Guardian of Life

"Decimo, long time no see! How are you?"

"..."

The fake smile slipped off of the man's face. "If you're wondering, it's been 20 years already. They are still searching for you, you know."

Tsuna's shoulders tensed,

"... I see, but I'm guessing that's not the reason you came to visit me, Checker Face."

Checker Face had an apologetic expression on his face. "...Today is your 42nd birthyday (Yet he looked like he didn't age for one second). They all gathered to visit your grave. I could show you what they're doing right now, at this moment. I have the feeling that this will be your last chance, Decimo. Your guardians are drifting apart without their Sky and it's only a matter of time until Vongola will perish."

(He would've arrived sooner, but his powers returned only recently)

Tsuna's grimaced in his emotianal sorrow and agony, "Everyone, I'm sorry."

"So you're telling me, the catalysts for the pacifiers are unstable and you need a sky to regain the balance again?" The 21 year old stood in disbelieve in front of the masked man, fury etching its way slowly in his system.

"We have no other choice, the balance of the Trinisette is in danger and we both know the consequences"

"So what?! Are you telling me that we have to return the pacifiers to the former Arcobalenos after they only just returned to their real bodies?! I refuse, Checker Face." Tsuna's ice cold gaze didn't waver one bit and his orange tinted eyes screamed determination. He was absolutely livid.

"It's been so long, huh. Really, it feels like a decade, but at the same time like only a second has passed since you brought me here. It's like hell, this world where there is no time."

"..."

"I want to see them, my family."

"...It doesn't have to be that way. I may have found a way to stabilize the catalyst until we find another way without having to involve your friends...-"

"Just say it." And for the first time Tsuna was able to see the true age of Checker Face wearing down his face, his eyes old and ancient, full of grief.

"We don't know how long it will take to find a solution and the trouble of finding another Sky is too great to repeat it every 20-30 years due the short life span of the Sky Arcobaleno. If you are willing, Sawada Tsunayoshi, I'll use all my powers to transfer you to a world outside the rules of time and space of this dimension so that you can watch over the pacifiers, but beware, you'll probably never see you friends and family again."

A body sized mirror appeared out of nowhere and Tsuna was able to see the reflections of his Guardians, standing in front of a grave. Reborn's signature fedora covered his eyes as he stood silently on the side, while his mother cried uncontrollably, sitting on a wheelchair at the very first row.

Tsuna's shoulders shook silently in anguish, his eyes watering. He couldn't bear to see the white hairs on top of her head and the pain on her once innocent face, engraved in the wrinkles as if she forgot how to laugh, constantly frowning in unhappiness.

His guardians, their once young and happy aura seemingly diminished and they looked years older than they really were in grief. Lambo still had snot on his face.

Yet not a word was spoken, and the air was heavy with melancholy and heartbreak. Truly, the misery of his mourning brothers and sisters (They were family before anything else, if not by blood, then by their bond) shattered the last remaining hope of returning to then.

"How long? How long until you find a way, Checker Face?"

The said main didn't turn to look at him, respecting the privacy between the Decimo and his closest partners.

"The process is too slow at the moment, modern technology has not caught up yet and Byakuran can only help so much , before he overuses his powers."

"You probably won't see them again in this lifetime, Decimo."

Tsuna broke down, and silently wept together with his comrades, his friends none the wiser.

Checker Face left.

"I need time to think about it...,"

The masked man nodded in understanding, "I hate to say this, but, don't take too long to decide. Bermuda can only stabilize the system for so long."

"My birthday is in three weeks, I want that last time to enjoy being with them. Is that long enough?"

"We'll manage until then. Make the best out of your time, Vongola Decimo."

He disappeared, "You don't need to tell me that."

OOoooOO

"Happy birthday, Jyuudaime!"

"Haha! Happy birthday, Tsuna!"

"Happy birthday to the EXTREMEE, SAWADA!"

"Gyahahaha! So many sweets, Tsuna-nii's birthday is the best!"

"Hn, Omnivore. This is an exception, next time I'll beat you to death."

"...Happy birthday, bossu."

"Kufufufu, looks like I won't try to posses your body for today. Oya oya, no need to look so relieved , there is still tomorrow."

"Dame-Tsuna, your face is an open book, looks like I need to train you harder."

'Minna, thank you.'

'Thank you.'

'Thank you, for everything, and... I'm sorry.'

That day, Sawada Tsunayoshi, Neo Vongola Primo, age of 22, brother, and son, disappeared at 11:59 pm without a trace and was never found again.

OOoooOO

"Checker Face, it's you again. It feels like centuries since I last saw you."

Tsuna looked exactly the same since the steel-masked man saw him last, but he was able to tell that even in this timeless space, life was wearing down the once young man's soul. He could recognize the ancient eyes (There's no hope left, I won't see them again), reflecting old sorrows and pain from the past and sometimes Checker Face would forget, that the boy was originally only 22 years old in body.

The Vongola's soul wasn't supposed to remain that long on earth, even if it was a timeless world, separated by just a thread thin like barrier. It is writhing in torture like agony every second it's trapped in the not aging body and the longing for its soulmates was hanging heavily in the air.

Checker Face could only sigh in sympathy.

"It's been approximately 526 years since I sent you here."

Tsuna's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Mordern technology was able to catch up faster thanks to Byakuran, before even that man had to leave earth behind and we were able to create a prototype of the new catalyst. The reason it took so long was-"

"I don't care. Checker Face, are you really telling me what I think you are?"

He nodded and a pang of guilt shot through his heart once again at the relieved face of the boy.

"We can start the procedure right now, I didn't appear until I was 120% sure that it would work. One more thing, once we stabilized the system all for once, I was able to ensure that it will be the same for all the other dimensions as well. That means, no curses anymore, and no sacrifices for the sake of the world."

"...I see."

Tears of happiness gathered on Tsuna's eyes and for the first time since he was in this accursed world, he let them run down freely.

He approached Tsuna with soundless steps and grabbed his shoulder.

"It's time to meet your friends and family again, Tsuna." A light emitted from the hand and Checker Face watched with fascination as Tsuna's body aged within second, his hair graying, face and body wrinkling, until he died, and his bright, delighted soul sang a song of happiness as he flew with the wind to meet his soulmates once again.

He felt the world shift and the dimensions renewing, tales of friendship and sacrifices born and the once accursed sighing in appeasement.

"Truly, Sawada Tsunayoshi. You are a blessing send by fate, a true Sky."

OOoooOO

He opened his eyes and smiled as the wind picked up around him, in a world where nothing could separate them anymore.

"Jyuudaime, we understand now, and we would've waited for millenniums! I apologize for causing you so much trouble!"

"Ma ma Tsuna, you sure went through a lot!... Finally, we got to see each other again."

"You have to give Lambo-san lots of candy for making me cry, Dame-Tsuna!"

"Bossu..."

"Kufufufu, you owe me two for destroying that wonderful body of yours, and making Chrome cry."

"Hn, next time I see you I'll beat you to death,Omnivore."

"SAWADA YOU'RE THE MOST EXTREMELY PERSON I KNOW!"

'Our Sky...'

...

"Ara, Tsu-kun! You're back already! Okaeri..."

"You better prepare yourself, Dame-Tsuna. I did promise you a harder training."

OooooOO

The End