Chapter 7

She was floating.

"Tsk, tsk…"

She couldn't see anything. Her vision was painted pitch black.

"I didn't expect your life to be so boring."

Was she back in the Void?

"No matter. I have struck a deal with a being of the Ether. You are no longer mine."

The voice. It was familiar… but from where?

"As a parting gift, I leave you a part of my essence to replace the part of your soul I have taken."

Who was it? I knew this voice...

"I'm sure the Stone Guardian will find you of some use."

Who was the Stone Guardian? What was going on?

"May his curse be ever painful, my lovely puppet-"

Tsuyuki woke up with a start, her heart pounding for a reason she could not remember. Frowning, she pulled herself out of bed and walked to her wardrobe. The sun had barely risen and everyone was still fast asleep. Tsuyuki sighed. She couldn't go back to sleep.

Walking into the bathroom to take a cold shower, Tsuyuki turned to the mirror and stared at her reflection. Cold blue eyes stared back at her, emotions lacking from within the irises. The facial expression was neutral, not a smile, but not a frown either. Blonde hair cascaded down the shoulders like little waterfalls, pooling down onto the sink ledge.

The girl in the mirror had a face of indifference. It scared Tsuyuki sometimes. She was like a lifeless doll. Just an outer shell without a soul. Tsuyuki stared into her own reflection and smiled. The girl's face had not changed save for the small twitch of the lips.

Tsuyuki's fists clenched tightly, her nails digging into her palm. Was this what her brother saw everyday? It was truly pathetic. She wasn't like her past self anymore.

She had changed.

She was better. Capable of protecting her brother with the skills she fought to earn. She knew how to fight back and how to fight back hard. Tsuyuki wasn't the pathetic, lifeless shell of a human she was from Before. No. She was the Murder Princess. Protector of Namimori and, above all else, her family.

A soft buzz emanated from her bed.

Tsuyuki's eyes shot to the sound as she quickly dawned on her clothes and approached her bed. Pulling out a phone from between the mattresses, she viewed the text.

Alpha3: Intruder coming from the south gate. Stab wound on the left side, limp on the right.

Tsuyuki frowned as she swiftly typed out a message.

Alpha1: The Defense Line?

Alpha3: Repairing. Do you need your team together? Delta1 is the closest to your location.

Alpha1: No. I'll handle it. Report to Hibari.

Tsuyuki grimaced at the thought of her 'squad'. The thought of working with others was unappealing to her. While the members were strong in their own right, their fighting styles sometimes clashed with hers and it was more trouble than it was worth.

Shaking her head, Tsuyuki swiftly pulled on her form fitting black Disciplinary Committee uniform and knee high combat boots. Tucking her sai into eat boot, she quickly pulled all her weapons in place before descending the stairs.

The leader of Squad 3 had been giving her tabs on the intruder as she got ready. The injured male was currently running towards the market, which was dangerously close to her home. Exiting her house, Tsuyuki sprinted through the streets, easily blending into the shadows despite her bright blonde hair.

Tsuyuki easily located the intruder within minutes. She watched the man hunched over a closed stall from her perch atop a roof. While it was the perfect chance to dispose of him with his back still facing her, Tsuyuki held back. Something didn't feel right. It felt too easy.

How was it that a single man was able to break through the Defense Line the Hibari family had fortified for generations? There was a reason why Namimori was a safe haven for those who wanted to leave the business. Namimori was a fortress, 83% of her citizens capable of combat and weren't afraid to show it. The man was injured, so anyone from the Committee could've dealt with him. Why call her in, the leader of Squad 1? Weren't they the last resort?

The Alpha of Squad 3 was known for his tactical prowess, so there must've been a reason why she was contacted. The intruder may be standing in a vulnerable position, but Tsuyuki was sure that he knew what he was doing. Whoever he was, the intruder was dangerous.

"Sawada Tsuyuki, I mean you no harm. I only wish to talk to you face to face."

Tsuyuki stared indifferently as the man called out to her. He wore an odd hat that masked his eyes coupled with a checker patterned mask that covered the upper half of his face. The man straightened from his hunched position, any signs of a previous stab wound disappearing.

Tsuyuki discretely palmed a knife as the masked man faced her with a smile on his lips. The man made a flourishing bow, "I am called Checkerface. You may know me as the… well, the Stone Guardian?"

Tsuyuki didn't outwardly react, but she was inwardly panicking for a reason she couldn't figure out. Who was he? Why did he sound so familiar? Had she met him before?

Checkerface smiled demurely, "Won't you come down?"

Tsuyuki didn't answer.

"Very well." Checkerface sighed before smiling again, "I've come here to deliver an important gift. I should hope you'll protect it with your life."

Tsuyuki tightened her grip on her knife as the man reached into his coat to pull out a box. Checkerface gently opened the lid and tilted it so that Tsuyuki would be able to see its contents, "I'm sure you're familiar with this."

She blinked in surprise, unable to comprehend what was going on. Was the thing supposed to mean something to her? What was she supposed to do with a useless object like that?

Checkerface placed the box onto the ground before stepping back, "You can choose whether to have it in plain sight or not, but you are required to wear it at all times. The previous bearer has been compromised and so the responsibility has fallen onto your shoulders. You will instinctively know what to do with it, so do not worry."

Checkerface smirked, "Think of it as payment for your second life."

Tsuyuki wasn't given the chance to react because the masked man had promptly dispersed into mist. She was left dumbly staring at the spot he was at previously, unsure of what to do. After a few minutes, when she was sure the man was no longer there, Tsuyuki hopped down from the roof and landed in a crouch.

Cautiously, she approached the little box that was sitting harmlessly on the floor. With a few moments of hesitation, Tsuyuki slowly picked up the box, closed it, and then pocketed it within her jacket.

With a troubled sigh, Tsuyuki made her way back home. After texting a short reassurance to Squad 3's leader, Tsuyuki arrived at her house. Quietly, she opened the door and silently slipped in.

She was met with an expectant stare from Sawada Nana.

Tsuyuki blinked at the woman who was casually sipping a cup of tea on the counter. Nana smiled, "How was your trip?"

Tsuyuki blinked, "... Well…"

"Ah, ah, ah." Nana waved a finger before pulling out a large cardboard box, "You know the rules, sweetie."

Tsuyuki let out a long sigh before begrudgingly dumping all off her precious knives hidden in her shirt and jacket into the box. Tsuyuki inwardly pouted at the large pile of weapons before looking at her mother.

Nana gave Tsuyuki a pointed look.

Tsuyuki groaned before relinquishing an even larger number of knives hidden in her skirt along with her sai from her boots. Tsuyuki sent Nana a challenging look.

Nana raised a knowing eyebrow.

Tsuyuki's face twitched before she reluctantly handed over a pack of 30 senbon tucked within her waistband, along with two spools of wire. Nana gave a satisfied smile as she pushed the suddenly heavy cardboard box to the side. She smiled brightly, "So, how was it?"

"Someone broke through the Defense Line. Hibari isn't pleased." Tsuyuki answered, plopping onto a chair, "The man didn't do anything. Just said a few words and then left."

"Should we be worried?" Nana asked as she drank her tea. Tsuyuki shook her head, "He's dangerous, but he isn't a danger to us… not yet anyway."

"I see." Nana looked at Tsuyuki, "Are you okay?"

Tsuyuki nodded. Nana grinned before handing Tsuyuki her sai, "I'll give the rest by the end of today once they're cleaned."

"But I didn't fight." Tsuyuki protested. Nana shot her an amused look, "Doesn't mean they're clean. Now hurry along, your brother and Reborn have already left for school. You'll be late if you stall any longer."

Tsuyuki nodded in acquiescence and collected her bag before leaving the house once more. She immediately broke off into a steady sprint, making it through the gates with five minutes to spare. Unfortunately, Tsuyuki was accosted in the middle of the hallway, preventing her from reaching her brother.

"Yuki-hime~, Taichou's pretty pissed that you haven't reported anything. Not even a body." A voice drawled lazily at her side. Tsuyuki easily ignored the boy, walking past him as if he wasn't there. The brown haired boy took her action by stride and followed after her from behind, "You should check in with him."

Tsuyuki continued to walk on without acknowledging the student.

His brown eyes stared dully at the ceiling as he trailed after her, "Icchan was pretty bummed you didn't call him to help too. He was only a block away, y'know."

Tsuyuki had the strong urge to throw the Beta of Squad 1 out of the nearest window. While Fukuzawa Akira was known to be the laziest in the school, he was also annoyingly persistent at times. Especially if his best friend, Akiyama Ichiro, had something to do with it. The two were the Dynamic Duo: The lazy genius and the hyper martial arts fanatic.

Fortunately for her, Tsuyuki's fourth teammate was considerably less annoying and didn't bother her unless it was necessary.

With an inward sigh, Tsuyuki turned around and shot Akira a frosty stare, "Go. Away."

Akira put his hands out in front of himself, "Calm down, Yuki-hime. Taichou really does want a report from you."

Tsuyuki's glare could've frozen even the deepest depths of hell.

Akira grimaced, "Alright, alright. I'll just tell him something."

With a low mutter, Akira shuffled away with his hands in his pockets. Tsuyuki rolled her eyes and continued on her path. She didn't understand why Akira approached her the way he did. The team had an unspoken agreement to ignore each other unless it was necessary.

Tsuyuki shoved the thought into the back of her mind as she reached her classroom. Sliding it open, Tsuyuki walked in and settled into her seat. Tsuna shot her a curious look from his place next to Takeshi and Hayato, "You're usually with the Committee until the very last moment before class starts. What happened?"

Tsuyuki shrugged, "Took care of everything."

Tsuna gave her a searching look before smiling widely, "Alright."

It was fortunate for her that her brother wasn't one to pry unless he felt like it was dangerous to either of them. Class quickly passed by with Takeshi throwing notes over to Tsuna while Hayato glared holes into the baseball player whenever the projectiles hit Tsuna's head.

When the school bell rang, Tsuyuki excused herself. She still had to "report" to Hibari after all. With a reluctant sigh, Tsuyuki made her way to the track outside. If she was correct, Hibari should be at that point of his patrol at this time. She was proven correct when she had to duck from a blow just as she turned the corner of the gym.

Twirling her drawn blades until she got the right grip on the handle, Tsuyuki got into a defensive stance and waited for the next move. She wasn't disappointed when Hibari surged forward and Tsuyuki had to duck under a tonfa coming down at her head with tremendous force. Taking advantage of the opening he gave her, Tsuyuki swung her hand up to stab him in the side, but she was swiftly blocked by his other tonfa.

Releasing the pressure on her sai, Tsuyuki jumped back just in time to dodge a kick to the gut. Hibari didn't give her time to recover and immediately swung his leg backwards to slam into her head. Tsuyuki quickly drew up her arm and inwardly winced when his leg made contact.

Thinking quick, Tsuyuki wrapped an arm around Hibari's extended limb and twisted her body around to throw a kick at his face.

He blocked it with his tonfa and they pulled apart to gain some space. Ignoring the slight tingle in her leg that hit the tonfa, Tsuyuki ran forward and swiped at Hibari while drawing her other arm in to block a particularly heavy blow to her chest. Tsuyuki didn't waste a second before dropping to the ground and sweeping her leg from under him. Hibari flipped over the attack and she jumped forward to continue her assault before he got his bearings.

Blow after blow, Hibari continued to evade Tsuyuki's deadly swings and kicks. Growling, Tsuyuki flipped backwards to evade Hibari's counter-attack and gasped when his tonfa dug into her side.

Ignoring the pain, Tsuyuki used this chance to pull the prefect's arm forward to disrupt his balance. She rammed her heel into his ankle and slammed her knee into his stomach when he stumbled.

Hibari twisted around and swung an arm at Tsuyuki and she ducked under. He shifted his position and aimed his other arm at her shoulder. Mentally calculating the damage, Tsuyuki allowed it to graze her shoulder. Using his momentum as he bent forward from the brute force, Tsuyuki grabbed his arm and twisted it back before sliding her blade in front of his neck.

Tsuyuki held back a bloodthirsty grin when she felt a tonfa digging painfully into her side, agitating the already forming bruise. Seconds later, the lunch bell rang.

Hibari backed off with a glare, "Report."

Tsuyuki scowled, "I took care of the intruder. There's nothing else to know."

Hibari narrowed his eyes, "You will tell me everything."

Tsuyuki glared, "I may be part of your Committee, but you don't control me. Don't forget that I'm only here because I choose to be. Our deal was that I dealt with the intruders the way I want to."

The two glared heatedly at each other for what seemed like hours, but was really just seconds. After a moment, Tsuyuki sharply turned away and walked off, knowing that the conversation had ended there.

It was not even ten minutes later that Tsuyuki was approached by a Committee member who shuffled nervously in front of her. To the outside eye, it would've seemed odd to see a man with a pompadour fidgeting in front of a blonde girl who was half his size. To Tsuyuki, he was an annoyance.

"What." Tsuyuki said flatly. The guy jumped before hesitantly answering, "Taichou is… er… your brother is… at the reception room."

He finished lamely. Tsuyuki felt her eye twitch as she swiftly shot off towards the reception room, leaving the committee member behind.

What in the world was Tsuna doing there? He would've had the sense to steer clear of that place. Unless… Of course, Reborn would drag him into these situations kicking and screaming.

Tsuyuki rounded a corner and arrived at the location just in time to see Tsuna drop an axel kick down on Hibari, head lit up with a bright orange flame. Hibari blocked the attack with his tonfa, but had no time to retaliate as Tsuna jumped back and landed in a crouch a few feet away.

Her brother's eyes glowed a deep orange as he glared at the prefect in determination. Tsuyuki scanned the room and realized that Yamamoto and Hayato were out for the count, probably the reason why Tsuna was in this state. She was sure the two would have bruised egos when they woke up.

She was pulled from her musing when she realized Hibari had kicked her twin into the wall and immediately went after Reborn. The hitman easily blocked the prefect's lunge with a Leon-turned-sai.

Hibari blinked as he registered what had happened before smirking, "Wao. You're strong."

"So are you." Reborn smirked before looking behind the prefects shoulder, "But you shouldn't turn your back to your enemy."

Hibari threw his body to the side just in time to see Tsuna crush the coffee table that was behind where he had stood not just a second ago. Straightening his body, Tsuna stared at Hibari with cold orange eyes, a bright orange flame dancing around on his forehead, "Your opponent is me."

"You are not a herbivore." Hibari stated, a bloodthirsty grin growing on his face.

"No." Tsuyuki cut in coldly, "He is not."

Three pairs of eyes shot towards the blonde standing at the doorway. Tsuyuki eyed her brother before nodding her head, "Go ahead."

Relief washed over Tsuna as he gathered his Guardians under his arms with previously unknown strength and shot out the window for a quick escape. Hibari did not move even as Reborn jumped from his perch and followed after his student.

After a moment, Tsuyuki cocked her head to the side, "You purposefully triggered his reaction."

Hibari frowned, "He's strong."

"He's a pacifist." Tsuyuki corrected, "You shouldn't attack his Guardians while they're still incomplete. He reacts violently without meaning to."

Hibari pocketed his weapons as he stared contemplatively at the crushed coffee table, "A sleeping carnivore then."

Tsuyuki furrowed her brows in suspicion, "Why does that matter?"

Hibari smirked, but didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out his phone and called for repairs to the reception room.

A hypothesis formed in her mind as Hibari continued to stare out the window Tsuna had escaped from. Quietly, Tsuyuki walked away from the room and wandered through the halls in deep thought.

If her little inkling was right… Tsuna would be gaining another Guardian with or without his permission soon enough. She could only hope that Tsuna would be able to handle the stress of having a violent Cloud with territorial issues as his Guardian.

As for her…

Tsuyuki pulled out the little box nestled within her pocket and opened it up. A gleaming orange pacifier sat within the folds, shining brightly the more she stared. Tsuyuki picked it up by the silver chain that wrapped snuggly around it and continued to stare at it.

What was she going to do with this?