"Kufufu… you and I have unfinished business."

Sora narrows his eyes at that, counting back on their history together and he raised an eyebrow at the illusionist. He shakes his head and frowns.

"You're such a liar, Mukuro."

The criminal before him can only laugh with a hint of amusement but is still empty. The informant can only watch him, staring blankly, waiting for him to finish his dramatic performance.

"As expected, you haven't changed but I am curious…"

Mismatched eyes gaze into deep blue ones, and the smirk on his face fades and instead turns into a frown, he placed his chin on top of his hands as he looks at his old friend. The illusionist already has an idea, the most obvious answer but he wants to hear it from the boy himself.

"Why did you of all people, join the disgusting mafia?"

Silence filled the room. Sora can only stare back, disgust and hatred now evident in his eyes as he lets out a laugh, a very bitter and empty echo throughout the room. Mukuro watched and listened to him silently, his hunch proved correct.

"I'm offended, Mukuro." The informant laughs more, his cool mask slipped off completely. He slowly walks towards him, leaning close to his face, and answered with an innocent smile.

"Survival, of course."

They stared at each other for a while before he asked.

"Who is the Vongola kid in Namimori Middle?"

"You know damn well I won't tell you."

Mukuro sighs, doesn't hurt to try and ask the informant. Considering Sora is bound by the CEDEF, he simply cannot give such information so freely, especially to a prison escapee. Even if the illusionist psychologically tortures him, he won't utter a word about the kid.

That was when they heard fighting noises, Hibari Kyoya has arrived to send Mukuro to hell. They gave each other a look and Sora only shrugs, the last thing he wants is to get into a misunderstanding with the prefect. Sensing his conflict, the illusionist smirks.

"As a reunion gift…"

Sora's eyes widen, he expected it but he didn't move. He let the trident pierce through his side. The world around him spins, and then his body meets the floor. Hazy eyes stared at the illusionist until he slowly lost consciousness.

"The lost child befriending people from the disgusting mafia. They took everything from you, and yet… how ridiculous."

Mukuro sighs and he hides Sora's unconscious body in the dark corner. Since the boy helped him in the past, he'll consider this as returning the favor by making it look like he's nothing more than the Kokuyo land gang's victim.

Their talk could wait.

For now, he'll deal with the skylark.

—

Tsuna read the list again. The ranking of the strongest fighters at Namimori Middle School. Seeing his friends' names on higher placements made him anxious. They will be targeted soon and he knows he had to do something. What he did notice is Sora's name was not listed.

In the first place, he assumed the other's disappearance is connected to the attacks because of the timing but after seeing the ranking, he wasn't so sure anymore. If anything, it's weird that the boy wasn't listed at all. He seemed capable to the point of escaping from Hibari but maybe he isn't joking about not being physically strong to attack.

For now, he'll focus on finding Gokudera who is next on the list.

Oh, how convenient! He can't reach his cell phone! A great start to his search and possibly saving his friend's life. He decided to search around the shopping district and thankfully luck is on his side this time. He ran up to Gokudera who looked beaten up. Is he too late?

The bomber was able to speak to him normally even with his injuries, it did little to calm his nerves but it was better than him dying. As Tsuna was about to help Gokudera get up, his eyes widen at the sight of a blood-covered stranger, one of the perpetrators of the recent attacks.

The dangerous stranger seemed to throw something at him and he shut his eyes, waiting for the pain but was met with nothing, instead, he sees Gokudera fall to the ground after being hit by needles, protecting him. The bomber's white uniform bloomed red and he wanted to help him.

His head was screaming at him.

Run.

But his legs refused to move from shock and fear. Yamamoto came just in time to push him down to the ground, avoiding the stranger's attack. Seeing the usual happy-go-lucky athlete look so furious just further solidified how dangerous and life-threatening their situation is. Reborn's suspicions of the perpetrators using Futa's ranking as a guide were confirmed by how the bloody boy before them cited Yamamoto's basic information in school.

Thankfully they were let go since the athlete isn't his target and they quickly rushed Gokudera to Shamal. He took a step outside to get some fresh air, not knowing what to do until his tutor appeared before him.

"There's no time for regret, Tsuna."

"Reborn! Where were you? What were you doing?!"

The hitman explained that he was looking into a recent prison break whose history and flight records match well with the group they are currently dealing with. Rokudo Mukuro alongside his two men are ex-mafiosos who recently came to Japan.

"Here's a letter from Vongola Nono."

"What?!"

The current Vongola boss is ordering him to capture Mukuro and his gang and rescue the hostages. Multiple emotions and thoughts overwhelmed the poor boy and he ran away, going back home in hopes that things will get better.

Reborn catches up to him.

"You can run all you like but they'll keep coming after you. And don't forget what they have done trying to find you."

The memories of seeing his beloved friends hospitalized, other students crying and panicking… what can a loser like him possibly do? At that moment, the face of their other missing friend flashed in his mind and he can't help but think.

What would Sora tell him in this situation? Probably something along the lines of, "If we don't do something now, things will only get worst".

"I can't. What can a loser like me possibly do?"

That was when he was surprised to hear and see Gokudera up and going again. He was just fighting for his life earlier but for some reason, he's acting like he was never injured to begin with. Yamamoto and Bianchi also volunteered to go with them.

"We know where their hideout is, and the hostages are probably there as well." Reborn says with a smile.

"Hostages?"

"You all know them both pretty well."

Tsuna can guess the other to be Futa but who is the other one? A part of him seemed to know the answer, it was screaming at him but he chose to ignore it since there was no way.

It isn't possible.

If he really was the other hostage then that would mean… Tsuna shakes his head, convincing himself that the other one they are referring to is probably Hibari.

For now, he'll brace himself with what's about to come. An upcoming battle that may flip his life upside down, all the things he thought he knew… will they hold true?

—

Sora opens his eyes, he's currently standing in the middle of a vast ocean that is covered in white lilies. He can't help but admire its beauty. So pure, so innocent… so easily tainted.

Suddenly, that white color turns red, and the color seeps into the waters. It looked like he was surrounded by blood. Reminding him of his dream, and the mafiosos who indirectly died at his hands.

"Mukuro, you know I won't let you even take a peek into my brain."

A familiar figure materializes in front of him, the boy who decided to stab him with his gigantic fork to send him to whatever this space is. The other laughs at his remark.

"Kufufu… I thought it would be the easiest way to get the entire story."

"I did tell you, it's about survival." Sora rolls his eyes, getting a bit annoyed at how pushy the illusionist is.

"Is it really?"

The blood-like water ripples under Mukuro's feet as he walks around him as if looking at every fiber of his soul. He stops behind him, leaning down to his height and speaking right next to his ear.

"... Even though you knew full well that you are nothing more than another variable in their schemes, you still shook their hand."

Sora can't deny that. Imagine this, an orphan who took advantage of his own "intelligence" to eat one piece of bread a day, selling gossip and information to those thirsty for revenge and drama. At first, the adults would scoff at him, a child of people, and yet his words hold true so he eventually had a line of customers. Information in exchange for food and temporary shelter.

Of course, news of his little business would spread and he eventually caught the attention of the mafia especially the Vongola who sent the CEDEF to fetch him. A youngster like him would be a great asset to their family.

It was only natural for Vongola's secret intelligence organization to take him in. They actually considered sending him to the main family branch but decided against it after seeing his lack of offensive skillset in combat. He wouldn't survive in that kind of environment. Instead, he was taught defense stances, how to conceal his presence, and escaping with no trace or injuries.

He knew their almost charity-like approach to giving him his needs had a catch. He only agreed for him to gain access to more resources.

"Join us. In exchange for giving you food, shelter, and education, aid us in erasing our enemies with your intelligence."

That was clear but what wasn't said is him being forcefully tied to the Vongola forever. Their deal was for him to help them for a few years before being granted freedom. He did get the freedom he wanted but he was still tied to the Vongola family, in the form of watching over the future Vongola boss, Sawada Tsunayoshi.

There is no sugarcoating it, Tsuna's entire existence is the chains holding him back. Don't get him wrong, he adores the boy and considers him a precious friend but the fact remains that the Vongola boy is being used against him, for Sora to slowly come to terms with the fact that he will forever be bound to the strongest mafia family.

Sora thought it over during his stay in Japan, he got the idea that the reason his mission had no condition on when it ends is that they want him to grow attached to Decimo and his family, that maybe he will reconsider his initial choice to be a freelancer when their contract ends.

He hates to admit it but it is working. He is fond of them, his friends who introduced him to such positive emotions he hasn't felt in a long time. His comrades treated him like a normal teenager and fooled around with him.

But, no matter how he holds them close to his heart, he cannot be swayed even if the thought of separating from them kills him inside. All of this, his decisions, effort, and anger would be wasted if he lets them win.

His lifetime goal is his number one priority. Even if he dies trying, as long as he managed to get some answers, he'll be fine. No matter how many times he failed to grasp even one percent of that goal, he won't give up.

Sora won't rest until they return what was taken from him.

"Kufufu… seems like you're waking up."

Mukuro's voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he looks around this dream space slowly cracking, glass shards floating in the air. The taller boy was now in front of him, taking a step closer.

"... Oh and before you awaken–"

The illusionist wrapped his fingers around his neck and pushes him, tightening his hold on his neck as if choking him, plunging him into the red ocean with a sadistic smirk on his face.

"–Have you heard of Vento Perso?"

Futa sits there next to the sleeping Sora. Waiting for the informant to open his eyes.

—

While Sora was fast asleep, Tsuna's group successfully infiltrated Kokuyo land.

Yamamoto and Ken have finally met with the former's bat getting destroyed which obviously pissed off its owner. Tsuna can't help but worry since the athlete would most likely use his arm to defend himself which made him think back to what happened way before. The boy has been practicing for the upcoming baseball tournament and getting injured at this time would erase all his efforts.

"If you're that worried, get down there."

KICK!

THUD!

Now Tsuna joined the duo at the deep hole after Reborn's "help". He can hear Gokudera call out for him but they can't do anything now that he's stuck here.

As the hitman planned, he was used as bait and Yamamoto managed to knock out Ken by using the blunt head of the broken baseball bat, and at the cost of his left arm getting bitten. That familiar guilt settles in his stomach. He used his arm to save him and now…

"Nothing is more important than friends, right? And this wound isn't enough to keep me out of the tournament."

Yamamoto said it so reassuringly and Tsuna had to hold back his tears, grateful that he was comforting him even after being the cause of his arm injury.

Their next encounter was with M.M who seemed to join Mukuro's plans for the sake of money. You have to respect the hustle for going this far for the sake of a comfortable lifestyle. Bianchi argued with her views, saying that love is more important than money.

That shouldn't be the main concern at the moment but it is what it is.

Noticing the mechanism of their opponents' clarinet, M.M gladly explained how it works and the two women clashed. It seemed like Bianchi wasn't prepared for the other to be capable of close combat but that was far from the truth. Her main plan was to get close enough to destroy the clarinet with a single touch, her ultimate skill that turns everything into poison cooking by making contact with her fingers.

M.M is taken aback, with her lips and hands touching the clarinet, the poison sinks into her system which caused her to pass out. For a moment, they had a small victory while Bianchi declares her love for Reborn for the hundredth time.

Until some creepy old man with cute yellow chicks on his shoulders appeared. He introduced himself as Birds which… makes sense although unoriginal. He showed them a projector, showing that the Bloody Twins are currently ready to attack the innocent civilian, specifically Kyoko, Haru, and Hana.

The old man has a weird fetish when it comes to seeing people in fear, his creepy laughter and expression don't help at all. Birds then say, as long as they follow his orders then the girls will be fine. His first order was for them to beat up Tsuna in which Bianchi took the initiative and punched him.

Her goal in the first place was to kill him for taking Reborn away from her so that's one obstacle down but it isn't as easy as they thought.

"For the final order, stab Vongola with this." His cane was revealed to be a sword that emits electricity. All of them were surprised, not expecting it to go this far.

But what else can he do? Tsuna doesn't want the girls to be hurt just because of their association with him. The least he could do is this which is nothing compared to what his friends have gone through. He was about to stab himself when Shamal, Future Lambo, and Future I-Pin appeared to defeat the twins.

Everything ended in their favor with Reborn preparing beforehand and Gokudera getting the final laugh by slamming his shoes on Birds' face. That was when Bianchi noticed another presence and Futa revealed himself, telling Tsuna to stay away from him and he chose to remain by Mukuro's side.

Then, they heard the sounds of chains, they look behind them and saw the man in the pictures who they deemed as Rokudo Mukuro.

"I never expected such a weak little boy to be Vongola Nono's successor," Mukuro says, returning back inside the building with Chikusa after a brief first meeting with Tsuna.

The illusionist coming out of the shadows for a bit was worth it, he now knows that an Arcobaleno is present. Which made his job easier as long as he manages to squeeze the secret out of the infant.

They listen and watch Tsuna's fight with Lancia, now seeing the potential in that weak boy.

After defeating Lancia, the older man revealed that he was forced into being Mukuro's double, a fake. He explained how the illusionist controlled his body to kill his family who took him in when he was an orphan. Mukuro can't help but laugh at his sob story.

"Kufufu… I wouldn't have been able to meet such a worthy fake if it wasn't for him."

Knowing who it is, Chikusa set his eyes on an old comrade, Sora who was still asleep, resting on the couch. The boy closed his eyes and held back a sigh, thinking that it was a little unfortunate that their relationship has come to this.

Old friends to enemies.

—

With Yamamoto out of commission, the others pressed on with Gokudera separating himself from the group to look for Hibari. Chikusa came to greet him under Mukuro's orders. The side effects of the medicine given to him by Shamal kicked in, and it pissed him off. It just had to activate with the wrong timing.

Ken joins in which results in Gokudera getting beaten up badly and he falls down the stair. That was when one of the birds from earlier started singing an anthem. Their school anthem made the bomber smirk as he throws a dynamite stick to the wall.

"I could've found a way out myself by myself but no matter, give those two to me."

Gokudera completely zoned out at that point but he can hear Ken and Chikusa's pained noises as they were thrown out of the building. He was about to lose consciousness when he feels arms slowly helping him stand up, both him and Hibari leaning on each other to walk properly.

It took them a while to find the perfect balance and timing and then Hibari finally speaks.

"You… You're friends with the Little Bird."

"Little Bird…? You mean Sora?" Gokudera furrows his eyebrows at the mention of the boy, but then he quickly realized what he meant and he felt that pit in his stomach. He hoped Sora was just back to his hermit ways but this was enough confirmation.

"... That herbivore is here."

After Hibari said those words, the bomber can only hope that they arrive just in time.

—

…

This is nice.

It's peaceful.

Mukuro said he was supposed to wake up but he didn't. What a liar. Instead, he's stuck in this eternal darkness. He doesn't know whether to be grateful or not. Finally, he doesn't dream. Should he thank him for this? Maybe but the urge to punch the daylights out of him is still there.

That was when he can hear fighting.

A singular light emits in the darkness and it was as if he was watching everything through Mukuro's eyes. Was this his plan all along? To make him watch his friends fall under his hands? Even if he was awake, he can't help them. This was a crucial moment for Tsuna.

Then maybe he can finally be free but that's just wishful thinking.

Sora watches everything through his eyes.

From controlling Futa, being temporarily defeated by Hibari, and manipulating the bodies of the two siblings alongside Ken and Chikusa.

Wake up,

It hurts seeing their beaten bodies being forced to move.

Wake up.

Can he really stay neutral in such circumstances?

Wake up.

He should move. It's finally time to end this peaceful slumber.

"Mukuro… thank you but no thank you."

—

Tsuna managed to defeat Mukuro and he hears two desperate voices, weakly calling out, almost pleading that they shouldn't touch the illusionist.

"The mafia isn't allowed to touch Mukuro-sama!" Ken growls, crawling his way to his boss's side.

The Vongola boss just can't wrap his head around it. How could they stay so loyal after being used and thrown like puppets?

"You could never understand. This is nothing"

"Compared to the pain and suffering we suffered back then… because we were made into guinea pigs by our own family!"

Tsuna's eyes widen. Reborn remains calm, proven right that they were from the Estraneo family. Ken then counted back to what happened. Telling them how their family was crushed and forced to go through inhumane experiments. How Mukuro was their savior for giving them the chance to escape from everything.

"There's no way I'm letting you guys do that!"

Listening to such a heartbreaking story made Tsuna sympathize with them but it doesn't change the fact that they hurt his friends, he will stand by the fact that he went against them to protect the ones he loved.

That was when the Vindice appears, chaining the necks of the fallen Kokuyo gang.

"What are they doing?" Tsuna asked.

"Stop, Tsuna. It's not wise to defy the Vindice."

Tsuna can't help but watch as they slowly get dragged away. Silently listening to Reborn say how they will be tried for their crimes. He guesses this is the end.

"Wait."

That voice… it's like he hasn't heard it in so long. From the darkest corner of the room, Sora emerges from the shadows. Tsuna was about to call out to him when his eyes widen. Is this really the same Sora he knows? Not to mention, he ordered Vindice to stop and they did.

"Sora-kun…?"

"You, what do you think you're doing?" Reborn's eyes darken as he stares at the boy.

The informant simply walked passed them, as he approached Vindice. The one in the middle spoke.

"The Eye… you have no right to order us despite your fearsome reputation."

"And yet you stopped to listen to me."

Tsuna shivers, and he can feel the temperature drop and the breeze pick up, instead of its usual gentle caress, it was harsh and it was almost enough to send him flying. Silence fills the room as Sora and the Vindice stared at one another.

"... A few minutes. Let me talk to them."

"What do we get in return?"

"A rumor that may be a hint. After this, you can take them away." The Vindice looked at one another before returning their attention to the informant.

"If the rumor is useless, you may face some consequences for interfering."

Sora took that as a cue to move closer, making sure that the rumor stays between them. A couple of minutes passed and the Vindice stays quiet for a while before speaking.

"Three minutes."

That was more than enough and Sora kneeled down and lightly pats Mukuro's cheek. Thankfully he was able to wake up and he laughs weakly at seeing the boy.

"Kufufu… what else could you want from me?"

"We didn't get to talk properly after all. We don't have the time but just enough for this–" Sora leans into his ear and whispers. Mukuro stays silent and he lets out another weak laugh.

"To think it would end up like this… and before I go…"

Mismatched eyes turn to Tsuna and Reborn who have been silently watching the entire time. He returned his attention to Sora and says before passing out.

"Don't you think it's time to tell them about your relationship with me, Hiiro?"

"... I was getting to that you damn pineapple."

Sora's eyes soften as he watches Mukuro lose consciousness. He turned his head to Ken and Chikusa and he gave them both a head pat, mumbling an apology.

"I'm sorry… This isn't the reunion we imagined."

He stood up and took a step back as he watches the Vindice take them away. While everything was happening, Tsuna's head went into overdrive. It's taking him a while to take in the fact that all this time, Sora is also in the mafia. That he has been acting innocent all this time to not draw suspicions.

Maybe he should've listened to his intuition.

He knew that Sora wasn't an ordinary human being but he didn't expect him to be a part of the world he's been trying to shield him from. All that effort was useless and from the looks of it, seems like Reborn and Dino knew. So why?

Why did he hide it from him?

What was the reason he did all of this just to appear like a normal civilian?

Everything up till now… was it also an act?

Tsuna wanted to say something. Anything. Even just a simple why? would suffice. But he was rendered speechless. And more importantly, what is his relationship with Mukuro? Is the reason why he went missing because he was helping them? but that can't be it.

Click.

"Reborn!"

"Who the hell are you? What's your connection with Rokudo Mukuro?"

Sora stares at the infant and the gun that's pointed at him. He stayed silent for a moment and sighed. The hitman is not a patient man and just before he speaks again, the informant beats him to it.

"Hey, Reborn. Did you ever wonder how an orphan, with no family or proper education, managed to have a top-quality collection of information? Let alone intelligence?"

Sora's question made the Arcobaleno stop and think, he put two and two together and his eyes narrowed.

"You have no records. How can you prove–" That was when it hit him. An orphan with such skills, it wouldn't be impossible.

"Reborn, what's going on? Tell me! I don't know what's happening anymore!" Tsuna pleads. All of this is being fed to his brain all at once and it's making him sick.

"Sora… or whoever they are, is the same as Mukuro."

"What do you mean…?"

The informant looks at Tsuna, eyes devoid of warmth as he answers.

"There's a lot that I need to explain but for now what I can tell you is this–" Sora took a step closer to the duo and said with a bitter smile on his face.

"I too, was an experiment by the Estraneo Family. I was one of the survivors thanks to Mukuro."

—

Earlier in the CEDEF Boss' Office

Iemitsu can't believe his eyes. The document attached to Sage's daily report was a very detailed procedure of how the Estraneo Family messed with his head. It also contained x-rays of the boy's immature brain and reports on how he reacted to each and every poke.

But what caught his eye was this section, the drastic measures they had to take to create their perfect human information collector.

Name: Subject 111

Age: 5 years old

Date found: XX/XX/XX

The subject's trauma and emotional state, these two factors made it difficult for him to cooperate. In order to lessen the manpower and resources needed, and to give space to all future information absorption, we have decided to remove his memories. Everything about his past, his family, and his entire identity, before he was found by the Estraneo Family, will be removed.

Report #1

Initially, the subject was assigned to become another human weapon but we have found difficulties in his immune system. He is transferred to the Defense and Intelligence Department for further observation.

Report #2

Removing the subject's memories was deemed fruitful as it easily passed the intelligence tests conducted by the department. A few more adjustments were made to the subject's brain but not enough to mess with its locomotor.

Report #X

A few months after the surgical procedure, it was observed that the subject experiences headaches with varying pain levels depending on the amount of information absorbed. We will continue monitoring if there are any drastic changes to its behavior or any pattern that can predict the time and day of the headache.

Report #X

The subject absorbs information at an excellent pace however, after several hours, it completely forgets the recent information processed by its brain. Further surgical procedures will be conducted to solve this issue.

Report #X

The surgical procedure was a success but it worsened the subject's status. The periodic headache seems to intensify as time passes and it's found to be connected to the sudden loss of information processed by the brain. Further procedures will hinder its development. The department resolves to give it a notebook to write down all the information, for it to remember what they have forgotten.

Report #X

The subject showed excellent skills in writing detailed information. From the appearance to the sequence of each event, and to the injuries taken by the other subjects. We have prescribed painkillers for it to battle painful headaches and to sleep easily.

Note: The Estraneo-produced painkillers will have side effects. Most notably recurring nightmares.

Iemitsu sighs, guilt washing over him. The reason why the boy never said anything is to protect himself. He endured four years of being treated like a guinea pig and being taken by another family must be why he pressed on with gaining his freedom.

Details about his memory loss explain why Sage didn't answer when they interrogated him. It's not that he doesn't want to answer, it's the fact that he can't. He was considering letting the boy go. While he was thinking of what to say to Vongola Nono, a specific line caught his eye.

—other than the mist flames found in its system, another flame seems to be present but it's hard to detect. The mysterious flame seems to appear at random times and days but only briefly. Because of its strange nature, we have found it difficult to observe and research it further.

Iemitsu decides to contact Vongola Nono.

—

"Sora-kun?"

Tsuna finally arrived at their agreed meeting place, by the trees in Namimori Shrine.

"Yo."

His head is going wild and he tries to calm himself. He will finally get a proper explanation, the entire story of the person before he took the name that he has known since the beginning. Finally, he will be able to see his true self without the lies and deception.

And so, the friend who introduced himself as Yukihiro Sora, began to speak.

–

A/N: In all honesty I was very nervous about this one. I have doubts about my ability to express this story that has been stuck in my head for years. And while writing this, I keep thinking that maybe it was too cliche or obvious for Sora to be a victim of the Estraneo family.

As this story progresses, I may go back to the early chapters to edit and change some scenes for the entire story to flow better. This has been the most nerve-wracking chapter I've ever posted since I am unsure of how you, the reader would react to it. Was it too obvious? Too overdone?

And don't worry, all the questions left unanswered will be solved in the next chapter when Tsuna and Sora have their heart-to-heart talk.

Once again, thank you for reading and whether this revelation increased your interest or diminished it entirely, thank you for the time you spent reading this silly little story of mine.