Disclaimer: We all know who really owns KHR
With her trusted dagger again strapped to her hip the young princess stepped out into the streets of Italy, unrecognized and unnoticed in her civilian clothing, her tiara tucked away neatly into the knapsack she slung over her shoulder. She wandered idly, strolling down cobblestone streets with her hands tucked into the pockets of her black pants until she reached a rather dirty, poor town. She was just about to turn back in the opposite direction when she heard it, Belphegor. Not the man himself, but the mention of his name followed quickly by the word "mafia."
Mad with a sudden need to know what had happened to her brother, the young princess raced toward a group of middle aged men, ignoring the way their eyes slid down the length of her legs as she approached. "You, there. Did you just say Belphegor?"
The man in question scoffed, lifting his cigar from his mouth with a lazy sigh, "Why do you care, kid?"
"Did you or did you not say that name?" she demanded as politely as she could manage.
"Doesn't matter. Now stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, brat."
Her jaw clenched tightly in distaste, a shudder of disgust raking down her spine as one of the male's gray haired companions chimed in, "Unless you wanna get that pretty face down between these knees, bella."
At this the men broke out into a fit of deep laughter and at this she snapped, rushing up to the man with a sneer and a knife pressed strategically against his pulse she spoke again, "Tell me what you know about Belphegor," she pressed the knife harder against his skin, "Now."
And with that the men quickly spat out every bit of knowledge they had on Prince the Ripper. They had told her what she already knew, how he had murdered his entire family (almost), how he had joined the mafia as part of the most powerful family's prized division of assassins, the Varia, and-most importantly-that he shouldn't be far away. According to the rumors circulating the underground, the Varia had a hideout not too far from where they stood in the dirty streets of some unknown town in Italy.
It was hardly a lead especially with the knowledge that the Vongola was sure to have dozens of hideouts across the world. But it was the only lead she had for the moment, so she took it. She walked off in the direction they pointed her into, whistling gaily to herself as she strolled out of the city and into the thick forest surrounding it. She hadn't yet walked a mile into the green terrain before she was met with a high, "Who goes there?"
Blinking slowly, her hand readily resting against the handle of her dagger she replied in a voice laced with faux innocence, "Who said that?"
A thin figure emerged from behind a nearby tree a moment later, suspicious brown eyes trained on her form and green bolts of lightening darting from her hand, "Who are you?"
"I'm just a little lost," she lied, "I was told I would be able to find Tsuna-san if I went through this way." When the fellow female's eyes soften she continues, "I'm his cousin, you see, and I'm still new to all of this but I finally got permission to join the family."
The green light went out and a smile curved at the woman's full lips, "Why didn't you just say so? My name's Celeste. I'm part of the Cavallone family."
"Cavallone. That sounds familiar."
"I'm sure it does, we've been in an alliance with the Vongola for a full year now. You're all so great, hey, let me get you pointed in the right direction. I'm sure the Decimo is worried sick about you already!"
The young princess forced a laugh as she brushed the light brown of her bangs back from her face, "Thank you so much."
She followed dutifully as Celeste waved her forward, walking alongside the woman and engaging in polite conversation before asking about the green that had been burning around her hand when she emerged from behind the tree, "Wow, Tsuna really did try to keep you out of this, huh? Those are my deathperation flames. I have the lightening attribute, that's why they're green."
The teenager nodded at this, allowing the woman to explain not only what the flames were but what they could do and this lesson soon turned into a lesson on how to channel them, how to utilize them in a fight. They spent a couple days travelling together and, by the time she and Celeste parted ways, the young princess was wonderfully informed on the workings of the mafia, on the Vongola's inner system and the way they fought. Most importantly, she had learned the location of the Varia hideout. And so, she set off on her own, slipping her tiara back onto her head once she had been assured Celeste was long gone.
As she passed a particularly large oak tree surrounded by a ring of yellow flowers she became certain she was heading in the right direction and allowed herself to relish the surge of freedom that came with walking through such beautiful scenery. She looked up to the sky with unabashed awe, silently regretting all the days she had passed in her bed chamber when she could have been outside to explore places like these. She brushed her bangs back from her face idly as she turned away from the sky to admire the flowers blooming in the grass at her feet. In her rare moment of contentment, the young princess allowed herself a moment to flash a genuine smile, but it is an expression that quickly falls.
There is a sudden creak in the branches above her, a sudden presence in the air that she cannot place and her body immediately goes tense in response. Her hand is already at the handle of her dagger, fingers wrapping around the cool silver as paranoia momentarily dominates her senses. But nothing happens.
Minutes pass and the leaves are the only things to quiver.
She straightens up slowly, hand sliding away from her thigh but just as she's about to take a step forward there's a sudden slash through the air and she feels the pale skin of her cheek splitting open to allow blood to pool in the singular gash.
She spins around, knife in hand as a thump sounds through the clearing and the world seems to pause with an echoing laugh.
Enter: Belphegor.
What even.
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