Fox illusion

When Ara died, she was over a thousand years old. One thousand and nineteen. She was one of the longest living people of the so called, El Search Party. She never really married, oh there have been men that courted her, they stood in lines but generally… they were more interested in other things that do not really need to be named.

In the end, she adopted several kids that were related to the Haan clan and trained them.

Then she watched as the Haan clan began to thrive again.

Ain, the one who did not really acknowledge anyone except Elsword, he of all people accompanied her. They were lovers.

And then she died.

She was not afraid of death, she knew what would happen after. Or at least she thought she knew.

When she thought that she would be reincarnated, she did not expect to have her memories more or less in tact!

She stumbled as she tried to use her new feet.

Sawada Tsunayoshi was her new name. Sawada being name of her clan, family and Tsunayoshi, Tsuna for short her name.

As a four year old she could not yet see the world outside, not just yet, neither she knew how to read. Well, read local language. Was she really bothered by the fact how little she knew about this new era that she was born to? Not really.

"Tim-san!"

While she was angry that she did not loose her memories, that her soul was recycled like rest (most), she had one this that she longed for a looong while.

Family.

She did not really adore the man that sired her, she respected him still but she liked that old man that sometimes appeared. Hell, he appeared more of then than Iemitsu!

In times of war, and Ara-Tsuna knew what real war was, she would not bat an eyelash, but even with what little she knew about this era/world/place, it was simply… not….good.

Kill her over and over again, torture her for it but she would always say the same thing.

Family, regardless if there is blood relation or not should be cherished. Protected. Enjoyed.

Ara-Tsuna did not know what exactly he was doing, but she could very well tell that he was not speaking truth.

And it was hurting her mum.

Her mum… was… just a sweetheart. She smiled all the time, she accepted everything.

Uncle Tim picked her up and placed her on his knees.

"How have you been Tsuna?"

Her mother accepted everything to a point that it was creepy. Even though Ara's soul rested for many, many years she still remembered how to read human expression, the subtlest emotions on human body.

A stranger would be scared of her, perhaps even call her crazy.

"I have made a friend. Nobody can see her though."

"Oh?"

It is a certain fox spirit. Ara-Tsuna met Eun few months back. If she wouldn't have been bonded with the proud spirit for over a thousand ears, she wouldn't have mentioned how happy she were. At all.

Very proud thing.

Even now she lied few meters away from them, invisible to every living being, free, but still fully willing to remain with her. Even recreated the bond once again.

"Is she pretty?"

"Hm!" She nodded. "It is a fox." She whispered into his ear.

Adults. They never listen. Always dismiss children stories. Plus, Ara is quite sure that uncle Timoteo comes here for the simplest reason to hear some silly stories.

While souls of common people were like candles, his soul was like a torch. Torch ready to burn even brighter.

Tsuna did not know what exactly his line of work was, but it was harsh.

Uncle Timoteo seemed troubled, as if he lost someone.

From pocket she pulled out a small bracelet that she weaved herself, it is from flowers and some grass blades. "It is going to fine Tim-san."

Nothing beats an innocent smile from a small kid and a few flowers.

Though some candies could also be added.

He made a look, but then hugged her.

Honestly, there wasn't anything really interesting going on, but that did not mean that life was not beautiful like that. Father was away, mum was smiling like ever and Tsuna made sure that she knew that she loved her.

Oh she still trained when she had free time (she had lots of it), but over all she felt so lazy.

It was nice to be child again.

It did not take a genius to figure out that her soul slept for a long time. If it did not she would probably run away and hide in some random cave. Ara felt old when she died. Tsuna feels young. And she absolutely loved it.

She played games. She ran around without a worry.

There was no war or some deadline.

Though, then the school started.

And she met Kyoya.

One look at him immediately put him in line with Raven. Well, he was not exactly like raven, more like a cross of Raven and Add, Add that chased after strong people rather than knowledge. It started rather innocently.

It was about… Tsuna was seven, meaning that it was two years or so after she started attending local school for kids. Hibari Kyoya… is one of the more colorful caracters around. Silent. Thoughtful.

And utterly terrifying.

At least when it came to other kids.

Someone must have shown him the wrong sort of books because he kept talking about 'carnivores' and 'herbivores'. Tsuna never really talked with him, he is among the older kids. Though at one time Tsuna was leaving home when they ran into each other. Literraly.

Kyoya growled at her. "Herbivore." Tsuna once again proved that she is not Ara by rolling her eyes. As if herbivores were not dangerous. Look at hippos! Or elephants! Even a common bull can kill a person.

"I'll bite you to death."

If he were older, she would slap that boy through the nearest wall. When he charged at her, Tsuna slipped around him and made him fall on his nose. She could hear him growl behind her back and he attacked again.

It had the same effect. Though this time she gave him a look and he backed away.

After that she left.

It was the next day.

Kyoya attacked again. It had the same result.

Then next day he did it as well.

And he continued doing that for next two months. Then Tsuna as a child got irritated. Standing on a roof, she took some random pole lying around, Kyoya's eyes flashed and his tonfas prepared themselves.

Tonfa's were like these sticks, but not quite sticks.

Hard to explain.

The 'battle' was over before it even started. One hit. That is all the boy could take and even that one was greatly restrained. Ara in her life surpassed limits of human body by strengthening her spirit.

It is what gave her that long life.

Tsuna may not have all of that power, barely what could be considered a shard, but she was strong in comparison with others. Perhaps even the grown ups.

Tsuna picked him up by the collar and glared, eyes flashing bright orange.

"I want to eat in silence."

Then she let him go. He scrammed.

Later she learned that he excused himself from school. That he fell on stairs. And next day he came with his hands bandaged.

Just a little more, and Tsuna would have shattered his bones.

Kyoya gritted his teeth when he saw her. He knew.

Next time that she ate, he came closer and sat down without word. For the first time in months, she enjoyed her meal in silence.

Finally.

Now that Kyoya was not constantly attacking her, he followed her around like a lost puppy. Others mentioned and questioned the relationship between the two. Tsuna would sometimes look over her shoulder to see him trailing behind her.

"Train me."

Ara trained lots of kids in her life. Tsuna did not.

"My mum does not mind visitors. Although be prepared that she is rather cheerful."

And that is how she started training alongside with him.

"Ah! Tsu-chan has a boyfriend! That is wonderful!"

Hibari stared at the woman.

Tsuna waved her hand telling him to dismiss it.

For a child of seven years old, Kyoya is quite… bloodthirsty. Perhaps even a sadist. No, he is most definitely enjoying the pain he causes.

That is what Tsuna observed as he took out a bunch of older kids. After that he looked at her almost as if looking for her approval. She nodded. The two turned around and started leaving.

On their way to Sawada residence, they met an another bunch that tried to rob them.

Seriously, what is wrong with these people?

"Hello! I couldn't help but to mention...woha!" Hibari prepared his tonfas and was about to attack when Tsuna gave him a blank look. He stopped instantly. "Nice!"

Is this guy suicidal?

"Hey! You remember me, right?"

"Takeshi Yamamoto?"

"Yup, that is me!" He laughed joyfully.

"I will bite you to death."

And this is why it was starting to be hard to make friends.

"Maa, maa! Hey, wanna be friends?"

Kyoya glared, Yamamoto smiled. Tsuna shrugged. "Sure, why not. Maybe you will help me with this guy as well."

"Great!"

And that is how their pack gained an another member.

It turned out that Yamamoto is actually quite smart. And that his father would sometimes give them a nice discount at a sushi bar.

Tsuna did not mind.

Not at all.

"This is more than a few friends Eun." The celestial fox remained silent. Tsuna looked at the garden full of transparent animals. All sizes (not one as big as Eun though), all sorts of colors, though mostly white, red and orange. And some black.

Tsuna wondered if she wants to know why was one of them pink and the other vivid green.

In the end, she just shook her head.

"I am Sawada Tsunayoshi, reincarnation oh Ara of Haan family and host of Eun. It is a pleasure to meet you." Barking occurred, a dog somewhere around also barked. Nobody is supposed to be able to see them, but once again it is proved that animals are more sensitive than humans.

"Call upon them anytime you want, child. When I first arrived into this world, they were desperate to find someone who can see them." The small army looked at her with those big eyes. Tails wiggled.

Admirers, great.

"And why am I hearing about them only now?"

"Safety precautions."

"Safety?"

"Safety."

Damn it.

Tsuna should start making wards around the house.

This moment signaled the birth of her information network. Just as well as cheating during tests became so much easier.

Tsuna observed the sword that Yamamoto accidentally picked up. He was actually good with it. He was gifted. Though Yamamoto wanted to be a baseball player. Sure, why not?

Once again, the world is not at war.

It is not completely safe, but it was not time of war.

But there was no reason why not to learn either.

And so, just to make Kyouya happy, he went to his father and asked him to teach him.

To say that Kyouya was delighted was an understatement.

Oh, how glorious were their fights.

One murderous, the other one happily smiling.

Perfect.

Tsuna touched Eun's head and listened to her mother's humming.

Life is perfect.

And then it wasn't.

Honestly, Tsuna had no idea how did it happen or what did exactly happen. One moment she was away, shopping for some ice cream and gummy bears and the other she was being chased along the streets.

They were planning to go home after the last treat, it was evening already and sky was starting to get dark.

The problem was that, they had guns. And bullets moved so fast that even Ara would be hard pressed to dodge. Tsuna disliked guns. They cheat a lot.

She noted that for future.

Two stronger fox spirits bit into the flesh of those attackers ad they fell to ground.

Too bad that she cheats as well. Tsuna knocked them out abd began looking for her two friends.

She heard gunfire and she started running. The foxes were quick to tell her where they are and she appeared to see the sight there. Kyoya was down, not blood however, but beaten up. Yamamoto though… his leg was bleeding.

If it wasn't too risky to engage Eun mode, she would have done so instantly.

Kyoya and Yamamoto were hers.

They were family.

They were pack.

And nobody messes with pack.

Tsuna attacked without a second thought. She dodged just in time to avoid death, but not injury when one of the bullets shot through her tiny arm. She ignored the injury and created a small crated regardless. Then dispached of the first guy.

But not the second. She flinched, body rejected to move.

Before she fainted, she ordered the foxes to take care of her friends.

Tsuna had no idea what was happening. At times she was awake, she saw mostly dark though and most of the time she was asleep, seeing even weirder things. She was drugged. Obviously.

Weeks could have passed when she was allowed to wake up. And she found herself in a cage.

A small animal cage worthy of some abused animal.

Tsuna spat blood, she leaned forward and saw small wounds on her arms.

Those. Animals.

A man came closer, he wore a lab coat and he had bunch of papers with him. He observed her as if she was the one not human out of the two. He wrote down a few notes and left.

That woman, Ara, always believed that anyone given the right push can turn evil. But it was always hard to observe that evil.

Especially with humans.

It made her feel embarrassed that she was born as one too.

Welp. This is a side project of mine. A plot bunny that T wrote down to get rid of it. Though I showed it to my friend and she said that it is good.

So I am publishing this because why not.

I so should not be working on this while sitting in class!

In fact, the teacher is like 1-2 meters away from where I sit.

:DD