Okay. So I haven't up dated for a really long time. I apologize for being so lazy…ehehehe. But I'm back now right?
***
Chapter Ten: Manager Needs Training?!
Tsuna wobbled into the main building of Vongola Corporations, unsteady after Gokudera had decided to drive everyone to the building after they received a phone call early in the morning to get to Vongola Corps by eight.
These people were all crazy! How did they get their driver's license in the first place?!
Yamamoto came up from behind him and slapped him on the back good-naturedly with his good arm.
"Are you alright, Tsuna?"
Tsuna gave a weak smile to Yamamoto and then gestured towards his messy hair and clothes and the bags under his eyes.
"One car ride just made me lose twenty years of my life." Tsuna groaned. "That's it. Next time, I'm not getting in car with Mukuro or Gokudera as the driver."
Yamamoto laughed.
"It isn't that bad."
Tsuna gave him an incredulous look.
"Not that bad?! Gokudera almost ran over an old lady today, cut through cars in traffic at a hundred miles per hour and then JUMPED over two cars by driving up a ramp THAT SOMEHOW MATERIALIZED OUT OF NOWHERE!"
Yamamoto blinked. "That's normal isn't it?"
Tsuna could only gape. His concentration was broken, however, when a blur attacked him from the side.
"Aiiya~ It's the cutie again! I missed you so much~!"
Tsuna took a moment to recognize her.
"Ah, Oregano right?"
She nodded energetically.
"How have you been doing?" Tsuna asked, smiling sheepishly, "I didn't recognize you at first. Wasn't your hair pink before?"
Oregano sighed, depressed. "See, I was trying to change my look a bit but then, as it turned out that big stupid tanned brute only bought be the temporary dye, the cheap ass, and now look at my hair! I'm back to plain old boring Oregano once again."
Tsuna laughed.
"You're hardly boring."
Oregano giggled. "You sure know how to make a lady happy!"
Just then, she seemed to notice Yamamoto standing beside Tsuna.
"Ah, good morning!"
Yamamoto returned the smile.
"Oh right!" Tsuna could clearly see the imaginary light bulb light over Oregano's head.
"Anyway, Cutie-pie, I advise you to get up to The Guardians' dressing room straight away. Something special is happening today." Oregano giggled and then sighed sadly, putting a comforting hand upon Tsuna's shoulder.
"Good luck, Cutie…" Oregano sniffled and wiped away a few tears that had gathered in her eyes.
"DON'T DIE!!! FOR MEEEEE!!!!" She suddenly bawled and ran away, leaving a trail of dust behind her.
Yamamoto and Tsuna stood there for quite a long time, just staring blankly as the dust and bypassing ladies' skirts finally settled down in the wake of Oregano's quick and emotional departure.
Tsuna felt a chill crawl up his spine as Oregano's words finally registered in his brain.
Crap.
He began to dash madly toward the entrance to the building, but just as he saw Gokudera and the rest of The Guardians enter, metal suddenly shot down outside the revolving doors leading into the building, effectively trapping Tsuna and the Guardians in there.
"What the-?!" Gokudera exclaimed, already pulling out dynamite from somewhere under his clothes.
The intercom suddenly crackled to life.
"Today is the beginning of the training session for all pending managers. As according to tradition, this day was chosen at random and was meant to be unexpected. All idols and celebrities present that were merely told to come here today to make everything seem normal are to be sent out of the building to continue their schedules as per usual. For the week that your managers are kept in here, replacement managers will be provided. Now good-bye."
Tsuna stood gaping.
What bluntness…AND WAS THAT A BABY'S VOICE?!
"SHIT!" Tsuna heard Gokudera scream. "THE TENTH'S NOT FRIKIN READY YET! DAMN IT! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!"
Mukuro laughed, obviously amused. "Kufufufu….this will be interesting."
Ryohei began screaming, "GOOD LUCK SAWADA, WHAT AN EXTREME EVENT!"
Lambo started shaking his head. "Good luck…" Raising his hand, Lambo gave a mournful wave, as if to someone already dead.
Oi! I'm not dead YET!
Yamamoto, in his typical fashion, started chuckling. "Maa, so lucky Tsuna! You get to participate in such a fun game!"
What part of it is FUN?!
"I will not accept this!" Gokudera screamed, "I WILL NOT- AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Suddenly, trap doors sprang open beneath the feet of the members of The Guardians, and Tsuna could only watch in horror as they disappeared down into the floor and out of sight.
The last thing that Tsuna saw before he was left alone in a suddenly seemingly deserted building was Mukuro giving him a little mockingly pitying smirk and a little curt wave before disappearing.
Why me?
He turned his face upwards, towards the ceiling. "Why?" He asked aloud, inwardly crying, "Why me?"
Suddenly, Tsuna spotted something glowing brilliantly blue against the gray of the ceiling.
Tsuna tilted his head. "What's that?"
As the object came closer and closer, Tsuna realized too late that it was not just a light, but a human as a head, shoulders, legs, and arms came into view.
He also realized too late that he was right below the boy as well.
"Cra-!" He made to move out of the way but the boy, with gravity on his side, crushed him before he could even twitch his fingers.
If this was a video game, that huge "OWNED" sign would have hit my head by now…
Well, a sign didn't come down but two Sais suddenly came down and bonked him on the head.
"Ow, ow, ow." The boy above him muttered, rubbing his head.
How can someone still not notice that they're sitting on someone at this point?
"Um…excuse me?"
"Huh?" The boy looked around for a few minutes before looking down.
"Oh! Sorry!"
The eccentric boy, who, now, on closer inspection, was probably already twenty years old like Tsuna himself, scrambled off of Tsuna.
"No problem." Tsuna straightened himself and smiled at the other. "I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi. You?"
The boy's eyes widened. "Sawada?" He breathed, sounding surprised.
"Eh…is there something wrong?"
"Huh?" The boy snapped out of the little daze he had went into. "Uh, no…"
"No, it can't possibly be right?" The boy thought, and then said aloud, "I'm Basil, nice to meet you."
Tsuna thought it strange that no last name was mentioned, but dismissed the fact.
"Anyway, do you have any idea what's happening?"
"Hm?" Basil closed his eyes and appeared to give some thought to it while Tsuna waited patiently, eyes gleaming bright with hope.
Basil's eyes suddenly snapped open. "AH!"
"Yes, yes? What?!" Tsuna exclaimed.
Perhaps he knows a way out?!
"I HAVE NO IDEA!" Basil cried.
Tsuna promptly threw his head at the ground.
Basil giggled. "Sorry. The truth is my master just told me to join this event for training."
M-master?! What world is this guy living in?
Tsuna must have looked devastated at that moment, and perhaps a bit freaked out as well because the next moment, Basil laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"It's ok. The Acrobaleno are hosting this event so it should be fine."
Tsuna's eyes snapped up.
What?! The Acrobaleno?! Isn't it that super elusive faction in Vongola Corporations with the youngest but most capable people in the company?
"Wait, Bas-"
Suddenly there was a whirring sound, and Tsuna and Basil watched as a small helicopter, as if made for the size of a baby, suddenly appeared above their heads.
"Hello!" A tiny baby voice resounded from the airplane.
A black blur suddenly jumped down from the tacky orange helicopter.
"Hmph!" The black blur let out a tiny grunt as it fell on the floor on one knee.
That black blur turned out to be a small personage dressed in a black suit with an equally black fedora with an orange stripe going around it. A small green chameleon rested on the brim of the hat. Hanging in the front of the baby's suit, where the tie should have been, hung a yellow pacifier that seemed too big for the baby's small frame.
Slowly, the baby raised its head.
"I am…" The baby smirked. "REBORN!"
And so the week began.
***
Tsuna had seen many things in his life, but nothing could have prepared himself for a talking baby that jumped down from a helicopter that looks like it was stolen from Toys R Us.
Thus, when the baby so confidently introduced itself as Reborn, all Tsuna could think of in the ensuing five minutes of silence was the following.
WHAT THE HELL?! A BABY?!
And then, two minutes into the silence.
Wait. Did he say Reborn?! Isn't that the guy who Bianchi likes?! The one who keeps rejecting her?! Impossible! He's just a baby! Wait… is this some kind of TV program that tricks poor unsuspecting NORMAL people? TELL ME IT IS!
…Well, it can also be that Bianchi likes another Reborn, but it's such an uncommon name…
Tsuna was promptly pulled back to reality when the baby suddenly kicked him in the head, sending him to the ground.
"What the-?!"
"Don't be rude. I was still introducing myself."
The baby's large jet-black eyes seemed to be laughing at him.
"Anyway, I am Reborn, and I am one of the Acrobaleno."
Say WHAT?! I knew the Acrobaleno were young, but BABIES?!
Suddenly, a gunshot was fired, and a bullet made a sizeable hole through the wall behind Tsuna. The bullet had missed Tsuna by a mere hair-breadth.
Shocked, Tsuna could only stare at the baby incredulously, or, more accurately, the smoking end of the gun it was holding.
"Don't look down on me." Reborn smirked. "I know what you were thinking."
It's sort of hard to NOT look down at you…
Tsuna looked at Reborn standing on the ground, and realized Reborn only came up to his calves.
Another bullet was fired.
"I heard that."
Tsuna cried inwardly.
I'm scared.
Reborn looked directly into Tsuna's eyes.
"I thought so."
Hi-hiiiii!
Reborn chuckled inwardly to himself. Heh. Cute.
"I guess I should explain all this," Reborn motioned to signify the whole event.
"Well, aside from this event being a tradition, we also decided to host it because we were bored."
JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE BORED?!
Reborn gave him a withering look.
Hi-HIIIIIII!!
"So we made a little bet. Of the seven Acrobaleno, whoever trains the managers the best wins the game."
Reborn gave a freaky smile.
"And I-do-not-like-to-lose." Reborn said, enunciating every word.
Tsuna's sob had escalated to blubbering deep within his mind.
"Therefore…" Reborn cocked his gun. "Get ready for one week of HELL."
Poor Inner Tsuna had already fainted.
***
It turns out that there were seven different teams of managers taking part in the event, and each team was made up of two managers, making a total of fourteen hoping-to-be-managers participating in total.
Basil and Tsuna apparently was one team, training under Reborn.
That made it better, except for the fact that…
"During the course of this week, at a specific point at every day the training sessions will start. For this team, we will meet here for the training sessions. You will be notified when this period is through the intercom. Otherwise, you just roam around the building trying to survive this week of hell." Reborn casually lectured.
"There will be food found in the building so all you have to do is find it."
Tsuna sighed, relieved.
At least we don't have to worry about food.
"Oh!" Reborn suddenly exclaimed. "That won't be too easy though- getting food I mean. I forgot to mention this. Basically, the aim of this game is to see who would last in the end- the team that lasts until the end will be named the best trained, and the Acrobaleno that trained them would win the bet. But, also, those who win will be guaranteed a high position in this company, and there are some pretty desperate and dangerous as well as competent people who applied to be managers this year."
Reborn gave Tsuna a look. "Well, of course, there are always exceptions."
HEY!
Reborn turned to Tsuna. "What? I DARE you to say what you just thought."
"Nevermind." Tsuna squeaked.
"So basically, you will probably have to fight people to survive this week. And since I'm training you, you better win. 'Cause if you don't, after your opponents beat the crap out of you, I'll come get you myself and riddle your sorry butts with holes. And if you get killed, I'll personally drag you back from hell and make hell seem like heaven."
Reborn smiled sweetly. "Okay?"
His face suddenly became dark. "I told you I hate to lose so if you lose a fight you KNOW what will happen."
"Trust me. You don't want to experience it."
Tsuna believed him wholeheartedly. But he couldn't fight, so how was he going to survive?
"Anyway, do not fear because I will be training you-"
The intercom suddenly crackled to life.
"NAP TIME!"
Reborn jumped up into the helicopter.
"It's already nap time so I guess I'll leave training until tomorrow. Don't die getting dinner!"
"Hey." Tsuna cried. "You can't do this!"
Snoring could be heard from the helicopter as it slowly whirred away towards the staircase.
He already fell asleep?!
"Hey! Hey!"
Just as Tsuna was about to chase it up the stairs though, he halted.
It wouldn't be safe to chase after it alone- the other managers, from what Reborn had said, seemed to be the type of people who would have no problems bashing his face into the ground.
It would be best to journey around with someone around the building.
Tsuna turned towards Basil.
"Hey, Basil, what are we going to do?"
Basil grinned. "Don't worry Sawada-dono! With me, you have nothing to fear!"
What age does this guy live in? Sawada-dono?!
For the first time, Tsuna observed Basil closely. Basil would, after all, be his only ally during this week. However, what he saw made Tsuna suddenly very disheartened.
Basil's build was similar to Tsuna's- they were both of slight frame- Basil was just a bit taller than Tsuna. Like Tsuna, he also had brown hair, but as opposed to Tsuna's dark chocolate brown hair, Basil's hair was more light sandy brown than anything else. Also, unlike Tsuna, Basil's hair was shoulder-length, and if not for the leather jacket and pants that Basil was wearing, Tsuna would have thought Basil a girl from a distance.
The only thing that gave Tsuna comfort was Basil's blue eyes- it seemed to exude a strength that belied his appearance.
That, and of course, the shiny Sais that had dropped with Basil from before- those would certainly prove useful.
Basil smiled understandingly.
"I know I may not look like much, but trust me. I'm strong. I can protect you, Sawada-dono."
Basil squeezed Tsuna's hand gently.
"Shall we get dinner now? I'm hungry." Basil grinned, tummy rumbling.
Tsuna laughed, his anxiety suddenly disappearing.
For some reason, he trusted Basil immediately.
Perhaps it was his intuition, or perhaps he simply felt Basil's confidence and strength through the reassuring grip on his hand. But whatever the reason, he suddenly felt as if he could trust Basil- somehow, he seemed so familiar…
Had they met before?
So, smiling in that way that only Tsuna could, so full of sincerity and trust, Tsuna nodded his head.
"Yep! I'm hungry too."
Basil could only stare, slightly stunned by the smile. No one had ever smiled at him like that before except...
When there was no reply, Tsuna tilted his head to the side.
"Basil? You okay?"
"Huh? Oh? Yea…." Basil laughed. "Let's go!"
Leading the way, Basil headed up the staircase.
"We shouldn't go to the cafeteria. Most likely, everyone will think of the same idea and go there. It's better if we find food elsewhere- hopefully the people who will clash there will eliminate some of our opponents for us."
"Okay." Tsuna paused. "But where should we go then?"
"I'm pretty sure the staff room should have something. It's relatively safe too, so let's go there first."
"Alright."
The pair slowly and quietly eased themselves along the hallways, making sure no one was around the corners before continuing on. Finally, after some careful maneuvering, they reached the staff room door.
Basil motioned for Tsuna to be quiet before warily opening the door, just in case there was an ambush waiting on the other side.
However, when the door finally eased open, what they saw sent goose bumps to the two boys standing at the door.
In the darkness of the staff room, there were two crimson eyes staring at them with hatred…and somehow, in the midst of the fear that suddenly struck Tsuna's heart, Tsuna heard Basil take a sharp intake of breath and utter one name with undeniable loathing.
"Xanxus."
*******
Oh my god. I can't believe I am finally updating this. It was a long time since I last updated, so I apologize for any choppiness in my writing, and I hoped you enjoyed it.
Anyhow, I will try to update more frequently, but I can't guarantee anything.
I hope you people keep reading! Please put up with this writer's selfishness for a while longer~