Episode 13: Truth and Reason
"The world's a thousand shades of blue, like we're here in a kaleidoscope, don't want it to be over… Like everything that's in my mind is here, right in front of my eyes. And you're the one who got me here."
-"Parachutes and Airplanes" by David Archuleta

I'd been having dreams – nightmares – lately. They were always about Mukuro, and what was happening to him in prison. Every night, I'd open my eyes, and I'd be back in one of those science tanks. I'd always look around, and I'd always see the illusionist, asleep, trapped in another one of those tanks.

I kept banging on the sides of my tube, hoping that he could hear me. He never responded. Yet I still tried, hoping that Mukuro would wake up.

When I asked Chrome about it, she said, "Mukuro-sama says that he'd love to talk to you. But when you're sleeping, you have wild nightmares about him. He can never get through to you."

So I was sleeping soundly on Saturday night, hoping that Mukuro would break through. I was in a white room, with nothing in it, except for a table and two chairs, both painted white.

A familiar laugh rang through the air. "Kufufufu~ Well, Kanari-chan. I've been waiting for you." Mukuro started to appear, fading through the air. "I told you that I'd see you again. But I never thought you'd cut your hair."

I smiled and hugged him. "Sakkaku-kun! It's been a while since we got to talk like this."

He smiled a little and looked around, on hand on my back. "Your imagination is so dreary, Kanari-chan. Here, let's change the scenery a little." With a single wave of his hand, the room swirled and then changed, fading into my old apartment in Kokuyo. "Remember this?"

"Yeah, I remember this." I laughed and sat down. "I remember when you first used your illusions to show it to me. I wish I still had illusion sight," I sighed. Mukuro sat down across from me and passed me a cup of coffee. "None of this is real, right?"

Mukuro shrugged. "It's real to your mind, but other than that, it's not. But that's for you to decide."

Taking a sip, I replied, "At least your coffee tastes good." He chuckled a little and I put my cup down. "Down to business. Where are you that you can't come and visit other than in dreams?"

"The Vendicare Prison. I succeeded until they got close. I told Ken and Chikusa to go off on their own. I'm glad to see that they made it to you." He smiled and reached over to ruffle my hair. "But now I'm stuck, and I can only get out if I swear to use my powers for the Mafia." He grimaced.

I asked, confused, "But, aren't you already using your powers for the Mafia? You and Kori-chan are fighting for Tsuna-kun."

He laughed. "Yes, but they believe I have ulterior motives. I have none but that I want to make sure that you'll be okay." I was about to tell him that I was fine, but he continued, "You see, I've seen things while I sleep. For some reason, it's always about you and the little Mafiosi. One thing that I saw was you and that Storm Guardian, and you were together on the beach."

I looked confused. "Why would that be bad?"

The illusionist sighed. "You were around seven months pregnant." My jaw dropped to the floor. "Don't worry, you were probably twenty at that point," he amended, relieving my fears.

Sighing in relief, I took another sip of coffee. "So what's happening in your dreams that makes you worry?"

"You died."

I dropped the mug as I stared at Mukuro. There was no evidence that he was lying. "What?"

He repeated, "You died." I sputtered nonsense, but he put a finger to my lips, shushing me. "The Mafia probably doesn't want me to tell you this. But I just want you to be careful. Maybe I'll be out by the time that happens, but I'm not able to promise anything right now."

The glass shards of the mug and the coffee stain began to fade, as if they'd never even been there. "If I'm to die in the future, I'll just have to make sure that I don't," I reasoned.

Mukuro shook his head. "You're part of the Mafia now. You're always in danger, Najika."

The entire room began to fade back to white and I gaped at it. "Mukuro, what's happening?" When I turned back to him, the blue-haired Mafioso was fading, too. "What's going on?" He looked up and smiled sadly.

"Time's up."

I jolted up in my bed, breathing heavily. I looked at my hands and sighed when I saw that I couldn't see anything. "I'm not dreaming anymore." I looked around the room. Nothing.

The door burst open and I gasped. "What's wrong? Who was in here with you?" Ken's voice demanded. "Murusaki-chan?"

I grabbed the bottle of those Flame pills and took one. Ken's familiar Flame started to appear alongside Chikusa's. Groaning, I shook my head. "Don't worry about it, Dobutsu-chan. It's nothing, just a nightmares again."

Chikusa even sounded worried. "Are you sure you're okay, Najika?" I nodded. "Okay… We'll get breakfast ready." He didn't seem to believe that I was all right. I sighed. Wait… can those two even cook?

Oh, well. They can't be that bad.

Can they?

Pushing myself out of bed, I slipped on my school uniform. When I headed downstairs, I swore that something was burned. "Ken, Chikusa, what did you burn!" I cried. "If you destroyed my coffee maker again, you're buying me another one!"

Ken laughed sheepishly. "Well… we didn't destroy your coffee maker. We just set fire to your toaster!" he explained. I groaned.

"Well, there goes my toaster waffle breakfast. Whatever." I knew my way around the kitchen well enough, so I reached into my cupboards and pulled out a box of rice crackers and took a few. "I've got to get to school now, so I guess I'll see you guys tonight."

They all said that they'd see me later, and to have a good day. As I ran out the door, I kept thinking about what Mukuro had told me he saw. He saw my death. I was set to die sometime in the future. He didn't really say when, so what, could it be today, tomorrow, in a year, in ten? How did I die in his vision? Stabbed, assassinated, blown up by Lambo, strangled, drowning, burning, or shot? Who was the person to kill me?

"…jika-chan? Najika-chan!" I jumped five feet in the air and turned to see Tsuna, Yamamoto, and Gokudera. "Are you all right?" Tsuna asked worriedly. "You're really out of it today."

I laughed and replied, "Sorry, Tsuna-kun. I just had a long night, you know?"

Gokudera walked up to me and put his arm around my shoulders. "Just be sure to wake up soon, okay? I can't have you being unresponsive today!" his smile was practically dripping into his voice. "After all, we're going out to dinner tonight, remember?"

That's right! He did say something about taking me out tonight. "Yeah, I remember. Don't worry, Gokudera-kun! After all-!"

He slid his hand over my mouth and corrected, "Hayato. You shouldn't have to call me by my last name."

I pulled his hand off of my mouth and smiled. "Okay," I agreed, nodding.

Yamamoto's laugh rang through the air. "If you're going to call Gokudera by his first name, call me 'Takeshi,' Najika!" he laughed happily, slinging his arm around my other shoulder. "After all, we are part of the Family, right?"

As I nodded, Gokudera – Hayato – snapped, "Don't ask my girlfriend to call you by your first name! You two aren't even that close!" I laughed nervously, opting to step by Tsuna as Hayato began to argue with Takeshi. Tsuna laughed a little as well. I looked at him once.

"Race you three to school!" I yelled, taking off. All three of the boys stared at where I was for a moment, then, one by one, ran towards the school.

Of course, Takeshi won. Hayato came in close second, whereas Tsuna and I tied after we stopped running.

Just another peaceful day in Namimori. What we didn't know was how fast that could change.

Atogaki-

Short and fail filled. I hate how it's only around 2,000 words, not even. -goes to cry in her emo corner- But yeah, so I got bored, and felt the need to torture you. No, not really. I just separated this from the previous chapter because the previous chapter addressed Najika's past, and then I did a bit of a time skip to the weekend, so I made a split second decision to split this chapter in two.

I don't really know why I wanted to do a Mukuro centric chapter... I just felt the need to address Mukuro here. But yeah... I decided on the title because Najika is addressing the truth behind where Mukuro went, and Mukuro finally admits the real reason he's still working with the Mafioso. I honestly cannot tell you why I chose the song. I just heard it and was like... "Oh, it's happy. I feel the need to use it for the Mukuro/Najika chapter." I love Mukuro in this chapter. And there's so much foreshadowing that I died writing this. If you don't get what's going to happen in the next chapter, please don't try and guess. I'm actually looking forward to seeing if you can figure out what's actually the truth in the next Arcs.

So yes, this is the end of the filler Arc. Time to move on, to Byakuran and Bluebell, and them crazy biotches.

Review please!