Childhood

Sawada Mizuki was just four years old when after a fateful visitation, she became super-clumsy that alarmed her mother so when husband left for a year of work with his boss, Sawada Nana visited her older sister Mana in the countryside.

Her older sister Mana was seven years older than her, and already has a son about seven years older than her daughter. Her son's name was Kazuki so Nana thought of a playful theme naming between their children. If the Ka in Kazuki meant 'flower', hers was 'honey', making Mizuki's name a literal 'honeymoon'. Both sisters laughed playfully at that(bodyguard and son sweatdropping), when Mana visited her sister in the maternity room in the hospital...with her seven years old son, and a bodyguard Nana called 'eyepatch-kun'.

However, Mana advised to change the second kanji.

'While that name is OK and cute in my traditional family, you know how cruel city children can be, Nana-chan.' said Mana. 'Change the second kanji so Mizuki-chan won't be a bully magnet in school. Especially nasty neighbor gossip moms speaking bad of you!' she exclaimed.

'Oh dear, so much for theme naming between our children!' Nana pouted unhappily, seeing that happening some day. So the second kanji was changed to 'princess' instead. 'So just between us sisters, its a literal 'honey moon' OK? We're just doing this to shut up city people and for Mizuki-chan to be safe.'

However, it was then that Nana discovered her sister suffered a stillborn three years ago she was afraid to try again, and doted on her newborn daughter. Nana let her, so her sister would recover in her own way while she talked to her nephew Kazuki. He was such a beautiful boy he'd be mistaken for a GIRL. That kimono and long hair certainly didn't help matters.

However, when Mizuki was three years old, tragedy happened for Nana twice.

The first was Kazuki, and his friends Juubei and Sakura coming to see her for their family's deaths. Nana was distraught with her sister's death, lamenting she can never tell their parents. Hell, they don't even have a body to bury in fear of the enemy stalking around the family grounds!

That, and she has to be strong for her nephew, and his retainers.

'Where will you go next though, since you insist you can't stay long?' Nana asked her nephew.

'Mother said to a place called Mugenjou. I have no idea what or where that is so we'll keep looking.' said Kazuki.

'I see...'

Nana spent their short time teaching the young adolescents how to cook, and how to use technology for their own good as for all they know, Mugenjou could be a city, they need to know how to use technology! They also played with little Mizuki on their downtime, and teaching her a few things before leaving...and Nana bought the trio a Cell phone so they can contact each other.

Food however, had to be specialized. The Fuuchouins only eat specific ingredients to maintain their beauty and grace in their martial arts until they're 18 years old. Nana wondered if that had to do with having to look girly despite being a BOY...her daughter would benefit too! She had to recalculate budget as a result for when Iemitsu calls.

But barely a year after they left...Nana called Kazuki over.

'Auntie, you said it's urgent?' Kazuki gasped out as the trio visited home.

'I don't know what happened!' Nana cried. 'A year ago, Iemitsu came home with his boss...Boss stayed for a week but when they left, Mizuki became incredibly clumsy, to the point of tripping over a smooth floor over nothing! They did something, I know it but its not like I can ask!' she exclaimed.

'Nii-chan...I can't use my strings anymore...' Mizuki croaked out heartbrokenly. 'I'm too clumsy for the strings now...' she sniffled. The older kids could only flinch at how utterly heartbroken the little girl was it was PAINFUL to look at, and Kazuki wanted something done.

'Juubei, check on Mizuki.' Kazuki instructed. 'We will then determine how to help her.'

'Of course.' Juubei took Mizuki on his lap and took off her dress and took out his needles...poking her in certain places on her head, neck, arms, torso and legs. It was something only he can see, but he looked horrified. 'Kazuki...only Waterfall can heal Mizuki.' he swore. 'Her chi flow and pathways are blocked and scrambled...I've never seen anything like it! To my shame, I haven't learned how to fix something like this yet with my needles.' he admitted in vexation.

'THEY DID SOMETHING!' Nana screeched, upset and angry, startling the children. 'Iemitsu and Timoteo-san took Micchan to her room while she was playing and Iemitsu told me to cook an early dinner...and when I saw them again, they said Micchan took to napping! WHAT. DID. THEY. DO?!' she howled.

'Auntie, please calm down!' Kazuki sputtered, trying to calm down his angry aunt. 'I'll perform Waterfall but I need to be outside for this.'

'A-alright...' they went outside for Kazuki to perform the technique on his cousin with his full power...

...end result?

Mizuki was on literal fire!

'Hiiiieeee?!' Mizuki freaked out and this got them all shocked.

Cue a visit from the Vindice because Mizuki went on fire in public...

'It seems we have a child who is out of control with her flames.' he said.

'It's not my daughter's fault!' Nana cried. 'This is all my husband and Timoteo-san's fault!'

'Please elaborate.' Nana explained what happened a year ago to the bandaged man that appeared out of nowhere and what Juubei just revealed with his diagnosis before Kazuki healed Mizuki. 'I see...a Sky Sealing was performed on your child and unsealing resulted in Oversurge.'

'Over...surge?' Kazuki croaked out.

'Yes. Block something for long and suddenly releasing it...everything all comes out in a flash flood. It should die down shortly once the flames and body fixes itself on its own.' said the man. 'However, due to keeping things secret, Sawada Mizuki must not use flames in public. We have laws and sanctions for secrecy.'

'That understandably extends to us, her family.' said Juubei as the man nodded. 'So she will recover on her own once her chi flows properly again as her body compensates by itself...she'll be OK as long as she knows Chi control. She can afford not to use her powers with a little training.'

'See to it, young man. It will be dangerous if this goes public. You have been warned.' and the Vindice disappeared in black flames.

'...he didn't tell us what a Sky Sealing is though...' said Sakura as they all groaned.

'We forgot!'

xxx

Vendicare...

The Vindice reported to...a small one.

'Is that right?'

'Yes. Clearly the wife doesn't know anything about the Mafia though. As far as she knows, Don Vongola and his advisor took the child to her room and suddenly claimed she napped. Really? Before lunch? And then came out a cosmic joke after?' the vindice drawled in a sneer. 'They also left quite quickly, clearly intending to leave the madam with the fallout of caring for a disabled child.' the small one clicked his tongue in distaste.

'Idiots. Well, won't the Advisor be surprised when he comes home to his angry wife who's probably having ideas in her head now.' said another.

'She must know the truth.' the baby declared. 'By law, by marrying into the mafia, the civilian spouse is now privy to the truth.' he said. 'Effectively, Vongola broke that particular law with this woman. However, the Young Lion has paid his price without even knowing it and we won't even have to lift a finger.' he snorted. 'When he comes home...his wife will charge a large price, a price he can never pay.'

'Her nephews and niece?'

'Included as they have already seen. Alejandro.' another vindice appeared, the tallest of them all who genuflected.

'Yes, boss.' Alejandro disappeared in black flames.

Well, NOW the family got their explanation...

'...how soon can I get a divorce?' Nana whimpered hopefully.

'Sadly, you can't for knowing too much, madam.' said Alejandro to the dismayed housewife. 'And considering how valuable a Sky is...you'd do well to homeschool your child until she is strong enough to protect herself from kidnappers...and never leave her alone for too long.'

'I guess we train Mizuki-chan...' said Kazuki. 'Its impossible for her to stay cooped up with auntie going out for groceries...she already mastered the easy techniques of my clan before sealing-induced clumsiness happened. And considering what's after us, we cannot be seen in public either.'

Thus a decision was made...that Kazuki and his retinue at least stayed for a year, training Kazuki every after tutoring hours.

However, due to the Sky Factor, Mizuki learned a little TOO quickly...

'You seem to be in deep thought, Kazuki.' Juubei spoke to Kazuki one night when dinner ended.

'Mizuki...she learns at the same rate as he does.' said Kazuki worriedly. 'I hope she won't be a target for this alone.'

'It'll be alright Kazuki.' said Juubei. 'We made sure we weren't tracked when we went here, it'll be OK.' he said optimistically. 'We should do all we can since auntie and your cousin are all you have now. We still have our family but we chose death over them. We can't bring ourselves to do what our family has sworn to do.'

'I'm sorry...' Kazuki apologized softly, hugging his knees.

'Don't be.' said Juubei. 'Sakura and I chose you as our Master. We are not like father who changes his tune based on who's new.' he said. 'He taught us loyalty to our liege...and then when the Master died, he quickly sided with him.' he sighed. 'Practice what you preach, father.'

'Juubei...'

'We have a tough life ahead of us, and we haven't even found Mugenjou yet...just what is this place madam insisted we go there for?' Juubei wondered aloud.

'Beats us...but we'll know the longer we stay I guess...'

However, a year after they left...Mizuki was eligible enough for Grade Three schooling and can sufficiently defend herself when she has a visitor at school.

An older boy in a kimono.

'Mizuki, was it?' he asked her.

'Un.' Mizuki nodded. She herself, wore a kimono due to the rules she had to follow. 'Yohan-nii?'

Unknown to Kazuki, Mizuki was told of Yohan by her mother whose sister secretly informed her by a delayed-delivery letter trick.

'You even know of me.' Yohan looked at her with an empty smile.

'Auntie told mama and mama told me.' said Mizuki, not really understanding how scary his smile is to anyone else. 'We know the truth about you Kazuki-niichan doesn't know yet. Mama expected you to show up any day actually.'

'Hoo? Why is that?'

'Auntie left mama a letter just for you. She hid it from uncle with a delayed delivery letter trick but mama didn't say more why though.' said Mizuki. 'Wanna come home with me?' she piped up.

'...' he came with her anyway to her house.

'Mama! Yohan-nii is here!' Mizuki piped up, dragging Yohan inside while holding his hand.

Nana got to look at her...younger nephew who his daughter dragged in.

'Micchan, your Yohan-niichan and I need to talk adult talk OK? I need him to know a few things auntie left me.'

'Why can't I stay?' Mizuki pouted.

'When you're ten you can know, just, not now dear...and no cheating with strings!' Nana gently warned, hands on her hips. 'Your cousin will know!'

'Booo.' Mizuki pouted as she went upstairs.

'Phew...too young to know about this yet.' Nana sighed as she went to a photo frame of her and her daughter, dismantled it and took out a letter. Clearly unopened. 'Yohan-kun, Mana-nee told me her lamentations and sadness regarding the son she was forced to declare a stillborn...never getting to hold you longer than an hour...and never getting to love you as she had your brother. All because of beautiful eyes idiot-in-law declared bad luck.' she sighed, sitting with Yohan and gave him the letter. 'It seems neesan and I have awful luck with husbands...who both hurt our children.'

'Mizuki, hurt?' Yohan frowned slightly.

'Mizuki was born with a gift...but sealing it away caused her to be inhumanly clumsy and unable to learn anything new...she was most distraught when she likes to play with her strings and family art requires gracefulness. She wouldn't stop crying.' Nana shook her head. 'Your idiot uncle and his boss did something. I can't forgive that. Kazuki managed to fix her, thankfully or I'd have filed for more than Divorce.' she swore. 'I hope our bad luck with spouses isn't...passable to the three of you.'

'I don't think I'll ever get to marry anyway.' said Yohan softly.

'Nonsense!' Nana gasped out. 'Everyone has someone in this world!' she told him, placing her hand over his. 'Demo ne, Yohan-kun...when things go tough...think of neesan, and of me and your cousin. You are not alone as you believe you are, OK? Mana-nee asked me to be there for you even if I'm not a fighter like you guys...but as family and someone you can come complain to.' she smiled. 'You're not alone, OK?'

Yohan's hardened expression somewhat melted.

'Thank you...auntie.'

'How long are you staying dear? Kazuki-kun, Juubei-kun and Sakura-chan intended to visit every summer and winter. At least until they find this Mugenjou place...neesan told them to find and go there for who-knows-why.'

'As the new family head, I am sadly...busy.' said Yohan. 'But when I master all I need to know, I will visit.' Nana nodded happily, before giving him a photo album. 'This?'

'Its photos of neesan growing up.' said Nana. 'You can see stories in each pictures...so you would know what your mother is like.' she said softly. 'I compiled all these photos from our parents, schoolmates, and her former officemates for you. For you to remember her by.'

Yohan looked at the leatherbound photo album in his hands. As if it was frail glass that would shatter in his hands.

'She was so happy and everyone knows what she was always up to...and when she married your father, it was like, silence as a ghost once the wedding is over.' Nana deflated. 'We never heard from her again that she had ways to sneak things around. Sneaking to me how to contact her but I can't even tell our parents and her friends because she was so closely-watched...and sneakily preparing that letter just for you.' she said somberly, looking at the letter she gave him. 'The last time I saw her again...was when I asked her to visit me when I had your cousin.' she said somberly. '...who did it?'

'...father, in a way...so I killed him back.' Yohan's expression grew dark. 'He wanted to kill me. Mother took the blow...that was the first and last time I saw her then.'

'We both married no-good men!' Nana lamented, sobbing softly. 'Do not make that awful mistake neesan and I did, the both of you!' she cried, hugging Yohan. 'You deserve better!'

Yohan left after Nana calmed down, but he left with the knowledge that he still has family who he could go to any time...and he went home with valuable treasures in his hands.

He felt...better in the first time in years after he read his mother's only letter to him.