In the aftermath of our final battle with the Gagliano Family, Squalo and I ended up in the hospital. After receiving treatment and surgery, we ended up in the same room on Romario's order. We were saving money.

Dino was doing his due diligence, counting the bodies, surveying the rubble, freeing the rest of the prisoners of Don Gagliano's human trafficking business, etc. The fight was over but the clean up was still ongoing.

Lussuria had come to sit with Squalo now, going over their own reports and damages. I knew Lussuria would be busy since Squalo was stuck in here but I dreaded saying goodbye. I owed Squalo an apology that I didn't know how to give. He trusted me and I abandoned him.

But why did Dino just stand there?! If Romario was useful, it wouldn't have come to this. How did no one else notice the sniper? I could blame everyone else but I knew it was my fault. I made my choice and this was the conclusion. I had to take responsibility.

Lussuria took his leave in a hurry. A phone call from Belphegor had him shouting curses into the phone on his way out. Something about Vongola Nono demanding a report. Timoteo was surprisingly strict for such a nice looking old man.

Now, I was alone with Squalo. I couldn't phrase my apology. My mouth felt dry.

Surprisingly, Squalo spoke to me first. His tone was gruff and awkward but I didn't feel any malice, "Listen… Uhh… My bad."

"What?" I didn't know what he was apologizing about. In fact, I was so ready to get yelled at that I hadn't even guessed that he was feeling guilty about something.

"I should've seen him first but I didn't notice." He grumbled, "You know… The sharpshooter."

"Ah." I let out a nervous breath, "No. I'm the one who should apologize. You trusted me to get your back and I… failed you."

Relief flooded his features and he was suddenly laughing. He leaned back in bed and just laughed for a good minute. When he was finally done, he sat back up and looked me dead in the eye and declared, "Man… My only issue is I didn't get to run Luca through with my sword. He might not have killed me but he at least got to put his sword through me."

I sighed, not entirely relieved that he wasn't upset. I was more upset that he wasn't angry with me. He deserved the chance to cuss me out. I let him down. If the roles were swapped, I'm not entirely sure I could forgive him.

He was silent for a moment and then he said, "If you feel that bad, you can take my job offer."

I stared at him as if he had grown an extra head, "You still want me?! Squalo-senpai, I could've gotten you killed. All because-"

"All because you work for Cavallone." He cut me off, turning towards me so quickly that his hospital cot creaked, "You did the professional thing. There are no hard feelings. I'm dead serious. Come join the Varia. We lost Silvio and Ottavio's a traitor. We need more manpower."

"I'll think about it." I murmured.

In all honesty, I have been thinking about it. All this time, I must've subconsciously desired it. I put in a lot of work for the Cavallone Family but they were not showing any improvement. In fact, when Dino declared this war, I should've stopped him. If I was more aware, I would've realized it was impossible for the current Cavallone Family to win over the Gagliano Family. They were stronger than us.

But thanks to the Varia, we managed to pull through. I heard during Lussuria's briefing that a lot of the men who had been shot or defeated during the final battle were saved thanks to their first aid treatment and resources. The Varia called several limos, cars, and even helicopters to transport our people to hospitals for life-saving treatment.

They had strength, resources, and a drive to become stronger and stronger. I wanted to be a part of that but I was reluctant. Somewhere deep in my heart, I wasn't sure I was good enough. I hated this feeling of inadequacy.

The door opened and Romario came in. He didn't bother to read the mood nor did he bother to even ask if we were recovering well. He glanced at me and assumed I was fine. I was always fine after all.

He brought a file to me and dropped it in my lap. He pulled up a chair and sat beside my bed, "Boss is kind of busy so this is your share of the paperwork."

I opened the file warily. I knew that was code for "there's a secret in there I can't say out loud because Squalo is sitting right there."

The first page in the file was a page written in all caps, "WE'RE BROKE."

I sighed and turned over the page. The second page read, "Please get Squalo to waive the service fees. Can you do it?"

I flipped to the third page where Romario had included my hospital bill and circled the total at the bottom. He had written a note, "Boss took care of it."

I glared up at a nonchalant Romario and said, "Are you serious right now?"

"Dead serious." He didn't miss a beat.

"And Dino?"

"Told me to bring it to you."

I slammed the file shut and handed it back to him. My blood was boiling. Romario was either a big fat liar or Dino was the biggest asshole I had ever met and I'm betting Romario's just a liar. For some reason, Romario thinks he's my manager or something.

We have disagreed again and again and again. Other than our loyalty to Dino, we had nothing in common and it looked like it was going to stay that way unless I did something about it.

I took a breath and opened the file again, "Give me a pen."

Romario handed me a pen, oblivious to my fury. No. I suppose he knew I was pissed. He just didn't see me as a threat.

I grasped the pen and turned the first page over, "Senpai, if I accept your offer, can you waive the bill?"

"The bill?" Squalo mused, "What bill?"

"The money we owe you and your guys for your help during this long and stupid war."

"That's all you want?" He chuckled, "It's done. Vongola Nono will give us a fat bonus since you guys came out on top anyways."

I looked up and our eyes met. He thought I was joking.

Squalo sat up again, gaze not leaving mine, "Seriously?"

I didn't hesitate. I nodded, "If you'll give me what I ask for then I'll accept your offer."

"Yes!" He was so loud but I suppose he had a naturally loud voice, "It's a deal! I'll let Lussuria know."

"Oh, he had already offered? I didn't know you guys were such good friends." Romario sighed in relief, clearly missing the important part of our exchange.

I smiled, looked Romario dead in the eye and proceeded to write on the blank side of the paper:

Dino,

I'm joining the Varia. You can thank Romario.

Bye

Romario sputtered and immediately proceeded to scold me, "No! That's a bad joke! Don't you dare."

I shoved him out of his chair and onto the floor, "Don't tell me what to do, you fucking herbivore. I have had it with you!"

"You're being immature!"

Even with my cast on, I easily kicked him out of the room and threw the file down on top of his gaping mouth, "Screw you! If you come in here again, I'll kill you."

I slammed the door shut and leaned against it. I blinked at a stunned Squalo and realized the severity of my actions. Through clenched teeth, I asked, "You were serious, right?"

"Only if you were." He replied cautiously. He didn't really understand what was going on so he treaded carefully here.

"I am now." I muttered, sliding to the floor to bury my face in my hands, "What am I going to do?"

"Am I allowed to ask?"

I glared through a small opening between my fingers, "I guess you are."

"What's with you guys?"

"That was Romario. Dino's right hand man." I said shortly and then added, "I hate him."

"Is…" Squalo hesitated. He really wanted to seal the deal but screw professionalism, "Is Cavallone going to be okay with that?"

"No."

"So what happens there?"

It was a good question. I stared down at the floor blankly. It wasn't something I had the courage to think about until now. If I joined the Varia, would my relationship with Dino end? Was I okay with ending it like this?

My heart ached at the thought but part of my mind had already gone through the motions and for some reason, I thought it was already over. Briefly, I felt unable to move.

"I guess… It's over." I mused, my voice coming out as a whisper, "How do I tell him?"

Squalo was silent for a moment and then he said, "We don't have rules against relationships. You don't have to end it with him."

It was my turn to have a moment of silence. It took me a moment to decide I had known Squalo long enough to tell him how I felt about my time with Dino.

"I want to end it." I admitted, smiling when Squalo's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, "I probably wanted to end it long ago. Can you promise me something?"

He nodded mutely.

"Don't let me say otherwise." I was saying it more to myself than to him, "I should properly tell him. Don't let me chicken out."

Squalo's voice dropped an octave as he said, "You know how he's going to see it, right?"

I hadn't thought about that either but I suppose it was obvious. Dino already kind of thought I was doing something strange with Squalo. He would probably think I had cheated on him and finally decided to leave him.

I laughed quietly and then clamped my mouth shut. Would that cause a problem for Squalo-senpai?

"I… He might get angry at you." I sighed, "I'm… sorry in advance for the trouble my decision might cause you. I'll tell him the truth but whether he believes me or not is… up to him, I suppose."

"Don't be sorry. Consider it a signing bonus." He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back, "Welcome to the Varia, Kira."

"Thank you, senpai."

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O

My recovery was going well. Oddly, I was getting discharged at the same time Squalo was being discharged. I didn't ask but I thought Squalo was still recovering. He got fresh bandages and then all of a sudden, he said we're going to Varia HQ today. He told the doctor he wanted to leave and the doctor made him sign some sort of waiver saying he was leaving against medical advice.

"Senpai, you should really just stay…" I tried to persuade him otherwise but he was adamant about leaving on the same day as me, "Suit yourself…"

A limo arrived from Varia Headquarters and I was so surprised to see all the tech it had to offer. I tried not to be obviously giddy but my eyes wandered as Squalo tried to tell me what our arrival would entail.

Not missing my lack of attentiveness. He grabbed at the telephone on the other end, lifting it, "Luss? Kira's interested in the tech."

"Ara~" Lussuria's voice echoed in the backseat, "I just got the new set of headgear for her team. This thing is pretty good. I might just buy some for all of us."

As if it was their protocol, the driver rolled up the divider to seal us off. I blinked at the window and gave in to my curiosity. I reached out and knocked against the window-bulletproof. The window rolled down and the driver said, "Yes ma'am?"

"Ah…" I sat down without a word, stunned by how well-trained he appeared, "Is he supposed to do that?"

Squalo seemed amused but didn't tease. He smirked, leaning back in his seat, "Yeah. All the drivers are trained specifically to obey our orders. They're also trained in basic combat and recon skills."

"Ah." The driver noted that I had accidentally called for him and began to close the divider once more.

"That's for privacy." He explained, "If we radio into HQ, he'll close it. If we knock, he'll open it. If we're just sitting back here, he'll listen into the banter until we tell him to close it."

"Okay." I couldn't comment.

In the Cavallone Family, we were lacking in a lot of departments and training was one of them. In my early days, I drove the vehicle and I made the hit. There was no getaway driver. There was no one in charge of cleaning up. It was a one man show for me.

Now, I had one thing bothering me. Well, more than one, but the person sitting right in front of me was Squalo and the thing bothering me was the secret I happened to be keeping from him.

"Senpai?" I had to tread carefully. I wasn't sure how he would react.

"No, you can't go back. I already waived Cavallone's bill." He said sternly but I knew he wouldn't stop me if I said I didn't want to be here.

"Not that." I rolled my eyes at the way he leaned forward to rest his elbows against his legs. I wasn't intimidated by his power pose, "I had my guys look into Xanxus. I know where they're keeping him."

"Don't go there." He said sharply, "That's not for you to do."

He had just drawn the line. I hadn't been part of their traitorous activities. I didn't know the details of their loss. I wasn't part of their inner circle and that was fine with me but while I was processing my inability to offer help to their boss, Squalo had gone the opposite way and was showing remorse for the line he had drawn.

"It was our loss. Not yours." He continued, "When we're done licking our wounds, we'll lead the way. When the time comes, you'll be there to even the odds. … Won't you?"

I could accept that. I nodded, "Just give the signal and I'll cover your back this time."

The window rolled down and I looked up, finding the driver staring at us through the rearview mirror.

"We're here." Squalo said as the car pulled up into the driveway of a giant castle. Actually, it wasn't really a driveway so much as it was just a path towards the door but you get the point.

Getting out of the limo, I didn't expect the greeting I got. Lussuria marched right up to me and gave me a big hug but I suppose the real motive was to whisper, "Good luck, Kira-chan. Welcome."

I felt a box being shoved into my hands and I looked down at the gleaming set of gauntlets shining up at me. I immediately knew what was happening. Squalo brought me here, Lussuria had already seen me on the battlefield, and now, I had to impress the rest of the officers. This was their form of hazing. Well, not hazing, just an initiation ceremony. This was their way of testing my right to stand among them.

Squalo hadn't gotten out of the limo. So, the test begins now. My eyes followed Lussuria as he got in the limo. I see.

I let the box fall to the floor. Just the cool metal of the gauntlets felt higher quality than any I had previously used. I don't know how it happened but when I slid them on, they fit around my hands perfectly. They were heavier than the ones I wore before. It was likely a stronger metal.

I clanged them together as a test. The vibrations were oddly comforting. I could only guess what these top class assassins had to offer and I didn't want to find out with my body. I stiffened as the first officer approached me-Leviathan.

He glared me down for a long moment and then finally said, "I lost my right to participate. You got lucky. Or unlucky."

At first, I didn't know what he was talking about but eventually, he moved around me and joined the pair in the limo. I guess he was talking about the way I had knocked him out in one blow in the limo during one of our first operations. He already lost.

Now, I was left with Belphegor and Mammon. Prince the Ripper was an obvious moniker but that would mean, Mammon was the illusionist Lussuria had been describing. An illusionist who fooled the world into thinking I left the Cavallone Family that day at the estate.

"I'll go first." Mammon declared when Belphegor stepped up, "For some reason, I just want to watch her squirm."

They're mocking me. They intend to come at me one at a time. I let out a deep sigh, glancing down briefly at the new gauntlets covering my fists. If I lost, I would humiliate both Squalo and Lussuria. They were vouching for my strength.

Failure was not an option.

I made an attempt to rush him down. My fist passed harmlessly through his body. My eyes widened momentarily as the body dispersed into the darkness.

Only Mammon's voice remained and it seemed to echo from everywhere, "Hey. There's a guy I really hate. He's an arrogant, simple kind of guy. He always has so much confidence in his strength. You wouldn't happen to know him, would you?"

I didn't like the tone. I glanced about, surveying the area. It was painfully obvious now. I couldn't best Mammon if I tried to search with my eyes. I took a deep breath, searching for his presence. It was concealed well but he wouldn't be able to hide forever.

"Oh. Are you one of those people who don't talk while they fight? Or are you already afraid?"

I almost laughed. The secret to illusionists was something Fon told me daily as I was growing up. If your mind is weak, you cannot win. If you engage in the conversation, you will inevitably get drawn into their pace and become unable to ground yourself in reality. I already kind of got the gist here. Mammon must be an acquaintance of my uncle and when my uncle repeatedly told me about the need for mental stability, it was probably his way of warning me about Mammon.

The world began to come and go as Mammon's mind painted a new scene each moment. He was trying to confuse me.

I closed my eyes for a moment. Except, Fon had called his illusionist friend by the name of Viper. It wasn't the same person? Either way, I would never forget Fon's lessons. In my life, there are just a handful of people who I consider untouchable and Fon is one of those people. I can't imagine Fon losing. Therefore, Fon's lessons will lead me to victory.

"Are you just mute?" Mammon's voice was steady and even. He had the utmost confidence in his abilities, "If you back away now, I'll let you walk away alive."

When I opened my eyes, I could see him clearly-Mammon's true body.

First, ground yourself in reality. Illusions are simply tricks of the mind. They're not real.

Fon's voice blended with my own in my mind and for some reason or another, I believed Mammon could hear it too.

Second, remember the law of combat. Training will not fail you. Your experiences with training are real. Illusions are not.

The illusion was beginning to blur. Mammon was an esper. My lips curved upwards into a smirk. He could hear my thoughts and now, he was projecting my state of mind.

Third, the law of illusions is simple. If you begin to doubt your victory, you cannot win.

I made eye contact with the baby-sized illusionist and he knew I could see him. There was no escape for him. He was already starting to sweat.

"How can this be?!" Mammon screeched at me, unleashing a horrifying beast but again, it was just an illusion.

I stood rooted in my spot as it approached me but the illusion passed harmlessly through my body. I never took my eyes off of Mammon-the only real thing in this mess of a world he had created.

If all else fails, never forget who you are. You are Hibari Kira. My precious…

The memory of Fon had faded but Mammon had heard enough, "You trained under Fon?! No!"

My fist went straight into his babyface and sent him soaring towards the limo. Lussuria rolled the window down and caught him with a smug look on his face.

I turned to find Belphegor was not at all disappointed with Mammon's loss. In fact, the little psychopath had already drawn his blades and was grinning at me like a murderer.

I moved first but he threw his knives immediately in response to my movements. I easily stepped to the side to avoid them… or so I thought. My instincts warned me mid-charge that I was not in the clear and indeed, the same knives I thought I had managed to dodge were coming at me again.

Impossible!

I took my armored hands and swatted them down. They clattered to the floor and while I was distracted with that, Belphegor threw a new set of knives at me. I ducked out of the way and they embedded themselves in the grass behind me. I rushed towards the young blonde in the hopes to reach him before he could throw another set but he was not as stationary a fighter as I thought he would be. He continuously moved about while throwing knives at me. It was impossible to touch him.

Every other or every third set of knives would be impossible to dodge because they would redirect themselves towards me even if I ducked away. Frustrated, my vision was slowly starting to go red.

Something was restricting my movements. It was slowing me. In the moonlight, the nearly invisible wires gleamed threateningly at me. The knife had been a decoy for his true weapons-these wires.

"Ushishishi." Belphegor's grin looked absolutely demonic from this angle as he displayed a brand new set of knives in his hands. He took aim dramatically at my face, "Too late!"

He threw the knife straight for my eyes and I heard Squalo screaming at me in the back over everyone else. I was desperate for victory so I did the only thing I could think of doing. I went wild. I placed all my bets on my fists and I ran my hands up and down. The invisible wires cut into my clothes and subsequently my flesh but I could feel it going slack.

My armored fingers were tangled tightly in the wires and I gave it a hard yank. I felt the wires twist and tear at my skin as I loosened them but they were not dangerous for long. The slackened strings did nothing against me and I moved, ducking away from the knife he had just thrown.

Belphegor looked horrified to be met with my full speed. He stumbled backwards but it was too late. I brought my fist crashing down onto his face. He went flying back and he knocked his head against the side of the castle behind him. I swung my arms to the sides and the wires that were tangled against my body fluttered uselessly to the floor.

It took only two seconds for Belphegor's scream to echo off the walls of his castle. I felt a chill go down my spine as he screamed out, "My blood! The blood of the royals! Ushishishi!"

He spread his arms and to his left and right, knives fluttered out into the air. It was no doubt another trick of the light. Wires were suspending those knives expertly and I realized that this is why they called him a genius. It takes a lot of planning and thought to be able to pull off such a complex fighting style.

"Die for your prince!" He screamed and all at once the knives began to fly forwards in an endless waltz of blades.

I threw my arms up, protecting my face and core with my armored hands. I could feel the knives tearing through my skin and stabbing into my legs but I could not be stopped. I knew that the only thing waiting for me was death if I tried to wait out the onslaught of blades so I did the only thing I could do and I ran. Protecting my core, I ran blindly towards the laughing Belphegor and once more, he was taken by surprise by my speed.

Once I was within his safe zone, he could no longer use the knives that were previously floating at me because it would trap him in the wires too. If it was close combat, I was confident that I would not lose to anyone.

Indeed, Belphegor was no match for my iron fists. My first punch slammed dead into his jaw and the second one gave him no chance to recover as it plowed into his ribcage. He attempted to slash me with a new knife but there were no opportunities as my foot slammed harshly into his wrist and disarmed him. A third backhanded punch slammed into the side of his face and sent him flying off to the side. It rattled his brain so hard that he was unconscious the minute he hit the floor.

Gasping for breath, I felt my knees give out. My vision was growing so blurry as my body told me all at once that I was finally safe. I threw my gauntlets to the side and grasped at my deeper wounds. Actually, I couldn't tell which wounds were deeper than the others anymore. They all felt bloody and sticky to me and it shook me to my core.

"Call for the medical team!" Squalo was finally in motion.

I had passed their initiation test. It was finally over.

I looked up one last time to confirm that my opponent was completely unmoving and unconscious before allowing my own consciousness to slip away from me.