thought that their height would be advantageous for anything. Of course, they weren't really passionate about American football but Kakei had enjoyed it during their little escapade in America, he and Jumonji would watch the games together, and even Ragno got deeply into the game. It was curious that the game was offered here in Japan, but hey, if Sena said they could play then why not exploit their height.
"We'll have to think about it, but I'd certainly like to learn more about this 'tallest team' of yours."
All three boys visibly brightened and immediately went about trying to drag the boys to their club house, despite one being half-naked, and the other trying to gather what looked like heavy clothing.
Acciaio = steel as far as the internet is concerned.
Ragno = spider.
Sorry this is so late and short, I hit a snag in my plot, but it should have all been resolved now, so look forward to a new chapter within two weeks.
Thank you for your patience!
~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3