{A/N This chapter contains physical ab*se towards children and sort of graphic descriptions of injuries. If these things trigger you, please click off the chapter}

"You can't play with those." Volcan pointed at his younger sister, setting the matches on a high shelf.

"Hmph, why not?" Akira pouted, crossing her arms.

"Akira, they're dangerous and are not toys." Volcan explained,"An eight year old shouldn't be anywhere near matches."

Akira rolled her eyes and walked away, presumably to complain to Blaze or Cole, their other brothers, about how he was being 'unfair'.

"Volcan!" His father Pyros snapped from his study,"Get in here now!"

Volcan shuddered as he turned and walked towards his father's study. His hands began to sweat, he would never admit it to anyone but he was terrified of his father, especially his short temper.

"Father, is there something you need?" Volcan forced out, much more polite than usual.

"Mira told me you failed the test." His father glared at him.

"But I didn't fail." Volcan quickly shook his head,"I got a B-"

"A B isn't good enough!" Pyros slammed his first against the desk,"If you think that is acceptable in my house then you would be better off dead."

Volcan froze. Although his father was a very angry and stern man... He'd never said anything like that before.

"Wrist." Pyros spat.

Volcan could feel his breath quickening as he rolled up his sleeve, exposing his injured arm. He squeezed his eyes closed as his father slapped the ruler against his wrist. Once. Twice. Three times.

When his punishment was over, he quickly rolled his sleeve back down and held his arm close to his chest as he tried to get back to his room.

"V?" Akira reached for his hand.

Volcan flinched away before realising it was only his sister.

"K-kira, what is it?" He asked, hoping she didn't notice.

Akira sighed and hugged her older brother,"Why isn't daddy nice to us?"

Volcan rubbed her back,"Because... Daddy's a little stressed right now. I'm sure he does care."

"Okay.." Akira nodded slowly.

*********************************

Volcan awoke later that night to... Screaming. He blinked his eyes open and realised that his room was filling up with thick, black smoke. Fire... There was a fire!

He looked down at the foot of his bed was Cole... He was dead, Volcan was sure of it. His black hair was singed and he could see almost all of his visible skin was peeling... Volcan tried not to throw up.

Meanwhile, the fire was edging towards him. He didn't even bother to check if Blaze was alive, his bed and a charred lump were already consumed by the flames.

As Volcan struggled to open his bedroom window, he could feel the fire burning him. His arms, his face, his legs... But he persisted, eventually growing desperate and smashing the window with one of Cole's books before toppling out onto the ground.

He hit the ground with a thud, hearing a crack as he landed although he felt no pain. Not anymore. Everything hurt so badly that he felt... Nothing. He was numb.

As reality begin to hit, he threw up... Twice and pain rushed all throughout his body.

Volcan stumbled into an alleyway, resisting the urge to cough his guts up before eventually slumping down and passing out.

*********************************

"Pleasure doing business." Volcan smirked, putting money in his pocket as his client walked away.

By now, Volcan was nearing his 15th birthday and was doing decently for himself. In order to keep himself from starving on the streets, Volcan had fallen into a life of crime and gained the title of the Ultimate Spy.

He could've went back to school but... He didn't want people to see his face, not after what the fire did to him. It was much easier to pretend to be dead than go back to trying to live a 'normal' life.

"You. Are you the spy who goes by Akuryō?" A boy, no older than thirteen, asked as he approached.

The boy had tanned skin, long black hair, warm yellow eyes and was dressed formally in a suit, bowtie and top hat.

"What's it to ya, kid?" Volcan bent down, making sure his burns were hidden.

The boy sighed,"Look, I want to work with you. Hear me out, this may be hard to believe, but my name is Ray Luciano-"

"I'm in." Volcan cut him off.

"You... Don't want any proof?" Ray blinked.

"Course not, you're the real deal." Volcan chuckled.

"How di-"

"Trust me, kid. I've been around." Volcan told him,"I mean, who gives their control of the French Mafia to a ten year old?"

The boy, Ray, froze and Volcan laughed.

"Relax, kiddo. Now what do you need me for?" Volcan raised a brow.

"A... Partnership." Ray stated.

"Ooh, a partnership?" Volcan hummed,"I'm intrigued, go on."

"Well, I require your services to help me gather intel on inferior gangs." Ray crossed his arms.

"You gonna pay me? If so, I'm in." Volcan held out his hand.

"Of course I will, the price will vary depending on the task, I assume." Ray nodded.

Volcan smirked,"Smart kid."

Just before they shook hands, they were interrupted by a white haired boy.

"Boss, don't trust him!" The boy pointed,"He's a fiend!"

The white haired boy was dressed far more casually than Ray and he had bright red eyes and pale skin.

"Aw, you have an attack dog? So cute!" Volcan patted his head.

"Grr, don't touch me!" He swatted his hand away.

"Alfonso, stand down." Ray shoved him slightly.

"You tell him, kid." Volcan nodded.

Ray finally sighed,"Thirteen! I'm thirteen!"

"Still a kid, I'm fifteen." Volcan shrugged,"I've been doing this for roughly four years now, I'm experienced."

"Oh yeah? Well-"

"Shut up, Alfonso! He's under my payroll, that's final." Ray pointed,"Let's go, Akuryō."

"Volcan." He corrected.

"Hm?" Ray raised a brow.

"Since we'll probably be working together for a while I suppose I'll tell you my name. It is Volcan, Volcan Satoshi."

"That kid who died in a house fire?" Alfonso crossed his arms.

"They never found the body. He never died. He's always been here. Hiding... Waiting." Volcan removed his mask to reveal his burns,"Aren't I pretty?"

Alfonso stood blinking, quite shocked but Ray wasn't too bothered.

"As I was saying, Volcan. Let's go, we have work to do."