HEY. Idon'tknowwhattosay. Anyways, the specials are included in this chapter. I also want to say thank you for people who favourited, followed and new reviewers, and I hope you keep reading. I'm just going to let you get into this so I won't waste your time any more. Btw the poll is going to be open until the 30th of January. All reviews and constructive criticism welcome. Happy reading^^
Disclaimer:I don't own KHR.
Chapter 17
The setting for the ceremony is very formal.
It's at a castle. A castle! Who the hell rents an entire castle for a ceremony!?
At least that can explain why my mother strapped me to a chair in order to do my makeup.
If you're a guy then you wouldn't understand the pain of having something you constantly want to wipe off. Or the fear of having your eyelashes accidently cut off by an eyelash curler. Or looking like a colouring book if you over did your make up. Etc.
You just wouldn't understand.
Enough talk about that.
By just looking around, you can see the wealth of these people. Diamond and gold necklaces. Dangly earrings with gems and sparkly things that I cannot identify because I am not a jeweller.
*OOF*
"Che, watch where you're going little girly. You wouldn't want to get lost! OHOHOHOHO!"
Are you Santa Claus? You have the look going, with the tummy and the beard. I didn't know that he was actually real. Sarcasm and offense intended.
Calm down, prevent yourself from becoming a smart ass and making him use the oh so obvious pistol hidden in his suit. Weren't you meant to hand over all weapons at the door though?
Soon enough everyone files into the great hall and takes their appropriate seat. My seat is the 3rd row from the back on the seat furthest from the right. .
As I plop down, people send me disapproving looks. What? Have you never seen a teenager sit down before? Geez, calm down.
The ceremony was boring. Then something brought me back.
"It will be handed...Vongola Decimo...Vongola Nono."
How could I forget about the dreams? Does that mean that my parents will die? No, they wouldn't since my father isn't here. He said he had other important things to attend to. If something is wrong then maybe the dream wouldn't occur. I look around and all their eyes are fixated on the person speaking.
All of them were seen in my dream. What. How can you remember so many people if you still forget math formulas?
I shake my head of any negative thoughts I hold. My vision blurs and I focus on an object in the room to return it to normal.
Let the chaos begin. Fufufufu~
"The sin has been stolen! I repeat. The sin has been stolen!"
Shouting erupts like lava. People shout orders.
People shout at each other.
People run.
People are crushed under bits of debris from the ceiling.
People are crying.
Yet I'm still standing here.
I look over to the place where I see my parents crushed in the dream. No one stands there and I breathe a sigh of relief.
"Anna!"
"Mother?"
"What are you still doing here?"
"I-I don't know."
"Get going! It's dangerous here!"
Suddenly something takes over and I'm a puppet.
"I need her. I'm just going to borrow her for a second."
This voice is not mine. It's so manipulative like sugar coated poison.
"Anna? Who are you? How are you able to control her?."
"That's a secret."
"Were you the one who poisoned Anna?!"
"You are correct~ Smart girl. Kufufufu~"
"Mukuro? No, he wouldn't be able to manipulate someone other than Chrome."
Bam, the confusion in her eyes disappear. Also, I wasn't going to say bam and the dirt is gone.
"Daemon…Spade. Mist user of Vongola Primo's family…"
"Correct again~ Very smart and may I ask who you belong to?"
"Where I belong is none of your concern. You were supposed to be dead a long time ago."
"Indeed."
"Get out of my daughter's body."
"Hmm, no."
"Why not?"
"She's needed. Fufufu~"
"Get. Out. Before I make you."
"I think I already said no. You can't make me since this is, your daughter's body."
A knife is at my throat in a millisecond. It threatens me. I shiver, not from the cold but from the idea that maybe she wouldn't hesitate to slit my throat.
"Fine, but be careful. You won't know what hit you."
With that, I have full control over my body. I release the breath I was holding when the knife was about to cut me.
"Urgh, what is wrong with me?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I think."
"You should get out quickly."
"Hey, who's Daemon Spade?"
"None of your concern."
"Well he has full control over my body. I think I ought to know a thing or two about him."
"Anna. We are in a difficult situation right now. You need to get to safety. Maybe I'll tell you when we're not in the midst of a battle zone."
"Why can't you just tell me now?"
"You need to leave. NOW. It's dangerous, can you not understand a simple command?!"
"Actually I can."
She pauses for a split second. Her eyes go wide before I'm thrown across the floor and dust seeps into my eyes. I try and blink it away.
When I truly focus on the scene in front, I feel nauseous. All the remaining anger is turned into sorrow.
Underneath an enormous pile of debris is my mother. Her body and legs are buried underneath. I reach out to grab her hands and I clasp on as if for dear life.
"Help!"
No one notices.
"Help! ANYONE!"
Everyone's too busy helping others to notice a little girl. No one bothers looking in our direction. I scream again and again until my screams turn into raspy screeches.
"See what happens when you don't listen?"
"You didn't have to save me though!"
"I'll be fine. It's okay Anna, you don't have to call anyone."
Her voice is hushed and quiet. A big contrast to the screaming in the hall.
"You'll be fine? You'll be fine! You're dying! How in the world would you be fine?!"
"I guess it's a little too late to say I'm fine. But always remember we loved you. We'll always be watching over you. So to know that you still care, I'll be fine."
"We? What, father isn't here? What?!"
"You'll be fine and we'll be fine. Don't worry about us and get to safety quickly."
"No, no, I'm not going to leave you. I'll call for some help and you'll be okay."
"You are and will be always be my wonderful daughter…So don't worry, I'll be fine…"
"You're not going to leave. I need you."
"You've never...needed anyone. You'll be fine. You were always…fine…"
"No. NO. Don't leave me! Don't go! I need you! STOP, stop…I need you."
"..."
"Don't...leave me alone...again."
Unconsciously, I could feel them staining my cheeks. Salted water droplets roll down like marbles on asphalt. Rough and large balls of water. I just sat there. I just sat with them staining my cheeks. I could feel them falling like rain from the sky onto my dress.
What did I do to deserve this?
Her hand has gone cold and her eyes are closed but she's still smiling. I never understood her but I know for sure now that she cared. A secret smile finds its way onto my face.
Maybe she acted as though she never cared to keep me safe and away from this.
I'll be strong. I'll be strong for her. Wiping my tears away with the palm of my hand, I push myself up to a standing position only to crumple to the floor beside her. I'm not strong enough.
Her last words echo in my head. 'You were always fine.' But the truth is, I never was fine. I was always yearning for the love of a real parent after I was abandoned at an orphanage. I gave up halfway and I put up a hard exterior to lock the feelings inside.
I sniff and try to make the tears stop but they keep pouring out.
With an abrupt amount of energy I stood up. I'm a puppet again. Am I not allowed to mourn?
My footsteps drag me towards a group. The beginning of Enma and Tsuna's battle.
The Christmas special and the New Year special both occur before Anna gets 'poisoned'.
Christmas special
"Hmm…"
"What are you going to buy?"
"A bunny!"
"Are you sure he'd like that?"
"No…"
*sigh*
Let's start from the beginning.
"Let's play Secret Santa!"
"W-what's that?"
"I think I've heard of it before. But I have no idea what it's about! Hahaha!"
"Hm."
"The title is self-explanatory! You get a group of people and you each pick out a name from a hat. Then you have to buy or make a present for them. You can't tell others who you have. Then on Christmas you exchange gifts with each other! That's why it's called Secret Santa!"
"O-oh. I understand now!"
"Ahaha! It's pretty easy to understand when you say it like that!"
"Shut up baseball idiot!"
"Are you going to join?"
"Y-yeah. It s-sounds fun."
"...Yeah..."
"Sure!"
"Only because Juudaime is playing."
"Enma, Shitopi chan, are you guys going to play?"
"Of course!"
"...Okay."
"Can we join in?"
"Sure you can Kyoko! The more the merrier, so Hana are you joining in as well?"
"Might as well."
"We have 8 people right now. That's enough to play Secret Santa! Let's start drawing names."
After folding pieces of paper with words that look like scribbles, I toss them on the table.
"Take you pick!"
Everyone cautiously takes one. Jeez guys, it is just pieces of paper I ripped from my notebook. What do you think is on it? Poison? Yup because I totally take a bottle of poison in my bag everyday to school. I totally would not get caught by Hibari and get bitten to death. What does that expression even mean?
I quickly swipe the last piece of paper from the table. Who do I have~ Who do I have~
I have...
Enma!
"Now that everyone has a name, we will swap presents on Christmas Day. The only problem is where."
"Ahahaha! It can be at Tsuna's house!"
"E-ehhhh!"
And that ladies and gentlemen is how I am currently brainstorming ideas to get Enma with Kyoko and Hana.
"Should I bake him something?"
"Didn't you say that once you blew up the kitchen trying to cook?"
"That's not nice Hana!"
"It's okay and that was before! I'm sure I've improved!"
"You know that this is technically against the rules?"
"Who cares? Who do you have Hana?"
"Dame-Tsuna."
"That's not nice!"
"You should call him Tsuna, Hana-chan."
"Whatever. Do you know what I should get him?"
"Some cookies? You could make them yourself!"
"Sounds good to me."
"Who do you have Kyoko?"
"I can't say, sorry."
"No problem. This is against the rules after all."
"So what are you going to get Enma?"
"I don't have much pocket money so I'll have to stick with making something! I might knit a scarf or a beanie."
"We'll help so don't worry Anna-chan!"
"Thanks Kyoko-chan!"
A week sped by and it's finally Christmas. We are all gathered in Tsuna's house with the presents in a big bundle on the table.
"Tsuna, do you want to do the honours of announcing the presents?"
"Eh, m-me? N-no, you can do t-them."
"You sure? Okay then. First we have, octopus head!"
"Oi, that's not my name!"
"Whatever, next is Kyoko!"
This went on until everyone received their present.
"Time to open our presents!"
Mine was in a small gift box. I lifted the lid and saw a shimmering necklace.
The pendant was a white jasmine. There were jewels in the middle of the flower which sparkled in the light.
So basically what I'm trying to say is that I stared in awe at the necklace like an idiot. Ahahaha…
"D-do you like it?"
"Were you my Secret Santa Tsuna!?"
"Y-yeah."
"You have great style. In girls jewelry."
"Enma helped me pick it out when he was shopping for Shitt.P."
"Anyways, thank you Santa!"
I peck him on the check before dashing to Enma to thank him for picking out the present.
"Enma~"
"A-anna-chan"
"Thank you for helping Tsuna pick out a present for me!"
I peck him on the check as well before dashing away to eat come cake that Kyoko baked for Hana as her Secret Santa.
Meanwhile two boys are heating up that they might get a fever.
New Year special
"You look pretty, it compliments your eyes."
"Do we have to wear kimonos though?"
"It's New Year and we're going to a festival. Stop frowning!"
"It's heavy though and I can't move properly in this Hana."
"It's almost time to go. You should be glad I have an extra kimono."
Then under her breath when she mutters 'the things I do for my friends'. I walk up to her to playfully punch her shoulder but I almost lose balance. My arms flail around like an octopus. I have to keep my balance to catch some of that lost dignity. Why was I born a klutz?
When we arrive, there aren't many people at the stalls. Kyoko and Hana pull me to a secluded area. Everyone is already there. Surprisingly, I see Enma, Aoba, Julie and Adeheild as well.
"Ahahah! You could make it!"
"You're really late. As usual. What the hell where you doing goldilocks?"
"G-gokudera…"
"Goldilocks? By the way I was studying and I forgot about the festival okay? I had to rush to Hana's house."
"Che. You al-"
*BOOM*
"It's starting!"
*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM*(IhavenoideaI'msorry)
I hurriedly sit down next to Enma and Tsuna without trying to rip the kimono.
"The fireworks are so pretty this year!"
"Y-yeah."
Aww, is Tsuna blushing? He's like an adorable puppy you want to pet.
*Yawn*
That studying session was tiring. I should quickly get home after the fireworks are over.
*BOOM*
"Those fireworks were probably the best ones I've seen!"
"Che, fireworks in Italy are better."
"Ahaha! Lambo wants candy!"
"Lambo, no!"
"Catch me if you can!"
"Lambo, bad!"
Okay fine, I might stay a while.
*Yawn*
Just a little while...
...
I can't believe I just fell asleep. How could you fall asleep? My head shoots up but it hits someones jaw.
"Ah!"
"I'm so sorry! Enma? Huh. Where is everyone?"
"They went home."
"What time is it?"
"Umm, 12:30am."
"Are you serious?! I slept for half an hour! Why are you still her anyway?"
"Y-you were s-sleeping on my shoulder..."
"You should've woken me!"
"You seemed really t-tired so I decided to let you sleep."
A blush rises to my face and I hope he can't see it in the dim lighting of the moon.
And that ladies and gentleman was the beginning of my new year.