NOTE: Guess who's going to Anime North 2016?! SkyGem and I. So if you're going too let us know and who knows we might run into each other. I'll be posting on Tumblr, Twitter, and my FB page to update when I'll be there and what I'm wearing all 3 days. ((To get links to my social Medias check my profile)).


So I am stunned by the response the last chapter received…..for a few reasons but mostly out of gratitude. I DO have quite a bit of responses for some Guest reviewers, but they will be at the bottom of the chapter, so that you don't have to scroll to find the beginning.

To everyone who has reviewed thus far thank you for your support, I promise the climax of this 'arc' will be explosive.


Restless Dreams.


Tsuna rolled over in bed, he sighed heavily as he stared sightlessly at the desk across the room from his giant bed. His room was opposite his papa's room, on the middle floor of their mansion. His Daddy's room was in the middle of the hall on the right of Tsuna's, and Tsuna's Pappy's room was actually upstairs. Tsuna rolled over with a frown and stared at his ceiling.

He had another dream and it was an awful dream too….and it had been awful for almost a week now.

Blinking blearily Tsuna wondered whether or not he'd get any sleep tonight, the light was already starting to filter through his curtains, which led to a balcony he shared with his Daddy.

Tsuna knew, at almost five that he should tell his father…or at least his Uncle Reborn about these dreams. But he couldn't, something was restricting him from telling him not yet.

But the dreams were getting worse. And his family were starting to notice. Federico especially, the most sensitive to emotion and flame levels had been even more protective of Tsuna of recent days. He was hovering and insisting on putting Tsuna to bed himself; so fair to say he was noticing something even if only subconsciously. Massimo was frowning more when he and Tsuna were 'play-training' together, and Enrico was watching Tsuna most closely.

Still, something about the dreams were desperate; not desperate to hurt Tsuna, but to get Tsuna to help.

"Hey Kiddo, you ready for breakfast?" Massimo came to the door and poked his head in when he woke up that morning, and he frowned when he saw his son lying listlessly on the bed. Usually Tsuna jumped right into Massimo's arms in the morning, but instead Tsuna blinked at him for a moment before holding his arms up.

One thing Tsuna wasn't was selfish and lazy. Tsuna loved running and jumping and making you hold him, but rarely did Tsuna just ask to be picked up.

Once Tsuna was tucked up against his huge body, Massimo placed his forehead to Tsuna's. "You alright little man?" Tsuna didn't feel warm, not relative to Dying Will user standards anyway.

"I'm okay Pappy." Tsuna yawned. He pressed his face to his father's neck, moving away from the testing forehead. "I want to eat please. With you."

Massimo nodded before helping Tsuna to change for the day, he was unnerved by how quiet it was. Tsuna liked to babble, so much more than Federico or Xanxus as children. It was unnerving that he was quiet now, listlessly pulling on his little shorts and suspenders.

"Okay! Let's go meet my brothers and have some food. You're going with Reborn this morning, and then you're going to spend the rest of the day with us." Massimo grinned, and even as Tsuna smiled, trying to sound excited, Massimo knew it wasn't normal. "You still tired bud?"

Tsuna nodded, though with a yawn he seemed to wake-up a bit more. "Uh-huh. I didn't sleep well, Pappy." Tsuna yawned again, though he started to wiggle a bit when Enrico walked out of his room braiding his hair. Today was pretty lax for the brothers so Enrico had foregone all the fanfare and finery. A simple braid, sweat-pants and a t-shirt. He would likely be training with Federico once Tsuna was off for the morning with Reborn.

"Daddy, morning." He reached for Enrico and when the man pressed a kiss to Tsuna's forehead Tsuna tucked himself in close.

The world started to blur as the brother's moved on towards the dining hall, and even though they sounded a little concerned, their voices made Tsuna feel safe and warm and so loved. Like the dreams couldn't reach him in Enrico's arms, so despite the concern growling out of Enrico's chest, Tsuna fell almost entirely back to sleep within five minutes of Enrico holding him. Massimo was warm and safe, kinder and softer and bigger than all of his brothers, but it was Enrico that Tsuna felt closest to and safest with apart from Federico –though Tsuna trusted Federico to be ferocious for him.

Enrico stiffened when he had Tsuna in his arms, just as he was kissing Tsuna's face. His eyes widened as he smelt, felt, sensed Tsuna's flames. His hyper intuition growled deep in his chest in a hollow place that made him feel for an instant, nauseous. Massimo frowned, Enrico as the oldest and heir had the best intuition even as Federico had the most sensitive flames, (once upon a time this enraged Massimo, having none of the sheer talent of his brothers. But he realised now and was sound in the knowledge that he was the balancer for his extreme brothers. The equalizer and the neutraliser.) and seeing him react so made all the hairs stand on Massimo's massive arms stand. He also realised belatedly that he had been frowning a lot more the last few days.

"Something is wrong with our boy?" Enrico growled, his chest rumbling, he looked as Massimo with his burning eyes and then his brows furrowed. Tsuna's flames sighed a heavy breath as they swept outwards. "He's asleep?"

Enrico was incredulous, and Massimo had to agree with the sentiment. "He was already awake when I got him this morning, but he didn't even jump to me from the bed."

"That is worrisome."

The brothers muttered quietly to each other all the way from their rooms to the dining hall, they ignored their father who was just leaving, and instead headed towards Federico, who until he spied a sleeping Tsuna looked entirely wiped out.

"Is our baby getting lazy?" He smiled, but it was stiff and his laugh was tough and unnatural. Still as his voice and flames joined with his brothers Tsuna shifted and blinked awake.

"Are we eating now?"

The brothers' eyes met for a moment before Federico grabbed Tsuna and brought him to his chair to eat. "Of course, now what should we tell Cookie to make for you?"


The Ninth swept out of the dining hall without so much of a glance or care for his sons. He clenched his jaw and strode towards his office. He had plans to make. He had a deadline. Three months, that's how long he had to get rid of Tsuna and Xanxus and save his sons.

"Ninths, Tim, you have to be joking." Ganache strode up beside his sky, frowning and worried, smiling the same kind of tight smile that Federico had just moment later.

Timoteo hadn't realised that his musings were aloud, else he wouldn't have been muttering them at all and instead would have made it clear to all his guardians. "I am not. The two boys must be gone in four months."

Ganauche met eyes with Brow Nie Jr who for once was not smiling and relaxed, he and Visconti had bunched shoulders and narrowed eyes. Visconti looked at his boss with narrowed eyes. "Now old man, come on. Y'aknow the kids aren't dangerous. You're boy's wouldn't do that to this family. I mean look, maybe you're just stressed out, and it's almost time to step-."

"I will NOT step down." The Ninth's voice boomed and Brow Nie flinched as his vicious grey eyes swept over the guardians. "I will not step down and those vermin will not touch my family for a moment longer."

"Timoteo you're being unreasonable! Stop and think about this-."

Visconti's deep timbre was cut off as Coyote, eyes dulled and glazed with sky flames stepped between the two older men. "You will listen to our sky, cloud. You forget your place, if there is a threat, if our sky is threatened you would do well to remember that you are a guardian."

With that Timoteo and the rest of the Ninth generation guardians swept out of the hall, leaving Visconti, Ganache and Brow Nie Jr. to stare with furrowed brows at their backs.

"We're in a fucking mess." Ganache sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You're telling me, the old man's gone and lost it, he's too old to be making these decisions….No offense Vince."

Visconti just put his hands on the backs of the two younger man, a frown marring aged lips and eyes looking over his tinted glasses. "No offence taking lads, because you're right. The Ninth Generation has been around too long now."


Reborn was humming when he strode into the Prince's wing of the mansion, he had missed his little boy while he was away. It was unavoidable really, someone had dared mess with the Arcobaleno's mist and though they liked to tease the younger man about being a 'lackey' in public none of the Arcobaleno took well to someone threatening their own, especially their youngest.

Once upon a time this wasn't the case, but the Arcobaleno met some six years ago now, and between their missions and living together in a secluded mansion you get over yourself pretty quickly. Besides, as Mammon made clear near the beginning, with a name like Arcobaleno came money, jobs, respect and a level of immunity from a lot of mafia laws that would usually aim to destroy individuals with too much power. So despite appearances Reborn quite liked his family.

Still, he missed his little nephew's company and he missed the sky flames so potent they rivaled Luce's.

However, Reborn's gut clenched when he entered the living room to find all the brothers there, and a lethargic Tsuna chatting slowly with Xanxus, who was wrapped uncharacteristically tight around the younger boy.

"Well good morning, having a bit of a lazy day are we?" Reborn smirked, walking to Enrico and clapping forearms. He was listening though, because even with a bright grin sent towards Reborn, Tsuna was in conversation with Xanxus.

"You could say that," Massimo muttered form the couch where he was reading, though his tone was low and his eyes were trained on the littlest ones in the room. In fact even as Reborn and Enrico kept up the conversation they listen to Xanxus.


"So are you going to tell me why you're so tired?" Xanxus asked. Tsuna was leaning into him, had been since Xanxus walked in after breakfast.

Tsuna stared at the ceiling. He was SO tired. He was so grumpy. He didn't want to talk to talk about this, he didn't want to even think about this. He just wanted to sleep without seeing all the things. Things he didn't understand. Things he wasn't ready to understand.

Tsuna shifted and pressed himself to Xanxus, seeking out the flames from his family that suually settled him so easily. Now they just hovered though, so uncertain and it made Tsuna want to cry because he was confused as so what was happening and why it was happening and he just wanted it to stop.

"It's nightmares, fratello." Tsuna sighed, trying to get comfortable against his youngest-older brother. It didn't work though and his eyes burned as he stared over Xanxus' shoulder, unseeingly in the direction of his fathers and Reborn. "Nightmares of chains and water, and they won't go away."


Reborn had Tsuna walking beside him, heading towards the Arcobaleno house. Usually, Reborn wouldn't risk them like this, especially since any assassin could be waiting for a weakness near the Arcobaleno, but he had a feeling this was for the best.

With Tsuna's 5th birthday and one year anniversary of being adopted coming up, Reborn was beginning training more than educational with the boy. He had initially planned to go 'play' at the park with Tsuna to start building his stamina. However these dreams the boy was muttering about held more significance.

Especially since the young boy was dead on his feet. It was unhealthy and Reborn was not afraid to admit that seeing the little boy so…down because he was tired made his chest hurt.

"What are we seeing today, Zio?"

Reborn smiled at his tired boy, softly and with love, before he pointed to the house on the hill they'd just walked up. "We're going to my house today. It's quiet and we're going to try something different today." Reborn explained Tsuna nodded, a grin appearing on his little face because this is so exciting. "I'm hoping what we try will help you with your nightmares."

Tsuna was quiet for a second before slowing down and raising his arms. Nervous apparently. Reborn indulged and put Tsuna on his hip. Usually he wouldn't, because Tsuna needed to gain stamina but a week with almost no sleep made Tsuna seem more fragile. "I hope so, Zio. M'tired."

Reborn's heart constricted, a child shouldn't sound so desperate yet he was. So Reborn just rubbed his back and opened the door. It was quiet in the house, as it usually was during the day; the wildness came in at dawn and dusk. Now was luckily neither of those.

"Will we meet your family, Zio?"

Reborn walked towards the back of the house, before opening the door under the stairs to reveal another set leading down. With a quick burst of flames that had Tsuna blinking with sudden energy Reborn smiled.

"Perhaps, little lion. Viper and Fon are home today though neither will disturb up while we train."

Tsuna pouted but accepted Reborn's words and continued to look about the basement with wonder. It was large, open planned with a kitchen off to one side, and a lounge beside that. Though Tsuna couldn't see it, there were collapsed translucent barriers stored in the walls that could cut off the open room from the kitchen and lounge. It was the perfect training room; had all the amenities you'd need after a workout, and allowed for interaction with those who weren't training but could aide you in your own.

Reborn plopped Tsuna down in the lounge area before walking to the fridge to grab some water and juice. Then he pulled out a blanket and laid it on the floor before beckoning Tsuna over. Both sat across from each other.

"Okay bambino, we're going to try to meditate. It's difficult at first, and funny, so don't worry if you laugh a little but I really need you to try." Reborn explained how they would do this, a guided meditation session at first to get Tsuna used to this, and later he'd be expected to do it himself. "SO I'll start it off, close your eyes, Tesoro."

Of course Reborn was right, there was much giggling in the first few minutes as Reborn guided Tsuna through the relaxation methods of a guided session, however within half an hour the exhaustion took to Tsuna and the five year old dropped into silence. Usually you would never get such results from a child, but Reborn had been counting on Tsuna's sheer exhaustion to aide in the stillness.

He was expecting Tsuna to fall asleep at some point, but was also hoping that if this was the case there would be no nightmares.

"Feel the air her: it's still. Let your thoughts still and then follow the first sign of activity in your thoughts." Reborn opened his eyes when he felt the shift in Tsuna's flames, eyes widening as he watched Tsuna slump over in a heap. "Tsuna?"

Tsuna didn't respond or wake up though, so Reborn uncrossed his legs to shift Tsuna to the couch. Except Tsuna started tossing and turning. Thrashing and muttering.

Crying out for his Zio.


Tsuna blinked when he opened his eyes. He wasn't with his Zio anymore and the air certainly wasn't still and warm like in Reborn's house. Tears flooded his eyes, because he knew where he was even though he didn't actually know where it was.

He was back in his dream.

Even though Zio said this would help. Tsuna bit his lip though, wiped his eyes, and looked around.

His Zio said this would help. Tsuna believed him. Tsuna believed that even though this was scary it must be helping some. His Zio said it would and thus far Reborn had lied to Tsuna less than anyone in his entire life beside Xanxus.

SO he walked.

And walked.

And walked.

It felt like forever. The halls were dark and cold and wet. It dripped and sometimes there was screaming. Loud screaming. Like Tsuna sometimes heard if he wandered too close to the 'forbidden' parts of his home. It scared the little boy and he wished so much that he could find his Zio or his fathers, or his brothers. Anyone really.

Suddenly there was something by his ankles and Tsuna gasped when he saw the colour of the mist at his feet. Unlike everything else which was black or grey or white (the fog was white, but a dirty sticky white that made Tsuna shiver) this was a purple colour and it wasn't spread out, it was in a trail that wrapped around Tsuna.

He recognized the colour too, because it matched the mist flames at the mansion.

Tsuna had met the mist squadron, and even Enrico's mist guardian. The man was illusive and didn't live with Enrico, none of the guardians did, but he was nice enough. Always changed his face though, which was weird for Tsuna –who was the only one who could see through it apparently.

Tsuna didn't like the idea of not living with his guardians, and yes Reborn and his fathers and even Xanxus had explained to him what that meant. Tsuna was sure when he found his guardians he'd live with them forever and ever. Never letting them leave, because they'd be a family.

Thinking about it made his heart hurt, and tears filled his eye again. The mist was creeping up his legs, the purple wrapping tightly around him.

This was the first time that this mist appeared, it kept happening. It chased away the scary noises and the chains that chased Tsuna in these dreams. It felt safe, it called Tsuna nice things, and asked him to be brave and to keep going.

It made Tsuna feel like home; it made Tsuna feel like Xanxus' flames did when all his guardians were in one room together.

So like always Tsuna bit his lip and walked even though the mist beckoned him towards the scary place where the screaming got louder.

A voice started the further Tsuna went. It started softly, but it soon drowned out the screams and torturous things that made Tsuna scared.

"Are you really here?"

"Did you follow my flames?"

And Tsuna wanted to answer, yes he did, the flames were becoming stronger as he walked. In time with the voice they lost their floaty ethereal form and became more solid, more like fog. But they were warm, protective, they filtered away the darkness and the wetness and the clammy fear that this dream usually gave Tsuna.

"Are you my sky, or are you a vision?"

Tsuna didn't know though if he was the voice's sky. He wanted to be, so much. So much. He wanted to answer, to tell the mist that he would be his sky if he wanted it. These flames were pulling at Tsuna's core, pulling from it in a way that was so new and different than when he and his family synced up. This was like he was being drained away, making his steps sleepy.

But it was so good too! Because the mist wrapped Tsuna up.

"Can I trust you?"

His mist should trust Tsuna. Tsuna knew, surer and surer as he walked that this voice was his mist. Was to be trusted. He just wanted the voice to be safe.

"I'm so tired."

So was Tsuna.

"I want to go home."

SO did Tsuna, but not alone. He had found his mist. He couldn't leave him behind now. Not now that he knew.

"I'm sorry you were scared….I'm scared too."

Tsuna was still scared, but the darkness was fading and the light was entering the hallway from the room that was flooded with the purple flames. Tsuna was running at this point, running towards the voice and the flames, hoping beyond all hopes that he could do something.

Hoping this nightmare would end and the dreams could start again.

"Can you help me."

"I'll try." Tsuna whispered out of nowhere. Not really understanding the promise in his voice. His flames were dancing, like they did when he was with his family. Ancing around his fingers and lighting up the tank his hands were pressed against. "I promise to save you. You're mine; my mist; my famiglia. I can't leave you. Not again."

Tsuna was gazing up to the suspended body of a young boy with long blue hair. He was chained up and had a mask on, he looked so small in the giant tube of water. But it was him. The one who'd been calling Tsuna and begging him.

The one that scared him so much.

"Do you really promise? You know nothing about me."

The voice was sad, and Tsuna hated it. He shoved his fear aside, shoved it all away. "I promise. I promise mist. I promise." Tsuna repeated this over and over and over. He didn't notice his eyes reflecting orange in the glass, or even the boy's eyes opening until he spoke again.

"I am Mukuro." The voice was solid this time, not sleepy. It echoed around in the strange dream and in Tsuna's mind and Tsuna couldn't help the smile. "I am a mist, and you are my sky."

"I am Tsuna!" joy filled the boy, all fear and anxiety gone as he realised, as his flames realised, that he stood before his element. "I am your sky and I'll protect you and take you home-."

But Tsuna didn't get to finish because from the walls shadows spilled in. Screaming and shouting and booming growls exploded into the space that had begun to fade to a garden. Mukuro was screaming in Tsuna's mind and Tsuna scrambled to follow the mist flames as they threshed around.

Hands grabbed him.

Grabbed his arms and legs and his sky flames exploded in defence.

But in this dream it didn't work, the darkness kept grabbing and tearing and shoving.

It shoved Tsuna into water. Into a tube across from Mukuro.

Bubbles rushed from Tsuna's mouth, his screaming drowning him as the dark figures attempted to force the black box over his mouth. Blood flooded the tube as he was poked and needles shoved under his skin. Tsuna screamed and thrashed and he watched as Mukuro did the same, eyes wide with fury as the dark chained men forced Tsuna to drown in the strange sleepy water.

The last thing Tsuna saw was Mukuro's tuber flooding with the purple flames again and the world warped harshly making Tsuna feel sick before all the light dated away.


Reborn had Tsuna in his arms immediately, using his flames to stimulate activity and alertness in hi boy. It worked but only barely. Tsuna started crying louder, clinging to Reborn out of instinct and rambling about darkness and water and chains and how much it hurt.

It didn't take long for Reborn to be sprinting, up the stairs three at a time and throwing Mammon's bedroom door open. The young woman was sitting on her bed cross-legged looking to be meditating as Reborn had been a moment before. Before she could bark at the sun Arcobaleno for being so rude she spied the child and had him from Reborn instantly.

She pressed her forehead to Tsuna's and the world faded to black.

Tsuna's eyes opened and he choked on the tears in his throat. He clung to the warmth around him, not caring that he was in some unfamiliar arms. They weren't hurting him, which meant he was awake.

"Hush child." The voice was soft, just like the maids at the mansion and Tsuna cried harder as the warm hand rubbed his back. He cried harder when he felt Reborn approach and run hands through his hair.

"I want them to stop. Stop them, Zio I'm scared. I don't like it. Make them stop please. I want Daddy! I want Papa and Pappy. I Want zio."

Tsuna kept crying as the images floated in and out of reality. He had gone so much deeper this time, walked so much farther than ever before. He realised thought that the one bringing him to the place wasn't bad, the place was. Part of Tsuna, the brace sky whose flames burned bright in his eyes even as he cried, wanted to go and get the boy he met; save him and give him a home. The other part, the one that loved and trusted his family, just wanted the nightmares gone forever.

"Will you let me see, child?" Mammon asked, still trying to sooth the child. "I can help if I know what's wrong."

And whether it was an incredibly potent dose of dying will flames or Vongola hyper intuition, or simply Tsuna's inherent trust in Reborn's presence there it didn't matter, Tsuna nodded and pushed himself up so he could force his hot forehead against Mammon's relatively cool one.

The world faded to black again, but this time it dragged Reborn and Mammon with it.

Down and down and down to the dark place that Tsuna had been traveling for the past week. Through the corridors of chains and cackling. Through the screams and shadows. All the way through winding corridors like before, but this time towards a tall glad column of light filled with water and bubbles and wires.

Tsuna, in the vision, stood before the tank, golden eyes staring at the floating figure of a boy not two years older than himself. Emaciated (though not as much as he could be) and tied up. He floated peaceful with blue hair spread through the waters around him.

Suddenly the boy's eyes opened, one a soft blue and the other red, he did not seem surprised, nor did his eyes widen more than to give a glimpse of colour. However the boy's face softened as he gazed at Tsuna.

"You're truly compassionate, to return here for me." The voice was genderless, if Mammon had to guess a mix of two voices in fact. "Thought I suppose I could use compassion, now more than ever….once you know of me, of my crime and my housing, will you still be so compassionate though I wonder? No matter. I ask now in desperation….sav-"

Chains rattled around the visage, flying at the image of Tsuna and the pother child. Voices boomed out loud and commanding, the image blurred and warped as the voice washed the scene. All pain and desperation left the imprisoned child as his eyes closed and the scene disappeared.

"You are trespassing, by the justice of Bermuda you shall not leave here alive."

And then the vision ended.


Mammon tightened her arms around Tsuna, furious at the situation at hand and the trouble this would cause. Her flames bucked inn her chest, especially as Tsuna slept on undisturbed in her arms. It made her possessive in ways she hadn't experienced beyond the Arcobaleno; after all, there was a little sky so trusting and allowing –allowing her to hold him and protect him despite meeting him in a highly distressed state- and also a young Mist who was being captured, abused and hidden away from his own sky. It was unrelenting possessiveness, so characteristic and temperamental in mists.

Reborn was just stepping out of his stupor, blinking around the illusions that always did disorient him a little. He was unsurprised by Mammon's grip on Tsuna and left the child in the mist Arcobaleno's arms. However his chest was tight with understanding.

"Is that what I think it was?" Reborn was growling, his voice sparkling with sun flames. "Why is Tsuna dreaming about the Vindice?! Do they know about him, are they harming him?!"

Usually seeing Reborn so unnerved amused Mammon, especially within their home. Reborn liked to play the hard game, saying he didn't actually trust them and that he was in for the best investment; moments like this proved otherwise of course.

"It is the Vindice, he's dreaming of their storage tanks where criminals and diseased elements reside until they're needed or cured." Mammon explained, walking slightly not really because Tsuna was fussing (he was practically unconscious) but because it felt natural. "But the Vindice do not know of this or else be assured your boy would be far worse than he is. It's the prisoner that's doing this."

"Prisoner?" Reborn scoffed, "The only way that someone could invade Tsuna's mind like this was if-." And realisation struck words from Reborn's throat.

"If the prisoner was a young, frightened, vulnerable Mist yes." Mammon agreed, looking at the boy that captured Reborn's heart, and had already captured her attention. "A powerful little mist that needed his sky."

"Fuck." Reborn ran a hand through his hair, staring at Tsuna in wonder. "Fuck, and fuck me."

"While I abhor the language, I agree with the sentiment." Mammon drawled, brushing Tsuna's face with one hand before looking to Reborn's semi-distraught face. "You should take him home and tell the brothers of what you saw here. We can and will do nothing more on this matter, it really is down to Vongola's decision."


Later that evening, with Mammon's assurances that Tsuna would get at least one night of sleep that was not plagued with nightmares (but could not promise any more than that) the brothers were in their shared office going over paperwork and discussing various things coming up in the near future. Federico had Tsuna in one arm, opening and reading paperwork with the other; Massimo was sitting at the desk, filing things and reading over specifics to do with finances (his strongest suit); and Enrico was on one side of the room, pulling down files and talking with a few of the Squad leaders (specifically mist, cloud and rain) about different alliances and upcoming training days. Xanxus was at Squalo's mansion, doing his own planning.

Tsuna was laying against his Papa's chest, the only thing keeping Tsuna from sliding down as Federico walked around was said man's arms under Tsuna's legs. Federico frowned as he discussed the next few weeks with the head butler and a few of the various Sky Squadrons under the brother's command. Tsuna shifted, eyes scrunched and a light whine on his lips. All around them, people stiffened even when Federico started humming and settled the boy again.

"What are we going to do boss?" Marzio watched the young Mafia prince with concern.

Marzio was the head of the sky squadrons, the leader just below the brothers themselves. While the brothers had scattered guardians, it was Marzio that kept the other Vongola members in line when the brothers gave an order. Between himself and the head butler and head maid (Nathaniel and Miriam respectively) the Vongola ran smoothly and the brothers had little worry.

In fact, in his twelve years of service, Marzio had more than proved himself as loyal, hardworking, and a take-no-shit kind of man. He was only a few years younger than Federico, but he was respected.

Respected enough in fact that he was the one to help introduce Tsuna to the rest of the staff that dealt with Federico, Massimo, Enrico, and Xanxus' direct needs. As such, Marzio had a closer bond with the newest sky in Vongola than the other staff.

And as such he had noticed in tandem with the brothers (though just after) that something was wrong.

He missed the child's smile and laughter. Saint Tsuna. He was a child and yet so easily had he earned his epitaph so long before he would ever die. Though it was only known amongst the staff of the mansion it was an adored name, and Marzio was no different. So he looked to Federico and an even deeper frown formed on his face.

Federico was solid, eyes burning with sky flames and shoulders set. He had both arms around Tsuna and was looking off to the left. When Marzio turned slightly to see what Federico the Furious was glaring at.

Massimo and Enrico were stood together at the other side of the room heads up and eyes connected with their little brother. Xanxus would call later having felt the following rush of sky flames, because once the brothers' eyes met they made a decision.

"Marzio." Enrico's voice was tempered and cool, washing away the acidity of the sky flames and replacing it with the softness that those in the room usually associated with the brothers.

"Yes sir?"

"You're going to get in touch with Vindice."


So Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.

Now it's come to my attention that there are some complaints/concerns about this fic and I'd like to address them here and now. If you weren't one of the people who voiced these, feel free to move on. Thank you for your support and I'd really appreciate a review!

On the subject of language: Okay this one was a confusing one for me. Specifically that 'little-fuck' was not endearing nor appropriate for a nickname. I'd like to counter with a 'well duh'. Never do I condone swearing so much around children, nor giving them such nicknames. But we're 1) talking about KHR 1.1) which is about the MAFIA which if you didn't know I'm sorry to say is really not going to care about swearing/rape/death/killing or any casual mentions of the former and 2) we're talking about XANXUS and despite being 11 ish here is not going to watch his mouth nor care about being a good role model. Over all I am just incredibly confused as to why you'd think I was going for endearing or appropriate with the nickname.

Good authors do not force their morals onto characters who do not share them. Xanxus would not be IC if he was a soft-spoke, 'worried about language', gentle, and quiet young boy/ later man. It just wouldn't. And given that I'm going for a semi-realist version of KHR I really don't know what you would like me to do with the language? Like these are grown men, in a MAFIA? While I agree there are other ways to get around swearing…..I don't think these characters are ones who'd care for such things.

Grammar/spelling/beta: Now in general terms, my grammar and spelling are not perfect, and try as she might, my beautiful beta is also not perfect (when I get a chapter to her) but in general the meaning of my story gets across. So those who are complaining about leaving my fic because of my sp. And grammar you need to chill a little bit.

Not only am I a university student and a working lady but I am moving, suffering from mental health issues, and other matters. I write FFN because I love it, because I am an author and want these stories out of my head to give me space for my education. I am not paid for this, and neither is my Beta a professional editor. We're doing this for fun and it saddens me that a few mistakes would drive you away. Or that you even feel entitled to perfection on a site for learning and sharing. I understand that it can be frustrating when sp. And grammar are WAY out there but I seriously doubt it's quite THAT bad.

NOTE: if I am making mistakes, I'd appreciate you mentioning SPECIFICS. Like seriously it's very difficult to learn/change/refine my work if you just say 'you made a ton of mistakes its frustrating'. Seriously, if you want to give good crit please use specifics. Crit is only good if you're polite and are specific.

And finally on the matter of rating: Now this wasn't brought up specifically but I need to warn you. From this point on this fic is definitively in the M-rating. There will be descriptions of death, explicit mentions of other things that are meant for the eyes and minds of people over 18-ish. There will be character death, mental issues, and other things, so I'm warning you now, and warning you in future chapters.

Besides that though I am so thrilled by your support and hope despite above issues you stick with me. Sorry for the rant, I was genuinely curious. I'll try not to let my A/N get so long in the future.

Thank you again I love you all so dearly.

~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3