Future – 10th Generation Time Period
Tsuna leaned back, tipping his hand forwards to cover his face as a frown grew onto his features. "I don't like this." He said uneasily before yelping and crashing onto the ground.
Takeshi smiled for a moment in amusement, then his eyebrows drew together in confusion. "What do you mean you don't like this? We're not in trouble or anything at the moment, right?"
Hayato sighed. "What he means, Sword Freak, is that his Hyper Intuition is sending him some bad signals. Boss' hyper intuition has never been wrong and…" Hayato gulped. "We might be in some serious trouble."
Lambo hung his head. "I'm scared, Tsuna-nii. What did you mean by that? What trouble, Stupidera? …Sushi-niisan? What's wrong?"
Tsuna gave the seven year old a weary smile. "We're a group that opposes the mafia, Lambo." He said quietly, and sat up, lighting a flame onto his finger and staring at it with a frown. "If we're ever ambushed, you go through the secret passages and straight to the reserve room, okay, Lambo?"
"No! I won't abandon you! I'll stay and help protect you! I won't—"
Hayato cut him off with a low growl. "Just do it, stupid cow." He snarled. "We can't go worrying about you in the middle of a fight! All that you'll do is inconvenience us, okay?"
Takeshi gave Lambo a small smile. "Hey, Lambo, if you get in trouble, just flash your flames, alright? Flash once if you're in trouble, twice if it's a trap, and three times if you're lost, 'kay?"
Lambo sniffled slightly. "O-okay. But I won't need to do it." He put on a determined expression. "I'll train to get stronger! Lots stronger! I'll be even stronger than Tsuna-nii! And I'll be able to fight with you and you won't have to worry and Lambo-sama won't be a burden, I promise! Lambo-sama's really brave! Hold… it… in…"
Hayato hit Lambo on the head. "Don't you dare hold it in, stupid cow." He growled.
Tears started trickling down Lambo's face and turned into a full-blown bawl as he ran up to Hayato and tightly hugged his leg. "Don't leave me alone again, Stupidera." He mumbled.
Hayato leaned down. "Don't worry, stupid cow." He replied quietly. "I'll never leave you beh—"
Tsuna smiled at the touching scene, then started in fear when they didn't get to finish it due to a loud yell. "Is this an EXTREMELY abandoned house!? THAT'S SO EXTREME AND AWESOME!"
There was a giggling sound, and a voice that sounded like a girl's saying "Calm down, niichan. We should get going… mom and dad will be looking for us because we're just visiting Italy for summer vacation. We might get lost since Japan's across the world, right?"
"That's a great idea, Kyoko, but I want to explore this awesome old place!" The other voice replied seriously.
There was a small sound like a sigh, then a sound of consent from the girl. "Alright, oniisan. But be careful, okay?"
"Oh course, Kyoko!" The other voice replied. Tsuna mentally thought that the speaker would have sounded slightly scandalized, had it not been for the fact that he yelled out the words. "You know that I always am."
There was a small sound as though in disbelief and the 'oniisan' boy in question had a habit of being extremely uncareful, but the girl consented. "Alright. I'll do some exploring too, I suppose."
There was a yell of; "Extr-EEEEMMMMEEEEE!" and a sound like something cutting through air, and Tsuna was instantly suspicious when he sensed sun flames.
Hayato and Takeshi immediately tensed along with Tsuna. "An enemy?" Hayato mouthed, eyes narrowed as he drew out some dynamite and lit it with his dying will flames.
Tsuna pursed his lips and listened in on the conversation. "No…" He mouthed back, albeit slightly hesitantly. "I don't think so. But be on guard, at least for a while." After all, it was better safe than sorry. Tsuna had learned that long ago, when Enrico had ambushed Tsuna after Tsuna had betrayed the Vongola.
Takeshi silently put a hand on the hilt of his sword, patiently waiting for Tsuna to give him the signal to either stand down, attack, or flee.
Lambo was silent for a moment. "If he discovers this room, then what will you do?" He asked quietly, and started to cry. "I didn't—I'm not a fast runner… if he catches me then…" He rubbed at his eyes and quickly looked away. "Never mind." The child said quickly. "It doesn't matter."
Tsuna smiled. "That's right." He agreed. "It doesn't matter."
Lambo felt his heart stretch at that. I suppose that they don't really know me. He thought to himself. They'll abandon me, just like everyone else did…
"I'll just have to carry you and that's it, right?" Tsuna continued, and smiled when Lambo's eyes turned wide in surprise. "What did you think, silly? Did you think that we were going to abandon you?"
"I… I…" Lambo couldn't help it. He began to cry.
It was rather unfortunate that in that moment, the door opened and in peered the curious face of a boy who was a total stranger.
0o0o0o0o0
Lambo jumped in shock and immediately pulled grenades out of his hair, heart hammering in his chest as he swallowed. Will we have to fight? Did he get hired as an assassin to track down Tsuna-nii? No! I don't want this to happen… I don't want to die…
Ah, no, wait, he was overreacting. Tsuna-nii, Stupidera and that smiling swordsman were strong, right? They must have been, to practically challenge the entire underworld. They could dispatch of him with ease…
Wait, that was saying that he was actually connected to the mafia…
For a moment, the white haired boy stared at them, blinking, and they blinked back, hardly daring to breath.
Then, a wide grin stretched out onto the lips of the other boy. "Nice to meetcha!" He said cheerily as he held out a bandaged hand.
Tsuna, shaking slightly, moved forwards and grasped it uneasily, his wide eyes filled with worry and confusion. "H-hi." He murmured. "Not to seem rude or anything but—what are you doing here?" His eyes flickered down to the bandages on the strangers hands with a slight frown, as though trying to decide on something.
The boy laughed. "My sister and I got chased by some extremely bad people and we just ran into the nearest looking building!" He confessed amicably.
"I see." Tsuna gave the boy a light smile. "And you are—?"
"Oh, I didn't tell you?" The boy asked with a slightly wide eyed look that Lambo found difficult to interpret. "I'm so rude! Ahahahaha, I'm Sasagawa Ryohei, to the EXTREME! It's an Extreme pleasure to meet you!"
Tsuna gave a small, hesitant nod. "I see." Lambo scowled a little at that. Seriously, 'I see'? Was that all that Tsuna-nii could say? Grownups could be pretty unimaginative, some of the time. "Well, why don't you just go and call your sister to come here and we'll help to beat up the bad guys, okay?"
Ryohei's face lit up. "Really?" He asked happily. "Thanks! I was going to fight them but my sister made me promise not to fight and I didn't want to have to do it in front of her! You guys are really EXTREME!"
Tsuna smiled fully. "No problem." He said, sounding happy, his voice almost giddy in relief.
Stupidera seemed to know why Tsuna-nii was sounding like this, so Lambo decided to trust him and the smiling swordsman, and fully relaxed in the stranger's presence.
"How do you fight?" Takeshi asked with a light smile, his eyes sharpening in wait for the response.
He was given a 'well, duh' type of look (Lambo-sama had to give it to Ahodera all the time), and held up his bandaged fists. "I'm a boxer!" He declared loudly.
Takeshi smiled and his tight grip on his blade lightened slightly. "That's pretty cool." He laughed.
And then that was when a loud shriek pierced the air.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
It was pure instinct that made Ryohei's body move forwards as he leaped towards the sound of his sisters scream.
The boys that he had just met exchanged glances, as though uneasy about something, then hurried to follow him, the youngest hopping on top of the silver haired boy's head.
Ryohei was about to say something about cigarettes being bad and how smoking was definitely not extreme, but this wasn't the time and he had to save Kyoko.
It was the first time that he had seen Tsuna in action, and it had gained his respect.
In about 0.5 seconds flat Tsuna knocked the goons unconscious and snarled under his breath, Vongola. The hatred compressed into that single, foreign word had made Ryohei flinch.
And in that moment, Ryohei pledged himself to the boy who had been a stranger a second before, and he still knew absolutely nothing of.
He had pledged to leave Japan behind, stay in Italy, and abandon all that he had once known for a world of bloody, mindless carnage that would never end, and follow the dream of someone who he barely knew. It was a choice that would dictate the rest of his life.
And nothing had ever felt so right than that one, single moment.
Past – 1st Generation Period
You went too far… you went too far…
Shut up!
Knuckle wrapped his hands around his head in a futile attempt to block out the dark memories that were already starting to bleed into his mind.
Stop it! Go away! Stop remembering!
Why? It had been such a long time ago… why did he have to dream about it now, of all times?
Knuckle surveyed his surroundings, letting a small frown come to his lips when he realized that he was no longer in the church, the place that he had finally begun to call home.
But where was he?
"Ah, you're awake."
Who is that?
Knuckle raised his head, eyes wide in curiosity, and blinked when he saw the foreign man… Asari, was it?... that had come to town recently. "Where am I?" He asked, swallowing the tight lump in his throat.
Asari gave him a light, carefree smile as he handed Knuckle a glass of water. "We're in Giotto's mansion at the moment. Welcome, Knuckle-san. I suppose you know Giotto?"
"Of course I do!" Knuckle snorted. "I'd be a fool if I didn't know that name. The leader of a vigilante group and goes around stirring trouble… but I believe to the limit that if he begs for forgiveness for his sins then God will forgive him!"
Asari laughed. "Giotto-kun hasn't done anything wrong, Knuckle-san. He just wants to help out the citizens of the town! As for stirring up trouble… he doesn't do it on purpose, you know."
The door swung open slightly and a blond head poked in, followed by a hesitant face, and soon an entire body.
The man standing before Knuckle cleared his throat, as though he were slightly hesitant of something, and then awkwardly raised a hand in greeting. "Erm… Ciao. We were a little worried, there, since you got kind of beat up by those gangsters…"
"They weren't gangsters." Knuckle interrupted darkly, hating himself as he glared at his bandaged hands, tightly clenching the bed sheets.
Ah, yes. That was why he had dreamt of that faded, long hoped to be forgotten past. It had never faded. It was always there but he had run from it…
What a coward am I. Knuckle thought bitterly. I thought that I could run away from the boxing ring but it just kept chasing me… and I got those children involved…
"Are the children alright?" Knuckle asked. If the children had gotten hurt because of those old grudges… he could never forgive himself. No, he still wouldn't forgive himself, no matter what.
"They're fine." The blond man replied, albeit hesitantly. "I'm Giotto, by the way. And…" He looked down, then turned his head sideways, as though attempting to avoid meeting Knuckle's eyes. "They're still a bit bruised up, so we'll need you to… I mean, I hope that it's not asking too much but I heard that you were a doctor as well as a priest and…" He looked vaguely embarrassed, his cheeks turning bright red. "Uh, can you… erm… help out, maybe?"
"I see." Knuckle sighed. "Of course I'll see to them. They're precious, to the limit! Children are priceless!"
Giotto gave him a relieved smile, as though he had feared that Knuckle would deny the children healing. Hah, as though he would do such an evil, ungodly thing.
"Great. They're in the room right next to us… they've been begging to see you, crying that you were hurt and they wanted to be able to fight with you next time. Calling you a hero and not even caring that they were hurt themselves… they're really loyal, Knuckle."
Knuckle blew out a breath between his lips. "Yes, unfortunately." He sighed. "Those children are my weakness…"
"Using hostages is a cowardly move." Asari commented angrily. "I'm glad that Giotto beat those five up."
Knuckle blinked, and turned to Giotto in amazement, shock written all over his features. "You… you beat all five of them up?" He asked, his voice slightly hoarse from surprise.
"Of course!" Giotto declared, looking angry. "They were beating you up!"
"But… but…" Knuckle spluttered. "They're the five strongest boxers in the Underground Ring!"
"Well, Asari and G helped." Giotto admitted, sounding somewhat like a proud father. "And you gave them all a good beating too!"
"But not good enough." Knuckle mumbled, and held up his hands. Those bloody, cursed hands, which he had sworn he'd never use to spill blood again…
Knuckle hung his head in shame, hating how helpless he was to stop himself from immediately hitting those bastards that had hurt the children who constantly smiled innocently at him, not judging him... but they would if they knew…
And yet, they would still forgive me even if they did know, saying that I had turned good and was forgiven by God.
"You want to be stronger, right?" Giotto asked suddenly, turning to Knuckle with a bright smile.
Knuckle blinked. "Y-yes." He agreed with a dip of his head.
"Then join me." Giotto held out his hand. "Join my group. You can be stronger and protect the people that you care about, and we'll do it with you! You won't be alone anymore!"
Knuckle stared at the hand, wanting so badly to reach out and grab it. And for a moment, his hand lifted in the air, almost as though possessed with a will of it's own, and reached forwards.
No.
The thought scalded him, and he quickly withdrew his hand as though electrocuted. "I—I can't." He muttered. "These hands can't… they won't…"
"The fighting that they'll do won't be hurting others." Giotto interrupted. "It's making sure people are safe. It's not like I'm asking you to kill or anything."
"I've already done that."
Giotto looked a little surprised, but a determined, almost pouty expression made it's way to his features. "I don't care." He said firmly. "We'll be friends, okay?"
And, though it was against his will, Knuckle reached out and grabbed the hand.
A/N: Yeah. I know. It's bad. Throw rocks at this picture of me while I quietly make my escape from tomato throwing opposite-of-fans, alright? Next is the clouds, then the mists, and then we'll have a real plot! Probably. Maybe. Not really…
