49. Encount

When I woke up, all I wanted was to go back to sleep. I wanted to just go back to sleep, and preferably wake back up in my old world.

I clenched the sheets, and I bit my lip.

"Stop it, Rei," I growled at myself, "You're over that now."

And so, I breathed out, and got out of the bed. I slapped myself on both cheeks, and looked in the mirror.

I pulled my cheeks upward.

My smile didn't reach my eyes.

"Seriously, Drew, you're terribly at lying!" Eve scolds me, dabbing at the scratch on my elbow with a cotton swab dabbed with alcohol. "You're terrible at acting, you're terrible at keeping secrets, you're terrible at even making excuses! Is your brain full of acrobatics too?"

Eve, Zen, and Drew. They were always good in one, average in the next and terrible at the last. Drew's strong point was her inane reflexes. She could do magic tricks here and there.

However, acting and lying were things she could never do.

It was frustrating.

The now empty box sat on the table, waiting for the hairclips that were long lost. I closed the box, and tossed it to the back of the closet.

I'm over it now.

The Varia Arc's begun. I can't be wallowing in regret now, It's a despicable waste of time. I looked in the mirror again, at the bangs that were hanging over my face.

A smile cracked naturally onto my face.

"Well, I look like an anime character now, don't I?"

-----

"Mornin'!" I grin, entering the classroom.

"Good morning!" a few calls went up, and I recognized one voice as Kyoko's. "What happened to your face?"

I noted the little band aids around my face, and chuckled. "Got scratched up by a cat." I let the rehearsed lie slip smoothly out of my mouth.

"Oh no," Kyoko sounded worried, but was giggling, "You should've been more careful!"

"Sorry, sorry." I chuckled awkwardly. Thank god we had long sleeves, because the bruises on my arms were far from nice to look at.

Spotting Takeshi at his desk, I send him a smile before heading to my own seat.

"Hey, what happened to those pins, Rei?" Takeshi was quick to notice, and there was a hint of concern in his tone.

Concern. Ah, how long had it been since I've started wearing them? I've bragged countless times to him about how much I loved them, too.

I chuckle. "Outgrew them!" I felt like I was telling this to myself, "Why? Do I look weird without them?" I switched to a playful tone.

Takeshi quickly denied.

He was definitely skeptic, but I turned away from further conversation and laughed at a bitter joke in the air.

-----

I was in the library.

It was quiet. Quiet, calm, and not a single sound except for the light shuffling of feet and the rustle of pages flipping over.

Behind the third shelf, and through a gap between the pillars, an architecture malfunction gave the area a small and secluded protection.

It was cramped-- just enough for me to sit in, my legs outstretched. But the walls at both sides of my shoulders ironically made me feel safer.

I leaned as comfortably as I could, with a small pillow I brought in from the couches. My eyes drooped, and I breathed out, relaxing.

"Is this your secret base?"

I flinched.

Greatest Hitman Reborn, somehow already on my lap asked me a question. He seemed amused at this new finding, and even more amused as he proceeded to interrogate my mere existence.

"Ehehe," I scratched my cheek, "Secret Base? Kinda."

I eyed him-- and he eyed me.

We were silent, like we always were. Neither of us ever had anything to talk about. We had virtually nothing in common, nor was there any merit in engaging ourselves in common talk.

Out relationship felt entirely business related-- and this meant Reborn held no trust in me as an individual.

My mouth parted to speak--But I didn't know what to say.

What should I say? What do I speak out? Drew, was she ever a good conversation starter?

Reborn studied my every action.

I gave him a resigned smile, a bashful giggle as I wordlessly admitted to him that I could not start a conversation.

Just like that, we spent an hour together, in complete silence, merely reading each other's expression and trying to figure each other out.

Before he left, he told me to come to the Ring Battle that would occur at night.

-

-

It was eleven o'clock, an hour before the predetermined time.The school was completely deserted, and the sun had set ages ago. The school was dim and eerie, which sent shivers down my spine, despite my wearing a jacket.

"Y'sure about this?" I asked Reborn, unable to mask my wimpy, scared-of-the-school-at-night tone. "Takeshi and the others aren't coming till a little later, aren't they?"

"Well," Reborn said in his 'matter of fact' tone, "I thought you'd want to see the Varia again before it all." I swear I could hear the smirk on his face.

I tut. "Thanks a lot," I groan sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"You're welcome." came the reply.

"If you bully me too much, I'm going home, got it?" I whined, feigning a cry.

"Whatever."

I groan, mentally swore at myself, and let out a string of inaudible grumbles. Then I turned to Reborn, "So, what's the real reason?"

"I just needed a walking dictionary."

"Dammit, Reborn."

-

"Hehh, look, there's already someone here."

Reborn and I turned synchronously towards the roof, where the silhouettes of five men stood out against the light of the moon.

"Voi he's not a Guardian, is he?!" Squalo groaned sharply.

"But he was there last time. I remember him." Lussuria mused.

"Hm." grunted Leviathan, "He was with the Lightning kid back then."

My left fist clenched instinctively in attempt to calm my nerves, but my face probably gave it away.

I gulped, and managed to uncurl my fingers.

"Please watch over me, brothers," I whisper, knowing Reborn can hear me. He could hear me, but that meant less than my twisting nerves right now.

I'm facing the Varia. one wrong move and I'm gone.

I kept calm. I breathed out.

That's right-- I realized, Eve always said that I don't end to act strong when I can't.

Acting is all about becoming another person.

My right hand moved to my left chest, and the other hand wrapped around my stomach. I bowed curtly, and lifted my head with a light smirk and a sharp gaze.

"Greetings, members of Varia." I spoke more confidently than I ever thought I could, "My name is Rei." I titled my head aside and flashed a close-eyed smile. "I am utmost pleased to make your acquaintance."

Squalo snorted. "The hell?" he went.

Belphegor giggled. "What's this, are we supposed to retort or something?"

Lussuria though, was pleased at the sight. "My, isn't that a polite boy?" he joked.

"Well, to be fair, I've never seen anyone greet us that way." Mammon spoke up softly, "Not after they wereobviously pissing their pants a few days back."

I. Was. Not.

But I kept my straight face on.

"He seems weak." Belphegor twirled a knife around his left finger, "Y'think he'd be an interesting hostage? Or maybe a great toy to pass time."

"Hey, I'm not interested in the weakling," Squalo warned, "but don't do anything that'll get the stupid Cervello runnin' after us."

"It's alriiight," Bel slurred, "I'm just playing a game." Then, Belphegor staggered and stood himself up.

"Reborn-kun," I spoke up quickly, "Mind getting off my head for a moment?"

Reborn jumped off my head the moment I swerved aside to dodge one knife aimed at my right eye. Then, I ducked down to avoid one aimed at my forehead. Looking upwards, I could seen the sharp glint of a wire.

Having focused on the wires, I lost sight of Belphegor.

My eyes drifted to the left-- and instantly I twisted my neck to avoid another knife. The knife barely missed my eye, but sliced across the bridge of my nose.

Cringing slightly, I landed backwards, on my hands, and managed a backflip to get myself back on my feet.

Then came the flurry of knives.

Left, right, left, left, up, down, right-- right, up--

I froze.

I could've cursed right now. I could just spat out the freaking F word right now, as I suddenly realized I was trapped in between a whole spiderweb of wires.

"Ushishishi," Belphegor chuckled, "How did you figure out my trick so fast?"

Act tough, my instincts told me. Pretend you're confident!

"Sleigh of hand tricks are all about misdirection." Zen explained, shuffling a card, "Simple things like, 'look over there', or 'how are you' can divert their attention. And as a Magician, catching that one second is incredibly vital."

I chortled nervously, "It's a Magician's secret."

"Magician?" Belphegor repeated curiously.

Now!

My hand shot to the back pocket of my pants-- I pulled out a pocket knife and in one quick swipe--

I back out a good distance away, clutching at my chest, breathing heavily.

Belphegor seemed taken aback, but in the end laughed it off. "Well, I guess the extra thin wires were no good. Seeing your condition though, it's undeniably my win."

And I bit my lip, because his arrogant remark was absolutely right.

"That was a great time waster," he said cockily. Belphegor then returned to where the rest of the Varia were, leaving me alone.

I steadied my breath, relieved that the battle came to an abrupt halt.

But the irritation in my chest did not subside.