A/N—Yo! Here's chapter 1 of Jokers Know All!
Yeah . . . weird name. Sorry about that, it took forever just to come up with what it is right now. But if any of you have suggestions as the plot goes on feel free to say them.
Shishishi~ I'm so excited! This is what I'm hoping to be an awesome story!
Tsuna will have different guardians. There are no pairings in this story only family fluff- sorta.
This story will have more psychological aspects than action, hopefully. I find word twisting so much more enjoyable.
Disclamer: I will only say this once; I don't own KHR! I'm too poor! OTL
Chapter 1 – A Flyer
A bird's music slices through the early morning air. "Midori tanabiku namimori no~" A small yellow bird flaps its wings and soars over an empty street lined with simple white-washed houses. It flies towards a house before coming to rest at the second story window. The rising sun casts the bird's shadow onto the glass.
Inside the room, a not-so-average teen's room is revealed. The crème carpet and white walls are clean and spotless. A low-rise table sits in the middle of the room with three cushions surrounding it. A desk stands in the corner with a worn, black chair. Four picture frames are situated on the desk, revealing the most important people in the teen's life.
The first one is a picture of a middle-aged woman with brown hair with matching eyes. She's standing at a kitchen stove, laughing at something that was said. A spoon sits in her hand and looks to be being waved around dramatically.
The second picture is of a young female teen with a book open in her lap. Long and wavy dark brown locks fall into her face. Her hand is reaching towards another that's holding a hair clip out to her.
A third picture is of an older looking teen, sleeping. His black tresses smoothed out around his head. A yellow bird positioned on his chest, looks to be singing. A black gakuran is being used as a pillow for the male.
The fourth, and final, picture is of the two teens with another, more fragile looking teen. The smaller teen looks to be the same age as the girl or younger and has chocolate, spiky tresses with large caramel eyes. He appears to be holding hands with the other teens. The female is smiling lightly at the camera with a flush tinting her cheeks. The black-haired male is glaring at the camera, but if looked at closely the sides of his mouth are tilted upwards. The younger male is smiling brightly at the camera, a rosy blush of happiness shining on his face.
A ring pierces through the air and a hand clamps over a clock. The ringing silences and a low moan resonates around the room. A small, lithe body slithers out of a bed. Unruly chocolate hair set in a horrid case of bedhead swishes with the movement.
The figure, Tsuna, yawns and slumps toward the bathroom, listening to his mom's patter in the kitchen until the door closes with a snap. He looks into the mirror and rubs an arm against half-closed caramel eyes.
Turning on the shower, Tsuna strips and steps in. The warming water cascades down his smooth skin. He reaches for his shampoo and quickly retracts his hand when it comes into contact with the cold wall. Confused eyes open and he glares at the empty rack where his shampoo used to be.
"Idiot!" Tsuna scolds himself, remembering that he was supposed to pick up some more yesterday. He sighs and levels his glare on the other rack. Browsing through his mother's variety of soaps, he finally decides on the one that doesn't sound that fruity or really feminine. God knows the teasing he'd get if he goes to school smelling like lavender or sakura! Smothering his hair in the sweet pea-scented shampoo, (he thinks it's a type of vegetable) he rigorously scrubs.
Letting his hair rinse, he goes over his day for anything important. Trip into school and be bitten to death, check. Go through boring classes, check. Eat lunch alone, check. More boring classes, check. Leave school and go home to relax for the rest of the day? Checkity check!
Coming out of his musings he sits down at the kitchen table waiting for his breakfast. Nana twirls around and places an omelet and a glass of milk in front of him. He thanks her for the meal and digs in.
Nana, however, deviates from her normal routine and sits down with her son. Tsuna looks up at her with worry clouding his eyes.
"Is something wrong, Kaa-san? Did something happen?" Nana just chuckles and waves his worries away. "No, nothing bad happened. I just wanted to tell you about the flyer that came in the mail today!"
Tsuna nods, but goes back to his breakfast so he won't be late to school. "The flyer is for a tutor! Can you believe that, Tsuna? The flyer said, 'I will turn your son or daughter into a successful leader. Grade and subject doesn't matter.' Doesn't that sound wonderful? All they need is a place to sleep and eat and they will tutor you for 24/7!"
Tsuna pauses in his eating and points his chopsticks at her. "That sounds like a scam. I wouldn't buy into it, Kaa-san." She giggles and continues on like he hadn't interrupted her. "I was so excited that I called right away and the man on the other end sounded so nice! He said he would be here before the day is out so I'm cooking a feast for him!"
"What's his name?" Tsuna asks as he puts the last piece of omelet into his mouth.
"Reborn."
The air in his lungs is sucked out and he chokes on his food. Nana frowns, pats his back and moves to get him a glass of water. She returns and presses the tip to his lips. Leaning back, Tsuna lets the cooling liquid slide down his throat.
"Thank you," Tsuna says and pushes the glass away lightly. She smiles and nods, setting the glass in the sink.
"You should get going Tsuna or you're going to be late for school," Nana cheerfully rings out after looking at the clock. Tsuna's eyes snap to the clock and he rushes upstairs, letting out a, "Hiiee!"
He tumbles into his room and nabs a parcel on his desk. He lifts his pant leg and slides the parcel into a strap as he rushes out and careens down the stairs into a heap on the floor. Picking himself up with a groan he says goodbye to his mother and sprints out the door with his bag in tow.
Hana walks with Kyoko towards their school and listens to Kyoko ramble about different types of cake. She is just getting to the strawberry shortcake recipe when a ringtone echoes in the air.
"Best friends are best friends~" Hana frowns at the tone, knowing that a certain someone messed with her phone. She never had a ringtone like that. She looks at the caller id and frowns.
"What do you want, I'm walking with Kyoko right now and you know that you're not supposed to call this number," Hana barks into the phone, scolding him.
"Sorry, Hana. I know I'm not supposed to, but we have a problem." Her frown deepens.
"Did Kyouya do something again? Cause if he did, he's so goi-"
"No, he didn't do anything. This is about something else." The emphasis did not escape Hana.
"What happened? And don't spare the details."
"Reborn is coming." That's all she gets before a click is heard and he hangs up on her. Her frown twists into a scowl and she snaps her phone shut. Holding it in her hand, she faces Kyoko and barely nods, letting her interpret it. All Kyoko does in return is smile brighter and go on to a cheese cake recipe.
Her left hand types out a message to the one of three numbers on her cell while she watches Kyoko twist the ring on her left ring finger nervously all the way to school.
Kyouya already has his phone out when the call comes. He is checking in with Tetsu when the Nami-chuu song plays. See the caller id, he's eyes soften a fraction. Flipping his phone open he sets it next to his ear and continues his patrol.
"What do you need, Tsuna?"
"Reborn is coming." He hears the hesitation in Tsuna's voices and snaps out, "When?"
"Today. I already called Hana."
"What are you going to do?"
"We are going to have a slight change in plans today; meet on the roof during lunch." Hibari smirks and replies quickly.
"Hn." He shuts his phone and waits for what he's sure will come. And not a moment later a text comes through and he opens it.
"Is there a change in plans? He forgot to tell me; the idiot!" He turns a corner and is met with a group of thugs beating on a man. His smirk stretches into something bloodthirsty, hard to define. He types his reply and puts his phone away. He steps towards the men and pulls out his tonfas.
His bloodthirsty smirk (more like a grin) widens and he raises them. The thugs turn his way and he growls out, "Prepare to be bitten to death."
The bell rings right as Tsuna tumbles into the room, face planting once more. Nezu-sensei, his teacher, strides up to him and sneers, "You're late, Sawada!" Hoots and laughter from his classmates echo around the room.
"Yeah, Sawada! You're late!"
"Of, course he's late, he's Dame-Tsuna!"
"Dame-Tsuna strikes again!"
Tsuna ignores them, stands up, bows and apologizes to Nezu-sensei. He shuffles towards his seat and nearly trips multiple times, well aware of the two pairs of eyes looking at him.
RING! Tsuna's head snaps up and he stares dazedly at the students pulling out their lunch boxes or heading to the cafeteria. Sighing, he ruffles his hair and stands up. 'Time to go face the jury.' He grabs his bag and saunters out the door.
He heads toward the stairs leading to the roof and crosses his bag in front of his chest. Reaching the roof door, he opens it and steps outside. The sight of three other people greet him and he smiles brightly.
"Hello everyone! I glad you all could make it. Though I wonder if any one noticed you're missing," Tsuna says carefully, stating everything and nothing.
Hana rolls her eyes and replies dryly, "Its fine, Tsuna. No one really cares if Kyouya is gone and Kyoko and I said we wanted to eat alone today." Kyoko nods in agreement. Kyouya only lets out a, "Hn."
Tsuna's smile drops slightly and he sighs. He walks over the circle and takes his place to the right of where Kyouya is standing and the left of Hana. Kyoko sits opposite of him.
Hana's hand lashes out and connects with Tsuna's head. His head jolts forwards and he clutches his head. "What was that for, Hana!"
"You hung up on me! You're not supposed to do that, especially without telling me of the change in plans! And you changed my ringtone!" Her hand rears back to try again, but stops and sighs. "Never mind, we need to talk about Reborn."
The atmosphere around the four changes to something darker, more serious, most definitely sinister. Tsuna's eyes narrow and a glint of orange sparks through them. Kyouya stands straighter and Kyoko frowns. Hana pulls her lips into a thin line and her eyes darken; she pulls her hair into a bun.
Hana states the obvious. "We need to do something." Kyoko nods and pulls out a deck of cards, dealing them out. "Yes, but the problem is what."
Accepting her cards, Hana stares at them, places a card down and replies, "Reborn is good, too good, and will notice if we lie."
"Hn."
"Hn," Hana's eyebrow twitches, "really? That's all you have to say?"
Kyouya sits down and leans against the wall. "It's obvious that you herbivores will think of something. I'm just here to make sure you follow the rules." Kyoko laughs lightly and tosses him his cards.
"He's fine, Hana. We just need to think of a plan," Kyoko says, putting a card down. Kyouya follows with the same card but in a different suit.
Tsuna slips a card into his hand and completely ignores the banter. He raises his head and states to them all, "Yes, Reborn is good at catching lies and big secrets. However," he lifts his hand and flips a card down so it floats into the middle, "we can twist the truth and make it almost impossible to see where truth starts and lie ends."
The card fall onto the pile and a smirk replaces the smile on Tsuna's face. Matching smirks settle on the others' faces. The Joker sits face up, maniacal grin fixed upon his face.
"After all, who's better at lying than the Joker?"
Reborn isn't a very patient man.
He wasn't patient when he went on missions.
He wasn't patient teaching the Cavallone heir.
He wasn't patient when he received his letter to meet Nono.
He wasn't patient for the formalities, and
He for sure isn't patient enough to wait for information from the stupid leader of CDEF who is ranting about his wonderful wife and cute son, whom he hasn't seen in years. And who are probably way different than what's he's saying, but meh, details.
"I don't care. Give me the information on Sawada Tsunayoshi," Reborn grounds out, hand held open and waiting for a folder that should have been there two minutes ago. Iemitsu stops his rant and looks at Reborn.
"Fine, here. Just be gentle with my Tuna-fish alright. He's very delicate and is afraid of a lot of things, so slowly ease him into it okay?" Iemitsu places the folder in Reborn's hands and sits down at a desk.
Reborn just smirks and lowers his fedora. Be gently? That word isn't in his vocabulary. He stands and turns to give Iemitsu a few last words.
He turns and leaves the room instead though, because it's actually quite awkward to watch a grown man kiss the picture of his wife.
"Here I come Decimo-to-be, Sawada Tsunayoshi."
A/N- Finally! *Rolls around in happiness* It's finished! You wouldn't believe the work I had to do on this. I switched around complete sections, cut paragraphs, and tried to fit it all together. I hope it doesn't sound or look choppy. *Whimpers*
I even had to delete a whole prologue! *Cries in corner* I worked four days on it! Then my plot line changed and I decided I liked this one better.
At least I find the plot interesting! *Squeals*
Please review, or at least favorite!