Voicetesting -- Mukuro & Chrome -- Tanagura

[foschialeale]

The world of mafioso was a dangerous one and she'd willingly come into it with a new perspective that only Mukuro had been able to grant her and since then she'd somehow managed to keep up. Many could argue that she wasn't the most strong-willed individual but she'd been getting better and the time spent within that futuristic timeline had NOT been an easy one.

Several times it had seemed like everything was going downhill, but in the end Tsuna had succeeded in defeating Byakuran and setting things right. While she was the type to not get nearly as... excitable as the other members had about this, Chrome truly was happy that all of this was over and they would get to return home. She yearned for the comfort of Kokuyo Land and listening to Ken and Chikusa as they argued over the little things, wondering mutely if they might at all have missed her.

Probably not, but she missed them either way.

Closing her singular violet eye, she remained quiet as that man - Shouichi Irie - began talking of the details on how they would be returned to their own time. Whether it was out of sheer exhaustion or something else entirely, the next time she opened her eye once more, her surroundings were not anything at all like what she remembered and she sat up in a panic before realizing there was a strange device nearby that she hadn't seen before. Not much but perhaps maybe it could explain what was going on. "Ah..." Hesitation flashed over Chrome's features before she reached over to pick it up, and from there she ended up learning where she was and a general idea of this place, though it just made her heart ache.

So this was far away from home yet again.

A glance around her room afterward found a familiar trident nearby and she moved over to grasp it in her small hands; feeling the warmth within that always seemed to be present. Her body was fine as well and she still held her Vongola ring so that meant her illusions were intact, though there was still a lot of things she didn't know, but sitting around here would not gain her any answers. With a small, quiet sigh, Chrome rose to her feet and headed out of her new 'home' until she was outside and where she saw that this new place was like a dream and it was a little hard to take in. She'd had to collapse the trident and put it in the bag she had for it, as it would attract too much attention; more than she already did.

Moving to ask some of the locals where would be the best place to go to get answers, most just directed her to go to some location named 'Apathia' and so with a nod and careful travel, she found herself there soon enough and it was definitely held more of an 'at home' feel and she couldn't help but smile a little.

So strange but... it wasn't all as bad as it seemed and the people seemed friendly.

Perhaps she wasn't entirely keeping track of things - or spaced out too much - as out of nowhere, she bumped into someone and something cold splashed down the front of her clothes. Unlike most who might get mad or offended by this, Chrome just blinked a couple of times and made to try and find the source so she could apologize for bumping into him and causing that to happen but stopped short when the person, a light haired boy a bit older than herself with the haircolor similar to Gokudera's, started apologizing and bowing his head while asking what he could do to make it up to an elite for ruining her clothes.

Even offering her all the bytes he had on him to which she just frowned a bit and held up her hands before her. "Ah, no...you don't have to..." Then who she assumed was the store-owner came up and chastized the boy further, saying he was a disgraceful mongrel and so on and it kind of intimidated her as she started backing up.

Only stopping when she ran into someone but not realizing just who it was.

Comments

[nascondere]

Hands came up automatically to the small girl's shoulders, instinct telling him he needed to hold the person steady so she wouldn't bump into him once again instead of simply just steadying her like a proper human being would. But Mukuro had never been a proper human being in his entire life, so what would he know.

(Though... something about this girl's touch, the feel of her underneath his hands, felt familiar. Her hair too, from what he could see in his peripheral vision, was familiar. But perhaps that was nostalgia talking.)

"Oya oya, what's going on here?" Mukuro grinned at the two men before him, a hint of teeth showing between his lips. Friendly on the outside, but meant to intimidate all the same. However, before the shop owner could relay the story, he held up a hand to stave off any explanations, the man closing his mouth with a click at the imperious gesture. "Ah... spare me. That was a rhetorical question. I know exactly what was going on here."

A scene. Drawing in curious eyes, rubberneckers. How shameful. How... typical of this world. And Mukuro had gotten involved in this spectacle simply because the young elite girl had been backing up against him, and he never noticed because she was so small, and his attentions were elsewhere-- namely the rest of the street. But now that he was involved, he'd rather end that involvement quickly, and that meant ending the situation itself.

"Why don't you take this indoors, gentlemen, or at least end it. Don't you see how scared the young lady is with your menace?"

[foschialeale]

The familiarity of those larger hands as they came up to her shoulder was instantaneous; she'd felt them not too long ago as those strong arms had once held her. Reassured her.

Chrome blinked a couple of times, wondering if it was just hopeful thoughts or just her wish to see him that was making her hear things now as well. She could hear him and while it was definitively older and more mature, there was no mistaking who this was that happened to be here with her. This strange place was like an unusual dream but somewhat less pleasant than her usual one, and yet if Mukuro was here, it didn't seem nearly as bad in the long run.

It was likely this realization along with the intimidating situation that had her fairly quiet, her deep violet gaze trailing up to Mukuro and then out to the sight of the other people all taking note of this situation.

How embarrassing.

The men in question seemed to react easily and both gave a bit of a bow and an apology before the shop owner took the mongrel boy into the shop and off the streets. Something handled so effortlessly that it ended up being as impressive as always, though it didn't stop her from feeling a little self conscious because of the people's initial gazes on them. She still stood out due to what happened, plus there was the definite discoloration and dampness to her clothes from what the boy had accidentally spilled on her prior. It seemed to smell sweet and there was a glass on the ground nearby so it must have been a drink of some sorts, one hand coming up to press fingers into the discolored material before she looked back and up at Mukuro with an inquiring gaze.

"...Mukuro-sama...?" He was so tall, but he held an air of authority about him that she still respected even now. Thankful that he was here at all.

[nascondere]

Being called by his name, especially when he's been careful not to give his real name to anyone in this world, was a surprise.

Even more of a surprise when he was called by a familiar voice, the young lady finally speaking up and... Revealing herself to be someone he knew better than anyone else, and likewise. Though not quite, as when he finally looked down at her, she wasn't the Chrome he'd grown up with, sometimes as, but... Still, she was Chrome, and he felt something within him both ease and tense at the same time when he caught her gaze. And knelt down on one knee to better look at the small girl, hands on either side of her face.

At least she wasn't fainting in his arms this time.

"Hello, my dear little Chrome."

He would find the people responsible for this and send them to hell-- after forcing them to send her back. She wasn't suited for this place. Or rather, this place wasn't suited for her. It was filthy and disgusting, and Chrome deserved so much more than that, even if an apartment in Eos Tower and a life of being a spoiled child of the Golden City awaited her. But Mukuro knew better than to think she would adjust well to it.

Still...

First things first.

"Shall we find you new clothes until we can have these washed?" It was, after all, the Kokuyo uniform she had on-- and he would try to save it as much as possible. He wouldn't have cared to even attempt if she were wearing anything else, but he knew the attachment to the outfit, when he had the same himself.

[foschialeale]

Many of the others could still doubt him over and over and yet there would be no judgment or anything like that which she'd feel in regards to Mukuro. Most people didn't see the way he looked after her, and it was always enough to tell her that she wasn't just being 'used' by Mukuro as some might suggest to try and get to her.

He never disappointed her and now was another example as he'd managed to diffuse a situation she herself didn't know how to properly handle on her own.

It had been a coincidental matter of timing in meeting him here and yet she was thankful for it. As he knelt down to her level with both hands on each side of her face, it caused a blush to rise to her cheeks; most gentle, physical contact had that effect coming from him did that and she couldn't entirely help it. She was in a somewhat better emotional state than she'd been during the last time she'd seen him, so she definitely wouldn't be fainting on him for what it was worth.

Being on her own in such a strange and unusual place might have been harder to bear if it hadn't been for being able to find him. Even finding the other Vongola members would have been a relief, but to find Mukuro here just seemed to put her mind at ease.

It was as he spoke again that she blinked a bit before nodding. "...Y-Yes. I'd like that, thank you." Chrome's voice was small, soft and polite as it always was when she addressed others. Her tone held an underlying note of gratitude because only he would understand the importance of this uniform and why she internally had been quite upset about it getting dirty like this. Even if she wasn't necessarily mad about the accident that had caused this to start with.

[nascondere]

"Come with me then. I know a good place for you." It was more of a costume shop than anything, but it wasn't overly sexual, and definitely had some things that would be good enough to keep Chrome warm in this weather while they were in Midas. Then they could move back to Tanagura and its climate-controlled bubble, and he could see about possibly changing her residency to his.

Because there was no way in the six hells that he would allow Chrome to live on her own while he was still here-- or even not. Even if they young Vongola members did not much trust him, he would make sure that at least one of them looked out for her if he could not.

He rose up to his full height, dusting off his coat and trousers, before putting one arm around her, hand on Chrome's shoulder. He would not have done this if he were with anyone else, but this was Chrome after all. He had no problems being around her, when she had no problems being around him.

And that made him feel less livid over her presence in this filthy pigsty of a world.

The store Mukuro led her to was in Lhassa, called Dress Down, and definitely was a costume shop, no doubt about it. But given Mukuro's usual tastes, he saw no problem with this establishment.

[foschialeale]

Unlike most who would question it, she nodded without so much as a word; a sign of just how much she did trust him. There was at least a hint of curiosity in her gaze though, wondering what kind of place it was that he'd found and thought would be good for her in terms of clothes in a place like this.

Everything about this entire place was quite off; a culture shock for her even beyond the whole system they seemed to have regarding hair colors from what she'd been able to discern. So strange and unusual, plus everything held this sexual aura about it and why she mostly kept her gaze averted from those kinds of things as they kind of embarrassed her, despite knowing that sort of thing was prevalent everywhere and a theme she'd likely never be able to get away from.

Watching him quietly, Chrome couldn't help but feel comforted by not only his presence here but the way he put an arm around her with his hand firm along her shoulder. Keeping her close as if to shield her from the strangeness around her and it made her smile just a bit, remaining quiet until they reached that store he'd mentioned earlier. It was an interesting one and seemed to be a costume shop, though she hardly minded by any stretch of the word and looked around at some of the outfits they had on display with her gaze lingering here and there on some rather cute outfits briefly.

"Do you think there's something here that would fit me, Mukuro-sama?" Chrome took her gaze away from the outfits around them and back to him, wanting to know just what it was that he had in mind.

[nascondere]

She was so cute, wandering about the store like she didn't know what to do, peering at this and that only to come back to him for guidance. It reminded him strongly of the Chrome he'd grown up with and her own first time buying proper clothes for herself at his prodding, when her growing body needed something more than just the uniform to fit into.

Except this time, she had a physical Mukuro to look to, someone who could actually take her by the hand and show her what could look good on her (not that there were many things that would not be suitable for her, when she was a charming girl who would grow to be a beautiful flower of a woman), not a voice in her head who could occasionally take over her body and wear it like a mannequin would wear clothes.

"Kufufufu, trust me. There's nothing that wont fit you." While Mukuro didn't exactly take her by the hand, he did put his hands on her shoulders to steer her around properly. Towards the display of a cute lolita outfit that many people would die over if she were to wear it. He was sure of this.

... Perhaps he chose it specifically because of that, because he didn't want any of the pigs here touching his dear Chrome. Better for them to all just die.

"See? It's excellent, don't you think?"

[foschialeale]

Times like these made it so entirely clear that most girls would just be so used to walking in, and knowing what they wanted to wear. Chrome however, usually just took what was presented to her; lacking a sense of greediness or vanity that a lot of girls her age bore. She'd never had much choice or a person to actually give her this luxury and another reason in what made Mukuro so special to her.

He'd given her another chance to live, being needed by somebody and not even remotely questioning anything about him.

The others initially seemed so distrusting and knew of the transgressions Mukuro had caused in the past, yet none of it mattered as she took in things here and now where he was here with her and letting her feel like a true, cherished person. Someone that could be doted on. Such proof was in the confident words he spoke and how he knew exactly where to take her in the shop, blinking a bit when she took in the sight of that outfit now before her.

Looking it over, Chrome walked up to it quietly and raised a hand to brush over the soft material of the skirt with quiet admiration evident behind her singular violet eye. She'd never owned anything like it before, and if she was completely honest, it was better than anything she could have likely picked out on her own.

"I do." A beat and she turned to look at him with a bit of her usual shyness in place. "It's rather pretty, and very soft to the touch." In other words, she really did like the one he'd chosen but would never be able to bring herself to even remotely suggest anything like buying it. Such went in part with her unassuming nature, still not thinking much of herself from time to time and lacking a bit of selfishness that most girls already had by this point in their lives.

[nascondere]

The way she touched it, the way she inspected it before actually giving him an answer, brought back to the forefront of his mind her condition when they first met. A small girl looking even smaller, a porcelain doll lying in a hospital bed, almost as white as the sheets around her. Abandoned by a mother who loved herself more than her, and a stepfather who barely even cared.

A scene that reminded his younger self so forcefully of his parents' own betrayal, even if he couldn't even remember either them or the moment they gave him away to be a lab rat.

But most, he saw a girl who was going to leave the world with nothing in her life. He still saw that now, even over the years that he'd been with her. First impressions always lasted after all, and he doubted he would ever forget. So he was determined to give her something in life-- anything he could give. He had been such a stupid, selfish boy ten years ago, couldn't be there for her in the flesh, but at least now he could do something.

"That settles it then." Already he had his palm reader in one hand, ready to start transferring bytes to whoever was acting as cashier for the day. Maybe that blond man was somewhere...

"Go get changed, and I'll take care of the rest here, hmm?"

The other hand was already working to free the skirt from its stand so Chrome could take it with her.

[foschialeale]

Considering the most she'd ever seen of Mukuro had been the few times in her dreams, or the brief time in the future where he'd taken care of her then, it still felt so surreal to have him treat her so sweetly and without question. This wasn't a dream, and while it wasn't home, he really was here spending time with her outside of anything like mafia business or amidst a fight.

Here he was warm and kind to her; a girl who had nothing. Someone who happened to be completely unassuming and still held a lack of self-worth for herself.

All things considered on the matter, she didn't think he would go ahead and do it, initially blinking a bit in mild confusion before realizing he was essentially saying he'd get that cute outfit for her. "Ah..! I... A-Alright!" Once she had the outfit in hand, she gave a small bow of thanks with her cheeks warm with a gentle blush. "Thank you, Mukuro-sama" The look on her face spoke of real happiness when she straightened up just then, a truly happy smile clear as day visible for the first time since she'd met up with him.

It was brief as she then hurried to the changing rooms with the outfit in hand, not wasting another moment.

[nascondere]

How anyone could deny that sweet young girl was a mystery for the ages. The way she smiled, he thought, was one of the most amazing things on this planet, on their planet... anywhere, really.

Some people were, really, just that disgusting. Worse than Mukuro himself, a man who happily danced along the line of morality and morals and their complete opposites, between 'too much' and 'completely not okay' without regret or even guilt of what he was doing. Without a second thought of how utterly nasty he was to other people.

If Mukuro was happily one of the nastiest men alive, considered that by himself and those same people who wouldn't care for such a young girl's life or even her smile, he wondered how they would react to their own hypocrisy.

Mukuro shook himself. This was no time to think about such things. He simply continued on to the counter and paid, transferring the appropriate funds to the account asked of him. It was... a dent in his own account, to be sure, but Chrome deserved this much from him. Deserved it and much more.

Then, he simply waited for her to be don.e