Paying the Piper [La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia fanfiction]

Chapter 1

Jolly got out of the lab and decided to check on Mondo. Apparently he had lapsed back into unconsciousness again.

The fool! He just doesn't know when to give it a rest....always exerting himself....

When he reached there though he was surprised to find the rest of the family gathered there , all agitated about something.
He hung back as he listened in on the conversation between Luca and Nova.
It seemed that a few minutes back Sumire had dropped into a faint too. Then Felicita who had come in to meet her mother was found unconscious too....
All three were still alive but there was no clue as to what had happened to them.

"Do something Dante!" Screamed Luca.

Dante was staring at the three bodies in the room. Suddenly he caught sight of Jolly. Jolly knew what was coming so he quickly turned around and walked away....

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The stranger looked at the window. He was quite cheered up by the sight he saw.

All three of them....sleeping like babies. Soon they would all sleep. ...

The man crossed the garden and walked back towards the town.

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Jolly entered his lab and locked the door behind him. He was not in the mood to get involved with the whole issue.

The problem with this family , he thought as he opened his book , is that it has no patience...They wish to solve every single problem within a few seconds....certainly not my style.

Suddenly there was a loud hammering at the door.
"Jolly!! Jolly!!!"
Jolly ignored Dante's voice.
Elmo came up to him and asked...

"Should I answer the door?"
"Tell him I am not in."
Elmo promptly went to the door and said "Jolly says he is not in..."

TRUST A HOMUNCULUS....

Jolly sighed and got up.
"Ok Elmo , you may go and play now..."
Elmo smiled and Jolly unlocked the door for him. Dante rushed in screaming his name and a thousand other things.

Jolly held up his hand and said
"Wait!! Calm down first. Cigar?"

As Dante smoked , Jolly sat opposite him. He was feeling irritated , for these family matters were interfering with his research. After all he was having high competition now. The other day he had heard that Luca was tinkering with some new experiment. He was itching to get over to his lab and find out what he was doing , but Mondo had kept him busy and now this....

Then suddenly Liberta rushed in screaming that somebody had sent a note and it said he was responsible for the tragedy.

Dante rushed out to check on it while Jolly sprawled back in his chair.

Rush rush rush.....that's All they do....a simple note gets all their attention...

Then suddenly Elmo came back in.
"Did you have fun?"
"Yes!! I also met a man near the garden. He was very friendly..."

At this Jolly looked up sharply.

Mondo does not entertain guests anymore. Then who was he......

Elmo said that he was a visitor who stayed in town. He had talked very kindly and he carried a strange bag in his hands. Something about this roused Jolly's suspicion. So he decided to find out more.

As he was leaving the lab he saw Luca approaching him. He tried to get out of his way but the foolish boy was looking for a fight , for he stopped him.

" Where were you? Why did you not come when you heard the news? Or did you run away?!!"
Jolly decided it wasn't worth the effort so he pushed Luca out of the way and walked towards town.
"I don't have to answer to anyone.... especially you...."

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Even after an hour he had no luck in tracing the stranger. Jolly was getting angry now. The first thing was he hated conversing with people and two he was not too fond of walking about in the sun. Finally he decided to go back.

I should have brought Elmo along....he could have been of some help.

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Jolly heard Liberta even before he saw him. And the fact that he was screaming his name implied something serious had happened.
"Jolly!! It's Dante .... something's wrong!!"

Jolly ran after the boy into the family mansion. Somebody had managed to drag Dante over to a couch , possibly Pace....

He was sleeping , or at least as much as the other three that morning. Jolly watched as the others crowded around.
Debito said "First Papa and Mama then bambina and now...."
Liberta looked up desperately ,"What's going on Jolly? Please!!"

Jolly was surprised too..The other three he could understand , but Dante....
If somebody was attacking all the adults in the family he himself would have been out first. Also there was Felicita....

"Where did you find him?"
"Near YOUR lab!!! " Said Luca.
Jolly knew where this was going....

"Dante left with you Liberta didn't he?" Jolly asked slowly.
"Yes , but that was over an hour ago. After that he said he would discuss with you and..... then we found him like this... Where were you?!?"
"Out... " he said as he ignored Luca's killer stare "Show me the note."
Pace passed the note to him.

"IF YOU WISH TO SEE THEM AWAKE AGAIN , YOU WILL HAVE TO PLAY TO MY TUNE. IF NOT....YOU SHALL ALL SLEEP."

Jolly crumpled the paper and threw it away.
Nova dived at it yelling "Don't do that!"
Jolly said "It's a joke."
"But this is no joke" said Liberta quietly.

Jolly could sense that all eyes were on him... to clean up their mess ...

He walked out ignoring their shouts.

First the lab....Perhaps he had been too late....

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