Chapter 20
Chapter 40
"I don't think I'm doing this right. "
"I don't think you should be allowed near Children."
"I don't understand," A slight frown formed beneath bandages, "The guide said to shake well..."
A soft sigh left the golden-eyed Vindice as he prayed to the heavens for their newfound offspring would survive the 'Guardianship' of his newfound parental units, "Bermuda, I believe it meant to shake the bottle, not the child. "
"Jager," Slowly the Ex-Night Arcobaleno turned his head- tilting it slightly on its axis- to his ever-loyal right hand, "What a bottle?"
Oh, Gods above. Jager could feel his eye twitching slightly as he registered His Lord's question.
"Bermuda,"
"Yes, Jager?"
"Hand me the child."
"But," The Night Arcobaleno began to protest- he was sure if Jager would grant him a little more time Bermuda could figure out exactly what this 'bottle' was and how to acquire one- only to be cut off but a firm 'Do not argue with me' tone.
"NOW."
"Jager?"
"Yes, Lord Bermuda?"
"Have you seen Jack recently?'
Ever since they had returned from their parenting classes -if it could even be called that seeing as none of the so-called teachers couldn't even stay conscious long enough to speak a proper sentence- Bermuda couldn't help but noticed how his rouge haired Storm had all but vanished into thin air. At first, the Ex-Night Arcobaleno had paid it no attention- His Guardians had a habit of disappearing for 'Personal' reasons which Bermuda would rather not know of considering the mental scarring he was still suffering from the last time his curiosity had gotten the best of him- but after a month...
Well, the silence was getting to him. It was quiet. Too quiet considering he was currently within the Heart of Vendicare.
"Oh that," The golden eyed Vindice spoke after a moment with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Jack signed up to be a Mail Ordered Bride for Martians."
For a moment all Bermuda could do was stare at the golden-eyed man in confusion, What the Hell was a 'Martian'? The word seemed familiar- as though he had heard it before some time ago- but for the life of him, The Vendicare Warden couldn't quite place exactly where he had heard the term.
"Jager, what's a Martian?"
"A Martin is a little green man from Mars likely to be no taller than yourself, Lord Bermuda."
Jack left them to be a mail ordered bride for a little green man -from outer space- who looked like a toddler? For some reason, Bermuda was finding that a bit difficult to believe though that might have had something to do with the rather Vindicated gleam within those golden eyes more than the idea of Jack actually attempting to marry someone from Space.
After all, marrying an extraterrestrial would be right up Jack's alley.
Its only after another week of futile searching does Bermuda finally find a dismembered Jack buried within multiple graves within the Vendicare Graveyard. Within the coffin holding the rouge's head the Night Arcobaleno also discovers a life-size replica of what appears to be a humanoid green bobblehead with large, oversized black eyes.
Ah, so that's what a Martian was supposed to be.
With a soft resigned sigh, the toddlerized Vindice picked up the severed head of His Storm Guardian, "Jack, you do realize that *Ghost Marriages only works if you die and pass on, Correct?"
Bermuda pretends not to hear the sputtering denials of the severed head as he carries it back towards Vendicare.
There's a method to his Madness...
Okay maybe not much of a method- after all their madness was natural instead of forged for a greater purpose- but if nothing else The Vindice Warden did have his reasons for permitting it to run amuck within Magical London. Which was why the Night Arcobaleno fount himself at his desk -for once without a shred of the accursed paperwork in sight- instead a piece of parchment lied before the toddlerized Vindice as he stared upon the neat cursive wording that would set off a rather explosive chain reaction:
Byakuran-kun,
Commence Act 2
Without another thought, the Vendicare Warden folded the paper and sealed it inside an envelope before dropping it into a wormhole of Night Flames before flaring his Flames in the known pattern of Summons.
A moment later found the room crowded as bandaged figures of every Vindice residing inside Vendicare slowly clawed their ways from the shadows within his office. The toddler-sized Vindice waits for a moment- until he could feel the ever faithful presence of his eternal shadow- before speaking.
"Tonight it begins-"
On the other side of the world, a Silverette many would claim to be 'Harry Potter' allowed his smile to grow- stretching it into disturbing portions that showed far too many teeth to be friendly- as he stared upon the short letter which had been resting innocently upon his nightstand.
It would seem the time for his 'Games' were coming to an end.
CRASH!
Oh Father above he was going to die.
Tsuna could feel all the color fade from his face as silence instantly consumed the room - making the sound of shattering glass even louder then what it should have been- and several wrapped faces turned his direction with an aura of horror about them. Slowly- ever so slowly- wide organism brown eyes glanced upwards from the shattered plate in front of his face towards the toddler sized form standing before him with now empty hands.
"B-b-Bermuda," The word came out a choked whisper as the brunette attempted to scramble his way to his feet as several Vindice slowly began to edge their way towards the shadows.
Of all the people for him to trip into...
Honestly, Tsuna could already see his life flashing before his eyes as the Vindice Warden's bandaged face stayed turned towards his shattered plate of what had once been a deluxe Red Velvet Cake with dark chocolate icing and miniature Dutch chocolate flowers on top but now looked like a splatter of mud upon the floor.
Reborn had always claimed his clumsiness would get him killed but this...
He really should have kept his mouth shut, Tsuna's Hyper Intuition all but screamed at him as a bandaged face finally snapped towards him at the sound of his voice making the black fire that had been leaking through the Vindice Warden's bandages visible to all.
"Vongola!"
Tsuna couldn't help but jump at the snarl- the dark promise of death filling the other's unnaturally deep voice, especially for one of his current size- before an explosion of furious Night Flames filled the ballroom.
"HHEEEIII!"
This wasn't exactly how he imaged his end.
Later when Vongola HQ- and the surrounded ten miles on all sides of it- have become nothing more than a smoking creator and ashes in the wind, Jager runs his fingers through his sulking Lord's hair while whispering sweet nothings towards His Lord Bermuda in hopes of calming the younger's raging flames.
If Jager was honest, he loved His Lord's temper- the inferno that would burn like the sun itself within the other's eyes as he tore apart everything in his path- and would usually permit it to shine its fullest upon the unfortunate souls who managed to lure it out; but this time the golden-eyed Vindice knew he couldn't least Vendicare- and all those that resided within its halls, including Teddy- suffer the same fate as Vongola.
Albus Dumbledore to Stand Trail
By: Rita Skeeter
My Fellow Wizards and Witches, recently there has been a steady string of unfathomable skeletons dug from the darkest depths of the closet of one Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Ex-Header Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Ex-Grand Sorcerer of the Order of Merlin, First Class; Ex-Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Ex-Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot) that has ruined the once great image of what was believed to be a Benevolent Guide towards the future.
For those poor souls out there that once believed in this monster of a man, I ask you to brace yourself for Albus Dumbledore is no Benevolent Guide but rather a Ruthless Dictator responsible for the deaths of Thousands of Magicals, the Theft of hundred of Bloodlines, the Creation of not one but TWO Dark Lords, The Complete Slaughter of Pureblood Linages, The Purposefully Negligence of Muggleborn to further his own ends, ectra...
(For Further Information Upon Charges see PG: 4)
So it has been decided Albus Dumbledore, youngest son to Kendra and Percival Dumbledore will face Trail against a Full Wizengamot On July 31st for crime too heinous to mention.
"Jager?"
"Yes, Lord Bermuda?"
"Exactly when did you get time to set this up?"
A pleased smirk found its way onto the elder Vindice's face as he all but purred, "You'll find with the right motivation I'm capable of practically anything, Lord Bermuda."
"Oh, what type of motivation is that?"
Seeing how well Jager's 'motivation' seemed to be working The Ex-Night Arcobaleno couldn't help but hope that maybe they could mass produce it for the rest of the Guards of Vendicare to use as Neville had stormed Bermuda's office earlier that day threatening to dismember the next Guard who stole their extra 'Motivation' from his Private Gardens.
"Whatever type keeps that damn Marshmallow Pixie down the longest and you in my bed."
Oh...
On second thought, maybe he shouldn't mass product that after all- The Vendicare Warden had the strangest feeling it wouldn't work as well for others as it did for Jager- and Neville could use a bit of practice protecting his garden from the undead anyways.
"HEEII, Kaa-san; you kidnapped Bermuda?!"
"Don't be silly, Tsuna," Nana answered her flailing son with a soft smile and a distance gleam to her eyes, "I rescued him. You should have seen him Tsuna, standing outside in the rain staring right at me through the café window. I knew the moment I saw him he was meant to be my son and what type of Mother would I be if I left him stranded out there?"
"So, he just went with you willingly?"
Nana offered an obvious smile, "Of course Not, he kept insisting he was there on business. He only came with me when I offered him cake."
Tsuna couldn't help but stare at his mother with wide horrified eyes as she prattled on about her 'adoption'- coughKidnappingcough- of the Vendicare Warden, as though it was an everyday occurrence for her to lure what she believed to be a toddler into her home with sweets before dismembering the Unfortunate Vindice- and suddenly the Vongola Decimo completely understood why Jack flung himself out of a twelfth story window rather than meet his mother- sent to collect him.
"There."
Jager couldn't help but sigh in relief as he gently set the smaller toddler onto the floor. Honestly finding proper clothing for the toddler wasn't easy- all Vendicare had was guard uniforms, bandages, and the prisoner's uniforms. While the little one would have looked adorable within the convicts uniform; Jager would rather not risk the little one accidentally being mistaken for one- but he managed thanks to Alejandro.
The blue haired Vindice, it appeared, was brilliant was making more than just dolls.
Teddy just beamed at him- his eyes changing from silver to gold- as he spun in place causing the bottom of his "Vindice Guard Style' dress -minus the bandages least they almost suffocate the little one again- to rise towards his knees as soft giggles echoed about the room.
Now all they needed was a crown for Their Vendicare Princess...
Humming softly in thought, Jager allowed one of his hands to vanish into a mist of Night Flames only to reappear a moment later holding a small crown of silver which he gently placed on top of the toddler's head.
There, everything was perfect.
Smiling beneath his bandages, the golden-eyed Vindice picked up the child and began the track towards the Throne Room. The moment they enter all eyes- both seen and unseen- darts towards the Vendicare's Strongest Warrior and his 'mini-dress wearing' copy- the little one seemed to have devolved a hobby of becoming a Mini Jager whenever the other was nearby- in his arm before exasperated groans fill the air.
"Jager, you're going to give the brat identity issues if you keep dressing him up like that."
"Forget the dress, I wouldn't be surprised if that brat actually believes its Jager in the future considering how much time it spends as his clone."
"Lord Bermuda, shouldn't you do something about this?"
An unnerving silence fills the room as all eyes focus upon the throne, awaiting the verdict of Their Lord.
For a moment, Bermuda says nothing instead just staring at Jager and the miniature version he knew was Teddy as thoughts of what could have been flashing through his mind. The Little One doesn't seem to realize the atmosphere as he glances towards The Vindice Warden with a bright smile and soft laughter- small hands grabbing at the air as though he could somehow grab the other from across the room- before his golden eyes turn emerald leaving Bermuda staring at a miniature Jager with His unnatural eyes.
"I see nothing wrong here. You may continue as you see fit, Jager."
Somewhere in Italy, a Strom by the Title: Prince the Ripper raged violently against both friends and foes alike, certain at least one of them was behind the sudden theft of his precious crown.
Jack knew he wasn't the best person when it came to children- and that they should probably be kept far away from him as he didn't quite know how to deal with- let alone care for them but he would be damned if he didn't try.
Which is why he had bought-coughStolencough- a book titled: An Idiots Guide to Parenting in a moment of what he would like to consider 'Genius'. After all, no one else had thought to acquire such a book- not even Jager or Bermuda seemed to have considered the idea so it must have been selective genius- to help aid in their newly discovered parenthood. So far the books had been a great help in aiding him with identifying the child and how to care for them:
The Little One was a Neither child- neither boy or girl as they kept changing every time the rouge haired Vindice thought he had finally pinned the other's gender- named Brat- apparently one was supposed to grant their offspring with a loving name to help shape their future- that feed on the blood of the innocent when hungry so that they may stay innocent themselves.
Honestly, the rouge felt as though he was gaining more ground them the others when it came to caring for the young one- shame none of the other guards besides Gia would actually permit him to teach them about proper childcare but that was their lost- which was why he didn't bother telling the rest exactly where he was taking the innocent one out for a 'Playdate'-According to the book playdate and constant communications with new people was vital to a child's growth- though he did leave a note on Bermuda's desk as a 'Just in Case'.
"Alright Brat, this is an Iron Maiden," Jack spoke firmly as he stared down at the small beaming child, "And this," Yanking on his chains, the rouge didn't so much as bat an eye when one of the prisoners fell from the shadows landing before his feet, "Is your new playmate."
The rouge haired Vindice couldn't stop a sense of pride from blooming within his chest as a sparkle of what could only be excitement appeared within the toddler's eyes. Now then, according to his book he was supposed to explain a toy and exactly how it worked before the Little One could play with it so that there would be no accidents.
"Alright Brat, play close attention because I'm only going to explain this once."
By the time The Vindice Warden had finally discovered Jack's notice within the monstrosity known as paperwork- and once more managing to avoid getting his arm ripped off by sharp dagger-like teeth- it was late noon and the toddler had been with the rouge for a good six hours. So to be honest, the Night Arcobaleno isn't all that surprised when he finds a blood-splattered room- with a rather alarming pile of corpses that he would swear were once Vendicare Prisoners- awaiting him on the other side of his Night Flame Portal.
The red-haired doesn't seem to realize he's there as the small toddler pushing against the lid of an Iron Maiden with his whole body while giggling happily at the praises being piled upon him by the Rouge Vindice cheering the shapeshifting toddler on from the opposite corner of the room.
For a moment, the toddler-sized Vindice just stares as the lid finally manages to slip close and crimson seems down upon the little one who is swiftly swept off the ground and spun around in the air by an overly proud looking Jack before allowing a resigned sigh to slip past his lips. For despite how pleased the Little One looked, Bermuda couldn't shake the feeling of 'I'm going to die a slow painful death for this' dread that filled the room the instant Jager stepped out of a Portal of Night Flames behind him.
"JACK!"
Well if that wasn't a neon-colored clue to get the hell out of Damnation, Bermuda didn't know what was.
Without a second thought, the Vendicare Warden warped forwards and snatched the child for his redhead's hold before disappearing in a burst of Night Flames.
Chapter 41
"Jager?"
"Yes, Lord Bermuda?"
"When did we go from being the most feared organization within the Mafia to a babysitting service?"
Hermione Granger.
If Bermuda was honest, it had been decades since the Vendicare Warden had lost thought of the bookworm Gryffindor that made up a third of the 'Golden Trio' of his once youth. In his faded memories- worn down by the harsh strands of time - she had been but a child holding naïve expectations, bookworm tendencies and buckteeth who was always trying to prove she belonged; that she could be useful to those around her.
Hermione Weasley was not the child of his memories.
The woman that stood before his throne- glaring rebelliously at him and the few guards within the room- was no naïve child wishing to prove their worth but someone else entirely. Someone who had seen and suffered through both the best and the worst around them- Bermuda was willing to bet His Homemade Cake from Jager that the scars on this woman were deeper than just the physical ones marring half her face. - but here..
None of that mattered.
He was Bermuda von Veckenschtein, not Harry Potter.
He was the Founder and Warden of Vendicare who sought only Justice and Revenge- for he would never forgive that damn Checkerface Bastard no matter how many 'treaties' Vongola Decimo created- and she... She was but another criminal in his halls.
They might as well have been strangers.
"Hermione Weasley, you have been chosen to represent your people, to act as their voice and conscious, speaking solely for their future. Do you accept this responsibility and all that which it entitles?"
"I do."
"Then stand."
For a moment, her eyes darted over towards the wizards on the ground beside her before slowly- cautiously as though preparing for a physical blow- makes her way to her feet. The moment she's standing Night Flames as several Guards began to pull the other wizards- who struggle futility as though somehow expecting to escape their fates- into black portals.
"Hermione," The flame-haired wizard at her left all but screams, clawing against the floor as he struggles to find purchase and force his way back to the brunette's side. It's not all that difficult for Bermuda to place who this man once was even before the brunette screams back at him- Honestly did they expect if they screamed loud enough they would acquire what they wanted?
"Ron," Chocolate eyes widen before narrowing as the woman spun back to face him with a sense of furry marrying her face, "What are you doing?! Why are you taking them away?!"
Does no one listen these days?
An icy chill fills the air from behind the Vendicare Warden as the shadow looming over the toddlerized Vindice seems to grow- Bermuda doesn't have to look to know Jager's eyes had likely turned as red as the blood the elder wished to spill but he cannot allow that- so the Night Arcobaleno holds up in a hand in a silent command.
"Shalt thee raiseth thy voice to me again I shall not standeth ho Jager from removing thy tongue."
She grants him a strange look and it takes Bermuda a moment to realize he has slipped from modern English into that of his- and Jager's- childhood. Taking a silent breath, Bermuda turned his bandaged face so there would be no doubt he was looking at her, "Listen, Witch. You have agreed to be their voice and conscious. I have no need for the Wizarding Body, therefore, they have been returned to their cells."
"You can't just expect me to decide their fates without consulting with them!"
"You will not decide their Fates," Bermuda speaks bluntly, allowing his flames to seep into the room to both calm Jager and frighten the Magical before him, "I will. You, depending upon your current actions and choice of words will decide who will leave and who will stay, who will die quickly and who will suffer for an eternity within our halls."
Though he had not been 'living' for quite some time, Bermuda is certain no one amongst the living is supposed to be that pale.
"Bermuda?"
"Yes, Neville?"
"Are you sure you can go through with this?"
Blinking, Bermuda allowed his eyes to dart away from young Teddy and towards the brunette sitting across from him before tilting his head in silent question.
"I mean," the man took a breath as though to steady himself before pushing forward, "They were your friends Bermuda."
Oh, that. Sighing softly, the Vendicare Warden permitted himself to relax once more against Jager's chest- enjoying the proximity of the elder and soft finger gently running through his hair- as inhuman eyes darted back towards his ward who seemed to be playing some sort of game with the Devil's Snare.
"Neville, I am not the Harry Potter you once knew. There will be no problems from me concerning their sentence as they were justly rewarded."
After all, no one broke into Vendicare without suffering the consequences of their actions.
"But.. They were your Best Friends-"
Though he knew it was rude to interrupt, Bermuda couldn't help himself, "They're not."
As far as the inhuman eyed Chibi am concerned they are but strangers wearing familiar masks.
"Huh?"
The Night Arcobaleno didn't have to look to see the confusion upon the other's face as he could clearly hear it within the once Gryffindor's voice," You are thinking of Harry, Neville. I am Bermuda von Veckenschtein. My best Friends are Jager and Jack."
Strangely enough. Sometimes Bermuda wondered if he should have spent more time outside Veckenschtein Manor as a child.
"Lord Bermuda, my apologies for interrupting you but I do not believe a child is meant to turn that shade of purple."
Blinking the Night Arcobaleno glanced upwards towards the source of the silky voice- taking a moment to wonder whether or not that was actually a pleased smile beneath Jager's bandages- before glancing towards the toddler who was being swung around by the Devil's Snare which held a firm grip on the little one's neck.
Neville, in a surprising burst of speed for someone so pale, seemed to all but materialized on the opposite side of the courtyard, "TEDDY!"
"M-monster.."
The wheezing voice- struggling to breathe with shredded lungs- croaks out yet his smile never fades. Honestly 'Monster' wasn't the worst thing he had been called within the twenty years- actually, it was rather tame considering the names that had followed him since early childhood- of his life but Byakuran paid it no mind as the words of a dead man meant nothing when they fell on deaf ears.
Humming softly, the silverette's slender fingers reached into his precious bag of treasure before pulling out a rather softer than normal marshmallow- that squished perfectly between his pointer and thumb without turning into mush- as he made his way towards the double oaken doors at the end of the hall.
BANG!
The door cratered into the wall as Byakuran allowed his smile to grow at the cowardly figure attempting to hide behind his desk.
"Oh, Minister~ I have a message for you~"
The next morning Jager couldn't help but scowl at His Lord's copy of the Daily Prophet upon seeing the Main Headline:
Massacre in Ministry of Magic
To be honest, Jager finds himself tempted to alight the paper- that he was certain was a silent mockery from that damn Silverette- with his Night Flames before putting a permeant end to the brat yet he cannot bring himself to do so.
Bermuda always glanced over the paper- a sense of amusement saturating the air around the toddlerized Vindice as inhuman eyes would glance Jager's way upon seeing what chaos the Night Arcobaleno just knew his ever loyal shadow was behind- and His Lord required that Marshmallow Addict to help further their plans. Therefore- unless he wished to cause complications for His Beloved Lord- the Silverette was untouchable to him...
For now.
For a moment all the white-haired humanoid could do was stare in barely concealed disbelief at the impossibility before him.
Was he in the right place? Had he somehow walked into a Mist Illusion actually strong enough to ensnarl him without him noticing? Was this even his reality?
After all, there was no way that giggling impossibility- with its dark wavy hair, caramelized skin and inhuman emerald eyes- playing along with the Namimori Park Trial less than five feet before he could possibly be real. Just because those two were apparently together in a more.. personal means then he originally believed did not mean this impossibility was theirs- after all one of them spent a vast majority of their time as a toddler while the other was a corpse and both were technically dead.
The giggling toddler- cooing softly at a snake it fount in the bushes, Really where was it guardians?- couldn't possibly be the result of that golden-eyed Hell Hound and His Lilly's Child. Even if Veckenschtein was Satan incarnated even he could not have possibly be tainted in such a way- the Guard Dog from Hell took its job of protecting its master very serious and surely its honor wouldn't permit it to steal that last shard of innocence while the inhuman eyed Devil looked like a toddler- that the young one before him could be the end result.
Yes, the humanoid creature permitted the tension to slowly fade from his shoulders, this was all just a coincidence.
Taking a breath, the Last True Human kneels in front of the little one- who's parents would require a strong lecture on child care if they thought allowing their offspring to play with a poisonous serpent was an acceptable pastime- before offering the little one with His Lilly's and The Devil's eyes a gentle smile.
"Hello there Little One."
For a moment, the toddler pauses in its 'play' as inhuman eyes seemed to bore into his soul before the creature known as Checkerface suddenly found himself with a snake latched onto his face- his hands instantly attempted to pry the creature off only to find its fangs had latched themselves firmly into his skin- as a high pitched scream filled their air and small feet kicked at his shins.
As though to make matters worse, Night Flames flooded the air as one of those familiar dead tone voices- that could only possibly belong to those living corpses which all but worshiped the Devil- called out, "Teddy!"
It was instinct that had the humanoid jumping back as the Vindice's chain colliding with the Earth he once stood upon- creating a large crater large enough to fit him, the impossible child and the Vindice comfortably inside- before the Vindicated soul could attempt its hand at making him a crimson splatter upon the ground.
When the dust settled- after the humanoid was forced to pry the serpent from his face- both the impossible child and the Vindice was gone.
"Remember not a word about this to Bermuda or Jager," Vincentius spoke softly- yet his tone stayed firm- as he gently set young Teddy upon the marble floor of the Vendicare Kitchen.
"Don't tell me what, Vincentius?"
Had he any blood flow within his undead body, Vincentius was certain he would have lost all color in his face as he quickly spun on heel only to find himself staring at an annoyed looking Jager-who was all but glaring death at him even as he attempted to straighten his clothes- as Their teenaged Lord's inhuman eyes glanced over the golden-eyed Vindice's shoulder from where he appeared to have been pushed between the other and a wall.
"Well? I'm waiting."
"Yes Vincentius," Jager's silky voice spoke up- with a hint of spite barely hidden within its smooth tones- as the other took a step away from his beloved Lord and raised a brow, "Exactly what is it you wished to tell us?"
Chapter 42
"For a moment there I thought you were going to save the cake over Jager."
"Of course not," Though he knew the other couldn't see it from beneath his bandages, Bermuda couldn't help but grant the brunette an insulted look, "If I saved the cake I could only eat it once but if I saved Jager I can eat it anytime I want."
"..."
Slowly Tsuna couldn't help but look at the taller Vindice who seemed especially proud of his Master's reasoning, "Are you actually okay with that?"
"Of course, " The golden eyed Vindice spoke without a moment's hesitation, "Bermuda is Bermuda, nothing will change that but even if he doesn't say it, his actions speak louder then his words."
"...He saved you so you could slave away and bake him cakes..."
What type of actions was that?
What was that supposed to say about Bermuda that made Jager so pleased?
Surely he wasn't the only person who saw something wrong with that logic... Right?
The corner of the Strongest Vindice's bandages tilted ever so slightly in a way that Tsuna just knew meant the elder was smiling.
"Nein. Bermuda could have saved the cake and devoured it while I saved myself but in his panic, he went for me instead."
Even as the Earth was being torn asunder all Bermuda could think was:
Vongola.
For who else but that brat and his possible clone could be behind this worldly disaster?
Scowling as Vendicare shook once more- and the terrified screams of prisoners reached his ears- Bermuda pushed the toddler- who cling tightly to him as soft cries of fear left the little one. There had better be one hell of a reason for this or he would murder Giotto 2.0 for waking the little one after he had finally gotten Teddy to sleep- from his hold and onto the nearest Vindice's- Alexi's- hold before barking out orders, "Jager, come with me! Jack, seal the prison once we leave. Alexi, watch Teddy. Vincentius, gather a team and clam down those prisoners."
Not waiting to see if anyone listened- he knew they would. Even if they had become a bit outspoken as of late, they still obeyed his orders without thought or hesitation- Bermuda floated down onto Jager's shoulder as a rift of Night Flames lacerated the air before them as the older took a step into the darkness. The first thing that greeted the two upon exiting the Portal was a harsh backlash of Pure Sky Flames clashing against Tainted Ones causing the ground beneath their feet to split open as though it was but an eggshell.
"Lord Bermuda, this is-" A soft mumble left the golden-eyed Vindice as he eyed the magma surging from the fissures- which was slowly but surely- consuming the land.
"I know."
He was going to skin Tsunayoshi-kun for dragging whatever World catastrophe- the brunette had likely created on a whim- to His and Jager's Island.
Tsuna couldn't help but pant as he laid against a piece of solid ground feeling worn, exhausted yet satisfied concerning his 'by the skin of my teeth' victory against the current psycho that had attempted their hand at World Domination.
The world and whatever mystic powers that laid on this island- which strangely enough only appeared at a place where they found a cottage at random times within the last decade- would be safe from those seeking to abuse it. Now all they had to do was find said 'mystic powers' and place them somewhere no one else holding such ill intentions would ever discover them.
For now though... That would have to wait... Until he could at least keep his eyes open.
With a final soft sigh, The Vongola Decimo allowed the dark abyss known as sleep to claim him.
When conscious comes to visit him again, its a fickle thing so fragile he can't even pry open his eyes- he's enervated to the point his eyelids feel as heavy as steel- yet he can still hear though he's unsure if that's a good thing the moment he hears silent footsteps- that had he not been focused he would have easily missed- slowly moving towards him.
"Maybe we can throw them into the ocean before they wake?"
A voice he recognizes- though he could really do without hearing at such a time he couldn't even open his eyes, let alone defend himself- speaks after a harsh moment of silence.
"They're not fish, My Lord."
A resigned- yet something tells I'm this person isn't all on his side- voice speaks after another moment where Tsuna is sure eyes had been glaring into his form and for a moment the brunette allows himself to hope.
"So?"
"We can't torture them for waking Teddy if we throw them into the ocean and they drown."
On second thought, maybe the ocean wasn't so bad and who was 'Teddy'?
There is no verbal answer but the sound of chains unwinding and creaking is all but damning for the Vongola Decimo's Fate.
"HEEEIII!"
The brunette Decimo couldn't help but shriek in terror as he swiftly darted forwards, grabbing the poor innocent child before Small Gia's knives could land upon their target- clutching it tightly to his chest -as he spun to face the annoyed looking Vindice, "What do you think you're doing?!"
Why was he throwing dangerous weapons at a toddler and better yet why was there a toddler in Vendicare?!
"Me?" A hint of annoyance crept into the platinum-haired Vindice's voice, "I should be asking you that. What do you think you're doing interrupting the brats playtime?!"
Playtime?
He always knew Gia was a psychotic but to consider torturing a child 'playtime' was something not even Tsuna would have suspected from the undead man. Glowing Pumpkin Orange eyes narrowed dangerously as Tsuna could feel his Dying Will alighting and an uneasy calm flooding him, "I won't let you torture this child."
"Torture?" Honest confusion and a sense of insult crept into the underline tone within the other's voice, "What the hell do you mean Torture?! We were just playing Tag before you jutted yourself into our game."
What the Hell?
"That's not how you play Tag!"
Tightening his hold on the little one, Tsuna allowed his eyes to dart past the Vindice and at the empty hallways around them in search for a quick exit least the other lash out at having his rather unnatural parental skills criticized- after all, maybe this was how the Vindice raised their young?- yet only silence filled the hallways as the other tilted his head in thought.
"You know how to care for children..."
wasn't a question but rather a statement that had Tsuna's instincts screaming at him to 'Get Out' and 'Get Out Now'. Unfortunately for the brunette, he wouldn't have the opportunity as he suddenly found himself- child and all- lifted clear off the ground by Night Flame infused chains. Gulping softly, Tsuna's orange-tinted eyes glanced back toward Gia who was now supporting a rather bloodthirsty grin, "Now, now. No need to leave just yet. After all, I still need to pick your brain."
Shivering softly- he could still remember Gia's 'Brain Prick' from the Representative battles- The Vongola Decimo glanced down at the toddler nestled against his chest to help regain his resolve only to still as he finally got a good look at the Little One he had saved.
"HEEEIII!"
"Hey, don't scream in the Brat's ears!"
Bermuda- not to mention Jager- would torture him in the slowest way possible- to the point, Death would be a mercy he would all too happily beg for- before finding the most agonizing way to kill him if that brat went deaf while left in his care.
Later, Bermuda would silently raise a brow as an over pleased- and slightly smug- Gia laid a thick pamphlet- was that blood on it?- on his desk. Silently, The Vindice Warden flipped what he thought to be the results of an integration open- inhuman eyes darting through the multitude of words staining the parchment- before allowing a smile to form on his face as he shut the document.
"See to it everyone receives a copy."
"As you wish, Bermuda."
There's a hint of disappointment in his Guardian's voice but The Vindice Warden is already refocused upon his paperwork- reading over documents that Jager had deemed too important to wait till morning. Leaving Bermuda to wonder, and not for the first time, who was really in charge of Vendicare: Him or Jager?- until His Guardian is halfway out the door before Bermuda speaks again.
"And Gia," The other pauses mid-step, "Good Job."
The Night Arcobaleno doesn't have to look upward to know there's a creepy smile upon Small Gia's face as the other's - pleased yet psychotic sounding- laughter echoes throughout his office.
Alejandro couldn't help but frown as he glanced over his Guide for Child caring Small Gia had delivered him. According to it, children required pets to help teach responsibility though it never said what type of pets were suitable for the young one- and there was no way in Hell he was letting the toddler within ten feet of one of their prisoners after what happened to Jack.
Maybe if he lined up all his option then let the child chose for himself... After all, wouldn't the little one know what type of pet suited it best?
Satisfied with his decision- for surely nothing could go wrong and he would not be sharing Jack's rather gruesome fate- Alejandro permitted a smile to twist onto his lips as he began to gather some of what he deemed his 'safest' creatures into a room.
An hour later found one Nono de Vongola staring in disbelief as what looked to be a minotaur rushed by his cell with a small toddler and a blue-haired Vindice- who seemed to have lost both its legs and an arm- clinging to its back as what could only be described as Golden-eyed Death pursued them radiating righteous fury.
"Alejandro!"
Death incarnated all but bellowed as several dolls- he swiftly recognized to be Gingerbread Dolls- dropped on top of him from the rafters in an effort to save their 'Father' from certain Damnation only to be swiftly cut down- and into thousands of little pieces- by the Golden-eyed Vindice's chains. Still, their effort was not in vain as there was no trace of the mythical creature, the child or the other Vindice by time the taller one had made his way back to his feet.
And to think, they had charged him with Child Endangerment.
Bermuda just raises a brow as he watches the a mythical creature rush by his office with his Ward and partially dismembered Guardian only moments before his ever loyal Jager follows radiating the promise of a slow, agonizing death should he catch them.
After a moment, the Vindice Warden sighs softly before glaring down at his paperwork which was currently gnawing upon his arm- exactly why did he think it was a good idea to permit Jack to deliver it again?- in a vain attempt to save itself from the Night Arcobaleno's quill.
"Keep this up and I'll give you to Jager."
What the creature might have assumed to be a threating snarl filled the air as- Bermuda would swear -it purposely sunk its dagger-like teeth further into the toddlerized Vindice's arm. Beneath his bandages, inhuman eyes narrowed dangerously only moments before his quill sunk completely through the parchment that made up the creature's midsection- and halfway into his desk- as the Vindice Warden's hand 'slipped'.