Everything is grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means

In the hours it takes Skull to drive through the forest to his only home, he doesn't say a word. The silence, heavy and knowing, follows him between trees and down roads that haven't been traveled in years. Not since he'd been here that horrible, changing day.

The bird song quieted when he passed by, morphing from a happy chirp at his arrival to a mournful caw, welcoming, warning of him. The animals he'd ran with as a child; wolves, bears, baggers, foxes, a wild creature equal only to them- untamed and unworried- stood beside the road to watch him with unblinking eyes. The Wildling King had come home at last, returned to his kingdom at his very lowest.

The wind fell still when he choked out call to the past, to his family, and also to the quivering air of his past-territory. The dead trees, including the cursed ground itself yearned towards him with brambles and death filled flowers. With every step and each loss of boot and sock, every footprint that the moss caressed he— breathed.

It still smelled the same.

Like home, like failure, like the end of his life and the beginning of something worse than his death.

Skull sat down in the middle of where his home (his territORY—) used to be and tried not to crumble in on himself. Why was he even here? What was the point? Closure? There was no closure for this, it was a wound that would never heal . Every time someone shot at him how he wasn't a 'normal' Cloud like a weapon it ripped open that wound so much more.

He was a Cloud.

He'd had a territory, he'd had his Flames free, his people, he'd had everything that made a Cloud what they were. He protected them, he closeted them and he watched over them all even as a child. They were his and he'd have done anything for any one of them.

Then he'd killed them all.

It'd been an accident. He knows it's not his fault. Knows anyone of his Family's Flames could have done the same if only in a smaller area of effect. He knows that. Knows that they wouldn't blame him, that they loved him.

But he'd destroyed his Territory.

He'd devastated the forest around his home, killed the plants, poisoned the lake. The house hadn't even had a stone base to tell where it'd once stood. There had been no blood, no bodies, nothing left but the memories that he'd had people to protect and he'd killed them all.

"I miss you." Skull whispered to the dirt as he held his head in his hands, his bangs falling forward to cover his un-makeuped face. "I miss you all so much."

The silence echoed around him.

"I don't know what to do now.. I'm done with The Mafia, well, as much as you can be done with the Mafia," a shaky laugh, "and I know I can't just go crawl in a hole and die, you'd all be so angry with me if I did. I'd never get any peace in the afterlife."

Skull looked at the sky desperately, one of the only things his Flames hadn't burned that day. It was still so much more beautiful here than anywhere else he'd ever been.

"I know you'd all want me to live and be happy. You'd want me to go out, meet people, enjoy things until the day I get to meet you all again." He swallowed harshly, "But what's the point when you have no one to share it with? What's the point in living your life when no one cares if you live or die? How am I supposed to do this alone?"

Skull tipped over sideways and curled up into himself, his arms hugging his knees to chest. A poor imitation of the physical bond he missed terribly.

"я просто хочу домой."

And he's blue

It's late into the following afternoon when Skull finally arrives at the historical Vongola mansion. The building's grand, he can't deny that. But even better, it radiates the happiness of a well loved, well protected Sky. It's no wonder he'd had to dodge dozens of roving guards just to get this close with how well-contented Tsuna Flames feel. Any one of the guards he'd encountered, if they'd found him, wouldn't have hesitated to kill him out of suspicion or paranoia. Probably both, just for good measure.

Unluckily for them (and everyone actually), Skull was a consummate actor. One of the best in the business. At least he'd used to be the best in the business before they'd all gotten turned into toddlers and he'd been kicked to the curb of his profession without so much as a 'good luck!' by everyone he'd once called friend.

Not that it should have surprised him. Hollywood was cruel. It would take you at your best then spit you out after it's taken every ounce of talent you had.

That thought spurs his already acidic mood down into something that could melt steel if he tried hard enough. Thinking about what that fucking curse cost him always enraged him to an almost mindless fury. How he'd been trapped with nowhere to go, no friends or allies he could trust, and thrown into a magical crime syndicate of all things where he was told to suck it up or die.

Since Skull had no desire to die whatsoever, he figured it out. Just like he always did. He may have not flourished, but he'd survived. He'd survived when anyone else in his place would have died, would have given up and became something they weren't.

Skull could see the window that the Vongola Decimo's office had. Horrible safety precaution, they were practically asking for someone to come and snipe their boss but handy for a wily Cloud to climb up to.

Looking around from his cover, Skull couldn't spot any more patrols coming this way and if he'd timed it right he'd have just enough time to climbed up the side of the building before the next one was due. So with one last look and one behind him just in case, Skull sprinted for the wall of the mansion. With a quiet heave Skull jumped to latch onto the first of six balconies. With a quick thank you to God and Jeremy, who he'd picked up urban free climbing from when he was still toddler sized, Skull hooked one foot into the balconies edge and stood up to reach the next.

This went on for a good amount of time as Skull slowly but surely made his way up to the window he needed. Twice, two different patrols came by, forcing Skull to duck wherever he was and hope that his dark clothes helped him blend in with the shadows enough that they couldn't spot him, and twice the patrols left quickly.

He'd only almost fallen once, halfway up the climb when he'd glanced into one of the windows and caught site of Yamamoto and Gokudera heavily making out inside. The only reason he hadn't been caught there and then when he'd stopped and gapped at them for precious, stupid seconds, was because the two were way too involved with each other to have any idea what was going on around them. Also a safety hazard but they were still young, they'd learn the first time someone tried to assassinate them in their rooms to always keep an eye out, even in the most relaxed or intimate of moments.

Climbing up again, Skull swore to put it out of his mind, forget he ever saw anything and never speak of it again. He had no desire to embarrass either of them, if only to save his own skin from the Vongola's own special brand of crazy. He needed this mark-thing off, not to be dragged into the insanity inducing friendship-pit the Decimo was forever trapped inside of. He had enough crazy himself, thank you. Getting anyone else's would be overkill.

Finally reaching the balcony he needed, Skull peaked In between the bars that circled the thing so no one fell off, to check and see if Tsunayoshi was actually there or if he'd have to search the mansion itself for the young Don.

He really, really didn't want to have to search the mansion himself. (The last time…. hadn't turned out well for his virtue. Or what we left of it.)

He's in luck! Seems Tsunayoshi had some paperwork to catch up on, since the Don was sitting behind his desk chin on top of his papers staring straight at him.

Skull almost lost his handle on the balcony when that registered. With a scowl at being caught so easily and a much to world weary sigh for this situation Skull heaved himself over the barrier itself since it seemed he'd been expected.

This conversation was going to be.. humiliating.

—

Skull looked haggard.

It was the first thought Tsuna had when the Cloud showed up at his door. Or technically, his balcony window. But with the type of Guardians he had that specific window could theoretically be called a door with how much use everyone got out of it. It was so heavily guarded by his own Guardian's constant use it hadn't ever been a true security threat. The one time an assassin had actually tried to use it, he'd ran straight into Belphegor mid-climb, who'd been coming to give Tsuna some paperwork from Xanxus's latest rade.

They hadn't tried again after that.

But the Arcobaleno Cloud…

The Cloud looked bad.

His eyes had that to fever bright alertness of someone who hadn't slept in days. His clothes were dirty and stained with mud, his hair was greasy and unwashed with small bits a leaves sticking out from the purple mess.

(Tsuna was conscious of the birds nest of his own hair, alright? So if he was the one calling hair out like that something had gone horribly wrong)

He was twitching slightly, his hands and shoulders trembling then going completely still before they started to shake subtly again. He was stalking around the room, never giving any one place too much of his attention before he was turning rigidly back the other way.

Tsuna truthfully had no idea what to do with this Skull. He wasn't the fun loving coward he'd known in the past, nor was the the rampaging, psychotic Cloud he'd been in the Future-That-Never-Was. This Skull was on the edge of some cliff, teetering back and forth from one extreme to the next with little warning. His intuition wasn't helping much either, the only warning it had for him warning was that Skull also had no idea who he was at the moment.

"Skull." Tsuna paused and took a calming breath, "Did you.. need something from me?" He tried hesitantly. He wanted to help the man who was so important to his mentor (His Intuition told him so weepily. It was beyond strange, even stranger then this situation since it'd never done that before..) but he wasn't sure how to do it with the Skull in front of him.

"Yes!" Skull exploded from across the room at him, turning from the wall he'd been murdering with his eyes to glare down at the seated Sky instead. "Of course I need something from you! Why else would I be here? Why else would I ever fucking come here?"

The tension between them rose substantially. Tsuna slowly placed his hands together above his desk, eyeing Skull with tribulation. "I'm not exactly sure why you would come here either, unless it's for some type of help" His voice, normally so soft and submissive when he wasn't screeching his head off, took on the some tone he used with the other Bosses. Cold, and achingly profesional.

Skull glared done at him fiercely, with a quick step he was before the seated Decimo and slamming his hands down into the centuries old desk. With a slow glance down a full three second flick of his eyes, Tsuna could stare at smoking fingerprints bearing into the wood of his desk. Languidly raising his eyes back up to stare at Skull more neutrally then before, the on-edge Cloud started to speak; Or more plainly, started to bite out the words, with how much they physically pained him to let go of.

"You owe me a favor, Vongola Decimo."

Tsuna's lips twitched down as his entire face smoothed into a blank mask, "You're correct, Cloud Arcobaleno. I due owe you a favor. You remember the rules for it?"

Skull snarled out the words, "Something that is within your power to give, borrow, cheat or steal, that won't be a threat to your family and that won't come back to be used against you." Skull unstuck his fingers from the desk and stepped back. Reciting the 'rules' like one would the ingredients on the back of a cake box. "I was there when we made them. You do remember that, right?"

Tsuna hummed, "Just making sure." Reaching down below his desk Tsuna took out a folder with Skull's name on it along with a expensive looking pen. "So what do you what?"

Skull grimaced and for the first time since showing up uninvited looked vaguely uncomfortable instead of pissed.

Tsuna raised an eyebrow, something he'd learned from Chrome that was seriously helpful in times like these. "Skull? I need to know so we can get started and I can get back to my paperwork." He couldn't help but add under his breath, "Unfortunately."

"You're a Sky." Skull blurted out after an uncomfortable few moments, some type of emotion clouding his eyes in defeat.

"Yes Skull, I'm definitely a Sky." Tsuna said as patiently as he could at the moment. "If I hadn't been I would never have been made Decimo. You know that, as well"

"Of course I know that! It's just.." Skull swallowed harshly and turned sharply around. "Have you ever heard of something like a Flame brand?"

Tsuna frowned, his suddenly amber eyes staring hard into Skull's back. "A Flame Brand?"

"Yeah. Something where you can almost… force a bond? Or at least still vaguely feel what thei- their feeling?" The Cloud said haltingly . "Like, pushing your Flames into or onto someone else too. I don't know, keep them when they try to break a Harmonization?"

Tsuna frowned harder, his eyebrows drawing together in confusion, "That doesn't sound like a real thing at all. I know about sealing, being an unlucky victim of that myself, but forcing a Bond that's already been broken?" Tsuna shook his head," If the breaking of the Bonds didn't kill them all I don't know how you would be able to force your Flames into someone else when even their Dying Will was ready to extinguish itself to free the person."

Skulls lips twisted sourly where he stared up at the wall he'd been looking at since he started to actually talk. Tsuna could already tell this wasn't at all what the Cloud wanted to hear when he showed up today.

"Well, looks like I'm not the only one who can do the impossible, since your hellish tutor did just that a couple days ago." Skulls voice could have been called fondly amused if it wasn't for the soul deep weariness the underlined everything he did.

Tsuna looked gobsmacked, "Reborn did something like that?"

The slightly softer looked Skull'd been wearing vanished in a fraction of an instant, "Of course Reborn did it! Who else would care enough about keeping me collared other then him? That ass couldn't be normal if it punched him in the face point blank!"

Before Tsuna has time to respond, or do anything else really about the renewed pissed off Strongest Cloud trapped with him in a small room, his own Cloud comes swooping in out of nowhere without a sound.

Tsuna has seen some weird reactions to being surprised in the Mafia before. He's seen people try to murder others, cower down, he's seen fight or flight in every conceivable way you could possibly imagine, but this is the first time he's seen some throw someone else out the window.

It makes the situation even more surreal when you realize it's Hibari Kyoya being thrown out the fifth floor window by Skull, the Arcobaleno's widely known 'Weakest' member.

They both freeze after the deed is already done.

Skulls face is a picture of What The Fuck Did I Just Do, and Tsuna has no desire whatsoever to go check on his own Cloud.

They both hear a soft thump.

Skulls face loses all color and Tsuna-

Tsuna hears a faint cry of 'Voooooooi' down below them before the sound of gunshots going off. Very loud, very distinctive gunshots. The floor below them shakes and Tsunayoshi Sawada decides now is the time to make a strategic retreat.

With the self-confidence of a man who went up against basically a god when he was a pre-teen and won, he grabbed Skull by his grimy arm and drags him away from the dangerously open window.

He already has too much paperwork to deal with as it is.

—-

Skull stared incredulously at the room he was stuck in for the night. It looked like the Decimo had seemingly tried to change the overly pretensions space to look more home-ey and failed.

He had no idea how he'd gotten here, in this room, at this moment in time.

He'd had a plan, right? Get to the Vongola, force the Decimo to fix his ankle or rue the day he'd ever promised Skull a favor, then fuck off to who knows where and-

Something. He didn't know what but something came after that. (Something had to come after that, right?)

Instead, he'd gotten into a weird argument(?) with the Decimo where he'd been the only one yelling, the Decimo had looked more like Reborn then anyone would have ever wanted while he stared down imperiously at Skull, and he'd thrown fucking Hibari Kyoya out the goddamn window.

How did any of this happen?

But Skull was tired, he'd been roughing it for a while and that weird tacky bed was calling to him. With a staggering walk that showed just how drained the Cloud was from everything, he basically collapsed into the bed, fully dressed. When his head it the first pillow he'd felt in what seemed like weeks, he couldn't help but close his eyes and hope to sleep for the forcible future. Just for a few hours.

Instead, completely against his will, he pictured the others faces. Their emotions, their reactions. What they were doing and if they were still looking for him.. if they were even looking at all.

He remembered the bad times—

(In a Hotel Room, in Venice, Italy. Twenty-nine years ago.)

Skull wakes up to a light touch smoothing over the beauty marks on his back. A long, slow drag of clever fingertips that dig in slightly when they notice Skulls awake.

Skull didn't want to turn over. He really didn't. It's obvious who's behind him (again, his mind can't help but snicker) drawing that strong hand down his flank to grip possessively on his opposite hip.

"Good morning, bello." A sweet (deceptive) kiss is pressed to the back of his neck, teeth pressing in when Skull doesn't reply. "Did I really wear you out so thoroughly?"

Skull grits his teeth before sitting up abruptly. Of course, the action doesn't inconvenience the other man at all. When Skull turns to glare not believing that this has happened again, the Sun is sitting back against the headboard an entirely Italian cigarette in his hand, shirt and pantless, wearing a sly smirk while he looks Skull over with dark, sun scorched eyes.

Skull can't help but blush, naked in front of the eyes of the Mafia's biggest predator. He wants to go, wants to know why this keeps happening, but he knows Reborn enough by now, after almost a year of them being forced together, that the man isn't going to just let him leave without trying something.

But if Skull was anything, he was stubborn.

Without a word Skull got up off the bed, feeling Reborn's eyes staring at his ass hungrily he jerked the sheet off to twirl around his waist. Reborn chuckled behind him but didn't do anything else, continuing to stare.

When Skull started rummaging around trying to find his clothing,

Reborn finally spoke, voice purring out and doing something to Skulls insides, "What are your plans today, darling? I'll be in town for a bit," a sharp, playful tug on his sheet stopped him from moving any farther away then he already had. "Come, see Dido and Aenea with me."

Skull shivers. That tone of voice was always… "No," he jerks the sheet away from from Reborn's grip. The silence from behind him was heavy with inflection.

"I have to leave, soon, today," a slight hesitation, "..I won't be back for a while."

Skull barely gets the words out before a strong, Flame enhanced hand is grabbing his arm and dragging him back into the bed. Reborn looms above him, glaring eyes dark as ink and mouth tense, his tone though was what made Skulls instincts, hidden as they were in the core of himself, rise up in indignation. "Where, exactly, will you be disappearing to again, Lackey?"

Skull's mouth twitches trying to form a snarl before he catches himself, it's enough for Reborn to notice, since Reborn always notices the small tells he can't push down fast enough, but he does push it down. Deep, deep down. He's doesn't deserve it yet, not yet.. but when he finally does, he's gonna tear Reborn's tongue out through his goddamn teeth.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Reborn-Sempai! Skull-Sama can't tell you his secrets! What if you become better then him?!" Skull absolutely wails in Reborn's face, tears blubbering down his face and his body wiggling frantically. "What will he do? You can't have them!"

In the back of Skulls mind, where he sits and waits and mourns, he can see the moment Reborn says fuck it. It's as glorious as it always is, when Skull can make Reborn leave him alone when he knows Reborn doesn't really want to. It's a power trip, almost. He can make the Great Reborn back off, even if it's only from annoyance, he still leaves.

Or, well, he makes Skull leave.

Skull gets kicked out of the hotel room they'd rented last night, sans clothes, his wallet and helmet but with a sharp sense of satisfaction.

"Get out." Two words, blankly spoken, dripping with overpowering disdain and quiet hurt.

'My pleasure.' Two words, thought bitterly, with howling dislike and hidden pain.

— and the good.

(Ballroom, days before the final mission. 11:54 pm.)

The atmosphere in the ballroom that night was light and slightly seductive.

Skull was the only one on the dance floor. Not that it'd matter if anyone else was sharing it with him, as all eyes men and women alike, were glued to the enticing site.

Dressed in a long black dress with a slit up the side all the way to his thigh and a backless top, Skull wore one of the most understated dresses at the ball but it drew everyone's attention to the exotic man. For either the forbiddenness of a man wearing a dress at all to the highly masculine Mafia party or simple because his dancing in the dress was almost too hypnotic.

He wore no jewelry other then the piercings he was known for and a small ankle bracelet no one could see but everyone heard in the awed silence every time he turned.

He danced like he knew everyone was watching him and relished in it. He aggressively drew the eye and held it tight in his fist, forcing everyone who disapproved to notice him. They could do nothing to him here but watch, forced to confront their own desires.

He was a widely erratic flame, one that would gladly burn them all to embers of Will if they got to close. They both hated and loved him for who he was with no apologies, a Cloud who acted like no other Cloud they'd seen before and none were sure what to do with him. Skull soaked in it all, the hate and the lust, the want and the fire.

And Skull, dancing in the chaos, thrived with it all.

Fon was the first to fall of their set that night to Skull's charms. He floated out onto the dance floor, calm and self-assured in his welcome. When he reached Skull he waited for the other to notice him, unwilling to interrupt the Clouds focus. When Skull spotted him finally after a long moment where all he did was dance with himself, he laughed, a quicksilver grin flashing across his face, to pull Fon into the dance with him.

To the others watching, their set and the Mafia alike it looked like the two had been dancing together for years. Skull, it looked, had no issue with taking the traditional role of the woman in this dance, and they had an almost effortless way of following what the other would do because of it.

Both smooth and graceful as they twirled to the music and envious stares following them insidiously. It was a simple waltz they did together that night, but it showcased the care and friendship they both had with one another. Showed something between them as loose and free as the wind, playfully caressing the hair on someone's head but as raging and ragged as a hurricane, suppressed power ready, always ready, to be give the chance to hunt. With a shallow bow as the music came to a stop, Fon drifted off away from the crowds eyes and Skulls crackling energy. He'd be seen now and again ebbing on the fringe of the crowd, watching the others like a peacefully smiling guardian.

Verde, much to the outsiders confusion was the one to approach Skull next. He walked determinedly across the dance floor where Skull was trying to lure in Lal March through unsubtle kissy faces, and spun the man around by his waist. Giving Skull no other option then to dance with him or make a scene. At first, everyone could tell Skull hadn't been expecting to be forced along to a dance with Verde of all people, but a few moments in he relaxed consciously, forced a blinding grin ( through gritted teeth) and started to twist the scientist around.

Unlike with Fon this dance showed the discontent between the two dance partners, it showed Verde's determination to follow Skull' lead and Skull's equally determined desire to have nothing to do with him. It was a clash of Will, two very stubborn Flames clashing in the only way they could without giving the rest of the Mafia something to tear them apart with.

The dance lasted uncomfortably long for the rest of the world, neither man wanting to be the first to give in. But Verde, no matter his intelligence was nowhere near a match for a Clouds endurance. The Lightning started slowing down, stumbling over his own feet while the Cloud just spun them both faster and faster. When the Lightning finally couldn't take it anymore tripping and almost face planting into the ground, the Cloud giggled harshly, cruelly almost but tossed the poor, panting man to a seat, which he collapsed into.

Unfortunately for Lal March, she just so happened to be sitting right beside the chair Skull had chosen to drop Verde into. When Skull turned to look at her, impish smile and dazzling eyes zeroed in, Lal March scowled but followed him out anyways.

Their dance, if it could be called that, was a rigid step by step formal sway that didn't distract for the beautiful man in the wild dress, or the stunning woman in the dark tux. While the dance was as harsh as the Mafia as a whole knew Lal March to be it was filled with determination and fondness. When Skull dress away to swirl in a completely unplanned move Lal March allowed it, only drawing the man back in then there hands strained against each other. A fast paced, complex push and pull of fondness and discipline that none of the onlookers could understand why the Cloud allowed.

Right before the song Skull had chosen for the two of them to dance to ended, he suddenly took back control of the dance. It occurred to the crowd and even the woman herself, that Skull has always been in control of what they'd been doing, he'd only been allowed the other to lead. With one last spin, this time Lal March being the unwilling spin-ie, Skull dipped the woman and grinned at her cheekily.

Lal March blushing and trying hard not to grin pushed their Cloud away and stomped off the floor to go and sit harshly by a surprisingly laughing Verde. To no one's surprise she punched the laughing Lightning hard in the arm, shutting him up instantly.

Viper was Skulls next (un)willing victim. With a mad dash across the ballroom floor Skull dragged Viper up by their hands to pull out onto the dance floor. Once they were there he let go suddenly and turned away to grin cheekily at the disapproving crowd.

With a visible sigh Viper succumbed to their fate and followed helplessly after Skull. A little used talent of Mist Constructs was the ability to make props for dancing, not that any true self respecting Mist would do so. Skull knew of this hidden talent, of course, and had no trouble using Vipers powers for his own performance. Their dance together was light and fun, Skull leapt into nothing more times then the gathered crowd could count but always landed on some type of platform that Viper had made, the other part of his set chasing after him once they got into the motions.

Childishly in the middle of their dance, well after Viper had started to follow Skulls subtle cues he smacked a giant kiss right onto Viper hood. An audible gasp ran throughout the room. Skull, wild and as free as he'd ever looked, laughed at them all. At the end of their dance Skull collapsed and drug Viper down with him into a crushing hug while they sat on another of Vipers self made constructs and laughed with a joy not often seen in the Mafia. Even Viper huffed out a genuine laugh, because what did they have to fear? They were the Strongest Flame users in the world, nigh untouchable to everyone.

They were invincible.

"My I have this dance?"

Skull was grinning at a breathless Viper when those words registered in his head and a pale, strong looking hand lowered itself into his vision. Snapping his head up Skull followed the line of that hand up to nice forearms and broad shoulders, into smoking black eyes.

Skull, never one to pass up a challenge stared into those one-of-a-kind eyes and bared his teeth in a devious smile while his own hand climbed up slowly to grasp the other man's.

"How could I never deny you?"

With a push of his modestly high heel straight into Reborn's chest, Skull forced the Sun away from him. Reborn went with the motion, re-grabbing Skulls hand, which he had lost at the sudden movement from the Cloud, along the way to drag him up.

And finally Reborn.

Always, Reborn.

They dance and flirt and laugh over and over as they dance. Rising and falling, circling like the tides of the ocean they never tire of each other that night. There are no hidden threats or unspoken desires, just two people wholly invested into someone they just can't ever figure out.

You're dripping like a saturated sunrise
You're spilling like an overflowing sink

(Present Day, Plane flying above the Russian wilderness.)

Behind trapped in a small, flying vehicle with five of the other most egotistical people on the plant wasn't easy. Being trapped in a small flying vehicle while you all travel to the site of some type of natural disaster that no one knows what happened but could just possibly be your run-away Cloud?

It brings bickering out that could strip flesh from bone it's so dry.

It's only the sound of 'Bombshell Blonde' by Owl City that cuts through the rising tension like a peppy knife. Colonello's face instantly goes supernova pink as he turns and hurriedly pulls out a plain, black flip phone. Lal March, not even feet behind him, ready to defend against Reborn if things get truly out of hand, crosses her arms across her chest and looks to be trying very hard not punt him out of the flying plane.

"Why do you have Owl City as your ringtone?" Verde asked incredulously.

Reborn, who had been standing beside him but is now hunched over, one hand on the back of a chair and convulsing in place doesn't even look up when the songs named. Viper glanced over in concealed concern, (not about Reborn, of course. But that's genuine leather and it didn't need whatever Reborn's doing to it.) but they rolled their eyes when it become clear he's only holding in his laughter enough it's physically trying to overpowering him. The idiot Sun.

"How do you know who Owl City is!? Huh?!" Colonello snarled back over his shoulder. He still hadn't turned around or stopped listening to whoever was on the phone.

Fon, always the peacemaker (or instigator, depending on where Reborn's positioned) steps between the three higher strung members of their makeshift family. Not that any one of them would ever admit to being that.

"Let's ignore Colonello's questionable taste in music for the moment, and instead focus on the much more important part of this interaction." With a sharp jerk of his head towards Colonello's phone, Fon's deceivingly placid tone told them all, in vivid detail, that they had better start focusing on the important part before the Storm got any more upset at the delays.

"Like who Colonello could possibly be talking to 57,000 feet up in the air." With a mou of displeasure Viper finished coldly for their other half. Verde took a halting step back, away from both the Mist and Storm. He knew with the way the Storm was starting to swirl slowly that the Mist would get swept up into the circulation if they didn't find something about Skull soon. "And why he's not sharing."

As one they all looked sharply towards Colonello's hunched over position. Lal March being the closest took the initiative. With a kick to the back from her top-of-the-line combat boots Colonello went flying forward to splay awkwardly against the floor face first.

"Hey-!" Colonello started to yell right as the phone slipped out of his hand. With a truly impressive arch it headed straight for Reborn who snaked out a hand himself to grab it before anyone else could.

But in the grand scheme of things, no matter how much Reborn would deny it, Fon was the Greatest Martial Arts Master in the World. He was faster than everyone else on that plane easily. With speed they hadn't seen in years Fon snatched the phone out of the air before Reborn could do more then touch the top screen and definitely start another fight over who gets to hear what.

With an elegant twist backwards he landed gracefully by Viper who automatically punched him in the solar plex. With no time to react and clearly not expecting his lover to betray him, Fon went down heavy as a rock. Viper snatched up the phone and disappeared into their Mist seconds before Reborn's shiny, black shoes impacted where their head had been moments before, leaving a heavy, smoldering shoe print in the wall of the plane when he refused to stop his momentum in protest of Viper dodging him.

With a heighty glare around the seemingly empty air Reborn sneered out to Viper, who they all knew was still on the plane, "I'd be thrilled to hear your reasoning in not letting me have the phone the moment you received it." Reborn prowled around the cabin, dark eyes watching to catch any slight movement, " And why I shouldn't shoot you for it."

A scoff from above all of their heads, "You no longer get to have anything to do with the planning on how we find Skull." A gunshot, two robots (when did Verde have time...?) and a flying fist hit where Vipers voice had just appeared from. They didn't connect with anything, of course. Viper wasn't the Strongest Mist in the World for nothing either.

"What."

"Every time Reborn, and I do mean every time, you try to confront Skull, something even worse happens. I refuse to let you ruin this for the rest of us." The dry, slightly apathetic voice changes, becomes biting, "I will not be losing my Cloud due to your inability to face reality. Not again."

With a groan, Colonello who had been sitting behind where all the others gathered still on the floor cross legged, looked up into the empty air and said, "You really shouldn't have said that. Why did you say that?" seconds before a Sun enhanced bullet was shot towards where Vipers voice had originated from, a giant screech of metal on metal was heard moments after the bullet impacted the side. With barely a minute of them all standing, silently staring at the small hole Reborn had made out of his recently in-character recklessness, a massive piece of the hule of the plane blew out. The force of the pressurised air escaping ends up taking multiple seats and the entire side of the plane, with it.

Viper materialized by the others as Colonello stood up with with a strained grin. Multiple different colored lights started flashing, little airbags fell from the roof of the planes interior and a sweet, uplifting woman's voice came over the speakers to tell them all cheerfully that they were going to crash, and if they could please return to their seats and buckle in. Fon turned to look directly at Reborn as the plane started to dip down, he doesn't need to say anything as Lal March says it for him and everyone else.

Lal March squeezes the bridge of her nose as they watch the way the ground, covered in trees, get closer towards them. "This. This is why you shouldn't be allowed to talk to Skull while we convince him to come home. The entirety of all of this."

Reborn doesn't say as word, which is damning in itself, just tilts his fedora down over his eyes as they all jump from the plane as the ground rushes up to meet them.

They never even got to hear who was on the phone.

Goddamnit, Reborn!

—

You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece
And now I'm tearing through the pages and the ink