ChApTeR nIne – Heading into the unknown
Disclaimer:
Dedicated to: Yuki and Hi7807 who both left such great reviews. Thank you.
Warnings: There is some swearing and gross things.
Greatness is a road leading towards the unknown
-Charles de Gaulle
Tsuna had a lot on his mind. All of which ranged from the disturbing teenager to his third initiation test which his grandfather loosely told him was a celebration with the mysterious Matsuoka clan members. "You're supposed to be resting" his grandfather said as he opened his eyes. Tsuna had sworn the man had fallen asleep beside him.
"Too anxious" Tsuna replied as he bit on his fingernails.
"About what exactly?" his grandfather asked as he slapped his hand away from his mouth. Tsuna gave him a look that translated to: Are you serious?
"About everything!" Tsuna huffed as he crossed his arms.
"Don't worry, you'll love them" his grandfather said. He knew that the man didn't want to speak of familial affairs in public.
"But would they love me?" Tsuna retorted and his grandfather just chuckled before closing his eyes.
"Of course they will. You're my grandson. What's there NOT to love?" he asked with an ease of confidence. Tsuna on the other hand, was not so sure.
"We'll see" Tsuna muttered and looked out the window before drifting off in a light slumber unknown to him, that his grandfather was far from asleep. In fact, he was watching Tsuna.
"You're still too naïve, dear grandson" he whispered and when he looked up, he smirked at the air host, the one who had threatened Tsuna, as he approached. Tsuna hadn't even seen the boy or recognized him.
"Once he gets up, he's going to hate you again" the boy said as he glanced at Tsuna's sleeping face. It was one of the hardest things he had to do for Soke-sama, which was threatening the heir of the clan.
"Hate is good for people like us, Kaito" his grandfather said before taking the offered phone from him. "It makes us stronger" he added.
"Of course, Soke-sama" Kaito said with a bow and Tsuna's grandfather smiled. "Do you think he will forgive you for forcing his decision?" he asked.
"He'll thank me for it one day" his grandfather said as he stood up. "Now, let the third test begin" he added.
He remembers the day he first meets his little sister. He's four years old, excited and happy as he walks beside his father. "Tsuna-kun, you're going to love her!" his father tells him as they walk to his Mama's hospital room. He hasn't seen his Mama for two days straight! He can't wait to see her! But more than that, he has a brand new baby sister now. His Papa as he likes to call him pushes the door open and when Tsuna sees his Mama, his eyes widen.
"Mama!" he shouts and before he can run to her, he stops all by himself at the sight of something squishy looking, in her arms.
"Tsuna-kun, come meet your little sister, Teruko-chan" his Mama whispers to him and Tsuna totters over to her side. He's careful this time, his excitement dialed down to just his eyes. The closer he gets, the squishy things looks even balder and pinker, waddled in white blankets.
"She's tiny" Tsuna says in awe. His Mama leans down to briefly kiss his forehead but unlike before, he doesn't focus on her. He's staring at the little person who is supposed to be his little sister.
"Well, what do you think about her?" his Papa asks and Tsuna looks up at him. He's standing on the other side of his Mama. Tsuna looks back down at Teruko who chooses that time to open her eyes. Blue is all he can see as the baby reaches out her chubby hand. He doesn't know why but he feels like she's calling for him and he responds, by placing his finger in her hand. Immediately, little fingers grasp his own. He looks at this squishy thing who keeps staring at him, and he doesn't know why, but he wants to protect her (even though he needs protecting as well).
"I love her" Tsuna whispers and Iemitsu as well as Nana are surprised when tears run down his face. His reaction is so strong for someone so young. "She's my little sister" he smiles and in that moment, he knew that he would do anything for her.
"Oi" someone shouted through the haze. Nudge. Nudge. Nudge. Tsuna groaned awake. He could feel something wet and cold all over his body. As his eyes blinked open, all he could see was a blurry white. His head was spinning as a shoe slightly kicked into his already bruised ribs. "Yer sleeping on my bed" the man said and Tsuna flew up from where he was lying down. It was hard cardboard on an even harder pavement. Well SHIT. Tsuna blinked at the man who had woken him up. He was what Tsuna knew was a vagrant. He wore dirty rags, with a black plastic bag on his head, thick matted clumps of what Tsuna assumed was hair fell on his shoulders, grubby fingers scratched against a crusty face. "Yer gonna get up, boy?" the man asked and Tsuna flinched when the ripe scent of human faeces and urine wafted in the air.
"Where am I?" Tsuna asked as he got up. The man took a long dry look his way before he sat down where Tsuna had been lying down.
"What yer mean?" he asked, scratching his head. Tsuna backed away when the man dug out lice from his head. UGH…..He turned as the man started to squeeze them between his fingernails. He looked down, what he now recognized was an alley way, where more beggars lined against the murky walls, the scent of food long expired hung in the air.
"That old bastard" Tsuna hissed. Of course. Of fucking course. (Sorry for swearing…no! He wasn't sorry!) Fuck his language. Fuck his grandfather, that fucking old…..he patted his pockets, searching for anything that would give him a clue as to where he was or even why was there, when he found a cell phone. It certainly wasn't his. It was one of those models he had seen on television, the ones his classmates all gossiped about, you know the one they all wanted their parents to buy for them. He swiped his finger across the touch screen and he watched with baited breath as it came to life. There wasn't any money on the phone, no way he could make a call, had no songs, no specialized wall screen except the one the phone company had issued, no special apps, nothing except one single video. Without any hesitance or choice, he clicked on it and his grandfather's masked face appeared. Of fucking…..course.
"You're probably in a state of panic, right now" was the first thing he said. Tsuna rolled his eyes. "You're also probably really angry with me" he said and Tsuna nodded his head, willing his anger away. "And that's good. You're going to need everything you can for the third test. Now, I'm betting you're confused" his grandfather continued. "First of all, when I said that the third test was a congratulatory celebration, I forgot to include that you're going to have to make it to Iga on your own. Right now, you're some miles away from Chubu Centrair International Airport. You should know also that the hamburger you ate on the plane was of course, drugged" he said and Tsuna kicked the wall in his fit of rage.
"Idiot" the vagrant said when Tsuna started to hop on his other foot, seeing as he had hurt his foot when he kicked the wall.
"Before you cause a fit, you should listen to the rest of what I have to say. Your survival depends on it" his grandfather said and Tsuna frowned. "As we speak, twenty other candidates are receiving the same message that you are. You're not the only one who wishes to become part of the Matsuoka clan. In fact, children whose parents serve under me, have woken up just as dazed as you are, in different positions around Chubu Airport, each in the situation that you are in. From here on out, this is no longer a test. This is a death race" his grandfather said, and Tsuna paused the video.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" he roared and the slumbering beggars lazily raised their heads to glare at him. He took some deep breaths before he clicked 'Play' again.
"Only fifteen of you will successfully finish this death race, and the losing five will be eliminated" his grandfather spoke and Tsuna could feel a headache forming. Why was it always death?! "Now you're wondering, what do you have to do in order to win? Well, it's simple. You must get from Chubu to Iga within the next two days. The last two to arrive in Iga, will be captured and brought to the mansion to wait further instruction. On the third day, you must make it to the Matsuoka clan house. BUT, there's a catch. Even if you do manage to find the clan house, in order to be given entry, you must obtain one of these" he said, holding up a simple red bandana. "And in order to get one of these, you'll have to find them" he pointed to the right and the camera turned to eighteen 'shinobi' who each wore kabuki masks as well. "The persons that fail to obtain one of these bandanas, will be captured for future elimination" he said as the camera zoomed back in on his kabuki mask. "Now that I've explained what the race is about, let's talk about your resources. Check inside the insole of your left shoe. Each of you twenty candidates are given exactly ¥ 5432.2000 which is precisely $50 US dollars. Use it wisely." His grandfather said.
"How the hell do I do that?" he muttered to himself as he took off his left shoe. He looked at the vagrant who was staring at him, no doubt listening to what was going on. "You know, they'll kill you if they know you're listening" he told him and the vagrant didn't seem too non plussed about that.
"Here" the vagrant said throwing him a knife. "Foun' it on yer" he added and Tsuna frowned but took up the knife immediately. He sliced through his insole itself and no doubt, there was the money in a vacuumed, clear plastic bag. How was it that he didn't even feel it inside there? Huh….
"The second resource you're given is a single Swiss Army knife. This will be your life source, even more than the money. Use it discreetly" his grandfather explained. Tsuna looked at the knife and tucked it in his pocket. The vagrant snorted.
"What?" Tsuna asked and the vagrant just waved him off before lying back down on the cardboard.
"The final tool that we bestowed on you candidates is a single map. Check under the cardboard that you woke up on, and it should be there with specific locations circled. You should know that it's Chubu Centrair International Airport and your next meet up point: Ueno Castle" his grandfather said. The vagrant who had already heard everything, shoved his hand under the cardboard and held it in the air. Tsuna thanked him and took it. "Now that we have that covered. Let's go onto the final portion of this race: the rules. Firstly, you will not place our clan name in jeopardy, by drawing attention to yourself during this test. If you breach this rule, you will be killed on sight, no exceptions" his grandfather said, and he had an inkling that it was directed at him. "The second rule: all candidates are not allowed to run from this test. If you run, you will be killed on sight" he annotated. "The third and final rule that you all MUST follow is this: you're not allowed to kill your fellow candidates AT ALL. If you're seen to have disregarded our rules, then you will be killed on sight" his grandfather said and Tsuna sighed. "That is it for now. Arrive at your first destination and you'll receive another video with more instructions. May Kami look after you all, and safe travels" he said and then the camera zoomed out a little so he could add "At the end of this transmission, a virus will erase all the memory on this phone" Before Tsuna could even register what that meant, the phone blacked out.
"Yer' in deep shit" the man said as Tsuna kept staring at the blank phone, with one shoe in his hand. "Yer not gona'las" he added. Tsuna slipped his shoe back onto his feet with the insole and placed the phone in his pocket with the knife. With the map tucked under his arm, he moved towards the homeless man.
"I have a little sister back home waiting for me so I have to be part of that winning fifteen" Tsuna said as he took out around one (1) Us dollar in Yen before holding it out towards the vagrant.
"Yer serious?" the man asked with a sceptical look on his face as Tsuna gently placed the money in his outstretched hand.
"My mom may be a lot things, but she always taught me manners" Tsuna said and the man shook his head as he pocketed the money.
"Yer know, yer' might be breaking one of dem rules" the vagrant said as he leaned against the wall behind him.
"By helping you? I don't think so" Tsuna said as he took the map from under his arm and looked out at the southern end of the alley. "See ya later" he added and with a quick smile, he started to walk.
"Wait!" the man shouted and Tsuna turned to him. "I kno' a guy who'll take yer fro' Tokoname to Yokkaichi fer half th' price" he added as he stood up.
"They might kill you" Tsuna said but the man just smirked, all the front row of teeth were black with cavities.
"From helping yer? I don't think so" the man chuckled before walking past him. "Tak' that road ther', go straight until yer get to a bar called Red Rose, ask for Big Aoi. Tell her Jin sen'yer" he said, pointing to a rather shady looking road, the one which was vacant compared to the others. "I mus' warn yer 'hough. Big Aoi don' help anyon' fo'free. So yer gonna hav'to mak' a trade" he added.
"A trade? Like what?" Tsuna asked and 'Jin' as he assumed the man's name, shook his head.
"It'll depen" Jin said and Tsuna frowned. "After yer trade with her, yer will ge'info on Ryo" he added and walked back to his cardboard.
"Why are you helping me?" Tsuna asked as the man laid back down.
"Don'ge'too emotion'l" the man said glancing at him before he closed his eyes. "Money runs the world kid. Don' forge' it" he added. Tsuna smiled to himself and looked at the road before him. It was now or never. "One piece o'advice kid. Keep checkin' yer time. It might help" he said and Tsuna nodded.
"Thanks, Jin-san. For everything!" Tsuna said and crossed the street. He took out the knife and sure enough, there was a tiny watch on it. "Keep track of my time. That's pretty sound advice" he added to himself, and feeling more confident than before, he walked up the street, hoping to meet with Big Aoi.
"You're not one to help anyone" the person said, as he slipped from the shadows in order to address the homeless man. Jin chuckled.
"You here to kill me, Kaito?" Jin asked and the boy who now wore googles over his eyes, looked down at him.
"You know I can't" Kaito said, throwing him a parcel. Jin caught it before it could reach his chest. "Soke-sama said that you're going to have to take part in this as well" he added and Jin frowned.
"Damn and I was on vacation too" Jin yawned as he plopped the dentures from his mouth, revealing perfect, pearly white teeth.
"Why did you help Tsunayoshi-sama?" Kaito asked as Jin took out a napkin to wipe his face. It was not make up, but real grime.
"Out of all the twenty, the kid is at a disadvantage. I thought I might make things interesting and level the playing field. Why else would you AND Soke-sama dump him right on my vacation spot?" Jin smirked and Kaito seemed to sneer at him from behind his mask.
"You're disgusting" Kaito said but Jin shrugged before they both left the alley. One left to trail Tsuna, the other to report to their Soke.
A/N: Just to clarify things
1) Firstly, the route Tsuna is going to take for this test aka death race (hehehe) is : the area around Chubu Centrair International Airport where Tsuna woke up (I just googled the place. I have not been to Japan nor do I have in depth knowledge about this particular place so please use your imagination in case you want to know exactly where) to Iga.
To get to Iga, he's going to get a ride to Yokkaichi from Tokoname. Tokoname to the airport is like seven minutes. It isn't that far.
From Yokkaichi he's going to have to take a train to Iga, but more specifically to Ueno Castle.
2) Even though these are real places in Japan, they have been twisted by me, the author to accommodate all the details I've written.
I've also used US dollars because I hardly know anything about yen. The money that was referenced, was something I researched. So if it's slightly wrong...forgive me.
3) Due to some reviews (not this story but my other stories which I have deleted), I've decided to include this little tidbit from now on :
THIS IS AN AU...I REPEAT THIS IS A FKING AU. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RESEARCH IT.
Once you know that, then you don't have to point out stupid things like : Oooh, this would never happen or she/he would never do this...BLAH.
Peeps, I love you guys and I welcome your thoughts, but come on. Don't be a douche. No one likes a douche. Don't waste your time writing something I and everyone else already knows.
This is fan fiction. Read between the lines.
The questions that was raised in the reviews will be answered in the next chapter.
Thank you to everyone else, and excuse my little rant. Even when they're just faceless blobs on the internet, some people can really tick you off.