Yes, I was able to make it in time for Dino's birthday.

As a note, there are chess references, but sadly, even though I myself play chess, I still managed to mix up the knight' and bishop's position on the game board. Yeah, so if you want, you can mentally change all the "bishops" to "knights" and vice-versa.

I digress, though.

Anyhow, enjoy!

I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

The winter Dino turned thirty, he had been rid of any free time. A raising family, the Millifiore, was challenging the Vongola. No one had any spare time to celebrate the mafia boss's birthday, but it was still one of the best days he had experienced lately. In the morning, Tsuna with the accompaniment of Reborn phoned Dino some whole-hearted wishes. Dino smiled at how familiar it all sounded: Reborn "lecturing" Tsuna on a more deserving gift to be given.

"Sorry Dino, Byakuran has been pressing on about an alliance with the family, so I've got my hands full. We'll throw you a party when everything's sorted out."

Dino let out a soft chuckle. Tsuna sounded so weary and aged. He was no longer the petite little brother he had to look out for.

Speaking of aging, turning thirty meant another aspect of his life being targeted. When he turned twenty-five, Dino's subordinates threw a grand scale party celebrating with alliance families. Among them were heaps of women in which Dino cared nothing for. Last year, as a gift from his entire famiglia, he received a pile of eligible candidates to become the Dino's consort, all stacked up nicely with a staple in the corner.

Dino didn't actually look through it though.

This year, rather than more pictures, he received a solemn plea from Romario on behalf of the Cavallone famiglia. Dino guessed that this matter would now come second to the current problems their family was in the middle of.

After a nice breakfast, Dino sat at his desk behind mountains of paperwork. Yes, just because you're a super powerful mafia boss doesn't mean you can actually do whatever you want…unless you want a coup d'etat.

There, Dino spent the rest of his day and the many days after that to be exact. He didn't receive any cake or the presents he was promised, but that was enough for him. The outside world was in distress and at a level of panic. Powerful families were alliancing themselves together, but at the same time, hundred-year-old pacts were being broken. The be blunt, the mafia was in it's greatest battle ever. After all, it seems a pawn made its way to the other side of the board and has inevitably become a queen, one of the greatest threats on the game board, a formidable opponent. It had been a long time since a family had challenged the Vongola's looming reign over other families, and such a match entranced many.

The question is, whether or not this "queen" can actually stand up against the other team's "queen" for there is no king on this board. Rather than trying to defeat the lone king, it's all about annihilating. Your objective is to rid the board of any piece of a different color than you, and what was the Cavallone's role in this obscene joke?

Dino suspects that he is merely the bishop. After all, he is the one closest to the Queen. He will always be there, ready to pounce in the most unpredictable way. Dino leaned back into the recliner. Balancing the fountain pen on top of his upper lip, he spun around till he couldn't distinguish which way the desk laid. The other bishop was probably the CEDEF. There was no one closer to the Vongola than these two organizations. Dino stopped spinning when he heard a knock at the door.

It was Romario with the company of tea and cakes. How nice, of him. "Boss, I've come to help you with the work load."

He took the first few papers off of the first stack. Oh, how his generosity knows no bounds.

"Thanks, Romario," Dino casually commented. He turned his focus on the documents in front of him, but alas he was a mafia boss born to fight, not sit at a desk. Dino once again found himself thinking of the world beyond his burden filled desk.

He was brought back to the game board. If he knew who the two bishops were, then which families were the other pieces? Ah, yes, He knew how his lovable student would fit best as a rook. He was the farthest away from the king and queen, like an isolated cloud.

Dino frown upon discovering this though, this meant he was so far away from Kyoya. "Hey, Romario, don't you think Kyoya is most fitting as a rook on the chess board?" Dino sought the wise words of his loyal right-hand man. "And we'd be the bishop by the side of the all powerful Vongola." He paused to let him soak in the predicament. "The CEDEf would become the other bishop. "

"Actually boss, with all do respect, there's an error in your judgment. You see, we are not the other bishop. It would be the Varia. There is no other organization out there closer to the Vongola. See, boss, you are in fact the knight of the game. Our family is always there to the rescue. In a way, we are overlooked, and our skills are not as widely recognized as the rook's and bishop's."

"Ah, I see! When playing the actual game, people tend to watch out for the rooks or the bishop's but not at the same time. So, when the knights and rooks (or the knights and bishops) combine their strength, they are unstoppable!" Dino smiled to himself quite satisfied with his deductions.

That, and he found reassurance in the fact that he had moved closer to Kyoya on the game board.

"Actually, Sir, Hibari Kyoya is more of a queen rather than a rook. You see, the queen isn't bound by the restrictions of rules. He can move anywhere and in any way he so chooses. He's like a free cloud in that sense."

Dino began to sip at his now chilled tea. That did make sense, but he felt somewhat stirred that the distance between him and the guardian had grown once more. Dino leaned back into his chair once again and smiled to himself once again at the image of his Kyoya being labeled a queen. Well, he sure did act like one.

Yes, surely this was the way things were meant to be. Hibari was a once a pawn that worked hard to reach the end of the board and gain his title as the most feared guardian in the Vongola.

Speaking of Kyoya, he had still yet to wish his former tutor a happy birthday. He'd have to punish him the next time they met.

As the sunrise turned into a subtle sunset, Dino continued to scribble in his office. He'd have to finish all his work before he could go visit him, after all.

Yeah, this was a quick and short fanfiction.

R&R

Feel free to let me know of any mistakes.