Reborn: Now what's the problem?

Little Bookwyrm: *Dressed in bulletproof clothing* Just watching out for your Dying Will Bullet, that's all.

Reinforce Zwei: Another threat?

Little Bookwyrm: A very indirect one.

Reinforce Zwei: Still, over two-hundred hits! People love your story.

Little Bookwyrm: That makes me feel a little better. I also want to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews and, thanks for your patience, here is Chapter Four!

Reborn: So, the Varia finally arrive, huh?

Little Bookwyrm: Yes, and it ain't going to be pretty.

Reborn: *Smirk*

Reinforce: I've started to hate seeing that smirk.

Little Bookwyrm: You and me both.

Chapter Four: The Varia Arrive and the Vongola Half Rings

Clash! The sound of metal striking metal rang through the nighttime sky of Namimori. Two figures jumped from roof to roof, exchanging blows that created sparks, the only indication of their position. Before long, they reached a building and the smaller of the two managed to jump to safety.

"VOOOIII!" a tall man dressed in a black and red uniform and long white hair with a sword strapped to his left hand. "Why'd you come to Japan? If you don't spit it, I'll cut you into three, dammit!"

"I have no need to answer thee," a young boy with a metal boomerang in his hand and a bright blue flame burning on his forehead.

The man leaped at the boy and a huge explosion raced across the roof. The boy was thrown and managed to save himself by clutching onto the side of the roof.

"VOOII! You're weak," the swordsman sneered.

The boy didn't answer as he noticed a piece of paper fluttering down beside him.

I cannot lose, he thought, clutching the paper to show a picture of a young boy with brown, gravity-defying hair and a big smile, in a place like this.

"Ah, what a great day for some croquet," Vita sighed with joy as she stretched her arms—one holding her mallet and the other a bag of bright colored croquet balls in a mesh bag—while walking down the street.

"Good thing today was only a review day," Hayate said in agreement, carrying her own mallet.

The two had managed to get away—or more like sneak away with Signum's permission—from the others earlier that morning to go play some croquet. They had gone to the nearby park and spent the last few hours playing several games of the supposed-to-be-no-stress game. Vita had been a hard player, almost sending her ball flying a couple times, but Hayate had managed to win a game or two.

Now, they were heading to the mall for a drink before heading home to catch up on their studies.

"How's your school, Vita-chan?" Hayate asked. "You don't really talk about it."

"Do you really want to hear about a bunch of brats who don't know when to stop jabbering about useless stuff?" the red head asked with a snarl.

Hayate smiled softly. "I suppose not…"

It had been really hard for the not-so-young knight to adjust to her school; Vita didn't really talk about it in hopes not to upset Hayate but, from the times that she came home with a few scratches and a note from a teacher, it was pretty rough.

"Oi, Hayate," Vita said then.

"What is it, Vita-chan?"

"Has Lindy-san heard anything about those fake Jewel Seeds yet?" Vita asked, referring to the conversation a few nights ago.

"What do you mean both were fakes?" Alisa and Vita shouted at the retired TSAB Admiral.

Lindy pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's just like I said, Alisa-chan, Vita-chan. The two Jewel Seeds that I had you go investigate were nothing more than copies."

"It sure fooled us, though," Nanoha said with a puzzled look. "It even acted like Jewel Seeds up until we sealed it."

"But how are there copies of Jewel Seeds?" Shamal asked. "Surely the Jewel Seeds haven't learned to replicate themselves?"

Lindy sighed. "You have to remember that the Jewel Seeds are ancient technology with more secrets than we can expect. Though there is the possibility that someone else is making copies."

"For what purpose then?" Signum asked.

The retired Admiral only shrugged. "For now, we'll keep an eye out for both copies and real ones. I'll send the fragments to the Asura to have it analyzed. I don't want a pandemic, so I'll keep it tight on who I tell this development to."

"So that means there might be an enemy about?" Suzuka asked.

"That's a little scary," Hayate said.

"Don't worry, Hayate," Vita said confidently. "I'll make sure no one hurts you."

"Count us in too," Alisa said, indicating the four other school girls standing alongside the Mistress of the Night Sky.

Hayate smiled. "Thanks guys."

"By the way," Lindy said, turning to Alisa and Suzuka who stiffened at the smile she was giving them. "We'll be increasing your training load from here on out since we can't be around you all the time."

"No!"

"Nothing so far, Vita-chan," Hayate said with a small smile. "Chrono-kun is having his subordinates study the fragments, but they haven't found anything to link them to an individual or an organization."

The Iron Hammer Knight huffed in anger; she didn't like being kept in the dark—years of having her memory continually erased by the corrupt Book of Darkness tend to do that—and she really wished that whatever was going on would show its ugly head so she could smash it with Graf Eisen for making Hayate worry.

A thought then came to Vita, something that might cheer up Hayate a bit. "Oi, what happened to Aliska and Suzusa? I didn't see them this morning."

"You need to work on remember people's names, Vita-chan," Hayate said with a laugh.

"About Alisa-chan and Suzuka-chan…" Hayate let out a nervous giggle; Alisa and Suzuka hadn't been so lucky to escape Lindy-san's training regiment today. If she remembered correctly, the retired admiral had said something about increasing the number of training drones, and Hayate was glad that she really wasn't made for combat with her magic.

Vita smirked. "If they can handle that woman's training, I doubt they can't handle anything."

"That's very nice of you, Vita…" Hayate suddenly halted in her walk.

"Hmm? What's wrong, Hayate?"

"I think something's happening," Hayate said softly. "Like a storm is brewing."

An explosion was suddenly heard in the not so far off distance, followed by two more and a trio of smoke towers rose above the tree line.

"What's that?" Vita asked. "A Jewel Seed?"

"I don't know, Vita-chan," Hayate said. "It's near the mall. Let's go!"

"Wait for me, Hayate!"

It was suppose to be a normal get together for Tsuna; a chance for him to relax and not worry about his crazy family. He had just found out this morning that his father, who vanished two years ago, was suddenly coming home with no previous word. His mother had been busily—and happily—cooking up a feast that morning even though she had no idea when he returned home.

Tsuna wondered how he had ended up with such a brainless mother at times.

When Tsuna had voiced his concerns to Gokudera and Yamamoto later that morning on the way to school, it had been decided to go with Yamamoto's suggestion to go and hang out as—per Gokudera's judgment—it was Sunday all around the world and with it only being a review day, there was a reason to go and relax.

As it turned out, it really was a good day say for a few mishaps with Lambo being Lambo, and mostly with Tsuna apologizing to a few shop keepers in front of Kyoko—who had been invited along with Fūta, Reborn, Haru, Lambo and I-pin.

Yet, like everything, everything good must come to an end and in Tsuna's case, it started off with an explosion and hardly a second later a boy came flying through the air and landing on him. The next shock came from the one pursuing the boy, a man dressed in a black uniform of some sorts with a sword attached to his left hand, threatening anyone who got in his way and proceeded to send shockwave after shockwave toward the group with said weapon, kicking up a dust cloud as he did.

"I'm sorry, Sawada-dono," the boy grunted. "I have finally found thee, and yet I brought danger to thee."

"Who are you?" Tsuna asked before he saw the bright blue flame on the boy's head. A Dying Will Flame?

"Quickly, come with me," the boy grabbed Tsuna by the wrist and took off in a run, ignoring the calls of Gokudera and Yamamoto.

Unfortunately, they didn't get far before the swordsman managed to stop them and, upon trying to attack Tsuna, sent the boy flying into a nearby window. The man had then threatened Tsuna before being sidetracked by Gokudera's dynamite.

Yamamoto—most likely thanks to Reborn—tried to take him on with the sword, but was easily outmatched and Gokudera was sent flying before getting any more dynamite flying himself. Tsuna hadn't fared any better, even with being shot by the Dying Will Bullet, and was quickly thrown aside as the flame subsided.

Thankfully, the boy had managed to create a smoke screen with some sort of bladed boomerang and successfully pull Tsuna into an alley.

"My name is Basil," the boy said through strained huffs. "The Master asked that I deliver these to thee."

"Wha? For me?" Tsuna asked in shock. "But wait, who's the 'Master'?"

Basil withdrew a box from his jacket and presented it to Tsuna. "It's this." He opened the box, showing seven silver rings.

"What are these?" Tsuna asked, staring in awe.

"Reborn-san knows what these are," Basil explained.

"What! You know Reborn?"

"Please," Basil said, thrusting the box into Tsuna's hands. "Take this and flee. Reborn cannot fight due to a reason."

"Wait! Even if you say that," Tsuna began before he was interrupted by a scream.

"VOI!" The swordsman sneered, his sword arm poised to attack. "So that's what it is? If it's this big of an incident, I can't let it go. After I slice you up, I'll take that back with me!"

"Curses!" Basil muttered.

"Hiiee! What's going on?" Tsuna asked, clutching the box tightly.

"This is bad," Reborn said with worry, wearing a shrub plant costume.

"Now then," the swordsman said, standing a few feet away from the two boys. "Before you hand that over, how many pieces do you want me to cut you in?"

"Don't give it to him, Sawada-dono," Basil said loudly.

"Eh?" Tsuna shouted. "Wait, what? What's going on!"

"You're the same as ever, Superbi Squalo," a calm voice said then.

This voice is..? Tsuna thought with realization.

"Isn't it embarrassing to be rough on kids?" a familiar Cavallone said, whip at the ready with two bodyguards behind him.

"Di-Dino-san!" Tsuna exclaimed with joy.

"The Bucking Bronco?" The swordsman—now identified as Squalo—growled.

"If you don't stop this distasteful game of yours," Dino said seriously, "then I'll be your opponent."

This Japanese brat has such connections? Squalo thought before glaring at Dino. Bucking Bronco Dino. If I were to go against him, it wouldn't be easy.

"VOI! Bucking Bronco!" Squalo shouted. "I have no problem with killing you right now, but if word got out that I picked a fight with an Allied Famiglia, the higher ups would start nagging me. So I'll go…NOT QUIETLY!" He seized Tsuna by the hair and hoisted him off the ground.

"Gya!" Tsuna yelped from the pain and grabbed the offending hand.

"Sawada-dono!" Basil shouted.

"Let him go!" Dino shouted, preparing to release his whip when something bright red flew past him and struck Squalo in the back of the head.

"VOI!" Squalo shouted, dropping Tsuna. "Who did tha—?" He never finished as, the moment he turned around, something yellow struck him straight in the face. "VOI!"

Tsuna stared as the object dropped to the floor and rolled to him; it was a croquet ball.

"Honestly, can't you be any louder?" a voice said from behind Dino.

Looking past the Cavallone, Tsuna saw Hayate and Vita standing a good few yards off. Both girls wore serious looks, though Vita's was smugger in appearance. Also, in one of the smaller girl's hand was a croquet mallet and in the other a green croquet ball that she tossed casually into the air; it wasn't hard to find out who throw the first two shots.

"Hayate-chan! Vita-chan!" Tsuna exclaimed. What are they doing here?

From where he stood, Reborn watched with interest; perhaps he'd get to see what these two were capable of. From what had just occurred, it seemed that little Vita was very skilled with that mallet.

"VOOII! More outsiders!" Squalo shouted, holding his offended nose with his right hand.

"Shut up! You're annoying!" Vita shouted, tossing the ball into the air and, with evident skill, swung the mallet to send the ball flying. Squalo barely dodged it— the ball missing Tsuna's head by two inches—and flew right into the glass window, shattering it into several pieces.

S-Scary… Was all Tsuna could think.

"Voi! You want to get sliced to pieces, brat!"

Vita smirked. "You're on, Blondie."

"Umm, Vita-chan," Hayate said with a nervous smile. "I think that's silver."

"Please stop," Basil shouted. "He isn't someone you can fight! Run!"

Vita scoffed. "Sorry, but I'm not one to run from a fight."

"Those notes from the teachers are sure testaments of that," Hayate mumbled, though the red-head didn't seem to hear.

Squalo smirked. "Good answer. I'm going to enjoy cutting you to pieces, you little brat!"

Tick! If possible, it seemed that the air around Vita darkened that Hayate had to step to the side to avoid the aura.

"What was that?" Vita said in a not so sweet voice. "I didn't hear you."

Even more scary! Tsuna thought. Who'd have thought that such a small being could possess such a frightening aura.

…Oh right. There was Reborn.

"You heard me!" Squalo said, clearly unaware of the change of atmosphere. "Or are you deaf, you little—?"

"ARGH!" Vita shouted and, with speed far too fast to be normal, dashed at Squalo and swung the mallet at the swordsman's head. Squalo dodged to the side and brought up his sword as Vita swung the mallet down at him. Wood met the side of metal and, thankfully, didn't break and Vita continued in her pursuit to smash the man's head.

"You okay, Tsuna-kun?" Hayate asked, running over to Tsuna.

"Ah…hai…" Tsuna said. Just his luck; Hayate-chan just had to see him in his underwear. Curse those Dying Will Bullets.

"Vita-chan!" Hayate shouted, turning to the girl swing the mallet around. "Stop! You'll kill him!"

Shouldn't she be worried about Vita-chan being killed? Tsuna wondered.

"Forget killing! I'll obliterate him!" the furious red-head shouted, coming close to landing a hit on the evading swordsman. "Stop moving and I'll make this painless!"

"Oi, Tsuna," Dino called over the frozen teen. "Who's the kid?"

"Who you calling a 'kid'?" Vita shouted. "Just you wait! Once I'm finished here, I'll gladly take you on too!"

"VOI! Like you'll get the chance," Squalo shouted. With a swing of his sword, the head of the mallet was severed from the pole and a kick was delivered to Vita's stomach.

Sent flying, Vita landed on top of Tsuna, kicking up a dust cloud and causing the brunette to release the box he had been holding, sending it flying into the air. Squalo easily caught it and smirked at the group.

"I'll be taking these with me!" He shouted.

"The Vongola Rings!" Basil shouted in shock.

Vongola Rings? Tsuna wondered. This has to do with the mafia?

"See ya!" Squalo shouted, jumping up to the roofs of buildings.

"Wa-Wait!" Basil grunted before collapsing on the ground in evident pain.

"Hey, don't move around so much!" Tsuna exclaimed as Vita got off him.

"It's too dangerous to chase after him."

"Reborn! Where have you been hiding all this time?" Tsuna demanded of the hitman. "Why didn't you help me?"

"Cause I'm unable to."

"Huh?" Tsuna asked.

Hayate and Vita watched intently.

"That guy is a member of the Vongola Family," Reborn simply said.

"HIIIE!" Tsuna shrieked grabbing his hair. "Someone from the Vongola was trying to kill me?'

Vongola? Hayate thought with puzzlement. What's the Vongola?

After Reborn dragged Tsuna away from the sight after telling Gokudera and Yamamoto off for their inability to protect Tsuna, the boy was led to a secret hospital along with Hayate and Vita to have the younger girl's wounds looked at along with Basil's.

"How is he, Romario?" Dino asked his subordinate.

"He's life isn't in any danger," Romario said as everyone looked at the sleeping boy in the hospital bed with an IV drip. "He was trained well. His wounds aren't very serious."

"Umm…Who is he?" Tsuna asked. "Is he Vongola?"

"No," Dino said, "he's not a part of Vongola. But I can tell you he's on your side."

"What! The Vongola is my enemy and the one who isn't is my ally?" Tsuna asked in shock. "I-I mean, I don't need any enemies or allies."

"Too late for that Tsuna," Dino said.

"Especially since the Rings are on the move," Reborn added.

"Rings? He said something about that," Tsuna said, looking at Basil.

"Oi," Vita exclaimed from the next bed over. "Care to tell me what that was all about? What in the world is a Vongalo and what is so important about some rings?"

"It's 'Vongola', Vita-chan," Hayate said with a nervous laugh. "It means 'clam' in Italian."

"What do clams have to do with a couple of rings?"

"Actually," Dino began. "Vongola is the name of the most powerful Mafia family in the world."

One blink. Two blinks. Three blinks.

"WHAT!" the two girls exclaimed.

"What's mafia, Hayate?" Vita asked telepathically.

"Remind me to rent the Godfather Series for you," Hayate replied back.

"Dino-san!" Tsuna shouted. "Don't bring them into this?"

"Too late, Tsuna," Reborn said. "They are known to Squalo and, unless we tell them, they could end up in danger in the future."

"The only one in future danger is that blasted okama when I get my hands on him," Vita growled.

"Anyway," Reborn said, turning to Tsuna, "the official name of the rings is the 'Vongola Half Rings'. They're a treasure of the Vongola and were supposed to remain hidden in a secret location for another three years."

"Are they that expensive?" Tsuna asked.

"No wonder that guy wanted to steal them," Hayate said.

"There is no price tag to put on them," Reborn explained, "but that's not all. There is no knowledge about how much blood was shed for those rings. It's something quite historical."

"Are you serious?" Tsuna asked in fear.

Seems almost like the Book of Darkness, Hayate decided.

"Why would that kid have something so sought after?" Vita asked.

Tsuna sighed with relief. "Thank goodness that guy took them."

Dino laughed nervously. "Actually, Tsuna…"

"Hai?"

Dino pulled something out of his jacket. "I have them right here."

Reborn stared.

Tsuna blinked a few times. "EEEHHH? But weren't they stolen?"

"Those were fakes," Dino explained. "I was asked by a certain someone to deliver these to you."

To Tsuna-kun? Hayate wondered. Just what is going on here?

"Why give these horrific rings to me?" Tsuna asked, though secretly he had a good idea of the reason.

"Because you're Vongola's—" Dino began.

"STOP!" Tsuna shouted, waving his hands frantically. "STOP! STOP! I have to go home and study for the test tomorrow!" Without another word, the brunette bolted out the door, leaving the others in silence.

"Does he really think he can get away?" Dino asked in shock at the boy's attempts to evade his fate.

"So Basil was a decoy, huh?" Reborn asked.

"Yeah," Dino said. "I doubt he didn't know either. I don't know why he didn't just give them directly to Tsuna. He came with me to Japan you know."

"I see," Reborn said. "So he came…"

"Umm, excuse me," Hayate said, gaining the men's attention.

"Can you please explain what in the world is going on and why Tsuna-kun is connected to the mafia?"

"You're joking!" Arf shouted at the dinner table.

"I'm not," Hayate said as she dished another mouthful of food into her mouth. "Tsuna-kun is the tenth generation heir to a mafia family named Vongola."

It was late evening when Hayate and Vita had gotten home after spending a few hours getting all they could from Dino and Reborn. To say that they were shocked was a bit of an understatement; they were completely bewildered.

How could a seemingly kind, pacifist young boy be the heir of the most powerful mafia family in all of Italy, possibly the entire world? That was a bit over the top of believable.

"And I thought magic was crazy at first," Nanoha said.

"So then," Fate began. "When Reborn-kun asked us to join Tsuna's Family…"

"He wasn't joking," Alisa sighed. "What did you tell him, Hayate-chan."

Hayate smiled. "I told him that we are too busy to do any joining."

"So Reborn-kun isn't just a regular baby, then?" Rein asked.

"Apparently not," Signum said. "Of course, now that we know about this, how should we proceed?"

"Tsuna thinks that only Vita-chan and I know," Hayate said. "I think its best that we keep it that way."

"Good idea, Hayate-chan," Shamal said. "I'm sure it will be less stressful for Tsuna-kun and for us."

Just then, a small energy burst passed through the room.

Vita grinned. "Looks like another one decided to show up."

"Let's just hope it's the real deal this time," Alisa grumbled.

"Nanoha-chan, Fate-chan, Hayate-chan," Lindy said with a smile. "If you please…"

"Leave it to us, Lindy-san," Nanoha said, standing up. "Let's go!"

"Hai!"

Tsuna couldn't have felt more down than he did right now. After fleeing from Dino and Reborn, he had come home to discover that his loser dad had come home while he was out. Not only that, the idiot had given Fūta, Lambo, and I-pin sake without caring if they were children.

He was so depressed that he didn't notice Reborn walking past him as Tsuna walked up the stairs to his room.

Reborn silently walked over the Iemitsu, who was currently out cold dressed in his underwear.

"Giving your son the Vongola Rings," he said, "means that something is going on in Italy, isn't there."

Little Bookwyrm: Done! Finally, hopefully the threats will cease for a bit.

Reborn: I could just get rid of them if you wish.

Little Bookwyrm: No thanks!

Reinforce Zwei: Oooh, this is getting so exciting! The story is getting intense! I wonder what Hayate-chan and the other will do about the Jewel Seeds and Tsuna's mafia business.

Little Bookwyrm: Hopefully they can stay quiet on this for a while.

Reborn: Not if I have anything to say about it.

Little Bookwyrm and Reinforce Zwei: DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!