Paying the Piper [La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia fanfiction]

Chapter 6

It wasn't that he had stage fright or anything but it was making Jolly very irritable thinking of playing the cello in front of the others.

But Dante, the busy body, had forced him to get it. Now, he was sitting before them with his cello and wondering what to play.

"Jolly.... do you even know how to play that...?" Asked Pace.
"Of course I do..." said Jolly absent mindedly.

He had no idea what to play. He hadn't played in ages and now he was playing for Mondo's life.......

"Um.... Jolly..... you ok???" Asked Liberta.
"Of course I am!!!" Said Jolly crossly.

Impertinent brat! Fine.... he would play that piece Mondo was so fond of....

Jolly closed his eyes and began to play. He really wasn't in any mood to see the dumb expressions around him.

As he played, he began to lose himself in it.......
It brought back memories of his time with Mondo on the streets.... of memories even he hadn't wanted to see again.... but he composed himself.  It wouldn't do to be too careless in front of the others. Elmo had already slipped once....

"Jolly...." came a soft voice.

He opened his eyes.... and saw that Luca was trying to get up........

Oh kill me!!!  It has to be him.......

"Jolly...." came the voice again.
He expected it to be Elmo but it was actually Liberta.

"That was amazing! Why didn't you tell us you could play like that!"
Next to him Nova was looking on at them with surprise written all over his face.

Jolly felt ridiculous. He stood up and said "Well if you like it so much, here take it."

He tossed the cello into his hands and lit a cigar and made for the door when. ...
"Jolly!!!"

It was Dante.

"What!!!?"

"Now.... We can think about launching a counter attack right?"

Jolly tilted his head and asked "I hope you were not waiting so long for Luca because he is useless anyway. We could have done it even without him...."

Luca mumbled "I didn't ask you to wake me up."
Jolly replied "No, I was trying to wake Mondo up.... and I got you instead...."

"Well thanks...."
"Forget it."
"What?"
"Dante! Do whatever you want.... it's time we take the fight to him. But remember tricking him into thinking he has won is what would really help us to discover his weakness........."

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Elmo walked into the warehouse. He looked around and then suddenly came the voice of the man.

"Elmo... I'm surprised they sent you. They gave you something for me right?"
"Yes."  said Elmo and gave him the papers he had in his hand.
The man leafed through them and then frowned.
"But the research... is this all Elmo?" "Yes." he replied then after a pause he said "But if there is anything else you want you can tell me..."

The man looked straight into his eye.

"Actually I wanted to see some of your master's research... but you won't do that..."

"Why not?" Asked Elmo "Besides he is not my master. What do you want?"

The man smiled to himself....
To turn his own creation against him and the family... Nothing spelled sweeter revenge than that... then he would know what monster he had let loose........

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Elmo ran in huffing. He ran up to the stranger and gave him a paper. He raised his eyebrow.
"Just this one paper Elmo?"
"No." said the boy shaking his head. "The rest I couldn't take with me. They are all in a little bag.... In the market.... near where you met me before...."

Before he could ask the boy anything he continued "I must go.... before Jolly gets suspicious. Please go and take them now and then get out of here. But.... how do I wake the rest of the family up?"

"Oh... you don't have to worry about that. Once I leave I will break my pipe and with it all my work until now would be gone. But I can't go now. I do not wish to be seen...."

"You won't." said Elmo "They are all at the house. It's almost night. If you take it and leave now no one would find you. You have nothing to be afraid of....."

The man thought quietly and then said "Fine.... now run along before you get into trouble."
He watched Elmo leave and decided to take the chance. His greed had got the better of his senses but still what could they do to him?

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