Title: Blade and Blood
Disclaimer: I don't own KATEKYO HITMAN REBORN, AMANO AKIRA does. I will only be borrowing the characters.
A/N: Last chapter is long, I know. I am not sure if I could keep it up. Having writer's block and all.
Chapter 3 recap: Tsunayoshi's hidden secret is discovered by the most unlikely beings that even his guild has no knowledge of. A bond forms between him and the vampires, though it obviously would send his desired peace down the hole.
4
Morning, everyone from the guild was forced to attend a meeting when usually it is done at night. And everyone knows that when an uncalled meeting, it meant that something serious must have happened.
At the ceremonial room at the guild, Tsunayoshi stood once again, the same room in the same place where he was given his first task, to catch a vampire. It was the meeting to announce the success of the members who passed the task – Gokudera and Yamamoto two of the few who made it before the set deadline had come. It was not only the celebration as he expected as man stood tall reporting the casualty that occurred, and it had to be the at brunette's hunt.
"Why only him?"
"A survivor?"
"It is unbelievable."
"I expected so much from him."
"He let the hunter died!"
"He should have done something!"
"He should have called for back-up!"
Tsunayoshi ignored all inquires he heard which was obviously directed at him.
How Tsunayoshi wish that he had questioned more the purebred vampires he encountered. He listens quietly as the man continues his report.
"There are a number of humans that became victim as well as hunters to the vampire/s. Only Sawada Tsunayoshi, a soon to be hunter, had return unscathed - ALMOST." The man reporting paused, stares at Tsunayoshi with a disgusted look which the brunette noticed. "You are led to believe working with vampires."
Tsunayoshi remained silent at the accusation. "A hunter in your league, it is impossible to survive." The man continues. "You will be under further investigation by the guild. Your right to participate to the hunt postponed."
The accusation went on, which Tsunayoshi did not retaliate against. He was aware of the punishment – either be banned from the organization or be sentence to jail. He would gratefully accept the first punishment if he would have a peaceful life, but recalling the encounter he had with the vampires he surely doubt he would ever receive a peaceful life. He knew that he will not live a peaceful life ever if supernatural things latch on him – specifically speaking the Black Shadow.
"Did you not give me the test to make sure that I have not been turned to a vampire?" Tsunayoshi spoke in a matter-of-fact tone as he was given the chance to give his plea. "And the matter should be quite obvious to some of the people here that this kind of lifestyle IS what Reborn have trained me for." He went on, showing his confidence; he did not bother to care what punishment he will receive from his mentor who would return if heard. "I do not want to associate myself with the lifestyle that all of you had become accustomed to. I am different from all of you; I use my own belief which is to follow my own simple lifestyle. And WHAT would a sane person suddenly decide to the creature that had killed his mother." His reason was quite logical that everyone in the room lost their doubt, or at least some of them. He knew no one would easily question him if his mentor, Reborn was mentioned or his tragedy when he lost his mother. He knows that not everyone would think twice of going against Reborn or that he had lost his mother to a vampire – silly enough that HE would ally himself to one.
The Vongola Nono, Timeteo stood in silence observing the room. He was busy thinking how to salvage the situation, how to save Tsunayoshi from being suspected. He dotes on Tsunayoshi, known only to few members of the guild; plus he could never imagine that Tsunayoshi would actually ally with vampires. He knows how the brunette hated the job as a supernatural hunter.
Tsunayoshi knows well that despite everything, it still depends on the current leader what will be done. He stares at Timeteo, chose to ignore the clash of opinions in the room knowing that the head would give a fair judgment in the end. How he wishes that Reborn was present who he knows would side with him.
"That is the most absurd thing I heard!" the statement perked Tsunayoshi's attention enough to make his attention momentarily turn away from the Vongola Nono. 'You have no idea.' Tsunayoshi thought responding to the statement he heard hiding a smile inside his head. He can't believe that the people around him did not trust him, thought that it was absurd that he would survive. He expected that everyone would believe the unordinary since they live supernatural hunters – plus he is under Reborn who is special.
Tsunayoshi twitched his nose as he smelled a strong scent of blood, stronger than the other hunters in the room carried. He knew few people who would have the guts to enter the ceremonial room bathe in the strong scent of blood.
"I trust my son!" the voice thundered, made everyone in the room turn their attention to the door – even Timeteo. A buffed man standing at the doorway covered in blood.
'Fa- Father….' Tsunayoshi sighs eyeing the buffed man standing at the passage of the door as his suspicion for the person who carried the scent of blood was right. He groans as his father placed a hand on his head after passing the large audience in the room only to approach him. He could not help think that his father might only worsen his current position. He did not need any more opposition from the crowd.
"Iemetsu!" Timeteo called surprised to meet the man Tsunayoshi mentally addressed as father. He looked please at the presence of the man he addressed. He knew then that he could make a decision that would free Tsunayoshi base on Iemetsu's words.
Iemetsu faced Timeteo with a smile, greets the leader with a polite bow. "The incident might be a warning you know!" he spoke in a flamboyant way that he received a large number of attention. "Let's see, they can choose who to kill at any time they wish at no expense." His words were true, in different ways that Tsunayoshi knows experiencing it firsthand.
Timeteo blinks as he listens to Iemetsu; he had a quick understanding that Iemetsu was simply saying things that will save the young brunette.
Tsunayoshi did not want to be the center of attention seeing that it was his father who had spoke up, he decided to end the topic, adding – "That is true in its own way. We are not really clear how they think so we really will never know what they are planning."
"Then you can be under hypnosis!" one uttered.
"Hunters are not totally immune to hypnosis."
Tsunayoshi sighs thinking what kind of absurd thing the crowd would come up with. "If that were true, it would have been detected by ones who tested me." He stated in a matter-of-fact which irked the person who spoke. "Plus, the person who tested me is well versed in hypnotism to know whether I am or am not." He glanced at the man who had reported that he was to be under observation. "Surely you know what was reported about me."
The man glares at Tsunayoshi sensing mockery from the brunette's tone. "There is none of a report. You are clear of hypnotism."
The words pleased Tsunayoshi.
The discussion slowly died down as one by one the audience dismisses the thought of Tsunayoshi working with vampires, let alone of betrayal. It was something that Tsunayoshi, Timeteo, and Iemetsu had wanted from the start.
Iemetsu looked pleased that everyone's distrust of Tsunayoshi slowly disappeared; that he had managed to protect his son for being labeled as traitor.
Timeteo added, "Yes. Those vampires have become cunning so we need to be careful." A few words and there was nothing more of Tsunayoshi's talk of betrayal and such. He knows well that there aren't many that would dare go against him. He watched as the guild members come to agreement that everyone should be concerned in taking care of the vampires rather than a young new hunter.
Tsunayoshi relieved that everything settled, he swat away his father's hand from his head. He growls while giving a cold gaze to his father.
Iemetsu looked at his son startled, and then he smiles as he distanced himself away from his son discerning the warning signal that his son threw his way. "Sorry! Sorry! I forgot! You dislike the smell of blood. Ha! Ha! Ha! I ended up encountering a hot tempered group of elf so I had to fight my way out of them." He was aware just like the others how keen his son's senses are – characteristics which made the brunette a suitable candidate for a hunter.
Timeteo dismissed everyone in the room, called out Iemetsu to join him to talk elsewhere. He paused, turned to face Tsunayoshi. "I trust you Tsunayoshi-kun." He smiled at the brunette.
Tsunayoshi looks at Timeteo surprised at the words; he bows giving respect to Timeteo. He acknowledges that the Vongola Nono before him is one of the few that shows concern to him. "Thank you for your trust." He receives a gentle smile from Timeteo.
Tsunayoshi caught his father eye him, and then whispers. "Go." He receives a ruffle on the head, let his father have a momentary contact before he watch his father leave with the Vongola Nono.
Tsunayoshi decided to skip school since his father had returned. He cleans up some mess that he had forgotten to take care of at home knowing what it will become in his father's presence. The very next day, Tsunayoshi was greeted by his father warmly who was so keen in having kinship, or what others call a father-and-son bonding.
