The three eventually returned to the bedroom of Sawada Ieyoshi once again. Ie staring at Reborn, holding the bullet that he spit out,
"You shot me in the head, brat. What the hell did you do to me?"
Reborn smirked, "You're finally willing to listen?"
"Che." Ie scoffed as he turned away. But Hide translating for his brother after a while with a quiet...
"Yes."
"The bullet is the Dying Will Bullet. A person that is shot with this bullet will resurrect with Dying Will after dying."
Ie widened his eye, "What?!"
Reborn noticed the greed in Ie's eyes as he examined the possibilities of being resurrected after death. Reborn was mentally disappointed as he saw Hide's calculating stare as well. He rather work with idiotic but trusting Pipsqueak Dino than manipulative idiots.
But he continued. It was his job, after all. He just had to kick their bad habits out.
"Your dying will is based on what you are regretting when you die."
Making the bad boy mutter, "I don't regret anything."
While Hide and Reborn knew better; Hide asking, "What... What if he wasn't regretting anything..."
"Hm? I'm an assassin."
Making the bad boy slam his feet into the ground as he stood up with horror, "I WOULD'VE DIED!?"
"Yup!"
Hide frowning, "Aren't you here to train Ie-nii?"
"Vongola Decimo only has to be one of you."
"Vongola?"
Reborn was quite surprised that the two didn't pick up the idea that they could kill the other to be boss. Their familial bonds were surprisingly deep. Was it because that incident involved the kidnapping of all of Iemitsu's children together?
"I was assigned by the Vongola Famiglia's 9th Generation Boss to come to Japan and raise you to become a mafia boss. Vongola Ninth is getting old and he was planning on passing the boss status to the 10th Generation. But the most qualified of the 10th Generation, Enrico, was shot in a feud."
Ie scoffed at the bloody photograph of Enrico while Hide paled. Reborn noting their reaction carefully as he remembered Tsuna mentioning trauma. Ie really was quite the Social Darwinist as he stared at the body as if it was weak and meant to die.
"The young number 2, Massimo, was drowned."
And this time, Ie shook with widened eyes as he saw the child's waterlogged body and Hide stared indifferently... though Reborn's sharp eyes caught Hide gripping his wrist to stop the little tremors.
"The favorite child, Federico, was found reduced to bone."
And both clenched their fists. Hide murmuring, "You don't have to keep showing them."
Reborn ignored it, "So the only candidate left to be 10th is you."
"Why?"
"The Vongola Family's 1st Boss retired early and crossed over to Japan. That is your great great great grandfather. So, you are part of the Vongola Bloodline and a legitimate Boss Candidate."
"What are you talking about? I've never heard about this" Ie started, but Hide interjected thoughtfully,
"Then... what about dad? Sawada Iemitsu?"
Reborn grinned. Well, one of them caught on. And Iemitsu really couldn't blame him for mentioning this, "Your father doesn't count. He's already part of another organization that works parallel to Vongola. He is an Outside Advisor, which makes him invalid as a Boss Candidate."
Ie scoffing, "So he really wasn't working as a Construction Worker. Well. Only mom believed that shit."
Hide nodded in agreement. Reborn as well. He had to give the kids that. It was a wonder how anyone could believe a postcard with Iemitsu wearing a construction uniform in the South Pole with the penguins?
There were just too many things wrong with that.
"What about Hide?"
Ie's eyes narrowed as he cautiously asked. Reborn merely answering,
"He was originally supposed to be kept in the dark by orders of Iemitsu. However the mafia preys on weak links so I will tutor him as well. If something unfortunate happens to you, then he will be the last candidate for Vongola Decimo."
Making Hide sigh of relief while Ie nodded with a quite thoughtful expression, "I can live with that. I won't die."
And so, with all the basics over with, Reborn feigned sleeping early with a snot bubble prop to the annoyance of the elder (but Ie did nothing to bother Reborn anymore remembering that the hitman had no blind spots), listening to the younger brother ask,
"Ne... What did you regret before you died, Ie-nii?"
There was a long pause before he heard a pat and rustling of rough hand on hair, "...there was a kid. He was about to be hit by a speeding car. Don't think too much on it."
"...don't die, Ie-nii. Not like her in our dreams... please."
There was a firm, resolute scoff, "I will never die, Hide. Dying is for the weak."
"Mm."
And they slept. Reborn slept.
...
Reborn curiously watched as every student passed the large electric sign at Namimori Academy City's center. The electric sign standing high-at the top of one of the skyscrapers with big words:
Duel Day: Rule: You can not decline any challenges given.
Tsuna noticed Reborn-Reborn mentally noted that he had to find out how the girl always seemed to know where he was-and patted her shoulder, "Want to come with me? I can give you a pass to wander wherever you wish without annoyances if you want."
Then again, it wasn't that bad. The girl always seemed to have the information or items he required.
"So? What's Duel Day for?" He asked as he jumped to her shoulder, next to the black lion. She wore a black dress shirt with a purple hedgehog design on the front as well as suit pants.
"Oh. Imonoyama wanted Namimori to have at least one event every week. Sometimes more. We normally decide by polls the day and event. Today seems to be Duel Day, a day in which no one can refuse a duel no matter what. Of course, no one has to pay anything if they lose unless both parties agree on a prize. See that fish vendor yonder?"
Reborn looked curiously to see what seemed to be a sushi chef challenge the fish vendor to a fish cutting match. The sushi chef winning with superb sword-cough-kitchen knife skills and getting three free fishes-the fish vendor man just laughing amiably though was visibly disappointed that he lost. Nearby markets were the same.
Interesting.
"And since there's always a bully in every town, people can accept duels meant for their friends if all parties agree."
"If all parties agree?"
Tsuna nodding at Reborn's arched brow, "Yup. It all depends on the challenged's or friend's or crowds' persuasion skills though. Most of the time, friends have to taunt or blackmail or question pride for the exception to work... but rules are rules."
Reborn chuckled at that. So the event not only improves the individual through random duels, but also improves persuasion skills of hero-wannabes? He wondered who came up with such a day.
And...
"Kurotsuki Tsuna! I challenge you to a match! If I win, then I-I-I-Will you date me?!"
The boy blushed while the crowd turned to cat call or wolf whistle or protest (mostly her fans which were of both genders; Reborn smirked as he noted). Tsuna was unperturbed that someone just confessed to her as she asked,
"And will you buy me a stuffed animal if I win?"
"YES! YES! YES! I'll do it if you date me too!"
The boy's face could make a rose blush in shame for not being as red. Tsuna fully turned and accepted,
"So?"
The boy took a stance-judo. Matching his judo outfit... Speaking of which, the students were all wearing different clothing with just one thing in common. The school mascot was always somewhere visible.
"No uniform?"
Tsuna noticing and explaining, "Democracy. No one has to wear a school uniform, but the mascot always has to be in sight and large enough for passing Discipline Committee members to see. Whether the mascot appears as a clothing design, patch sewed on, badge, pin, button, wristband, costume, necklace, earring, tattoo, stuffed animal, bag, real animal, or whatever else people think of." She whispered in his ear with a teasing air around her, "And don't tell anyone this, but the mascot's a hedgehog because the Discipline Committee Leader secretly loves cute animals. The school colors, black and purple, are also his favorite colors."
Reborn chuckled at that, remembering from his earlier research that the DC Leader was known to be a terrorizing, violent tyrant.
Anyways, that did explain the out-of-place wristband that had a cute hedgehog design on the boy's wrist. Judo members normally don't wear wristbands.
"I challenge you to a judo match!"
Tsuna then knelt as she placed the black lion down and Reborn hopped off. Her relaxed stance changed as well as she walked forth.
Reborn noted that the crowd visibly increased... Most notably, standing alone on the roof of a two-story building was the smirking DC Leader.
His mouth forming 'Wao'.
And then he watched a professional Judo match lasting five minutes. They weren't just kids barely in their teens... but actually professionals at fighting. If Varia had Varia quality, then Namimori had Namimori quality. Students-no... anyone with a dream was a ferocious opponent. That kid was going to be one hell of a Judo professional when he grew up.
But he knew who would win in the end. The girl he acknowledged as dangerous. She was a fighter-experienced and talented.
And the girl did manage to win in the end amidst the many throws and rolls. And after she decisively won, she helped the boy up and bowed,
"Good match, Toshinta Tomoe."
"Thank you so much, Tsuna-chan!"
He bowed, but with tears in his eyes. The crowd clapping for the match... while Tsuna picked up the black lion stuffed animal and walked away. Reborn asking as he hopped back to her shoulder,
"Not going to comfort him, Miss Counselor?"
"Nah. It'll only make him more attached. I believe that men don't need to and shouldn't be comforted after rejection."
"...hm." Reborn nodded in agreement.
And they walked, encountering some more duels. Whenever a prize was mentioned, the girl only wanted a stuffed animal, curiously enough.
Yet she seemed to only have Natsu-so he found out she named the black lion.
Once she reached the office, she tossed him the necklace with the pass attached,
"Here you go. Have fun, Reborn. Though it's good to make Kaichou jog around the city, there's also a forest just a few kilometers away from here. And some private dojos or exercise centers."
"Mm. Ciao ciao."
Though they met soon after when Mochida challenged Ie to a kendo match.
"And then there's these idiotic duels." She and Hana couldn't help but comment at the same time. Kyoko was quite exasperated herself. Some boys had the idea that girls were property...
Ie narrowed his eyes, "Repeat that again, Mochida-san?"
The dirty blond was still as polite as ever in front of the public, but no one could deny the darkness empowering his facade.
With good reason this time though.
"Ha! Deaf as you are dumb?! Well, I'll do ya a favor and repeat myself... You're a novice as Kendo! So if you can get an ippon off me, then you win! If you can't, then I win! The prize is of course Sasagawa Kyoko!"
While Hana and Tsuna held an angry Kyoko back from interfering with the ongoing duel, Ie finally accepted before amending,
"If I win, then you will leave Namimori or do 300 credits of community service. Women are not property."
The females and chivalrous guys nodded and cheered Ie on. Mochida paling as he messed up his reputation a bit... but nodding to the prize. He wasn't going to lose this one. No matter what happens since he made sure that the armor and shinai had enough weight in it to make three people barely able to carry them.
Plus, the judge was one of his friends. No matter what happens, he wasn't going to raise Sawada's flag...
Reborn's eyes glinted; Leon ready as a gun just in case...
But he didn't need it. Reborn was quite surprised that Ie easily picked up the rigged sword and skipped the heavy armor. Once the battle started, he swiftly ducked under Mochida's shinai and used his free hand to grab his raven hair, yanking dozens of hair off his scalp,
"I got hyakupon."
Reborn smirked while many others burst into laughter at the pun.
"That's smart, Ie! He never specified what you had to get ippon off of!"
Ie mockingly showed the tuffs of hair to the judge, "How's this? Oh, not enough? A penalty? Ah whatever, there's no time limit since as long as I get ippon off of Mochida-san, I win. Right, Mochida-san?"
"HIEEE!" Mochida quickly backed away and tried hitting Ieyoshi with Tsuki-but Ie simply lifted his sword up and met the point with his own shinai's point. They stood at stand-still; Mochida already terribly afraid of his opponent from the earlier notion. Reborn had to give it to Ie. His plan to intimidate his opponent to losing his wits and confidence was well-played.
Finally, the blond held his shinai with two hands. Like some star of a historical drama, Ie knocked the shinai out of Mochida's hands and could have hit a Men... but changed trajectory and ended with a perfect Kote.
Even the judge had to raise the red flag at that point.
Sawada Ieyoshi won.
The blond merely stared down at the shivering brat before tossing the heavier-than-normal sword at Mochida,
"300 credits. Report to the Student Services Building tomorrow and begin working."
"O-oh." Mochida nodded... while the watching crowd burst into applause and cheers of awe. Hana just scoffed as she watched Kyoko thank Ie,
"Monkey King. I still don't like him."
Tsuna shrugged, "As long as he does the right thing in the end."
"...if fooling everyone and doing that sixteen months ago is the right thing... I don't know."
Tsuna patted her friend and Secretary, "Give him a chance."
Hana scoffed, but returned to smiles as Kyoko came over and the three friends left together. Reborn blinked as he eyed his charge, wondering if Social Darwinist was the way to describe Sawada Ieyoshi. Sure, he seemed to believe in Social Darwinism... but he never carried out the strong eats the weak part when it came to the helplessly weak. However...
Later on in the day as he followed Ie and saw most of his duels, he saw that Ieyoshi could be extraordinarily cruel and greedy to anyone not a kid or of the opposite gender. And when the duels were in private, away from the public's eyes.
Was that fully trauma at work too?
...
The Mafia Boss...
A leader who rules a criminal organization, able to move a number of trusted members with one hand, willing to risk even his life for the family, surrounded by the respect and admiration of all, seen as a hero by the children of the slums...
"Oh, is that right?"
"YOU'RE THE ONE FORCING ME TO READ THIS SHITTY BOOK-"
Ie ducked, covering his head with his hands, immediately after hearing the gunfire. His eyes caught the smoke protruding from a newly made hole in the wall and he growled,
"This is my room, damn it! Stop shooting! Why the hell do I have to read this?! And this is bullshit! Why does the Mafia Boss have to be willing to risk his life for the family?! The family should risk their lives for him! And hero-pwah! I'd spit on this damn book if you weren't holding me at gunpoint."
Reborn narrowed his eyes for a split second before continuing as if no outburst happened, "Read it every morning because you are the guy who will become the 10th Generation Boss."
"Keh. There's no way that I'm-" Ie stared at the numerous weapons that appeared out of nowhere and hogged the space on his desk, "The hell did those come from?!" And Ie noticed the ridiculously happy face of the baby, "Fuck no! I'm not going to be shot with those bullets anymore-I'm not going to listen anymore-and I. Don't. Need. Fucking. Training!"
And with that, he slammed the book down and opened the door...
"...but that's nice... you're getting stronger, Ie-nii..."
Ie froze as he remembered that his brother was in the room, listening to them the whole time. "Hide."
The brunet looked up from his paperwork-the stack of things to sign... stack of both his papers and his own papers. Hide always did his brother's share of work as the smarter one.
"I wish I was strong like Ie-nii."
"...Tch." Ie slammed the door shut as he left. Reborn smirked as he decided to stay with the little brother for the day.
"So you want to be strong? Why?"
Hide stared at his paperwork before pushing away from his desk, which was adjacent to his brother's. They shared a room together. A very large room... but they shared it nonetheless.
"Ie-nii always has to protect me because I'm weak. I bet that if he really does become a Mafia Boss, then I'll just be a burden. The weak link... that was born to be eaten." Reborn's ears perked up as the brunet continued in a trance, "Your true line is assassination, right? Have you ever thought... when you killed someone that you controlled their fate. That they were born to be killed by you?"
Reborn didn't like to talk about his killings much like any other somewhat normal person. He just did it for a living... perhaps even more.
"Perhaps." He had to admit that he thought of fate more than a couple of times. After all, Luce was a seer. She could see the future and the future... was like fate in its own way. Preordained.
"I don't want to stay as the weak newborn. I want to grow and stand besides Ie-nii. I want to be strong too."
And it was time for school. They left together, passing by the skyscraper as usual to see no special event for the day. Instead there was a blind poll listed.
Text 1-800-ROLL. What day should the next event be on?
"Roll?"
Hide chuckled quietly as he texted in Monday on his blue phone, "Oh, that's the name of Hibari-san's hedgehog. Not that anyone really knows though."
Reborn shook his head. He should have known with how often the DC Leader's hedgehog popped up without anyone except the top of Namimori knowing.
A wonder how no one found out yet that Hibari Kyoya liked cute animals.
"How much does events cost? Preparations?"
Hide shrugged, "We just leave that to the Event Management Committee. Tsuna-chan is Treasurer not us. She leaves us alone; we leave her alone."
What a dysfunctional Student Council. He really needed to check this incident that happened sixteen months ago. Oddly enough, he keeps forgetting with his troublesome students and many events going on.
He. Reborn. Forgetting.
Colonello would laugh.
And the day was quiet. When Hide did talk, it was intelligent replies. So different from his idiotic older brother, who like Iemitsu only had brawn. And like Iemitsu, could somehow hide his idiocy from the masses.
Ah, here comes the idiot brother-
"Ah, Hide, warui, but can you help the volleyball club in their game?"
"Eh?" Hide was too shocked for an intelligent reply. Especially as Ie quickly explained,
"I... well... have to... do something... busy. Help me, will ya?"
"O-oh... sure..."
And Ie ran away... Reborn scoffed as it was quite obvious from Ie's face that he was lying about having something to do. Hide looked down,
"...volleyball... I can't play sports." Before blinking, "Can you shoot me, Reborn?"
Reborn arched a brow as he studied Hide's excited face from remembering the Dying Will Bullet, "No. You'll die if I shoot you now. You're excited. And proud that Dame-Ie needs your help."
"Oh..."
Hide looked disappointed as he trudged to the volleyball gym. The volleyball members disappointed as well as they saw,
"Hide! Where's your brother?!"
The brunet sheepishly lied through his teeth, "He's busy and asked me to come."
"...don't do too bad, I guess..."
But judging by the faces of the volleyball members, Dame-Hide must be really bad at sports. Reborn watched the pathetic performance of a nervous, already giving up Hide...
However, Reborn wouldn't shoot the Dying Will Bullet. He could clearly see the regret of coming to the game overshadowing the regret of not being able to win the game. Hide would just run away with the Dying Will Bullet-
"Is this the Volleyball Team?"
The team jumped from their seats; all of them formerly resting during the break.
"Tsuna-chan!"
The captain shamefully spoke, "One of our members came down with a cold. We're normally better. We can do better..."
And the captain continued speaking while Reborn watched with curiosity. Hide noticing the baby sitting down next to him and explaining bitterly,
"It must be the Volleyball's day. One of the Treasurer's duties is determining how to split the money for clubs and teams fairly. The clubs and teams can each schedule one day a year to appeal for more funds if they need it. And they can always submit forms when they want to raise fundraisers or officially have sponsors."
Reborn nodded as he watched Tsuna listen to the Volleyball Team's Captain. She eyeing the score and team critically before nodding,
"Since your team is not at its best condition, I will allow you to schedule for another day." The Volleyball Captain sighing in relief- "But even so, I wish you good luck in winning. I believe that you can do Namimori proud even if you're not at top condition."
"Tsuna-chan..." And the Captain grinned, energized by the vote of confidence, "Of course! We'll win; just watch!"
And right before the game was about to start again, she walked closer to Hide. Hide looking away, "Shut up. I know I'm horrible..."
"Did you see their bodies?"
"?" Hide gave her a questioning look; she just nodding towards the other players. And Hide widened his eyes as he saw the sweat. The bruises. The rosy red faces. The score-they were losing horribly, but they didn't give up. No...
Their eyes were glowing with determination. Passion for their sport. Even when he was on their team... they still tried their best.
While he gave up from the start. While he had no sweat, no fatigue, no injuries...
"I..."
"No one is a burden, Fukutaichou... No one is... unless they don't even try their best from the very start. Take this seriously. They trained their hardest for this game and they are playing their hardest right now. And now, you're their teammate. At least try for them... if you still fail, then apologize to them afterwards. But at least you tried. If you're going to do something, then do it with your dying will. Anything less is just an excuse. An insult to their hard work."
Reborn and Hide widened their eyes. Reborn, just barely, as he wondered if the girl knew about the Dying Will Bullets. Hide, however, remembered... and nodded as he firmly stood up and joined the others on the team.
The volleyball members noticed the difference in plays between the first set and second set, smiling as Hide wasn't so bad now. He still messed up, but he at least tried hitting the ball.
And... Tsuna watched as Reborn shot two bullets at his legs. All watching as Hide jumped high into the air, reaching the ball in the sky and punching it down, scoring his first point.
"That is?"
"Jump Bullet."
"Sou..."
And once the game ended, she clapped for the entire team, helping the manager give the Namimori Team refreshments,
"Good work, minna. That was an amazing game."
The boys blushed at having one of the school idols praise them before thanking her. She left like how she came; a gentle breeze within the calm, easing people before the worst of the storm and gracing them after with the peace and pride of surviving afterwards.
Hide ran to catch up to her; Reborn on his shoulder, "Tsuna-chan! Thank you for reminding me."
Tsuna gave her usual mono-expression... but the two could feel the warmth of her nod as she turned back and left, "It's my job to remind students of Namimori's Motto."
Like Clamp Gakuen's Purely, Surely, and Beautifully... Namimori Academy had their own three words:
Determination, Passion, and Victory.
Determination to train. Passion to ascend past limits-to do the very best and more. All for the final achievement of victory.
But without one, all will be useless. Victory had no point or feeling without determination and passion. Victory wouldn't be fun. Determination had no point without passion or the end result of victory. Determination to do something unwanted was wasteful. Passion had no point without determination and victory. Passion would just be a daydream of a slacker in front of television.
So...
"If you're going to do something, then do it with your dying will." Hide repeated the words once again before asking Reborn in his epiphany of awe, "Reborn... Is that what the Dying Will Bullet is? Potential strength? By breaking your limits, by not caring about anything else anymore... you achieve the strength you need to succeed? The determination and passion to achieve victory?"
Reborn tilted his fedora down as he nodded with a smirk, "See, Dame-Hide? You didn't need the Dying Will Bullet."
"...Reborn..." Hide determinedly grinned, "I'll never regret! I swear I'll live my life without regrets from now on... as cliche as that may be... ittai! What was that for?"
Hide rubbed the bump on his head from Reborn's kick with pain-how'd his brother survive these absurdly strong kicks, he did not know.
"Regret some, Dame-Hide. I need to practice my shooting."
"..."
...
When transfer students came to Namimori Gakuen, they were always placed in one of the more normal classes for a month. If they were fine with the placement, then they stayed in the same class. If they had trouble with the placement, then they were placed in a lower class that had patient teachers and an easier curriculum. Or placed with teachers who knew the foreign language of the occasional foreign students that came to Namimori. And finally, if the student excelled past their placement, they could transfer to advanced classes by teacher recommendation or tests.
So Sawada Ieyoshi wasn't really surprised to see a transfer student in his classroom the moment he got in before the morning bell. Though he mentally scoffed at the glare the delinquent-wannabe gave him.
"We have a new transfer student who was studying overseas in Italy. Gokudera Hayato."
At hearing the girls secretly squeal behind him, Ie immediately looked to see a smiling Kyoko. Oh... Now the transfer student really ticks him off now. So girls these days like the delinquent types? And Ie widened his eyes as the transfer student made his way over to him and knocked his desk.
Calm down... calm down... You're Kaichou... Calm down...
But it still irked him when the girls began their decision to form a fan club.
And then three stared at the silver-haired after school. Ie growled, "Why is he here? Why are you two here?!"
Hide and Tsuna both held stacks of paper. While Hide cowered at his brother's obviously bad mood, Tsuna motioned to the papers,
"We're all too busy with tournaments coming in season. These papers are your stacks."
Ie stared... and frowned... before sighing, "I'll do them right after I talk to this guy. I've been with the damn brat so many days now... I know gunpowder when I smell it."
Reborn ignored the 'damn brat' comment once again. He was quite proud that Dame-Ie learned at least one thing since his arrival though.
Tsuna stared blankly while Hide shrieked, "Gunpowder?! Should I call Hibari-san over?!"
"No... I can deal with this myself. You're from Italy. You're looking punkish. You're glaring at me. And you smell like gunpowder. There's no way you are not in the mafia."
Yes, Reborn was proud that the idiot was actually using his brain. His Spartan Training for the past few days is working. The father could learn from his sons now.
Tsuna voiced his thoughts out loud, "Oh. You used logic. We should have a party."
Hide coughing to hide his laughter while Ie twitched. Calm down. Calm down. You don't hit girls. Calm down.
"For a renowned Counselor, you're quite sarcastic and degrading, Tsuna."
"No, I degrade you, Kaichou."
Hide couldn't help but explain when he saw the confused face, "Tsuna-chan means that you used the word degrading wrong and she really humiliates only you."
"..." And Ie sighed, "Whatever. I'll forgive you if you bake a cake for that party."
"Hai, Kaichou."
While Gokudera shook from being ignored... and threw dynamites lit by his cigarette at the three,
"Don't ignore me!"
Ieyoshi stared in disbelief at the dynamites. He was expecting guns not dynamites-and he was sure he would have blown up if the damn brat hadn't made his appearance,
"Ciaossu."
A single bullet sliced through the blazing strings, causing the dynamites to fall uselessly to the ground. Ie sighed in relief while Hide fell to the ground with weak legs and Tsuna caught the papers that Hide accidentally threw to the sky in his fall.
He could always trust the girl to be calm in everything. Even blatant usage of dynamites and the word 'mafia'.
But first...
"Damn it, Reborn! Who the hell is this punk?!"
Of course, Reborn always had to ignore him when he actually needed the damn brat, "You came earlier than I expected, Gokudera Hayato."
"...you two know each other. I knew this guy was in the mafia... but you two knew each other?"
"Yeah, he's a member of the family that I called over from Italy. It's my first time meeting him as well though."
Gokudera turned to Reborn with narrowed eyes, "So you're the 9th Generation's Highly Trusted Assassin, Reborn."
What a lie. Why are people believing damn tall tales of babies again-?
"Argh! Damn it! Why did you shoot at me again?!"
Reborn smirked, "I can read your mind, Dame-Ie."
Yeah right. "Yeah right."
How is this possible? "How is this possible?"
Reborn is a-"DAMN IT! STOP SHOOTING!"
Reborn scoffed again. As if he was going to fall for that trick. Ie turned to his scientific brother, pointing at the baby sitting on the window sill, "Is that possible?!"
Hide stared curiously before admitting, "There's a lot of things we still don't understand about the world, Ie-nii. Perhaps mind-reading is possible..."
While Tsuna just shook her head in disbelief that they were actually falling for the bluff. Reborn was merely reading their faces and body language. Even she could read them as a Counselor.
Speaking of which, why was she a Counselor again? When did that nonsense even start-oh, right. Imonoyama forced her to take charge of the Counselor's office after many counselors went to the Southern Islands for vacations after attempting to talk to the DC Leader, Kyouya, and Boxing Champion and President for the Martial Arts Committee, Ryohei.
Though those two never got along, they were actually very similar in random aspects.
And Gokudera ignored the chaos, asking, "You're not kidding about me becoming a candidate as the successor if I kill Sawada Ieyoshi, right?"
"WHAT?! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKIN..."
"Yeah, that's right. Well, let's continue the killing."
Hide looked as if he was going to call Reborn out on his lie since he remembered Reborn saying that they were the only two legitimate Candidates left... but Reborn's glare stopped him from moving. For a moment, from breathing.
"HEY! WAIT! Killing me... What are you talking about; you're joking, right?!"
"I'm serious."
"What? No... No way... You're betraying me, Reborn? You mean everything until now was a lie?"
"That's wrong. I'm telling you to fight."
They stared at each other with dark gazes-or rather Gokudera and Ie had dark gazes. Reborn continued his smile.
"Fight... with a transfer student with dynamites. You got to be kidding me."
But as soon as Ie moved, the transfer student lit up a mouthful and handfuls of dynamites.
"It's said that Gokudera Hayato is a human explosive device that conceals dynamite all over his body. His other name is Smokin' Bomb Hayato."
"You... You got to be kidding me."
"Die."
Ie ran as fast as he could out of the explosive range, not fast enough though as he felt the shockwave blowing him through the air... his shirt singe his back while his ears buzz from the resulting explosion of dynamites.
But he continued running. He couldn't die. He couldn't lose here- "Dead end?!"
"It ends here."
"Fight with a Dying Will."
Simultaneously, Reborn shot the Dying Will Bullet just as Hayato threw the dynamites in the air...
Ie shouting, "REBORN! I'LL PUT OUT THE FUSES WITH MY DYING WILL!"
On the sidelines, Hide finally snapped out of his shock from Reborn's killer glare. He was dragged by Tsuna out of the fight's attack range once it had began. They sat next to the baby; Tsuna still holding the tall stack of papers with one hand as she watched. Hide mused,
"So that's what the Bullet does? How does the Flame appear? Why is it Orange? And where did his pupils go..."
Tsuna and Reborn were quite amused that Hide's scientist side was prioritized above his brotherly side.
And back to where Ieyoshi was... the blond kept shouting "Defuse!" while using his hands to smother the flames.
"What?! Double Bomb!"
Hide and Tsuna both commenting at the same time, "Isn't that just more bombs?"
And sure enough Ie defused them all... and Tsuna widened her eyes as she saw...
"Triple Bomb!"
...and the bombs spilling out of his hands. But to her relief, Ieyoshi defused those ones as well. Hide blinking as he remembered, "Oh, right. His Dying Will was to put out the fuses."
Because Ieyoshi wasn't the type to save someone who just tried to kill him.
And while Ieyoshi was coming to... Gokudera bowed-kneeled down before Ieyoshi, beaming with rosy red cheeks from awe and embarrassment for ever doubting-
"I was mistaken! You're the one who's fit to be the boss! 10th Gen! I'll follow you! Command me to do anything!"
But Gokudera didn't see Ie's front-only his back... so that he didn't see the dark glare of Ieyoshi..
"Why?"
"Having the loser serve under the winner is a family rule" Reborn answered out of obligation as he, too, observed Ieyoshi's face.
"Actually, I really didn't have ambitions to become the 10th Gen. It's just that when I heard that 10th Gen is a Japanese guy the same age as me, I felt that I had to test his strength..."
"..."
"But you're much more than I expected! For putting yourself on the line to save me, I'll place my life in your hands!"
"...no." Ieyoshi finally stood up, turning to glare at the delinquent, "You're trash. You're weak. And there is no way in hell that I'll let this pass. That I'll let someone weak who just tried killing me follow me. I won't forgive this. Only the strong can torture the weak. And...
Ne. Did you know? The strong eat the weak."
And Hideyoshi immediately turned away, paling as he saw Gokudera cough out blood once Ieyoshi kicked him with all his might. Repeating and repeating and repeating until Tsuna stopped him with a hand on his shoulder,
"Stop, Kaichou."
"Don't tell me what to do-!"
He shook her hand off his shoulder backhanding her cheek-her allowing him to as she stared unflinchingly back,
"His blood will stain your clothes. You wouldn't want the public to see that."
"...tch." Ie spat on the bloodied boy, "You're lucky that I have a reputation to keep up unlike dumbass delinquents like you. Hide! Where's those papers-we're going straight home!"
"H-hai, Ie-nii!"
And the two left with the stack of papers. Reborn stared at the Smokin' Bomb with an unreadable expression... Tsuna had her own unreadable expression as well as she checked the teenager's pulse,
"So he's alive." Tsuna eyed Reborn, adding, "Barely."
And the hitman tilted his fedora down, "I did not account for Dame-Ie's self-preservation instincts."
"The most important instincts in an animal?"
Reborn stared at her annoyed, "Trauma seemed more important. He never nearly killed any teen or younger on Duel Day."
"...oh. That makes sense then. Perhaps, Kaichou sensed Hayato's strength then. He's only been around regular students."
"So kids in the mafia would be different" Reborn mentally noted. The brothers really were troublesome. Tsuna nodded as she picked Gokudera up, slinging him over her back. Reborn also noted her strength. He had seen her pick up a child easily at their first meeting, easily won fights from challenges from martial artists on Duel Day, and now carried a teenager (with multiple dynamites hiding all over his body) like he weighed nothing.
Speaking of which...
"Why'd you let Dame-Ie hit you?"
"He needed an outlet. Though I'm strong enough, I'm a girl. It snaps him out of his trance when he does something he's normally too traumatized to do."
"Sou." He had to give it to the girl. She really was good at solving problems in her own way. "Where are you taking him?"
Tsuna wasn't heading towards the school... "Home. You should go home too."
Reborn was curious about what Tsuna was going to do to the silvernet... but decided to follow his idiotic students.
Once Tsuna was sure that Reborn was gone, she sighed as she felt the life of the guy on her back escaping. After all... Ie never held back when he's aiming to kill a threat to his life.
And Ie did get Sawada Iemitsu's muscular physique.
"Natsu."
The black lion on her shoulder, as always, animated with black flames glowing in its milky eyes. The mane of fur along with his tail lighting with Night Flames. He licked her cheek, nuzzling into her neck affectionately,
"Gao~"
She gazed at him warmly. They didn't need words to understand each other as Natsu quickly made the portal and they warped to their home full of stuffed animals wrapped in bandages and black cloaks like a certain organization.
Her home sweet home.
...
"Calm down, Ie-nii!"
But the blond was shaking as he tightly dug his nails into the hand that slapped Tsuna. He always felt horrible when he hit a girl-especially her who looked so much like the tortured girl in his once in awhile nightmares.
He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. He hit her. Her hit her...
He gagged the horrible sensation coming up from his throat... until he was kicked by him.
"You betrayed me... you wanted to kill me-"
"CALM DOWN, IE-NII!"
"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN-"
But this time, Ie could stop his fist from actually reaching a cowered Hide. And he stared... before gagging again on emptiness-imaginary bile-and sat down slowly, shivering... Hide softly continuing,
"Calm down, Ie-nii-He didn't betray you! He's really here as our home tutor-your home tutor! Remember when he showed us the family tree? Only those with Vongola Blood are legitimate Candidates-Gokudera Hayato's name is not anywhere on that tree!"
"Then-"
"He was testing you! And wanted you to gain a famiglia member!"
"...oh. Really?"
Reborn nodded, curiously eyeing Dame-Ie's reaction. It was pure repose.
"And Gokudera-san?"
"I believed you could have beat him with your strength since the beginning." Cheezy. A lie. But Reborn might as well say it for the sake of calming down the idiot from an unnecessary nervous breakdown.
Ie nodded confidently as well, "Yeah. I could have done that." He sheepishly scratched his cheek, "I'll need to apologize to Tsuna in the morning. Maybe to Gokudera-san if he's still alive."
"And if he's dead?"
"Then he was too weak to live in this world."
Reborn stared at him with a brow arched (just micrometers high for Reborn didn't lose his composure). Hide paling as he remembered the blood...
Ie patted him on the back before staring at every leaders' torture: paperwork. But he knew he had to do it. He could give Hide most of the papers, but that didn't change the fact that there were some papers that the Kaichou had to sign no matter what.
And these 500 or so papers were those some papers.
Reborn smirked. That would be punishment enough for Dame-Ie as he did overdo it to his fourth girlfriend's little brother.
He wondered how Tsuna and he were doing...
...
He groaned as he woke up... to see... armies of mummified stuffed animals, appearing like them.
"Gah!"
His heart thumped wildly as stared.
Black top hats. Check.
White bandages all over. Check.
Black tattered cloaks. Check.
Chains. Check.
Ominous aura. Check.
Standing in groups of three. Check...
"WHAT THE HELL?! AM I IN VENDICARE?!"
And there was a short giggle, creeping the hell out of him, as he quickly turned to see... a girl-No... that girl. That girl that stood behind the 10th and next to Reborn.
10th...
He flinched as he remembered being beaten down by that guy. Those hateful eyes that cursed his very existence. He thought he finally found someone who he could trust... but once again, it all turned out to be a lie.
Why couldn't he just die? What was the point of living life alone?
"Nanda... it's just you. Are you here to finish me off?"
Gaining another laugh. He arched a brow, wondering if the girl was UMA. It wasn't natural to laugh with an expressionless face-wait... monotonous face! She had the same calm expression for how many hours now-
"Of course not. Why would I heal you to finish you off?"
And Gokudera Hayato blinked as he finally realized that he really was patched up. Perfectly healed, though he still felt pained.
"How long has it been?"
"Twenty minutes."
"Impossible... I should have died-! Unless you're an UMA!"
Causing another giggle.
"Monotonous face again! That's unnatural! You have to be an UMA!"
And finally the girl stopped to stare at him, examining him with those brown-orange eyes. He fidgeted a little, feeling a bit silly at his outburst.
"People around here call my face mono-expression."
"Ah, monotonous expression for short!" Gokudera realized with a smile.
"Mmhmm."
And they stayed in a warm silence... until Gokudera remembered and threw a stuffed animal at her, "Or not! Why the hell are you here?!"
"This is my house."
"Oh... Sorry for intruding-ARGH! My pace! It's gone! You stole it, UMA!"
"Yes, yes. Are you hungry?"
"NO-" His stomach growled, answering otherwise. He blushed a rosy red as he looked away. And he curiously watched her take out pans and ingredients from a large refrigerator.
"Are you going to poison the food?"
The mummified rabbit was thrown back at his head with abnormal force. He groaned as it hit his many bruises. She staring at him with the mono-expression... but he could somehow feel the wave of exasperation shooting off of her,
"Now why would I do that?"
"To kill me?"
"After I healed you?"
"To use me as some sort of Poison Cooking Experiment?"
"It's a great insult to a chef to even suggest that they would waste good food by poisoning it."
Gokudera muttered darkly, "Tell that to Big Sis..."
"What was that?" Though Tsuna heard clearly and remembered hearing about the Poison Cooking User.
"Nothing."
They sat in silence... He awkwardly watching her cook...
"Where's your parents?"
"Gone."
"Oh..." Gokudera wondered what gone meant frantically. Dead? Working overseas? Abandoned? Temporarily away from the house? At work in the city?
As if sensing his distress, she let another piece of information go, "Don't worry. They're not coming back for... well, forever."
Gokudera widened his eyes. Forever. Which only left all the bad possibilities.
"...sorry."
"It's alright."
"...you're not going to ask about my family?"
"Many people have bad private lives. I make it a point to not ask."
"...oh." Gokudera felt a bit of disappointed...
"Though I also do make it a point to tell people that they aren't alone and I'll listen if they ever need help."
"..." The silvernet froze before scoffing, fishing for his cigarettes and lighter, "Che. Lies. Why would you do that-why would anyone do that when there's nothing in it for them?"
"Ah. You're right. But there is something in it for me."
"Che, see? You're just like the rest of them."
"That may be true. I listen to people out of obligation. And a desire to help others."
Gokudera once again froze as he stared at the girl's back as she stir-fried vegetables, trembling before standing up with a slam of his hand on the table.
"Lies! Lies! Lies! That's not what I meant! No one truly desires to help-"
"That's true." She turned around for a split second, matching his gaze with her brown-orange eyes, "My desires aren't pure. I help others for them just as much as for myself. That's where the obligation comes in. I have a sense of morals. I don't mind if people take advantage of that and ask for help. That's my fault."
"..." Why couldn't he retort? He stayed standing, stayed staring... "That's not a fault. That's not not pure. And no one's not not pure."
"That's also true. Should I tell you all my faults, imperfections, past mistakes-everything that makes me human then?"
"...no. I don't want to listen. It'd all be lies too." He roughly collapsed back onto the couch, wincing as he remembered his wounds. He hesitated for a moment before absently deciding, "I'm a bastard-literally. An illegitimate mutt hated by his family."
She didn't comment or insult or criticize, just hummed to show that she was listening. The humming making the delinquent somewhat calmer, as if he was floating in his memories. The humming making it easier to spill everything to a stranger.
"There was this woman... she visited me a lot in the past. Taught me how to play the piano. One day... she disappeared. And years later, I heard the maids gossipping. My bastard of a father killed her-my own mother!"
Tsuna paused in half-hum. There was something awfully off about the story. And Gokudera seemed finished talking... She stopped humming to put the food on the table, finished with making dinner.
"Has anyone else told you about your mother's death?"
His green eyes flared angrily as he once again slammed the table, "Why the hell does that matter-He KILLED her! I don't need-"
"Maids can be awfully wrong, Smokin' Bomb. They never hear the full details or the confidential truth as people of the low totem pole. What they said could be speculation."
"But all circumstances lead to him killing her-"
"Do you believe in coincidences, Smokin' Bomb?"
"It's not a coincidence! It's too-"
"Wasn't there a phrase we created? TPO if I recall correctly. The time, place, and occasion. Your father let her visit you quite frequently, right? To play the piano. Now, what mafiosi would allow the mother of an illegitimate child to frequently visit her son and teach him piano? Illegitimate children are normally not tolerated in the family-based mafia. Piano skills are not thought well of with mafiosi. And finally, his wife should have killed your mother a long time ago-the year she found out about an affair-if she had her way. Yet your mother was still alive all those years to teach you skills thought unbefitting for a future mafiosi. He must have really loved your mother."
"...s-shut up... it... it can't be true." Gokudera's green eyes swirled as they took in the information; his mind whirling with words and newborn questions.
"So TPO. Apologies for me asking, but when was your mother killed?"
"...on my third birthday."
"That would explain the circumstance. Suicide is eliminated. How?"
"...I heard she drove off the cliff."
Tsuna paused in her thought frowning, "I need to know more to understand. If she could drive well until that cliff, a person rigging the car to malfunction is very unlikely. And there is no bomb if the car is intact. No bandit or assassin if she hasn't lost blood. I can only think of carelessness or illness leading to her death. Was she ill?"
Gokudera gritted his teeth as he tried remembering... but all of a sudden couldn't. A tear of frustration escaped until he shook his head, "I don't know... but she was the most beautiful, happiest woman I ever saw. I thought she was an angel. No one could hate her smile."
He didn't notice as she approached and caress his cheek with a gentle hand, "Then that's your answer. For now, let's eat and rest."
"B-"
"You're injured so I'll lend you a room upstairs. Tomorrow, you can ask Reborn. I'm sure he can help you."
"...will he." The silvernet couldn't help but mutter. The Greatest Hitman on Earth couldn't be troubled with his problems. He failed-lost the fight against the Decimo Candidate. Why would-
"He will."
He looked up to see her confident eyes and felt some of that transfer over to him. He stilled, wondering why all of a sudden...
"So we'll eat first. Rest til we're better. And enjoy life all the while." Gokudera raised a brow at the last advice which seemed so off as they were talking about his mother's death. Even more confused when she seemed to dismiss the importance of her death, "Listen, Smokin' Bomb... no matter what happens in the past, always keep moving forward. This may seem harsh right now, but know this: Your mother would want you to keep smiling and living."
"..."
He honestly had to words for that; mind still swirling from the words and events of today. He allowed himself to be led to the dinner table to eat the food. His thoughts still dominating his mind as he unconsciously did his necessities before sleep.
"Mother..."
...
"Tsuna." "Reborn."
Both stopped simultaneously before each other once turning the corner. Their eyes immediately connecting... until Tsuna's moved to Ie and Hide while Reborn's to Gokudera. The three boys flinching and looking away from the blank stares. And finally... Ie broke the silence with a scratch of his cheek as he tilted his head to the other way from the passing students,
"We need to talk, Tsuna. Don't you dare follow us, brat."
Reborn scoffed, but otherwise gave no notion of acknowledging the idiot brother's presence as he moved towards the opposite way. Gokudera unconsciously following the silent order that the hitman gave.
Ie scoffed at that before continuing walking, "Hmph. Does whatever he wants; fucking damn it."
Tsuna felt her upper lip twitch as she herself follow the brothers. Out of sight, Ie turned to stare at the little girl... before releasing his pride and bowing his head down for a second,
"Sorry for hitting you, Tsuna."
"Apologies accepted."
And all tension in the muscular blond's shoulders released as he went back to his sloppy self, running his fingers through his already short hair,
"Right. So he's still alive?"
"Yes."
"I don't want him here."
"Too bad. He's staying."
They stared at each other; lightning crackling between their two gazes while Hide smally stood off to the side. And finally Ie sighed. No use trying to win against mono-expression.
"1,000 credits. No more, no less."
She nodded despite the ridiculous amount of community service it took to complete that. She would know. Most of the students come to her complaining or very depressed because of those seemingly innocent credits that Kaichou liked to assign.
It was one of the only harmless ways to enforce Namimori rules though.
She turned to leave. Ie grunting behind her,
"And I don't want to see him ever again."
She paused to eye him, "Too bad. He's attending the party."
And she disappeared back into the crowd of students on the main street. Ie blinked before turning to Hide,
"What party?"
Hide tried hiding his wide grin as he remembered, "The one to celebrate your discovery of logic."
"...tch."
And they left as well; Ie blushing a rosy red.
...
"You let him call you brat?"
Lips smirked and eyes glinted dangerously, "It means that I'm succeeding in aggravating him. I like success."
Gokudera shivered, wondering if he should feel bad about the person who just recently beaten him. And after looking like the devil personified for a few minutes, Reborn glanced up,
"So? You wanted to talk to me?"
Gokudera wondered if he could read his mind...
"I can."
"..." The silvernet was too bothered to reply to that, no matter how much he would have wanted to if he were in his normal mind. "Do you know... what happened to my mother?"
And that caught Reborn in mild surprise. He blinked, having expected the Smokin' Bomb to talk about Dame-Ie or even Tsuna-not about his own mother, who he avoided talking about for years. Reborn remembered hearing from Shamal about how much Gokudera hated his family and firmly believed that his mother's death was a murder.
What brought this change? Tsuna?
Now that Gokudera spoke... Reborn noted that the storm was calm for now. His injuries that seemed so horrible yesterday were all patched up under bandages. Those injuries should have taken Gokudera to the hospital... yet he was here with only aches and strains.
Reborn tilted his fedora down before answering truthfully, "Her car slid off the road at an impossible location. It's been said that there weren't even tire marks. It was instant death."
"...sou ka." Despite his delinquent appearance... he had a brain. And he knew that if there weren't tire marks... then his mother hadn't used the brakes. "...was she sick?"
"...Yes. You saw Shamal, didn't you?"
Or another way of saying that her illness was one of the reasons why Shamal was working for his Famiglia at the time.
Gokudera stared at the sky... all his theories and denials wiped away with Reborn's truth. There was no reason for the world's greatest hitman to lie. And like he said... he likes success. His information wouldn't be wrong either.
But the information was so... messed up.
And now what? He finally learned that half his life was a lie-his mother wasn't killed and his father could have loved her-and now what should he do? He had no more reason to rage... yet he didn't know how to approach his family. Did they still hate him for his illegitimacy and the past trouble he caused for them? Will they not want him back...? There was the fact that no famiglia were willing to take him in. He was too "wild like the storm"-no one wanted to bother with his personality. And to those who knew him as a kid, he was merely a musician to them. And now Vongola wouldn't take him for what he did to the Decimo Candidate... and because the Decimo Candidate hated him enough to beat him to death's door.
He was unwanted by both family and famiglia...
"Are you returning to Italy?"
Green eyes flickered to brown-orange; the girl appearing at the end of the alley. She repeated her question,
"Are you returning to Italy, Smokin' Bomb Hayato?" And pausing in the silence before adding, "Or will you be staying here in Namimori? We offer many programs, opportunities, and events..."
Yes... many things to do... he did his own research on Namimori before arriving. Especially catching his eyes were the advancements made in science-particularly the physical sciences. And more than that... was how there were so many things to do in Namimori. Everyday was an adventure-an adventure not even requiring blood and violence.
So many things to do...
He couldn't just stop and think and mope...! Light returned to his green eyes as he remembered what the brunette said. No matter what happened in the past... always keep moving forward. His mother would want him to smile and live.
And he remembered-he finally saw her beautiful face as she smiled brighter than the stars at night. Her circumstances were a lot worse than his yet she smiled. She lived even in the darkness of mafia, teaching him... the brilliance of music.
Music wasn't suited for the mafia. But she taught him it. He let her teach him it. He remembered reading a book on family. What family wanted was the best for their children. For them to live in the light.
"We welcome anyone-as long as they are willing to take the opportunity, we offer the very best."
And what caught his eyes the most was how everyone seemed to have someone in the Academy. He just walked around for one day... and saw how no one seemed alone. Alone... Green eyes widened and he realized what he wanted to do... or at least for n-now.
"I have n-nothing to do anyways. N-not that I want to be here."
Tsundere came into the other two's minds.
"So...?"
"I'll stay!"
Tsuna nodded, "Good. I'm making a private investment in you so you may move into my house."
The silvernet paused before tilting his head, "Private investment?"
"Mm. My Event Committee's missing good fireworks. I'm counting on your intellect and wits to make a good bang from now on."
Reborn smirked as he could see the tell-tale signs of Gokudera's soon-to-be puppy reputation. Too bad Dame-Ie rejected a good loyal right hand yesterday... yeah, he was going to smash that idiot to the ground next training session.
Gokudera's ears perked; eyes sparkling as he bowed, "I'll be honored to work for you, Shachou! Though can I-can I really... move..."
"I don't mind. I live alone anyways."
"Thank you so much for taking care of me yesterday!"
Reborn smiled once again... the once lonely, bitter storm became strong and passionate... argh. He really was going to kill that idiot for losing such a good chance. Though then again... Tsuna didn't seem the type to be possessive and overprotective.
Perhaps he could still get Dame-Ie a good Storm Guardian?
But he wondered how Bianchi and Shamal would react to the new Gokudera as the two left for school.
Gokudera grinned as he replayed her words in his mind. Someone wanted him. Needed him. Would help him...
"Oh and Hayato-"
"Hayato?"
Gokudera blushed at the use of his first name. He knew how intimate it was considered to be in Japan-especially since Tsuna only used his epithet before.
"Is there something wrong with it? Friends go with first-name basis, right?"
"Ah, right! If that's what Shachou says, then it's absolute-wait, I'm your f-friend?"
Tsuna nodded, "Of course. So stop following behind me. I'm not a Goddess to be worshipped. I'm a human with faults."
"Shachou doesn't have any-"
But he stopped when he saw her eyes as he began walking besides her... remembering the events of yesterday and how empty the house was.
Past...
He wasn't the only one.
Her eyes only flickered with some solemn emotion for a second, but he saw it. And he resolved from that day forth to protect her no matter what.
"Shachou..."
"Hm?"
"If you ever need help, then just tell me-I, Gokudera Hayato, will come at your beck and call!"
She giggled. For some reason, Hayato didn't find the mono-expression she wore while laughing weird anymore.
"Yes, yes. Now you just sound like a dog. We're friends, Hayato. Though I'll still take you up on your offer."
Hayato blushed at being compared to a dog, but eyes gleamed with determination to help his savior in any way!
...
Tsuna strolled down the empty hallways... sweat dropping as she passed by an angry...
"Kyouya."
The DC Leader merely jabbed his tonfa towards the direction she was already walking, "Leash your herbivores, Kurotsuki Tsuna."
And the teen left; his jacket floating with the nonexistent wind as he continued walking.
She, too, continued walking... sighing as she opened one of the empty lab rooms to find...
"Hayato. Though Namimori is in need of good fireworks, class takes first priority."
"Shachou! There's a dangerous guy on campus-!"
"That's Kyouya. Hibari Kyouya, Leader of the Discipline Committee."
"First name!" The bloodied, bruised, and bumpy Hayato gasped as best as he could with his broken voice. Tsuna wondered how many times in a row Hayato was going to be visiting death's door... "You couldn't be friends with-"
"Yes, I can. He's a nice guy if you get to know him. Now, education-"
Hayato clicked his tongue, scoffing, "I don't want to go to a class without you."
If a normal person were here, then they would consider that as a confession. Or that's what Tsuna idly thought as she placed a stack of papers on the ground,
"Which is why I brought these. Students can only move to higher level classes with teacher recommendation or tests. Complete these in four hours and I'll go through the process with a teacher."
Hayato's eyes beamed as he stood up, saluting as if his bones weren't just broken by Kyouya moments ago,
"I'll do them, Shachou! Four hours is too long for something as easy as this~"
Tsuna just shook her head in mirth as she watched the rosy red sunset... really... she has the weirdest friends.
...
Omake 1: In Which Truths Are Not Hidden
"Eh?"
Hide froze as he noticed one detail... and pointed at the name before Sawada Ieyoshi and under Sawada Nana and Sawada Iemitsu,
"Sawada Tsunayoshi? Who's that?"
Reborn eyed their pale faces and unconscious trembles before revealing another dark truth about their family. Besides the fact that there father was in the mafia,
"Seven years ago..."
Needless to say, both brothers were throwing up at the end with horror across their faces.
...
Omake 2: Everyone Wonders About Iemitsu
A certain baby with blue hair and a red scar on her right cheek stared at the postcard in disbelief. The others as well with only trusting, believing Basil smiling as if nothing was wrong.
"...Master sends these postcards to his family every year right?"
Turmeric nodded in answer to Oregano, echoing, "Every year..."
Basil grinned, holding the postcard up as if worshipping an exalted script, "Master art thou kind! They art lucky to hast such thoughtful husband and father!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
Turmeric asked hesitantly to Oregano with a whisper to not disturb the demented boy, "Are we looking at the same picture?" Because thoughtful does not describe a husband/father that sends postcards full of bullshit once a year.
"I... I don't know." She answered truthfully.
Lal finally scoffed as she the person closest to her (which happened to be Turmeric), "Next time, I'm the one training the newbies."
They nodded dumbly in agreement as Iemitsu must be playing everyone for fools if he's tricking Basil into talking archaically and his family into thinking that he can stand in the middle of the ocean's Bathypelagic Zone with a smile and an orange construction uniform and a sperm whale behind him. There was no way that real oil miners use pickaxes and helmet lights to drill oil from the ocean, especially in the zone where pressure was too high, temperatures were too freezing, and light was too little.
Not to mention... the picture was horribly-obviously-photoshopped.
Who the hell would believe such nonsense ('sides Basil)?!
...
On the other side of the world, Nana sneezed before once again humming~
...
Omake 3: Of Stuff Animals
Reborn wasn't the type to be intrigued by little things. Especially not stuffed animals of all things.
However...
He couldn't help but notice the various expressions that the black lion seemed to possess... How was that possible? Was it just him or was that lion smirking? Glaring at boys (and the rare once-in-awhile girls) that approached his owner?
And...
Tsuna softly scratched the back of the cat's ear... and he could have sworn that he heard-
"Gao~"
But...
Reborn poked the stuffed animal. Messed with him. Taunted him.
And the stuffed animal, like all stuffed animals, did nothing. His faux fur was realistic and cotton within extraordinarily soft.
And like all stuffed animals... he stayed still in the pose he was created in-
Wait. Since when did Reborn decide that the animal had a gender? Stuffed animals don't have genders-
"Gao~"
There it was again! But he was staring at the little lion and saw no movement of the mouth!
Argh!
His eyes glinted determinedly as he swore that he would uncover the mysteries of the black lion stuffed animal as a side mission!
"Gao?"
...
Omake 4: The Sushi Chef
The sushi chef winning with superb sword-cough-kitchen knife skills and getting three free fishes-the fish vendor man just laughing amiably though was visibly disappointed that he lost...
"Dad?"
Reborn looked curiously as a tall teen with black spiky hair appeared around the corner, curiously looking at his father. The father freezing... before acting as if he had trouble cutting a snapper,
"W-what is it, Takeshi? Oh, isn't this fish so hard to cut~?"
"?" The boy gave him a quizzical look before waving cheerfully, "Nothing, really? Jya, I'm going to school, dad~ Ittekimasu!"
"Itterashai!"
And once the boy left, the sushi chef's audience laughed while the sushi chef wiped the sweat on his head in relief. Reborn wondered why the sushi chef acted that way until...
"Is that... Shadow Swallow? That assassin that disappeared years ago?"
Tsuna sweat-dropped as she accidentally brought attention to a man long retired from the dark.
Omake 5: Noodle Incidents
If there was one thing Reborn hated more than Colonello and even Checkerface... it was Noodle Incidents.
What the hell happened sixteen months ago?
And he mentally noted to find out who exactly made the school's security system. Reborn was a good hacker, but to his surprise, even he and his hired men couldn't dent the firewall.
And he couldn't torture the students for information-all of them playing as if they had amnesia and running away when hearing the very number.
Not to mention, Nono refused to tell him about the kidnappings incident seven years ago...
Damn it! He was too curious...
He hated attacks of the stupid Noodle Incidents.
Omake 6: The Horrors of Community Service
Normally, community service wasn't complicated. Wasn't tediously hard. And at times wasn't boring. Most people had to volunteer some time before college to look good on their applications.
Having to do community service for credits however was something different.
Or so Reborn noted as Hide entered the building with tears.
"What are you here for, Hide?"
Hide grumbled embarrassedly, "...I skipped P.E. a few times."
Right. He was bad at the class.
"How many credits?"
"...75." Hide was a bit sheepish as he answered before scrolling down the touch screen computer at the jobs...
Which Reborn had to admit were horrible.
Every necessary job or volunteer service that was not... liked was placed on the list. Unpopular, dirty, annoying, demeaning jobs that no one in the right mind would volunteer for was there.
And so far, the highest number of credits you can earn for a single job was 3. Reborn shook his head as he saw the reason why he saw barely any rule-breakers, delinquents, the works.
It was either this or the DC Leader.
Omake 7: Vindice-ized Stuffed Animals
Hayato stared at the stuffed animals... and could have sworn that the stuffed animals stared back. He really should be working on the fireworks, but... despite this being Shachou's amazing house, he still couldn't help but be unsettled by the Vindice imitations.
Of course, he wouldn't question his beloved Shachou's actions-
"People give me a lot of stuffed animals. To make them uniform, I put them in uniform. Vindice, really because they look a lot cuter like this~"
As if showing an example, she took another stuffed animal from the pile and Vindice-ized it with swift hands in seconds. The beer bunny changing into a cute, mummified bunny in drag.
Hey... it actually was cuter... A chuckle escaped his lips as he wondered what the great, powerful Vindice would do if they knew that someone was Vindice-izing their stuffed animals.
...
Far away, Vindice as a whole sneezed. Small Gia continuing his conversation with Alejandro.
"I still don't fucking understand how that bitch can tell us apart, Alejandro! It gotta be fucking impossible even if she was Sky! Even that other bitch-Luce-couldn't tell us apart!"
"Pippupupipipipupipupi."
Alejandro lived long enough with the Big Pino to understand that the big guy was agreeing with the little guy. He, too, would wonder... if he hadn't planted that puppet within the nearby orphanage.
Though...
He sweat dropped as he knew that she knew that he did that.
"She Vindice-izes her stuffed animals."
"..." Small Gia stared incredulously at Alejandro... "That bitch does... WHAT?!"
Alejandro nodded, repeating, "She Vindice-izes her stuffed animals." After thinking for awhile, he added, "And she has quite a lot of them."
Small Gia stared and stared and stared before falling full burst of laughter, "Kahahaha, that's what the bitch does?! I never even fucking heard of that fucking method-imagine the awesome us as derpy stuffed animals-KAHAHAHAHA!"
...
Explanation: About Tsuna And The Mafia
Tsuna obviously knows the mafia. The reason why no one seems to comment about that is because she has mono-expression and seems to know everything. Her nonchalance about the whole mafia unconsciously throws all of them off. Yes, even Reborn. However, you can't really blame Reborn and Hayato because the two lived in Southern Italy, where almost everyone knows about the mafia and are chill with it. In a sense, she gives off a feeling of 'home' so they don't question her knowing the mafia because it feels 'right' and forget to question.
A/N: Bleh, my squigglies and long dashes aren't working. They purposely transform into short dash-marks to ruin my life. Just making that note so ciao. Ah and the experiment is still going on.