Chapter 41: Kidnapped Again
Chapter 41
Kidnapped...Again
I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade... And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party. - Ron White
A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice. - Bill Cosby
Today's Reviewer Quote Things (Kora)
*leaves an espresso* You can use it as a barganing chip to get something from Reborn. Though you should hide it well before he sees it or it will disappear. I wonder what things we'll find in Verde's lab We already got a crocodile..or is it alligator? o.o hm...maybe lots of green things? - Lanaught
It took us two buses, three boats, a hot-air balloon and a taxi to get to Verde's laboratory.
Fon-sama hadn't necessarily given us exact coordinates, so it took a really long time to figure out where the fuck it was.
Jonah, the man who was operating the hot-air balloon, hadn't questioned I-Pin or I when we asked him, politely, of course (Yeah, I-Pin had to do the asking...), to take us off the coast of Namimori, to an uncharted island.
"Would you like me to wait for you to come out?" he asked, unsure. "This forest doesn't seem safe..."
That's really all there was on said 'uncharted island'. Forest. Trees and trees, so many coniferous and deciduous trees that is seemed almost suspicious. Of course, near the water, there was a stretch of sand that was edged back by the water, but really that was it. Blue water, white sand and green trees.
Quite simple, really.
I focused back in on Jonah, the nice hot-air balloon guy. "Oh, no, we'll be fine."
"We can always swim back, if we need to." I-Pin chimed, beaming honestly at the man.
I shivered. Swimming? Fun fact: I CAN'T SWIM.
I'm just super useless, aren't I?
Jonah seemed at unease, but nodded, taking the balloon away with him.
We waved for a moment, before trekking into the forest. Time to track down a certain green Arcobaleno.
"Why is his name Verde?" I-Pin suddenly blurted, as we walked on. "That is not Japanese name, Yuni."
I blinked. "Didn't I say this? His name means 'Green' in Spanish, I think. I dunno, I only speak Italian, Japanese and American."
"American isn't a language, Yuni." she corrected, stepping around a log.
I ducked under a branch, talking as I went. "It ought to be one. I've been there before-" In a past life, of course. I lived there, as Riza Verita. "-and the only language that they speak is the language of McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell."
"Wasn't one of your first words 'taco'?" I-Pin recalled, completely ignoring my (slightly racist, very stereotypical) comment. "I remember you told me that once."
"One of them... I think the first word/sound thing that I can remember is when I said 'Squaa~' and my mom thought I was referring to Squ-chan dearest." I remembered, my smile growing. "And then I think I said something that sounded like Xanxus, which freaked her out and then I said 'taco'."
She gave a small, sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry about your mother, by the way."
I ignored that, zoning in on what she had known. "How'd you know that?"
"That's her necklace, right?" I-Pin pointed at the pacifier that hung around my neck. "I assumed that it was left to you in her will."
"Mmm." I grunted, tripping over a rock. Stupid rocks...
"Is that why you wanted to visit here?" she asked, kindly. "To get away from that?"
I was silent for a moment, considering answering.
But this was I-Pin. She was the kind, understanding girl that couldn't harm a fly (but she could explode and control them or knock them out with her Asian Kung-Fu skills). Trustworthy.
"Yeah..." I admitted, trudging along. "It... it was hard." The only thing that was hard about it was deciding whether or not to try and save her or not. And I chose the 'not' option. Talk about a guilty conscience...
I-Pin nodded, but didn't answer, glancing around nervously. Maybe her ninja skills were talking to her or something...
Yuni.
Sup, Mao?
That Man is coming.
...no offense or anything, but you sound like Sasuke referring to Itachi from Naruto, when he hated his brother's guts and all.
This isn't the time, Yuni!
Should you really be calling me 'Yuni'? Or 'Riza'?
As far as I'm concerned, you're not Riza anymore.
Ouch. That stung a little.
I zoned back into you know, reality, digging around in my pockets. Where is it...? Ah! There!
I whipped out my trusty, always handy, reliable... DSi.
I-Pin gave the object in my hands a strange look. "Why have you brought that along with you?"
"I love it." I confessed, clicking the power button, booting it up.
I pulled out two Hersheys Kisses. "Want one?" I offered, holding out the chocolate.
I-Pin took one, unwrapping it and chewing it, thoughtfully. She swallowed, before becoming alert again. "I think someone is coming-" Something struck her, cutting her off.
She winced, reaching for the back of her neck. She yanked out a dart, fingering it, confused. "What...is this?"
I felt something prick the back of my neck. "Ah, fuck. In the movies..."
I-Pin fell to her knees.
"...this is about when the heroes get knocked out." I muttered, wobbling to the floor.
Vision blurring, I managed to make out the general shape of two legs and brown, pointed shoes, before I fell into unconsciousness.
I salute, "Ciao"and (Ciaossu)
But it is difficult
I say the word "love" (love) in my heart
"There's an evil smile" in front of my friends
When I meet the person I want, my heart races
My value is not enough to confess
but I make a daily effort
I can not stifle her desire long
My Confession deve occur before death
It is for this reason that I must strive to say
"I'm dying of love for you "
Ah, I'm not the only
Is it the law of love?
Follow the laws or dying of love
If we are true friends,
Tell the truth
Maybe if an opportunity just tubiera
That would be my goal
Love is not sweet
It's a feeling inside?
My value is not enough to confess
but I make a daily effort
"Next, the path is open"
My Confession deve occur before death
Even if my heart breaks
You have to smile at the destination
Ah, there is a tie
This is the law of love
My value is not enough to confess
But I strive daily
I can not stifle her desire long
It is for this reason that I must strive
to say "I'm dying of love for you "
and if they say, will die of love
It is inevitable
Ah, poor me
It is a law of love
-Because This is the Rule of Love by I-Pin, Haru and Kyoko (though Bianchi sooo should have been a part of it)
When I woke up (which really felt like freaking hours later), I was tied up. Great, I thought to myself, bitterly, I'm going to be a victim of tentacle rape. Stupid Japan.
Once I figured out that I was still clothed (God bless us, everyone!), I surveyed my surroundings through half-closed eyes. I was in a square, interrogation room, with grey walls and a mirror in front of me (you know, the one-sided windows that only the people on the other side could see through?). I-Pin was tied up beside me (also fully clothed, thank the Lord and Jesus and Buddha and Zeus or whatever tickles your peach), still unconscious. Unless, of course, she was also being a secret ninja, with closed eyes-
"I know you're awake."
MOTHERFUCKER. I jumped, my eyes opening in surprise. My chair tipped backward, and I braced myself for the ever-so-painful (it actually doesn't hurt that bad... I've done it thousands of times) collision with the horrible thing known as the floor, but a tiny hand shot forward, stopping the chair with impossible strength.
"Umm..." I wasn't sure what to say. "Thanks for not letting me bash my head against the floor?"
My chair righted itself (with the tiny person's assistance, of course) and I got a look at my savior/possible-captor. It was a baby (great, another Arcobaleno that I had to deal with), with green spiky hair that really didn't have any proper shape to it, dark, half-open green eyes, a long white coat and green Harry-Potter-style glasses on his face. The green pacifier that laid on his chest gave away his identity, even though I had already recognized him.
"Verde." I greeted, managing an awkward smile. It's hard to manage a smile that's not awkward when you're face-to-face with someone who has tried to kill the Arcobaleno, which you're now a part of, multiple times and who has probably kidnapped you. "Nice to see you in this... cheerful setting."
He inspected me, behind his stylish (not.) spectacles. "Who, pray tell me, might you be?"
I groaned, wishing I had a wall to bang my head against. Maybe he should have let me fall, after all. "Every time we meet, you say that! You've kidnapped me like what, four times? Remember my fucking name, you douchebag!"
Verde stared at me. "Name?"
"OH MY GOD, REMEMBER, YOU OLD TURTLE." I shouted, fuming in anger. Am I really that hard to remember?! "I'm Yuni! Ring a bell?!"
He blinked twice. "...Now I remember-"
"NOW YOU REMEMBER."
"-you." he finished, breezing over my comment. "You called me a 'sleazy old turtle with less emotion than a dead mushroom', I think it was."
I nodded. "I'm honestly surprised that you haven't killed me yet."
Verde shrugged. "If I kill you, Reborn, that bastard, and Fon, and possibly Viper, because my sources tell you that you pay him to do tricks-"
"Illusions." I corrected, offended for Mammon.
"-that no one really cares about," he went on, ignoring me, as always. "they would probably come after me."
I considered it. "And the Giglio Nero would, and probably the Vongola - Tsuna doesn't really like you, surprisingly - and maybe the Varia - I don't know, Xanxan doesn't really like anything except his wine and Squ-chan dearest is off beating up some 100 dudes or something - and perhaps even the Gesso because then they won't have anyone to fight. They are barbarians, after all."
Verde sighed. "Will you be quiet?"
"You kidnapped me." I pointed out. "You should have been prepared for this."
He scowled, at my tied-up form. "I was prepared, but my calculations were for a much smaller child."
"That's because you expected me to Arcobaleno up, right?"
"Arcobaleno up?" he repeated, raising a thin eyebrow.
"Turn into a baby." I explained, briefly. "I dunno why I didn't - maybe I'm too awesome or something and the power of the pacifiers couldn't take it - but there's not that much wrong with me."
"Not from the pacifiers, at least." Verde reiterated. "There's certainly a lot wrong with your mind."
"Offended~" I practically sang. "So, why am I here today? I wasn't going to fight you, or anything. I'm not one for fighting."
Verde turned his back to me ("What, am I so unworthy?! I know I can't fight, but that's pushing it!"), pacing in front of me. "My partners, Innocenti and Koenig, have been working on a project with me, lately."
Innocenti and Koenig... the names sounded familiar. I remembered the phrase 'Innocenti Original' when Gamma, I think it was, was referring to Gokudera's Box Weapon, Sistema Cambio Arma Instantaneo, the Sistema C. A. I.
"What was this project, exactly?" I asked, curiously. Not to mention that if this would be a big project, then I would have to be prepared.
Verde's eyes flickered to mine, before resuming to stare at the wall. "'Box Weapons', Innocenti wanted to call them."
I paled, swallowing down the nervousness in my throat, before speaking again. "Box Weapons? Describe it."
Verde pondered it for a moment, before speaking. "They are small cube-shaped boxes that store powerful weaponry inside. The original concept behind the Box Weapons was the work of a biologist that lived four centuries ago, named Geppetto Lorenzini."
"Lorenzini had the ingenius idea of building weapons based on species found in nature. Based on that theory, he went ahead and designed 343 different Box Animals. Unfortunately for Lorenzini, these designs were ultimately regarded as too complicated to be constructed in such simple times. Because it was an idea that would never leave the paper, Lorenzini's notes and theories were treated like trash and stored away in his secret society's storage." he continued, getting into his story-telling.
I remembered this story. This was happening so fast...
"That would change centuries later, when the three of us, Innocenti, Koenig and I, who belong to the same secret society as Lorenzini, found his theories and designs and finished his research." Verde grinned, suddenly, a malicious smile that belonged on no infant. "And I've discovered the perfect way to power it."
His eyes flickered to my Mare Cloud Ring.
I gulped. "A-And what might that perfect generator be?"
"Dying Will Flames." he answered with ease, a smirk growing on his face. "Those Rings, the Rings that have been handed down Mafia Families for generations, are the best conductors for the Dying Will Flames. The Mare Rings, as I have discovered, should theoretically work best. There are, of course, the Vongola Rings, but the Vongola are nowhere as... naive as you, child."
I flashed an unsure smile. "Why thank you, Verde, dearest."
Verde scowled at me, before continuing. "As you serve as a test subject, I will offer you the first pick of the successful Boxes, for a significantly low price."
Think it over, Riza. I thought to myself, calculating. If you don't get to the Vongola Boxes or Gamma's Box or Dino's box, then someone else could have all that power. Tsuna and the others will die and the world will end. Is it really that big of a choice?
"I'll do it." I said, but glanced, unsurely at I-Pin. "Will she...?"
"She won't awaken for hours." Verde promised, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a golden box. "Channel your Dying Will-"
"I get it." I cut him off. "Now get me out of here."
He rolled his eyes, but snapped his fingers, the ropes falling slack around me. I wriggled out, before taking the box, sitting criss-cross-applesauce in front of him.
I focused my Dying Will. Or at least, I tried to.
Do it for the new world, Riza.
Do it for the old world, Riza.
Do it for the Giglio Nero, Riza.
Do it for the Vongola, Riza.
Do it for the Varia, Riza.
Do it for your friends, Riza.
Do it for Aria, Riza.
Do it for Alice, Riza.
Do it for Sebastian, Riza.
Do it for Elizabeth, Riza.
Do it for the Real Yuni, Riza.
A faint, yellow-gold-orange flame lit up on the edge of my ring. It was barely there, glowing palely, against the shine of the Mare Ring.
"Quick!" Verde ordered. "Into the opening!"
I prayed, silently, to every deity I knew, for this to work, for me to be able to get the Vongola Boxes, Gamma's Box, the Varia Boxes, Dino's Boxes, for me to get everything I needed.
I slammed my fist into the box.
.
.
.
.
.
It's easy to survive in a world when you're perfect. When you're not? Run, bitch, run.
Extended Crack, Unreal Ending
"Dammit, Verde, I broke my freaking hand!"
Sorry for the late update. I had a Red Wings game (fucking Wild won, dammit), then I got sick and then I went to Wal-Mart. Oops.
Reviews, kora!
anyandeveryanime - I want them to make up, because I've been missing Fran :(
shirokuromokona - MY ORDER OF AWESOME ARCOBALENO = Fon, Colonello (kora!), Lal Mirch, Mammon, Verde, Reborn, Yuni (she creeped me out in canon, so I had to write a story about her...if that makes sense), Skull. Verde and Yuni-chan don't get along...
ImmortalSuicide42 - Karin from Bleach? Hmm...her and Chad? Motherfucker. Maybe Karin and that funny guy with the baseball bat, whateverhisnameis?
Khorale - Ruka from Bleach! Oh, like on the way to Soul Society, after they died, her soul got messed up, and Rukia's soul was sent into the Valley of Souls or whatever, and the OC's soul is sent in place of Rukia -plot bunny-
palmtoptiger-san - Yuni from this into canon...omg, I think I would die. Thanks :D
CuteDork - Enma is so awesome. He needs to be in the anime. *shakes head* one sexy boy at a time, I guess. I'm eating Hersheys' Kisses right now (I just bought a bag) and it's like half-gone. XD
Vanessa Celestine Blanchette - Fucking mind-raped is like one of Riza/Yuni's favorite phrases. It's her motto, dammit.
hello-totoro-ninja - Don't read in Geography Class! *shakes fist right freaking back*
Anello Della Campana - Sasagawa Kyoko? I wanted to do her, before this fic, and I was really stuck between her and Yuni, but I chose Yuni after an intense round of eenie-meanie-miney-mo. Where Fran was a bitch in the future, it was a parallel world. Yuni will be trying to fix it, so that never happens.
FreeWeirdGal - Tatsuki from Bleach? Tatsuki's personality is really awesome, she's always so blunt and straightforward. So I would probably make her more rude, more violent and more sarcastic and pair her off with someone like...I dunno, Ishida, lol. No, not Ishida, someone else, like Renji, maybe. I love Fon-sama too!
ResyaAfhirsa - *takes expresso and chugs it* Thanks, sis. Happy now? lol, Haru? Make her a sarcastic bitch...YES. I might pair her off with Gokudera, romantically, even if she initially likes Tsuna... like how Yuni likes Hibari-sama or more extreme? Hmm...plot bunnies are hopping around in my head...I blame Easter.
MeWubFranxx - One Piece is sooo longgggg. I don't wannaaaaaa~ *throws a fit* Thanks for the expresso, pillow and TACOSSSSSSSSSSSSSS and ALPHONSE-SAMA!
CrimsonSkyTamer - Ouran High School Host Club and put a bitch in as Haruhi. That is like the best idea I have ever heard in my life.
KatoKimeka-chan - Yuni didn't ask about Fon-sama's relation with Hibari because she has a strictly one track mind- TACOSSSSSSSSSSS.
moongothcat - I love Mukuro-sama and Hibari-sama, so I need to fit them in there, somewhere... *scratches chin*
Lanaught - She's in an interrogation room...there's nothing green there, unfortunately.
The Ice Sorceress - I just love I-Pin. Maybe I should do a story about her...
Rd - Red Wings is a professional hockey team that plays for Detroit, Michigan, in the United States. Tunafish in Naruto? Aww~ That'd be adorab- *image of Naruto in his boxers, screaming 'I WILL BRING SASUKE BACK WITH MY DYING WILL'* ...alright, I think I'm scarred for life.
Rebi-chan - That summary was totally adorable. :D
CC - Since Aria was about 30-ish when she died, and Luce was pregnant with her when she knew Reborn when Reborn was like 20, then Reborn is like 50. 0.0 So since Hibari-sama is like 15, Fon-sama was 35-ish when Hibari-sama was born. So Fon-sama is probably an uncle. WHO YOU CALLING SHORT?!
coldgazeproduction - Who is starlightfoxninja? *googles and feels like stalker* I'm a girl. Don't feel awkward~
Pailrose - Squ-chan isn't tired from fighting 100 peeps. He's Squ-chan dearest. He can eat those herbivores for fucking breakfast. *nods*
Again, I'm sorry for the late update. Sickness, the Red Wings and Wal-Mart can do that to a girl.
QUESTION: What do you think about a bitch of an OC (kind of like Yuni-chan, kind of) getting inserted into Sasagawa Kyoko or Miura Haru? Kyoko paired with Yamamoto (WHAT?!) or Tsuna and Haru paired with Gokudera (MOTHERFUCKER) or Tsuna.
Leave a review :D
Leave HERSHEY KISSES *creeper face*
Expect an update sooonnnnn
LeoInuyuka