Rated T for cursing, and the dead. Chapter two should be posted in a week.

This story is co-written with the lovely Shi Natoka-chan . Nah and just to clarify, I am apparently the story's mother and she is its father. We hope you all enjoy being able to see our lovely thought child.

Chapter One

Sometimes, Skull found himself in the most peculiar of positions. Whether that was talking to the air animatedly - including the hand flares and shoulder shrugs that made him appear to be deep into a conversation - or staring at nothing with such solemn intensity it made people worry.

And disturbed, most likely.

The Arcobaleno knew he did so. They would even go as far as saying they were used to such mannerism being displayed by the energetic and Purple Cloud. Yes, they were used to the way Skull DeMort, whom could previously be completely engaged in a discussion with one of them, suddenly detaches himself from them.

They were used to his focus - his fixation - on nothing.

Or, at least, what they determined to be nothing.

Despite what they may have thought, and what Skull knew they thought him to be, he was by no means crazy. Well, not their assumed definition, at least. There were a multitude of way to apply the word crazy to a person's psyche and Skull was none of the ones he was under the scrutiny of being.

Sure he may seem a bit - absolutely - lunatic to those who didn't experience the things he did, or to those who couldn't see the things he did. More importantly, to those who couldn't dare to comprehend what he could. It was a rather… lonely existence in a way, but Skull never had time to dwell on that feeling when he was so very busy working.

Besides, he wasn't totally alone. There was the persistent company here and there- though, mostly in the form of a certain red octopus who couldn't seem to bear leaving him alone for more than twelve hours, no matter how many times the poor Cloud tried to get the bright-spirited Oodako to pass on.

Alas, the stubborn sea creature still refused him to that day.

He shivered as an ache settled into his bones, automatically peering down at his onyx boots towards Oodako who began to trek his way up Skull's pant leg. Picking up the ghostly apparition and settling him on his shoulder, Skull attempted to ignore the dull pain that throbbed in synchronization with his own heartbeat.

It was always painful to touch that which was dead and it never failed to spread a burning ache to his bones which would persist until he was no longer touching the thing that elicited the reaction.

Skull supposed it was such a shame that he was far too fond of cuddling all the dead animals and children he came across as a means to reassure them and help them move on. He would never regret it, however. Bringing solace to those no longer living was one of his jobs, after all.

A job he had before he'd met the Arcobaleno and became apart of the Tri-Ni-Set. It was a job he had since receiving his curse in the aftermath of being attacked by a demon as a young child, and it would be his job until he also parted. Though he admittedly expected that would be awhile.

Being doubly cursed was… troublesome. As an Arcobaleno, Kawahira had tied each of their life forces into the ley lines to maintain them, but they intersected- which ultimately meant that if one of them were to die, they would likely all would perish together. It wasn't the most pleasant of thoughts to contemplate but it really had a way of making them into a more functional team than they were before they were branded as the Arcobaleno.

Before the second curse, Skull never quite clicked with the elements - except Fon, because he was basically a saint and accepted his quirks, odd and all - and it was rather disharmonious for the longest of times. Then, they ended up with their body clocks frozen in time by Kawahira without so much as by your leave, - Douche - ending with all the individuals involved in the whole fiasco connected in a way they really never wished they were.

Thus, they quite regularly impeded on each others' lives. It was understandable, the Cloud knew, that they often checked on him in the interest of their own safety due to their understanding of him being their weakest link. He, however, never understood why this invited them all to come over to him, all at once, and basically make a vacation out of it.

Skull had a suspicion Reborn was behind all the team vacations that ended up being at Skulls. The Sun liked poking all his buttons, after all, and never bothered trying to be subtle about it either.

Either way, the Cloud steeled his resolve as he adjusted his coat, feeling his flames recognize those that were approaching. They always picked the worst times. Skull was being absolutely flooded with work requests and he'd rather keep the wool over his team's eyes for a little longer because opening up the can of "I can see dead people, so I work as a PI to help solve cases" worms was just not conforming to his schedule.

What with the major explosion that revelation would bring and all.

He twisted the knob of his front door with a sigh, and Fon dropped his raised fist from where it was positioned to knock on the wood as he waved them in all inside.

"Watch your steps, don't break anything!" he warned, shifting a few of his paranormal paraphernalia out of the way with his shoe.

"Your office is small, kora!" Colonello, the last one who trailed in, protested, almost bumping into the others as he looked around.

"I told you not to come here." Skull tried to discreetly shuffle the files and documents on his table. Did he close that tab about the necromancy, yet? It'd be suspicious to shut his laptop, now. Turning around to face the rest, he crossed his arms and glowered. "Can you go, now? Why are you even here, anyway?"

"A vacation, lackey. Be honored we came, even though your place is shitty."

Skull glowered even more at Reborn's smirk. Maybe he should sic Oodako on him. See how he would like that.

Just as he turned around to look at Oodako on his shoulder, he came face to face with a bloody face, grinning with teeth just as bloody from the concaved nose. Skull shrieked and tripped backward, hitting his temple on the table before crashing inelegantly to the floor.

Fon and Luce were the only ones who rushed to see his condition, soft-hearted as they were. Skull waved them away, laughing to hide his glower. He secretly glared at the Gil, the mafioso who died when he had slipped inside Skull's office, hitting the very same table he just scared Skull into. He never did forgive him for it.

And now, the jerk whirled around the room like a kid who overdosed on candy, cackling in an inhuman voice as he phased through every Arcobaleno in sight.

"W-why is your room so cold?" Viper shivered from the corner, holding a hand over her mouth to hide her stutter. Her cloak didn't help with the chilly apparition, apparently. "You don't even have an air conditioner."

Skull leaped up from the floor with another nervous laugh. So many questions, so little answers. "We don't get much sun here," he lied bluntly, ignoring the bright yellow glows that shone through the window blinds. Rubbing his aching head, he nudged and shoved his way through his unwelcome visitors. Good thing Colonello hadn't closed the front door behind him. Some nosy poltergeist might "accidentally" lock it shut. He announced loudly so everyone could hear, "You guys can spend your vacations inside my office if you want! I'm leaving!"

Skull was pretty proud of himself when everyone trickled out to follow him. He left the office building and looked around the neighborhood with a sigh.

"It's a bad time to come here," he talked, mostly to himself. It was October, the month of Halloween. The line that separated the realms were thinner, then, with its peak at Halloween itself. He strolled down the street and tried to ignore the walking dead surrounding them. Still, he was the only one who jumped when a row of heads cackled from inside a doll shop, like a twisted joke from hell.

"Are you okay, Skull? You look really pale," Luce peered at his face. Skull squirmed and tried to look neutral.

Luckily, Reborn's interference saved him, for once. "You're one to talk, Luce."

At that, Skull finally gave his friend a proper look. Reborn wasn't wrong. Luce was pale, but not only that, her life energy was flickering unnaturally, and the cursed tattoo on her cheek appeared dimmer than before. It always did, though, since the day she was cursed, so Skull couldn't be sure whether it was the cause or not.

He reached out to his bonds, gently checking them over with a worried frown when nothing conclusive showed in regards to Luce's condition. Oodako had wandered off his shoulder by now, attached to the window of a shop by his side, glaring menacingly towards all the unnatural forces that seemed to focus on his person.

Without the familiar chill of the octopus clinging onto him, it was much easier to tell that something was wrong with the Sky of their group. The worried, tense air around those who had accompanied her here further proved that suspicion to be true, and with the way Reborn seemed to hover-

His eyes glowed slightly - the same purple as always, but eerily bright even under the unforgiving sun - as he took a look closer to her life force in a way none of the others could. Like a candle, it flicked violently as if a heavy wind had continuously assaulted it. Around Luce's presence lingered a cool energy Skull only associated with those who were dead, and quite a few elderly who were dying.

He, however, could not find the reason, and instead had to tear his eyes away from the Sky when it became glaringly obvious that he had "spaced out" again and the others were trying to gather his attention.

Skull laughed nervously, not moving when Oodako began to crawl up him again. He planned quickly, opening his mouth to speak. "I'm sure she'll feel better once she's eaten something. It was a long trip here, after all, Senpai. I'll treat you all to lunch this once and Luce will feel better afterward."

His tone attempted to sound reassuring, but even as he began to wander away, he knew there wasn't anything he could do to reverse the effects of her condition.

Luce was already half dead. And necromancy was not something Skull exceeded in.

A grimace pulled his lips taunt when he was sure the others couldn't see, going over all knowledge in his mind on what to do- how to inform them. If Luce were to die, wouldn't they all die? That was how the system worked.

How ironic it wouldn't be the "lackey" that ended them all.

He bit his tongue, ignoring the taste of iron and the concerned prodding of the red octopus upon his shoulder, leading his fellow Arcobaleno into a small restaurant.

Zoned out as he was, the others paid him no mind when ordering. Skull always did this, after all. Detached himself from the group as if they weren't there. That characteristic along with his need to constantly achieve a sense of freedom was really the only indication to them he was a Cloud. So, they left him be to act as he was.

He'd snap out of it soon. He always did.

And he did.

Admittedly, not in the way anyone had suspected.

"DeMort. I have a case for you."

Violet eyes blinked into focus, turning to a woman in her mid-thirties as she slammed a file onto the table where all the cursed elements were seated at, successfully garnering the attention of them all.

She smirked challengingly when several displayed irritated - if not downright murderous - glares.

Skull groaned, a pitiful and suffering sound at the back of his throat.

"Daniela, why?"

This was why he looked up all the necromancy stuff earlier. Someone-he didn't know who, but he strongly, strongly suspected Timoteo, her son- had resurrected Daniela, the only female boss of Vongola, whose name was known throughout Italy once upon a time.

Fortunately, she looked young enough now that none of the Arcobaleno immediately recognized who she was. Before any of them-especially Reborn or Viper who worked closely with that family-realized, Skull had jumped out of his seat. He grabbed the file with one hand and her arm with another, begging her to follow him away from the public.

"Go on and order! I'll be back soon!" he threw over his shoulder. "Oh, but don't order too much or I won't pay!" he added, despite knowing the futility of it. At least, that should distract them for a bit.

Going around a corner that led closer to the kitchen, he stopped and flipped quickly through the files. Ugh, paperwork. And nasty photographs.

"This is about last time? I told you I don't know anything about it. I'm not taking the case," he grumbled, squinting down at the text without bothering to read it. The photos attached there were still the same as last time, anyway.

"Someone was killing my grandsons, kid. I'm not taking no for an answer."

Skull flinched. Daniela was radiating killing intent, and it was all the more scary considering she had already died, once.

"Vongola has one heir left, but it's fortunate that he's still too young to be recruited. I want this manhunt to stop, DeMort, before someone finds him and decides to off him, too."

Skull mourned his fate inside his head. "Using children against me is freaking unfair." He huffed and gave up. "Fine, so you want me to locate their spirits and learn what happened, right? I warn you, now, they might not even be around, anymore. Not everyone becomes a ghost when they die."

"That is sufficient." Daniela nodded, satisfied with his answer. Before she left, she just had to bid him goodbye with a chilling smile. "Don't fail, Skull, or I'll drag you back to hell with me."

Scary lady.

Holding back a shiver, Skull shoved the file under his jacket and rushed back to join the irritated Arcobalenos at their table.

So, tell us what you all thought! Reviews are like food, and we must feed our child so that it may grow into a healthy and beautiful adult.

- LittleSkyCompass and Shi Natoka-chan . Nah