Katekyo Hitman Reborn
The Selkie's Secret
SakuraSamuraiGirl
Katekyo Hitman Reborn and its characters belong to Akira Amano
Chapter 21: Home
When Xanxus woke up days later, Tsunami was right there within his sight. Ready to lay down some ground rules.
Both Tsunami and Buiiro wanted to help Xanxus and Timeteo. Buiiro felt Tsunami was suited to help Xanxus to control his anger. Tsunami was becoming strong on her spiritual journey. He was very impressed that she tapped into her beads within days of receiving them. Buiiro was confident that Tsunami could handle the volatile young man within her own home.
Timeteo was touched by Tsunami and Buiiro's plan to help Xanxus. Since, the Varia was to be under supervision, receiving their punishment; Xanxus would stay with the Sawada. Buiiro stresses Tsunami's insistence to help Xanxus and being indebted to the girl, Timeteo agreed to leave Xanxus.
Xanxus had no choice. His guardians were sent away back to Italy. He had no connections in Japan. He was alone and had to depend on Tsunami.
Tsunami's guardians had very mixed individual feelings on this arrangement of the man that had every intention of killing Tsunami!
Hayato voiced his concerns strongly. To ensure that Tsunami stayed safe, Hayato used his cat form to stay in the household to make sure Xanxus didn't stab her in the back. Hayato kept his eyes on Xanxus. He stuck to Tsunami like glue, following her everywhere through the house! Those times were broken up when Nekomasa got bored and wanted a change of scenery. Nana knew Hayato was a cat. Her nose told her so and she knew of Nekomasa. Nekomasa and Nana were friends.
Takeshi had been surprised. He asked Tsunami if she was sure that she could handle Xanxus. Tsunami confirmed her decision to help Xanxus and the baseball was satisfied. For the first few days of Xanxus living with her, he visited everyday…even joining in on one of their sessions.
Ryohei thought it was extremely awesome! Ryohei had faith in Tsunami's strength. She had beaten Xanxus once, she could do it again!
Kyoya also share Ryohei's confidence of Tsunami's capability to handle the Varia leader. He also liked the idea of a potential opponent to challenge. Tsunami quickly shot that desire down and made sure to keep the two males far away from each other. That would later prove to be difficult…
Mukuro and Chrome didn't care about Xanxus' presence. Both Mists guardians were developing strong feelings for Tsunami and she was increasingly becoming their focus. Mukuro's feelings had been small until Chrome's own feelings influenced his to grow. Much to Mukuro's amusement, Tsunami paying attention to Xanxus had made Chrome a little jealous. Tsunami accepted Chrome's affection and was learning to return affection to Chrome. Their romance was just budding and wasn't has strongly established as with her other relationships. It makes Chrome take every opportunity to show how much Tsunami made her feel with gentle kisses and cuddling.
Xanxus is taken to the Tejinaka shrine for their meditation sessions. Xanxus had been very skeptical and the first few times he didn't participate. Instead, he just found a spot on the floor and took a nap as Tsunami did the meditating. Tsunami was patient but wasn't going to give up on Xanxus' spiritual healing.
It was on one morning, when Tsunami had enough of being refused.
"Xanxus, want to join me for meditation?"
"No."
Xanxus had his back to Tsunami while lying on his side. His head resting on fist he glares out to the outside. It was dark and the morning light of the early morning could barely be seen. Tsunami pouts. Hayato would be growling at Xanxus for his insolence, but lately, Hayato had been busy. Xanxus was still a jerk! He had light bandages all over his body. The side of his face that still had Tsunami's cut still needed to be covered with a bandage. Tsunami growls at his back.
"Growl and bark are you want trash! I'm not going to…"
Tsunami pounces on him! Becoming semi-animal, just her claws and animal strength was summoned. Claws and skin scrap against the polished wood floor. Tsunami yips in pain and snarls in challenge. Xanxus yells and curses. He promises he would be successful killing her this time!
The sun brings light into Namimori. School would be starting in an hour. Tsunami is sitting in Xanxus' lap like he was a living throne chair. Her paws were resting on his knees. Her head and back is against his chest. Xanxus is in a cross-legged position leaning back on his hands as he stares at the ceiling. Their hair was a mess. Their clothes stretched, torn and singed. Tsunami looks up while Xanxus looks down. After staring for a while, Tsunami snorts and giggles controllably. Xanxus' lips twitches, resisting the impulse to smile.
"Trash…only you would get in a wrestling match with me!"
"I won too!" Tsunami grins in glee.
"Brat…" he huffs.
Tsunami calms herself, breathing in through her nose and slowly blowing out of her mouth. She giggles in between breathes but they eventually run out. Tsunami feels for Xanxus' soul and she links up with it. Her breathing pattern continues until Xanxus' breathing starts matching hers.
Tsunami fights Xanxus into submission several times. Sometime she wins. Sometimes Xanxus wins. There were even some draws. But the fighting wears Xanxus out and leaves him open to some slight manipulation.
Tsunami was the only person who would pick a fight with Xanxus on the daily basis. Xanxus had to admit she was really a tough girl. The Sky Battle wasn't a fluke.
Tsunami, Xanxus and the children are watching TV. An evening show the children enjoyed was on. Xanxus was lying across the couch. He yawns loud and wide. Nana appears behind the couch and hands Xanxus a bottle of beer. He nods and even thanks Nana under his breath. The kids got use to Xanxus' presence fairly quickly. Tsunami made sure Lambo didn't bother the man. The phone rings from the end table. Tsunami repositions Lambo and Ipin from her lap and reaches over to answer the phone.
"Tsunami, I want to help Morgana," was Dino's words right after her greeting.
"Help? Is everything all right, Dino-nii-san? Is Morgana okay?"
Xanxus frowns, 'Who the hell is Morgana? A girlfriend of the damn Bronco?'
"Morgana is fine. But, I just want to make things right for her. She was kidnapped and taken away from her family. Her coat. I have to find it for her!"
"Dino-nii-san, please calm down."
Tsunami thinks for about a minute, "Dino-nii-san…can I call you back?"
Tsunami ends the call and dials a number.
"Yo!"
"Shini."
"What's up?"
"Is Yoyori-ji abroad? Where is he right now?"
Dino receives a text message back and there was a number and a name: Tejinaka, Yoyori.
Yoyori was in Italy. He traveled the world as a doctor and veterinarian, learning and studying medicine and health for both patients. He also traveled the world for his spiritual duties. As the world evolved, Yoyori thought it was best to learn new ways to interacting with dead from all sorts of cultures. But, his stay in Italy wasn't for his two main focuses of study. Yoyori had been curious about Reborn since he met him the summer on the cruise ship. Yoyori was aware that Reborn was a part off the mafia. He was well known by many members that he had spoken to. He offered his medical skills to the public as a private doctor. He also did volunteer work as a veterinarian.
Yoyori managed to sell himself to members of the mafia. With his super hearing, he could overhear the dealings of the mafia. He could also hear phone conversations of patients waiting on him. Yoyori was well learned and years and years of traveling around the world exposed him to many languages by immersing himself into the culture's environment. Yoyori latched onto Italian rather quickly. His slight "handicap" of Italian also lowered many his mafia patients' guards. He learned that Reborn was a hitman. The greatest hitman in the world feared by his enemies and awed by his allies and most of his peers. Reborn was a hitman who works part-time as a middle-schooler's tutor. He later learns that Reborn also tutored other children. One of those children was now a young man that had just contacted him.
Dino Chiavarone was actually Reborn's student before Yoyori's niece. Dino was requesting his assistance in helping a supernatural creature regain her property that was stolen from her by a human. Dino wanted to help this female desperately and readily offered to provide Yoyori transportation and finances for his help. Yoyori accepts for two reasons. One, Dino was referred to him by his most favorite niece. A request through his niece was like a request from her own lips. Like Buiiro, Yoyori loved Tsunami very much and could rarely say no to her. Second, Dino was Reborn's previous student he tutored. Reborn had tutored Dino for years, from around Tsunami's age. Reborn turned Dino into a proficient businessman enabling him to save his family business from its financial troubles. But, under that businessman persona, he was mafia. Why were all these mafia congregating around his niece?
Yoyori was flown across Italy on the Chiavarone's private jet and picked up from the airport by one of their employees. The man was clean-cut and friendly, he looked like a normal civilian. But, Yoyori could smell the gun-oil and gunpowder from his skin. The employee was definitely mafia; the Chiavarone were definitely a mafia familgia.
The doctor-priest was received by Romario, Dino's closest assistant, who takes him to Dino's office within his home. Dino had returned from businessman meeting in another part of Italy himself. Dino greets Yoyori eagerly and explains his relationship to the creature that was missing her property. Her name was Morgana and she was a selkie. When she was young, about thirteen-years old, her coat was stolen by a man named Tyr. Tyr took her away from her home up north down to Italy. He kept her to himself under false delusions of love. Tyr died and took the secret of Morgana's coat's whereabouts with him to the grave. Yoyori was disturbed by the cruelty of this man.
"Chiavarone-san, do you know where Tyr had lived and kept Morgana-san?"
Tyr's home hadn't been touched in years. It was a mansion on a good-size property. To enter, you had to open the tall dark iron gates with the bars tipped with points to pierce into the sky. The mansion had two wings that were two-stories. The center of the mansion was three-stories. It was made up of dark gray stones with the windows and doors trimmed in black. As soon as Yoyori, Dino and Romario stepped within the gate, Yoyori shuddered violently.
"Tyr is here."
"What?" Dino was shocked. "He's still alive?"
Yoyori shook his head, "No, but his spirit is here."
Yoyori carried with him his medical bag in his hand and over his shoulder was long, slim bag that was nearly as tall as him.
"Wait out here."
"What?" Dino gaped.
"…You would be of no help against a spirit this powerful. You would be in my way. You've asked for my help. Let me do my job…..may I ask you a question?"
"Sure?"
"If I find out where this selkie's coat is, would you really give it to her? You may sound like you want to help her, but, once you get your hands on it, would you give it to her?"
"Why wouldn't I?!"
"You sound like you're in love with the selkie. Be careful that you don't fall too deep that you make a wrong decision."
Dino sets his face firmly, "I WILL give her back her coat! She's my friend! She's suffered enough."
Yoyori searches Dino's soul. It didn't waver. Yoyori the abandoned mansion and felt the ominous feeling within. Yoyori pulses his Soul Wave. It spreads out through the mansion. He picks up the soul of Tyr's location.
Tyr's soul was located outside in the back, in the garden. There was a wide stream in the back. It was deep and lush with trees and hedges. It had now become wild and took natural shapes and forms. He sees a glowing figure standing in the garden with a sword at hand. It was the soul of a man, very tall, a long and rectangular nose that Yoyori had seen on most Italians. The priest-doctor joins Tyr in the middle in of the garden.
"Sword Emperor Tyr."
Tyr's ghost turns to him.
"I've come to challenge you."
Yoyori sets down his medicine bag and opens the long bag. He stretches out his arm and it grows long and dark fur covers it. With his elongated arm he pulls out a blade. The blade was as long as Yoyori, not including the hilt. Tyr observes the blade and didn't miss how Yoyori was able to pull the blade from his bag smoothly, without struggle.
"You've come to challenge my spirit?"
"I came for answers."
"Answers?"
"Yes, I was hired to find the coat you stole from a selkie you've forced to be your lover."
Tyr smiles; it was a gentle smile. He turns his gaze to the lake of his backyard garden.
"Ahhhh, my Squalo. My feisty little shark. She was a glorious find. She was beautiful for one so young. I loved her and spoiled her. I put her in the best of schools. Gave her the best of everything, even took her as my only student. I thought she appreciated what I did for her. I thought she had learned to love me…"
Tyr's calm face turns into an ugly twist, "Then that ungrateful girl pointed her blade at me! Whether she intended die or kill, it didn't matter. I lost my hand to that other creature. I wasn't going to lose her! That was my downfall. I loved her too much to kill her…and I think she knew that and that was how she killed me!"
Tyr raises the sword in his hand and points it at Yoyori.
"Squalo would never return to the sea! She will stay on land and continue my legacy!"
Yoyori narrows his eyes. Tyr was a selfish, cruel human being. Morgana was a fae-being taken from her home, away from her family and possibly caused the death of a family member. Yoyori holds his sword in both his hands in a ready stance. Tyr charges. Tyr was Morgana's teacher. His sword techniques influenced Morgana's aggressive and wild style. However, his attacks were slightly refined. His powerful swings and jabs were amplified by his spiritual powers. But Yoyori stayed cool and calm. Yoyori lunges forward, thrusting the sword out. Tyr was confident that he wouldn't be harmed by the earthly sword. He was insubstantial! Tyr moves forward and the sword pierces through his center. He gasps as he feels his soul weaken violently. He yells as he pulls away from the sword. If he had a body, it would be trembling. He felt like he had shrunk.
"What…did you do to me?!"
"You believed that because you're a ghost that no weapon can harm you. This sword was forged by people in my clan. It has been blessed by the god we serve, making it a holy weapon. Plus, it has my soul energy over the blade. You're a spirit of darkness. You've bound yourself to this earth instead of passing of because of your heart and your selfish desire to watch over Morgana's suffering for as long as she lives. Tonight, that ends. I will release your soul from these grounds and Morgana will be free when I learn of where you hid her coat."
"Never! NEVER! Morgana is mine!"
The mansion shook with Tyr's rage. Dino and Romario felt the shakes from the very foundation. Dino moved to run inside, but Romario stops in time and begs his boss to trust Yoyori to do his job.
Tyr's spiritual rage made Yoyori brace himself against the pressure. The surface of skin felt like it was being burned. Gritting his teeth, Yoyori's eyes become red as he expands his soul to shield against Tyr's energy. He guards against an attack to his side having sensed Tyr's soul. Yoyori swings the blade. Tyr tries to dodge but the blade's reach was great and he receives another soul-withering shock. There was panic in Tyr's face. Spirits and ghosts like Tyr believe to be untouchable in their ephemeral state of being. They don't realize that there were a few people in the world that are trained to combat beings like him. With that, it wasn't too hard to defeat a ghost, especially a still fresh new ghost. Yoyori's sword is surrounded by the blue energy of his soul. It flares up expanding over the blade several inches wide. Yoyori charges and Tyr floats up into the air to avoid Yoyori's attack. Yoyori follows him into the air with a great leap and slashes Tyr's soul in half! Tyr screams in horror. He loses his form and becomes a tiny red ball of fire.
Yoyori catches the ball in his hand before he lands onto the ground. Holding the soul, he observes it. Tyr was a dark person. Yoyori felt disgusted holding Tyr's soul. He stabs his sword into the ground and with his hand free he pulls out a silver thread. Unraveling the thread of the soul, he goes through a flash life of Tyr's life. The Varia under Tyr's leadership was a dark one. It was said that Tyr took some side missions outside of the Vongola family in secret. Unfortunately, the Vongola couldn't prove that they did. But there were cases of families that included women and children were killed by unknown assailants. He sees the lives of women and children slaughtered and Yoyori grows angry. His anger rises to quiet fury when he reached the point of Tyr's life when he had come upon Morgana. Morgana was only a young teenager. Her brother, Bram, tried to save his sister but Tyr's right-hand man shot her brother. She had no choice but to be taken by Tyr. Yoyori had to close his eyes and ears so he wouldn't witness Morgana being "lovingly" raped by the delusional man, who thought he was in love with her the very first night he brought her into his home. He stayed with her for week. The Tyr in the memories remembered Morgana's coat. He couldn't allow the chance of Morgana finding. He had reviewed the legends of the selkie people and the fault in the escape of the selkie was the selkie would find the coat by chance in a basement or attic. Tyr decided to take the coat out of Morgana's reach. Tyr took a trip on his yacht alone with her coat. He sailed out far, far out into the Mediterranean Sea and in a suitcase…was Morgana's coat. Along with it were several heavy blocks. Tyr dumped the suitcase into the sea.
"You bastard…" Yoyori growls lowly. "You've dumped her coat in a very good hiding place. A place that she couldn't return to the sea without it…"
Yoyori squeezes the soul tightly.
"...Whether I am here or there…Death always follows…Whether I am here or there…In death there are only two gates to go through…"
Yoyori bit his hand deeply. He holds out his hand and squeezes the blood out of his hand. The blood dribbles onto the ground. The blood makes a tiny pool.
"I am a Tejinaka. I am linked to the servants of Tzinacan, the bat god of life! I summon the gates of Hell!"
The tiny blood pool on the ground stretches out over the floor forming rectangles forming rectangle within each other. The blood congeals and becomes dark and hard. With a wave of Yoyori's hand the floor opens like double doors and slams open onto the floor. Within the doors was a swirling vortex of a flaming inferno! Yoyori feels Tyr's soul pricking against his hand.
"Afraid are you?" Yoyori holds Tyr's soul over the vortex. "You'll get used to it. You have all eternity. There are several levels…you can make your way out of it to reenter the circle of life again. But hopefully, none too soon…and if you get the chance at another life…may you be a better person."
Yoyori releases Tyr's soul and it falls through the gates. The gates snap shut and in a burst of flame disappear. Yoyori's arms return to normal as he rummages through his medical bag and pulls out a pen and small notepad. Dino rushes into the room followed by Romario. Both men look around. The smelled something that was burning but there was no signs of a fire. Nothing was burnt. Yoyori gains their attention when he rips a sheet of paper from the notepad. Going to Dino he shows the paper to him.
"Those are lat-long coordinates," Romario peers closely.
"You'll find Morgana's coat at this spot. You may want to hire some deep-sea divers."
Dino smiles, "I am so very grateful to you sire! Thank you! Thank you very much!"
Dino reaches for the note but Yoyori snatches it back, "Since you're so grateful, I have some questions."
Dino was stunned, "Questions?!"
"I have heard that Reborn was your tutor before he came to Japan to be my niece's tutor. I am aware that Reborn is a hitman. He is well known among the mafia. Then, with Reborn comes all sorts of characters that seem to be a part of the mafia. These things are more than coincidence, in my opinion. Why are all the mafia-based characters surrounding Tsunami? I have been in Italy for a while a few names have caught my attention…Futa, the diviner linked to a planet. Sometimes the child performs requests by this one big mafia family, the Vongola. Then there's young Gokudera, my temporary assistant twice so far, who is known as the Smoking Bomb among mafia and has done small odd jobs. He along with his sister, Bianchi…and then there is you. I know you're mafia, Chiavarone-san."
Dino swallows.
"Why are you mafia gathering around Tsunami? What does she have to do with you all?"
"…It's simple really, sir…It is as you say, Reborn is a hitman. But, Reborn enjoys teaching young people as a side job. He has me taught me to be a leader to a new generation. He taught me the skills and confidence to take care of my family and I've managed to save them from financial ruin. Reborn had decided to expand his teachings across the world and decided to start in Japan and chose your niece. Reborn likes to pick his students who are deemed completely hopeless or not worth anything…but Reborn manages to polish them and make them in treasures. Tsunami is probably the rarest treasure yet. Reborn and I look forward to the finish product of her."
Yoyori had a surprised looked on his face. Hearing Dino speak so highly of Tsunami, made a soft smile grow on his face.
"Is that so? Teaching is merely a hobby of Reborn's…well, I should be honored that he sees that Tsunami had potential. Thank you and please continue to watch over my niece."
"I am her big brother," Dino grins.
Yoyori hands the note to Dino. "I'm counting on you to give Morgana her coat."
Dino takes the note and nods firmly.
Morgana was doing paperwork in Xanxus' office alone. She growls at the piles of paperwork. Dino was supposed to be here helping her. Since that idiot made himself her personal babysitter. Not that she was missing him or anything. It only has been two weeks. She was glad that the young man wasn't tending to her, treating her like she was some kind of treasure. Morgana knew that her enchanted allure was what was making Dino believe that he was in love with her. Honestly, he didn't act this way when he had thought she was boy. Well, that was only half true. Though Dino believed that Morgana was a boy, he wouldn't leave her alone. He had this unexplainable need to be close to her and become her friend, despite hold cold and rude she was him and everyone. Dino wasn't in love her she keeps telling herself. It made her mad at herself that she keeps reminding herself that Dino wasn't in love with her. What did she care?!
The door creaks open and speak of the devil enters Dino. Dino smiles at Morgana. He opens his mouth to greet her but trips and fall. In his arms was a round box, held together by a large ribbon tied in a big bow. When Dino tripped into the room the box rolls across the office and bumps into the front of Xanxus' desk. Morgana sighs as she stood up and walks around the desk to the box. Picking up the box she sets it on the desk.
"What's this? An apology for abandoning me without telling me where you were going?" she snarls.
Dino groans as he struggles onto his knees. He had fallen flat on his face. He touches his nose to check for bleeding.
"….It's amazing that your face managed to stay pretty despite how many times you've fell on it throughout your life!"
"Morgana…."
"Shut up! It's Squalo, dammit! Don't call me Morgana!"
"But…but that's the name your mother gave you…"
"That me died years ago!"
Morgana rips into the box, cursing and snapping. By the time Dino was on his feet, the office is quiet. No more cursing. No more ripping and rustling of paper. Morgana was looking into the box with her hands clapped over her mouth. Her body was trembling all over. Eyes had become watery and glossy with tears. Slowly, she buries her hands into the box and pulls out her skin. It was silvery gray, just like her hair with dark spots speckled across. It still had its silky, soft shine. She pulls off the glove over her flesh hand and caresses her fingers through the coat.
"….where…how…" she was breathless.
"I asked a family member of Tsunami's clan to help find it. Turns out that Tyr had thrown your coat out in the sea."
Morgana clutches her skin to her chest and embraces it tightly. Dino was at Morgana's side and he puts his hands on her shoulders. He presses his cheek to Morgana's smiling softly.
"I'm going to take you home, Morgana."
"…Take me now."
Dino pulls away surprised. But, seeing Morgana's face, Dino nods.
Neither of them told anyone where they were going. It was Dino and Morgana who left the Varia headquarters. Even Romario wasn't informed. Dino takes Morgana to the closest beach possible that was several hours away by car.
The sun was nearly set, only a sliver of gold that was flickering across the water. It was autumn, the sea made the air colder than it further inland. The waves rolled and slapped against the beach. As soon as Dino stopped and parked over the sand, Morgana stepped out of the car and stripped all her clothes off. When she was completely nude and unclasps the prosthetic from her arm. She pulls her skin out of the car and touches it to her skin. Morgana releases a shuddering sigh as she feels it against her. Dino watches all of this quietly. Morgana senses his eyes on her and turns to him.
"…Will you come back?" Dino asks weakly while smiling.
Morgana steps directly in front of him. With her hand she reaches out to his cheek. She guides him forward as she meets him halfway and presses their lips together softly. It lasts for a minute.
"Thank you," was her reply.
She sits on the ground and slips her skin on. It molds over her body, changing her fluidly. In a blink of an eye, she was leopard seal. Her skin fit her like a glove, despite that she was a girl when she last wore her coat. It slipped over her body of woman perfect. Except for her flipper where her missing arm was. That flipper hung limp. Dino crouches before her animal form. He reaches out and strokes her head. The seal groans and presses her head against his hand. Morgana quickly lumbers over the beach. She barks when the waves crashed against her body. Like a mother, the waves wrap around her and caress her reminding them that this was their child! Their child of the sea has come back to them. They pull her in and Morgana disappears under the sea and foam.