In Their Story, There was a Girl
Chapter 32: Destiny
*This chapter is told in Yotsuba's POV.
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Bel was beaten to the ground by Malvolia's fist.
She was frustrated. She was frustrated that none of the members that have participated in the battles has killed any of the "brats" on Tsuna's team. Until now, the violence of the Ring Battles hasn't sunk in to me. I was so engrossed about my dilemma with the Varia and Tsuna that I haven't paid much attention to how close to death I am.
"You all are useless!" Malvolia bellowed, making the others all look at her. "Killing those brats should be easy! If the Varia is beaten so easily, I don't know why I even joined!"
Then she looked at me, and glared icily. "You, brat… I'll kill you before you can even blink."
I stared at my reflection in her clear, blue eyes. I saw that this woman in front of me sincerely wanted to kill me. I wonder how beautiful her eyes would've been, if there wasn't a red barrier of death blurring them. Not until now have I realized that I'll be going against such a fearsome enemy in just a few days.
The image was clear in my head again—the red sea, the rain of blood. The memories asleep deep inside of me were waiting to be awakened. Can a soil soaked with blood grow flowers? Can you still pray with a cross that's been covered with dust? If I weren't so clueless back then, could I have prevented all this? If I was strong… if I was fearless…
Mukuro… his image emerged in my mind. The cruelty of the world of Mafioso… I thought I was ready for it, wasn't I? And still, because of this world, I met dad, Niisama, the Varia, Tsuna and the others, and Mukuro. To keep them beside me, I must…
"If you taunt me like this, then you'd better put up a good show later on." I said, shocking a few people around us.
Malvolia shot a death glare at me. Her gaze was cool as snow. But I felt nothing.
She straightened her back and walked toward me. She looked down and I looked up. I didn't notice that she was taller than me for about a head. The back of my neck hurt just from holding my head high, but I wasn't going to back down. Besides, I'm in a terrible mood right now. She should know better.
"Oh?" she smirked. "Little brat, you've grown some guts."
Either me or you. It's death for one of us.
"Yes. I know."
Malvolia's smirk turned darker. "Then I'll be looking forward to the battle. I'll see how long you can keep that glare of yours up before I rip off your limbs one by one."
"I won't lose," I pointed at her. "Only you… I will never go easy on you!"
Suddenly, Malvolia grabbed my protruding hand. Her hand was very cold. So cold that it didn't feel like a human's temperature. She didn't use so much strength as to break my bones, but her fingers were like metal chains.
This person is dangerous. Just her hand threatens me so. I could be dead within a second.
"Come at me with all you have…" she whispered as she leant down, "I love the expression of someone struggling for their last breath…"
With a low chuckle, she walked away. I was wrong; I could be death within half a second. What surprised me more was that I wasn't as scared as I thought I'd be… like I've already accepted it. I've already accepted… my destiny.
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"Ooooiii! Brat!"
I turned around to see Squalo approach me with long strides. I was heading for my own room that I've checked in, and I'm pretty sure that I got a totally different floor than the rest of the Varia. He put a hand on my shoulder when he was within reach.
"You're acting a bit differently today," he pointed out. "That's weird. You were just crying earlier."
"What do you mean by different?"
"I mean… you're actually talking back to that woman. I was worried for your life there!"
"It's not something for you to worry about. We're enemies now, Squalo."
The grasp of his hand on my shoulder tightened. I turned around to see a pained expression on his face. "Hey, you know that you can't fight against us."
"I can and I will," I said without hesitation, "because the Sky that I choose covers all. Even me, a person as weak as me."
"Come on! You know that Xanxus…"
"No. He wouldn't let me into his world. You and I both know that."
-----EIGHT YEARS AGO-----
Why has Niichan been so secretive lately? The Varia had been having secret meetings that I couldn't take part in. And none of the other niichans would tell me a thing. What are they planning?
"Go away. It's none of your business!" said Niichan.
"Ahan~ let's talk about this over a manicure!" said Lussu-nee, and he never mentioned anything.
"I gotta go get vodka for your stupid brother. Go bother someone else!" said Squalo.
"If you want to know, then pay up for the information fees!" said Mammon.
"I must obey Boss," said Levi.
"Shishishi… let's play dodge instead!" said Bel, and he started to throw knives at me.
I can't say that I have the rights to know what's going on. After all, I wasn't accepted as a part of Varia, so I shouldn't interfere with their jobs. But still, the look of anticipation on Niichan's face worries me every day. It makes me upset that not even Squalo would tell me anything. It probably only meant well for me, a little girl who hasn't ever had the experience of killing. But for a young girl like me, who has laughed at her own mother's death, aren't I the same as them already?
Trying to convince myself that they deserve their own privacy, I went to my bedroom. When I entered the room, I found Dad sitting on a chair next to my bed. Ever since Niichan became the leader of Varia, Dad has had that tired look constantly. Niichan refused to associate with Dad in any way, so it's understandable that Dad became so down.
"Is there something you need to tell me, Ninth?" I asked.
"Yotsuba, you can call me Dad, you know?" Dad said, smiling warily.
"Yes, Dad," I smiled in return, climbing onto my bed.
The atmosphere became a bit tense as the distance between Dad and I became closer. I could feel the anxiety air around Dad. Something was troubling him.
"Yotsuba, I need to talk to you about Xanxus," said Dad. He looked at me seriously, but also with such a soft expression that almost seemed pleading. "I want you not to visit him or the Varia anymore."
Dad's words shot straight into my heart. "Dad, I know that they're dangerous, but I trust them."
Dad only stared at me. It made me wonder if my real father ever looked at me like that. And after a long search in my memories, I can't seem to remember. Maybe I was too young, or maybe it just never happened. The gentle look of Dad made me want to tell him the truth.
"Dad, the Varia is planning something secretly without your orders."
Dad only let his surprise show for an instant. He motioned for me to continue.
"I know that they're quite the rebellious bunch, but somehow I feel like they are all so close to me." I said, "And somehow I feel like I want to protect them. So Dad, please forgive them for anything they might do in the future."
"Yotsuba, do you feel like you're a part of them?"
I looked at Dad in shock. "Sometimes… I feel like I need to be surrounded by danger to be able to fulfill my duties as a Vongola."
This time, Dad looked at me in astonishment, and he started to shake his head warily. He held onto my hands. "Oh, Yotsuba, dear. It's not your destiny. You don't have to carry on your father's role… his destiny."
He said so apologetically. I didn't really understand what he meant back then, but I do know.
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"Young lady! Young lady, please answer the door!"
A series of shouting and knocking was heard around midnight in the Vongola headquarters. I awoke to the commotion, but opened the door for my butler. He quickly came in, and locked the door behind him. He seemed to be really nervous about something, and kept pushing me to put on some clothes, while he pulled down my curtains.
"What's going on, Antonio?" I asked as I put on appropriate clothes as he wished.
"The Vongola headquarters is under attack!" Antonio grabbed my hand as he spoke, leading me to the window, where he set up an escape route.
"What?!" I exclaimed. "I can't leave, then! Where's the Ninth? Who are the attackers?!"
"The Ninth is facing the attackers himself," Antonio said. "I'm sorry, young lady; I must obey the Ninth's orders and take you somewhere safe."
"But I…" I couldn't struggle anymore as Antonio tied the curtain, which is now rolled up into a rope, around him and I. "Dad, please be okay…"
Antonio brought me down the window and ran away into the woods. We stayed inside a cave and waited for someone to signal us that the drastic event has ended. The drastic event known as the Cradle Affair.
-----PRESENT-----
"Brat, Xanxus knew that if we told you about what we were planning, you would've ran and told the Ninth," Squalo said, seemingly to explain something.
"Yes, of course, because I'm part of the Vongola after all." I turned away, ready to head for my room again."
He grabbed me again, but this time I turned around quicker than he thought. He was shocked to see that I've aimed my gun at him. He put down his hand and looked at me with an unreadable expression.
"You're going to shoot me?" he asked calmly.
"Because we've became enemies from the start," I said, "ever since Niisama joined the Varia, betrayal existed ever since. Not just the Ring Battles, we've been enemies ever since we met, Squalo."
Something tells me that he was hurt by my comment. What he doesn't know was that each and every word that came out of my mouth killed a little bit of something inside me. But… I've already decided.
"Lower your gun," he said, "I don't want to see you like this."
I lowered my gun as he wished, but kept my cold demeanor. "It's my destiny, Squalo. What my father passed down to me, I'm going to carry it on. This is my way to support the Vongola from afar."
He sighed, and turned away. As he walked down the hall, I silently wished that he would look back a little. "Don't be reckless during the Battle of Rain, Squalo. I know how you are with other swordsmen."
Squalo stopped in his track for a moment, and continued on. I, also, went back to my own road.
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Unexpectedly, a person waited for me inside my room—Mukuro. He stood there by the open window; moonlight showered onto his blue hair and shone in his cursed eye. It almost made it look beautiful. I had to laugh a little at myself. Thinking that Malvolia's eyes were covered by blood a while ago, isn't this person standing before me even more bloodstained? Yet, I can't help but admit that I felt somewhat happy to see him.
"Carry on your father's destiny, eh?" he said with a soft chuckle. "Then you must be destined to die the way he did."
I ignored his words and climbed into bed. But I've actually taken his words to heart. "I don't know how you found this place, but please don't wear yourself out as well as Chrome."
"You're not afraid?" he asked.
"You said that you won't let me die out of your sight, didn't you?" I said, smiling. "And seeing as you always know my whereabouts, I can be relieved for a while."
Mukuro was silent for a moment, clearly surprised by what I said. "Kufufufu… seems like I've made an unnecessary promise…"
Then I heard the window close. Mukuro must've left. It might be because of the way he understood me so, I feel like I can go to sleep in peace tonight. Tonight will be the last day that I'll be returning here. My father died for Vongola, and if that's my destiny, I'll accept it. My heart will not change even after ten years.
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TBC.
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A/N: Ah, it's finally been written! Sorry that this chapter took a while, I was really uninspired for a long time. It was quite uneventful, but I hope that you all liked this chapter. On a side note, I'm so happy that Mukuro appeared again in TYL Arc! I finally have an idea about how to write it when the time comes! Okay, chow!