Author's Note: Wow! Haven't written fanfiction for years, let alone used this account o.o! But I'm back and I'd like say thank you to anyone reading this story! First, let's make some stuff clear:

Yes, it has an OC as the main character, and there will be other side OCs/organizations for the plot. You'll find out soon enough what the OC is, though I hope you won't stop reading just because of the fantasy element in this story. I promise to try and keep all Mary Sueness I can out of this story, though you're always free to review and tell me if I should smack myself at any point. :3

Secondly, I was aiming for this to be a romantic fic, though what pairings end up forming is largely going to be influenced by you readers! I have a few characters in mind that I would like the main character to become involved with, though it will be up to you and your reviews to help me shape the romantic side of the story and who ends up with who. You can also ask for scenes with canon side pairings, or heck, even a side character/canon if you ever want something like that. As long as it doesn't interfere with the plot, or I can find some way to fit it in, I promise to try and write in what you request.

Thirdly (holy cow this is a long AN x.x) this is just the prologue, and is just an introduction into my writing style and the story. It's short, but once the actual story kicks off, chapters should be much longer than this.

Wow. That was long. Cookies to anyone who read all the way through that! 3 Well, here we go! Enjoy the prologue of Blood in the Water everyone!

B L O O D | I N | T H E | W A T E R

Prologue

Even though ten years had passed since he'd first met Reborn and found out about the Vongola, one thing about Sawada Tsunayoshi had not changed: his hesitance to resort to violence.

It was true that he had become better at making decisions that called for him to bring down the wrath of the Vongola on rival families or other troublesome crime syndicates – after all, if one was to be a successful mafia don, one had to be realistic about when peaceful negotiations were simply not an option. It was nice to give people the benefit of the doubt, but be too carefree, and someone could lose their life.

Still, he often couldn't stop himself from hoping that maybe others would be influenced by the Vongola's size and power and would simply submit, knowing that they were outmatched - which sometimes, to his great relief, they did. Unfortunately, there were always groups out there who weren't affected by the Vongola reputation. Whether they simply ignored his famiglia's stature or they were just bafflingly ignorant, he never could tell (Reborn had very bluntly suggested they could be both). Despite Tsuna's best attempts to keep those groups under wraps, there were times when they still managed to start some sort of conflict Tsuna would have to clean up. And oftentimes it was violent.

"They loaded something into an armored truck, but we weren't able to see what – it looked like a large crate of some sort, and it looked like it was pretty heavy, signore. The area was full of lookouts and patrols though, so we couldn't get any closer to investigate."

Tsuna stayed hunched over in the chair beside the hospital bed, elbows balanced on his knees and his hands folded together in thought at this new bit of information. His right hand man, Gokudera Hayato, glanced down at him from his position at his side before looking back at the young man in the hospital bed and pressing on.

"Then what happened? How were you detected?"

"We tried to trail the truck and its escort when they left – we thought we were doing well with keeping a low profile, but we had only been following them for a dozen blocks or so before some goons on the sidewalk suddenly open fired on us. They must've planned out their route and set sentries to watch for suspicious activity and noticed us. Whatever they had, it must be very important, signore. They didn't want anyone to get close. Why, if Mr. Gokudera hadn't come when he did, I- "

"That's enough."

The young man flinched at the silverette's intimidating tone, thankful comments dying on his tongue, and Gokudera once again turned to Tsuna.

"Well, Tenth? What do you think?"

Tsuna gave a weary sigh, but remained quiet, thinking over this turn of events. The open fire had been in the middle of a busy civilian street, meaning Vongola wasn't the only one who had taken casualties. The unnamed boy was right – even if this group was known to cause trouble from time to time, most of their activities were heavily discreet, keeping the involvement of innocent bystanders extremely low. So this sudden public display of violence… this wasn't like them at all. Tsuna had ordered that a small group of spies be sent to monitor the activities of the Strizzato organization simply out of precaution. Even if they hadn't been up to anything recently that may have called for Vongola involvement, he liked to keep tabs on the problematic groups out there just in case. Now it seemed that his caution was justified.

Whatever was going on, it had to be big.

The Tenth boss of Vongola sat straight again in his chair and plastered a gentle smile on his face for the sake of his injured underling.

"There's no need for you to worry anymore. This hospital is being protected by the Vongola, so you don't have to expect any sort of retaliation from the Strizzato while you're here healing. Relax and rest. Your job is done, for now." He said calmly, rocking to his feet.

Even though the Vongola was large and Tsuna didn't necessarily know all of his subordinates personally, such as this one, he cared for them all. They were a part of his famiglia, after all – when they were harmed, he still felt responsible for them. He glanced at Gokudera, a cue that they were to be leaving. He'd discuss this matter further once they'd left the hospital and made it to somewhere more private. A nervous hum stopped him in his tracks however, and both Tsuna and Gokudera - the latter, of course, looking a bit more annoyed over the delay - turned to glance expectantly at the man.

"Er, forgive me signore, but… I just wanted to know what happened to… well, are the others from the team okay? I haven't heard anything on them. My brother, we were on this together and…" the young man paused to laugh nervously and fiddled with his sheets, "I guess I'm just nervous. Is he okay? Were you able to get him and the others out too, Mr. Gokudera?"

Tsuna blinked before turning to the silverette beside him. He hadn't been told the status of the rest of the team that had been sent either. Gokudera had simply called him and told him a brief explanation about the emergency, asking that he come hear the story for himself.

The storm guardian closed his eyes and sighed heavily, causing Tsuna's heart to drop a bit further. Without opening his eyes, Gokudera laid it out bluntly for both him and the nameless subordinate to hear.

"One of your two team members was dead when I arrived. The other died being brought to the hospital. I'm not sure which your brother was. I'm sorry."

Sawada Tsunayoshi's lips pressed together in a firm line and he looked back sympathetically at the young mafia member to see him clutching his forehead, eyes hidden by his long, dark bangs. He was silent, but the ever so slight shudder in his back gave away the emotions he was trying so desperately to hide in front of his superiors. Tsuna had been able to tell that this man, while obviously adept enough at his job to be entrusted as a spy, was still a bit of a greenhorn. Was this perhaps the first person he'd lost to the mafia?

Tsuna stood a bit longer before murmuring another quick, "Get some rest," and walking out past his guardian. They'd discuss this further once they were somewhere private.

The thought of his comrades dying needlessly didn't sit well with the mafia don. Whatever was going on, he would be sure to snuff it out quickly.

~::::~

This container was suffocating... It was oppressive...

It was altogether maddening.

For a being used to vast open space, the freedom to come and go anywhere as she pleased, the feel of these close walls around her was virtually overwhelming. There was not a blemish to be found in the defensive barrier – not a beam of light could penetrate her prison, and even the incessant babble of the outside world could not break through. She was left alone in her small container, caught in her own dark, soundless hell. Only the occasional jostle of movement from outside kept her mind grounded to her situation, kept her from thinking maybe she'd died and this was some sort of purgatory – to be trapped for eternity in this cramped, black, silent cell.

Being like this… it was practically driving her to insanity-

NO!

Ooooh no, but she wouldn't lose her head that easily! She'd make sure of it. Even if they had caught her, even if she had no means of escape, she would not crack. They would not get what they wanted from her. They couldn't! She refused! But… what could she do? Stuck like this, in this trap, she was helpless to anything they may put her through.

Maybe that's how they wanted her to feel. As if she was backed up against the wall.

They wanted to make sure they got their dominating message across from the start. Oh, she got it alright. And though she refused to let her spirit break, she still couldn't help the sense of fear and uncertainty that gripped her as she let that message sink in.

You cannot escape.