AN: I'm proud of this chapter, not because it's unusually good or long or anything, but because it's out despite the fact that my computer crashed last week. And I hadn't backed up my files for a month. So there was a point where I wanted to rage-quit, since I hate rewriting complete paragraphs, but I decided if there's something worth writing the first time then it should be worth writing again. Even though this means some elements have been changed, I actually think it's for the better.
All in all, thank you for your patience. I've learned my lesson in backing up more often. Thank you also for the faves, follows, and reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
WARNING: Mild swearing, and some blood and gore.
Disclaimer: I own not the universe of Reborn!
The Golden Canary
Intermezzo: Quattro
Nowadays, Lavina loved having a cup of hot tea while waiting for her student's arrival, and more often than not, she could predict the exact moment when he'd knock on the door.
This time, she was startled when she didn't hear the cautious tap-tap-tap, but a vigorous pounding of impatience.
«I'm coming!»
She checked who it was through the peephole, and seeing Massimo, she opened the door. But before she could say anything, he thrust a scared Leo into her hands and growled, «Fix him. Now.»
She blinked in confusion, then gave Leo a quick once-over in concern. The boy didn't look like he was in pain; he just looked frightened. And perhaps a little upset?
She levelled a glare at the older man, consequences be damned.
«I swear to God, Massimo, if he's hurt in any way–»
«What? No; I didn't mean "fix him" physically. I meant…well, we should continue this inside.»
His eyes darted around as he scowled, looking very uncomfortable.
Wow. I don't think I've ever seen him so agitated before.
But her first priority was Leo-kun, so she forced a smile and led them inside.
«Alright Leo. If you wait in the music room while I talk to your cousin–»
«Wait. I need to show you what's wrong first.» Massimo interrupted her again, and before she could voice her indignation at his rudeness, he'd maneouvred the boy to stand in the middle of the living room. «Sing for us, Leo.»
The boy flinched, his expression faltering underneath his grey hat, and when Lavina took a closer look she could see he had the hem of his tattered shirt in a white-knuckled grip.
«Sing.»
Massimo's incessant demand showed that he either couldn't see Leo's distress or didn't care, but his tone grated on Lavina's nerves.
Leo responded by opening his mouth, but all that came out were short gasps.
He was one step away from hyperventilating, and Lavina had had enough.
«STOP. Just stop.»
Her eyes glinted with steel as she moved to stand between Massimo and Leo, then pointed an authoritative finger to Massimo and flicked it towards the door.
«You. Go outside and cool your head.»
The man gaped at her. «But–»
«NOW.»
She saw him grit his teeth, but he managed swallow his pride as he turned and left, although he still slammed the door behind him in a small show of rebellion.
Lavina sighed, but quickly turned and knelt down, rubbing soothing circles on Leo's back.
«Okay Leo. I need you to stay calm, okay? Do the breathing exercises, but slowly. Can you do that for me?»
He was still wide-eyed and gasping, but nodded and tried to time his breathing to match Lavina's.
It took a few minutes, but when Leo finally calmed down enough to lose the panicked edge to his breaths, Lavina set him on the sofa while she pulled up the footstool to sit across from him.
«Now. Can you tell me what's going on?»
She had an idea, but it would be better to hear the full story from Leo himself.
Judging by the way the boy paled and looked frightened all over again, she deduced it wasn't a question he could answer. She sighed.
And people say women are complicated.
«Okay. I'm going to say what I think is going on, and you can just nod if I guessed right.»
A pause, then a nod.
«So it seems like you tried to sing in front of other people, but then got scared and your voice got stuck in your throat. Yes?»
An uncomfortable squirm, and an embarrassed nod.
«And it must have happened during an important performance for your cousin to be so upset. I'm assuming he was there too?»
A more miserable nod this time, but Lavina pressed on.
«And you're probably wondering why you can sing in front of me, but not in front of others. Am I right?»
At this Leo shook his head. He knew he was scared, and why, and although Lavina can make another good guess, she knew he wasn't allowed to tell her the exact reason.
«Signorina. I…I know it's because I'm useless.»
She frowned and opened her mouth to refute his depressing statement, but he continued.
«How can I be better, and braver? Please, tell me! Please!»
The boy – still shorter than her even when she was crouching – looked up with desperate eyes. And even though they were brimming with unshed tears, the hazel had burned into a fiery gold: a manifestation of the strength she'd always known he had.
It was quiet strength, but one that had the potential to surpass all others. And she knew right then and there that Leo may not have been the first prodigy she's taught, but he'll certainly be the last – maybe even the magnum opus of her teaching career.
The moment was broken by Leo lowering his head again, but Lavina had seen enough. Her own spirit was rekindled, and though she was determined before, it now became a certainty – he will become great, or she will die trying.
Lavina took a deep breath, steeling herself in the knowledge of what she must do. It would be difficult for him, and while Lavina didn't praise him as often as she usually would (due to the eavesdropper sitting outside), she knew she had to cut it out entirely.
«In uno stesso fuoco si purifica l'oro e si consuma la paglia(1),» she thought grimly. But I know he will turn out to be the finest gold.
«Alright, Leo. I will help. But I'm warning you now it won't be easy, and you know that I won't accept anything less than your best. And whatever happens from now on, remember that you're the one who wanted to be better.» He sensed the gravity in her voice and made eye contact again, and Lavina was pleased to see the still-golden eyes full of trust and determination. «There will be things I'll tell you to do that you won't like. It may even make the people around you get mad at you, whether you deserve it or not. Even so, do you still want me to teach you?»
Leo paused for a fraction of a second, but nodded one last time; with emphasis.
«Yes please.»
«Good.» She clapped her hands once, sealing the deal. «First things first – we'll have to fix your stage fright.»
«S…stage fright?»
«Yes. That's the name for what's happening to you. Although I didn't plan on making you perform so soon, your cousin seems to run on a different schedule. But I suppose it's better that we discovered this problem early.»
She paused for a second, then tsked, and went to open the door.
A surprised Massimo stumbled in and almost fell flat on his face.
«Eavesdropping, Signore Massimo? I thought it would be beneath such a man as yourself.»
He rolled his eyes unrepentantly as he straightened himself, but the pink tint across his cheeks and mumbled words betrayed his embarrassment.
«Oh, spare me your excuses. Anyway, you might as well be here to listen to the new homework I have for Leo; to help me make sure he does it.» She didn't wait for a response and turned back to Leo, making sure she had his full attention. «Leo, starting from now, you won't be coming here anymore.»
This statement seemed to stun both boys into speechlessness, so she took the opportunity to elaborate before either one could interrupt.
«While you're not here, I don't want you to practice singing, or do any of your breathing exercises, or anything else that I've taught you about music for the past few months. I don't even want you to touch the notes about music theory I gave you before.»
«Now wait a–you're not–are you expelling him?!»
She ignored Massimo's interjection and continued.
«Instead, I'm going to ask you a question, and when you've come up with an answer, you can come back and tell me. And I want you to come up with your own answer – not your cousin's, not anyone else's, and not one you make up just to make me happy. If at any point I think you're lying, or it's not your answer, I will stop teaching you, no matter what your cousin says. As for you,» she shot Massimo a dark look, «You're not to threaten him or force him to think of an answer as quickly as possible. I want Leo to take his time; as much time as he needs. And you heard me – if I find that you've been putting words in his mouth, I won't be his teacher anymore. And before you say anything about it being easy to find a replacement for me, I will tell you now that I know I'm one of the best, and that you need me, because you don't have the time or money to switch to another teacher.»
«What–but–you do know what will happen to Leo if you–»
«It doesn't matter.»
There was a blazing aura of authority around the silver-haired woman as the blood of a true teacher pulsed through her veins, giving her a strength neither Massimo or Leo had ever seen before.
«Signore Massimo, whether you wish to believe it or not, all our fates are tied together the moment you stepped in this house. And whether you're willing to admit it or not, I can see that Leo has become just as valuable to you as he is to me. In different ways perhaps, but valuable nonetheless.»
He shot out a hand and grabbed her painfully by the arms, practically growling his anger and frustration at her words, but Lavina didn't budge and looked him straight in the eye.
«You need me. Leo needs me. You need Leo and vice versa, and while I may not need either of you in the same way, I certainly want you two to stay. My life hasn't been this interesting in…well, in a very long time.»
She grinned pathetically, even when the man tightened his vice-like grip so much she could feel his fingers grinding against her bones.
«What? Don't give me that look, Signore. I advise you to have a little more faith in Leo – he's smarter than you give him credit for. And don't worry; the question I want him to answer isn't supposed to be difficult. But trust me – it's very important that he find the answer now, in order to help him overcome his fear of singing in front of others.»
The spark of anger in Massimo's eyes didn't fade as he ground his teeth and spat a few curses at her, but after a few moments he stepped back and released his hold.
«Thank you. Now, Leo.» She turned to her student who looked like he was frozen to the ground, but he gave her a tiny nod to acknowledge that he was listening. «The question is this: Why do you sing? Don't answer me now; I want you to go home and think carefully about the answer. Take as long as you need, no matter what your cousin says.»
She shifted her position to address the both of them. «Also, remember what I said about not singing. Massimo, if you catch him singing to himself or practicing or anything like that, please stop him with a firm verbal reminder. A verbal one, okay?» She stressed this with a hard glare, and he scowled at her. But she took his lack of argument as a positive sign. «Leo, each time you feel like singing, think of the question instead. Why do you sing? Once you have your answer, let your cousin know so he can bring you back here. Do I make myself clear?»
They gave twin nods of apprehension, and Lavina finally quirked a smile.
«Good. And don't stress too much about it, okay? Sometimes forcing yourself only makes things worse. Relax! Enjoy life again!»
Massimo's glare and Leo's silence told her that neither were amused, but she dismissed it with a chuckle.
«Anyway, I've talked long enough. You may head back now. And don't worry about the missed lessons Massimo; I won't charge you for those.»
She walked to the door and showed them out, making sure Leo had his oversized coat on before they braved the cold weather outside.
«Well then, I guess this is goodbye. Or more appropriately, I should say I look forward to seeing you again. Both of you.»
She smiled a genuine smile as they trudged down the snow-dusted stairs, and tried not to notice the way Leo's milky brown eyes lingered on her all the way down until they turned the corner into the alleyway.
She closed the door, and all the fight drained out of Lavina as swiftly as it came as she collapsed into an exhausted heap onto the floor. She blinked heavily as her vision started to double, and wave after wave of dizziness made her want to throw up. Her breath came out in short gasps, but she tried not to panic.
C...crap…'nother attack. Calm down…gotta...calm…
For what felt like decades, she clutched the fabric of her dress as she waited for her symptoms to pass, but eventually her breath evened out again and the nauseous feeling that was stuck in her throat faded away. She opened her eyes and checked – it was already late in the afternoon.
I lost…around seven hours. Seven hours?! She closed her eyes and rubbed them tiredly, trying to shake out the last of the effects. Gah. This means I'll have to tell the doctor.
She sighed, knowing she should get up and make an appointment as soon as possible, but took a moment to thank God that her attack hadn't happened while Leo and Massimo were still here. But she also made sure to add a little footnote – a request that she'd be able to see Leo grow into the greatest singer ever.
- Somewhere in southeastern Italy -
It was about one minute into the experiment when he realised that they were doing more than just making him fight against every other child that'd been picked for today's second round of experimentation. Sure, they'd done it before – making them fight each other meant the researchers could test any newly acquired abilities, while also serving to erase any sense of companionship between them (although some kids remained unaffected in this aspect). However, this time was different. They'd never given him any weapons before, knowing his red eye gave him enough power to defeat full-grown adults, but this time, after locking him inside the Combat Cage, they threw him a short silver trident that had a long and sharp middle prong with two shorter ones on the side, and ordered him to use it(2). They hadn't taken off his eye patch either, so he assumed that meant he couldn't use his powers. Not that the piece of fabric could stop him (unless it's to use the Fifth Realm), but this was valuable information he kept to himself.
Then they threw in another guinea pig, and armed it with a butterfly knife.
The little piggy – number 156 – was quite pathetic. Even though the researchers had surgically enhanced his leg muscles to triple his speed, Tony was too scared and stupid. His mind could never catch up with his legs, and made him easy to predict.
Tony moved in straight lines from one side of the cage to the other, trying desperately to scratch Mukuro. They'd told him if he failed to show results again, they would relocate him to ballistics.
No experiment ever came back alive from the ballistics department.
As for Mukuro, they'd attached the electric choker to his neck, so with a press of a button he'd be zapped. It wouldn't kill him, but he hated the buzzing feeling of not being in control of his own body.
The fight had been over in less than ten seconds, and despite being the winner, Mukuro was still electrocuted for not using the trident.
Tony had been dragged away unconscious from the blow Mukuro had given to the back of his head, and the dark-haired boy wondered if they'd show some mercy and kill him while he was passed out.
Not that I care either way.
He shook his head to clear the remaining effects of being zapped, and looked up just in time to see the next kid being shoved into the cage.
The fight with number 155 lasted a little longer, as she'd been given a metre-long spear and kept him at a distance, but he finally managed to knock the wind out of her using the blunt end of his weapon. She fell backwards and cracked her head on the blood-stained floor, and didn't move after that.
The onlookers whispered something to each other, then Mukuro found himself getting zapped again after being reprimanded with a «Use the pointy end, 169.»
He gritted his teeth and rode out the electric shock, so by the time his next opponent was pushed in he was already on his feet with the sharp end of the trident pointed towards the other boy.
This time, it was number 153, and he'd been forced to put on a set of…squirrel teeth? He smirked inwardly the first few times the boy tried to swear around his new buckteeth, and while he really didn't have anything against Ken, he didn't want to be electrocuted either.
He swung the trident around a few times, but the cage was large enough to provide plenty of dodging room for the blond boy who was now agile and fast enough to dance circles around Mukuro, especially as he instinctively knew how to hide in Mukuro's blind spot. Occasionally, he'd dart forward to swipe at Mukuro with a tiny set of claws, but he could tell it was all for show as the scratches were barely deep enough to draw blood.
Hn. This will be difficult...I think the best thing to do is tire him out.
A few minutes passed, and while he was slowly getting used to his weapon, Ken showed no signs of slowing down. It didn't help that the boy had better reflexes and was much more unpredictable than Tony, despite his repetitive yelling ever since the testing began.
It was easy to tune him out, but he couldn't ignore the growing frowns of the white-coated researchers watching them from their safe spot outside the cage. By now, Mukuro's right arm was tiring and his body was covered with irritating scratches, but he gritted his teeth and lunged for Ken, switching hands at the last second. Instead of holding the middle of the hilt like he did before, he grasped the very end of it and used all the strength in his thin wrist to swing it sideways.
The other boy yelped and sprung backwards in surprise, but he was a fraction too slow as the middle prong of the trident caught the edge of his left cheek and drew a shallow red line across to the other side of his face.
He heard number 159 – Chikusa – cry out in surprise too, but before he could think about what that meant he heard the familiar report of a fired gun and felt the even more familiar pain exploding in his head.
Damn it! In his surprise, Mukuro's spirit was forced out of his body, and immediately all the pain vanished. But now he was floating above his own collapsed body, and even though the blood coming out from his head couldn't be seen among the same-coloured floor, it still disturbed him to see his body so…helpless.
Ken had fallen on his butt and scrambled backwards, staring in squirrelly horror at the sight of a "dead" body.
Oh right. He's never seen them use the Possession Bullet on me before. But then he did a double take when he took a closer look at the wound he'd inflicted on Ken.
Even though blood dripped in rivulets down his face, it couldn't hide the subtle glow of pale white that seemed to leak out with the blood.
What…is that? Ken's aura?
Mukuro subconsciously reached out a hand to touch it, then suddenly found himself looking at his body from a completely different angle.
He jumped slightly, startled at the change.
What? Where am I?
He quickly glanced around, and noticed that his hair felt lighter and was wearing a bloody white shirt instead of his usual dirt-stained clothes. But most telling of all was the feeling of large buckteeth clicking together in front of his mouth.
I…I did it! I've reached the Sixth Realm!
But he froze when he heard the cage unlock, and saw the researchers and a few bulky security men flooding in to undoubtedly "take notes". They immediately tossed the trident outside, ripped off his eyepatch, and pressed the button to the electric choker a few times, but even though his body's spine arced from the current, his spirit was still inside Ken's body so he didn't feel a thing. What surprised him more was that he couldn't feel anything when a security guard pinned him to the ground, nor when a bald researcher – the bastard that was in charge of most of Mukuro's experiments – pried his mouth open and ripped the squirrel teeth out.
Thankfully, after having simulated the situation several times in his head, he still remembered to struggle and swear, even though it was a bit disturbing to hear Ken's hoarse and nasally voice instead of his own.
His – Ken's – voice was abruptly cut off when the researcher backhanded him and levelled a harsh glare.
«You. Stop pretending. We know you're actually 169.»
He blinked in a split second of panic, before remembering who he currently was and threw back a confused glare.
«What? What the hell you talkin' about?»
He was backhanded again, but it didn't matter because he couldn't feel a thing.
«I said, stop pretending. The trident should have given you enough access to break though the physical barrier, while the fight should have broken the mental barrier. You're number 169, right?» The researcher shook him again, his face getting angrier by the second. «Right? I know I'm right!»
The other researchers looked on, while the head researcher – distinguished by the scars that made patches on his face and the fact that he was the only one in a black mafia suit – folded his arms and frowned, interested yet unwilling to waste so much time on a single child.
«If…if you don't tell us the truth, I'll kill you. Your body, that is.» The bastard now had a glint of madness in his eyes as he stood and pressed a foot on his discarded body's neck. Mukuro still couldn't feel anything, but he could see his own bloody face paling even more as its air supply was being cut off. «So. What will it be? Surely, telling us that the Possession Bullet works well with your Six Paths is better than you being trapped in number 153's body forever?»
He could smell the bluff a mile away, but still took time to weigh his options.
Hm. What would Ken do in this situation?
His eyes swiveled to the side, and caught a glimpse of Chikusa's distressed expression through the cage's bars. Well, the stone-faced boy didn't actually move, but somehow he could sense the worry in his indigo eyes.
It gave him the insight he needed, and so he sighed in mock defeat.
«Just do whatever. 'Snot like what I say really matters, right? And I really got no idea what you're goin' on about, but I swear the second I bust outta this place you'll be the first one I kill. So screw you mafia bastards. Screw you all!»
With that final yell, he twisted his head and chomped down on the guard's hand using Ken's human teeth, and even though it was much too savage for his own style, it seemed to be very fitting for Ken. And he had to admit it also gave him a small sense of satisfaction to hear the guard screaming, even as Ken's body shuddered with a fresh beating from the enraged victim.
But sooner than he'd expected, the guard was hauled off Ken's broken body, and the head researcher's scarred face and slanted eyes appeared in his blurring vision.
The expressionless man scrutinised him for a while, then turned to the bald researcher and made a verdict.
«I'm pretty sure it didn't work. Pity.» With that, he turned around and shot the researcher right in the forehead.
The man teetered forward and fell next to Mukuro's body, and as the light faded from his eyes, Mukuro knew it hadn't been a special bullet.
«You and you. Patch number 169 and 153 up so they'll be fit for tomorrow's morning session. Guards, you can take number 159 back to his cell and resume patrol duty. Everyone else is on cleanup and preparation for the next experiment.»
The frantic shuffling of feet told Mukuro it was over, and he carefully controlled himself throughout the process of being carried to the emergency room, being manhandled so Ken's wounds could be treated efficiently, and finally being tossed into Ken's cell.
Number 159 was already waiting inside, but neither of them did or said anything until his escort's footsteps faded away.
Mukuro was still feigning unconsciousness when he heard Chikusa whispering next to him.
«Ken. Ken. You okay?»
The slight rustling sound told Mukuro that the other boy was shaking him gently, and so he opened his eyes to tiny slits.
It was almost as dark as when he had his eyes closed, but he could just make out the shape of the other boy's round head and the glint of worry reflecting off his glasses.
Sensing that they were alone, Mukuro finally smiled his victory.
«Kufufufufufufufufu. Kuhahahaha!»
He couldn't help it as he broke out in his long-forgotten laugh, and Chikusa's hand froze on his shoulder.
«…Who…who are you?»
Leave it to his cellmate to figure out something's wrong. Well. At least it shows he's smarter than Ken.
«Ah, sorry about that. And we should be quiet, just in case.» He beckoned to the other boy to lean down so they could speak in the smallest of whispers. «I'm Mukuro. Number 169, if that clears things up.»
«M…Mukuro? Wait…didn't they shoot you just now? Don't tell me…you successfully used the Possession Bullet?»
Ohh, smarter than I thought.
He nodded, and proceeded to explain the bare details of what had happened from his point of view. Chikusa listened, and even the darkness couldn't hide the growing awe in his eyes.
«Wow. That's amazing. But…is Ken okay? I mean, if you're in his body, then…where'd he go?»
«Hm. I hadn't gotten that far yet. But even though I can't sense him right now, I think once I return to my own body he'll be back. When I do, watch carefully, and tell me what happens. As in how long it takes for the original spirit to come back, whether he remembers what happened…things like that.»
Chikusa nodded, relieved that his friend would be back.
«But once you go back to your body, how will I be able to tell you what happened later?»
«Don't worry; I'll figure something out.»
He chuckled again, and to his surprise the other boy smiled with him, breaking the stoic expression that had been caused by too many days of torture.
«Um, Mukuro, before you go…do you think…we have a chance to escape?» Chikusa's voice was even softer than before, as if scared to take back the hope he'd let go of so long ago.
«Idiot. I've been planning this for as long as I can remember.»
With that, he quirked one last smile with Ken's mouth, then closed his eyes and willed his spirit to return to his body.
He was too excited to care about the agonising ring of pain around his throat, and even as Ken's confused swearing filled the silence of their prison, he began to plot a way to get his trident, cut some – or maybe several – researchers or guards with it, and possess his way to freedom.
- 7 months ago, at the Chiavarone home -
«No! I don't wanna go! You can't make me!»
A muffled squeak sounded from behind a locked bathroom door, and a baby with black eyes smirked.
«Says the pipsqueak who's going through puberty.» He broke through the vent with a clang. «And as long as I'm your home tutor, you'll go to school, whatever your voice sounds like.»
«B-but everyone will laugh at me! And I don't want to become a mafia boss anyway! OWOWOWOW!»
Reborn twisted Dino's arm behind his back, sighing in disappointment at how little it took to incapacitate the Chiavarone heir, broken leg or not.
«You're Chiavarone Nono's only son. Do you honestly believe you have a choice?»
The door flew open and a tall man with glasses burst in.
«Decimo! Decimo, are you…okay…?» He tapered off when he saw the half-naked teen locked in a chokehold by a child in a plumber's costume.
«Romario! Help me!»
«Ah. Signore Reborn. I should have known. I'd heard you were coming to tutor Chiavarone Decimo, but I was on a mission and only came back last night. Welcome to our famiglia.»
«Ciaossu.»
«What? You've gotta be kidding me! Romario, he's doing everything but teaching me right now!»
«…I apologise in advance for the young master. He's, well, he still has a lot to learn. But he does have a good heart.»
«Hm. A trait that would get himself or his famiglia killed.»
«What? NO!»
Dino twisted out of Reborn's grip and heaved himself up on his crutch in one smooth movement, sweat plastering his face but ready to fight despite his handicap. The battle against Squalo had left him hospitalised for a long time, and he couldn't afford to break his mending leg – the last and most severe of his injuries.
«Interesting. You seem to perform about twenty-five percent better whenever one of your famiglia members are around.»
«What are you talking about? I've been tripping a lot because I have this huge cast covering my entire leg!»
«When he's not busy trying to run away, Master Dino is often more capable with one of us around. Unfortunately, we cannot accompany him wherever he goes, especially during school hours. Which will begin in fifteen minutes.»
«Romario!»
«A mafia boss is never late.» He whipped out his gun and shot at Dino, noting the fact that even in a whiny, half-crippled state, the boy could dodge. «Romario. Please bring this greenhorn to school. Unless you'd rather I do it?»
Romario complied, and guided his future boss out the door while dressing and tidying him up at the same time.
The hitman watched them leave, quickly forming a sadistic lesson plan for the boy that would most likely include one Chiavarone babysitter. And perhaps a few lions. Or bears. He'd passed by one when he was strolling through the forest the other day.
But first things first: I'll need some decent coffee.
(1): Translates to "The same fire which purifies gold consumes straw." An Italian proverb taken from St. Augustine.
(2): Refer to the Reborn! manga chapter 81, page 7. Mukuro's first trident is more like a long dagger.
AN: In the KHR universe, Lavina had a fatal disease, although it was never specified. So I've taken the symptoms from Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS for short). You'll see why further on.
The next chapter will be quite long, so look forward to it! Feel free to leave a like or review, or keep following to find out what happens.