Nico: Welcome all readers! Today is the day Requiem of Rain is finally concluded. It brings tears to my eyes actually. This story was my first story upon returning to FanFiction, and now I've finally finished it.
I should clarify one thing though, this is a very, very, very big chapter. I had all these ideas for this chapter, that I did not realize just how long this chapter would end up being. I also tried to keep in mind what everyone wanted, from the poll and the reviews.
So without further ado, I hope you all enjoy the final chapter of Requiem of Rain!
I DO NOT OWN KATEKYO HITMAN REBORN!
Forever Free, Forever Me
One explosion. That was all it took. Just one blast, and all peace had gone and the coup d'état had started. The explosion was only a tiny bit of terror that we had prepared to bring upon the Vongola base. The explosion was a product of Levi's, the jerk with the strange facial hair and piercings, special move. Using parabolas, he was able to channel the power of electricity, and blow through the wall. I had to admit, while he was a jerk, that was pretty cool.
Once the explosion rang, that was our cue to get moving. There were five parts to the Vongola base, the entrance foyers, the inner foyers, the outer area, the lab, and of course the inner chambers, where the Vongola Nono was. There were six of us, so we all split up into one of the different areas. It was vital that all five parts were under our control. If just one of those areas were protected by the soldiers, we'd be dead within seconds. We all had our parts as we had determined in the numerous meetings before the attack.
"Since there are five of us, I suggest that we split up. One of us in each area," I was the one who suggested the plan. We were in the abandoned factory, with scraps of paper across the ground. All of them, rejected plans from other members, crumbled, and some burned by Xanxus.
"That's crazy," Leviathan, or Levi for short, said. I seriously hated this guy. He was a pain in the ass and always disagreed with me. He was like some sort of teacher's pet to Xanxus, although Xanxus didn't give a damn about him. If it were anyone else, I'd probably pity him. However, I could not help but find his position with Xanxus humorous. "This plan would work if we had more members, however one of us cannot hope to defeat several Vongola soldiers. I don't even see why we need members in all five areas. The outer area and the entrance foyers aren't the source of any real threat."
"I don't know, I think Squ has a point," Lussuria said. I was not quite sure how to really describe him. He was freaky. His tastes were strange and he called himself "Varia's Mama" when he was a guy. He was also very feminine. He was a great fighter though, knowing Muay Thai, which made up for most of his faults. He was very flamboyant and strange, but hey, to each their own. However I wish he would stop calling me Squ. "If we had a member in each area we would technically be able to capture the entire base."
"However it will be rather risky," Mammon said. I could not begin to understand him. He was a toddler, the youngest of us all, and yet he was probably the only one who thought things through. He was a sneaky little bastard though. Whenever money's on the line, he never loses a bet. For a tiny thing, he's got his mind fixated on money. However, he wasn't too bad. "Having a member in each area is a good idea, however there is the possibility of one of us getting killed. As long as there is one area not under our control, we're dead."
That was the reason why I had suggested the idea. I had thought about it for a while and came up with the conclusion. For example, if we left the outer area out of our control, the Vongola soldiers could easily just evacuate the building, lock us in, and destroy the building with us inside. That was one of the few things that could happen. Failure and death was definitely not an option.
"Ushishishi… but there are five areas," Belphegor snickered. This kid really annoyed me. He was a kid, but he had the bloodlust of a madman. He was ever so prideful of himself, calling himself a "prince" and calling us "commoners". It was because he called himself a prince that he never really did anything unless it was killing or bothering me for his own enjoyment. I was not sure who to feel worried for on the day of the attack, the kid or the people he'll be killing. "There are six of us, and five areas. That means there will have to be a group of two. Ushishi, if so, then I want to partner up with Mammon."
"Don't decide that by yourself," Mammon said, he sounded exhausted. Although Belphegor was the older of the two, Mammon seemed to be the "adult" between them. The two together was a spell of mischief. Perhaps it was because they were the youngest team members, or perhaps it was because they both hid their eyes from view, or some other reason. While Mammon grew tired of Belphegor's childish antics, the two seemed like good friends, at least more so compared to the rest of us.
"I know," I said, responding to Belphegor's statement. "However, I was thinking that the group of two would be Xanxus and another one of us."
"Hrm?" Xanxus, who was usually quiet during these meetings, gave me an angry look. The other members must have also noticed this and were a bit surprised. Throughout the other meetings with their plans, Xanxus stayed quiet in his seat. He would stare at the plan outlines with absolute boredom painted on his face. When the meetings were over, if the plan was absolutely terrible, he'd take the plan outlines and burn them to ashes. However now he looked like he was about to burn me. "I don't need trash to slow me down."
"Yes however, you're going to the inner chambers. There's absolutely no doubt that that particular area will be heavily guarded. If you receive even the slightest injury, it will affect you through your fight with the Vongola Nono. The entire point of this is that you gain the title of Vongola Decimo, but if you have sustained so many injuries pre-battle, you'll have put all our efforts in vain."
The entire factory went silent as Xanxus and I stared off. I had long lost my fear of him, so I did not feel a thing as I challenged him on. He was intimidating, and I still revered him, however I knew when to step up. With him as Varia's leader, I was then appointed as the Second-in-Command. None of the other members would ever anger Xanxus, they knew better. However, I had already lost most of my sanity, so fear is just a memory to me now.
"Fine," Xanxus eased up and leaned back into his chair. By the way, his chair used to have armrests on the sides, until he burned them out of anger. He then said the chair looked hideous with the scorch marks. We had to remove the armrests, before Xanxus would sit on it again. He could be such a stubborn little prince sometimes, not like Belphegor though, he was a lazy little prince.
"So all's left to decide is: who will take which area and who will go with the boss," Lussuria smiled.
"I will go with boss," Levi stood up. It sort of freaked me out, how Levi was so totally obsessed with Xanxus. Xanxus always gave him the cold shoulder and always made fun of him. If it were me I'd have ditched the fixation long ago. This guy… he was pitiful, just not to me.
"I don't really think that's a good idea," I said. I found Levi to be a pain, annoying, and it was hilarious to laugh at his misfortune. Levi hated me, which only led me to hate him. Then again, Levi hated just about everyone, but Xanxus. Not-so-little suck up. As such, Levi was now giving a death glare, but I never took it seriously. "The reason why is because your attack… 'Levi Volta', requires a rather large radius to spread out your parabolas. The inner chambers can get pretty cramped, so your attack may not be effective on the inside. It would be a better idea for you to take on the outer area, that way you have a large area to spread out your parabolas, and a large range of people to dispose of."
"Squalo's got a point there Levi," Mammon nodded. "Your attack may even prove to be disastrous inside the building. We can't have you bringing the walls down, you'd kill us all…"
"Ushishishi… you just got schooled by the new guy," Belphegor snickered. One thing I liked about Belphegor, whenever he wasn't bothering me, he was bothering Levi, which was always a good laugh.
"I agree," Xanxus spoke, and silence returned once more. It was going to get old if things got silent every time Xanxus spoke. "Levi, you will take the outer area."
"Y-yes boss," Levi looked a bit disappointed. I was about to burst from all the laughter I was holding back.
"I think I'll take the entrance foyers," Lussuria smiled. That was rather bold of him to say. The entrance foyers were where the Vongola soldiers were definitely going to be in once we make our way in. I asked him if he was sure. He would be taking a big hit for all of us. However Lussuria waved his hand and giggled, "It's alright Squ! When the Vongola soldiers see me they won't even think of me as the enemy just yet. They'll be fooled by my natural charm and beauty!"
Of course. However, I guess it would work. Lussuria was pretty fast. So, once we alerted the Vongola of an attack, Lussuria would rush over to the entrance foyers, and meet up with the Vongola soldiers. He would trick them and catch them off guard. It sounded pretty good.
"Then that leaves the inner foyers and the lab left," I said. "The lab will be a priority to get rid of. As long as the lab is up, they will be able to track us down. We need someone who will be able to do a thorough job of it."
"I'll do it." Mammon said as he raised one of his small, chubby hands up. "I'll be able to take care of the lab. I'll use a couple tricks here and there and they'll fall right into my hands."
"I'll take the inner foyers then," I said. "The inner foyers are enforced with defense mechanisms, that will lock outsiders out and insiders in. I can simply…" I was interrupted before I could finish.
"No," Xanxus spoke again. He pointed a finger at me, looking me dead in the eye. "You're coming with me, scum."
"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow towards our boss. Surely he was not serious. "Xanxus, the inner foyers have defensive walls between each hallway. Plus, with Belphegor's knives, you can take out any opponent that tries to get in your way to the inner chambers."
"No," Xanxus repeated. "Belphegor will take the inner foyers, and you are going to be my shield for when I get pass the inner chamber." Of course. I'm the meat shield. Sometimes I wonder if Xanxus uses me to vent his anger on, because I'm the only one who dares to face him.
"Fine, whatever," I said. "Belphegor will take the inner foyers. So that leaves Xanxus and I to storm the inner chambers. It's going to be difficult, but we did not join Vongola's elite, independent assassin squad because we thought it would be easy."
"I joined because it would be fun, ushishishi~" Belphegor giggled.
"I joined because of the money," Mammon added. The young duo strikes again.
So that was the plan we all decided upon. Of course, Levi was displeased that I was going with Xanxus, but hey, I can't help it if Boss hates me and ignores him. I would trade places with him any day. In case one day Xanxus ever lost his mind and wanted to kill one of the Varia members closest to him…
So once the explosion sounded, we all split up. Levi was the first one to leave. After he created the hole in the wall, he ran over to the outer area. I honestly never saw him run before, until that day. It was quite the sight. Then Belphegor and Mammon left through the hole in the wall, as Xanxus and I followed Lussuria to the front entrance.
We followed behind Lussuria, as the point was for the Vongola soldiers to see a fellow ally under Vongola. Lussuria led them on at first, until he took them out with a couple punches and kicks. Once the soldiers were done, Lussuria gave us the "okay" and blew us a kiss as we continued off. Like I said about his character: strange.
As we hurried over to the inner foyers, we passed by several windows. Through them we saw Levi using his Levi Volta, taking out a crowd of Vongola soldiers with one hit. He sure looked like he was enjoying himself. We kept on and eventually we met up with Belphegor. The defensive walls were already down, however they were all damaged. Belphegor had cut through the meter thick steel walls. As well, he was surrounded by several Vongola soldiers, all dead on the ground.
"Ushishishi…" Belphegor giggled in his sick glee. How an eight year old could hold this much power, genius, and cruelty was beyond me.
Belphegor had opened up the inner foyers for us to cross through, so we passed the inner foyers. As we went on, we passed a room, it was the lab. There was the sound of water flowing, and screams. Mammon was probably hitting them with a pretty little illusion to cause so much mayhem. I was not sure how but I was kind of impervious to mist illusions for some reason. I would see them, but I could also see through them. I have no idea why.
Once we entered the inner chambers, it was my time to shine. I smirked as I took out my sword. I respected the man behind me. While he was a pain to put up with, I had to make sure nothing got past me. When we were ready, we headed onwards. It was as I expected, there were already guards here. They jumped out from behind walls, they dropped from the ceiling, and some tried to attack us from behind, but I got them all. As much as killing was a thing I was still new to, it seemed to come to me like sword fighting. It seemed so natural, like breathing. That only pushed me further.
"I won't allow you to go any further!" I stopped. There before me was one of the guardians of the Vongola Nono. I seriously was not hoping to fight one of them. However, he was the one thing in the way of the Vongola Nono's chambers. Once we got through him, Xanxus would take over.
"Why…?" he asked. "Why would you turn against Vongola?" I just needed to get past him.
I held out my sword. That was all the answer I would give. The guardian grunted in disapproval and took out his weapon. While his face showed that he disapproved the battle, the fact that he drew out his weapon show that he approved of it.
I dove in for the first attack. I needed to finish this. I swung my sword in an overhand motion. The guardian blocked it and pushed me back. I landed back on my feet before rushing back in. Through the battle, he played the defensive role, not even putting up a fight. He could be trying to pinpoint my blind spot, but it did not seem like that. He just looked me in the eye, as if trying to ask me "Is this what you want?" I snarled and pushed him against the wall, unblocking the way to the door.
"Go Xanxus!" I yelled, forcing the guardian against the wall, leaving the doorway open. "Hurry!" Xanxus ran for the door.
"No!" I felt something push into me, as the exclaim rang out. The guardian sidestepped around me, to cover the way to the door and block Xanxus out. Xanxus stopped before the guardian. I did not see what they were doing, they were behind me. However, I knew what I was doing, and I knew what was going to happen.
The guardian's scream rang in my ears. I did not see it, but I heard it from his screams, and from the sound of his body falling to the ground. The artificial hand I had gotten from Xanxus, which Xanxus made, was attached to a sword. Even better, the artificial joint that joined my hand and wrist together could turn 180 degrees, to attack anything behind me. That was just what I did, all for a good reason though. Seconds earlier, he stabbed me with a dagger to get my attention off him so that he could block the door.
Ow... Pain hurts…
"Hey Trash, you still alive?" Xanxus asked me. The question would normally sound like the asker was worried. However, I doubted that Xanxus had the capacity to worry. I smirked and removed my Varia jacket to look at my wound. Ach, the blood had begun to bleed through my white shirt. I took the jacket and tied it around me, to put pressure on the wound.
"All good…" I said. "Just need a little rest." Even though I said that, I followed him into the Vongola Nono's chambers. The rest was rather foggy in my memory, but at the same time, clear as day. This was Xanxus's battle, and I had no purpose to fight with him. When we got in, I hid behind a column, hoping to get some well needed rest.
"Tch, going unconscious at a time like this. Worthless piece of trash," was what I heard from Xanxus. Seriously, for a smug bastard, he could not see that I was still conscious? It was that or I looked so bad that it seemed like I was unconscious.
However, what really shocked me was what happened shortly after the insult.
"Don't die on me, scum." I learned something that day. Xanxus does have the capacity to worry, but no one ever believes me, and I thought it would be safer to never mention it to Xanxus. After saying that, I heard Xanxus's footsteps as he walked out of hiding. "Hey old man!"
I cannot really describe vividly what happened next, as I was too exhausted to actually see it. However I was able to hear it. I heard the sound of fire crackling and the sound of furniture and various other objects in the room being destroyed. The smell of smoke was everywhere, I was glad I did not suffocate. Xanxus sounded angry, while his old man sounded pretty calm.
"Shut up! You know better than anyone else!" Xanxus yelled in response to his old man asking him why he would do all this, bring Varia against Vongola, try to destroy the Vongola base, and take the lives of so many. What... what did Xanxus mean by that? "I'm not...!" I froze as he finally answered.
"I'm not your real child!"
So… that was what he meant when he said he was going to become the Vongola Decimo. However still, he could not be serious. Is it not impossible for someone without the blood of Vongola to take over Vongola? Just what was Xanxus thinking?
"Why did you keep quiet about it, the fact that I couldn't become the boss of Vongola?" Xanxus continued voicing his rage, but I was no longer paying attention. Xanxus was not the Vongola Nono's son, which meant Xanxus did not have the blood of Vongola. No matter what, Xanxus could never become the Vongola Decimo. It was all a shock.
Then I heard Xanxus exclaim. A blinding light poured across the room. All I heard was Xanxus yelling, "What is this technique?" I heard a crackling noise, not the kind from fire, but one that sounded like ice. Eventually Xanxus's exclaims died down, and there was silence in the room. I sat there breathing deeply, trying to calm myself. I could not help but notice the temperature drop in the room, my breaths were even visible.
I poked my head out to see. There was Xanxus, completely encased in ice. Xanxus, our boss, was defeated.
I don't know why, and I don't know how, but I did know that it pissed me off.
One would think that for creating the largest coup d'état in Vongola history, we'd be sent to death. We were not, which angered me. Any normal person would be relieved at the fact they get to continue on with their life. However to me it was like we were given a slip of mercy and let to run wild. The coup d'état, now known as the Cradle Affair, was blamed on Xanxus, who was the only one of us to receive any such punishment. He was frozen in ice, and was heavily guarded in the basement of the decrepit Vongola Base.
Xanxus became the villain in the event. Varia, although we had evenly participated in the destruction, was said to have been simply following orders. They believed that we had nothing to do with it. They believed that it was just Xanxus who led us to the Cradle Affair. What did they know? We were a part of the battle. We followed our orders, only because we wanted to. We were not forced.
But there was nothing we could do now.
With our boss... out of commission, that left us with nowhere left to go. We were still Varia, and we were still a part of Vongola. We were allowed into the basement of the Vongola Base, to see Xanxus. However, we were not allowed to bring weapons of any sort when we entered. Even while we had left our weapons, the guards watched us carefully in case we had some plan up our sleeves to thaw the ice.
The first time we went, the guards tried to chase us away, but the Vongola Nono gave us permission to enter. I understood why Xanxus would feel so angry towards him. However, when I saw him then, he was not like the man Xanxus described. He knew what we were and what we did, however he simply smiled and let us through. I do not know how to describe it, that smile on his face... it was like the smile you'd receive from a proud parent. I did not understand it though.
We dropped off our weapons at the entrance. The guards gave Belphegor strange looks as he dropped several knives and wires on the floor. I was reluctant at first to leave my sword, since it was a hassle to detach it from my hand, but eventually I left it behind. We descended down the stairs and into the basement. It was surprisingly colder, and the only thing in the room was the ice that held Xanxus, sealed by four walls, chained together.
"Boss..." That seemed to be all the vocabulary we knew that day. We were all mature enough not to break down on the floor and cry like a wuss. There was no laughter coming from anyone, no sarcasm, and no arguing amongst us. We all stood before the seal that locked away our boss. We all wanted him out. We all would not stop until he became the Vongola Decimo. The others did not know everything, not like I did. They still believed Xanxus could still become the Vongola Decimo. I did not have the heart to tell them. No, it was not something I should be saying.
When we left the base, we were all the same. Nowhere to go, and the silence was annoying me. I kept wondering. Something just did not add up. Xanxus lived with the Vongola Nono, but he was not his son. Xanxus himself seemed to be sure that he was the Vongola Nono's son, until... one day he found out he was not. So then, who was Xanxus?
I had to know, but I could not do it alone. I had plenty of things to do. I needed to find out about Xanxus. Also, as Varia's Second-in-Command, I have to take over Varia for the time being. So I better get started then.
"VOI!" I yelled at the rest of the Varia members. They all turned to me. It was time for me to take charge.
Before I could get started with Varia, there was one thing I had to do before I did so. I had to get permission from the Vongola Nono, since Varia seemed to be under surveillance. Apparently, he was invited to the event, and decided to allow me to tag along, although the guards with him seemed displeased about me joining in. What could an assassin have to do with the Cavallone Inheritance Ceremony?
There several members of other mafias there. They were all dressed in suits, looking their best. Vongola Nono let me borrow one of Xanxus's suits, I felt uncomfortable in it. It fit me, but it felt strange to be wearing his clothing. It smelled of ashes and smoke. I of course was on my best behaviour. I followed the Vongola Nono, and spoke not a word. I'll be honest I got bored and tired, but I was able to survive through to the end.
"Squalo? Is that really you?" The event was over, and we were about to leave, however I was waiting for someone. That someone finally ran over to me, excitement glittered in his eyes. "Ohmigosh, I thought I'd never see you again!"
"Yo," I smiled. I wanted to say his name, however I was not sure if I was really in the position to do so. The clumsy, bullied, and annoying little kid I used to share a room with, was now the tenth boss of the Cavallone Famiglia. By position, he was now over me. Even if we were friends, it would be disrespectful.
I guess Dino must have gotten some sense during the time we were separated, because Dino seemed to notice how I was feeling. He then asked for a little privacy, so that we could talk together. The Vongola Nono nodded and said he would wait for me. Dino and I headed out of the building to talk.
"So... I heard about what happened in the Vongola Base," Dino said. As he said this, he dared not to look at me. "Xanxus... and you... I just want to know... why Squalo? Why did you end up going with Xanxus? I don't believe that you would blindly follow his command like the stories are saying. You're not... like that. You're smarter and stronger than that. The only reason I can think of is that you went... willingly."
I couldn't help but chuckle and smile, which finally brought Dino's eyes to me. "You've grown a lot during these past six months, Dino. You're right, I followed Xanxus willingly. I don't know how to explain it... but there's something about being in Varia that just feels right, like I'm supposed to be there. The fact that I'm still alive is further proof of it. I'm sorry I kept it a secret from you, but it wouldn't look good on the Cavallone Decimo."
"B-but Squalo... what are you going to do now?" Dino asked. "As far as I know, Xanxus is sealed away, and that leaves you in charge of Varia for the time being. However, what... what do you expect to do? What are you aiming for now?"
"First... I have to watch over Varia for the time being. That and I have some other various other errands to get to. What about you, Dino? What's next?"
"Euh... well... Since I'm the Cavallone Boss now, I have to look over my Family. There are a couple financial problems left from the previous Boss, however I'm going to fix them! Soon enough, the Cavallone Famiglia will be a very influential Family!" There was the Dino I knew, aspiring little kid with dreams. If it was him, as long as he was careful, I'm sure he would be able to do it.
I was glad to see Dino one last time before I left. I would miss him, as he had become a close friend of mine, more than he could imagine. I hope that we would be able to meet again sometime. I hope...
Becoming the temporary boss of Varia proved to be more difficult than I thought. Levi hated me and Belphegor did not take me seriously. Lussuria and Mammon however were at least "alright" about it. Every now and then we received missions from Vongola. However, since we were missing Xanxus, it would be foolhardy to take on anything too difficult. We decided as a group that we would not take on any mission unless there was at least a 90% chance of us succeeding.
However 90% was already a great percentage, with our standards. I soon found out just what made Varia an elite, independent assassination squad. Every one of its members was powerful beyond human standards, not that I doubted them. Levi proved to be a fast worker. He completed the most missions the fastest in Varia. However he would constantly remind me that he was doing it for Xanxus. Lussuria was a sneaky hand-to-hand fighter with his Muay Thai. What made him so sneaky was the metal plate over his left knee, which acted as a shield for direct enemy attacks. As well it also caused damage on the enemy. I knew from his personality that Belphegor was sick, however it was not until I saw his true ability in battle. Whenever his "royal blood" is spilled in battle his real potential is unleashed. Mammon was also quite the illusionist. If money was the reward, Mammon would unleash the opponent's worst nightmare before them.
I eventually found that there were many missions that had at least 90% chance of success. So for the most part, we were on a plane heading to foreign countries to beat the crap out of any idiot who dared to get in our way. Then we'd come back and get paid. I've come to love this job.
Years passed since the day of the Cradle Affair. To me it still felt like yesterday. With every year, the team and I would get permission to see Xanxus. Each year it was the same day, the day of the Cradle Affair. We would go to the basement, stand for what seemed like hours and then one by one we'd each leave.
However there were times I went on my own, without Varia. I would get permission and I would go to the basement. Whenever I came alone the guards trusted me enough to let me have my privacy. On my visits I would lose myself in talk. I would sit or stand before the seal that locked up Xanxus and just talk. Perhaps I truly was losing my sanity. I would talk hours upon hours, about missions, about the team, and various other things. I don't know why, perhaps, it gave me some peace, to just talk to someone, even though he probably couldn't even hear me.
There were times of course when I came down to tell him what I had found out about him. It was difficult to get admission to Xanxus's room, however I finally was able to. His room, while expensively decorated, looked rather plain. It told me a bit more about him. There were several scorch marks, and it was clear to see that the walls had to be repainted several times.
I kept digging further, and eventually the Vongola Nono asked me what I was doing.
"Pardon me, I was just curious about Xanxus," I said.
He smiled. "I guess that means you overheard what he said in the Cradle Affair. I thought I noticed another person in the room." While he said this, he did not look like he was suspicious of me. No, he seemed like he trusted me. I would never tell Xanxus this, but most of the information I got about him, came from the Vongola Nono.
He told me how he was called down to this working class neighbourhood. A woman whom he had never met before claimed to have given birth to his son, Xanxus. However, Xanxus's mother was mentally unstable, possibly through several years of poverty. She deluded herself to believe that she had an affair with the Vongola Nono, and gave birth to Xanxus. This was all due to the fact that Xanxus held a special flame called the Flame of Wrath.
The Vongola Nono was not so easily fooled however. When he saw Xanxus's Flame of Wrath he knew from the start that it was not a Dying Will Flame. In addition, the Vongola Nono had never even met Xanxus's mother before that day, how could he have possibly had an affair with someone he never met? However, it only took one look for the Vongola Nono to make his decision. He saw just what kind of life Xanxus was living in, and with the kindness of his heart, took Xanxus in as his "son".
Xanxus believed in those words and never doubted them. His mother had told him that he was the heir to the strongest Mafia Family in the world, and now his "father" had proved it to him as well. From his perspective, he believed that he was to be the heir. He became a man of dignity and power, the kind of man one would expect to lead a Mafia Family. However the truth eventually dawned on him.
That was when his story ended. I thanked the Vongola Nono, before leaving. As I left the Vongola Base, I could not help but think of how nice the Vongola Nono was. Even though Xanxus hated him, there was a kind heart in him. The Vongola Nono had every right to kill Xanxus and kill all of the Varia members who took place in the Cradel Affair. He didn't though.
Still, I was able to understand why Xanxus reacted the way he did. Xanxus was, as they say, "living a lie". He had been brought up by his mother, told that he was the heir to the Vongola throne. The power of persuasion from a parental figure is always powerful, especially when the child is young. The lie only grew greater when the Vongola Nono "proved" it to be right. It was by their influence that Xanxus became what he is. He was persuaded so far into belief that when the truth hit him, he could only react with anger, with rage.
Now I knew, but I wonder if Xanxus knew?
"Voi!" I yelled. I could not believe my eyes.
"H-hey... Sq-Sq-...Squalo," Esther smiled at me.
"What the Hell happened to you?" It was late at night. I was on the rooftop of the Varia Base to get some fresh air. Whenever I could not sleep, I'd climb out the window of my room and up to the rooftop. From there I could see the stunning view of Italy. The fresh air cleared my mind and by the time I was ready, I'd return to my room and sleep.
Tonight was one of those nights, when I could not sleep. As usual, I climbed out and up to the roof, where I sat and stared off into the star dotted sky. It suddenly got cold so I decided to return to my room when I heard something behind me. I turned and there was Esther. I had not seen her for two years now. Now, here she was, however she was wounded.
"S'nothing to... worry about," She kept smiling. As if smiling could cover the fact that she was covered in wounds. Her nose was broken, and there was a trail of dried blood running down from her right nostril, over her lips, and to her chin. Her face was flushed, and she seemed out of breath. Any visible skin was covered in cuts and bruises, even a black eye over her left eye. What's more was that she was no longer as clear as before. I could see through the outline of her body, she was fading away.
"The fuck there's nothing to worry about! Tell me what the fuck happened!" I yelled. "Where did you get these injuries? Who did it? I'll fucking kill them!"
"Squalo!" Esther interrupted. She paused for a breather before continuing, "Squalo... I can't be with you anymore."
"What...? Why?" If she had a real body, I would have been shaking her, demanding for an explanation. "Esther, don't play jokes on me, you're my guardian, right? You have to stick with me, remember?" I did not want Esther to leave. She had always been there for me. She was always watching over me. She knew everything about me. I could not lose her... not now...
"Squalo..." Esther reached up my face. I felt like I was stabbed as her hand fazed through. She still had a smile. "You've... grown up so much... You don't need me anymore..."
"Bullshit!" I rebuted, only quieter.
"Squalo... remember what I told you when we were in Keith's house? I'm not allowed to go until I've guided you. I'm long overdue, Squalo. I was supposed to leave when you were in the academy, since you had begun making friends with Dino. I had to fight back in order to stay."
"But... but why...? Why now?"
"The guys upstairs are unhappy with me prolonging my stay. But... enough about me," Esther said, how could she smile at a time like this? "Squalo, I told you once before, there are great things waiting for you. I was able to see myself that you are happy. This life, although you yell, kill, and fight, you're happy. When I saw you together with your team, I was wondering whether or not I had guided you in the right direction. However the moment I saw you all together smiling, I knew that you were set."
"Esther... please..." There was a sound and we both looked up. The sky swirled and from it formed a hole. Once opened it began to pull us into it. Then I realized, I was not the one being pulled in, Esther was. I reached out to her and yelled, "No! I can't!"
"Squalo... there's still one last thing I need you to do!" Esther said as she was lifted up. "In six years, I want you to go to the Vongola Base's basement with Varia! However before that, you have to promise me something! Before that, you have to make one visit to your hometown! Just one!" There was a thundering noise, but the sky seemed clear. Esther chuckled. "Looks like I got them mad at me again... Do your best Squalo! Remember, what happens next now is all up to you!"
I watched as Esther was taken away. The hole in the sky returned back to being star dotted. I never got off the roof that night. I stayed there, and I hated myself for crying like a wuss.
More years passed, and I eventually decided to act on the promise I had made with Esther. Although, I was still unsure if I was ready to go. I guess however, I would never know until I went. So I chose out a day when there were no missions. I told the team I'd probably be gone for a day at most, and left Lussuria and Mammon in charge. The reason was because I hated Levi and I would never leave Belphegor in charge.
I was able to get a few rides here and there, but for the most part I walked all the way. When I got to the town entrance, I took a deep breather before entering. The place was just as I had remembered, although a little different. A couple of the shops were replaced, like the sushi restaurant I went to with Keith. It was replaced by a book store. The pathways were the same, cobblestone, which meant if you fell you'd probably scrape something. The houses all seemed the same. Some had work done on their roofs, and perhaps a fresh coat of paint. Some seemed aged, as there were cracks on windows and doors. Nonetheless, it all seemed nostalgic as I walked down the street.
Although I used to live here for ten years, I was completely lost. I had no idea where I was thinking on going, and while everything was familiar, I could not remember how to get anywhere. The years in the academy probably wiped out most the information.
"Excuse me, are you lost?" I turned around and saw a little lady behind me. She had long, wavy, hazel coloured hair. Her eyes were grey as they stared at me.
"Uh, yeah..." I said. "I just came here to... visit family. I haven't been here in a while though..."
"Oh, well do you know their address?" She asked. I could have given her the address of my old house, if I could still remember it. So I shook my head. She stared off into space for a moment. "Well... I guess I can take to the inn at least. I'd feel bad if I were to leave you here on your own."
"Thank you," I said and followed her.
"By the way, my name is Ava, and yours?"
"S..." I stopped myself. Perhaps it was not a good idea to use my actual name. As an assassin, I found it very dangerous to use my actual name in public. "Ahem, excuse me. My name is Fred McBobbert." I could not help but noticed Ava giggle quietly when I said my false name. I guess it was a strange name to suddenly come up with.
"Here we are," Ava showed me to the entrance of the inn. "This is the town inn. I work here as a cook." Ava was about to continue on, when she noticed that I had stopped walking. I stared at the building, something about seemed familiar. "Is something wrong?"
"Uh, no, nothing, thank you for showing me here," I thanked her. I decided to sign in later. I wanted to look around the town, however I would risk the chance of getting lost again. I decided to look for someone to show me around. "Excuse me, Ava, if you aren't too busy, would you perhaps show me around?"
"Well sure," Ava smiled. I spent the day walking around with Ava. She had a couple errands to run, however she was able to complete them and show me around at the same time. I was able to help her with her errands as well. She had to do some shopping for the inn, and for herself as well. I helped her out by carrying all the bags.
By the time we were finished walking around, we both made it back to the inn.
"Where should I put these?" I asked her, motioning to the bags.
"Oh, just over there should be fine." Ava said before digging into the cupboards. I placed the bags on the island counter where she had pointed out. I leaned against it and panted. I ended up carrying every bag, since I felt bad to let her carry them. An inn required a lot of groceries, too much for a little lady to carry. "Oh darn it!"
"Hrm? What's wrong?" I asked her.
"I forgot one last errand," Ava sighed. "It's much too dark now, but if I go tomorrow..."
"I can go and get it," I offered. At first Ava said I should not have to do that, but I insisted. She eventually agreed, and wrote down the directions to where I had to go. I had to pick up something, it didn't seem too difficult. I left the inn, and saw how the town looked at night. It was kind of nice to see. However I had to focus. I followed the directions to a house, and knocked on the door.
The muffled sound of someone saying "I'll get it" came before the door was opened. There was a moment of silence as I stared at the person at the door.
"Squalo!" He said. His voice... it changed a lot. If it were anyone else I would not have recognized it, however. I could recognize him, because he never cut his hair. Now his hair was still long and uncut, and still tied in a ponytail.
It was Keith.
"Squalo, is that really you?"
"Yeah, it's me, Keith," I couldn't help but smile. It was so good to see him again.
"Where have you been?" Keith asked me with excitement in his voice. "That day... you just disappeared. I was worried that I would never see you again! What have you been up to?" I notice Keith was looking at my hair, it had grown with the years.
"Uh, I've been here and there," I smiled but then continued a little more seriously, "Sorry though, if I worried you. I... I missed you too."
"Are you going to stay, or..."
"I... I have to head back, I have... companions waiting on me," I said. "I just came here for an errand, but it's good to see you again, Keith."
"An errand... so you're helping out your little sister while you're here?" Keith smiled. Yeah, I guess I was. I had long realized that Ava was short for Avarice, my little sister. I could also tell that she did not recognize me, probably because of my hair. She had grown up so much though, and she had matured a lot within the years. It was nice to see her again as well. "Well, this is what your sister was going to pick up from me. Take it home safely, and Squalo... stay safe wherever you go."
"You too," I smiled and took the bag from his hand. I made my way back to the inn, my mood was lifted when I saw Keith again. It was nice to see my first friend. I was glad that he seemed to be alright. I was glad to see my sister now a mature young lady. I was glad that I returned to my hometown.
"Thank you ever so much!" my sister thanked me when I got back with the bag and handed it to her.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is it?" Ava stared at me before taking out a small container out of the bag. I recognized it as an urn.
"You see, my mother passed away recently," Ava smiled sadly. "It's kind of a sad story. My dad died when I was seven, and my brother disappeared as well. I can only assume that whoever killed my dad, probably kidnapped my brother. For years I've been living with my mom. I had to toughen up, a bit I guess. I stopped complaining, and I stopped being selfish. Eventually, my mother got sick, so I had to take care of her and I had to do her jobs. My job at the inn, was one of her jobs. The man who gave you the urn, was the one who did the cremation after my mom finally passed away."
I just stared at my sister. She had changed so much, but it was only due to the fact she had been through so much, and it was all my fault.
"I know it may be silly, but I sometimes wonder if my brother... if he might still be alive. And if he is, where is he now?" I stared at her as she stared back at me. Her face began to redden before she looked away. "Pardon me, it's just... your hair colour is the same as my brother's."
"I see..." I picked at a lock of my hair. "It's a rare colour for people to have. I'm sorry... about what happened with your family. It must be hard on you." I continued to stare at Ava. "To be honest, my life has been pretty tough too. I ended up getting separated from my family, and... sort of recently, I lost two friends." We continued that night talking. I reminded myself not to reveal who I was. I knew she was worried about me, however, I just could not tell her.
By the time dawn came, I was already up. It had become a pattern for me to wake up early. I had to wake up early to train myself, and I had to wake up early if I wanted to survive in Varia. As I had expected, I woke up before Ava did. So as I descended the stairs to the ground floor of the inn, I left a letter for her by the reception table. It was the least I could do, to at least tell her by the written word.
I then left my hometown for the last time.
More years passed, more years of hair growth, more years of taking care of Varia, more years... more years. I tried to keep my head up, as I went through every mission, and took down every target. With every passing year something within me bubbled. It was something that not even killing someone could clear up. The fact that I had those thoughts proved that I was weak, and I had to get stronger. So strong that cutting the darkness with the ballistic fang that was my sword was doable. I was following the shadow of rage that Xanxus had left, and the fresh blood bell.
To devote myself to fighting is my fate. The fate I chose for myself. No one can restrain me anymore. I was not the kid I used to be, years and years before. I was not some caged animal that would put up with any sort of abuse. I was a swordsman and an assassin. As I stepped into the battlefield I could feel the waving wind inviting despair. As I made my way to the target I could see the false rain spilling the sky. At the end of the battle stained by blood, I would turn and looked pleased with the corpses following behind me.
"Voooi! I will strike any intruding weakling!" I exclaimed stormed through the battlefield. "I will take you down as it is! Once I move, I can't be stopped! I will definitely cut you down! I am Squalo, Superbi Squalo!"
However as the years passed, those moments grew more frequent. I would close my eyes and find myself crawling the abyss, the mass of hatred. With nothing to see, I would hear whispering voices of those I knew. I would hear them, those who were not in the room, they would laugh at me and taunt me. The pathetic sad song that rang in my head seemed to be a mixture of all their whispers. They would disappear once I was back in the battlefield.
With every battle of every mission, I wished that the end of battle won't come. I felt empty outside of fighting. As if I can't live if I'm stopped.
However, I now found myself in the predicament, when I was outside of battle, the whispers and songs returned. It was because I was alone. During these times I would have someone there, Esther, Dino, Keith, or even Xanxus. However now I was stuck in my solitute, with no one but myself. The distant memories of tomorrow, I could already smell the flowing blood in the battlefield.
It was raining right now. I was sitting by a cliff side, wondering, just wondering. Had all those years of fighting and killing, drawn me insane? I could not even think clearly without being in battle. What was happening to me? My head hurt with all the thinking. I tried to remember why I had joined Varia and why I had followed Xanxus.
It was the rage. The rage I had sensed in him six months before the Cradle Affair. Before then I wanted to lock up the me that would kill, and now I was being consumed by it. Now I was nothing but a zombie who could not rest.
I stared down the cliff. I wonder… would there be rest for me if I died? I have ruined the life of my sister, which I cannot undo. I had to say goodbye to two of my friends so that they would be able to live a happy life without me ruining it. I have lost the one person who I could talk to, who risked herself to be able to watch over me. I have lost Xanxus, who I vowed to follow. The rage I had aquired is like a pride, but nowhere near his. Now… what was left for me to do? I could continue killing but eventually all life will disappear. Perhaps it would be better… if I…
I looked up when I heard an animal call and saw a blackbird. It was fully grown, and had a beautiful coat of black feathers. I stared at it as it landed beside me. I almost did not notice it, but I did. There was a chip on his beak.
"Chip…?" The blackbird pecked at my artificial hand before flying off. I watched the dark creature fly off into the rain. Then I remembered Esther. She once told me that a blackbird's call was a warning for danger. Esther… she told me I had to go back to Xanxus. I don't know why, Xanxus was never thawing out of the ice. I had lost faith in that a long time ago.
However, I did not lose faith in Esther. She was right about telling me to revisit my hometown. I was able to see my sister as a mature young lady, and I was able to see Keith again. Esther had risked her own safety by telling me something I should not have known. She also told me, everything that happens now is up to me. I had a choice. I could stay here and jump, or I could go to Xanxus.
Then I remembered, the distant vow of yesterday, the washing requiem of rain that had always stole away my anger and rage, and calmed me down. I stood up and stared down to the bottom of the cliff.
I chose.
"VOOOooooooiiii!" I yelled as loud as I could into our base. It was the 8th year anniversary of the Cradle Affair. This was the day Esther told me to go to Xanxus. "Get off your lazy asses and hurry up!"
I got them all up and out of our base and they all followed me as I rushed over to the Vongola Base. The doors to the basement had the usual guards, however today they would not let us pass. They said that they heard an explosion from down below, and no one, especially not us, was allowed inside.
As if we gave a flying fuck. We pushed our way through and descended down the stairs. When we reached the basement we stared in awe at the sight. The four chained walls had blasted apart, and were now laying on the ground, and the chains broken to pieces. The floor of the basement had seven scorch marks. We looked up and there was Xanxus. The ice around him was melting, and in less than a minute, he was completely thawed out.
"Boss!" The others called and rushed over to him as he lost balance. I walked over and saw the scars on his face. They must have been the product of the ice.
"Gah..." Xanxus grunted. "How long... how long have I been...?"
"Eight years, Boss," Levi quickly answered.
"Yeah, and Squalo took care of Varia in your absence," Lussuria added.
"Huh, so you stayed," Xanxus grunted, trying to steady himself. I did not know what to say. I had witnessed a miracle. I did not even know how the ice could have thawed. I could not even comprehend how Xanxus was able to survive it. He seemed to have aged while encased in the ice, but that could not have been possible. It was all so strange. "Hey, can't you hear me, trash!"
"Xanxus..." At the moment, I did not really care. Once again, Esther was right. All I could think was that Esther had done it all. She was my guardian, and now it was up to me to make sure that her sacrifice was not put to waste. I had to followed what I thought was right.
I knelt down before Xanxus. "The distant vow of yesterday, I've decided to follow you."
Xanxus was staring down at me, with anger in his eyes. I had to followed what I thought was right. I'm no longer the caged shark under the rule of man nor was I the crzed shark with no sanity. I had chosen to walk the path of the sword. I had chosen the path of rage and pride. I had chosen to follow Xanxus as the Second-in-Command of Varia. I had chosen to devote myself to fighting.
I was, am, and forever will be: Squalo Superbi.
Nico: -trying to hold back tears- Oh, I'm stuck in a glass case of emotion right now...
Well that concludes the story of Requiem fo Rain. It's kind of funny, when I start this story almost a year ago, I had no idea it would get to this point. It was just some idea I had from a car ride in the rain. I thought it would be something short and easy. I thought that I probably wouldn't even finish it. However it became much more than I expected. I even took a moment to read through my first chapters of the story, and saw just how much my writing had changed throughout the year.
I'd just like to thank everyone for reading the story, especially those of you who put up with waiting for me to update. I also want to thank everyone who voted on the poll, fav'd, and left a review for the story. Whenever I was feeling down about continuing this story, reading the reviews always picked me back up and reminded me that there are people who enjoy this story. I
I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I had enjoyed writing it.
HEY HEY HEY! There's no need to fret though! Requiem of Rain maybe done but from the poll's votes it has been decided! Requiem of Rain will have a SEQUEL! -insert crowd cheering sound-
SO! I have absolutely no idea when I will even start writing the sequel, and even less of an idea of when I will be uploading it (probably... at the latest... next summer break when I have time...) However I have started planning it out. Once again it will be focusing on Squalo, and it will (most likely) be in Squalo's point of view once again. This time as well, it will also feature the rest of the Varia members even more, and possibly the Vongola members as well!
SO! Thank you all for reading and (hopefully) enjoying Requiem of Rain! And stay tune for, drumroll please... BREAK OUT (because I'm punny like that.)
Please Read and Review!