Chapter 44
The Most Boring Hour of My Life
When I was certain he was going to kill me, my mind went blank, and I didn't have any hope anymore. All I could do was scream my lungs out. I felt so helpless, I couldn't even bring myself to believe someone might save me. And then you showed up Al, and I realized that if we don't take care of each other then no one else will. So I'll do anything in my power to get our bodies back, even if it means being the military's lap dog. And we'll just have to hope our powers are good enough to help us rise above our own limits. Because we're not Gods, we're humans, tiny insignificant humans, who couldn't even save a little girl. - Edward Elric (I read this and started crying. I'm a wuss)
Today's Reviewer Quote!
100 dollars for a box weapon that you can use easily to level a city and don't have to buy ammo for except for charging them with flames made of your own will? o.o Please lead me to the nearest store - Lanaught
writing a professional letter to someone... writes back with a letter simple and casual as fuck... EFFORT WASTED! - palmtoptiger-san
Oh gosh though, imagine propagation Magikarp. LOLOL. I think Verde just trolled Yuni with the box weapon. - xThaumaturgic
Hah! See that, you bros? Yuni/Riza fuckin' sacrificed her life for you guys and look how you treated her! You better feel bad! She even spent a shit load of money on your fuckin' weapons instead of on the Pokemon Rangers that she really wanted! - MeLikesROFL
Yuni could easily win the I was kidnapped contest. With Alphonse coming second. They would have awesome stories to share. Awesome in a different sense though. "I was kidnapped by Chimeras" "I was kidnapped by professional assassins, stuffed in a potato bad, survived, and returned without anyone noticing I was gone" "Wow you escaped that quickly!" "Nope I was there a few days. I made new friends there too." "..." "Another time I was kidnapped by the assassin group. And survived again." "There was also another kidnapped attempt by a baby who was technically my subordinate." "What happened then." "I lit a ring on fire. I got randomly pissed and lit another ring on fire. I also wasted thousands of dollars worth of money" "what did you buy?" "Rings and boxes." "..." "There was also another half-kidnapped by the most awesome sexy beast called Hibari" "Why is it half? Did the attempt fail" "Hibari. Fail! It does not happen! He had permission from my uncle who was a baby at the time." "..." "Not in order by the way." - shirokuromokona
Sorry if you don't like the reviewer quote things... they were all so awesome, I had to share.
Byakuran eyed me, curiously. "Yuni-chan?"
I stared, as blankly as I could possibly manage, back. "Yes."
I had to pretend to be under the drug, all the way up until the Choice Battles. It was the only way to remain conscious and gather information, while being under my own control - not Byakuran's.
Which means, basically, that I was going to have the most plain and boring life ever.
I wasn't confident enough in my acting abilities that I'd be able to trick Byakuran right away; hopefully, he'd give me some kind of task to prove my loyalty and I'd be able to complete it, to make him trust - kind of - in me.
The lithium that had been entered into my system was instant acting, which had made making a counteract drug difficult, but not impossible. Verde managed to create an instant cure, that once administered into my body, would take out all of the lithium.
So I was 100% under my own control, thanks to Verde.
...I never thought that I would ever say/think that.
"Tell me the name of Dino-kun's ultimate technique and how to counter it." Byakuran challenged.
"Salto Volante Veloce Come Luce, or the Jumping Flying Fast Like Light." I recited, from memory. There was Omerta, but if I didn't tell Byakuran, he'd drug me again or worse. "Up, down, right, right, down, forward, left, right, down, right, up, down, left, left, right, down, left, down."
I half-expected the Vindice to come out of nowhere, but nothing happened. Byakuran probably did something that prevented them from knowing, or because he already knew (due to his parallel world-knowledge), and I was repeating knowledge that he already had, then the Vindice wouldn't be hounding me about giving away secrets.
He smirked, triumphantly. "I have complete control over you, Yuni-chan." his cool fingers tapped my forehead, trailing down my cheek. I didn't move.
IT WAS JUST MIND-RAPE, MOTHERFUCKERS, BUT NOW HE'S GOING FOR THE LITERAL THING! IMMA DIEEEEEEEE.
Calm yourself, Yuni.
Oh yeah. Sorry.
Byakuran smiled, again, at me. "Now, lets convince you of who you really are -or, should I say, will be."
That was the death sentence. Or otherwise known as the sentence of the-most-boring-hour-of-my-freaking-life.
The conversation went like this:
"Yuni-chan, you shall obey my every order."
"Yes, Byakuran."
or like this:
"Yuni-chan, you will be second-in-command, but have no power."
"Yes, Byakuran."
or like this:
"When Gamma-kun asks you whats wrong and tries to touch you, refuse to allow him to touch you and say that you belong to me and me alone. And that if he tries to touch you again, you'll have him killed."
"Yes, Byakuran."
You have no freaking idea how creeped out I was after that last one. I mean, is the guy trying to seem like a rapist? I think he was. But that may have been just me.
The door opened, and I walked out, my expression carefully blank and all emotions tucked away. No one could know of my plan. No one. I'd have to learn (by travelling to parallel worlds, of course) how to put up mind blocks that no one could infiltrate.
I supposed no one had told Mukuro of the upcoming war between the Giglio Nero - now Millefiore, I guess - and the Vongola, because he hadn't tried to contact me. And Fran was too freaking mad at me to even consider it. I guess when he cooled down (that might take years, folks), then he would try, for the good of the Vongola, but I would already have learned to put up mental blocks.
Gamma crossed the hall in two steps, I swear, and knelt in front of me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Princess? Princess?! Are you alright?! Did he do anything-"
I knocked his hands away (I am ashamed to admit that I felt like a total pimp when I did that), stepping back in line with Byakuran (furry bastard). "Do not touch me, Gamma."
His expression read horrified. "W-What? Whats wrong?!"
"I belong..." I paused for a moment, trying not to laugh or show how creeped out I was on my face. "I belong to Byakuran and Byakuran alone, Gamma. If you try and touch me again, I shall have you killed."
Gamma turned to Byakuran, growling in pure anger. "What did you do to her, Byakuran?"
Said man let out an easy laugh, as if he hadn't just mind-raped an innocent child (or at least, I like to consider myself so). "Why're you blamin' me, Gamma-kun?"
"I'll kill you!" Gamma snarled, lunging forward.
Thinking quickly, I threw myself between the two, stretching my arms out, as protectively blank as I could be. "Gamma, stop."
The man froze, looking into my - Yuni's, really - face, before howling at who knows what, "BYAKURANNNNN!"
After Gamma's cheerful meltdown, I sent a message (under Byakuran's orders) to the rest of the Giglio Nero.
To: All Giglio Nero Members
From: ProdigiousPokemonMaster
Attention,
We are no longer the Giglio Nero. We have combined with the Gesso, under Byakuran, with the name of 'Millefiore'. He is the supreme commander and I am second. You shall treat his orders as the orders of God. He is superior to me. If anyone treats him with disrespect or attempts to harm or insults Byakuran, I shall remove you from the world myself.
There shall be two divisions of the Millefiore, the White Spell (the Gesso) and the Black Spell (the Giglio Nero). The White Spell is the Black Spell's superior. Treat them like it.
We shall be giving the Mare Rings to Byakuran as a symbol of our coming together, and he, in response, shall be providing us with Box Weapons and uniforms. He is as generous as he is powerful.
And no one is allowed to call me 'Princess' or any of the foolish names that had been previously established. I shall be called 'Yuni-sama' or the 'Black Spell Commander'.
The Black Spell Commander,
Yuni-sama
I felt awful, my stomach churning after I wrote that message. Byakuran simply nodded in approval. I mean, 'as generous as he is powerful'? What the fuck, Byakuran? What. The. Fuck.
The next day, the Giglio Nero moved out of their base and into the Gesso base. In an attempt to enforce the idea of 'Millefiore' instead of 'Gesso' or 'Giglio Nero', Byakuran had the Gesso burn our base to the ground, along with the surrounding area. All that remained was a bunch of burned, dead flowers and a husk of a foundation.
Byakuran had already been prepared for the combination of our families, and already had uniforms.
I was the first of the Giglio Nero to put mine on.
I looked like a freaking hooker. My black Millefiore top was tight (which was pretty freaking awkward, let me tell you), and displayed my stomach (which creeped me out). My shorts were pretty much non-existant, short and black. I mean, seriously, Katy Perry wouldn't have even worn these in her 'California Girls' video. And in that video, she was naked on a freaking cloud. That tells you how awful those shorts were.
But then there was this random strip of fabric around my thigh, like 'Sup, bitches, I'm a hooker, nice to meet you'. And then I had to put on the white cape.
The cape wouldn't have been too bad, if I hadn't had to wear the big, heavy shoulder pads with the new Millefiore emblem on it.
Great.
After I finished dressing and went to show Byakuran (he had insisted... I guess its better than him watching me change.), he tutted, waggling his finger around in front of me, like I had screwed up. "Yuni-chan! You forgot your cute hat!"
He plunked that stupid thing onto my head, and I gave him a flat look. "Yes, Byakuran."
That phrase seemed to be all I could say nowadays.
On a night when I can't sleep, I slip out of my room
Look up at the sky, and feel the wind
Listening closely and watching intently
If this scenery and this wind
Are someone's creations
Then is this me, who is here now, also
A creation?
Even if I tried to ask or search for it
The answer wouldn't exist anywhere
As if burying a puzzle that is missing pieces
Even if I gather far and wide for the pieces of my memory
That which have been lost are unfindable
If these memories and recollections
Aren't real things
Then what in the world is this feeling
That I'm feeling now?
Even if I sharpened in the darkness
The answer wouldn't exist anywhere
The blue sky, the sound of winds, the warmth of grass
The sunset, the starry sky, smiling faces
If these memories and recollections
Aren't real things
Then who in the world is this me
Who is here now?
If this world and everything
Are a world that someone created
Then what in the world is this me
Who is here now?
Even if I faced and asked the sky
The answer isn't here
I am here now.
-Boku wa Koko ni iru, 'I am Here', by Kugimiya Rie (Alphonse Elric)
When he ushered me out in front of all the new Millefiore, to display my uniform, as some sort of freaking model, the Black Spell was silent. I think that even they were embarrassed for me.
Then again, I look like I belong on a middle school-version of Playboy magazine, so I shouldn't exactly be talking.
The White Spell, on the other hand... They were cheering, like they had just won the fucking Superbowl.
Crazy bastards...
I recognized a few people like Iris Hepburn and Ginger Bread (who was just a doll being manipulated by Alejandro, a Vindice) among them.
I mentally compared my uniform to Iris Hepburn's, a fellow female in the wonderful world of the Millefiore.
My top was embarassingly tight. So was hers.
My shorts were short. Her skirt was short.
Therefore, I came up with a hypothesis: Byakuran is a pervert.
Really? Is that what you're going to end up doing with your life?
Probably. I do have like a month until Tsunayoshi-chan's death, and then like a few months after that until the Melone Base battle. And then there's an entire freaking week where I have to wait before the Choice. THEN I have to find a way to get to Choice.
Your problems are so stressful; I don't know how you do things.
Oh, don't sass me, Mao.
And that hypothesis? Really?
I can't believe I hadn't figured it out sooner. I mean, he did randomly kidnap a young child (getting Orochimaru vibes here), and told her that she belonged to him and him alone.
It was not like that.
I dunno... It sure seems like it. I think you're in denial. I guess it's a good thing you're looking out for me, right?
Y-Yup!
You're disturbed by the White Spell's cheering, aren't you?
A little.
It's okay, I am too.
I found that I had a lot of spare time on my hands. As second-in-command, I wasn't that important (that is such an oxymoron.), and didn't have to attend meetings unless all of the other squad leaders had to. And during those meetings, I just agreed with Byakuran the entire time. It was pretty awkward though, considering how Gamma's eyes were always on me, throughout the entire thing.
So on one of the afternoons where Byakuran was off, like destroying the Vongola or killing the Arcobaleno or something, I sat, criss-cross applesauce, on my throne (yes, I had a throne. That was the best thing that had happened to me, since the Millefiore was formed), focusing.
I snapped open my eyes, and found myself in the white space, the way that I could travel between time and space.
Tell the pacifier where you want to go.
Yeah, I still had the Sky Pacifier. After taking Skull's pacifier from the dying Arcobaleno (I had been so upset after he had died, by the Gesso's hands, before the Millefiore. I was terrified as to what my response would be when Fon-sama or Reborn...), Byakuran realized that the pacifier lost its color once it was taken from its true owner. But by then, Skull had already died.
So Byakuran had allowed me to keep the Sky Pacifier, probably to preserve its power until he needed it or sometihng, but took the Cloud Ring from me. He had given a Fake Cloud Ring to Iris Hepburn, immediately after, but I hadn't missed the way that his hand had slipped into his pocket and switched out the Rings.
I had my Cloud Box secured to my waist, under my cape, and I had been practicing opening it by using the A-Rank Ring that I had purchased from Verde.
"Pacifier, take me to a point in time where someone learns how to create mental blocks." I spoke clearly.
After using the Arcobaleno Traveling System (as I so fondly referred to it as), I had figured out that in both the future and the past of all worlds, what I had requested hadn't always applied to me.
For example: If I asked the Pacifier to take me to a world where I loved Torikabuto (shudder... I had actually tried that before), nothing had happened, because there was no world in existence that that had happened.
But if I asked the Pacifier to take me to a world where someone (not me, in specific) loved Torikabuto, then it would be able to take me to a world where he was a little kid, playing with his mother (the someone) who loved him.
I find that that makes total sense.
Instantly, the white plain was gone, and I was sitting at the head of the Varia table, of all places.
The room was empty, but I couldn't tell if I had been in the past or the future.
"Pacifier, make me invisible!" I squeaked, fearful. "No, better yet, Pacifier, make me intangible and invisible."
If I was in the past, I would be considered an intruder and killed.
If I was in the future, I would be considered an enemy/traitor/intruder and killed.
So if they couldn't see me, then I was good. But if I was just invisible and a wine glass missed Squalo, I'd end up all injured. So just be a ghost.
Fran walked into the dining room, all nonchalant. "Alright, Shishou. Coast is clear."
I couldn't sit on the chair anymore (I went right through it), so I had to stand, awkwardly, off to the side.
Judging by Fran's age, I was about three-four-five years in the past. So this was around the time when he had that crush on Sasagawa Kyoko.
Mist filled the room, and I looked around, expectantly. Mukuro's body formed, and he clenched a leather-gloved fist. "Kufufu, alright, you sad excuse for an apprentice."
"You mean, you're the sad one." Fran interrupted, rudely. "You're the sad excuse for a master, you pineapple-headed freak."
I tried not to laugh. They could probably still hear me. "Pacifier." I whispered. "Make me soundproof."
They didn't even look up. Alright, clear.
"Today's lesson is on the mind." Mukuro said, with every aspect of a teacher. "How to form mind-blocks, or how to keep people out of your mind."
Fran looked bored. "Why should I bother? You're just going to be stupid and break in again."
Said 'stupid' man's eye twitched, but he completely ignored it, going on. "It has to do with the Dying Will Flames-"
"You mean that fire stuff?" Fran cut in, rubbing his nose. "When Sawada-sempai gets shot by that baby, Maternity, or whatever, and strips?"
I cracked a smile. Fran could do that to a person... when he's not mad at them.
I felt my eyes sting, with tears. I wiped at them, hurriedly. I had missed him and his stupidity so much more than I thought I had.
Mukuro looked offended. "I do not strip! And it's Reborn, not Maternity, you fool."
The fool gave Mukuro a sarcastically sympathetic look. "It's okay, Shishou. Just because you're a closet-stripper, it doesn't mean that we'll accept you any less. We hate you, regardless."
Mukuro facepalmed. "The Dying Will is powered by one's resolve. When you can form it as a flame outside of one's body-"
Here, Mukuro lit up his hand in Mist Flames.
"-like this," he displayed it to a very uninterested Fran. "then it can be used in a physical battle."
"I know that." Fran deadpanned. "Boss beats up the long-haired shark captain with that all the time. Either the captain or the lightning pervert. I have a theory that it all depends on the brand of steak that Boss eats. If he eats Rumba brand steak, then he attacks the long haired shark captain. If he eats AngusPride steak, then he attacks the lightning pervert. It's all very specific-"
"I don't care!" Mukuro snapped, his patience wearing thin. "Anyways. If you light up your flames in the physical world, it can be used in a physical battle."
"Cool story, bro." Fran complimented, clapping his hands. "Don't tell it again."
"And if you light up your flames in the mind, the non-physical world, it can be used in non-physical battles." Mukuro explained, trying to end the lesson.
Fran blinked. "Non-physical battles? Like that Pokemon Rangers game?"
Mukuro growled. "No, you stupid human! Like battles of the wills!"
"What kind of stupid battle is that?" Fran drawled. "'The Battle of the Wills'. That just sounds like Will and Will are going to try to beat up each other. But then comes Willa and she PWNs their asses."
"I'm leaving." Mukuro announced, fading into nothing. "I can't take your stupidity."
As he faded, I felt myself being tugged into the white plain again.
Just a few more seconds. I wished, staring into the face of my best friend who I could no longer speak to without screaming at. I wish I could...
Apologize?
Yeah. I smiled, faintly. Exactly.
The worst thing about being in the Millefiore was being alone. The Black Spell didn't trust me anymore (they had all found out about what had gone down between Gamma and I), the White Spell creeped me out and there was no way in fucking hell that I was going to talk to freaking Byakuran.
Not to mention, I was apparently 'mind-raped', so I had the freedom equivalence of a panda, in captivity.
And I hated it.
.
.
.
.
.
I was a bird with clipped wings, shoved in a cage, the door slamming shut behind me. I cry and cry, but no one else hears me. Because I am the bird that makes no sound, suffering in silence.
I made a website (oh no, not another). Yes, another. Have any of you read 'Dreaming of Sunshine' for the Naruto fandom, by Silver Queen? She has a Chapter Guide website, and I was inspired by it and made one of my own. Link is on my profile, at the bottom. I'm looking for administrators/people to help out. It's so much work, lol. PM me if you want to help out, and leave me your email address, so I can add you to the administrators list.
One of my readers, Anello Della Campana, has suggested the wonderful idea of having a fanmade drama CD for The Truth of the Sky. It's a brilliant idea, but we need voices. All you have got to do is record your voice, talk/read their own introduction (so we can figure out what position to give your voice) and tell what character or characters you want to be. And then, you must upload it to SoundCloud (no biggy. Just create an account and it's done.). PM me or her the link once you're done! Later those will be discussed and we'll choose what character you'll become. If you have questions, PM her or me and we'll do our best to clarify things for you. I've already had a few entries, so keep 'em coming.
Reviews (OMG, 600 !)
akuma-chan25300 - If I had to choose between Kyoko/Yamamoto (admit it, it'd be interesting) or Gokudera/Haru? I think I like Haru/Gokudera better, but I wanna write about Kyoko. Maybe a Kyoko/Tsuna. And a dragon for her box weapon? That's freaking awesome.
NAO-chan33 - Poor Yuni/Riza/whoeverthefucksheis. D: I was also thinking something Pokemon related for her Box Weapon...PIKACHU, MOTHERFUCKERS, actually I dunno. Maybe a Dragon-type or something... I can just smell the research coming. Tsuna probably does know, with his Hyper Intuition of Badass (HIB, that's the new acronym), but he can't contact her, because she blocked and stripped all of their information from her systems and their systems. And if that whole 'Yuni's awesome, and you treated her like the fucking shit on the side of the road' rant didn't have cuss words, it would have been UNEXTREME. I love long reviews:) they make me happy.
Ingmina - Lol, something from Yuni's game with the propagation factor; 50, 000, 000, 000 Pikachu's or something.
Maso-chan - I know its moving slowly, but I don't want to go too fast...I feel like I am. -_- inner turmoil.
Rd - It was 1.50 for two pens. THEY ROCK. Oh, you're crying the Mississippi River? I'm crying the Great Lakes.
Unkown Being - A red panda? lol, YES. "Let's go, Reeeed Panda!" Fran is an asshole when he's angry. But we all love him anyways.
Khorale - I haven't decided whether or not to make it a weapon box or animal box. A bunny? HOW ABOUT... chinchilla.
shirokuromokona - Alphonse is pretty good at being kidnapped, isn't he? It's just one of his many skills~ Like he was kidnapped by the chimeras, Pride freaking possessed his body, and then his dad locked him in a mountain with Pride. Always fun :3 And sorry that Yuni wasn't totally mind-trolling Byakuran. There are some occasions that call for the good ol' mind-troll and others that call for the serious expression and munching of marshmallows.
scarfy - How do I manage to pull 2 chapters out of freaking nowhere? JESUS-POWERS ACTIVATE.
SophieQueenOfTheWorld - If you like my Drama CD plan, then check out my website, too :) Link's on my profile. I love Naruto, too! Maybe I could do an OC-inserted-into-a-naruto-character's body.
Guest - I'm just that fucking-awesome *hairflip, but hair smacks my face*
Paigecat - Right now, she has the Sky box that she tried to open with the Cloud Ring (notice how Verde didn't take it back?) and a Cloud Box. A pegasus and a freaking dinosaur? I think that something to do with Pokemon would fit Yuni well. I like the pegasus idea, though. And Byakuran told her that there would be marshmallows, but not that he would have the marshmallows. I dunno, I'm nitpicking. Fran is too good to be Sasuke, I see how it is. RETURN ALPHONSE. NOW.
Pailrose - I AM JUST THAT AWESOME, YEAH. *no*
CC - NO ONE IS AS AWESOME AS ITACHI- *dies* Yuni's mind hasn't been taken over by Byakuran in this story. He tried to drug her, but she counteracted the drug using Verde's badassness. Songs? Oh, I don't know... look at my website, though. I added in this thing called 'Yuni's iPod', with links to all her songs that have been in the story. I have to add this one to it...
FreeWeirdGal - I dunno if I should go past the Future Arc into the manga. I haven't read the manga, so I'd have to put this story on like a month hiatus as I plan things out and read the manga. If you all want to wait that long. Yuni treated the tonfas with fear, because they set on freaking fire. And how did Fran's mom die? In a freaking fire.
CuteDork - FAYGO rocks. Your favorite pop is Faygo?
Eurwen de Vrill - I read the words 'Pureblood Asian' and I was like DRACO FREAKING MALFOY, and that made me think of the Draco video on Harry Potter Puppet Pals, where it's like 'Pureblood white- I mean, wizard!' and it's like HAHAHAHAHA. I'm a halfblood asian.
Vanessa Celestine Blanchette - I dunno what was up with that. I think I'm tired. -_- It's like a Drama CD, with voice actors reading my story. *shrug*
happytth - I love it too. :D
MeWubFranxx - I like uni-ball pens cuz they have her name in them :)
MeLikesROFL - Stayin' alive, Stayin' alive, is what I instantly think of when I'm writing about Yuni's Millefiore adventures.
Autore Reita - I think I'm going to write an entire section on everyone's facial expressions once they find out why she had done this. It's gonna be fun XD
xThaumaturgic - That wasn't offensive at all! I suck at grammar... It's the low point of my life. I don't have a beta, really. Is it really that good? Thanks :D I'm trying not to be all like super complimented right now, but you're making it hard to stay humble. I update a lot (I have no life, lol), which is probably why I have a lot of readers on this story. ByakuRUN, that's funny, how did I miss that, lol? She would have like something totally freaking awesome, like a lion (ROAR) or something really lame, like a chinchilla (AWWW~). Propagation Magikarp, now I really want to use that, ahahaha! I hope you do the drama CD :) I love reading long and proper reviews (it's kind of awkward, when people are like 'Good. Update', when its like 'I update every other freaking day!'. Thanks :)
palmtoptiger-san - Yuni, of all people, wrote a nice letter and Byakuran just totally trolls her in response. Bitch.
The Ice Sorceress - Byakuran? Share his marshmallows? That's like...asking Xanxus to become a vegetarian. NOTHAPPENING.
Michiyo - Is your arm alright? I hope you're okay.
Lanaught - The nearest store? Right this way, lol. Well, would you rather stab yourself or be mind-raped? YOUR CHOICE, lol.
coldgazeproduction - Does your sister read my story?
So many reviews... I blame the double-update. *shakes head*
QUESTION:
Should Yuni have an awesome Box Weapon/Animal of badassness (for example, a dragon or Gyarados [I feel like it should be Pokemon-related]) or a lame Box Weapon/Animal of badassness (for example, a chinchilla or Magikarp or that Tangela thing)?
Remember, she has two Box Weapons (the Sky one that she never gave back to Verde and tried to open with the Cloud Ring, and the Cloud Box).
Leave a review!
Leave a propagation Magikarp (I cannot get that out of my head, xThaumaturgic)
Expect an update sometime this week (not tomorrow, I have the orthodontist. -_-)
LeoInuyuka