Disclaimer: KHR belongs to Amano Akira.


Chapter 6: Guardian of the North

"Don't give us that crap, stupid Jin!" Sai shouts, sending a punch at Jin. Jin easily avoids that fist and the barrage following it, chuckling all the while. "We've been looking for you these past couple of days after you went and disappeared!"

"Yes, sorry about that," Jin replies, stopping a punch with his hand. "Taking care of those thugs took longer than I had originally thought. I came home earlier this morning, but you weren't home, and when I went over to Tsunayoshi-kun's home, his mother told me that he'd gone out with some friends. And so I came here, and to my surprise, found you guys."

"Oh, so that's what happened," Tsuna says.

"Juudaime! You don't really believe that, do you?" Gokudera asks him. "These people are from the Jijie Family, the ones who just attacked us now!"

"Are you guys playing the mafia game, too?" Yamamoto joins in.

"EEHHH?! You guys are in the Mafia?!" exclaims Tsuna.

"Dame-Tsuna," Reborn scolds as he taps the brunette harshly on the head. "Were you even listening to Gokudera?"

Jin blinks a couple times before giving an apologetic smile to the Vongola trio. "I see," he says. "Allow me to reintroduce myself properly. I am Yang Jin-Wei, the 'Golden Dragon' and the Tenth Boss of the Jijie Family, or rather, the Jijie Triad of China."

"The 'Golden Dragon?" Tsuna repeats. Where has he heard that before? Then he remembers it was in the story Jin told them only a couple days ago. This deity, you could call it, was the Golden Dragon, whose place was at the center. Tsuna starts at the realization that Jin was actually talking about himself.

"Or at least, I was up until a few months ago," Jin amends, frowning. "The people you just met are part of a group that staged a coup d'état. They…killed my three other guardians." Sai looks away, a pained expression on his face.

The Guardians were quick to act, but one by one, they were defeated until only the Azure Dragon and the Golden Dragon were left.

"Sai and I barely made it out alive."

However, the Silver Dragon was far too powerful and forced the Golden Dragon and his companion to flee, only to become a Void.

"We came here to escape the fate of the others, and also to seek new Guardians," Jin continues sadly. "Unfortunately, the leader of the coup d'état has sent agents after us, which this guy—" he nudges Hazé with his shoe—"is the leader of, which leads us to our main purpose for coming here. Vongola Juudaime: would you be willing to form a temporary alliance with Sai and me until we regain our rightful positions within our Family?"

With all eyes suddenly on Tsuna, he panics. "EHHH?!" he shrieks. He waves his hands frantically. "I-I don't want anything to do with the Mafia or alliances! I just want to live a normal life!" After blurting that out, he calms down. "However, I can't stand it when someone attacks my friends like that. And that's why…That's why we're going to help you out!"

Reborn smirks at his student. True, it isn't his own reasoning for creating an alliance with these people – this would be a good experience for his student and his guardians – but nevertheless, is proud of Tsuna for stepping up like a true boss.

Jin and Sai also smile, not expecting this. "Thank you, Tsunayoshi-kun," Jin tells him. "In that case, can we…be your friends?" Gokudera and Yamamoto turn to Tsuna, a frown and smile on their faces, respectively. Tsuna looks at the Jijie duo confusedly, before grinning.

"What are you talking about, Jin-kun?" he asks. "I already consider you guys as friends."

"That's just like our Juudaime," Gokudera states proudly, "to accept even ex-Family members!"

"Hey now, are you tryin' ta pick a fight, bleach-head?" Sai growls at the bomber. He appears angry, but he smiles at the same time. "Didn't you hear us? We didn't leave purposefully."

"Bring it on, piercing-idiot!" Gokudera returns, whipping out dynamite.

"Gokudera-kun, please stop!" Tsuna pleads at the same time that Jin warns, "Sai, stop this instant." Reluctantly, the two aggressors return their weapons.

"Tch! If that's what Juudaime wants…"

"Fine, stupid boss…"

Yamamoto laughs at the scene. "Isn't this great?" he grins. "We've got more teammates in the Mafia game!" This isn't a game, Yamamoto, thinks Tsuna as he stares at the nonchalant sportsman in disbelief.

"Good job, Tsuna," Reborn commends the brunette. "You've gotten another ally for the Vongola, one step closer to becoming Vongola Juudaime."

"Y-yeah…" Tsuna agrees before realizing what that means. "I've told you already! I'm not going to be the boss!" Jin chuckles softly, earning a yelling session from Gokudera. But the shuffling of a person who's supposed to be unconscious stops them all dead.

"Traitors…should just go die in a hole," Hazé growls from the ground. He attempts to push himself up, but Sai slams a foot down onto his back. Hazé grunts in pain. Jin walks over to the guy and hunches over, resting his elbows on folded up knees. The Vongola trio start to move forward, but Reborn stops them.

"Stay back," he whispers to them. "This is their issue to deal with."

"Are we truly the traitors?" Jin asks Hazé.

"Of course you are!" is the vehement reply.

"Think about this, then," Jin sighs. "Is it better to follow a man who experiments on his own followers, or to follow a so-called 'traitor'?"

"Experiments on his own men?" Tsuna repeats, eyes wide. What kind of person would do that?! he wonders. Gokudera turns to his boss worriedly, but remains silent, as does Yamamoto and Reborn.

Hazé starts to retort, but Jin interrupts him.

"I've seen that metal arm of yours, Hazé," Jin tells the black-haired teen, "and I know Shen's true nature. I'm not sure what he told you, but I assure you, he is the traitor." Hazé still doesn't seem to believe Jin.

"That isn't true," Hazé protests, but his voice isn't so sure. "I…deserved my punishment for failure to capture the traitors and for involving the Vongola. This is proper retribution for my actions."

"You don't truly believe that, do you?" Jin asks him. Then a realization hits him. "You've never killed before, have you?"

"…"

"Is that 'boss' of yours really as great as you think? Would a true boss force his guardian to perform duties he detested? Would a true boss affix artificial limbs to his subordinates as punishment?"

"…"

"I did not think so." Neither speaks after that, lost in their own thoughts. Jin wonders if he's gotten through to the white-haired boy. Glaring at Jin, Hazé finally breaks the silence.

"What was I supposed to believe in?!" Hazé shouts to no one. It's clearly rhetorical when he continues. "My brother, Zhang, was killed not very long ago. Shen promised me he would find his killer in return for loyalty. I have to find my brother's killer! I—"

"You said your brother's name was 'Zhang', and that he was in the Family?" Jin asks, his voice a deathly whisper. Sai's eyes widen in recognition.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Zhang was my former Black Tortoise," Jin explains. "During our escape from Headquarters, he was shot down by one of Shen's men."

"No…no…you're lying…"

"Sai here shot down the killer immediately after. He was a lower level hitman by the name of Leung Jing. He had no family or friends, and was a solo job, hired by Shen to take us out."

"No…no…that…that can't be…"

"I-I wasn't able to give Zhang a proper burial, but he was one of my most trusted guardians. I wasn't able to give him anywhere near the amount of respect he earned," Jin finishes, his voice weakening. He motions for Sai to step off of the boy. Hazé remains on the ground, however, kneeling. "I'm sorry, Hazé; you've been chasing after empty revenge. The guy you were looking for is dead."

"…T-then what am I s-supposed to believe in?" Hazé questions Jin. "I swore I would find his killer, but what am I supposed to do now? Who the hell am I supposed to believe now?!"

"You can believe in me," Jin tells him simply. Digging around in his pocket, he pulls out a small item. He places a bandaged hand on the shoulder of the weeping boy, who looks up at the gesture.

"…What?"

"Hazé, will you become my Black Tortoise, my Guardian of the North?" asks Jin. He holds out a metallic ring in the shape of a snake with the face of a tortoise with onyx eyes jutting out. "I promise you—"

"Captain Hazé!" Several of the subordinates have regained consciousness and are now watching the scene with their weapons drawn. Jin gets to his feet but simply waits to see how Hazé will react.

"What have you done to him, traitor?!" a different follower demands of Jin. Realizing the ponytailed boy is weaponless, he raises his weapon and sprints at him. The Vongola trio and Sai move to stop him, but Reborn tells them to wait. Right as the grunt slashes down onto Jin, razor sharp blade connected to a metal arm aims itself at the grunt's neck, immediately halting any incoming attack.

"Captain…Hazé?" the grunt stammers as he backs up. It's then that everyone notices Hazé's arm is now a sharp blade rather than an arm.

"Oi, idiots," Hazé growls. His face is tearstained, yet his expression holds a whole range of emotions. Wrath, morose, and even hopefulness. "Touch my boss and you're dead."

"'Boss'?!" The underlings raise their weapons, readying for an attack.

"Oh? You think you can take us on? Kehehe, good luck," Hazé tells them. He glances at Jin. "Can you handle this, boss-chan?"

"I was just about to ask you the same question," Jin reiterates while smiling. Looking at the others who have been spectators up until now, he says, "Please stay out of this, Tsunayoshi-kun, Sai."

"What the hell?!" Gokudera shouts.

"A-alright, Jin-kun," Tsuna replies. "It'll be fine, Gokudera-kun."

"B-but Juudaime!"

"Kehehe, you heard your boss, Gokudera-chan," Hazé taunts. "Leave this to Jin-chan and me. Let's go, boss!" He shoots forward with his bladed arm, but disappears in a cloud of dark smoke. He reappears meters away, behind several underlings, slashing through their groups and sending them flying. He blocks surprise attacks from behind with his other arm.

"Sai!" Jin calls. Promptly, Sai tosses the hook blades to his boss, who catches them with ease. "If these guys are as weak as they look, I shouldn't need to utilize that power…" Then Jin launches into the fray. Leaping over the first row of enemies, he swivels swiftly on his feet, turning around and making low, wide slashes through the ranks, knocking them backwards. Turning sharply on his feet, Jin uses the hook to pull enemies toward him before slamming the side of a flat hand to hit a nerve and knock them out.

"Jin!" a voice shouts over the clamor of the fight. Jin turns sharply on his heel, only to realize a flash of steel is aimed at him so quickly without any time to react. So this is the end? he wonders. Something heavy pushes him out of the way, and he crashes into the ground. He tears his gaze quickly back to the spot and sees a guan dao skewering a lanky figure.

"Hazé!" Jin screams. But something's wrong. Hazé doesn't move or splutter. He doesn't even move an inch. Jin notices a grin creeping up the side of the young man's face.

"Kehehe, where were you looking?" Hazé suddenly disappears in a cloud of smoke before reappearing out of nowhere behind his attacker, who freezes on the spot. In an instant, the man's eyes dull, and he screams at something that no one else can see.

"That was…" Sai trails off.

"An illusion?" finishes Tsuna. Once again, a certain illusionist pops into his mind.

"That's classified," Hazé echoes, smirking. He glances at Jin. "Hurry up, boss-chan, and help me finish these guys off."

The fight doesn't last much longer after that. It's pretty much a one-sided battle as Jin and Hazé easily knock out the lackeys as the others stand by to watch. In no time, the underlings lay slumped against the forest's trees.

"A-amazing," remarks Tsuna. Then he remembers the story again. A Black Tortoise ruled the North, bringing the season of Winter to the land every year without fail, relying on its unchanging nature. Did Jin already know who would be his Guardian?

Jin tosses the swords back to Sai, who catches them and returns them to his sheathes. Jin himself begins to walk over to the group, but pauses when he realizes Hazé remains behind. Seeing this, Gokudera scoffs, and the others (excluding Jin) tense up. None of them know what to expect from the man who just switched sides in a blink of an eye. It's Jin who literally extends a hand as an offer. Hazé smirks.

"Kehehe, don't think this means I'm on your side, Jin-chan," Hazé tells Jin. "I'm merely cooperating with you until I can get my own revenge on that bastard Shen."

The Tortoise was not originally allied with the Golden Dragon, but rethought it after the Golden Dragon had accepted it.

Jin blinks in surprise, but then smiles gently, withdrawing his hand. "I understand," replies Jin. He tosses the ring from earlier at the cybernetic young man, who snaps his arm out to grab it. At that, Hazé turns away, and everyone breathes easily once more. "By the way, Hazé, you have my utmost gratitude."

Hazé glances at Jin before whipping his head back around, face heating up. "Whatever, kehehe," mumbles Hazé. In a veil of blade smoke, he vanishes. A disembodied voice echoes throughout the Shrine's area.

"Good luck, 'Golden Dragon'-chan."

Silently and seriously, the Tortoise undertook his duty with grace, and just a little bit of smugness, as the Black Warrior.


A/N: Well...this might be a bit of an overdramatic scene, but who knows? By the way, Zhang and Leung are not important names to remember, just a couple of names to fill in the blanks. I hope the characters weren't too OOC and that my own OC's were understandable. The following few chapters will be about their daily life, then the Future Arc. I have a pretty good idea where this story is going, but I'm not sure whether or not to add the filler episodes during the Future arc. I'll just make it up as I go along, I guess.

On a side note, did any of you read the latest chapter of Katekyo Hitman Reborn? All that tension builds up into...I couldn't stop laughing, it was so random.

Anyway, comment, review, favorite, etc., but, as always, thanks for reading.