p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"That day on the mountain haunted them. To be caught off guard and left like this? To be left in the dirt by a woman she found herself trusting? How dare she? Viper wished to go up to the woman and snuff her life out. To bring everything out of her arsenal and leave the women on the floor gasping for mercy./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Underneath the anger, buried where even they cannot see was fear. Fear so carnal it had them moving to look around at their fellows. They had not taken the curse well either. Some screamed, others stared at their bodies in shock. Reborn had skipped both and was demanding answers from their sky./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"How could she? Their sky had betrayed them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"This could not be forever. This magic had to be undone somehow. They dragged her tiny legs up and forced them to stand. Their legs wobbled, forcing them to use their mist flames to levitate instead. The audacity of their body to fail in a time of need. They ignored her flames for a moment, it all felt so wrong, and forced themself to face Luce. Her treason could not go unpunished. Reborn stood in their way even in his anger he still had his hand on his gun ready to shoot them all and take Luce./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Viper shook her head and continued forward. "What did you do?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce did not stand to face them. She laid on the ground withered in the ground. Viper hissed to herself and turned to find others. To demand answers from these men who knew nothing but their orders./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"They were all accounted for. No longer screaming or standing in shock. They had regained control of themselves. Fon though seemed odd as he stared in the direction Skull had been. With a start they realized the cloud had no longer been there. Left was melted rock and cleared trees. Viper wanted to demand answers from them all to see what they had missed amongst the haze of anger./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"So many questions yet they had been forced to deal with their immediate reality. Skull was put to the back of their mind. They would return to find what was that boy's problem./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Fon had always liked Skull./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Working with the cloud was entertaining, even when the situation seemed dire. He never seemed to take any situation seriously even when they were being struck by a flamethrower and shot with missiles. No matter what his words said he never seemed to truly be in fear of any situation. It was probably immortality but Fon did not think it was that./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull seemed to always be ready to throw himself into danger. He still died, he still felt the pain. Fon knew he did. And yet Skull never showed the reluctance for danger a civilian should have./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Where are you from?" He had asked once. Right after their mission they had set a building on fire and stood to make sure the inhabitants of said burning building./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull had hesitated. Odd for the boy who always seemed so confident. "Russia." He answered./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Fon hummed and continued to watch the building./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Russia made sense. None from Russia was truly civilian, not at this time. Not yet. At the time Fon hadn't put any more thought to it. Simply enjoying Skull's attention and company./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Now he wished he had asked more questions. Fon had been immediately next to the cloud when he had turned into a baby. He had been the only one to witness the way Skull came alive. Throwing his helmet down and his flames coming to life strong. His face was blank but his eyes were wild. Fon had been fascinated as he watched the baby prowl down the mountain. The rocks under his feet burning through rock and soil. Leaving imprints as he walked. He made no motion to climb but to simply walk straight down the face of the mountain./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Fon forced his gaze away to see the rest of them gathering themselves up and readying themselves up for a confrontation. Fon was angry, yes, but he wanted Skull by his side as he faced down Luce./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He wanted that power./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce was looking to speak to them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Verde had no interest in the woman or her pet sky. No matter how his soul sang to be near her if only once more. He knew what she wanted but he had his own interests in mind./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"The woman was a pain in his rear but he did not allow a stupid curse to affect him. Perhaps he would speak to her to gain all the information from her puny mind and leave her reeling./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"The thought interested him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull will be making an appearance." Reborn said, his hat tipped over his eyes./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Verde sat straight with interest. His favorite test subject had eluded him long enough. "So be it," He said in response./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"So be it./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce lay withered in her bed. The once proud woman was reduced to nothing but a small child when illness took to her lungs. Her birth had been hard and traumatic on her grown body, the after effects hitting her child body was expected but the pain was unlike what she could have thought possible. Her lungs had practically collapsed upon themselves and were slowly withering away. She could hardly move her body much less defend herself from any who would dare harm her or Aria./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She could not say she regretted her decision. Luce had seen the future, she knew the path she had doomed her line but she could not find it in her to regret. The hardest decision had been hers to make. She could hardly apologize to her daughter but she hoped she would not grow to hate her as she hated herself./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Aria slept peacefully in a cot settled at the feet of her bed. She was unlike any child she had seen before though she lacked the experience with them. Luce thinks that Aria might be the easiest child. Taking pity on her poor Mama and her withered heart and body. Her breath rattled and shook her body uncomfortably/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She dreamed every night. Every night a man would visit in her dreams and haunted steps. Steal her breath and bury her body deep in the soil of earth. His feet would stomp on the dirt to make sure she never woke again. When she opened her eyes she would see flames obscuring her vision. Not the monstrous ones from her dreams but the calm relaxing ones of her own./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"When she woke it was not the man haunting her steps. Instead it was Reborn. Always watching her even with the deep anger he held. She was his sky, how could he betray her in a time of need? Luce felt terrible for what she did to them all but she hoped in time they would understand that what she did was necessary for the future. Her familia would not be left to rumble the future held for them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She clutched desperately at her sheets, feeling a new presence entering her space. Luce could not help but cringe as she felt him getting closer. Skull never held back his flames. It was not usually so volatile, Skull was a welcoming boy with a kind heart. She did not know what Reborn had told him for the boy to appear as he did. It had been months since anyone had seen Skull. The day on the mountain was engraved in her head./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"I do not regret it. She thought. I cannot afford to./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce heard him now though he sounded nothing like himself. In her dreams and in the present Skull was loud. You could never be made to ignore him for he was not someone easily discarded. No matter what Reborn claimed, Skull demanded your attention and kept it. But as she heard for him she could not fault herself from shivering./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"The door opened slowly. Perhaps Reborn did not want them alone together. Luce could not stop the smile that formed at the thought. Reborn knew he could not be here no matter if it pained him. He could not know./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull was small and very purple. She knew he had a fondness for the color but this was outrageous to her eyes. Aria would no2 doubt wake to the monstrosity or leather and mismatched purples. She would see the babe in her doorway and scream. Reborn would come in and threaten murder. And Luce would be able to do nothing but calmly ask them all to keep the noise down./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"This weakness she subjected herself to was her own fault.=/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Aria did not wake. Reborn closed the door with a soft click. Skull stood still in front of the now shut door. His riding helmet had been removed giving her view of his cold stare and pursed purple lips. She could not read the thoughts in his eyes or guess the movement from his muscles. Skull was still and silent and she despised it./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"I did this to you. I cannot apologize./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He didn't move and Luce made no effort to beckon him. For a moment they stared at each other. She wondered what he was thinking, what made him look like this. Why? She wanted to ask./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull," She said. Her voice was high and cracking. "I'm glad you came."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Hm." He replied. He continued to watch her for a moment longer before crossing the room. Aria seemed to be his target. The cot she laid in was lowered to account for the small height of her mother. Skull took advantage of this and peered into the cot and stared at the girl. His lips pursed. He did not seem displeased./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Her name is Aria." Luce said. She prayed for her voice to come stronger./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Aria." He said. His lips tasted her name in his mouth. "She looks like you."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce smiled. Skull did not smile back. She watched him for a moment longer holding herself back./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull. I called you here with a purpose." Luce said. Skull glanced up from Aria to give her his full attention./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I did not wish to be found." He growled./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce watched him warily. "I understand." She did. She knew that he wished to stay as far away from them as possible. She could not blame him for his feelings./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""You do not." His hand found Aria's cot. Luce watched his hand unsure./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I ask for a favor." She said slowly. She pushed herself to sit up every single one of her muscles protested the movement and punished her harshly for her disobedience./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""You have no right." Skull said, his hand tightening around the ledge of her cot. "Look at me Luce, look at what you've done to me." He turned away from Aria's cot and walked closer to her. His chubby cheeks turned red from anger. His eyes were wild and crazed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull." She said calmly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"His hands went to his hair. "Command one of your minions. I am not yours to do what you wish. What of your slaves?"\/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She could feel her blood still./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Slaves?" Luce asked. Calm./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""The babes you made of men." He stepped closer to her bed and leaned into her space. "The curse you put upon them. Your. Slaves."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""They are not slaves." She said forcefully. Her lungs protested the action./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Oh?" His eyebrow raised. "You are their master. You bound them in chains and wire and command them as you wish." His hand raised and snaked around her chin. Her arms were weak, she could not push him away./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""We are equal." She whispered. Luce was not scared of him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I do not believe you think so." His hand traced her jaw. She found nothing of the boy she had watched walk into that room all those months ago. "What is your favor Luce?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Aria will need a protector. You are not bonded to me so I ask not as your," She paused. "Master. But as a friend. Please do not abandon her." Her voice shook but she steadied on. She was a don. This child could not harm her and not face retribution./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""That is not all. Speak clearly Luce you did not call for me to protect your child." His hand snaked from her chin and found her neck. His small hand could not wrap itself around her neck but it pushed upon her windpipe roughly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I see things. I see what no one else can. In the future there will be a fight you cannot win Skull. When that time comes I hope you are at peace with your choices and what you stand to leave behind." She said, Luce had never meant to speak these words to him. Truly she had no other motive for calling upon the boy but to gain his compliance to protect Aria. If not as her cloud but as a mentor. Anything she would have given him and yet he sits here and squanders it away in his anger./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""When you die Luce, it is with the knowledge that you are responsible for the future. All those lives are in your head. I hope you are prepared to handle it." His hand pushed roughly against her windpipe before he released her. He stepped back and moved to the door./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I understand Cherep." Luce said loudly. "I see more than you know."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""No." He turned on his heel and faced her head on. The wild look in his eyes was gone, replaced by something darker. The purple no longer looked as ridiculous as it had moments before. "You kill everyday. With your words you send men to their deaths. You take others' lives from them. You steal their future to benefit your familia. But you do not understand. Your hands remain pure and white while others drown in the blood you ordered for them to drain. Take this to your grave Luce. You will not find your forgiveness from me. The others will run back to you, the call is strong. But I will happily watch your child drown in the blood of the enemies she inherited from you."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce watched him silently. How dare he? She seethed. If she were not so weak she would stand and kill him. She would drag her flames and smother him till he could not speak of her daughter. So he may never see the future she sacrifices everything for. "Leave." She hissed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Goodbye Luce." He did not turn back as he walked away. Leaving her breathing hard and in pain. Luce woke and screamed. She did not turn to look at her./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Reborn had not wanted to find the weirwood cloud. He would have happily left the idiot alone if it had been up to him. What interest did he have for him? He was not Fon, the obsession with the cloud was not something he participated in. Civilians should be left out of their world. Skull was exactly who he would have left out if given the choice./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"But Luce had begged him to find lackey, and had said that she had to speak to him only once. She was a shell of the women he once knew and cared for. He could not find it in himself to deny her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Yet look where it had gotten them? He had abandoned them all and was tough to track down. None of his familia willing to sell the boy out. Rebon would give it to him. Skull had worked fast to take over his own crime syndicate. A protection measure he himself had been willing to indulge in by joining hands with the Vongola. Along with Viper they had taken shade under the largest and most dangerous familia. Skull was having his own risky venture. Reborn refused to deal with him any longer./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Reborn guarded the door to the room Aria and Luce resided in. Luce had insisted Aria had to be present for this meeting but not the others. It made him want to claw his hair out. He had left Leon in the room to act as protection for the child should anything happen./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"His hand twitched to his coat pocket at the sound of Luce raising her voice. He was not given any time at all as Skull left the room and walked away. He spared Reborn barely a glance. But it set his whole body on edge. Cloud flames edged at his vision out of control and dangerous. Reborn readied himself for a fight that would never come./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull left the building but the feeling of his flames was left behind./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Sasuke regretted the words the moment they left his mouth but he did not take them back. He wondered what Itachi would think of him if he could see his younger brother condemning a baby to death for the sins of their mother./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He did not want to witness the look of disappointment that would no doubt grace his brother's features. The pull of his tired eyes bearing into his soul./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce had never been anything but kind yet betrayed him in ways he could never articulate. She resembled his mother, in the short smiles and kind touch. Where her hands would grace his head and pat him for a job well done. If Sasuke closed his eyes he could feel his mothers breath hitting his forehead and kissing his hairline. Luce did not deserve his ire. Checkerface the demon had done this to them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"But Sasuke had choked her. Pressed on her windpipe and watched for the signs of fear as he held her life in his. She could not fight him were he to do something. He could find no pleasure in her pain. Only sickness in the curl of his stomach and a staunch horror at his actions./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He fled the room as quickly as he could and hoped Kiba would come back for him soon./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Underneath the anger, buried where even they cannot see was fear. Fear so carnal it had them moving to look around at their fellows. They had not taken the curse well either. Some screamed, others stared at their bodies in shock. Reborn had skipped both and was demanding answers from their sky./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"How could she? Their sky had betrayed them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"This could not be forever. This magic had to be undone somehow. They dragged her tiny legs up and forced them to stand. Their legs wobbled, forcing them to use their mist flames to levitate instead. The audacity of their body to fail in a time of need. They ignored her flames for a moment, it all felt so wrong, and forced themself to face Luce. Her treason could not go unpunished. Reborn stood in their way even in his anger he still had his hand on his gun ready to shoot them all and take Luce./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Viper shook her head and continued forward. "What did you do?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce did not stand to face them. She laid on the ground withered in the ground. Viper hissed to herself and turned to find others. To demand answers from these men who knew nothing but their orders./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"They were all accounted for. No longer screaming or standing in shock. They had regained control of themselves. Fon though seemed odd as he stared in the direction Skull had been. With a start they realized the cloud had no longer been there. Left was melted rock and cleared trees. Viper wanted to demand answers from them all to see what they had missed amongst the haze of anger./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"So many questions yet they had been forced to deal with their immediate reality. Skull was put to the back of their mind. They would return to find what was that boy's problem./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Fon had always liked Skull./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Working with the cloud was entertaining, even when the situation seemed dire. He never seemed to take any situation seriously even when they were being struck by a flamethrower and shot with missiles. No matter what his words said he never seemed to truly be in fear of any situation. It was probably immortality but Fon did not think it was that./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull seemed to always be ready to throw himself into danger. He still died, he still felt the pain. Fon knew he did. And yet Skull never showed the reluctance for danger a civilian should have./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Where are you from?" He had asked once. Right after their mission they had set a building on fire and stood to make sure the inhabitants of said burning building./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull had hesitated. Odd for the boy who always seemed so confident. "Russia." He answered./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Fon hummed and continued to watch the building./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Russia made sense. None from Russia was truly civilian, not at this time. Not yet. At the time Fon hadn't put any more thought to it. Simply enjoying Skull's attention and company./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Now he wished he had asked more questions. Fon had been immediately next to the cloud when he had turned into a baby. He had been the only one to witness the way Skull came alive. Throwing his helmet down and his flames coming to life strong. His face was blank but his eyes were wild. Fon had been fascinated as he watched the baby prowl down the mountain. The rocks under his feet burning through rock and soil. Leaving imprints as he walked. He made no motion to climb but to simply walk straight down the face of the mountain./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Fon forced his gaze away to see the rest of them gathering themselves up and readying themselves up for a confrontation. Fon was angry, yes, but he wanted Skull by his side as he faced down Luce./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He wanted that power./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce was looking to speak to them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Verde had no interest in the woman or her pet sky. No matter how his soul sang to be near her if only once more. He knew what she wanted but he had his own interests in mind./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"The woman was a pain in his rear but he did not allow a stupid curse to affect him. Perhaps he would speak to her to gain all the information from her puny mind and leave her reeling./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"The thought interested him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull will be making an appearance." Reborn said, his hat tipped over his eyes./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Verde sat straight with interest. His favorite test subject had eluded him long enough. "So be it," He said in response./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"So be it./p
hr /
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce lay withered in her bed. The once proud woman was reduced to nothing but a small child when illness took to her lungs. Her birth had been hard and traumatic on her grown body, the after effects hitting her child body was expected but the pain was unlike what she could have thought possible. Her lungs had practically collapsed upon themselves and were slowly withering away. She could hardly move her body much less defend herself from any who would dare harm her or Aria./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She could not say she regretted her decision. Luce had seen the future, she knew the path she had doomed her line but she could not find it in her to regret. The hardest decision had been hers to make. She could hardly apologize to her daughter but she hoped she would not grow to hate her as she hated herself./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Aria slept peacefully in a cot settled at the feet of her bed. She was unlike any child she had seen before though she lacked the experience with them. Luce thinks that Aria might be the easiest child. Taking pity on her poor Mama and her withered heart and body. Her breath rattled and shook her body uncomfortably/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She dreamed every night. Every night a man would visit in her dreams and haunted steps. Steal her breath and bury her body deep in the soil of earth. His feet would stomp on the dirt to make sure she never woke again. When she opened her eyes she would see flames obscuring her vision. Not the monstrous ones from her dreams but the calm relaxing ones of her own./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"When she woke it was not the man haunting her steps. Instead it was Reborn. Always watching her even with the deep anger he held. She was his sky, how could he betray her in a time of need? Luce felt terrible for what she did to them all but she hoped in time they would understand that what she did was necessary for the future. Her familia would not be left to rumble the future held for them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She clutched desperately at her sheets, feeling a new presence entering her space. Luce could not help but cringe as she felt him getting closer. Skull never held back his flames. It was not usually so volatile, Skull was a welcoming boy with a kind heart. She did not know what Reborn had told him for the boy to appear as he did. It had been months since anyone had seen Skull. The day on the mountain was engraved in her head./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"I do not regret it. She thought. I cannot afford to./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce heard him now though he sounded nothing like himself. In her dreams and in the present Skull was loud. You could never be made to ignore him for he was not someone easily discarded. No matter what Reborn claimed, Skull demanded your attention and kept it. But as she heard for him she could not fault herself from shivering./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"The door opened slowly. Perhaps Reborn did not want them alone together. Luce could not stop the smile that formed at the thought. Reborn knew he could not be here no matter if it pained him. He could not know./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull was small and very purple. She knew he had a fondness for the color but this was outrageous to her eyes. Aria would no2 doubt wake to the monstrosity or leather and mismatched purples. She would see the babe in her doorway and scream. Reborn would come in and threaten murder. And Luce would be able to do nothing but calmly ask them all to keep the noise down./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"This weakness she subjected herself to was her own fault.=/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Aria did not wake. Reborn closed the door with a soft click. Skull stood still in front of the now shut door. His riding helmet had been removed giving her view of his cold stare and pursed purple lips. She could not read the thoughts in his eyes or guess the movement from his muscles. Skull was still and silent and she despised it./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"I did this to you. I cannot apologize./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He didn't move and Luce made no effort to beckon him. For a moment they stared at each other. She wondered what he was thinking, what made him look like this. Why? She wanted to ask./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull," She said. Her voice was high and cracking. "I'm glad you came."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Hm." He replied. He continued to watch her for a moment longer before crossing the room. Aria seemed to be his target. The cot she laid in was lowered to account for the small height of her mother. Skull took advantage of this and peered into the cot and stared at the girl. His lips pursed. He did not seem displeased./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Her name is Aria." Luce said. She prayed for her voice to come stronger./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Aria." He said. His lips tasted her name in his mouth. "She looks like you."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce smiled. Skull did not smile back. She watched him for a moment longer holding herself back./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull. I called you here with a purpose." Luce said. Skull glanced up from Aria to give her his full attention./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I did not wish to be found." He growled./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce watched him warily. "I understand." She did. She knew that he wished to stay as far away from them as possible. She could not blame him for his feelings./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""You do not." His hand found Aria's cot. Luce watched his hand unsure./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I ask for a favor." She said slowly. She pushed herself to sit up every single one of her muscles protested the movement and punished her harshly for her disobedience./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""You have no right." Skull said, his hand tightening around the ledge of her cot. "Look at me Luce, look at what you've done to me." He turned away from Aria's cot and walked closer to her. His chubby cheeks turned red from anger. His eyes were wild and crazed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Skull." She said calmly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"His hands went to his hair. "Command one of your minions. I am not yours to do what you wish. What of your slaves?"\/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"She could feel her blood still./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Slaves?" Luce asked. Calm./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""The babes you made of men." He stepped closer to her bed and leaned into her space. "The curse you put upon them. Your. Slaves."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""They are not slaves." She said forcefully. Her lungs protested the action./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Oh?" His eyebrow raised. "You are their master. You bound them in chains and wire and command them as you wish." His hand raised and snaked around her chin. Her arms were weak, she could not push him away./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""We are equal." She whispered. Luce was not scared of him./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I do not believe you think so." His hand traced her jaw. She found nothing of the boy she had watched walk into that room all those months ago. "What is your favor Luce?"/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Aria will need a protector. You are not bonded to me so I ask not as your," She paused. "Master. But as a friend. Please do not abandon her." Her voice shook but she steadied on. She was a don. This child could not harm her and not face retribution./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""That is not all. Speak clearly Luce you did not call for me to protect your child." His hand snaked from her chin and found her neck. His small hand could not wrap itself around her neck but it pushed upon her windpipe roughly./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I see things. I see what no one else can. In the future there will be a fight you cannot win Skull. When that time comes I hope you are at peace with your choices and what you stand to leave behind." She said, Luce had never meant to speak these words to him. Truly she had no other motive for calling upon the boy but to gain his compliance to protect Aria. If not as her cloud but as a mentor. Anything she would have given him and yet he sits here and squanders it away in his anger./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""When you die Luce, it is with the knowledge that you are responsible for the future. All those lives are in your head. I hope you are prepared to handle it." His hand pushed roughly against her windpipe before he released her. He stepped back and moved to the door./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""I understand Cherep." Luce said loudly. "I see more than you know."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""No." He turned on his heel and faced her head on. The wild look in his eyes was gone, replaced by something darker. The purple no longer looked as ridiculous as it had moments before. "You kill everyday. With your words you send men to their deaths. You take others' lives from them. You steal their future to benefit your familia. But you do not understand. Your hands remain pure and white while others drown in the blood you ordered for them to drain. Take this to your grave Luce. You will not find your forgiveness from me. The others will run back to you, the call is strong. But I will happily watch your child drown in the blood of the enemies she inherited from you."/p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce watched him silently. How dare he? She seethed. If she were not so weak she would stand and kill him. She would drag her flames and smother him till he could not speak of her daughter. So he may never see the future she sacrifices everything for. "Leave." She hissed./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;""Goodbye Luce." He did not turn back as he walked away. Leaving her breathing hard and in pain. Luce woke and screamed. She did not turn to look at her./p
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p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Reborn had not wanted to find the weirwood cloud. He would have happily left the idiot alone if it had been up to him. What interest did he have for him? He was not Fon, the obsession with the cloud was not something he participated in. Civilians should be left out of their world. Skull was exactly who he would have left out if given the choice./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"But Luce had begged him to find lackey, and had said that she had to speak to him only once. She was a shell of the women he once knew and cared for. He could not find it in himself to deny her./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Yet look where it had gotten them? He had abandoned them all and was tough to track down. None of his familia willing to sell the boy out. Rebon would give it to him. Skull had worked fast to take over his own crime syndicate. A protection measure he himself had been willing to indulge in by joining hands with the Vongola. Along with Viper they had taken shade under the largest and most dangerous familia. Skull was having his own risky venture. Reborn refused to deal with him any longer./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Reborn guarded the door to the room Aria and Luce resided in. Luce had insisted Aria had to be present for this meeting but not the others. It made him want to claw his hair out. He had left Leon in the room to act as protection for the child should anything happen./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"His hand twitched to his coat pocket at the sound of Luce raising her voice. He was not given any time at all as Skull left the room and walked away. He spared Reborn barely a glance. But it set his whole body on edge. Cloud flames edged at his vision out of control and dangerous. Reborn readied himself for a fight that would never come./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Skull left the building but the feeling of his flames was left behind./p
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p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Sasuke regretted the words the moment they left his mouth but he did not take them back. He wondered what Itachi would think of him if he could see his younger brother condemning a baby to death for the sins of their mother./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He did not want to witness the look of disappointment that would no doubt grace his brother's features. The pull of his tired eyes bearing into his soul./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"Luce had never been anything but kind yet betrayed him in ways he could never articulate. She resembled his mother, in the short smiles and kind touch. Where her hands would grace his head and pat him for a job well done. If Sasuke closed his eyes he could feel his mothers breath hitting his forehead and kissing his hairline. Luce did not deserve his ire. Checkerface the demon had done this to them all./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"But Sasuke had choked her. Pressed on her windpipe and watched for the signs of fear as he held her life in his. She could not fight him were he to do something. He could find no pleasure in her pain. Only sickness in the curl of his stomach and a staunch horror at his actions./p
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: 115%;"He fled the room as quickly as he could and hoped Kiba would come back for him soon./p