Disclaimer is in the first chapter
Second Chance
Please keep in mind this is a CAUSE and EFFECT kind of story. :)
Many events many seem similar. If you have a question, feel free to ask. Thank you very much!
ASDFGHJKL;' HAPPY HALLOWEEEEEEEENN! 3
Pairing-ish implied:
8027; 8059; 1827; 10027 R27
Bold- Sound effects or exaggeration
Italics- Exaggeration or Thoughts(mostly Tsuna's)
Normal –Normal
Target IV: Honor their Sacrifice
Sawada Tsunayoshi. Or so he is supposed to be. The boy always led his curiosity into overdrive. Always making him suspicious of the brunet's motives, consistently forcing his hit man senses go into the red zone.
For that part of him that should never resurface.
But every time he was close to unraveling the mystery, the boy would through a wrench in his plans. And one by one, he would slowly but surely, pick up each piece of the puzzle and put it together and solve thy unorthodox. The one known as "Sawada Tsunayoshi."
It was dark, black, and he felt nothing inside. It was quite, but not calm. It's always calm – before a storm. Nothingness. No pain. No happiness. Nothing. Just a world of numbness.
His arms raised limply and his dull, unfocused eyes watched.
Plop.
A drop of water. His hands continued to rise. His palms connected to his ghostly cheeks... then his fingers trailed the dark bags under his eyes. A sharp intake of breath echoed through the vast darkness. They were brimming with tears, he realized.
Why? Why are there tears? Where is he? Who was he? Who is he?
Nothing. Nothing came to mind. All of a sudden, he felt frustrated. Why doesn't he know? Shouldn't he know better about himself than anyone else?
"Herbivore. Cry. Disregard the baby's teachings for now. It sickens me to see you pretend to act like the carnivore you pretend to be."
Moments later, tears flooded his vision. Why? Why couldn't he remember? Choked sobs escaped his lips, ajar with frustration.
Emotions. Unknown emotions tugged harder at his heart's strings as his legs folded beneath. His right arm violently gripped the area right above his heart.
Pain. His heart throbbed; it hurt.
Guilt. It was his fault they were hurt.
Grief. He misses their smiles, laughs, and cries.
Alone. No one was there for him. No one.
Scared. Will he also hurt the others he love?
Fear. When will this onslaught of emotions stop?
Helpless. There was nothing he could do.
"Look at me."
Cold fingers pulled his chin up. He couldn't stop the feeling. It felt cold, yet it warmed him to know that there was someone there. He was not alone.
So he looked up, his eyes yearned for the sight of another being.
Suddenly a glowing light exploded as his eyes snapped shut. Slowly opening them, his gaze locked onto the glowing figure's.
Dark piercing cloud gray eyes bore into his broken soul. Messy raven locks framed the man's pale jaw. Hibari Kyouya's jaw.
The skylark's lips moved slowly.
"They would not like to see you like this. Be happy for them, they did what they did for you. So honor them, herbivorous carnivore; Sawada Tsunayoshi."
… Sawada Tsunayoshi … his name... My name.
The glowing cloud guardian moved a hand an firmly placed it over Tsuna's own. Right over his heart that felt like glass. Sliding slowly, Kyouya moved their hands in front of each other. The raven slowly knelt down and placed a small kiss on the back side of his pale hand. And as abruptly as he appeared, his body began to fade in wisps of smoke.
"Honor their memory. Honor them because no one else will know of their sacrifice."
He was now standing in an office. Was it his? He did not know...
He walked up to the desk and grabbed a group picture in a small, golden-rimmed frame. His left hand traced the people in picture.
First, a scowling silver haired male, then a smiling man with dark locks, a lazy looking adult, the other white haired man punching the air, the purple-haired woman who was wrapped in the arms of another male with the same hair style, Hibari Kyouya far off in the corner, and finally the man with the predatory gleam in his eyes. Said man wore a familiar black fedora with a distinct smirk dancing on his lips.
He moved the picture and the spot of reflected light moved and revealed a brunet, both the arms of the grinning raven slung on his shoulders in a protective grip. The boy looked so content with that wide smile in his face.
A knock resounded through the room, freezing the brunet where he was. Hastily putting the frame down, he quickly tried to compose himself.
"Co- come in," his voice was still quivering. The door slowly opened. A red-head with sunset-gradient glasses walked in.
"Tsuna, lets... have a talk," the man stated as he motioned the boy onto the nearby couch, a strained smile causing the brunet to worry. He did not recognize the guy, but his body moved of its own accord.
"What... happened, Kain? Did something happen?" Tsunayoshi's voice – his voice - said softly. Was that other man's name, Kain?
"Hibari-san... he isn't with us anymore. He was shot twice in the spine and pushed off the cliff. We... found his corpse earlier today and he was confirmed dead."
Dead. Irie was saying Kyouya was dead. Asoft chuckle escaped his lips.
He was the last one in his circle of friends.
His chuckles turned into laughs, and then rapidly transformed into desperate sobs. The other embraced him in a warm hug. Moments later, Shouichi pulled away and muttered his apologies before leaving the room.
He was all alone in the bitter darkness once again. This time, broken and emotionally crippled.
"Decimo," a voice laced with concern rung loudly through his mind.
Someone was here! His head couldn't snap up any quicker, it seemed. Brown orbs met complete darkness once more. He didn't realize his eyes were practically glued shut and overflowing with tears, not that it seemed to make much of a difference if he were able to "see" in this vast blackness anyways.
"Primo," his cold voice hissed faintly at first, but slowly gained strength. Tsuna was not sure why his voice sounded like it did... was it on purpose? No, he knew his normal voice was anything but cold. Or so he'd been reminded by others... He wanted it back to the way it was before. Before his heart throbbed with unbearable pain. Before, when he wasn't suffering from emotional depression, caused by the many ill doings and tragedy life had brought upon him.
Despite all this, he didn't want Primo to leave. He didn't want to be alone. He feared being alone with the ghost of his failure; it seemed intent on breaking whatever sanity he had left.
"I'm sorry. That was rude of me... Please don't leave," he mumbled his pathetic excuse for an apology. His pupils were at the corners of his eyes and he feared that if he looked forward, he would meet pools of pity. He didn't want pity.
His hands began to ball into tiny fists.
"Tsuna, don't shy away."
Shy away from what? There was nothing there! Was Primo here to play him like a fool? What did he wa –
"That's not very nice. Now look at me."
His orbs of honey brown snapped back to the front only to meet those of a darker shade of brown. His lips parted to speak, but was cut off before any words could be formed.
"Stop wallowing in your own self pity. You know as well as I that you, Sawada Tsunayoshi, now hold the fate of their lives in your hands," a pause, "how you act will affect them as well."
Something broke. All control broke. Who is he to tell me what I already know?
"Do you think I don't KNOW THAT? Do you think I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY COULD DIE BECAUSE OF ME? YOU CAN'T RELATE TO HOW MUCH IT HURTS! I know I can't protect them! I know that! I know, I know, I know!"
He couldn't take it anymore! It hurt to be helpless. It hurt to be told what you already knew! Tsuna's knees collapsed as he hunched over, gripping fistfuls of his own brown locks. Why? Why? Why did he always have to be so weak? He could never seem to get strong enough!
It was always them: Takeshi, Hayato, Lambo, Nii-san, Chrome, Mukuro, Kyouya, and Reborn who protected him from the true pains of being alone. But now they were –
"STOP THINKING THAT!"
Primo's hands gripped his neck in a deadly clutch. Tsuna could feel the air draining from his lungs.
"I, OF ALL PEOPLE, UNDERSTAND YOU THE BEST! DO NOT EVER TELL ME THAT I DONT KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE!"
The older man's sharp glare met his own tear-filled ones. His grip started to slacken and a second later, Tsuna found himself on the ground in Primo's tight embrace.
"Tsuna... Don't ever say that to me... Now, wake up. Your family is waiting for you."
Gasping suddenly, the brunet dissolved in a flash of sparkling fluff. The blond man sighed.
"Man, I was such a drama queen. How in the world did Byakuran talk me and Kyouya into 'playing with my younger self'...? And in dreams no less..."
He stopped and shivered at the thought. He felt so much like a... pedophile.
"Ughh, well, it's time to wake up to the greatest never-ending mountain of paperwork... Lucky me," the brunet sighed and then he, too, disappeared in a flash of white.
Present . . .
His rapidly-expanding lungs quickly filled with air and he shot up. His wide eyes met a pair of concerned forest green and another of deep umber.
"Juu- juudaime! Te- tell us who made you cry and we'll beat 'em till they're a bloody smear on the floor!" Gokudera's panic was as clear as day – even if he did try to hide it (though not very well). Yamamoto, on the other hand, watched with hawk-eyes, observing the brunet's actions carefully before selecting his next course of action.
He was positioned carefully; his back against the roof's new fence and his two best friends in front of him.
The silver-haired teen leaned forward, wiped away the trailing tears at the corners of his nut-brown eyes, spun around quickly, and then whipped out a set of dynamites.
"Come on baseball for brains! We will annihilate anyone who hurts Juudaime!" Yamamoto silently nodded and his hand went to the wooden form of Shigure Kintoki, a special sword he inherited from his father a week prior.
Wait... annihilate... dangerous explosives... sword... Oh shi –
"EHHH? N- no! Hayato! Takeshi! Nothing happened! It was just a bad dream, that's all!" The two stared wide-eyed at the brunet. His orbs grew to the size of dinner plates. "Eto...I'm sorry! Eeep! Sorry, sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to call you by your first names! I – "
"JUUUUUUDAIIIMEE~ I am not worthy enough for you to call me by my fist name. Though I am deeeeeply touched by – " Gokudera's dramatic spot light was easily stolen by the jock.
"Hahaha! That's moving fast! It's only been a few weeks!" the taller-haired teen winked, implying something much more sinister. His cheeks couldn't help but turn tomato red. Gokudera caught this and barked at Yamamoto in return.
"HEY! Stop hitting on Juudaime!" the Italian's right fist balled threateningly as his left death gripped the jock's shirt. Takeshi laughed in reply.
"Hahaha! What were you thinking? Do you wanna move faster too? ...Hayato?" The baseball teen's breath blew against the other's ear.
Yamamoto is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing, Tsuna concluded. A malicious smirk was bound to be hiding behind that grin of his of his... Tsuna shuddered.
One the other hand, the silver-head caught the implications with his intelligent brain and flung the raven away out of sheer rage.
"Do-don't you EVER do that again!" stammered the teen, slightly twitching and blushing.
"Do what?" Gokudera found Yamamoto's sickeningly, demented, yet so innocent question to be a mockery of his previous statement. A growl escaped Hayato's clenched teeth.
Tsunayoshi couldn't help but let soft chuckles escape his lightly pursed lips.
He missed times like these; the moments where everything was so... perfect.
The two paused and stared at the giggling brunet. The duo admired the sight of their boss. His smile – the duo thought in unison – was equivalent to that of an angel. And slowly, they followed suit as well.
Not very far away, a certain baby perched on an old oak tree smirked. Reborn, after spending two months or so with the idiot, had found out three important things.
One: No matter how much of a spy he might have seemed like at first, the brunet was still – and most like forever be – an idiot.
Two: He tended to get very serious when it came to his "loved" ones.
Three: It was a fact to Reborn that the brunet knew more then he let on. However, it was only a matter of time before he got the information he wanted.
Ten years into the future. . .
His day was far beyond amusing. He sat in his dingy office doing that endless amount of paperwork. No matter how you look at it, paper work was the bane to all mafia bosses, whether they be in the past, present, or future.
His fingers raked through his brown locks. Tsunayoshi searched his desk and found what he was looking for. Mhhmmm, his Gummy Choco candy... He popped open the lid and the first one that landed on his palm was savored in his mouth before being swallowed. The fresh and tangy aroma – pineapple flavor, he deducted.
Knock Knock
He looked up and called the person into his beloved office. Shouichi Irie and Spanner entered his humble abode and sat them selves in front of him. Reflexively, he shoved the container of chocolate-covered gum drops into his desk. His finger was caught in the drawer handle in the process causing him to cry once in pain.
And... He forgot about the meeting... again.
Woopsy...
He quickly switched his demeanor.
Sawada Tsunayoshi frowned. He had to initiate a plan with the goal of improve his younger self's training. After all, the 'traveling to the future to save the world' incident was a way for his family started to step up their game and realize that the Mafia was no joke …
He looked around the room and eyes landed on another teen, dressed simply in a gray T-shirt and simple glasses.
"The future doesn't need saving...," he mussed out loud. Shouichi Irie, who sat in front of the brunet, chuckled.
"That we don't..." the orange haired technician stated in a factual tone, "They need to get stronger... But, we can't send them to the future like your past life. Any suggestions, Spanner?"
Complete with a wrench-shaped lollipop, the blond looked up uninterestedly from the new diagrams he had designed for Gola Moska version Infuse-Combat. He stopped tying for a moment to think.
"If you can't send them to the future," he moved his lollipop to the other side of his lips using his tongue. "Send them to a parallel past... Have Byakuran- san do it for you. After all, he does owe you a favor since you bought him that unlimited supply of marshmallows... You must regret it now huh?"
The other two in the room face-palmed. Why hadn't theythought of that? Tsunayoshi weakly smiled at Spanner in return for his suggestion.
Back on track, the brunet nodded.
"Then... I'll rely on you two to set it up~!" The boss's enthusiastic voice made the other two shiver. Damn, their boss was acting more and more like a certain white-haired marshmallow fre- (ahem) boss by the day.
After a moment of recovery, the two Vongola technicians gave a gesture of understanding.
"What period in time do you want them to be sent?"
"How about... Primo's."
"Sure. We can get that done with the help of the Millefliore boss. Oh, and can I have a Gummy Chocolate?" Irie looked at Tsuna pleadingly. The instantaneously boss froze.
"Eh.. hehehe... How did you know?" He took the container and handed them a few. Spanner shook his head, denying the treat. The bespectacled adult looked unimpressed. Sighing once he answered his boss' unanswered question.
"You know, you're more alike to Byakuran-sama more then you know. I wouldn't be surprised if you hid a pack of marshmallows in that desk of yours."
Once again the brunet visibly stiffened.
"I should have known," Irie shook his head dejectedly. For Kami-sama's sake! He was the boss of an important mafia family!
"... Spanner... May I have a lollipop shaped like a tuna fish?"
Irie and Spanner cringed at the thought of their now sweet-obsessed Vongola Decimo.
The two concluded something that day: love for sweets is contagious.
Present time. . .
"A – are you sure Reborn?" Now his encounter with his (not so) beloved male mist guardian was drawing near. Reborn's orbs sensed the worry and perhaps fear in the younger boy's voice.
"Do you doubt my ability to gather information?"
Tsuna stilled for a moment, "So, Lemme get this straight. There has been attacks on Namimori Students and they were left with watches on their chest...?"
Calculating eyes watched him like a predator to it's pray, "Yes."
"I... see," Tsuna smiled sadly.
"What do you plan to do, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn stated bluntly.
The brunet only laughed humorlessly for a moment, "Well, we have to deal with some Mafia criminals... That's all!"
His smile was abnormally sugar-coated. The infant could see it clearly now. The young boss candidate was desperate. But the question stand obviously. For who or what and what for what purpose?
He duly noted the "mafia criminals" part. How- how did he know they we're dealing with convicts? Tsunayoshi was by no means just a simple teenager.
"Neh, Tsuna, is there something on your mind?" Yamamoto asked, curiosity laced in his chippy tone. Gokudera leaned a bit closer, strands of his silver hair brushed against Tsuna's shoulder.
"Ah! Take – I mean – Yamamoto and Gokudera, I want to ask you something. Something serious. Something that may be the cause of your death," the brunet spoke hesitantly. This time he is going to give them a choice.
"Takeshi's fine! Besides! Ask away!" Gokudera nodded feverishly, encouraging the question.
"I want... to take a moment to consider the consequences of being a mafioso," he paused for a moment, "and a normal life, where you weren't doing anything dangerous."
Gokudera's eyes widened considerably while Yamamoto's sharped into thoughtful half-lids.
"Juudaime... Are you asking us to be part of your mafia family?"
"...Yes. But – "
"Hahahaha! If being a mafioso would be as fun as it has been the past weeks, I'd gladly sign up!" This was, he realized, Takeshi's way of telling him that he enjoyed his company. It truly meant a lot to him.
He was on the brink of tears again.
Gokudera thought otherwise. How could this baseball idiot refer to mafia like some shitty club activity? Was he mocking Juudaime?
"Why, you..." his eyes met his future boss'. It was clear that the brunet was waiting – in some way – for either a approval or a rejection.
"OF COURSE JUUDAIME! I WILL FOLLOW YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH!" Gokudera promised boldly; his cheerful attitude gleamed off him causing him to shine brighter than a disco ball.
Tsuna couldn't help but smile. Tears of joy began to slip through his tear ducts and he quickly wiped them away.
"Thanks, guys; it means a lot more then you'll ever know to me," Tsuna pulled the two into a hug; Yamamoto and Gokudera didn't seem to mind.
Tsuna walked through the the gates of his house and strode slowly into the house.
'His eyes are distant again,' Reborn noted before throwing a baseball aimed for the brunet's head.
Tsuna was worried again. No, he was beyond worried. Could he really bring his friends into this world of blood shed? He knew that Takeshi would do fine, but the guilt was killing him. He really wanted believe that dream. He wanted to happy for them, but guilt weighed his heart down, tailing with it any control he had.
He paused as a flying spheroid brushed his outgrown bangs. Reborn's aim was impeccable on a stand-still target. But his hyper intuition was a gift he intended to use to avoid his tutor's projectiles.
"Ah... Good after noon to you too... Reborn," his voice was cold again. Tsunayoshi couldn't help but inwardly flinch at his tone. This usually was a side effect from depression.
"Caiossu, Dame-Tsuna. Mama made tempura tonight." The baby continued to examine his student before hitching a ride on said boy's shoulder.
"Let's get inside," the brunet opened the door and took off his shoes while listening to I-Pin's disapproving squeals and Lambo's cocky retorts.
"I'm home!"
Without a second's notice, Bianchi snatched Reborn and pulled the hitman in a death grip.
"Ouuhhhh, welcome back Darling," the woman made her way back into the living room, still holding onto the infant.
Closing the door he headed up to his room,( tripped on the stairs) then grabbed a simple orange T-shirt, black baggy pants, and his undergarments. Walking through the corridors, he threw his clothes off and entered the shower.
Cold air caressed his skin as he stepped out of the restroom and made his was to his room. Upon stepping into his room, he paused.
"Tonight," the brunet's eyebrows scrunched up and his lips pulled into a frown. He made his way down the stairs, managing not to trip.
His body was not always working one with his mind. The muscle memories made him occasionally trip, fall, miss his mouth when scooping soup, etc.
His bowl was left half-empty as he dismissed himself from the dinner table.
Lambo gladly took his meal as I-Pin scolded him for doing so. Bianchi didn't seem to mind as she fed Reborn. Reborn, however... his thoughts strayed off as he went into his room and fell onto his bed, falling fast asleep.
Three hours later: 2 A.M.
His eyes fluttered open. A dreamless sleep, he thought. His eyes surveyed the room. Reborn wasn't there.
No – Reborn, no matter what time of day, would be watching him carefully.
Regardless of that fact, he had to start his self-employed mission on his own. Tsuna walked to his closet and slipped into a snug jacket.
Slowly, he zipped up the jacket and put the house keys into his pocket. Like a mouse, he creeps slowly down the stairs.
Sitting down to put on his shoes, the brunet's determined gaze looked back at his house once more.
"Baakkaa- Tsuuuna, Lambo-samaa wannntsss ccaaanndy." Tsunayoshi froze mid-step. His head snapped towards the figure; it was Lambo.
"Lambo," he whispered sternly, "No candies at this hour. You'll have bad teeth when you grow up and never be able to eat candies again!"
Lambo, still asleep, disregarded his warning, dragged his legs and "zombied" into the kitchen. The older Japanese boy took off his shoes and sighed. Swiftly, he snatched the five year old into his arms and escorted him into his mother's room.
His mother shifter a bit when Lambo was placed next to her.
"Come back soon, okay, Tsu-kun...?" Nana muttered under her breath.
The boss candidate gave a soft smile, "I know; I will mom. Good night."
The boy walked out of his mother's room, then the front door, and then out the gates. It didn't faze him to have his mom say that to him. After all, Nana Sawada knew more then she ever let anyone know.
Now, it was time to confront Rokudo Mukuro, one of his future mist guardians.
THIS CHAPTER'S QUESTIONS:
1. Did the characters act EXTREMELY OOC [Out of Character]?
2. Did you like the family interaction?
3. Was it rushed? (I hope it didn't feel rushed... cuz my Beta and I rushed to get it ready so we can post it on Halloween)
4. Likes? Dislikes? Possible improvements? Opinion? :)
5. Add as many emoticons as you can when you Review!
A friend of mine doesn't type with emoticons so I need to make a list for him or (as he said) "I won't make those things."
IMPORTANT: I want to change the title of this story (since a reviewer said this name was over rated), can you suggest some names you would like?
Posted 10/31/2011.
Beta'd by Dream36 on: 10/29-30/11