A/N: It still baffles my mind that I started this fic back in 2012 and I'm still writing it. Baby high schooler me would be so proud of my commitment. Lol (although 18 chapters in 12 years is a bit of a sad state… lmao!)
Thank you to everyone who has read and continues to read this dumb story of mine, and continues to be patient with my horrible adult schedule and problems. I love that even after all these years I still get favourites and reviews; I see and read every single one of them! It inspires me to plow through the thick sludge of writer's block, and I promise this fic will never go into the abandoned pile, even if there continue to be long breaks in between posting chapters. That being said, I would like to explain that this chapter probably would have come out sooner, but most of this past year has been heavily focused on wedding planning (as of posting this chapter, only 20 days to go!), which will probably continue to affect the next chapter as well, so if you've stuck with me up to this point, I truly cannot thank you enough!
So thank you, thank you, thank you! A million times over!
READER ADVISORY!
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SCENES THAT MAY BE SENSITIVE TO SOME READERS!
CONTENT WARNING: VIOLENCE, MANIPULATION, AND CHILD ABUSE!
xXx
The first couple of weeks went by without a hitch. During most days, Goro would be away for work, returning in the evenings. Most days, Sayuri and the children went out to explore the city, taking in all the unfamiliar sights and, mostly for Sayuri, enjoying the different culture. But for a few of those evenings, thanks to the help of the house staff, she and Goro could enjoy for themselves. Between museums, art centres, and luxurious dinners next to the beauty that was the Mediterranean, Sayuri found herself falling more in love with the place her husband called home.
There were, of course, days in which Goro was home to spend promised time with his family. On those days, they would explore and entertain themselves with the many different things to do in the town and surrounding areas. Kazumi had quickly grown to love trying all the new and different foods wherever they went, and so without fail, every single one of those trips either started or ended in a local market. Every day, Kazumi would pick out something completely different from the day previous, and likewise encouraged Fuyuki to try and pick out something different as well. Only once she picked out tiramisu twice, because she simply loved it so much.
On one such outing, the entire day was spent at a waterpark, per Goro's suggestion. The children were out before their heads even hit their pillows by the time they got home. And then a few days later, Goro had surprised them with a luxurious picnic lunch at the beach; complete with exotic fruits, desserts, and other foods. Another instant hit. Kazumi and Fuyuki both took to the creative and colourful display of food like moths to a flame; devouring all of it with enthusiasm until finally running off to play in the water, and later attempt to build a sand castle. At least Sayuri assumed it was a castle… It was otherwise just a pile of sand.
During the days in which the three of them waited at home for Goro, Kazumi and Fuyuki would find things around the house to keep themselves entertained. Hide and seek, tag, board games, arts and crafts, you name it. For the most part, the staff were incredibly tolerant of their antics, though it was mostly thanks to Isabella, their main caregiver during their stay. She was a soft spoken and gentle woman, and Sayuri could visibly see how much joy she got from attended to both Kazumi and Fuyuki, while simultaneously giving Sayuri a chance at some much needed peace and quiet.
"I don't know what I've done without you all this time." Sayuri said one afternoon, relaxing in the parlour. Isabella had just brought her a cup of tea while the children were distracted in another room with their latest art project. "Do you think I could convince Goro to let you come home with me?" She joked, catching Isabella off guard.
"You plan on returning home?" She asked, her brows furrowed in genuine confusion.
"Yes? Of course we are. Kazumi has to return to school once summer vacation is over, and my aging parents live with us back home; I can't just leave them to care for themselves completely. We're only visiting for the summer." Sayuri explained, regarding Isabella with her own confusion.
"My apologies Ma'am, I was under the impression that you and the children were moving in permanently." Isabella gave a subdued response.
"What? No, what on earth gave you that impression?" With that question asked, Isabella suddenly looked very uncomfortable, making Sayuri feel a sense of unease.
"Are you…" Isabella paused and looked around, as if to see if anyone was around, before quietly sliding into the seat next to Sayuri. "What do you know of the mafia?" She asked, so quietly Sayuri almost missed it.
"The mafi-"
"SHUSH!" Isabella quickly covered Sayuri's mouth and once again looking around, making sure no one accidently heard. "I don't know what you've been told up to this point, but you are not safe here. This house belongs to the mafia. Master Goro is not the man you think he is, so if you know what's good for you and your children, you'll pack your bags and leave. Immediately." Sayuri could hardly find her voice beneath Isabella's hand as she stared wide-eyed into the Italian woman's very serious expression.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Sayuri finally asked. "I know Italy is rather well known for the mafia, but that's still a bold accusation, don't you think?" When Isabella's expression didn't falter, Sayuri could feel her gut sink and a cold chill run down her back.
"You really didn't know." Isabella stated quietly, pity replacing the certainty on her face. "I'm sorry. I've already said too much, but please seriously consider what I said." With that, she quickly and quietly took her leave from the parlour to resume her duty of caring for the children, leaving behind a completely baffled, and maybe even slightly terrified Sayuri.
When Isabella returned to the room the children were working in, Kazumi was quietly drawing a picture of the very big dog she had spotted in the yard earlier in the day, while Fuyuki was working on some hand art. When she asked, Fuyuki explained that he was remaking the family portrait from his day-care, because their Papa never got to see it, and this way he would always have one while living so far away.
"I'm sure he'll love it" She said, her heart not completely into the compliment.
"Isa-san, what's the name of the doggy that lives here?" Kazumi asked, while routing through the box of crayons, determined to find exactly the right colour.
"Humm? Oh, his name is Bisco." She answered and put on her best smile as she placed herself between the two of them to observe their artworks. "That's a lovely drawing of Bisco, Kazumi. His owner will be so jealous."
"You think?" Kazumi asked, her head spinning so quickly it almost gave Isabella whiplash. With eyes sparkling with excitement, she scooped up the drawing and held it out for Isabella. "Will you give it to them as a present from me?"
"If that is what you wish little Miss." Isabella gently took the paper in her hands, while carefully schooling her expression to hide the anxiety and pity she felt for these two. She feared for whatever future was in store for them. Because she knew that as the children of Goro Laterza, it likely wasn't a pleasant one.
Isabella was one of the few who could count herself lucky, despite her own father had put her up as collateral for his depts; when he was unable to pay, Goro came to collect. She was fortunate to have only been brought in for maid service, but she was made painfully aware early on how much worse her position could be. So she worked quietly with her head down, anything to keep any and all attention off of herself. And it was working well up until a few months ago.
Goro had approached her personally, unexpectedly, and not so delicately informed her that she would be taking on the role as the primary caregiver for his wife and children when they would inevitably be arriving at the start of the summer. And all this time she has been blissfully, or perhaps ignorantly, unaware that the woman knew absolutely nothing about her husband's connections to the mafia and his penchant for cruelty.
So when Isabella looked at the two children, with smiling, happy faces, and the light of pure innocence still in their eyes, she couldn't help but force the frozen lump in her throat down and continue to force a warm and gentle smile on her face. She may not have wanted to cause trouble for herself, but looking at them now, she only wished that she could have done something sooner. But then again, even if she could have helped, the day they arrived here, it was already too late.
xXx
That evening, Goro had called ahead and explained that a problem at work would keep him overnight. Sayuri was naturally understanding, and let him go without question. But secretly, she was still shaken by Isabella's words earlier in the day. And as night fell, she found herself tossing and turning in her bed, unable to fall asleep.
Frustrated, she crawled out of bed and started for the kitchen. She's make herself a cup of herbal tea to calm her nerves, and then go back to bed. Really, she was taking a joke gone too far too seriously.
When she stepped into the hall, she could hear what sounded like a couple of coworkers winding down for the weekend from the floors below. Their uproarious laughter was carried down the hallway, though thanks to the distance between them, it wasn't very loud. But just to be cautious, Sayuri took a peak into the room next to hers, checking in on Kazumi and Fuyuki. Both thankfully still fast asleep. Sayuri closed the door with a quiet click and continued with her original goal. She was careful to be quiet. She didn't want to disrupt the staff's excitement after a long day of work.
"I gotta say," One man slurred, as Sayuri descended the stairs. "Goro's wife is quite the looker, but I never expected the man to actually marry someone." At the mention of her husband and herself, Sayuri froze mid-step from the bottom. From here she could see the back of their heads while they relaxed against the couch, drinks in hand. She couldn't help but strain to hear the rest of the conversation and translate the drunken Italian words she already barely understood.
"No kidding. Though I suppose it would make things easier with the brats." Another answered. "Any word on when he's doing to deal with them?" The first man let out a noise implying he had no idea.
"Listen, even I don't know what he's thinking half the time. I definitely don't know what he's planning for those kids. Last I heard, he wanted to get the mother out of the picture all together." Sayuri felt nauseous. Was she hearing all of this correctly? She pleaded with herself that she mistranslated somewhere, but couldn't feasibly come up with any other translation to what she heard. No, no. She was just having some sort of fever dream. To think Isabella's words had her this rattled that she'd dream such terrible things.
And then the sound of a gun shook her out of her thoughts; a scream involuntarily escaping her.
"Imbeciles." Came the low voice of Goro, standing in the entry way at the opposite end of the room. The man sitting on the right side of the couch was now limp and leaning to one side, blood splatter covering the back. Sayuri looked in horror while the other man also sat in stunned silence. He quickly sobered and lowered himself off the couch in a submissive posture.
"I-I'm sorry sir. We had too much to drink and got ahead of ourselves." Sayuri couldn't see the man any more, the couch was in the way now, but if she had to guess, from the tone of his voice, he was terrified. And it only took Sayuri one look at her husband's face to understand why.
The person standing there was not her husband. The cold and murderous expression, enhanced by more blood splatter, only looked like his. And then his eyes found hers. Were they always so icy blue? And suddenly, Sayuri realized she was shaking in fear. Suddenly, she found herself wishing she would wake up from this horrible nightmare. It wasn't until Goro started stepping in her direction that something finally unfroze her, and she ran. Her only thoughts were on Kazumi and Fuyuki, as she desperately raced back up the stairs and tried to think of a way to escape with both of them.
xXx
When Kazumi woke up, it was still night time. She wasn't afraid of the dark, no she was a big girl now, but something about the darkness here made her feel uncomfortable. Especially tonight.
First she looked across the room to the other bed; Fuyuki was still asleep, completely unbothered by whatever was stirred in the darkness. So, unsettled as she was, Kazumi shuffled out from under the sheets and quietly made for the room next to hers.
"Kaa-san?" She called quietly, once she had the door open. When there was no answer, Kazumi took a better, curious look inside. Her mother wasn't here. Maybe she also couldn't sleep? A sudden loud thump and what sounded like a shout caught her attention from further down the hall. If she was honest, the thought of going that way made her uncomfortable. But she also just really wanted her mom to help her go back to sleep. So despite the scary sounds and feelings, Kazumi walked to where she heard the shouting coming from. Maybe someone could help her find her mom. However, as Kazumi got closer, she could gradually make out what the people were yelling, and she was able to make out that one of the voices belonged to the very person she was looking for.
"I'm not going to let you have them!" Sayuri shouted, pure rage lacing her hoarse voice.
"Unfortunately Sayuri, you're not being given a choice. Sign custody of them over to me willingly, or I will take them by force." From a small crack in the door, Kazumi found her parents in another room. Her mom was being restrained by two men while her father stood over her, gaze cold and uncaring. "You only get one chance Sayuri. Take it, and I'll let you go free."
"LIKE HELL YOU WILL." Sayuri lashed out, trying with all her might to escape this iron hold of her captures. And it was only now that Kazumi could see the bruising and blood on her face. In response to her outburst, Goro wordlessly held his gun up to Sayuri's head. "You wouldn't." The outrage and horror on Sayuri's face was quickly replaced with realization and grief. "Please Goro, this isn't you. Please." Tears barely had the chance to fall before a single shot sounded, and Sayuri's body became lifeless.
Kazumi fell back in shock, startled by the sound of the gun, and the uncertainty of what she just saw. She landed on the floor with a heavy thump, drawing the attention of everyone inside the room. Instinct drove Kazumi to get off the floor and run back to her room as quickly and quietly as possible.
"Who's there?!" She heard her father shout from behind her. "Find them. Now." She heard the orders issued. But thankfully her room wasn't far. Somehow she was able to sneak back inside and hide under the covers before she was followed inside. Kazumi dared not to peek out from under the covers. The cold presence that entered the room was all she needed to know that it was not safe to be awake. It screamed DANGER, DANGER, DANGER, so violently it took everything she had to not shake in fear. So despite someone taking the covers off of her, she managed to pretend to be asleep. She heard a sound of annoyance before the sheets were clumsily thrown back on top of her. But even after the door was closed, she refused to move for the rest of the night.
xXx
There was something strange about the woman sitting across from Kazumi at the breakfast table. She looked like her mother, and yet she didn't. The way she smiled at her and Fuyuki was all wrong. She didn't give off the warmth of home and safety, and the smell of sunflowers that Kazumi was used to. And yet, the lady looked exactly like her mother.
Kazumi now wasn't sure if last night had been real, or just a really bad, terrible dream. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to ask. She was too afraid to know the real answer that she decided not to think about it anymore and just eat her breakfast. If she didn't think about it, it wasn't real. Right?
"Kazumi, Fuyuki, we're going home today." Except, there were too many things that distracted Kazumi. The lady's voice was wrong too. It didn't sound like her mother's at all. And yet it did. She was so confused. Everything looked so right, but felt so wrong. And Kazumi just didn't have the words to express how she felt. So she just nodded to the announcement.
"Already?" Fuyuki sulked, clearly disappointed.
"Yes already. There's lots of things to prepare for once the summer is over." Their mother, not mother, said. "It's a long journey, so we'll call your grandparents on the way to the airport, before they go to bed." With the thought of taking to her grandmother and grandfather, Kazumi instantly perked up.
"Okay!" She eagerly agreed. "I'll ask Isa-san to help me pack."
"You don't need to worry about your things. Someone is already taking care of it for you." Goro said from his end of the table. "Besides, Isabella is not here today. She had to leave early to attend to personal matters."
"So, I can't even say bye?" Kazumi asked, her turn to be upset now.
"Unfortunately." Goro answered simply. And not even an hour later, the four of them were loaded into the car, and Kazumi and Fuyuki were occupied with using video call to talk to their grandparents half a world away.
"Look at how tanned you two have gotten! Spending all that time in the sun I imagine." Their grandmother chimed, bringing out prideful giggles from both of the children, Kazumi's earlier troubled thoughts gone for the time being.
"We got to play outside everyday obaa-san!" Fuyuki nearly shouted.
"Every day? No way!" Their grandmother responded in imitated surprise. She had been paying close attention to the weather they'd been having during their entire trip after all. "You mean to tell me it didn't rain even once? How lucky are you!"
"Yeah, and you wouldn't believe the number of treats we go to eat! Ojii-san, you would be jealous!" Kazumi declared, picking on the old man's sweet tooth.
"You'll have to tell me about every single one once you get home." Came her grandfather's soft spoken voice. "Maybe we'll try making some of our own."
"Alright you two, give the phone back to your mother. We're going to be entering an area with no signal, so we're going to lose you shortly." Goro announced while the person sitting beside him reached into the back seat for the device.
"Okay then. Safe travels you lot. Call me when you reach your connection, Sayuri."
"I will, don't worry." She answered, as her thumb pressed the end button on the call. "Oops." She said with the hint of amusement before tossing the phone to the floor of the car. "Shall I put the call in now, Goro?" The woman asked, receiving a wordless response. Kazumi watched with furrowed brows as the woman pulled a different phone from her bag and her father began to turn the car around.
"It's Natalia. The plan is a go. Once the plane is airborne, shoot it down." Kazumi didn't know what that was supposed to mean, but she patiently waited through the long drive to arrive at the airport, so when they had arrived back at the house instead, she had that sense of discomfort come over her all over again.
"Otou-san?" Kazumi called nervously, trying to piece together just what was going on.
"From here on out, you'll be living with me." Goro turned in his seat, pinning his two children with the same cold eyes Kazumi had seen the night before. "From now on, you will be learning how to work for me. You'll learn Italian, you'll learn how to fight and defend yourself, and how to survive. And most importantly, you'll learn how to kill." And truthfully, Kazumi had never been so scared in all her life.
xXx
A loud slap echoed through the training hall as Kazumi was tossed to the ground with brutal force. She was already battered and bruised, but by sheer force of will, she pulled herself off the floor glaring at her opponent as she did. Four years of training at least made her tough enough for this. Once back on her feet, she wiped the blood away from her lip and charged in for another attack. Once again, she was easily countered and tossed to the ground.
"Get up brat." She heard after not moving for a solid minute. That landing had knocked the wind out of her. With a heavy groan, she once again forced her body to do as it was told. Briefly, she looked to the other side of the hall where Fuyuki was at least faring much better than herself. In the last year alone, he had already far surpassed her in physical combat. It would be a matter of time before he surpassed her in everything else too.
It was a strange feeling; seeing her younger brother excel in their training, it made her happy that he was doing so well, but at the same time there was a part of her that hurt, knowing that Fuyuki had been going through all the same things she had, and still coming out on top despite it. The thought was only made worse, knowing that the last time she could remember Fuyuki even complaining, never mind crying, was years ago.
"You going to stand there all day? Or are you going to get your shit together?" Kazumi only had a second to bring her attention back to her trainer, but she only had the time to recognise a heavy fist aiming for her face and then total blackness.
xXx
A knife was put into her hand, and then she was force in front of the shuddering husk of a man. Her instructions? Slit his throat. Bleed him until dead. His face had been covered at least. Thank goodness. And yet, her hand shook. She didn't want to do this. Up until now, she had only been instructed to perform supporting roles. So why now? Why was she suddenly being instructed to kill now?
"Do it." Her hand was still shaking. "Do it, Kazumi." She hesitantly walked forward, knife still shaking in her hand. And suddenly, the bag was ripped off his head, revealing his terrified face. Kazumi stopped walking, her shaking becoming even harder to repress. Why? Why, why, WHY? The lump in her throat was now so large it was impossible to swallow. She couldn't breathe. "Kill him, Kazumi, or you'll be the one dead." And that was all it took. With the threat of death looming over her, she made a swift and clean movement across the man's throat. But for some reason, for a split second, she thought she saw pity on the man's face, replacing the hollow fear that was there before.
Kazumi could breathe again, but it came out laboured. As if she had just ran a marathon. She was going to be sick. A life. She had taken her first life. She felt filthy and weak. Her body shook, and her knees gave out. She could feel the tears on her face, they were as warm as the blood on her hands. She wanted to scream, but there was no sound other than her struggling to keep breathing.
Her first blood. Her first life.
xXx
Kazumi swung her katana with a master's finesse. Her victim didn't even have the chance to make a sound. Not that it mattered. They were just another individual in the opposition of her Famiglia. By now, Kazumi had long lost count of how many people she had slain in the name of the Family. Each time by the order of her father. So it was with practiced indifference that she stepped over the bloody corpse and moved onto the next room. No survivors. That was protocol.
The woman's scream sounded like bloody murder, but that too didn't faze Kazumi. She was silenced quickly enough anyways. It was the child that gave her pause. The eyes of an innocent, uncomprehending like she had once been, starring right back up at her. Her hand, having grown so still ever since her first kill, twitched ever so slightly. She couldn't do it. She wouldn't.
"Go." She said, voice without empathy. "I won't tell you again. Go." And the child, maybe only a year younger than Fuyuki, ran without a sound. Kazumi only followed so that she could also leave. She let the kid go on a whim, but she wouldn't go back on letting him escape. It wasn't until she returned to their base of operations that she was shown just how much that that sympathy would cost her.
The punch made her dizzy. The pain? It was just like the killing, she'd gotten used that a long time ago; she'd become numb to it. The dizziness however was still hard to get over. When it did settle for the moment, she could make out the taste of copper on her tongue, and that was all she needed to know that she was bleeding and that she'd have to patch herself up later. That too had become fairly normal by now. It often seemed like no matter what she did, they would find a reason to beat her as a form of punishment. Though she supposed this time it was warranted. She did let a survivor go, when specifically instructed to leave none.
Her sword was put into her hand, and just like the first time she had done this, she was pushed in front of her victim with a not so gentle reminder that death was the consequence, not just for her, but her brother as well. Needless to say, the kid was terrified. Shaking violently like a leaf in a storm as he stared up at her, ugly tears and snot pouring down his face. He didn't even have the strength to muster up pleas. Kazumi gave him a hollow gaze, a strange sense of calm coming over her as she accepted inevitability and drew her katana, its blade catching the light menacingly. "Sorry kid." She said, all emotion vanished from her voice as she once again swung her sword in the name of Family.
xXx
It was a massacre.
A full assassination squad had been dispatched to deal with an enemy that threatened one of their allies. Though allies was subjective. The Estraneo Famiglia was a mere fragment of itself after the sudden attack on them some years ago. The enemy had merely found one of their remaining outposts, but apparently that particular location stored a number of documents that was of mutual interest to both Famiglia. That was of little consequence to Kazumi. She was only here to eliminate a threat. And eliminate they did.
She didn't know which Famiglia they belonged to. Truthfully, she didn't care. She just wanted to be finished with the job and leave. The less time she had to spend hanging around the corpses they created, the sooner she could get back to other things she had been distracting herself with before this mission. So while her superiors met with the members of the remaining Estraneo, Kazumi patrolled the rooms and halls, looking for any possible stragglers. Not that she expected to find any. They had been rather thorough in their assault. She eventually came upon one of the research rooms. Without a second thought, she entered to continue her scouting, but remained frozen in the doorway once she saw what was inside.
So many children. Strange machinery and children everywhere. And Kazumi couldn't even tell which were alive, and which weren't.
This is what her Famiglia was backing? Child experimentation?!
Kazumi had never left a room so quickly. Nausea and a haunting unease following her with every single step. She couldn't do this. Not after knowing this. Years ago she had already resigned herself to the fate of a killer; built up the necessary walls and masks of emotion to power through the sick feeling she got every time she took a life. But experimenting on children? She couldn't. She was still just a kid herself! But somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that at any point, one of those children could have been her. And just as she was able to get outside to the fresh air, Kazumi felt the walls she worked so hard to build come crumbling down, and for the first time in a very long time, grief overcame her and she wept like the twelve year old child she was.
xXx
It wasn't even a week later that she discovered her ability to summon a flame.
At first she thought she was dreaming. Especially when the pretty blue flame wasn't even hot to the touch; rather she would almost say it was cold. She was only convinced it was real after the third day of consciously being awake, and being able to summon the flame at will. It was a strange phenomenon, that she had absolutely no comprehension of, but dared not bring any attention to it. Least of all she ended up being another Estraneo experiment.
So, the flame remained her little secret.
Any chance Kazumi got to be alone, she would practice using the flame in solitude. And when solo missions were sent her way, practice using it in actual combat. The first thing she learned to do was extend the flame like a coating around her sword. At first she couldn't really tell if it made a difference or not. After all she expected fire to act like fire; leaving behind burns and destruction. But after a number of careful observations, she realizes that yes! The flame really did make a huge difference! Her cuts become finer and more precise.
Kazumi also noted that most of her targets either didn't notice the flame, or were too stunned to say anything at all. But regardless of perception, there was always one thing that remained the same; once she had entered a certain range of her targets, they would start behaving strangely. If she had to put it into words, it was almost like they had calmed into accepting their fate and simply stopped trying to fight her. While it made easy work for her, and certainly less traumatising (if Kazumi was honest), it continued to be a source of curiosity.
Before she knew it, it had been a year of her experimenting with her best kept secret. Once she had perfected using the flame with her sword, she had gotten curious if there were any other uses for it. And it was through that experimentation that she discovered that the flame could change colour. And she found herself completely mesmerized by the sunshine yellow flame in her hand. The application of this flame didn't come as easily to her however, so she put it by the wayside and continued to perfect using the blue flame.
It was another month before Kazumi would meet another person that could also use the strange flame. Except theirs was a raging red, and everything it came into contact with would corrode into dust. If it weren't for the fact that she was locked in the middle of combat with them, Kazumi would have begged them to answer even just a few of the millions of questions she had.
One such question would be, how in the hell did they keep finding her!?
Every time Kazumi swore she found a good hiding spot to recover from her opponent's onslaught of attacks, they would find her and keep the assault coming until she found somewhere else to hide. Just to repeat the same cycle.
"You're making this game too easy for me!" She heard the man shout. "Your Flame is leaking out everywhere. It's too easy to follow you. Can't you at least try and make this difficult?"
Ask and ye shall receive? Kazumi thought, only to ponder on his words. Her flame is what was attracting him? She looked at the blue flame cloaking her sword and decided to dismiss it. She got something of a response almost immediately.
"Not bad. But it's still not enough." The voice had come from behind her, making her jump out of her own skin and scamper to create some distance.
"Explain!" Kazumi demanded, silently wishing her own heart to settle as she tried to regain her composure.
"What is there to explain?" The man asked with a shrug. "You clearly have zero control over your Flames, which means you're nothing but an easy target for people like me." He proceeded to light a bright red flame into his hand. "A pity really. You Rains typically have the upper hand with that Tranquil ability of yours."
"Rain?" Kazumi mimicked, which the man seemed to pick up on and regarded her with curiosity.
"Don't tell me, you don't even know the properties of your own Flame?" When Kazumi shook her head, the man started laughing uncontrollably. "I cannot believe this! A Flame user who actually doesn't know anything about them! Today must be my lucky day!" As soon as he stopped laughing, red flashed through his eyes and mirth was quickly replaced with a look of derangement. "Don't hate me too much once I've killed you, kid."
Instantly Kazumi could feel a chill run through her body. It was only through instinct that she countered the surge of red flame with her own blue one. The fact that she came out of the attack unharmed surprised both of them.
"Huh. So you do know a thing or two after all." He muttered with a very audible tsk while he pulled a dagger out from his coat. "Well, at least you're not a boring opponent, little girl. So do me a favour and keep entertaining me for a little bit." He charged at her, red flame enveloping his knife in the same way her blue one wrapped around her sword.
He was faster than her. And it took nearly all of her concentration to defend against each swing and stab of his blade. Until she thought she noticed something. It wasn't until their weapons had collided a couple more times that she had been certain, but she noticed that where her blue flame came into contact the red one, the red flame would disappear.
"Fine," Kazumi answered, pushing back and creating distance between them again. "In exchange for keeping things interesting, you'll explain what you know about these flames to me."
"Hah? You think you're in a position to bargain, brat?"
"You want an interesting fight, yes? Arguably speaking, clarifying even just a few things for me should make this more to your liking." He was staring at her like she had grown a second head. Until his posture relaxed and he spun his dagger around in his hand.
"Alright, I'll bite. What's plaguing your mind mini-Rain."
"We'll start with that. You call me Rain. What does that mean?" Instantly, the man deflated.
"When you said answering your questions would keep the fight interesting, I didn't think I'd be answering the most basic of questions." He sighed, disappointed. "Flame users will often address each other by their Flame type, especially if they do not know one another. You are a Rain Flame user. I am a Storm. Understood?" Okay, that was simple enough, but still didn't quite answer what she wanted to know.
"So, there are multiple types? How many? What did you mean by Tranquil ability?"
"You can't be serious… There are seven Flames of the Sky; Rain, Storm, Sun, Thunder, Cloud, Mist, and the very Sky itself. Each of them have their own unique properties and abilities. Tranquil Rain, Destructive Storm, Active Sun… Are you going to make me list every single one? Oi, are you even listening?" Kazumi began to ignore him as she processed the information.
Tranquil Rain. She pondered. Tranquility… Calm… Quiet. That made sense. The reactions from her victims made sense now. If her flame gave off an aura and projected it onto people, the Tranquil effect would radiate onto them.
"I have one more question." Kazumi said, cutting into the man's string of profanities as he continued listing off the different properties. "You said my Flame was leaking out. Does that imply you can sense my Flame? How?"
"You know that's two questions, right?" He was clearly annoyed with her already. Kazumi was just lucky he hadn't decided to finish her off already. "Yes, I can sense you. Just like each Flame has a unique ability, each Flame and its user gives off a unique signature, like a finger print. The how simply comes with practice."
"I see…" Kazumi muttered quietly, thoughts racing as she thought on how to apply this new information. "Thank you very much, that has been helpful." She drew on her Rain Flame, watched as the blue ebbed and flowed like water around her sword. "Shall we continue where we left off then?" Kazumi could visibly see the excitement return to her opponent's face.
An hour later, they were both sprawled on the ground, completely exhausted. Kazumi could barely move a muscle. She had never used her Flame this much since she had discovered it. And now, her opponent was already recovering, sitting back up after catching his breath.
"Not bad brat." He complimented. "I don't know how you improved your Flame usage after a simple explanation mid-combat, but you definitely kept the fight interesting. Unfortunately, this fight is your loss. I may have reached the limit of using my Flame, but I can still fight without it. You're clearly done in." And he was on his feet, toying with the dagger in his hand. "But since I've been such a nice guy today, I'm willing to let you live."
"W-why?" Kazumi barely managed, she was having just as much trouble staying conscious.
"Because I had fun. Nothing more, nothing less. You shouldn't ask questions when people throw you a bone, kid." He sighed dramatically. "Plus, I want to fight you again. Once you've improved that is."
"Stop joking." She said, still trying to move, but she really was spent. How was she supposed to get home in this state?
"Nah, I like strong people, and you have a lot of potential." He was looking at her from over his shoulder, and once again Kazumi thought she saw the man's eyes flash red for the slightest moment. "Until next time brat." And just like that, he left her laying in the midst of the rubble of the small town they had destroyed. She didn't make it home until two days later, for which she received another beating followed by a few days of confinement.
xXx
Fate definitely had a strange sense of humour, Kazumi thought. She had been assigned to yet another raid, grouped with some of the best her Famiglia had to offer. Their job this time was to take out another Famiglia that had grown into something of a problem. And a problem they were.
Kazumi realized shortly before the raid began that this was a Famiglia whose members that used Flames were in the majority. And as far as she was aware, she was the only one in her Famiglia that was a Flame user. The worst part was that she wasn't in any position to even recommend calling off the raid. They would probably just kill her if she even made the suggestion. So she sighed and prepared for the worst. So when she heard familiar laughter on the battlefield, she almost felt like laughing herself.
"We meet again, brat!" The same Storm user from more than a year ago was brandishing his dagger while wearing that wicked expression she now recognized as a manifestation off his Flames.
"I suppose we do." Kazumi didn't even hesitate to charge into an attack, taking him by surprise.
"Whoa, look at you! Rain and Sun Flames? You've improved quite a bit since we last saw each other kid." She could tell he was excited just by the way he was observing the Sun Flames around her legs, their Activation properties used to enhance their strength and propel her forward.
"I have you to thank for that." Kazumi answered as she blocked one of his attacks. "Simple though they were, your explanations were more than enough for me to figure out a thing or two since that time."
"Then I expect you not to hold back. Show me what you've got!" He challenged with an excited grin, charging at her with the full force of his Storm Flame. Kazumi strengthened her defensive stance in response, deflecting his attack with the combination of practiced motion and the attributes of both her Flames.
The rest of the battlefield seemed to disappear around them, though it was more that everyone else was giving them a wide birth so as to not get swept up in the destruction that radiated around them. Only a few were able to watch them exchange blows with a sense of awe. Even members from Kazumi's own Famiglia were taken by surprise, having not known that she had become as strong as she was, and thus standing equally to a strong opponent.
It all came to an anti-climactic end when Kazumi spotted an opportunity to gain the upper hand. The briefest of openings, and Kazumi moved in a flash. Throughout the whole fight, she had been making careful use of her Rain Flames; slowing the Storm down bit by bit, so when she used Sun Flames to enhance her speed and close in on him faster than he could keep up with, the look of shock didn't surprise Kazumi at all. Their fight ended with one downward swing.
She towered over his fallen body as she stood there catching her breath. There was a sort of stunned silence as everyone who witnessed the fight examined the aftermath as the dust settled around Kazumi. Absolute destruction was the only description that seemed appropriate. The very ground itself was a mess, which didn't even speak for any of the fallen tress or the damage to the nearby building. And yet, Kazumi simply moved on to the next opponent.
xXx
It had been thanks to Kazumi's efforts that they miraculously ended the raid in victory, even with the heavy casualties and not a single survivor without injury. She was later recognised with a promotion, advancing her to a position that many claimed was only appropriate for the daughter of the man who was second only to the boss himself. Kazumi didn't delight in it, there were far too many cons against the pros.
For one, while she now only had to report to one single person, that person was her father. So while she did gain some freedom in her day-to-day activities, what with basically outranking anyone who would have been her supposed babysitter, she was also shackled with more responsibility, which meant more trouble if she didn't do as she was told.
"I've returned." Kazumi announced, entering her father's office. Another mission completed, and another sac carrying the fingers of her assigned victims.
"Very good. Your next assignment is in that folder." Goro hadn't even looked up from the paperwork on his desk while Kazumi stood with the sac extended towards him. She was looking between him and it, slightly confused. Ultimately she said nothing, taking the folder with her as she left his office to dispose of her evidence. . If no longer needing evidence was a perk of her promotion, she wasn't going to argue.
It wasn't until after she had gotten back to her room, showed and changed, and settled in that she finally bothered to look over her next assignment. Her next target was the child of some Don that had pissed of hers when talks between the two didn't go well.
This was definitely a test.
Her father definitely knew that she hated killing, especially when children were involved. Killing children brought out an emotion even stronger than hatred. But time and time again, he had proven that he didn't care about what Kazumi liked or disliked. He only cared about results. And yet, despite all the misgivings she had about the job, she still obeyed. She did it largely due to self-preservation, because if she was honest with herself, Kazumi didn't want to die. But more than anything else, it was so that Fuyuki didn't have to take on the most brutal of jobs. Not that she was ever given information on his missions; they were never allowed to speak about their tasks. But if she could lessen his burden by sacrificing herself even just a little bit, then she could make do with that.
And that was why she didn't make any complaints about her newest assignment. Plus, there was the bonus of only needing to kill the one target. It was certainly suspicious considering her Famiglia's usual standards, but she wasn't about to ask questions.
Two nights later, Kazumi observed the small family as they prepared to turn in for the night. If she hadn't know better, they appeared to be just like any other ordinary family; loving parents with a son who had a promising future. But what really surprised her, was that the child was actually a young man, roughly college aged. And Kazumi couldn't help but scowl at what was likely deliberate intent to cause her turmoil.
She waited until they each made it to the upper floor before quietly sneaking into the house, easily avoiding all the guards and other hidden security measures. It was almost suspicious how easy it was to sneak into the house of a mafia don, but then again, Kazumi was well aware how much blood, sweat, and tears went into her training. Literately.
As she quietly made her way through the house, Kazumi carefully observed each room she passed without spending too much time on them. She didn't want to stick around too long, least she be discovered. Besides, she was more interested in the photos that hung on the walls, despite knowing she shouldn't get herself too invested into the life of her target. And it was just as she observed earlier; from the outside they appeared nothing but ordinary. So with curiosity carrying her forward, Kazumi began to ascend the stairs.
The house was old, so she took extra care with each step, skipping one if she thought it was unavoidable making a noise. And once she made it to the same level as the target, she was even more careful to blend into the shadows and not make a single sound. It was easy enough; the hallway was pitch black except for the sliver of light coming from under the closest door.
Kazumi moved closer, carefully listening for anything on the other side. When no noise came through, she lightly tested the door handle, until the door almost naturally opened just a crack. She waited a moment, listening and watching the dark hallways in case anyone might have heard the small creak the hinges made, but there was nothing. Thank old houses for being naturally creaky. With the coast clear, Kazumi moved into a position that enabled her to peek through the door.
The Don was seated on a bed at the opposite end of the room, reading glasses on and a book in hand. He was clearly absorbed into whatever he was reading, which further explained the lack of response to creaking doors.
"Ah, that's much better!" Kazumi almost jumped at the sudden voice and quickly tried to distinguish where it had come from. It was the Don's wife, exiting an attached room that Kazumi couldn't see from her position.
"Feeling better then?" The Don asked, moving to place his book on bedside table and focus his attention on his wife.
"Very much so." The woman answered, now crawling into the bed next to her husband, showing off her clearly pregnant belly. The sight made Kazumi freeze in realization. The mission details very clearly said child with no specification of age or gender. Hadn't even said the target's name. Just child.
"WHO'S THERE?" Came the Don's commanding voice. Kazumi hadn't even realized she made a sound. She remained still and silent, trying to watch what the Don would do next. She could see him reaching for his table again, was there a gun hidden in that drawer? Kazumi didn't really want to find out. So she carefully opened the door and stepped into the room.
"Don't move." She warned, narrowing her gaze on the man.
"You? Aren't you Laterza's child?" He was clearly stunned by Kazumi's appearance, which was all she needed to make it across the room and finish opening the drawer in his place. Sure enough, there was a gun inside. Kazumi pocketed it and stepped away from the bed, putting herself in a position where she had the best vantage point, and where they could all clearly see each other. With a smooth motion, Kazumi drew her katana and held it at her side, relaxing into a position that, she hoped, gave the impression that she was in control of the situation. "Why are you here? To kill me? My wife and son?"
"Your unborn child." Kazumi clarified, gesturing to his wife with a nod of her head. Both of their faces turned as white as the sheets they sat on as they floundered to form words to respond with. "You made some powerful people very unhappy recently. I suppose you could say this is their way of retaliating."
"Unhappy? What are you- You can't be serious?" Now the Don was angry, colour coming back to his face. "The proposal they were offering was outrageous! I may be the leader of a small Famiglia, but I stand by the fact that I do have a code of honour."
"That's good to hear. Because I do as well." Kazumi watched as the Don's outrange merged with confusion. "Truth be told, I had no idea your wife was pregnant until I was outside that door. I don't agree with taking the life of children, especially those not even born. So I propose a deal." She definitely had his attention now. Good. "We can all forget this night ever happened; you, your wife, and your son will get away without a scratch. In exchange, I want your resources."
"Resources? What exactly are you looking for?" The Don asked, clearly interested in the turn of events.
"That information isn't part of the deal. Take it or leave it, but keep in mind if you don't, I will have to kill all of you." Kazumi answered, nonchalantly.
"You're by yourself, aren't you?" The Don asked after a moment of silence. "Why should I take your deal when I could just have you disposed of by my guards?" He asked.
"If I thought your guards were going to be a problem for me, I wouldn't have come in here." Kazumi said deadpanned. "Besides, they did a lot of good even noticing I'm here. They didn't even come running when you shouted earlier. Which leads me to believe, your only guards are the ones at the front gate." She continued, calling his bluff. She watched his fists coil tightly over his lap in frustration.
"Explain the details of your plan then. If they satisfy me then I will give you the key to my office and you may have whatever you desire." A dangerous smirk graced Kazumi's lips as she got the desired answer from her target.
xXx
The Don ended up having everything that she could have hoped for, but most importantly, he had a number of safe houses and vacation homes that were now to be used under her sole discretion. It was a plan that had been in the making for a long time, but didn't have the means to enact. Until now.
She stared down at her latest target, bunched up on the floor, crying and shivering in fright as he watched Kazumi take slow and painful steps, one after the other in his direction. Not that she could blame the poor guy. She did make an unexpectedly dramatic entrance…
"Oi," She called, trying to get his attention through the sobbing mess. "If you don't want to die, shut up and listen to what I have to say." He was still shaking in fear, but at least the crying… screaming? Crying-screaming? Either way, it finally stopped. "Let's make a deal." She started, and so it continued for some time.
It didn't always work. In fact it was quite rare that it did. On one hand, there were many who didn't believe her proposal of safety. On the other, there were some who were simply too hard headed to see a good opportunity when it punched them in the face. They were usually the one who had been so ingrained in their ways Kazumi lost all thought of offering them a chance to get away. Fortunately, there were others who were so used to being down on their luck, that all they needed was a little extra convincing.
"SHUT UP BITCH!" They young woman shouted back at Kazumi, holding a knife out in front of her. As if that was going to be enough to protect her. "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR NONSENSE!"
"First of all, rude." She had gotten quite used to the name calling. "Secondly, my offer is genuine. You get to run away, start your life over, and all you have to do is fake your death. And pay a small fee of course." She was still staring at Kazumi, gaze full of distrust.
"That can't be it. What's the rest of the catch?"
"There is nothing else. We both benefit form you pretending to be dead, and I get paid." Kazumi explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Though if you have something more to offer, I wouldn't be opposed." She knew better than to get cocky, but this girl was making it so easy.
"I can seriously just… leave?" Her shoulders began to finally relax as she began to properly proceed what had just happening]
"As long as you keep up your end of the deal, then yes. You can just leave."
xXx
A knee to her gut had her dropping to the floor, but the kick that followed had her coughing up blood and gasping for air. Kazumi was pulled up from the floor by the roots of her hair, and she barely had the strength to let out a pained cry. She was forced into a kneeling position in front of her father, in front of an audience of most of the Famiglia, as she tried to focus and keep the room from spinning.
"How many times do we have to go through this, Kazumi?" Goro was glaring at her, green eyes sharp and piercing. "How many times must I discipline you before you finally get it and conform to our practices?" Now that she thought about it, her little tryst of letting people go had gotten a little too successful lately…
From the corner of her eye, she recognized a few of the people sitting bound to chairs. Every single one of them were people she had let get away. Evidently, it appeared that her meddling had been found out, and now she was being punished for once again being disobedient.
"I'm done." Kazumi managed to breathe out, barely above a whisper. "I'm not going to commit murder on your behalf anymore." If she was going to die anyways, she might as well make her stance clear, right to the very end.
"Is that so?" Goro asked, fiddling with his favourite gun as he did. There was a strange sense of calm and acceptance in his tone, almost as if he had expected her response. And without a moment's hesitation, a shot was fired, and one of the people sitting in the chairs was dead. "So you plan to go against your Famiglia?" Another shot, and another person dead. "You plan to go against your orders as you see fit?" Another. "If you don't plan to serve Kazumi, then you will die." There was one victim left, but now the barrel of Goro's gun was pointed at Kazumi.
"Then kill me. I'd rather be dead." Goro frowned at her response but quickly decided to alter his aim before firing another shot. Half expecting to feel the pain of the bullet herself, Kazumi tensed, only the pain hadn't come. So she listened, but the sound of someone getting hit hadn't come from the same direction as the other victims either. So she opened her eyes, and lift her head, only to find that the bullet had hit the person she least expected.
"FUYUKI!" Kazumi shouted, struggling against the strength of Goro's men who were holding her in place. Her brother's body had fallen to the floor, and she couldn't do anything but stare with wide-eyed panic. "WHY? WHY, WHY, WHY?! WHY WOULD YOU KILL HIM?! HE WAS OBEDIENT! HE WAS OBEDIENT! HE DID EVERYTHING HE WAS TOLD! WHY?!" She desperately cried and shouted until her voice turned hoarse, while tears making a mess of her face.
"Because, you so adamantly want to die, your punishment is to live. And proof, that even the best and most obedient dog is expendable." Goro answered, and his gaze was the coldest Kazumi had ever seen it in her whole life. "You will do as you are told from this point forward, or I will have the rest of the targets you let free be hunted down and brought to your feet to be killed by your own hands. If you don't then I will go out of my way to make sure the people you are trying to protect suffer in the most brutal ways possible." Kazumi remained frozen, her eyes laser focused on her brother's body motionless on the floor across from her. "Now, can we please get this over with? Kill your target, and get this mess cleaned up"
Kazumi was finally released, practically thrown to the floor, and she barely had the strength left to pick herself back up, let alone take hold of her sword that had also been thrown in front of her. After what felt like a millennia, she stood before the remaining victim. It just so happened to be the mistrustful woman she had let escape recently, her face full of fear and tears, Kazumi almost thought she was a mirror to herself. So as she readied her blade with soulless effort, Kazumi managed to put on a mask of pity.
"I'm sorry." She said, and tried to make it as painless as possible.
A/N: Apologies if towards the end it seems rushed. I just really wanted to get this chapter out! Finally!
Happy reading!