The doctors weren't happy to learn that my leg 'mysteriously' got a little worse. I was told I would have to stay in the hospital for two weeks, but I would be in rehab for one more week. The people down the hall where very loud... Kyoko-chan, Chrome-chan and Haru-chan came to visit me again, in the last week I was in the hospital, bringing more delicious cake! The days just laying there and staring at things in the room were boring and uneventful. Well, eventually I was discharged. I was still a bit wobbly on my leg, but I got better in rehab. After the week, I could walk perfectly normal again!
After I left my last rehab session, I headed for my apartment. Once I opened the door, I saw Papa there! "Papa! What are you doing here?" I hugged him.
"I came to congratulate you on being fully recovered!" he said.
"Aww! Thanks, Papa! Love ya!" I quickly hugged him again.
"Have you finished researching the Vongola?" Papa asked.
"Yes, I have. I think I know almost everything," I replied.
"Good, that's good! I'm going to tell Reborn of your new position later today. I wanted to know if you were ready," he said.
"Ok. I'm kind of nervous... What should I do first?"
"You needn't be nervous, Ami. I will ask Reborn to gather the Guardians in one place so you can introduce yourself," Papa explain.
"Papa... That doesn't make me feel any better... If anything, I think that makes me more nervous..."
"Oh, I would like you to wear to the cloak if you will. It'll make it more official!" he said.
I groaned. "Papa... Do I have to? You know how much I hate that stupid cloak!"
"Yes, I know how much you hate it, but it's a symbol of the Vindice. Take pride in your cloak!"
"Whatever..." I rolled my eyes.
"One more thing... Wear your hat and the cover I gave you for your face."
"WHY?! I can barely breath in that thing! The hat... God no! It makes me look like a guy!"
"This is official Vindice business, you must wear them."
"No! I don't want to!" I crossed my arms and looked away.
"Ami, don't be like that! You are wearing them and that's final! No buts!"
"But-"
"I said no buts!" he yelled and I groaned. "Ami, please wear them. I'm going to talk to Reborn. I'll come back to tell you when you'll meet them."
"Bye, Papa..." I said rudely.
"Bye, Ami!" He waved goodbye and warped out.
I shuffled my feet begrudgingly over to my closet. I opened the door and scooted all of hangers so I could get to the cloak at the far end of it. I pulled it off the hanger. I threw it on my bed. It was a bit dusty. On the top shelf I had in my closet, I got the stupid top hat down. Inside the hat was the face mask I was supposed to wear. It was only a partial face-covering, unlike the one Papa and Jager-kun wear. It only covered my mouth and nose and left my eyes uncovered, so I could see, much to Papa's disagreement. He thinks my 'identity should be kept completely hidden'. It's only my eyes... Jeez, what did that matter?
I put on the stupid cloak over my clothes and put the collar up. I tried on the hat and wrapped the face covering on. "Eww... I feel like I'm working..." I thought. It had been ages since I was dressed fully like a member of the Vindice. I went to my mirror and posed like a model, which was hard considering the cloak was WAY to big for me. (The cloak was made for a grown man, while I was a fourteen year old girl who was five-four.)
I groaned again and took all the stupid stuff off. It was the weekend! I wanted to be down at the cake shop with my new friends! But NO! I was stuck doing work... I couldn't leave my apartment because I didn't know when Papa Bermuda was coming back, so I was stuck. I sat at my small kitchen table and put my face on the surface. I stayed like this for a while.
I finally got up and walked back to my mirror. I faced my reflection. "Hello! My name is Ami! I'm looking forward to working with you!" I shook my head. "No... Too transfer student..." I took a deep breath. "I'm Ami. Sup? Not good at all... Too delinquent... Oh! How about: I'm Ami and-"
"What are you doing?" someone said behind me.
I screamed as I whirled around. It was Papa... "Dammit Papa, you scared the crap out of me..."
"Watch your language..."
"But Papa!" I groaned.
"Ami, stop it. You know that isn't lady like!"
"Well, I'm not exactly a lady am I?" I gestured at my whole body.
Papa opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. I was the victor in the argument! "Anyway... What were you doing?"
"I... I..." I tried to think of a way to put it in a non-embarrassing way. "I was... practicing I introducing myself..." Papa laughed at me. "What? It's not funny! I'm seriously nervous!" He continued laughing at me.
"Sorry... I can't believe you are actually taking this job seriously... I mean, you never take any other jobs I give you seriously!"
Ouch. That hurt. "I do too! I have no idea what you're talking about...
"Oh? You don't? What about that time when I asked you to go-"
"I told never to bring that up!" I yelled.
"Oh? I thought you said you didn't what I was talking about? Hmm?"
I was beaten... "Whatever..." So much for my victory...
"Anyway, Reborn said to go to Tsunayoshi Sawada's house in at least thirty minutes. Are you ready?" I nodded. "You don't 'need to practice introducing yourself?'" He teased.
"Hey! You're mean!" I turned away from Papa and crossed my arms. "Huh!"
"I was only teasing..."
"Huh!"
"My god, Ami... Get the cloak and your hat on," Papa said.
"What if I don't want to?"
"Ami, you put it on right now, or else..."
Oh dear... Not the 'or else...' again! I turned around and walked over to my bed. I threw on the cloak, put on the hat and face covering.
"Good! I still don't like it that your eyes are showing..." Papa said.
"Ohmagob! Baba! Willy?" (Omigod! Papa! Really?)
"What?"
I threw the face covering off and said, "Seriously?! I can't see if my eyes are covered! I can barely talk and breath with this thing anyway!"
"It's only a precaution! I can't risk our identities being found out!"
"But Papa, if I'm going there to introduce myself, won't I reveal my identity anyway?"
"Well, yes, but-"
"Then I'm not wearing the face covering!"
"Ami-"
"I'm not wearing it!"
He looked at me for a while before he said, "Fine, but only once!"
I double fist pumped the air. "YES!"
"What am I going to do with you...?" Papa said to himself.
"I'm a keeper, what can I say?" I laughed.
"Sure you are..."
"Papa!"
"I was only kidding!" he said.
"Good!"
"Maybe..." he said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes. "Since we have a little time left, why don't I walk you there?"
"Uhh... Papa? Really? How suspicious would it look if I was walking in this with a baby on my shoulder? Very!"
"Good point... Why don't you bring the cloak with you and I'll still walk there?"
"Fine..." I got a big bag and stuffed my attire in it.
"Ok, are you ready? Lets head out!" Papa said.
" 'mkay!" Papa got on my shoulder and I walked out the door and locked it behind me. I walked down the stairs and onto the sidewalk. "Where exactly is Tsuna-san's house?" I asked Papa.
"I don't know, use the new technique I taught you. You can get some practice in!" I rolled my eyes, then closed them. I concentrated very hard and sensed the faint presence of the sky flames a couple blocks away. "Can you sense them?" he asked me.
"Yep, I know where to go!"
"That's my girl!" He patted the top of my head.
"Don't do that... It's weird. Like I'm your pet or something..."
"Isn't that what kids are?" He laughed.
"You suck..." He continued laughing and I continued walking. People stared at us... I guess it still looked kind of weird, even without my cloak on. A teenage girl with a baby on her shoulder just walking down a road... Not something you see everyday...
When we finally arrived at Tsuna-san's house, I knocked on the door. His mom answered the door. "Ahh! de Luca-san! Welcome! And who is this?" she asked, looking at Papa.
"Oh... umm... This is my... little brother? Yeah... his name is Bermuda."
"Oh! That's nice! He can play with Reborn-chan and the others! Are you here to see Tsu-kun?"
"Yes m'am!"
"Ok, he's in the living room with his friends!"
"May I use your bathroom really quick?"
"Of course! It's right this way!" She lead me to the bathroom. I quickly changed and came out looking like a totally different person. Luckily his mom was somewhere else... I walked near the living room, but noticed that Rebron-san was talking to the Guardians. I decided to listen to what he had to say.
"You may be wondering why I asked you to come here... I have some exciting news, a member of the Vindice is coming to meet us! Bermuda is escorting the person here. This person will act as the Ambassador to the Vongola from the Vindice."
"Bermuda?! But Juudaime! Didn't you defeat that Vindice guy? Jager is going to be an Ambassador? I don't like this!"
"Gokudera-kun... It might not be Jager..." Tsuna-san said.
"But Juudaime-"
"Oh no! Do they think I'm a bad guy?" I thought.
"What are you waiting for? Go on!" Papa encouraged me.
"No... Can you go in first... I'm getting really nervous..."
"Ok, I'll introduce you," Papa suggested.
"Thanks!" I could feel my legs shaking... Papa hopped off my shoulder and walked into the living room.
"Hello, Bermuda," Reborn-san said. "Where is this 'Ambassador' you were talking about?"
"Juudaime! I don't trust this guy..."
"Come on out! They are waiting for you!" Papa said. That was my queue... I walked into the living room.
I recognized the faces and names of the people present. Gokudera was sitting next to Tsuna who was sitting next to Yamamoto. Chrome was watching Lambo run around. Not all the Guardians were present, but everyone who was here was started staring at me as soon as I walked in.
"Go on... Introduce yourself..." Papa said.
"Oh sorry... I'm Ami of the Vindice, I look forward to getting to know you!" Eek! This sounded like I was a transfer student again!
"I don't trust this guy, Juudaime..." Gokudera said.
"I'm a girl you idiot!" I yelled. He looked very irritated at me. I stared at him and he stared at me. You could feel the irritation in the air...
Until Papa whispered, "Take off your hat, Ami..." So, I took off my hat. I also threw off my bulky cloak. I saw Chrome-chan smile at me.
"Luca-chan!" she said.
"It's Ami... Sorry I had to give you an alias... Papa's orders..."
"'Papa'?" asked Reborn-san. "Bermuda? Would you care to explain something...?"
"Ami is my adopted daughter." I nodded in agreement.
"Cool!" said Yamamoto.
"Juudaime..." Gokudera groaned.
Tsuna-san looked like he was in shock. "You...? You're part of the Vindice?"
"Yes... Sorry that I had to lie to you..."
"No... No... It's ok!" Tsuna-san said.
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"Yes!"
I smiled at him and he smiled back! He had such a nice smile...
"How about you all introduce your selves?" Reborn-san said.
"Oh, no, it's ok! I already know all of you!"
"Juudaime! This is really fishy! I don't trust her!" Gokudera said. I gave him my 'evil eye' look.
"Calm down, Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna-san said.
"But Juudaime-"
"I trust her. She doesn't seem like a bad person." He smiled at me again!
"Hey, hey... Who is this new Onee-san?" Lambo asked, tugging on my boots.
I picked Lambo up and said, "Hi, Lambo! I'm Ami!"
Lambo smiled and said, "Ooh! Onee-san's nice! I like her! Play with Lambo-san!
"Sorry, I can't right now, but maybe later, ok?" I said.
"AWWW! Ok, fine, but you will play with Lambo-san later!"
"I promise!"
"Pinky promise?" he asked.
"Pinky promise!" I made the unbreakable vow: a pinky promise with Lambo. I set him down and he ran away chasing the other baby.
"Woah... She can handle Lambo...?" Tsuna-san said.
I smiled at him. "Yep! I had to take care of the other kids in the lab I was kept hostage at before Papa took me in." I smiled at Papa. Everybody went silent.
"She's kind of like Mukuro-sama..." Chrome whispered.
"Well, lets all get along! We will be working closely with Ami from now on," Reborn-san said.
"Like that'll happen..." Gokudera said under his breath, but loud enough so I could hear him.
"Do you have a problem with me?" I snapped at him.
"Yes! Yes, I do! It's my job to protect Juudaime, as his right-hand man! I don't think you're a good person! You and all the Vindice are all liars and shady characters! You should have never even come here!" he yelled.
He crossed the line. No wait, scratch that, he crossed over the line, jumped around, and then came back over to cross it again. I was about to unleash the full wrath of the Vinice's Ami on him.
"You shouldn't have said that..." Reborn said to Gokudera.
I was fuming... I wanted to murder/maim/seriously injure him for insulting Papa Bermuda! I didn't care whether he insulted me, well maybe a little, but if you insult Papa in front of me... God help you. "Do you want to be beaten to a bloody pulp in front of everybody here? By a girl, no less?" I asked, trying to sound calm, but my voice cracked from rage.
"I'd like to see you try!" He stood up.
"Gokudera-kun, stop..." Tsuna-san said.
"Juudaime..." he said. He sat back down.
"Oh, running away are you?" I provoked him.
"No! I'm not running away from this! Lets take this outside!" Gokudera said.
"Fine with me! Just don't run away... Though it might be a good idea..."
"Ami, calm down..." Papa said.
"Papa, just sit tight. I'm not going to be long!"
"Ha! You're right! This won't be long, I'll kick your ass in five minutes flat!"
"Five minutes? I'm gonna kill you in a matter of seconds!"
"Why you...!" He walked up to me and grabbed me by the shirt.
"Ooh! Soo scary!" I teased.
He raised his fist, as if he was about to punch me.
"You wouldn't hit a girl. You're to much of a coward!"
"Ami, stop... This had gone far enough-" Reborn-san tried to say.
"Shut up, baby! If she wants to take a one-way trip to the ER, it's fine with me!" he said.
"I'd like to see you try!" I said.
"Lets settle this..." He let me go and walked outside.
"Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna-san grabbed him by the shoulder. He shrugged his boss off and continued walking. "This is getting out of hand!"
"I don't care," he said.
I followed him outside, but was stopped by Tsuna as well. "Ami-san... Are you really going to fight him?"
"Duh."
"But-"
"You have no part in this! He insulted Papa!" I screamed. Tsuna-san looked at me and let me through the door. The way he looked at me... it was like he was sorry for me... Why did he feel sorry for me? I barely even knew him...
"I thought you were chicken-ing out for a second," Gokudera said to me when I walked out the door.
I laughed at him. "As if!"
"Shall we begin?"
"It would be my pleasure!" I said sarcastically.
He produced dynamite out of no where and threw them at me. "Double Bombs!" he yelled. I dodged them all with ease, and he cursed. I had read about all of his techniques on his file. I was only toying with him. I heard more people burst through the front door of Tsuna-san's house.
"Rocket Bombs!" He threw more dynamite at me, they turned twice and head straight for me.
"Ami-san!" Tsuna-san yelled.
"Don't worry..." I thought. I warped behind Gokudera, punched him in the back, then warped back to where I was originally standing.
"She warps, too?!" he said in surprise. I laughed at him. "You're really pissing me off... In that case... Rocket Bombs!" He threw the dynamite again. I once again dodged them.
"Are you just playing around!" I fake yawned. "This isn't really a work-out... I was hoping you'd be more entertaining... I guess not. I'll finish this quickly!"
"Why you...!" he yelled.
"This is for insulting my family!" I started concentrating and my Flames of Night were about to be released when something happened and I fell to the ground, paralyzed. Papa struck a pressure point on my neck.
"Ami! Enough!" Papa yelled.
"Papa... What are you doing? This is my fight!"
"No, this is reckless nonsense! Don't waste your flames over something as trivial as this!" Papa was very mad at me...
Gokudera laughed at me. "Haha! I guess this is my victory! That's what you get for disobeying 'Daddy!' You're such a child..."
"Gokudera-kun! Stop this instant! You've said more than enough!" Tsuna-san yelled.
"I'm sorry, Juudaime..."
"Don't apologize to me! Ami-san is the one that deserves the apology!" Tsuna-san was taking my side?
"But Juudaime-"
"That won't be necessary... I'm taking Ami home," Papa said.
"Papa?! No!"
"Ami! We are going home right now!" Papa yelled. He grabbed my ear.
"Bye, Luca- I mean Ami-chan," Chrome-chan said.
Papa grabbed hold of my ear and he warped us back to my apartment before I could say goodbye back. I was still paralyzed...
"What were you thinking? Using your flames? Don't you ever use your flames in public again unless you are wearing your cloak, young lady!"
"But Papa, I-"
"Don't ever, EVER! use your flames before your chains!" Papa was full-on raging at me...
"I'm sorry, it was stupid... I wasn't thinking..."
"Damn right, you weren't!"
"It won't happen again, I swear!"
"That's right, because you are hereby ground indefinitely."
"PAPA!? Why?!"
"You've made yourself look like a fool, that's why! The Vindice is not a place for fools! Getting worked up over nothing, and fighting?! That was very childish of you to provoke Hayato Gokudera."
"He insulted you and the family! I had no choice but to fight!"
"That doesn't matter to me. I'm worried about you getting hurt right."
"Do you think I'm weak?!"
"No, but-"
"I can't believe you Papa! You actually think I'm weak? I could have beaten-"
"You wouldn't stand a chance in hell if he pulled out his System CAI!" Papa yelled. I fell silent.
"Papa... You really have no faith in my abilities..."
"It's not that, I swear. I do recognize your strength, but you over-estimate yourself... That's what I fear most. That's why I stopped you. I don't want you to get hurt again!"
"Papa, I was going to be fine! Next time I see him, I'll prove to you that I can beat him!"
"No, you won't see him anytime soon, you're grounded remember?" I groaned. "Don't be like that, it's for our own good!"
"How do you know what's good for me?! Huh? You're not even my real father!" I shouldn't have said that... I should NOT have said that at all...
"If that's how you feel... Then I guess-"
"Papa! I'm sorry I didn't mean it! I swear! I'm so sorry! I swear I didn't mean it! Please forgive me, Papa!"
"No, no. You've clearly shown your true feelings... I'll be going then." His voice sounded weird... I could tell I hurt him.
"Papa wait! I'm sorry! Papa-" It was too late, he had already warped out. "Papa! You could have at least told me when I'll be able to move again..."
I laid there for a while, paralyzed. After I was there for a couple minutes longer, the door bell rang.
"I think it's open..." I yelled.
I heard the door open and I saw Chrome-chan's shoes walk in the door. "Ami-chan? What are you doing there?" she asked.
"During my fight with Gokuera, Papa Bermuda hit my in a pressure point and it paralyzed me temporarily... He warped me back here and didn't say when I will get the feeling back in my body."
"Oh..." She squatted down so I could see her face. She had a bag in her hands. "This is for you! It's your cloak and hat. You left it at Boss' house."
"Oh, thank you for bringing it!"
"You're welcome! Do you need any help?"
"Ya... I guess. Could you sit me up?"
"Of course, Ami-chan!" She grabbed under my arms and helped me sit up.
"Thanks, Chrome-chan! You're a life-saver!"
"Not really, I was just helping a friend!" she said.
"I'm sorry about the scene I caused easier... I guess I'm pretty lousy Ambassador if I fight with the people I'm supposed to work with..."
"No, not at all! He always fights with people, they all do. Really, it's almost like you're part of the family now!"
"Really?" I asked.
"Really!" she replied.
"Does Tsuna-san think I'm an idiot?" I asked.
"Boss? Quite the opposite actually. He was praising you for standing up for your family."
"Praising me?"
"Yes, he said it was noble of you."
"Noble...? Papa said I was being a fool..."
"Fool? No! I think it was really cool of you to stand up to him like that! Maybe you both did go a bit overboard, but it was for a noble cause."
I could start to feel my hands and arms again! "I think I'm getting my feeling back!"
"That's good."
I started to move my fingers. "Yes!" I moved my wrists and my arms. I could now use my upper-body! Next were my legs. Once I could stand again, I thanked Chrome-chan once again for bringing me my clothes and helping me sit up. "I think I'm going to go back over to Tsuna-san's house and properly apologize..."
"I'll come with you," she said.
"Oh, no! You don't have to if you don't want to!"
"It's ok! I don't mind at all!"
"If you're sure..." We walked back to Tsuna-san's house and she rang the door bell. Tsuna-san answered the door.
"Chrome-san, did you give it to her?" he asked.
"Yes, Boss," she replied. Chrome-chan looked at me.
"Ami-san-"
"I'm sorry." I said.
"Sorry? Why are you apologizing?" he asked.
"I made a scene and that was wrong of me..."
"No, no! It ok! I promise! Wait here one second..." He ran back into the house and came back with Gokudera. "Gokudera, do you have something to say to Ami-san?" Gokudera mumbled something inaudible.
What?" I asked.
"I'm sorry..." he said.
"It's o-"
"What are you sorry for?" Tsuna-san asked Gokudera.
"Calling you a child..."
"And?" Tsuna-san was still trying to get him to fully apologize... He's such a nice guy!
"In... Insulting your family... It was wrong..."
"I forgive you!' I said. I smiled at him. He blushed and looked away.
"Good..." He started to walk away, but Tsuna grabbed him.
"Group hug!" he said.
"Oh... No I don't-" I tried to say, but Chrome-chan pushed me into the group hug... but I pulled her in with me! The four of us were awkwardly hugging in the front porch of Tsuna-san's house.
I felt someone grab my ear. "I thought I said you were grounded, missy?"
"Papa?!"
"You remember me? Go back to your apartment right now or I will never let you eat cake ever again!" Papa threatened me.
"No! Not the cake! Please anything but cake!" I protested.
"Then get back there now, or else!"
"Ok!" The group started laughing at me, but I warped into my apartment before I could suffer the embarrassment. Papa soon followed.
"I thought I told you, you are grounded? And you deliberately disobeyed me? Do you want to die in here?" he asked.
"No... I just had to apologize as soon as possible... I'm sorry Papa," I said.
"Ok, I forgive you, but the doesn't change the fact that you're still grounded!" Papa said.
"Ok, I deserve it anyway..."
Papa stared at me. I hated when he stared at me because it felt like he was staring into my soul... Its a very creepy experience...
"What?" I asked.
"It seems you've learned your lesson... You are not grounded anymore," he said.
"Wait, what? Really?!"
"Yes, really."
"Thank you, Papa!" I hugged him very tightly.
"Ami.. I can't... breath!"
"Oh sorry..." I let him go.
"Thank you..."
I heard a knock on the door again.
"I'll get it," I said. I opened the door and there was Reborn-san and Tsuna-san. "Oh, hi! Is there something you needed?"
"May we talk to Bermuda? Privately?" Reborn-san asked.
"Yeah, sure I'll go get him," I said. I walked over to Papa and said, "Reborn-san and Tsuna-san want to talk to you in private."
"Really? I wonder why..." He walked over to the door.
"Can we talk outside for a minute?" Tsuna-san asked Papa.
"Certainly," Papa said.
Tsuna-san looked at me and smiled. "Wait here for a little, okay?"
"Ok...?" I said. They walked outside and closed the front door behind them. "I wonder what they are talking about..." I walked up to the door and put my ear on it.
I heard a loud bang on the door and Reborn-san said, "Stop listening! This is a private matter."
I walked away from the door cautiously. "How did he know I was trying to listen?! Well, he is the legendary Reborn-san..." I sat on my couch and tried to think about other things, to no avail. I really wanted to know what they were talking about.
I sat for a while when all three came inside. They were looking at me with big smiles. "What?" I asked.
(I do not own any of the KHR characters, places or anything related to KHR. I do however own the character Ami for she is my OC. Please do not use her without my permission.)
Please review! I would love to hear feedback and critiques on my writing! Expect the next chapter soon!
