Question, Reveal and Demand
We're back in our proper time but my mind is still in the future with the apparition of Katherine. What the heck is a Misty Rain Guardian? I've never heard of that Guardian before but then again, I don't give much thought to history when it's beyond ten years ago. There's also another matter she mentioned that I don't want to think about. Good thing I can consciously suppress memories. Lock them away in a vault somewhere in the far back of my mind.
"Hey, Karen?" Takeshi's distant, almost childish voice brought me back to the present.
"What?" I glanced at him,
"The mafia…it's…not just a game is it?"
Crap, I shook my head, "No. No one could really find a way to actually show it to you the way things just fly over your head," I reached up and messed his hair, making it spikier, "the Vongola was supposed to be different. In the second generation things went down the toilet." and that is not too far off the bull's eye, "Maybe…we can change it," I smiled,
"Think that'll go well?" he glanced over,
"There will be some die-hard-core-Italian-Mafiosi idiots, but they can change if they have time to get used to the idea. Tsuna is amazing like that,"
"True," he smiled. After a few rounds of baseball, we called it quits. Takeshi was needed at the store and I had a phone call to make.
"Think you can do it Verde?"
"Depends on whether you have the money but silly me. You are a Varia agent, you must be rolling in it," Verde's voice irritated me, slick and contemptuous.
"Of course", more than half of it went down the drain recently though, but hey, Mammon was going to making an honest contribution here and he owes me, so I'm going to borrow some of his money. I know I'm being a really nasty jerk, but I can't resist the temptation of switching Mammon's Euros for my Japanese yen and taking both that money and putting it to something worthwhile. I can't wait to hear him freak out. I have his super 'secret' bank account access codes so why not use them once or twice or more when I need to? The little avaricious Arcobaleno has been collecting money for how long?
"It should be in by the end of the week. But if you want it sooner…."
"You need me to come over to collect data," and not just my flame data, "hate to burst your bubble but I've already collected and composed a data report on my flames and the Varia's, so please do your best and you'll find the amount requested in your account by noon today,"
"Very well". That is one less thing on my mind. I got to say, technology is amazing in what it can do but I prefer the old fashioned ways.
Sunlight turned the shadowed music room of Namimori Middle School's into a room containing rays of light. Careful of squeaky hinges on the case of the guitar, I lifted the lid to reveal the tan and chocolate brown wood of the guitar with its gray strings. I haven't played the guitar in almost ten years but I haven't forgotten anything due to the benefits of photographic memory. I can't believe how beneficial photographic memory is but it's also one hell of a curse.
The hard feel of the steel cords fitted into worn calluses. Gently, my fingers played a variation of the opening of Together by Avril Lavigne, but it was my own song. I'm still banging my head on the wall on the instrumental part of it; the lyrics are fine, but I'm still trying to decide if I want to model the instrumental after Avril Lavigne's 'Together' but my song is meant to be more energetic and powerful.
"Trying to stand up
As wind pushes down,
Rain beating us as we lie there,
Can't we escape the storm?
Seems every time we leave a storm behind,
Another is not far away
To try and push us down.
Through all the storms,
Alone we never make it
But when we're together:
Together:
We never fall,
(Together)
We always get back up and fight
(Together)
We fall back but surge as waves
Til we break free. …
Together:
We never fall,
(Together)
We always get back up and fight
(Together)
We fall back but surge as waves
Til we break free."
Clap, clap, I jumped; looking stunned beyond belief was Takeshi but that was nothing as to how I felt it, "That was really amazin'. I didn't know you were musical,"
"I…haven't played in ten years," I quickly covered the keys,
"Is this your own creation?" Takeshi just plowed ahead with his usual cheerful, dense air,
"….yes," I answered. Truth be told, it's only one of three that is in the final stages of composition,
"What's the title?"
"…..Together"
"Hmmm, let me guess, you started writing this during Choice" was his answer
"Yes….Were you looking for me?" this was too awkward. Is he psychic now?
"Yeah," Takeshi rubbed the back of his head, "how….how do you tell your dad you're in the mafia?"
"I'm a bad idea for that kind of advice,"
"Yeah I know, it's a family business for you," I couldn't resist a chuckle at the pun, "no pun meant," he added hastily,
"All I can really say is…just tell him. I'm pretty sure he'll understand once you explain everything. Don't forget to add you sucked in without your consent, but you're more than likely in too deep,"
"Yeah," he smiled, "You're amazing you know,"
"Eh?" that was surprising,
Blushing, "never mind, see yeah," and he was gone, what the heck?
You're so dense Mukuro sleepily commented; think about how you feel when you're around him.
Huh? And Mukuro was gone as well. Think about how you feel with him? You're so dense? What is Mukuro thinking? He's the one that's bloody dense! Skillet's Those Nights started playing from my cell. I'm not hardcore Italian or Japanese; the only thing I'm hardcore in is the sword and music. Still muttering about Mukuro's density I answered without looking at the caller ID, crap!
"Get your ass over here," Xanxus's voice hissed through the lines,
"Excuse me?" I can put up with his shit usually but today was a bad time, "call me back when you change your manners!"
"Just get over to Italy NOW!" he roared
"Why? I don't see any reason for me to come over,"
"We need to discuss your resignation letter. Now get back here," he carefully pronounce each syllable loaded with hostility, irritation and rage that was the signature tone that told a listener he was talking to me. And more accurately, my resignation letter was an e-mail.
"Why not over the phone? You want to grill me,"
"Incinerate," he hung up. I don't have a choice unless I want to bring Xanxus over to Japan, and Tsuna is better off not being on the same continent as Xanxus; Tsuna would mop the floor with Xanxus, but the only way to stop Xanxus is to kill him and as much as I don't like his attitude and manners, I do have a degree of affection for him somehow.
With a sigh of resignation, I dialed Take-Sushi's work phone, "Moshi, moshi, Take-Sushi how may we help you?"
"Tsuyoshi? This is Karen,"
"Ah, Karen, what's up?"
"I have to go Italy, and I won't be able to make any of my shifts,"
"Okay, how long you gonna be gone?" it's easy to see where Takeshi gets his laid back personality
"No idea. My brother's boss is really mad at me for some reason and if I don't go over to Italy, he'll come here and that would be really messy,"
"I don't really get it, but it's cool. I expect you to make up for it when you get back," he warned
"I will. I'll call you when I'm coming back,"
"Okay, see yeah".
I dialed Verde's number and left a message, "Verde, its Karen Squalo. I'm going to be in Italy for a little bit so I'll pick up my order. Ciao".
Is it just me or is this chapter just useless? any suggestions on how to fix are more than welcome! Note i'll also be editing previous chapters...again but i'm not restartign the story; too much work.