Second Chances: Skull

Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyō Hitman Reborn.

A/N: Adult Skull X Bianchi. AU. Some OoC. Spin off of Second Chances.

Answers to questions/comments can be found at the end of the story.

Please be sure to leave reviews and helpful hints. R&R!

The Invitation

Ding. Dong. That morning, Bianchi awoke slowly. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot. Sitting up, she ran her fingers through her tangled, purplish pink hair. Catching her reflection in the mirror, she winced.

"Bianchi! There is someone here for you!" Nana called from the bottom of the stairs.

Sighing, Bianchi quickly made herself presentable, even though she was still wearing yesterday's crumpled clothes, since she had cried herself to sleep.

Descending the stairs, Bianchi was surprised by the young man talking to Nana. "Carcassa Skull?" Bianchi asked as she blinked sleep from her eyes. 'Adult Skull?!'

Looking upwards at Bianchi, Adult Skull waved an envelope. "We have a mission!"

Confused, Bianchi continued towards Skull and wondered, 'Why would we have a mission together? He is a member of the Carcassa Family where as I am the current heir to the Gokudera Family.'

With a frown, Bianchi approached Skull and swiped the enveloped from his hand. Ripping it open she pulled out a formal invitation and groaned.

"Ms. Bianchi Gokudera of the Gokudera Family,

You are cordially invited to the Annual Gathering of Alliances. The accompanying limo will transport you to the private jet. Please prepare for a minimum of 5 days of negotiations.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Nono of the Vongola Family"

Holding in her groan, Bianchi looked passed Skull to the idling limo. "I suppose you are the heir to the Carcassa family?"

Skull's headed bobbed as he happily chirped, "Yup!"

Resigned, Bianchi turned on her heel and headed to her room to pack. 'Why me? Just when I have problems to sort through, the Mafia calls me to duty…' Mulling over this Bianchi almost blamed Reborn, yet she remembered her father informing her after last years' event that Nono wanted the heirs at this year's meeting.

vvv

The Limo

Bianchi sat silently in the back of the limo. Groaning inwardly, she wondered 'Will Skull ever stop talking?'

From the moment the chauffeur closed the door behind Skull and Bianchi, he had not stopped talking. The purple-headed man kept talking and talking… The only positive to it was the information he occasionally let slip.

She now knew how Reborn and Skull were appearing in their original forms. It seems Verde had found a way to use their Pacifiers and Flames to activate boxes he had specially created for the Arcabaleno.

He had explained that the boxes were limited and concluded that the curse was not fully broken because there was not enough flame energy to do so at the time. Therefore, the boxes would slowly increase the flame energy in the user.

The more the user used the box, the longer they stayed in their true form. This would continue until the time that they no longer reverted to their baby form.

Bianchi knew she should be happy for the Arcabaleno, yet she couldn't help but blame this new development for her loss of Reborn. Holding back tears, Bianchi sighed and focused her attention on her traveling companion.

vvv

Skull was ecstatic. Not only was his family reinstating him as the next heir, but he gets to go to Italy with the pretty lady next to him. Though he didn't know much about Bianchi, he knew she was special to Reborn.

Reborn had given Skull specific instructions to follow. He was to escort and protect Bianchi at all times. He was to keep her happy at all cost… or else. Skull shivered at the thought of Reborn's Or Else.

vvv

Bianchi observed the talkative freak beside her. His short and unruly purple hair accented the tear drop tattoo under his left eye, as well as his purple lipstick and eye shadow. On his otherwise unblemished face he had silver studs in both his labret and left eyebrow piercings which were accented by a silver chain linking his left ear to his lower lip.

Briefly, Bianchi wondered what other piercings were hidden by his black and purple racing suit. Mentally shaking herself, she noticed that he had stopped talking and was staring at her.

"Um, did you want something?" Bianchi asked.

vvv

Skull had noticed Bianchi's somber mood when he arrived to pick her up. So, while she was staring out the window, he had taken the opportunity to observe her as he yammered on about nothing.

The tall, obviously sexy woman wore skin-tight, low-cut bleached jeans with a tight purple mid drift tank top. Her long pinkish-purple hair fell loosely around her, barely concealing the scorpion tattoo on her left shoulder.

Skull's eyes appreciated the beauty before him, as his mind wondered if there were any more hidden tattoos.

"Um, did you want something?" Bianchi asked.

Skull blinked at the interruption to his thoughts. Shaking his head ad hands in denial, he found himself scooting away from her. "N- no. I d- don't think you're s- sexy."

vvv

Bianchi blinked, anger taking over her thoughts. From empty air, the Poison Scorpion manifested a plate of noxious purple goo and aimed it at Skull's face.

"Ow!" Skull screeched as he peeled the plate off his face.

Confused, Bianchi watched as Skull did not pass out. Instead he proceeded to clean his face and eat the food that was left on the plate.

"Mmm. Delicious." Skull smiled up at Bianchi.

Notes and Answers to Questions/Comments:

(1) This is a spin-off/side-story to Second Chances.