Springtime Trouble: Prelude

Fuuta came into the house and Mitsuru would rather he pay for his Food Expenses than do rankings for her. He is also subject to training so he can run away better and faster, and had to do shopping to buy not-too-baggy clothes. He had difficulty in running because his pants are baggy.

Reborn would beg to differ but hey, he can employ Fuuta if Mitsuru doesn't want to!

However, when Fuuta came...

The food is mostly...seafood. Healthy fish, cuttlefish, shellfish, seaweed...with vegetables. As for drinks, freshly-made fruit juices off a juicer. The juices change weekly for health benefits and desserts are made out of literally organic fruits. And cooked in a way Lambo wouldn't find 'gross' to look at. That, and he has no idea that Japanese eat seafood raw sometimes, and they're not telling him any day soon because he is trained not to be picky with food at a young age.

'Mitsuru-nee what are these?' Lambo squawked, seeing food he doesn't recognize.

'Oh, they're seafood, Lambo-chan.' said Mitsuru as they put food on the table. 'They're tasty and healthy, you'll like it.'

'Waaai!'

'Well, you children eat a lot, OK? You're growing kids after all!' said Nana cheerfully.

And so...

'Reborn, how do we send Fuuta to school without worrying about kidnappers on a daily basis?' Mitsuru asked Reborn. 'No kid would like being cooped up in a house all day not to mention mom will ask awkward questions as everyone and their grandma knows all kids must go to school.'

'Well, I put out a fake trail about Fuuta's whereabouts after we dealt with the Todd Family.' said Reborn. 'But I'll keep a lookout all the same. We'll check Namimori's security and Mafia Activity before we can send him to school.'

'Alright.'

'That, and a hair dye and a haircut, and eyeglasses.' Mitsuru quipped. 'And Fuuta, do a Ranking on Elementary Schools that has the most responsible teachers and no bullying. What's number one, is your school. Do it late at night so mom won't see furniture in disarray. Then Reborn will be your legal guardian in school and the one going to parent-related events.'

'Uhm, OK.' Fuuta nodded.

'Well, that's decided.' said Reborn. 'Lambo also goes to school but he's still in Kindergarten given his age. We'll have to be a speedy operation.'

With Vongola knowing Fuuta was under Mitsuru's protection, they had to make sure Namimori's 'clean', while through Reborn, get Rankings and of course, the Ranking Fee to pay the kid for his work.

And so, it begins.

This was not the last of their Springtime Issues.

xxx

There was a case of Dojo Yaburi in town.

However, it was no 'Yaburi' at all.

Its just a band of punks beating the crap out of everyone illegally, not by legally defeating everyone in a match.

Ryohei approached Mitsuru about the case, all the while being 'too close' that got her two boy friends ready to kill him but holding back.

So they beat the tar out of the punks, but Ryohei clearly learned nothing from Mitsuru's advice...that as much as Gokudera and Yamamoto didn't want to due to him being TOO touchy-feely, he was under Reborn's Combat Training as his body is already well-trained. He just lacked Combat Smarts...and common sense.

At this rate, he was the weakest among them. A big no as Sun Guardians are supposed to be the strongest element next to Cloud.

In Ranking Order even without Fuuta's power, the order was:

Physical Strength

1. Hibari
2. Mitsuru
3. Gokudera
4. Yamamoto
5. Ryohei

Combat Skill

1. Mitsuru
2. Hibari
3. Gokudera
4. Yamamoto
5. Ryohei

So yes, in that order.

And so Reborn also arranged a trip to Death Mountain on Spring Break.

'Death Mountain? Really?' Mitsuru twitched as they came here for Survival Training.

'Well, no ordinary human can survive camping here.' Reborn explained. 'Only those with special abilities and combat training can survive even a single day here. The goal is Free-Running Training using the terrain of this field. High-Ranking Agents train here with great results. We are at the area for beginners.'

'Beginners my ass, I'm going haywire here.' Mitsuru shuddered as her intuition is screaming.

'Well, as the boss, you are to set an example.' Reborn instructed. 'Let's start with Course 1, shall we?' he said. 'Boys, there is no room for hesitation. A moment is all it takes to dislocate a joint, break a bone and a crushed skull. 'Mitsuru, begin Beginner Free Training Course! Your job is to figure out ways to overcome this course, and show the boys!'

'Hai!'

'Now boys, your job is to watch.' Reborn instructed. 'Watch, and copy, but add your own manly flair to it. You're guys, not a girl. Mitsuru's body movements suit that of a girl. She will do moves only once! Pay attention! If you do it wrong, Mitsuru will catch you. However, if she catches you, that counts as an unnecessary injury! The one who gets the most injuries will get a penalty!'

Mitsuru began doing the courses and its their job to do their own thing.

The boys made a lot of mistakes!

And Reborn's Penalties gave Mitsuru ideas for her manga.

They were also taught survival skills. The Robinson Crusoe way as well as modern and much-more-efficient survival skills with just a knife and Reborn made sure that the lessons sink in.

Life in Death Mountain was difficult and very nasty and to think its just 'the beginner stage' alone that they really had to leave a good change of outfit for when they have to go back home! The clothes they brought with them are torn to shreds and their shoes no longer recognizable! That, and while Mitsuru is fully-aware of her shortcomings as a human being in regards to being able to fend for herself and acknowledged it and readily embraced mountain life, the boys who were too used to modern-life found themselves acting like they were on an alien planet, and Mitsuru had to be the leader as she should be to teach them what to do to survive.

Making shelter, gathering water, gathering food, killing and skinning for meat, watching out for poisonous creatures, what NOT to eat and what they could eat for protein, etc.

Cue squeamishness, but they all had no choice. Well, before modern life came, their ancestors before civilization happened had to do what they were doing just to have a full stomach and a safe place to sleep in.

That, and Ryohei should shut up or they attract another bear again!

Without Mitsuru's powers, it'll be hard to scare the bears away or the occasional constrictors, lions, wolves, foxes, wolverines, panthers...that the boys learned how to make their flames although it starts as sparks at first.

In this regard, Yamamoto and Hibari were the fastest to conjure flames. For Yamamoto, it was easy to conjure what's needed but Hibari was the opposite. The more irritated he was the stronger his powers were! It took time for Gokudera and Ryohei though.

Reborn's aim was to make the teenagers bond further as a group and learn to work together as a group.

Mitsuru's natural Sky Charisma plays a role.

Well, Skies are the Heart and Center of a Family after all. The Glue that holds them together. Without a Sky around, everyone else tends to do their own thing with interesting results...or argue with each other.

'Everyone's coming along nicely.' he mused. 'Now is the time for Hibari to join physical training...and I got just the thing. Heh.'

xxx

At home...

Hibari saw a package by his doorstep yet the gate of his house is locked!

-Hibari,

These are your training weights and follow
the Regime. Once you master these weights,
you'll get double. This is what the others do.
As the Cloud, it is your duty to be the most
powerful member of the family as its distant
protector.

-Reborn.

His were 100kg.

He read the notepad...

xxx

Around May, into their Sophomore Year...

Mitsuru woke at around 1:30 am, woken up by the arrival of a butterfly.

Coaxed by her intuition to get dressed, she snuck downstairs for a pair of shoes before going back up to her room, and opened her window to grab the butterfly, and she vanished.

Reappearing before her teacher.

'Shishou, you called?' Mitsuru asked him respectfully.

'Yes...' said Zelretch. 'I heard from the grapevine that you took in an interesting kid.'

'Yes. I thought if he couldn't control his powers, I'd recommend you as a teacher but he seems to have it down pat. Just that he has trouble following him in his wake. Accurate Rankings...do you foresee future troubles about Magi and Dead Apostles?'

'I'm hearing rumors but that'll happen soon, given the timeline.' said Zelretch. 'So I need to borrow the kid.'

'Hai. Oh, he charges though since its his livelihood.'

'Of course my dear.' Zelretch chuckled. 'He'll have to keep secrets too.'

'Of course.' Mitsuru nodded with a smile. 'Now, how do we smuggle him without Reborn seeing and knowing...he made himself his Legal Guardian after all...ooh I know, how about you visit and play the funny foreign grandpa card? Its easy that way, right?'

'Oho? Why say that?'

'Reborn somehow has this weird ability to communicate with bugs of all things, so he really has a huge-ass spy network.' said Mitsuru wryly. 'How he does it is beyond me as Flame Users can't be Magi...so being a funny grandpa asking questions is the only option.'

'Hu-humm...a natural flair for Entomancy even though he's no magus...' Zelretch looked thoughtful. 'And he's been an Arcobaleno for 24 years now.'

'24?!'

'Yes.' said Zelretch as he materialized images of seven people in adult forms. 'In history, the Arcobaleno of this generation is Luce of the Sky, Fon of Storm, Reborn of Sun, Colonello of Rain though its supposed to be Lal Mirch, Verde of Lightning, Skull of Cloud, and Viper of Mist. Luce was eight months pregnant when they were turned into Arcobaleno...and her daughter Aria is 24 this year. She temporarily turned into an adult just to give birth, then back to baby again.' Zelretch explained. 'She inherited the job from her mother as a child so by about six years more, she's toast.' he said.

'Is there a way to end the Arcobaleno System though...being babies for a couple decades would suck.' Mitsuru frowned.

'That indeed so...but there's a missing element.' said Zelretch. 'I collaborated with that ancient Alchemist but even he is at a loss as to what's missing.' he told her. 'We had the device down pat though.'

'Heee...but shishou, what is the danger you had foreseen?'

'The Aylesbury Valesti Ritual.' said Zelretch. 'Its a bid to revive The Dark Six. But that will consume the entire Earth's Mana and without it...'

'Final Fantasy VII's Midgar comes to mind.' Mitsuru concluded. 'On a grand scale. Humans can't live on Earth anymore if that were to be the case.' Zelretch nodded. 'So Fuuta's power is of a great help, moreso than any Divination Arts known from past to future.'

'Indeed. I'm just glad no magi and vampire knows of the Ranking Power.' said Zelretch. 'I need to see him immediately. I'll leave tomorrow so I can get there after school.'

'Alright. But please make sure Reborn won't get wind of this.'

'Heh, that young whipper-snapper has nothing on me!' Zelretch snorted. 'His over-forty is nothing to my over-900!'

xxx

But danger lurks at home...

'Lambo-chan, Fuu-chan, don't go to school for a couple days. Bad time.' Mitsuru instructed. 'Reborn, I feel sinister aura in the air. Mom, Fuuta and Lambo must absolutely not leave home. We'll be the bait and deal with it. To be sure, have Bianchi-san as another pair of eyes.'

'...alright.' and the two teens left for school.

'Mitsuru-sama, this...' Gokudera asked her worriedly.

'I don't know what's going on but I truly feel something terrible incoming.' said Mitsuru. 'I'd rather mom and the kids are safe at home with Reborn than out in different places.'

But on the way to school, they encountered a patrolling Hibari. 'Bird-brain, anything going on lately?' Mitsuru asked him. 'I feel something bad is afoot.'

'...many of my men are attacked.' said Hibari. 'Not only that, girls in martial arts clubs too.'

'What?!' Gokudera squawked out. 'Our school or everybody?'

'...specifically us and I don't like it.' said Hibari. 'Just now, that loudmouth was found this morning.'

'Ryohei, huh? Did he see who?' Mitsuru asked him.

'Boys wearing Kokuyo Uniforms. Be on the lookout and bite them to death if seen.' Hibari grunted before going to his patrols.

'Hey bird-brain!' Mitsuru called out. 'How about we put a show after school? If they know our faces, we'll lure them to us. Much easier that way, right?'

Hibari paused in his steps.

'He approves.' Mitsuru told Gokudera.

'Your ability sure is convenient.' Gokudera sighed.

'Well, not everything can be forewarned to me you know.' Mitsuru pointed out. 'Hyper Intuition has a sole weakness.'

'What is it?'

'Things that are of no issue and no threat keeps it quiet and matters of the heart.' said Mitsuru wistfully. 'Things like levels of emotions in a person, and emotion-fueled actions. Like how I didn't see Sasagawa-senpai kissing me back on Valentine's Day.' she pointed out, causing the bomber to twitch.

'I still can't believe he did that!' Gokudera growled irritably.

'I'm at a loss either.' Mitsuru giggled. 'I wonder why he did it. See where the Intuition failed me in? Then again, the heart is a mysterious force no power in the world can predict. Because of the heart, we do surprising things.'

'...'

'Well, let's visit him after school.'

'As long as he won't sneak another kiss again!'

'Hai hai!'