In Their Story, There was a Girl

Chapter 16: Rokudou Mukuro, Part II

-----YOTSUBA POV-----

It was my fifth birthday. It was the first day that I saw mommy cry. Daddy held mommy in his arms so tightly, telling her that it's okay. They didn't know that I was listening behind the door, but I heard everything. Daddy was going to become a spy for the Vongola Family. He is going to spy on a Family called the Estraneo Family.

A spy, shouldn't mommy be proud of daddy that he is doing such an important job? What I didn't know… was the truth about Estraneo, another name for hell.

-----NORMAL POV-----

White walls of the laboratory, stacks and stacks of containers decorated the Estraneo laboratory. Children were either screaming and crying, or they were silent and cold. It seemed like nothing in the room had any warmth. Yotsuba watched the little boy named Rokudou Mukuro go through countless torturous experiments. Each time, unable to bear the pain, letting out cries and screeches; each time losing consciousness on the cold hard surface of the lab table. However, except for those times, the boy was quiet. Mukuro sat quietly against a wall, watching with fully opened eyes every fragile souls being crushed by the heartlessness of the adults.

Until that day – the day that the man came to Mukuro with an orange container. They've decided to take out the boy's right eye, and give him a new one. An eye with overwhelming power; and eye with six layers of curses.

"Trust me, this is going to help you…" the man said before putting the boy to sleep.

Help you? Father…Were you doing this already before you left us? Yotsuba wanted to ask, as she watched her father personally carry out the experiment.

The boy's painful screams filled the laboratory. He kept his struggle against the metal that pulled his hands and feet. But he knew that everything was useless. Because he saw, after days of observation, that everyone in this laboratory all have the same faces his father, his mother, a face of madness.

So much pain… so much pain… the boy noticed that this experiment was different from the usual. It was much for painful.

Am I going to die? Am I going to die?

Finally, the boy started to get scared. Even though he was still breathing, he felt death coming for him.

No! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! The boy shouted. The fear of death cleared his head, making him realize that he doesn't want to die at all. He wanted to live. I wanted to live, and make his revenge against this dark world.

Kufufu…

Suddenly, the boy heard someone's laughter.

Ne, do you want revenge? Against this broken world?

Listening to the voice, the boy opened his left eye slowly. Whiteness was the only thing he could see.

Do you want power? Do you want power to get back at the world?

The soft and luring voice tempted the boy's mind, until the boy nodded lightly towards the sky.

I want revenge. Let everything… be destroyed…

Kufufu… then I'll lend you my powers. Open your eye. Open your right eye and I'll give you my powers…

The surgery was successful. The boy was gained the blood-red eye and his life, and lost himself.

Yotsuba watched the rest of the story quietly. She watched countless of children being brought in, and watched countless of children die from the cruel treatments. At last, the boy with the cursed eye destroyed everything with his powers. Killing all the adults there, he escaped with two other boys.

"Let it all disappear, this worthless world…" the boy's words traveled into Yotsuba's ears as the images in front of her faded. Standing in front of her was the older version of that little boy, chuckling slightly. She couldn't help but whisper his name softly.

As if reading Yotsuba's mind, he said, "What do you think? Do you still think that this corrupt world, and mafias like them, is worth your time to protect?"

Step by step, Mukuro walked in front of Yotsuba. Placing a hand on her cheek, he caressed it softly and gently. "There's nothing to love about this world. What family? What love? What friends? When it comes to life and death, none of that counts for anything."

Yotsuba lowered her head; her mouth never opened.

"The world of mafias isn't as wonderful as you think. Hatred, betrayal, violence, blood, everything is filled with sin. Not just the mafias, the world is the same." He chuckled. "Why don't we let everything become a beautiful, red sea?"

Softly, he touched her forehead with his.

"Follow me?"

Finally, Yotsuba began to move. With shivering hands, she grasped his icy hands upon her cheeks with hers. But her head remained lowered. Mukuro smiled.

"Are you crying?"

Yotsuba raised her head. Tearlessly, her eyes locked with his. "I know that the world is not perfect, and I know that your world is much more corrupt than I imagined."

She didn't cry, not even one drop of tear. But why does her expression show such pain and such struggle?

"But, even so, I've found important things here. I've found… somewhere to belong. So even if the world is so corrupt, I don't want it to disappear… because… it let me meet them, and you."

Mukuro was taken back. He didn't know that she would say something like that.

"…Ma, don't give me that face. I don't need sympathy from mafias." Mukuro said. This time Yotsuba was taken back. She didn't know that he would put on such a face – a face with no darkness or hatred, but with a tint of understanding.

"Looks like manipulation failed this time," said Mukuro as he turned around, seemingly to leave.

"Mukuro!"

Mukuro stopped in his place, waiting for Yotsuba's words.

"You knew from the beginning… about my father…"

It was Mukuro's turn for silence.

"Don't you want revenge? To kill me… his only daughter… right now…"

Mukuro turned around with a smile on his face. His red eye was so dark that it seemed endless. "I think having you watch his deeds… is enough punishment for you…"

Yotsuba remained silent for a moment, but spoke not long after. "He didn't do anything wrong. You needed savior, and you will have it. Tsuna will win."

Father… who held my mother so tightly… would never…

Mukuro's eyes widened at her statement. He laughed. Not tauntingly, but Yotsuba could not read his expression. Mukuro started to fade into a silhouette as his laughter faded. Before she could say anything else, Yotsuba's consciousness fell back into darkness.

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"Yotsuba? Wake up!"

Yotsuba's eyes opened slowly as Reborn's voice woke her. She propped herself up, and saw the bright, burning fire on Tsuna's forehead. The determined eyes were even brighter to Yotsuba. Then her gaze traveled to Mukuro, who was motionless upon the floor.

"It's finally ended…"

"Ended…" Yotsuba muttered as she stood up. She dragged her body toward Mukuro, despite Ken and Chikusa's death glares and Tsuna's worried voice. She just walked toward Mukuro step by step.

Yotsuba stared at Mukuro's sleeping face. Right now, his face had only calmness and serenity. She knelt down beside him and removed the hair that covered his face with her fingers. Using a voice inaudible to others, she whispered, "Sorry… I cannot become your tool…"

A crystal clear drop of tear fell upon Mukuro's face quietly.

Then… the Vindice entered.

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TBC.

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A/N: Finally, the Kokuyou Arc is almost over! I admit that was a pretty short chapter. Everything will be peaceful and more casual starting now! And there will definitely be a lot of interaction between Yotsuba and Hibari, the winner of the poll! I know that it's gonna seem like a HibariXOC fic, but remember, it's a MukuroXOC story! Until the Varia Arc, please enjoy the lighthearted chapters that are to come, and thanks for the readers who have kept reading until now.

Please review! I love you all and your reviews encourage me so much!