DISCLAIMER : Following the word itself "fanfiction", I do not own anything in this fiction and credits belong to the rightful creators of the manga: TOGASHI YOSHIHIRO, the publisher, the broadcasting companies of the anime both 1999 original version and 2011 remake - Nippon Animation and Madhouse, respectively and etc.

REPLIES TO COMMENTS

Milye6 : That's what we call fate xD The reason why will be revealed in the last chapters of this one :D Ive started writing the sequel already and Im on chapter 6 of it xD

Infinityworlds : Thanks ^^ This chapter will not detail too much about his mission, but his point of view about assassination.

CHAPTER 12
- ORDERS -

Drip... drip...

The sound of blood trickling down the pavements from his innocent little hands created a trail as we walked by.

The noise of the Patrol Cars' sirens and the crowd of people gathering around stirred up the quiet night street. The night was cold and the sky was unusually dark.

He was staring at his scarlet tainted hands as we made our way back on a narrow, secluded pathway in the city. Other than the trashbins, stray cats and filthy rats, was me who witnessed how he took the life of his said target mercilessly who was allegedly a treacherous and surreptitious ex-convict who made an enemy from the Mafia Community. The client, a Mafia, wanted the guy down for being a huge threat to his career hence what just happened right now...

His face and his clothes had random blotches of the blood of his victim. Another no-no in the family's assassin code. 'The job must be done as neat and quick as possible'... Dad and Aniki drilled that into me. It's understandable though that he'd create a mess as this is still his first... I also made a tad of mess on my own during my first... Not bad though. I'd say he was rather good.

"Not bad for your first! Good job, young master!" I complimented him.

He remained silent.

"Aren't you gonna wash your hands yet? I brought an extra towel just in case..."

"Amazing isn't it?" He looked back at me smiling. "Imagine a beautiful bright scarlet fluid running around inside the human body... This world is full of wonders..."

"Yeah..." I put my arms behind my neck. "That's basically what's inside you too... and me, and your dad, your mom, your gramps... everyone..."

"Mm-hm..." He nodded. "Saay, Kill?"

"Yep?"

"Have you ever killed anyone yet before?"

I looked back at him to see him with a little smile on his face.

"Well... duh?" I answered briefly, hesitantly, avoiding his eyes. I didn't know if my answer would encourage him more to do the wrong.

"Really? How many?"

"Just like you guys, I don't count how much lives I have taken away... Survival of the fittest as they say... I lived a life out of others'..."

"I knew it! You were an assassin too!~" He blurted out pointing his bloody fingers at me. "It's in YOUR NAME!"

I stopped and knelt down in front of him grabbing his hands, then wiping it with a towel. I also wiped the blotches away from his face. "Can you keep a secret?" I asked him.

He nodded.

"Then we're good." I stood up and proceeded walking along with him.

I glanced at him again to see him pouting...

"Sooo... could it be that you're an assassin too that was hired by a client to kill me?"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" I bursted out laughing. "I can NEVER do that...! Smart kid you really are! Thinking of ridiculous things like that..."

It was half true actually. I already purposely missed a lot of chances to kill him. However, killing him would turn the whole family against me. It's something I can never handle. I just don't feel like killing him anymore... It's pretty pointless...

" 'Life was never fair'... I learned that from Gramps." He continued. "People who play dirty would die a dirty death. The moment Dad told me that I thought, someday I would die in a horrible way..."

Hah... the last time I can recall, he was the one who passed on that knowledge to me. It is ironic and awkward hearing from him these with no sense of imposition but rather a casual conversation with an innocent, curious little child.

"And are you okay with that?"

"I don't know? I don't think death is that much of a horrible thing as much as people are too scared of it."

"Makes sense... I am not afraid to die though..."

"Really? You're scared of Dad... and Gramps..."

"It's not death that I fear. I have a reason to live. I am afraid of failing to fulfill that reason..."

"Reason to live..." He paused for a while."Like what?"

I have strong hesitations to answer this one. Not only because he prolly wouldn't understand, but somehow he was a part of it. I wanted to surpass him. I wanted to get out of his clutches and protect the ones I value from his wicked endeavors. I wanted to live my life as how I wanted to without his impositions and the strings of curse he had bound me with. It all starts with being the strong individual I have always aspired to be.

"To be strong." I spoke plainly yet boldly. It's the briefest way to explain it. He looked back at me and stared at me for a little while before speaking up.

"I think the same goes for me... My family wanted me to grow up strong and reliable."

"You really should be. You should live up to your family's name of course..."

He nodded in agreement.

"Dad told me that people wouldn't spend heaps of money to hire assassins like us if the person's life wasn't enough trouble and that it must be put to an end..."

"Right..."

"So my life is basically in big trouble too... Everyone in our family is. It is strictly forbidden to kill according to the law. It seems like we assassins serve as scapegoats for a certain punishment or having someone to blame in exchange of something as shallow as money. And this is why some assassins have disguised as a babysitter and attempted to kill me or kidnap me for blackmail... I am the most vulnerable one in our family so they're all likely to go after me. They're out of luck though! They're a bunch of weaklings..."

"Zoldycks, Ive heard, were a legend. So those cheap bunch of assassins were no match... and true. Killing is against the law of humanity. It's a taboo. That's why you guys are being 'hated' by a huge percent of the society..."

"Is that Law thingy meant to be broken or something? When a rule is set, it seems like its an instinct for everyone to disobey... I am trying to obey everything my parents tell me, but there's this law that says killing is bad so does that mean Dad, Gramps and Mom are all bad people? Even you! None of you were bad to me, so..."

I didn't know how to explain how life really goes in reality to a clueless, innocent, curious little child like him.

"How did you feel when taking away that guy's life forcibly?" I asked him.

"Hmmmm..." He stared up the sky for a few moments. "I don't feel anything really..." He shrugged.

"Do you feel bad?"

"Nope... I was told that he was a bad guy so he somehow deserves it..."

"Do you think you needed to kill someone not your target or someone who weren't threatening you?"

"HEY! That's a no-no! Rules say that we cannot kill people who weren't our target unless we're threatened or has a purpose!"

"VERY GOOD!" I scratched his head, messing his hair up a little. "Then stick to that way."

"But..." He still was confused.

"Just stop thinking about it! You make my head hurt you know!" I bent and held his shoulders. "Listen, if there's a reason to live, there's also a reason to die. Just think that you're helping Hades out on his mission to weed out those people who finally needed to leave this world... OKAY?"

"O-Okay... (shrugs)"

I think I finally got his trust. He finally started to talk a lot to me and act comfortably around me. I must admit, I was a little glad inside to see him smile... Not like that creepy, weird-ass smile he does back then, but an innocent, pure and genuine smile like this, void of malice and wicked intentions...

"Kill... you're a fortune teller right?"

"Yeah... and what is it you wanna know about again?"

"How horrible would I die? Why and how?"

I didn't know why but I felt a little heavy inside when he asked me that very question. I have always wished him to begone back then, and even just some days ago. That the same feeling whenever I was faced to that situation where he sets me to a condition to choose between freely killing him and another ridiculous option, and also when I already have all the chances to slit his throat and electrocute him while he's still weak and helpless.

"I think you always forget what I told you..."

" 'I can never tell you anything that might change the future blah blah...' Fine... Never mind... I get it."

I just chuckled as a reply. I guess that would be officially the best excuse I can use for now.

He stopped walking, and started to yawn... "I feel sleepy..." He began rubbing his eyes.

"Me too..." I also stretched a bit myself... "It's a little late... Babies like you should sleep early so you would grow strong and tall..." I approached him and bent down to scoop him up. He leaned his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes. "Mr. Sandman has already caught you. I think he also caught me too..."

"There's no such thing..." He uttered. "Maybe next time, tour me around the city with your Electric Nen when Im not sleepy... I wanted to enjoy the ride... but my eyes are not helping..." He was almost slurring his words, with his eyes closed.

"It's called Godspeed... young master" I began charging, preparing for a dash.

"Nice name..." He lastly spoke before completely falling asleep.

Once again, I was left with another chance to end his life that I would miss again purposely.

Is this sympathy? Or emotional attachment?

Is this one of the reasons why I was also deemed to defy the ways of being an assassin?

END OF CHAPTER 12