Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

Warning(s): Gore/ Violence, Grammar Mistakes and OOC-ness. Unbeta'd. Unedited.

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A Not so Cinderella-Like Story

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"W-What happened?"

In a dark room, a figure snapped awake.

Cielo's eyes scanned his surroundings but saw nothing but darkness. He tried to feel his surroundings but winced at his own touch.

Cautiously, he tried to squirm out of his position, only to find himself in more pain as he accidentally touched an open wound in his side. The pain that registered in his mind made him remember what happened before he woke up. Rather, days ago.

He was beaten, whipped, punched, which resulted to him garnering bruises, cuts, broken ribs and that wound in his side-- courtesy of his Master-- Hiro's knife.

He remembered how he had met the King—Giotto and what how he addressed him with familiarity. As well as the beating he earned from his 'master'.

He remembered everything almost perfectly, especially those words he said to Giotto and the words said by Hiro (reference: Chapter 06).

'Why did I say that again? And what does Master mean by 'remember' them?'

'Am I really related to them?'

"I-It hurts..." Cielo whined to himself, amidst questioning himself. He deliberately found himself clutching his head, attempting to stop the incoming headache, though it only made it worse as there was a bruise to the spot he touched.

As his head continues to hurt, a scene flashed into his mind.

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*Tap* *Tap*

Two men walked towards the body of a young boy hanged to the wall.

Uncovered by his pristine suit is the sight of his porcelain skin and hidden by the fringe of his soft chestnut hair is a face that bore innocence but at the same time maturity.

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'W-Was that... Me?' Cielo wondered.

The scene became blurry and the headache lessened, which earned a sigh of relief from Cielo. However it came back not too long after and the pain became worse.

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*CLANG*

His wrists and feet bounded by cold, hard shackles while forcibly being raised by the chains connected to it.

*RIP* *RAP*

His clothes were torn apart, showing the delicate skin to the naked eye.

*BAM*

And his skin was painted black, red, violet and blue, as though a canvas for these sole colors.

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"W-Why does it hurt so much?" Cielo couldn't hold back his scream now. Everything feels like it is burning and that the world around him is spinning, even though he can't see a thing.

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No scream resounded, not even a whimper from the child, as there were only tears falling from the eyes of the hanged.

One of the men grasped the boy's chin, forcing the other to look at him.

Dark red irises stared at the wide caramel orbs as a laugh from the older was heard.

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The pain intensified to the point that it is almost unbearable. He hoped to ease the pain by thinking away the images he sees, but to no avail.

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"W-Why?" Came the child's voice ever soft that echoed in the dark room. Oh, his voice full of pain yet full of will to endure.

Tears continued to descend from his eyes, yet the older man paid no heed to it.

The man scooted closer to the pained boy, stopping near his ear just to whisper...

"Because you are his son..."

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Cielo panted heavily as his headache lessen, until it was all gone.

'Hallucinations?' That sounds just about right. He settled himself in that answer as there is no way that that actually happened. He would rather think that than having another round of headache just trying to figure out what it is.

Just as he was able to relax a little, he heard the door opened. He turned around but he quickly retracts his movement as he was blinded by the sudden light, though he is sure that there is someone standing.

"Ara~ Ara~ It seems like the little prince is awake~" He heard a voice.

It sounded eerily familiar. He was sure that he had heard it somewhere before. It also sounded like the one he had seen from the hallucinations earlier.

"Did you have a nice rest?~" He heard the same person speak again. Now that he paid more attention, it does sound like the one he heard in the hallucination, though how could it be when he now recognize it as the voice of his master.

Cielo didn't hear anymore words afterwards. He turned around, wincing at the effort. When he did, he closed his eyes before opening it again, trying to used to the sudden light.

A man is what he saw, clad in white trousers, atop with blue tunic, contrasting his crimson eyes and pale blond hair. Suddenly, those crimson eyes reminded him the one he had just seen.

"M-Master..."

Though he knows that this was the man he referred to as, Cielo felt something amiss. There was a voice nagging at the back of his mind that he is not just the person he refer to as 'Master'.

"Impressive." His master's voice brought Cielo's attention back to him. "You seem to have remembered much, despite of my efforts."

Not even given a chance to react, Cielo felt a foot hitting his stomach until he realized that he was kicked to the other side of the room.

He was able to bite out the scream that was threatening to escape from his mouth.

"But it is not enough for you to remember me." Hiro said in satisfaction while he walked towards Cielo.

"M-Master..."

Hiro knelt in front of Cielo, grasping his chin, forcing Cielo to look at the man.

Dark red irises stared at the wide caramel orbs as a laugh from the older was heard, as if repeating what Cielo saw.

"You were also like this..." Hiro grasped Cielo's chin tighter. "Refusing to scream..."

"W-Why?"

"... and asking the same question..."

"Why?" Hiro asked himself.

Something flashed again in Cielo's mind.

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The man's hold on the boy's chin tightened, causing the boy to wince.

"Why?" He replied. The hold became a bruising grip.

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Hiro scooted closer to the pained boy, stopping near his ear just to whisper... Just like what the man in the scene that he suddenly saw repeating itself.

"Because you are his son..."

Cielo's sight was switching over to his reality and the 'hallucination' that he is having.

"Ngghhhh!"

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Cielo suddenly felt a hand in his necked. "S-Stop..."

Hiro grinned and said, "Now~ Be a good little boy as our show is about to start~" But Cielo found himself torn apart from distinguishing which is his reality and hallucination that he did not hear the words come out of Hiro.

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A struggle was felt and heard from the child, yet the man did not stop.

Though the child's efforts were futile...

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All he can do now is close his eyes, as his hallucination dissolved, seeing Hiro's eyes darkened with hatred and smile that sworn hurt and suffering, though now that doesn't stop him from hearing, the exact words that he is sure to have heard before.

"It's because Tsunayoshi... It's because you're Giotto's son."

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TBC

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Precious-Little-Girl: Two updates in two days? Wow. XD I'm in a streak today~ I can't believe that we're nearing the climax of the story! //Immasoproud //getsslapped

Care to share your thoughts?

BTW If you're confused, shoot your questions, I'll answer them as long as it doesn't spoil the story~

Thank you for reading!~ And I hope you like it~

Until Next Timeeee~