I know, I know! I SHOULD BE UPDATING HYOURINMARU'S WIELDER. I KNOW.
XD But this plot bunny has been gnawing at me and I can't get rid of it! AGH! I PROMISE. Once I finish this chapter, I'm throwing this thing on hiatus and then working on Hyourinmaru's Wielder and Keys. PLEASE. DON'T KILL ME.
~oOo~
"Leave it to me, Tenth!"
Tsuna smiled. "Thank you, Gokudera-kun. The other guardians are all too busy on their own missions."
"So, the basics of the mission are that I have to check out an area because of suspicious activity?" Gokudera questioned.
"That's right." Reborn jumped onto the table, adjusting his hat.
"Okay, and I'll be gone for three days in Italy, am I correct?"
"Yes. I understand it might be a little uncomfortable for you"—
"No, no, anything for the Tenth!" Gokudera said with a smile. "Don't worry about it! I'll be back soon!"
"Alright then. Don't forget to report every day. You can go, Gokudera-kun," Tsuna said.
Gokudera turned and left, closing the door behind him.
"I have a really bad feeling about this mission," Tsuna murmured. "Why is that?"
~oOo~
It had been a week, and Gokudera had not called even once since the day he left and the day after. For five days, they had nothing from him; reports, calls, letters, nothing.
It was worrying, because Gokudera wasn't the kind to disobey orders from Tsuna or Reborn. (Especially the former.)
At the end of the week, they found nothing. It was as if the Storm Guardian had disappeared off the face of the planet itself. When they scouted the area out, they only found burn marks and gunpowder.
But they wouldn't lose hope yet.
~oOo~
It's been three years.
Three long years without the silver-haired Storm Guardian.
And they were beginning to lose hope. Maybe he was dead, and it was awfully insulting to him by not holding a funeral.
But they wouldn't proclaim him as dead. Not yet, when they had no proof.
~oOo~
Three years later
He cursed himself for being so stupid, stumbling along and holding his wounds. It'd gotten him good; a couple of slashes on his legs and a deep wound on his chest.
He glanced at the yellow lights, trying not to be seen. Glancing at the box hanging off the sash and his ring, he wondered if he'd have enough energy to summon anything if the need arose.
Keep yourself awake, retard! he scolded himself.
Normally he'd heal his injuries but without any energy, it was quite dangerous. He growled at his own carelessness. To top it off, his phone was dangerously low on battery and he needed it for alerting him to dangerous beings. He did have a charger but he didn't have an outlet and he didn't want to stay in one place, not when they could be chasing him.
Then he realized what neighborhood he was in.
Oh fucking shit.
~oOo~
Yamamoto Takeshi had taken to strolling in the evening. It was about half past eight and it was getting slightly dark. Not that he was afraid, or anything. He had his katana with him.
Looking around, he picked up slight panting and the rustling of clothes. He turned around and saw the edge of a black cloth, its wearer seemingly trying to hide.
"I know you're there! Come out!" he snapped.
The person seemed to stiffen up and he saw the cloth vanish behind the wall, its owner probably trying to run.
Yamamoto turned the corner and the first thing he noticed was the crimson liquid that spattered onto the ground. He could see a trail of blood, probably leading to where the other was. Then it occurred to him that maybe the other was running because she/he was hurt.
The Rain Guardian, without hesitation, followed the trail like a dog chasing its prey.
He saw the other person stumble and then catch herself (he assumed it was she because he/she had long hair) and continue to run.
"Hey, wait! I just want to help you!" Yamamoto called. Dang, that girl was fast.
She didn't respond, merely continuing to run.
Yamamoto continued to chase her. He thought he saw the glint of a ring on her finger but he couldn't be sure.
He heard a bit of quiet swearing from her direction and then saw her stop, leaning against the wall, breathing ragged.
"Stay away!" the person snapped, and Yamamoto's heart nearly stopped.
"Gokudera?" he asked hoarsely.
For the first time, he saw the person's face. He had silver hair and green eyes, the same as the Gokudera of fourteen years old.
The person didn't respond.
"You are Gokudera," Yamamoto decided.
Gokudera didn't dignify his words with a reply, instead slipping down and leaning against the wall. Then Yamamoto noticed the slashes on the front of his clothing which were leaking crimson. His left pant leg was soaked in red, or what he could see in the dim light.
Yamamoto didn't hesitate in dropping by Gokudera's side.
"Come on, I'll get you some help." The other didn't protest, merely sighing resignedly. Yamamoto realized that he hadn't changed a bit physically. He looked just as he remembered. But that was impossible.
He helped him stand and half dragged him, letting him walk a little.
Yamamoto picked up his cell phone and opened it, dialing Tsuna's cell phone.
"Hello, Yamamoto," said Tsuna wearily. Yamamoto could hear giggling in the background and he could guess the kids were screwing around again. "Any news?"
"Yes," Yamamoto replied.
Instantly Tsuna's voice became a lot more excited. "Where is he?"
"Come over, and bring Shamal. He's going to need medical attention."
Yamamoto could imagine Tsuna furrowing his brow.
"Okay," Tsuna said. "I'll be there soon."
~oOo~
Shamal sighed. "He shouldn't wake up until tomorrow morning." He'd only done as they asked because a certain ex-Arcobaleno asked (read: blackmailed or threatened) him to.
"On the contrary, you perverted old quack, I've been awake the whole time." Gokudera sat up, mussing up his silver hair with a hand.
"Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna gave him a bright smile. "Where've you been?"
Gokudera opened his mouth to answer but his phone suddenly rang. Immediately he picked up.
"Yes?"
Someone spoke through the phone.
"I'm doing well."
A pause.
"Where else would I be?"
Suddenly, Gokudera's face reddened. "I'M NOT LISTENING BLAH-BLAH-BLAH! Besides, last I checked, Matsumoto was the matchmaker, not you!"
Another pause.
"Yes, I know."
To be honest, no one had any idea who Gokudera was talking to and what they were talking about.
"I swear, who messed it up? And I thought they were all wiped out?"
Gokudera snickered at something the other said. Then the other said something else and Gokudera looked pissed.
"You did what?"
The other seemed to repeat what s/he said.
"Were you trying to kill me?"
The person on the other line said something that made Gokudera's already pale complexion turn a shade lighter.
"If you were—then you—then you're—what?"
The phone beeped as if to signal that the call had ended.
~oOo~
"Yes?" Gokudera said, knowing who it was.
"How are you doing, Gokudera?"
"I'm doing well," he replied curtly.
"Are you at Sawada's home?"
Gokudera rolled his eyes. "Where else would I be?"
"Perhaps at that one…the one you like, Y"—
Instantly Gokudera felt his cheeks flare up. "I'M NOT LISTENING BLAH-BLAH-BLAH! Besides, I thought Matsumoto was the matchmaker, not you!"
He heard an amused sound from the other side.
"You should be careful, Gokudera."
"Yes, I know." What did he think his age was? Five?
"The Hollow you killed was an incomplete Arrancar, not a normal Hollow. Your soul pager was probably screwed up."
He had noticed. "I swear, who messed it up? And I thought they were all wiped out?"
"I asked Kurotsuchi to mess it up. Don't worry. I'll have him fix it for you when you get back."
Gokudera scowled. "You did what?"
"I asked Kurotsuchi to mess it up," the other said, deliberately dragging out the words to annoy him.
"Were you trying to kill me?" Gokudera growled, infuriated.
"I wouldn't let you die, Gokudera. I was watching the whole time. Your reiatsu sensing skills are poor."
Gokudera's cheeks paled.
"If you were—then you—then you're—what?"
The other merely hung up.
~oOo~
"What was that about?" Tsuna asked after the phone beeped and Gokudera closed the phone with a snap.
"Your reiatsu sensing skills are lacking, Gokudera."
Gokudera turned sharply towards the door. "You told me already!" he snapped.
Standing at the door was a rather short child with snowy white hair and teal eyes. He wore attire similar to Gokudera's, except with a white cloak on top.
~oOo~
Toshiro was amused, to say the least. Gokudera's reaction was ridiculously hilarious.
He tilted his head, sweeping his gaze over the room quickly, noticing the incredibly tiny person on the back of the couch.
Two phones beeped at the same time and Gokudera attempted to get up but Toshiro intervened.
"Sit down, Gokudera. Matsumoto is taking care of it."
"You don't trust her with paperwork but you trust her with a Hollow?"
"The only thing she's good for is fighting. That's the only reason why she's my lieutenant, Gokudera."
He heard a sharp click and he knew that the tiny person had pointed his gun at him.
"Reborn, was it?" Toshiro tilted his head, unfazed by the gun. "Ex-Arcobaleno of the Sun with the yellow pacifier. The Vongola's best hitman?"
He leaned to the side as the bullet whistled past his ear. "You're as good as the files say," Toshiro remarked calmly. "Don't shoot at me. I am not your enemy, nor do you want Death as your enemy."
"So it's true?" Reborn lowered his gun.
Toshiro was about to reply when his lieutenant opened the door.
"CAPTAAAAIIIIIINNNNN!"
Matsumoto hugged him, and he would've suffocated if he hadn't kicked her into the wall.
"DO NOT DO THAT, MATSUMOTO OR ELSE I WILL FORCE YOU TO DO MY PAPERWORK!"
Gokudera sighed like he was used to seeing this kind of thing, which he was.
"Aww, but Captain! You look so huggable!"
Matsumoto was screwed when they got back to Soul Society.
~oOo~
Okay, there's the first chapter! Now to go work on Hyourinmaru's Wielder and Keys! HAPPY NOW PEOPLE?