The newspaper slipped from his hands as he processed what he read. How was this even-! The past of all places! He closed his eyes as an impending headache threatened to take root. Thinking back, he did recall a passing conversation he had with Gianni.
Because he was the face of a flourishing business, he had been forced to mingle with some of the clients for the Vongola after a general brunch meeting that Reborn had gone and planned for him.
Again.
Without his consent.
And Reborn didn't even deign to stay with him, leaving him to slowly die of boredom as he listened to the gentlemen posture amongst themselves. Each had some story that they absolutely needed Tsunayoshi to hear. Tsunayoshi was more interested in how much paperwork he would be accumulating from this chunk of time being eaten away.
Luckily, he saw Gianni passing by in the hall as he was listening to a particularly long-winded tale and promptly took the chance.
"Gianni-san, how have you and the others been?" Called Tsunayoshi, conveniently halting the one-sided conversation he was having with one of the clients, "I haven't seen any of you in a while."
Gianni beamed, "I have a new pet project I've been working on with Spanner and Irie."
Tsunayoshi twitched, warning bells going off in his mind. That was not what he wanted to hear. It was never a good sign when the three started on one of their pet projects. But before he could demand what exactly they were working on, another client took this as an opportunity to ask for Tsunayoshi's time.
"Mr. Sawada, I am honored that you have decided to hold this event. Can I introduce you to some of my partners?"
"I'll let you know when we have more head way!" Said Gianni waving with a smile, "Maybe we'll finally be able to go to the past!"
"Oh, they definitely made headway," said Tsunayoshi in annoyance. He deeply regretted not following up that day. He had gotten distracted by a phone call from Kusukabe about a local group that was getting out of hand. He never followed up. He should have followed up. "They'll be lucky if they ever get funding for any projects."
Regardless of what the inventors had in mind, it was becoming very clear that they needed to have a talk, a very long talk. In fact, the moment he returned, those three gentlemen were going to be the first he would have a chat with. Any other meetings could be put on hold. He began pacing by the bench, choosing to ignore the wary looks he was garnering from his mutterings.
It was no wonder that he hadn't already seen a familiar face! When he found himself in the future, which happened more often than he cared for it to occur, he could easily sit around with someone and chat.
They would talk about miscellaneous things and he got a small break from work. Granted, there were a few times when he found himself in the company of the Varia. Those were not always pleasant. He winced as his most recent memory sprung unbidden in his mind.
Xanxus had been in a rage about something that the Dino had let slip and decided to take his anger out on Tsunayoshi of all people. He had returned a lot more charred than usual much to Reborn's amusement.
But since he was in the past, he didn't even have Xanxus to fall back on. And honestly, he'd take Xanxus over this any day. Here, he knew neither the people nor places to go.
His mood was further dampened by the fact that he had yet to be sent back to his own time. The usual time limit had passed. It was safe to say that he was stranded for the undetermined future.
He quelled the sudden urge to revert back to his teenage habit and scream for help, exhaling heavily. It would do him no good to have a panic attack in unknown territory. Reborn would never let him live it down if he were to ever find out and knowing that man, he would.
Curse his luck.
He collapsed back on the bench, glumly observing the people bustling around.
He knew things had been too peaceful the past couple of weeks: no excessive papers, no property damage, no problems with any other families, nothing. Of course there was a few things that he was looking into privately but it did not and should not have warranted this turn of events.
Maybe he did something in his previous life that trashed his karma. He'd have to ask Mukuro about that when he got back. And then how to get rid of it. If he ever got back.
For now, he had to make sure he could survive here. Groaning, he got up and started walking. Maybe he could find some temporary job to wait it out. Think of it as one of Reborn's unreasonable punishments...
"I already have enough helpers," apologised the elderly baker. The man pointed to two young teens moving in the dried racks. "I can only afford having them.
Shaking his head, Tsunayoshi gave a small smile, "No, thank you for your time."
"I do know a caffé on Delane Lane that is in need of help," started the man, crossing his arm in consideration, "They are probably closing right now. But if you go tomorrow, tell them Marino sent you."
"I will give it a try," said Tsunayoshi, "Thank you."
He quickly bid the man goodnight before walking once more. Another rejection to his list of five, but this one did yield better results. He'll probably give this caffé a shot tomorrow.
The problem now was his lack of shelter. The last few rays of the sunset were dimming into a thin shimmer along the horizon. At this rate, he would probably be spending the night sleeping out in the open. At least it was still somewhat warm outside. He's slept in worse conditions.
So intent on his thoughts, the brunette was almost sent flying as he turned a corner and collided into a running figure. Luckily, he readjusted in time to stay standing.
He glanced down at the cause of his misstep and was surprised to see that it was only a teen. However, at a closer inspection, the teen looked oddly familiar. But it just couldn't be-?
"Lambo? What are you doing here?" blurted out Tsunayoshi in confusion, holding out a hand to help the teen up.
'Lambo' stared at the brunette blankly before rudely pushing away the hand. "I am the great Lampo," he stated with an emphasis on the last syllable, bringing himself up pompously, "And I don't need your help."
The brunette resisted the sudden urge to roll his eyes at the teen's comment. Was this really not Lambo? The kid even acted like him! Only when he looked closer did he notice the more subtle differences that marked him as someone else.
For one, this Lampo had lighter color hair that were not as unruly as his Lightning guardian's. The birthmark under the teen's eye was not a number sign but rather a mark shaped like a lightning bolt...a lightning bolt?
And then a heavy sort of feeling began to settle in his stomach. It was just a coincidence. He couldn't be that far in the past… What was the year that was printed on the newspaper?
He shook his head and sighed, "I'm sorry," he apologized, scratching his head sheepishly, "I had mistaken you for someone else."
Lampo gave a miffed huff, "Who are you, huh?" demanded the teen, jabbing a finger at the brunette's chest. "I've never seen you around before."
Tsunayoshi frowned for a moment as he pondered what to say. He had been planning to just tell the teen his name, but if his hunch really was correct then it probably would be best to lay low and avoid the teen and the teen's associates.
He didn't want to get caught up in anything during his stay here. But...if he did, he'd have a place to stay which actually started to sound a lot more tempting then it should. But if Reborn found out, he'd be dead meat.
Lampo could only stare with increasing confusion as the man who crashed into him let out a rather depressing sigh. Already, he was regretting that he said anything of the strange man. But as the teen opened his mouth to speak, he heard the sound of running footsteps and muffled shouts echoing through the eerily empty streets.
Without waiting for a response, the teen yanked the man with him and down the streets. How could he have forgotten that there were people after him. "Come on, we need to get out of here!" rushed Lampo as they turned a corner, "Those guys are bad news!"
Tsunayoshi could only widen his eyes in alarm before letting himself be dragged away with a yelp. He had gotten a quick glimpse of the people that were chasing them when they rounded the corner and none of them looked friendly. He frowned as he quickly noted that some of them had been carrying weapons. Just who were they running away from?
When they finally stopped in a dark alleyway, Lampo all but collapsed as he tried to catch his breath. Tsunayoshi looked around warily, assessing their location.
They had ran for quite a bit so the two had some time to stop. Tsunayoshi immediately turned to look at the teen.
"Those men were armed," he accused quietly, eyeing the teen critically, "Why are they after a kid like you?"
While he knew the answer, he wondered if Lampo would actually tell him. And honestly, he was a bit worried.
Lampo glared at him before looking away, crossing his arms defensively. "I don't know! They just started to chase me."
Tsunayoshi knew the tell tale sign of a lie when he saw one, especially since the teen was doing a poor job concealing it from his face. Really. It was like he was dealing with Lambo.
He let out an exasperated sigh, barely hiding his amusement. "You are lying to me." The boy stiffened in surprise at the blatant accusation. Exactly like Lambo. "They want something from you."
The Vongola waited silently for a reply. Down to the way he blew at a loose strand, Lampo acted exactly as Lambo did when he was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do. It was only a matter of whether or not the teen would trust him enough to tell him the finer details.
Now Lampo was in quite the dilemma. Lampo, on the other hand, was grasping for something to say. No one had ever called him out for his lies. At least no one who didn't know him. And while he'd usually scoff, he felt strangely inclined to trust this man.
He snuck another glance at the man before him. While this strangely dressed man exuded an air of harmlessness, Lampo felt that there was something more to that.
He usually steered clear of civilians. It was never good to drag innocents in. But for some reason, Lampo felt compelled to pull the man with him, as if he could be trusted. And even if he tried to run away, chances were that the man would follow him, considering how easily the man kept up with his pace. Lampo was one of the faster runners so he could tell right away. He did not know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
After another moment, Lampo made his decision. He hoped that it was the right one. "Those men chasing us want to take this from me," Began the teen slowly, showing a rather familiar looking ring, "There's a power in these rings that can cause serious damage if used wrongly."
Tsunayoshi could only stare at the final piece of evidence that cemented his suspicions into a reality. One of the Vongola Rings, the same ring that Lambo had, has. Why did it have to come down to this. What was wrong with his luck?
Lampo, who mistook the brunette's surprise as disbelief, immediately tried to reason with the man, "I'm not joking, serious," said the teen with a determined glint in his eyes, "I can show you!"
That got a reaction out of Tsunayoshi, hands near flailing to stop the Lampo from doing whatever he was planning to do. No need for show and tell.
"I don't think we need to have a demonstration…," said the brunette firmly, "I believe you."
"I can-! Wait, you're just going to believe me?" stumbled Lampo. The surprise was evident on his face at the rather quick agreement, "Did I just hear you right?"
Tsunayoshi looked at the teen in amusement, before gesturing at the ring, "Are those people aware of that power?"
"I don't know," said Lampo shrugging, using his other hand to cover his ring. There was a determined scowl on the teen's face, "But this ring is a treasure gift of mine and I'm not going to let them take it from me."
Tsunayoshi could not help the small smile at the protectiveness the teen was displaying for the ring. He ruffled the teen's head. Lampo twitched in surprise before jumping away from the brunette, patting his hair for anything suspicious.
"What was that for?" muttered Lampo indignantly, looking very peeved and embarrassed with how he was being treated, "I'm not a kid!"
Tsunayoshi chuckled at the reaction, "Sorry, You remind me of someone that that I know."
At the teen's questioning stare, Tsunayoshi shook his head in amusement and continued, "He also has a ring that he treasures greatly. To him, it symbolizes acceptance and family.
"I have a feeling that it has the same meaning to you as well," he finished quietly, smiling at the teen's surprised flush.
Before the teen could bother to ask, a deep snarl had the two males turning towards the entrance of the alleyway.
"You-"
"We found you, brat."
Tsunayoshi narrowed his eyes in calculation as he counted six men slowly surround them. Lampo had been showing signs of fatigue so he doubted that they could run that far even if they were to make a break for it.
He was surprised and touched when Lampo suddenly put himself before him in an effort to protect him.
"You sure gave us a run, but you got nowhere to run now," sneered one of the men, as he broke away from the group. He brandished a wicked knife as he eyed the potential prey with a particularly nasty look, "Now hand it over."
Lampo cursed under his breath, internally regretting the lack of dedication he had for all those lessons that he had specifically for these situations. He should have tried harder. Nevertheless, he placed himself in front of the brunette, determined to protect. It was his fault that he got him involved. He eyed the men warily. He could see that the other men were also pulling out their weapons as they formed a semicircle around the two, leaving no means of escape.
The one who had spoken earlier, took another step closer, "Hand over the ring, kid and we might let you and your friend live."
Lampo gave a haughty glare, "Never." After another thought the teen stuck out his tongue, "Especially not to an ugly mug like you!"
The man twitched in annoyance, "You'll regret that, brat." snarled the man, his intent clear as he made a quick swipe at Lampo, "I'll teach you to mess with me."
The teen flinched and braced for the impact, arms up and eyes clenched shut. There was no pain. Lampo opened his eyes and stared in shock.
There, holding back the man's wrist was the brunette. And from the looks of it, the bigger man was unable to budge his arm at all, not a single bit. How was he able to do it so effortlessly? The other men watched on in equal stupor as their leader was held back without even the slightest sign of any difficulty.
"You are not to touch him," said Tsunayoshi coldly, tightening his hold even more when the man tried to shake his grip off.
Thankfully, he had his back turned to Lampo; else the teen would have recoiled. The brunette's usual warm and kind eyes were narrowed into an unforgiving icy glare that sent chills up the spines of the men facing him.
And while Lampo could not see Tsunayoshi's face, the tone was enough to make the teen flinch. It was a startling contrast to hear that warm and curious voice change into a commanding harshness. It was a bit scary, not that Lampo would admit such a thing.
The leader of the group sneered in contempt, "You think you stand a chance against all of us?"
With a slight smile that veered towards a Reborn-worthy smirk, Tsunayoshi answered, "You can't even free yourself."
"You're dead!" snarled the man, temper snapping. "You should have kept your pathetic mouth shut."
When Tsunayoshi only chuckled, the infuriated man lashed his weapon towards the brunette's body. Who did this scrawny brunette thing he was? He was going to teach him a lesson in messing with the Mafia.
Lampo gave a shout of distress at the brunettes taunting words. Was he crazy? The man had a weapon! And yet, somehow, the hit never connected. If Lampo had blinked, he would have missed it. The man crumpled to the ground. With a simple brute but efficient blow to the head, Tsunayoshi knocked the leader down.
This was child's play compared to what Tsunayoshi experienced on a daily basis with his fellow guardians and friends alike. At first, there was silence as the other men stared in shock at their fallen comrade. However, that shock was quickly replaced with rage as Tsunayoshi turned to them. They all rushed towards Tsunayoshi, aimed to kill.
Tsunayoshi frowned. He had hoped that they would have been smart enough to run when they had the chance. Did they think that because there were more of them that they would be able to swarm him? Either they were blind or stupid. This was going to be then it would be their loss. He grimaced, he was starting to sound like Reborn.
The brunette crouched into a more comfortable position, bracing himself for the all out brawl. With relative ease, he dispatched each and every one of them, careful to avoid outright killing them. Really, compared to the people he normally fought, these men were highly unorganized and un-agile, definitely not worth the time.
Lampo could only watch in shock. He knew these men were strong. Yet, here was a man, who stood only a couple inches past their shoulders, trouncing them like they were nothing but novices. Lampo had a feeling that this man was not even using all of his strength. It was over in a matter of moments. Tsunayoshi sighed as he straightened the cuff of his sleeve, before turning back to the teen.
Lampo could not help but blurt out, "Who the hell are you?"
Tsunayoshi only gave a small smile.
January 2016 - progress, making snails pace progress. salty af rn