Chapter 1: Introduction

"Well, if it isn't Smoking Bomb Hayato." An amused voice greeted the silver-haired teenager, causing him to turn around. A black-haired girl smirked lazily at him from her seat at the small cafe they occupied, her blue eyes flashing in the afternoon sun, "What brings you here?"

"Che, I could ask you the same thing Akira Miles." The boy, Hayato Gokudera, snapped as he bit down on his lit cigarette. His green eyes swept over the girl, examining her white hoodie and dark pants that were partially visible under the table. He counted no less than six knives on her person.

A chuffing laugh made him met her eyes again, bristling as he read the amusement dancing in them. Her hand reached into her pocket (ignoring the way Hayato tensed) to pull out a folded letter. "The same reason as you, I bet. I got a missive to report here. Now," Akira drawled as she placed the letter on the table, "what I want to know is why someone would call a couple of half-breeds to heel. Especially with that seal." Her eyes didn't stray from his.

A growl left his throat before he could really stop it, "Damn woman, I told you not to call me that!"

"Oh? But it's what you are. Why deny it?"

"If you don't shut up I'll-"

"You'll what? Blow me to kingdom come with those cute little sparklers you have there? By the way, I am impressed with how many you're able to manage to keep on you. Do you have some shoved up your-"

"SHUT UP!"

"Make me mongrel!"

BANG!

The bullet whizzed through the space between their noses (neither teen had realized that they were that close until that moment) causing both to separate and whirl on their assailant, weapons at ready.

"Ciaossu."

The two teens froze under the obsidian eyes that stared at the from under the black fedora, a green and black gun pointing at them.

Akira licked her lips before slowly putting her daggers away as Hayato put his dynamite down as well, rolling her shoulders to relax them. "Ciao Mr. Reborn. How can we help you?"

A chill ran down her spin as she saw a smirk flit over Reborn's face. "I have mission for you two, directly from Vongola Nono." He paused, letting those words sink in. "Should you choose to accept you will be reward greatly."

"And should we not?" Akira drawled lazily, already knowing the answer.

"Then you are no further use to Vongola." The safety of the gun clicked off omniously.

The girl felt her shoulders droop minutely while to her right Hayato seemed to be vibrating with excitement. "Well I suppose when you put it that way..."

"Excellent. Hayato will be leaving for Japan in two days to challenge the candiate of Vongola Decimo. Should he fail Hayato will be Decimo."

The boy looked flabbergasted while Akira gaped like a fish, "Wait, what?"

Reborn ploughed on, ignoring the girl's incredulity, "Akira will follow a day afterward to personally guard the Decimo at the insistenice of CEDEF leader Iemistu Sawada."

"WHAT?!"

Four Days Later

"Class, this is Miles Akira. She just transferred from Italy so please make her feel welcomed. Miles-san, why don't you tell us a little about yourself."

"Oh? Well I'm half American-half Italian. I know Japenese, Italian, and English. Oh yeah, I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi's cousin. Please take care of me."

"HIIEEEE!"