Game on

Chapter 20: Inheritance Arc 4

"That was a bold move." Kazami noted idly while following Squalo's movements around the ballroom with ease – even if he didn't really enjoy such gathering, the swordsman still knew how to behave in those, and as such was, of course quite proficient in ballroom dancing
"Necessary, rather." he corrected, before announcing – even if she most certainly already knew "I've received memories of your stint in the alternate future."

"Do you resent me?" she asked – and Squalo was surprised to see genuine curiosity rather than concern, regret, or even apathy
"That Xanxus was a leashed beast, not the man I followed."
"Better dead than tamed." she commented – and behind the idle tone, he could see she truly understood, which didn't really surprised him, not after the insight he'd had on the Night Pack during those memories

After all within the Vongola X, the Night Pack were the closest to Xanxus and the Varia's way of living.

"And now?" she asked after a few second of silence
"Now I need to rebuild the Varia's influence."
"You know of our goal."
"Our world is too corrupt to be completely cleansed. There will always be people to kill."
She nodded – that much was evident, otherwise there wouldn't be any need for a Shadow like her...

"And you and your men would be ready to work with us?"
A nod.
Then, Kazami smiled – a smile so large and brilliant it surprised Squalo, who was rather expecting mistrust or at least, wariness.
"Then I have a proposition for you!" she affirmed "One you should like!" seeing he was listening, and that the song was soon coming to an end, she explained briefly "The Vongola X have struck a deal with the Vindice, one that entails us taking up their duties on the small fries. It should work well with the Varia qualifications! Vongola X has already started this in Asia, but most of us as still school age so our time is limited... I'll be meeting them at the Vendicare Prison next week-end, I'll stop by to talk with you more before."

Squalo nodded – and thought he didn't thank her, for it was not a part of his character, he bowed a bit more deeply than truly needed at the end of the dance...

The next moment, Kazami was swept in the arms of Renato Sinclair, not even surprising the shark who as a hit man was well acquainted with any assassin's possessiveness, as he went back to his fellow Varia member, who were eying him with barely hidden curiosity.
"So? Was the dance profitable?" the Varia Arcobaleno asked in his own unmistakable way of speaking, a recognizable fang around his neck by his pacifier's side
"It was."

And it was true – even without having started to work together, he could already feel people looking at the Varia in a different way, speculating at the familiarity that seemed to exist before the head of their organization and the newly declared Shadow.

Superbi Squalo smiled, happier than he had been in months – the Varia were back in business!

¤.¤.¤

Meanwhile, Iemitsu was looking at his children dancing – Kazami with Renato and Tsuna with Kyoko, and smiled bittersweetly.
"If you could see them, Nana..." he breathed for himself
"She would be as proud as you are, no doubt. But it is safer for her not to know." answered Lavande unexpected voice – the CEDEF head not having sensed her approaching, too taken in by his children

"She used to know." he unexpectedly admitted to the woman, who turned sharply toward him, stunned "Before the twins were born, she was pregnant a first time." a sigh "Because she knew, she wasn't hidden well enough. Some hit-men found her, and Lal, who was protecting her at the time took care of them... But not fast enough to save the child. She wasn't the same after that, and when she learned she was pregnant again, she begged me to take her memories and hide her and the children from our world for as long as I could..."