Chapter 14
Chapter 28
"Byakuran-kun?'
"Yes, Bermuda-Chan?"
"How would you like to come live in Vendicare?"
For a brief moment, a serious looked replaced the other's mischievous smile,"...Do you have marshmallows?"
"Yes."
"Sure!" The younger's smile was practically blinding as he removed another marshmallow from the top of Bermuda's cake, "Why not?"
"Tell me you Did Not bring him home with you."
"I did not bring him home with me."
"Bermuda, Don't lie to me."
Unseen to the elder a brief frown found its way to the younger's face, "I can't do both Jager. Do you want me to tell you I Did Not bring him home or do you want the truth?"
"... Truth."
"Alright, I brought Byakuran-kun home with me and offered him to live here."
"Absolutely Not!"
If Jager was still capable of it, the golden-eyed man was certain he would have had a heart attack. It was bad enough His Lord insisted upon eating cake with his 'Almost Killer' from the 'Future that Never Was' but now he expected them to live with him?
No, Nein, Nyet, Absolutely Not!
Judging from the slight shifting within the shadows and the rapid appearance of what appeared to be every Vindice in Vendicare- each of them baring a chain and some even more than that as they attempted to drown the Silverette in Killing Intent- Jager was certain he wasn't the one baring such thoughts.
"Jager, I-"
"Bermuda, I don't care what ditch you pulled him out of; Just put him back."
"I can't-"
"Then tell me what rock he crawled out from under and I'll throw him back himself."
Though none could see it, Bermuda could feel his eyes twitching beneath the bandage as he glowered up at the older, "Jager, Let me finish."
Silence consumed the room as the two glared each over down before a resigned sigh left the golden-eyed man, "You have five minutes and not a second longer."
Even though he was allowing His Lord time to explain himself, The golden eyed Vindice was already planning the most agonizing way of throwing the Silverette out of the darkened halls and sealing the gate -maybe even sealing the prison itself into its personal dimension, better safe then sorry after all- as there was nothing His Lord could say that would convince him to allow that Devil into their homes.
"Tsunayoshi-kun is attempting to use Byakuran-kun's ability to look into Parallel Worlds to find Harry Potter."
...Fuck...
"You know, Lord Bermuda; if we kill him he can't tell anyone anything."
A heavy sigh left the smaller, "Jager.." as he shook his head- One day, the Ex-Night Arcobaleno swore he would figure out exactly what Byakuran did to have Jager constantly after the silverette's blood-"No. Just no.."
"You know, I could always play the part for you."
Slowly two sets of heads turned towards the smiling Silverette as he plucked another marshmallow from his bowl with clear amusement in his eyes.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Harry Potter, I know every timeline concerning him and how he acted. If you want I can play the part- a decoy, I suppose- of savior for you."
"You want to pretend to be Harry Potter...Why?"
Byakuran's smile grew as he met the toddler Vindice Warden's bandaged face, "Why not? Its a win-win for everyone. Tsunayoshi will leave Vendicare alone, Jager can kick me out without actually having to kick me and You can continue on while everyone else remains obvious."
"And what do you get out of this?"
"Me?" The Silverette's Cheshire Smile slowly grew until it was all but splitting his face, "I get to screw with everyone. "
Though the other couldn't see it, Bermuda couldn't help but grant the younger a deadpanned look, "So, in other words, you just want to Troll everyone."
If Jager and the rest didn't hate the brat, Bermuda would have offered him a place in the Vindice. After all, he was already surrounded by oversized children, what was one more?
"Exactly~"
For a moment silence consumed the room as Inhuman eyes stared down the Silverette before; "It'll never work."
"Why not?"
"They know Harry Potter is a Vindice thanks to the information you previously granted Tsunayoshi-kun. Last I checked you were not a Vindice and under constant watch." Still, the silverette's had granted him an idea, "The Mafia would know better but London's Magical Community on the other hand..."
The Vindice Warden slowly trailed off allowing Jager and Byakuran-kun to fill in the blanks themselves. Judging from the widening of the Silverette's smile- which in turn showed far too many teeth to ever be considered friendly- the Silverette was well on the same path as himself. Jager sighed while his lone golden eye glanced towards the ceiling as though it held all the answers, "May God have Mercy on their unfortunate souls."
"I'm sure most of them will survive."Though their sanity, on the other hand, would likely be shredded into God only knows how many pieces... Oh well, it wasn't his problem. He had enough of his own, Thank you very much.
"Tsunayoshi-kun, I beginning to suspect you enjoy living within my prison."
The brunette could feel his face burning bright as he huddled further into the cover one of the Vindice- which he was at least thirty percent certain had been Jack- all but threw on the mostly naked teenager as the Vindice Warden turned his bandaged face towards him.
"You are aware Public Nudity is illegal unless within certain premises, are you not?"
"Y-yes."
"Then I always trust you're aware Destruction of Property is also illegal?"
"Y-yes, but it wasn't that bad.. I mean surely we can fix it so-"
Though he couldn't see it, Tsunayoshi could all but feel the other's inhuman eyes all but piercing his very soul.
"Tsunayoshi-kun, you sunk an entire island. There's nothing left to fix."
Oh...
"Do you know how many cities were on that island? Villages? People?"
"Well..." The brunette couldn't help but shift uneasily at the others lecturing tone- feeling much like a child who had just been caught with their hand inside the Forbidden Cookie Jar- as he looked anywhere but at the infant sized warden across the table, "No-"
"There were seven major cities, Thirteen villages and Two hundred sixty-four thousand nine hundred and three people. Six hundred of those people are still missing and the rest are now homeless thanks to your actions; Tsunayoshi-kun."
A heavy silence filled the office as chocolate eyes finally glanced back to the Ex-Night Arcobaleno, "I'm not leaving anytime soon, am I?"
"No, Tsunayoshi-kun, you're not."
The younger of the two couldn't help but slump into his seat- half wishing the floor would swallow him whole or that he at least sunk with the island- before sighing in defeat, "I'll show myself to My Cell then."
Though at this rate, it might as well be referred to as the second bedroom- he spent more time in there then he did his own bedroom at the Vongola Mansion.
"I'll inform Jager. Since you've already missed lunch, he'll have to bring you something to eat and some proper clothing by, so do try not to get lost again Tsunayoshi-kun. We recently added to the lower levels after all."
Had Tsunayoshi had x-ray vision he would have noticed the rather amused grin upon Bermuda's face at his rather paling skin; as the brunette nodded quickly before rushing from the office in hopes of locating his cell before whatever was now wondering the lower floors decided the visit the upper.
Once he was certain the Vongola Decimo was well out of hearing range; Bermuda turned his head slightly so he could glance at his shadow from the corner of his eye.
"Jager, bring me Reborn-kun next. "
After all, the 'World's Best Hitman' had shot the Dying Will Bullet that started this whole disaster -and therefore helped cancel his and Jager's plans for a peaceful vacation back in their island- it was only fair he shared in Tsunayoshi-kun's punishment.
"Yes, Lord Bermuda."
"- Therefore conquering the world so I can make eating anything but marshmallows are forbidden. So... what is your New Years Revolution, Bermuda-Chan?"
"Me? I just want one week- seven whole days and nights- without having to deal with Vongola's insanity."
"I could help with that."
"Oh?"
"All you would have to do is give me back the Mare-"
Crash!
"...Jager, what have I said about kicking people out the window?"
"...To open it first..."
A soft sigh left the Vindice Warden as he looked away from the remains of the shattered stain glass window, "Well at least he landed in the lake this time."
There was someone in his prison.
Of course, that was no surprise, there was always someone in Vendicare- be it guard or prisoner- since its founding; but there was someone wondering his halls that did not belong. Someone Vendicare itself did not wish to be inside.
Left. Hurry. Escaping.
Bermuda does not hesitate to follow the soft unspoken whispers as the teen swiftly darts down another hallway; eyes narrowed in concentration as he searches for something he does not know and cannot explain. He'll know when he sees it, of that he's certain.
Third door. Left. Hurry.
He's sprinting down the iced over hallway as the sound of shoes clashing against marble reaches his ears. The Vindice Warden could just barely make out a humanoid figure rounding a corner ahead of him and into another, that is nothing but darkness. There is no light, there is no help; just an eternal darkness that clouds all from view.
Hurry.
He does not hesitate to follow. The darkness consumes him; he cannot see anything- not even his own hand before his face- yet he does not stop. He cannot stop, even as his sprinting turns into all-out running; the sound of footsteps on marble still in the distance. Yet no matter how fast he runs he cannot catch up, the figure continues to allude him; forever staying just out of his reach.
"-Bermuda-"
There's a voice calling in the distance; a familiar one at that. He knows it- just hearing it causes a warmth to replace the rigid ice that all but consumes him- yet he cannot place it. A part of him wants to turn around, to forget the intruder and finds the voice instead; yet he continues to run.
"-Bermuda, wa-"
Run. Hurry. Escaping.
Vendicare whispers her wishes into the back of his mind yet the other finds himself slowly down as Inhuman eyes glance the direction he had just run from and where the voice was coming from. There's something really familiar about that voice, something important. Something that makes him want to stop and hear what it has to say, no matter the consequences.
You must run.
"Lord Bermuda, Wake up!"
Emerald eyes dart open in an instant. The first thing the Ex-Night Arcobaleno notices is that the darkness is gone- almost as though it never existed- yet he's still standing in that same hallway. The second thing he notices is worried golden eyes staring down at him from a concerned face as strong hand firmly grip his shoulders.
"Jager?"
Relief enters the elder's eyes as the tension in his shoulders all but melts away, "Lord Bermuda."
"What are we doing down here?"
Matter of fact, wasn't this level supposed to be sealed? How had they even gotten inside?
"I was hoping you could tell me. Some Magical from London attempted an attack on the prison. Somehow one of them managed to reach your room but you weren't there. I found you running down these hallways in your sleep"
Confusion entered His Lord's eyes, making it clear the younger had no idea what the golden-eyed Vindice was speaking of causing Jager to sigh softly; Maybe His Lord was overdue a vacation? It wasn't healthy to be running patrols in one's sleep after all. Shaking his head, the golden eyes warrior picked up his Lord, carrying the other as though he weighed nothing- the teen had always been far too light- before slowly making his way back to the upper levels.
"Do not worry yourself with it, My Lord. I will deal with everything. "
Starting with the so-called 'Ministry of Magic'.
Neither of them quite notice how the torches would automatically alight themselves or doors that would open and shut each time they needed to pass through one. After all, Vendicare had done this since it was built. What was there to think about?
The very halls of Vendicare itself -on the other hand- hummed with pride at having successfully lured and sheltered its teenaged Warden away from the danger.
"So tell me, Cornelius Fudge,"Though he couldn't see it, the Minster could feel the heavy gaze of the creature before him piercing him like a hot knife through half melted butter, "Which would you rather have: Your 'Trusted Advisors' or Harry Potter?"
Silence consumed the room as several sets of eyes widened as the cowards of a magical they called 'Minister' sputtered.
"H-Harry Potter? That's Impossible, he died!"
The toddler-sized creature upon the throne turned its head slightly in the direction of the creature standing at its right.
"Bring me, Harry Potter."
The taller of the two granted the creature a slight bow before vanishing into the darkness, as the toddlerized creature turned its head towards them once more.
"I assure you Harry Potter is very much alive; though he may no longer be exactly as you recall seeing as we were a bit late transferring him from the Veil of Death and to our halls instead."
"Transferring?" Madame Bone- Susan's Aunt if he remembers correctly- questioned with a curious glint in her eyes.
"The Veil was our gift to the London Wizarding Community centuries ago. It serves as a Holding Cell of sort. Any Wizard who entered is meant to be sent to Vendicare immediately. We shall not question why you sent us a child but his sentence is over.. Or will be, if your Minster chooses wisely."
It was complete and utter bullshit but the gleams in their eyes made it painfully clear they actually believed him. Idiots.
It was at that moment, Jager chose to reappear once more throwing a rather beaten and bruise Silverette to the ground- okay maybe sending Jager wasn't his best idea- as the Vendicare's Strongest Warrior clutched tightly to his chain as though tempted to strangle the younger. Knowing Jager, he probably was.
It was like watching a play; seeing Byakuran play the part of what once was him as though he was put a puppeteer pulling the strings from behind the curtain instead of acting the Main Piece in person. Had he not known better; Bermuda himself might have been convinced the Silverette was actually him.
"So Cornelius Fudge, what is your choice? Will you chose Your Savior or those who believe you to be Their Savior?"
It was obvious from the panic in the 'Ministers' eyes he was trying to find the perfect chose that would affect him- and his position- in the least. Unfortunately for the cowardly man, there wasn't a 'Perfect' Choice.
If he chose Harry Potter, he would return with The Wizarding World's Savior but lose his 'personal' support completely. Yet if he chose his 'Advisors and word got out about him refusing to 'save Harry Potter' -Bermuda had no doubt it would. Especially with that beetle clinging to the side of the 'Minster's sleeve- he would lose the Magical London's support and all but start a riot that would forcibly remove him from office.
Either way, the Fudge would be losing something after today.
"I suggest you hurry Cornelius Fudge or I will take your silence to mean you chose neither."
In the end, Bermuda wasn't all that surprised by the Wizard's choice- After all, it was all part of the plan- though by the screaming pleads of his 'Advisors' as they were dragged into the rifts, they actually were.
The stage was set; Act One could finally begin.