Author's Note:

Hey guys, it's been a while. Well, thing's have been going slow for me, with school coming to an end and all. If anything, I really want to finish up this arc. There's a very important plot point this arc is supposed to bring forth, and perhaps some of you have figured it out already. If not, I hope you'll enjoy the surprise!

Chapter 56: Bonds Reforged!

A Sacred Code.

When the evening was slowly coming to an end, my feet grazed upon the soft, cold grass that spread across the open fields. The shadow of night had all but engulfed the sky, accompanied by the stars and the moon, but somehow, the night itself seemed to be glowing bright. Various sounds of laughter and joy bounced from one end to another, as the many people enjoyed themselves at this particular festival. The peace of it all was so contagious I couldn't help but close my eyes and drown myself, taking in everything that's happening.

That is, until a voice I'm familiar with went up by a whole pitch, catching my attention. In the distance, I saw Amato and Kiera, exchanging words with a slew of expression coming forth from their faces.

"Looks like Kiera's feelings finally blew off..." Another voice came close along with a bright yellow cloth which flew in front of my eyes, the words matching the thoughts in my mind. Aria bounced to my side, her lush hair dangling, the beauty of it only enhanced by the elegant look of her outfit. Her blue eyes a stark contrast to her bright robes, I admit it was kind of difficult to keep my eyes off of her. Such bright colors even though she's the eldest of the three, maybe Aria wishes to stay younger?

"Hey Aria, Johann, enjoying the festival?" Standing there back straight with my fingers in my pockets, I threw her a simple greeting, making sure I don't look too surprised. A wave to Johann garnered a smile in return.

"Aw, no change to your expressions, your actions, even with this?" Aria sounded a tiny bit disappointed as she twirled around in her Yukata. I think she expected me to mess up my words or something. Sadly, I don't feel that way with most of the girls I meet, even the more attractive ones.

"Sometimes, even I can't tell what you're thinking..." Her blue eyes slightly faltering, she nonetheless kept her smile on her face before following my eyes and looking towards whatever I'm staring at. Returning to her more serious demeanor, I couldn't help but sense uncertainty and worry in the tone of her words. "... You just don't show what you're feeling. I don't know if that's exactly good or bad." By then, the worry in her words had become all too obvious. While having a girl so worried about me, you might think I was over the moon, but I'm not that kind of guy. Aria's concern only drove me to dig deep into myself, doubt formed from uncertainty.

"No, I think he's doing good with the cool impression he always gives off." Johann, after staying behind us for so long, finally squeezed out his own comment, nodding to himself. I couldn't tell if his comment was given out with good intentions or otherwise, and it only made me somewhat more confused.

But, Aria quickly smiled again, as if forgetting about what just happened. Looking at her and Johann now prancing towards Kiera, it made it easier for me to push away my own doubts as well, and soon, my steps followed after them. Something must have happened, because when I got there, Amato's gone from where he stood a second ago, and Kiera stood there, getting hugged by Aria with a plush toy in her arms.

"So... what happened? Told him how you really feel? Did you lose him to Hinata?" For once, I tried giving a sarcastic remark to my teacher, as rare as they come, after seeing Amato run off in Hinata's direction. When Kiera heard me, her head jerked off as she turned to the side, the giant plush toy in her arms turning with her. With her pure, white Yukata, finely decorated with the motif of the phoenix, her presence was both strong and beautiful, and the hint of pink cloth around her Yukata as well as the toy gave off a small touch of cuteness to the whole picture.

"N-no, he's just... I-I don't know what you're talking about!" As usual, Kiera's own inability to properly express herself must have stopped her at the last second. The more she tried to deny, the harder she blushed. Within a few seconds, her face was red all over, her body becoming stiff, locking her movements.

"Kiera? Are you okay? Don't worry, I'm sure you'll tell him next time." As if the Boss of the Arcobaleno already knew something like this was gonna happen, she automatically started consoling Kiera, trying her best to calm her down.

"Wait, so you actually like Amato? Why'd you keep hitting him all the time?" Johann gave out at the side, looking genuinely surprised at his rather slow realization. Still, it only made his smile wider, as he kept grinning with amusement.

"I-I'm fine! You guys stop babying me! I can do without the teasing!" Kiera's voice quickly returned to her usual, strict tone as she shot us a piercing glance, causing us to pull back our hands and shut our mouths almost instantly, whether it was out of guilt, respect or just plain fear. Out of reflex, I found my back jerking straight, a product of all the training I did with Kiera. Soon, Aria and I stood looking out to the swaying grass in the open fields with an awkward silence as Kiera stood crossed, which only dissipated by the soft exchange of words coming from a group slowly approaching us.

"Chish. Chish. Chish."

A step after another soon erupted into a mass of sound that soon marked itself out from the many things happening in the fields. In my mind, I expected to see Dante or Vito, or even the both of them walking towards us, but it seemed I was off by a bit. As if anticipating something, my sense screamed out, jolting movement into my body. Before I knew it, my fists was clenched and I already took a stance. With their steps, my eyes caught sight of five other people making their way towards us, following behind Dante and Vito.

Nevertheless, we were surprised by what we saw next. Behind the two core members of the Zanna Famiglia stood the members of the Kaijin Palm, the guys dressed in casual clothes while the girls had their Yukatas on. The girls, with their hair so prominent among the group, had the traditional garbs on, each side reflecting one another. The girl with bubble pink hair had a deep, purple drawn over her, clean of any designs at all. The other had the faded color of pink, but shared the same pure, untouched look lacking of designs. Even Rei had a pair of glasses on, which took away most of whatever caution amassed within me.

But that wasn't the part that had our attention ensnared like some bad comedy movie, it was actually the sight of the more serious of the girls, the one with purple hair, attaching herself to Vito's left arm, clinging on to him as if there was no tomorrow.

"Uh... Vito? What's with her?" Soon, I couldn't stand the confusion any longer, and spoke up while the others were still dumbstruck, pointing at the Japanese teenager who was trying to kill us with her bladed gauntlets a few days ago, was now acting as if she's enjoying herself a lot, all while trying to keep up her frown and blushing cheeks.

"Junko! I said, don't stand so close to me!" It seems the girl's name is Junko, and that Dante and Vito were already acquainted with them. Certainly, they didn't seem threatened by the Kaijin Palm right next to us. "Sigh... I have no idea how this happened..." Finally giving up after countless tries, Vito stopped his effort to shoo Junko away while gesturing to us with his sarcastic words.

"Hey, the Zanna Famiglia, right? Let me introduce myself and my sister, I'm Chou and this is Junko! Sorry about the other day!" Bouncing towards us, the pink-haired girl named Chou surprised us with her loud voice and how informal she acted. It felt very much as though she had completely accepted all of us as friends. Her attitude reminded me a lot of Regina, especially when we were in elementary school.

"We're honored to see Foreigners enjoying the customs brought forth by Koshogatsu. We, the Kaijin Palm, give our thanks." Pushing his way forward, the leader of the Kaijin palm, his eyes no longer as serious as before, gave us a bow that was filled with nothing but pure gratitude. Standing at our side just minutes before the fireworks begun, these people, who seemed exceptionally skilled, now looked like nothing more than teenagers, just like us. The two guys standing at the back, one with short, black hair while the other had a full head of blond, had the same trendy clothes so prevalent among the people of Tokyo.

Just watching them made me think they were probably just like us, maybe even worse. Somehow, my mind convinced me that everything they did, they did it because of orders. Even I knew how dire things could be if Yakuza failed to fulfill their orders. Before I knew it, my heart had already forgiven them. Still and silent, I stood there watching Johann, Aria and even Kiera mingle with the group, feeling strangely content with just watching, that is, until the sight of dark-blue hair floated past my eyes as Dante split himself from the group, being the lone wolf as he was, and took his eyes to the skies. Suddenly, the urging feeling that had been pushed back for so long re-emerged.

"Dante, wait..." Calling out to him proved a challenge itself, my words dying off mid-way. As my hand reached for him, trying to stop his steps, it felt as though everyone's eyes were on me. As calm as ever, he turned to me with observant eyes, those pupils looked as though no details could ever escape their sight. No reaction, no expression appeared on his face, it almost felt as though he expected this to happen. "...There's... something I gotta say." Though slightly taken aback, the nagging feeling pushed me on.

There, in the open fields in front of everyone, I gave a sharp bow of apology. When my eyes went back up again, surprise made its way on to Dante's face as his eyes widened themselves and his brows were raised. Though tiny, they did soothe the guilt that was still present in my heart.

"I'm sorry." Soon, I apologized with earnest words, forcing my eyes to look into his to show sincerity. Behind me, I could hear gasps of surprise coming out in quick sequence.

"... What?" Along with Dante's confused yet curious eyes came his voice, not betraying the look on his face, and yet, he stood there, as if waiting and giving me the chance to continue.

"Ever since you joined the Zanna Famiglia, I've never treated you as an equal." Eyes slowly drifting down, the shame kept rising up as I put out the disgraceful act I so desperately held on to, driven by fear and suspicion. "Insults and distrust aside, I kept berating you, saying the Famiglia was better off without you, the memory of your attempt at Amato's life fresh in the back of my mind..." As I went on, Dante's eyes, while still serious, softened quite a bit. I, on the other hand, clenched my fists and gritted down on my teeth.

"And yet, the moment you left Amato's side, he was nearly robbed from right in front of me..." With those words, my head no longer had the will to look up towards Dante, for the self-anguish was too much. "... I had no right to say those things to you, not when I was just as incompetent." When my words end, I felt my fists trembling, and everything else around me, the sounds and the sights, wavered in the face of the conflict in my mind.

Suddenly, my head was raised with an explosion of strength, fire burning within my eyes. I looked to Dante with an almost obsessive stare. Deep down, the blame I kept pushing on myself was not enough. The fact that everyone just dropped the issue of my failure gnawed the edges of my mind. "If you're angry with me, give me the punishment I rightly deserves!" With a roar, my eyes dropped to the ground once more.

I had no idea why I couldn't just forget about what happened. Maybe it was my pride, maybe it was my guilt. Something inside just kept engulfing my mind with images of what happened. I needed someone to help me forget. When my eyes wandered upwards again, all I saw was a fist raised in the air, before everything came crashing down!

"Crack!"

It took but an instant, before my vision fell to the side. By then, the sights and sounds really were wavering, my senses dulled from what just happened. My body crashed to the ground, my skin grazing against the many blades of cold grass that was under my feet just a few seconds ago. Moments went by before I recovered, realizing I was actually knocked to the ground, send off of my own two feet. A second later came a spike of surging, stinging pain which spread itself across the right side of my cheeks.

"Dante, you didn't have to hit him!" Kiera's voice kept me from phasing out, the waves of nausea and disorientation, though little and fading, locked down my body. Footsteps got louder, I could feel Kiera and the others crowding around me.

"Hey, Sergio! You okay?" Even Johann's voice sunk into a serious tone, worry masked over his voice. That sent my fingers jerking, and all feeling soon returned.

At first, it was all dark, even when I opened my eyes. It took me a while to realize my head's flat on the ground, and every attempt to move only resulted in a jolt of pain shooting forth from my jaw. Curbing the tremble in my body, my two arms gave the support my body needed to stand. Though the whole of my being was wrecked with pain, it felt so much better than before, as if the weight pressing down on my mind had disappeared. Looking up, I saw the faces of the members of the Zanna Famiglia, no, the faces of my friends, before a familiar arm reached out to give me a hand.

While the others turned their eyes with surprise, I gracefully accepted the gesture, even amidst my still wavering vision.

"I'm impressed you're still conscious." Dante, with his cold, calculative voice, spoke out like a robot, his tone almost monotonous.

"Don't worry. With my medications, he won't die even if he wanted to!" Behind us, Vito's words carried with them his usual snarky flair, partly boasting, partly sarcasm with a back-handed insult hidden behind the lines. Still, a small hint concerned could be felt, whether it was my imagination or not, I didn't care.

"There. Though the fault of what happened could be traced back to you, you have risked your life for the sake of the Famiglia as a whole, and as a result, our Boss came back safe." As I was pulled up to come face to face with Dante, his dark blue eyes hidden behind the strands of his dark blue hair gave off the unusual sense of softness I never thought possible. "All is forgiven. In my eyes, there is no one more worthy to stand my our Boss's side."

"I..." In truth, not only would no words come out of my mouth, but my mind had been reduced to a blank. I was left standing there, in front of everyone else, burdened by strange thoughts and even stranger emotions. Never had I thought Dante so forgiving, nor did I ever anticipate such kindness from him. "... Thank you." The words felt late when I said it. The ghostly image of the lone wolf, biding his time at our side just so he could strike when Amato got weak, instantly eroded at that moment.

Suddenly, I felt like the man named Dante Ignazio was someone I only knew by name, and nothing else. Overwhelmed by his acceptance, a certain memory re-surfaced, and my body moved on its own, my arm raised. To my surprise, Dante raised his own, knocking our elbows together under the evening sky.

"Sigh." When it was over, I fell backwards to the ground once more, my eyes now staring up at the stars above. Though my right cheek still stung a bit, my calm smile never disappeared for a second. Kiera and the others still had those worrying eyes even as they stood there watching. Come to think of it, the fireworks should be firing off any second now. Strange, compared to before, it felt so much more refreshing as I laid there facing up to the blackness of the night.

"Sergio?" Finally, Kiera's voice broke the silence, as she made her way to my side. Not wanting to face her from the ground, I quickly pulled myself up, before settling with just taking a seat on the cold grass, my legs crossed.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." I replied casually, trying my best to reinforce the message with a smile. Though my jaw cracked a bit, I heard a few breaths of relief coming from Kiera and the others a few seconds later. Then, the dusk of night became almost non-existent, after the loud whistle of the fire-works screeched through the air before engulfing the sky in an array of colors, light so bright I had to cover my eyes. Not before long, cheers and shouts burst forth from what was quite the quiet night, as the many families around us celebrated the start of the fire-works display with zeal and fervor. At the corner of my eyes, I saw Kiera and others lined up behind me. Even the Kaijin Palm were enjoying this moment by our side.

"Ha ha, look at them go!" A certain voice was loud enough to cut through all others. As I turned my eyes, Amato was seen in the distance, admiring the loud explosions in the sky with his hand pointing up to every one of them as they went off, with our new friend Hinata standing there calmly at his side, enjoying the outbursts my best friend was giving out while gazing at the lights herself.

"He's a great boss, isn't he?" Watching the scene, I couldn't help but speak my mind. My words were soft, I never intended to hear a reply because of how noisy it was getting. But, somehow, my companion beside me heard my voice amidst all others.

"He cares for every single one of our members, to the extent that he would be willing to hurt himself just so we wouldn't get hurt. I had never seen such a loving figure standing sitting atop the throne of leadership for any Famiglia before." I realized it was Kiera who heard me, mumbling out her words while her eyes were affixed on Amato, just as I was. In the light of her eyes I saw respect, concern and worry, all at the same time. "Yes, he's a great boss, a dear friend to us all. Though some might disagree, saying that such qualities does not befit the title of Boss, I can rightly say that we all feel... fortunate to have Amato as ours." When she stopped, it felt no need to continue, and we went back to admiring the display.

Mesmerized by the blinding light and hypnotizing colors, I couldn't help but think back on all the things that happened over these few days we spent here in Japan. Certainly, it had been a roller-coaster ride of discovery and surprise. Sure, there had been a few times when it felt real painful, difficult, but in the end, I'm glad things worked out rather peacefully. Still, I couldn't help but feel as though something big is going to happen soon, as if the peace now is but the calm before a storm. Before I knew it, my fingers had already fished out the crimson bullet from my pockets.

Holding it up to the sky, the small piece of metal looked dazzling, it's beautiful design enhanced by the many lights and colors as I stared at it with intent.

"Hey, you still have it with you!" Aria suddenly popped in front of me, looking very pleased with this minor act of holding the bullet in-between my fingers, before turning back to the skies. Though smiling, there was a sense of calmness behind her words, or perhaps a better description would be a more mature feel.

"No way... That's.." Dante spoke up next, having already standing at my side, his focus all but drawn to this item I kept as a charm. In his eyes, I saw a great deal of respect, which served to intrigue me even more.

"Well, what is it?" His enthusiasm got me hooked, reducing the ongoing display of light and sound to a small buzz. The more I glanced at the flame engraved onto the metal, crimson as if it was meant to signify the pulsing strength of fire itself, the more I wanted to know exactly what it does.

"It's the Dying Will bullet." Kiera then cut in with her voice returning to her serious tone. Her eyes no longer held the casual touch it had a few minutes ago. Even with Kiera, the awe and respect flowing out of her behavior as she laid eyes on the bullet seemed almost ridiculous. It was hard for me to believe strong fighter such as themselves were looking at a bullet as if it was a sacred weapon. "It is the one item capable of forcing out one's own Dying Will, the flames of resolution that burns within us all." The details were given out, Kiera continued her explanation while her eyes remained pinned, spouting terms I never heard before.

"... Dying Will?" The idea sounded far-fetched. Kiera spoke as if this 'will' within us can be harnessed as a power source. How was I supposed to believe this concept that has only ever appeared in stories? It sounded like something out of a manga!

"Dying Will Flames are to the Vongola Famiglia what Legacy Arms is to the Zanna Famiglia. These sacred flames, bound by tradition, has existed since the zenith of the Mafia age, back when fraternities and alliances were absent, and the world found itself drenched in conflict." In an almost prophetic tone, Kiera stood at my side, her eyes drawn into a daze as she went on, everything around her now seemingly unimportant. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea bringing out this item when we're supposed to be enjoying our time at this festival.

"The exploits of their power, their capability, is nothing less than legendary." As her words ended, I felt a tinge of excitement, as well as a shot of adrenaline pulsing through my body. I was all but convinced, and couldn't help but tremble in awe as my eyes gazed upon the small bullet.

To the fields, the loud whistle of fireworks were dying down, with the lights slowing down with each burst. The sky was already turned into sea of surreal colors and soothing lights, all twisting and swirling around its own chaotic center. But, none of that mattered, for my attention was all focused on the Dying Will Bullet. The fact that I had been carrying such a fantastic item with me, one capable of such renown and respect, was almost too much for me to digest. Thinking back, maybe my instinct had already perceived it for what it was back when this legendary object was entrusted to me.

Is it destiny? Am I even allowed to use this power? It felt as though everything I've wished for had all the while been in my hands, it's just that I didn't realize it. Off chance, my eyes turned to Aria, who stood with both her hands gracefully placed before her. The Boss of the Arcobaleno, looking more serious than ever, gave me a bow of consent as if she heard the questions screaming through my mind.

That's right, whatever it is, I should walk the path the best I can!

"Kiera, tell me about the Dying Will." Pushing away my doubt, the words started to form, as naturally as they come.

"Oh? What exactly do you want to know?" My mentor, teacher and friend, replied with a curious tone. Maybe it was just me, but I got the impression she was testing my resolve. There was little point to disappoint Kiera, and so, I steeled my body from the tremble of excitement and uncertainty, and grit down on my teeth, before giving her my answer.

"Tell me everything."

Hey guys, I'm really sorry this came a week late. With my final project at school going on, I find my time slowly eroded into giving all of my attention to the all-important final task, and thus, my free time is becoming smaller by the day. Do you guys enjoy this chapter? With this revelation, what would Sergio do with the bullet next? Give me your thoughts in your reviews and I'll try and post the next chapter soon!