Reborn couldn't be found, which allowed Tsuna to calm down and return to his work. There were a thousand things needing to be done to finalize his return to power. The Sawada members attending Don Girarde needed to be rounded up and installed underground. The Sawada members in Las Vegas were already on planes, according to the CEDEF members with them, Basil specifically. They would all arrive within the next hour, mostly on their own.
He talked to a dozen Bosses personally, most of which were already en route by plane, train, and armored SUV. The caterers had already arrived and a combination of Haru, Hana, and Nana were directing the chaos. Then Hibari checked in to request a sparring match to "check for cavities", which made Tsuna's office audience chuckle. After all, to most of them, Tsuna was still a feeble old Papa. No one had really seen him fight in years, so they thought Hibari wanted to spar for Tsuna's sake rather than himself.
They politely silenced themselves when Tsuna suggested an exhibition match. If his own Family underestimated him, then he would definitely need to show his fighting trim to his fellow Mafiosi.
Once Hibari left, he turned his attention to the armory that was currently empty. A large amount of legal sales would be noticed, so he needed a serious supplier.
"Chin, what's the number of your arms dealer? I don't want to bother Giannini with basic supplies and all my old dealers are either dead or in jail."
"Eh?!" He spluttered from his standing position along the wall between Hotaru and Sakura. "Sure, I can introduce you, but how will you pay him? Our accounts were already overextended to pay for everyone's Christmas bonuses."
Tsuna raised an eyebrow. The bulk of his bakery profits had been going into the Family accounts. Was it possible that Hotaru and Chin had never considered why he had been willing to be so charitable? It hadn't been because they'd overseen the remodeling, considering their 'upgrades' created a power bill that drained up most of the profits.
"Pandora," he absently called out. "Dial Don Giotto Bank and put it on speaker."
"We have a bank?" Hotaru's jaw dropped alongside her husband's.
The phone on Tsuna's desk erupted with a perky female voice, "Thank you for calling the International Bank of Don Giotto, Italian Branch. How may I help you?"
"Janine, is that you? This is Tsunayoshi Sawada," Tsuna said, ignoring his audience for the moment.
"Tsunayoshi!" Her voice took on a noticeably warm tone. "Is that really you? Congratulations on the takeover."
"Thanks, but I'm not making a social call today, Janine. I need the combined balance for some of my accounts."
"Aww," she pouted. "Okay, but you owe me dinner."
"Business before pleasure," he scolded in amusement.
"Which accounts do you need?"
"Let me think. Combine Vongola the Tenth, Papa Maverick, Van Wolfe, and Lazarus Timberson. Actually, add in the balance for the Sir Yoshi von Gola, Black X, and Mr. Orange, too."
"Alright. Give me the security codes one at a time, starting with your personal identification code." Tsuna gave her a series of incredibly long alpha-numeric codes from memory and waited a few moments while she pulled up the files.
Then she told him his account balance.
"P-Papa," Chin gasped as Hotaru latched onto his arm for support. "When did you become a billionaire?"
Tsuna glanced up at him and asked, "Who said I ever stopped? There was a time I couldn't touch my accounts, but the money didn't go anywhere. The only money Hotaru inherited when I died was the Official Vongola Treasury account."
"Why didn't she get the rest of the accounts?" Chin asked.
"Because I wasn't dead and she didn't need it." Tsuna gave him a look telling him that he'd asked a stupid question, then went back to his work. "Janine, I'm afraid I'm going to make you work today. I'm having Pandora send you a list of the mother-support accounts. The ones with a star next to it needs to be left alone since they're still alive. The rest needs to be consolidated into my Vongola account."
"Your private treasury or your personal checking account?"
"My personal checking," he replied. "And please make certain Gokudera is still authorized to use both the official and private Vongola treasury accounts. After that, I need all the accounts I gave you earlier consolidated under my treasury account. I also need all my other accounts, excluding my private ODE account and the mother-support accounts, transferred into an R&D account with access available to Vongola the Eleventh. And I'll need the balance for that. You can round it off."
"The balance will be about one point one billion American dollars," she said.
Tsuna glanced up at his heirs. "There's your space station budget."
"Do you need anything else, Tsunayoshi?" Janine asked.
"I'd take a kiss, but I'll have to wait until we have dinner," he said. Janine giggled like a schoolgirl until Tsuna said his farewells and hung up.
He didn't dare to look up at his family, knowing they'd only tease him for the flirting. Instead, he focused on his work.
According to Pandora, Finn had created a wonderful underground infirmary for them to use, but the transferred supplies from the American base would only cover a quarter of the potential residents—the American members and the American students, the Italian students, plus Tonno's Family, Hotaru's Family, his own Family, and everyone else he might have forgotten.
He certainly needed more supplies and that went for more than medical supplies. They needed everything from helicopters down to toilet-paper for the bathrooms, because he refused to downsize his Family.
….His really, really big Family.
The thought made his chest soar with joy while he continued shuffling paperwork. A basket of muffins needed to be sent to his neighbors. He needed Yamamoto to schedule a few interviews so he could clarify the reasons for his takeover and create buzz about the space station. They could never get enough good publicity. His bases around the world could stay sold since their designs were outdated, but he needed to get some representatives in position while new bases were built. The only exception would be Namimori.
A meaty hand slapped down onto the center of his desk, interrupting him from reaching for his phone. Tsuna looked up, surprised to see his audience had dwindled down to Chin, who was quietly sitting in a chair where he could watch over Tsuna's shoulder with ease, and Xanxus, who lounged across Tsuna's couch for a nap. That was not including Ore and the rest of the Orange Dragons that filled the bulk of his office.
I really need to hire a secretary, he thought.
"You're not getting rid of us," Charlie said as Ore pulled his hand back. They'd all dressed carefully, though their chosen outfits made Tsuna nostalgic for his life as innocent Suoh. In particular, Charlie wore his father's camouflage jacket, making it very hard for Tsuna to keep from smiling.
He buried his desire to be friendly, knowing he needed to cut ties with them. The usual arguments flashed through Tsuna's mind, only to be answered by his faith in his friends. They wouldn't abandon him without a good reason, something more than 'it's dangerous' or 'you have Las Vegas to worry about'. After all, they'd already uprooted themselves once to follow him. If they weren't willing to stay behind, he couldn't make them.
"It will be different here," he warned. "I can't promise to keep you together the way Chin did. As a matter of fact, I can assure you that the Orange Dragons would be disbanded and none of you would be able to lead a team for a minimum of five years. Charlie, you would go to Gokudera's team. Gigi, I'd want you to help Yamamoto. Ore, you and Ollie would go to Ryohei. Leo and Eric would go to Lambo's team. And I can't begin to tell you where Mike, Veronica, and the rest will end up. Also, you should know that I'll be Vongola the Tenth. Not Papa. Not Lazarus. Not Suoh. And not your friend. I'll be your Boss and you would be my subordinates. If you screw up, I can't play favorites. If you do something wrong, you'll get a warning. If you repeat your mistakes or betray me, you'll get punished. And if you force my hand, I'll have to kill you."
Their faces grew pale. Tsuna raised his hand, commanding silence before anyone could speak. "Take your time and really think about it. Ask yourself why you would want to become one of my dogs and think about whether you could truly stomach having to lick my feet. Because that's what it would take to stay here. If you don't believe me, I can call in one of my subordinates to prove it." He smiled, trying to lighten the heavy mood created by his words, though it didn't make much of an effect. His friends, including his step-son, stared at him as if he were a stranger. "There's no rush. For now, go enjoy the party. I'll join y-"
"Do it." Cassandra stepped out of Ore's shadow with her arms crossed. She looked angry and disgusted, probably believing he wasn't capable of treating someone so callously. Or maybe she believed no one would demean themselves in such a way. And such soft thinking would be true of his kids, but Tsuna knew how far he could push his subordinates. Gokudera wasn't the only fanatic in his arsenal.
"Very well," he replied. Reaching across his desk, he pushed a button to summon his bodyguards. The door flew open as they rushed to answer the call, but they calmed themselves when they saw Tsuna sitting calmly at his desk. "Derrik," he said. "Come here. Enrico can handle the door by himself for a moment."
Enrico went back to his post while Derrik walked forward with his head held high. He had no idea what to expect when Tsuna stood and walked around to lean against the front of his desk, but he was loyal. He would wait until he died from starvation if that's what Tsuna wanted.
"Get on all fours and lick the dirt off my shoes," he ordered, using a pointed look to gesture to his new shoes. Derrik blinked twice, understandably surprised, then dropped down to the floor and proceeded to prove to the Orange Dragons that joining the Vongola Family meant total submission. His friends' expression grew horrified as Derrik's used his tongue, but it wasn't enough. Tsuna could still see the disbelief in their hearts. They, like most of Tsuna's offspring, still didn't understand what it really meant for Tsuna to return to his throne.
"Derrik," Tsuna murmured. He wrapped his heart in ice and painted a mask of boredom over his face. Derrik looked up, trusting that there was a purpose behind anything Tsuna would ask of him.
"Crawl around to my chair, then pull down your pants and bend over my desk." Derrik's face burned red at the humiliation, but he crawled. When he made it around the desk to Tsuna's chair, he stood and began to unbelt his pants.
Tsuna held up a hand as a silent order to wait. Derrik froze like a rabbit before a hawk. Tsuna looked at his former friends, carefully absorbing their horror, their embarrassment, and their growing disgust.
It would be very easy to make that disgust turn to hatred. He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling, wondering whether it would be better that way. No, he decided rather quickly. Where it counted, he knew they loved him. They just needed to understand that the position of 'Vongola the Tenth' wasn't the same as the leader of a street gang. It wasn't even the same as a city-based Mafia Boss. Vongola the Tenth was a world-level Mafioso. He couldn't afford friends, afford to make exceptions, or afford less than absolute control.
"Would you like Derrik to show you some more?" Tsuna tilted his head back down and let his gaze sweep across the small crowd. He forced his lip to curl with distaste like a high-society brat asked to kiss a beggar. "I could use a good fuck," he said crudely. "Or maybe one of you would like to take his place?"
"Papa," Cassandra whispered. Her anger had disappeared, but she still didn't understand her position. "You wouldn't—"
"That's Vongola the Tenth to you," he said. "And I can, and would, do anything I damn well please. You think, because you've seen me break a few heads together and commit a few crimes, that you've seen me at my worst. Or maybe you think—"
"Enough," Xanxus interrupted. The Orange Dragons turned in unison to see Xanxus sitting up on Tsuna's couch, rubbing his forehead like he was trying to erase a memory. "I can't stand this shitty-ass drama. Tsuna, don't waste your time on this bullshit. I'll handle it while you go greet your guests. Pandora, as soon as he's gone, access Vongola Decimo's personnel file and display interrogation file zero-zero-one. Start from the beginning and keep going until they understand the difference that a few memories can make."
"I'll need Vongola Decimo's authorization for that," she said.
Tsuna clenched his eyes shut, unable to suppress the pang that came with foreknowledge, and softly nodded to give his permission. He waved for Derrik to follow, then walked out of his office with surprising calm. For a moment, before Derrik shut the door behind him, he heard a voice he could still recognize. It was the voice of the mole from the Wilde Family, whom Tsuna had tortured to get information about Jack, a former friend-turned-assassin. Tsuna could still recall how messy that particular interrogation had been, considering it'd been his first hands-on experience, and he pitied his friends for having to watch. But Xanxus was right. It was the best way to make them understand.
"Derrik," he mumbled to the man quietly following behind him. "I'm sorry I had to put you through that. They were looking down on Vongola, so I had to show them the difference between them and you."
"You don't have to apologize to me, sir," Derrik replied. "If you don't mind me saying so, I feel honored. You've never tested me before this, so I sometimes wondered whether you trusted me. You know, since you've never sent me on any serious missions."
"I never felt the need to test you," Tsuna replied. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and glanced back at his earnest-while bodyguard. "You work out in the gym for three hours every morning and two hours before bed. You train with Ryohei regularly and you strictly adhere to the diet Sakura prescribed for maximum strength. On your days off, you usually pick up your daughter from your ex-wife and take her ice skating for six hours, even though it makes the guys in the gym tease you about sequins and pirouettes. You have a goldfish named Bananas and a cat named PJ. And you like to have a nightcap of V Special with Lime before bed. Does that about cover it?"
"S-Sir?"
"I'm the one that feels honored," Tsuna said with a wide grin. "In another Family, you could be a top-ranking hitman with wealth, women, and the finest luxuries a Boss could offer. And don't try to tell me that you haven't received offers, because I know better. Yet, instead of going somewhere else where you could build a reputation and gain fame, you choose to protect my door—day in and day out, I rarely ask you to do anything else. And you want to know why? It's because, other than my Guardians, you are one of the few people who I could trust to fight with me against an enemy with the strength to penetrate so deeply into our defenses. You are, with absolutely no mockery, Vongola's strongest secret weapon."
Derrik's face glowed red and, next to him, Enrico raised his eyebrow in consideration for his newly assigned partner.
Satisfied that he'd successfully communicated his feelings, Tsuna started to head for the Reception Hall, but stopped again when he saw Gokudera coming to meet him.
"Boss," he said, "I was just coming to let you know that we're ready to start."
"Good. What do you need me to do?"
Trumpets announced Tsuna's entrance into the Reception Hall, but he didn't waste time waiting for everyone to look his way. He marched down the red carpet laid out for him, eager to get to the gold-wrought throne centered on a small, embellished dais in the middle of the room. Naturally, Gokudera followed at his right side.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming," he said as he stepped onto the raised dais and turned to face his guests. Without raising his voice, Tsuna's words echoed through the resulting silence, into the far corners of the Reception Hall. Every face was turned toward him—and the Flame on his head. And every breath was held in wait to witness Vongola the Tenth's legendary strength and wisdom.
Tsuna didn't meet their gazes. He put his full attention to pulling on the wrist of his gloves, ensuring they were on tight and ready for usage. When that was done, he fixed the cuffs of his sleeves, wanting to look his best in his new suit.
"I'm afraid we can't start the party just yet," he said as he smoothed down his black shirt and tie. He'd forgotten his jacket in his office and he'd skipped the traditional over-coat in the overcrowded room. Not that he needed it. "I'm aware that the revival of Vongola has awakened the ire of people who I will do the favor of not naming. Four assassination attempts in the past three hours have made that abundantly clear. However, I find all this sneaking around very tiresome. You're not very good at it."
A low murmur rose from the guests as everyone glanced around themselves for a traitor. No one was above suspicion, making the nearby gathering of Tsuna's children a little discomfited when they realized they were being treated like everyone else.
"However," Tsuna continued before anyone could get too riled up. "I'm in a very giving mood. Therefore, Hayato, I want you to tell everyone else to stand down. For the next five minutes, I will personally handle all attacks."
"Y-Yes, sir," Gokudera replied. He didn't look too happy, but he obeyed by joining the crowd with his watching wife and son.
Tsuna looked left and right, spreading his arms open in invitation. "Come," he taunted. "This is your best chance to succeed in your mission. Don't tell me that you've lost your nerve. I'll tell you what: if you attack in the next ten seconds, I won't interrogate you to find out who sent you. You can't ask for a more fair—"
It happened far too quickly for the guests to follow, though it was slow motion to him. A dagger flew at him from the right. With two fingers, he caught it out of the air and snapped it back toward its owner at double the speed. A man lunged for him from the front, back, and left side. The one in the front rammed into the bottom of his foot and stopped as if he'd hit a brick wall. Tsuna reached out for the one coming from the left side, wrapped his hand around the back of his neck, and used his own momentum to drive his face into the ground. With his free hand, he grabbed the remaining man coming from the rear by the hair and yanked hard enough to flip him through the air, over the throne, and down onto his back at Tsuna's feet
As the very first assassin realized there was a knife in his chest and fell, the second wave hit. This time, it was one man with a taser, two men with dart guns, and three with swordsmen. A finger flick sent the taser prongs back toward its wielder, making the assassin electrocute himself when he pushed the trigger. The dart-blowers were a little harder to deal with since they timed their attacks with the sword-wielders' attacks, but a little patience and careful dodging allowed him to find the right opening to return the darts to their owners.
Tsuna dived into the fray with the swordsmen. He jumped over a low sweep and darted into number one's guard to ram the base of his palm into the man's chin. He back-flipped over number two's attempted strike in his blind spot, then pinwheeled his legs to kick the fool in his temple. Using the momentum like a street-dancer, Tsuna spun back upright with the perfect positioning to catch the last swordsman's blade with one hand and slug him across the face with the other.
As that assassin skidded across the floor, Tsuna felt the onset of boredom. He looked left and right, hoping for more assassins to show themselves, though it appeared that he'd already driven fear into the rest. No one else joined the fray.
"Papa," Gillian called from where he knelt next to the first assassin. "H-He's dead."
Tsuna raised an eyebrow at him. Of course the assassin was dead. They were all dead. Only a fool would have left an assassin alive to make another attempt. Although, Tsuna knew it was the first time that most of his kids had seen him kill. They were likely being a little shocked by his ability, but they'd have to get over it... or they could cut ties with him.
Since Vongola the Tenth would accept either choice, as long as they didn't try to stand in his way, Tsuna sighed to himself, predicting that he'd remain bored for the next four and a half minutes, and leisurely settled into his throne to wait... and wait... and wait.
The guests grew tense as the seconds slowly passed. The few people who dared to speak—mostly guest Bosses and their direct subordinates—kept their conversations short and hushed. The only exception was the small commotion next to the huddle of Tsuna's kids. Tsuna smirked, not needing to look to know the cause. His Flame told him everything, though he wanted to wait a little longer before forcing the cause to reveal herself.
For now, he continued to wait. To keep his impatience from showing, he leisurely snapped his fingers. Gokudera immediately went to work, directing a squad of men into carrying away the corpses for disposal. Tsuna momentarily stopped the pair of Mafiosi with the first corpse, taking a moment to pull the dagger from the man's heart before letting them continue to head outside through the veranda doors in the men's parlor.
He had no intention to use the dagger. He simply played with it to pass the time by pressing the tip into the armrest of his throne and attempting to balance it like a toy top. For some reason, this had the effect of silencing even the most hardcore and confident Bosses. The guests closest to Tsuna even went so far as to hold their breaths, while those standing at the far walls stood on tip-toe to better see each of Tsuna's most innocuous actions.
"Hayato~" Tsuna abruptly called out, regaining his Storm Guardian's undivided attention. "Are the five minutes up?"
Gokudera glanced at his watch. "Ten seconds left, Boss."
"I see. Well, when the five minutes are up, please deal with the remaining assassins who were foolish enough to release killing intent in my presence. I'm feeling forgiving, so you can overlook the others."
"Yes, sir."
No one moved in the remaining ten seconds out of fear that they'd be wrongfully accused of being an escaping assassin. Most of the guests didn't see the moment Gokudera's hand moved from his pocket, although they heard the explosions over their heads. While all eyes tracked the fresh corpses that fell from the ceiling, Gokudera dived into the crowd, snatching up one of the assassin's fallen daggers on his way to coldly slash the throat of a tiny, plain man in a white suit. A few women standing nearby let out strangled cries as the man collapsed, until his jacket fell open to reveal a belt filled with dynamite. Then, like everyone else worthy enough to be invited to this particular party, they silenced themselves.
"Damn copycat." Gokudera spat on the assassin's corpse. He quickly returned to Tsuna's throne where he took his rightful place at Tsuna's right side. In the watching crowd, Sangia—beautiful as ever with her platinum, ankle-length hair—rolled her eyes at her husband. Tsuna couldn't really blame her. As he took his place next to Tsuna's throne, Gokudera's flushed, overly pleased expression could be easily mistaken as the byproduct of perverted masochism.
On the other hand, Gokudera's son, Elario, looked a little pale, even as he glared at Tsuna and raised his chin in challenge. Too naïve, Tsuna thought. Even though Elario was already a Mafioso, Tsuna was fairly certain he'd never—ever—seen his father get his hands dirty. And, apparently, he had no idea that Gokudera's complete loyalty was something pride-worthy, rather than something shameful.
"Hayato," Tsuna pouted. "I think your son is angry with me."
"Would you like me to correct his attitude?" Gokudera replied instantly. He even went so far as to reach into his jacket for dynamite, which instantly turned his son's anger into surprise and even a little fear.
"No, I don't think that will be necessary." This time, Tsuna stared directly at Elario, meeting his gaze and holding it until the young man truly understood who was in control.
"Lambo," Tsuna continued when Elario finally broke eye-contact, "Do you think you could do something about the mood? It's woefully quiet in here for a party."
Lambo—the same old Lambo with his shaggy hair, lazy eye, and raw-hide coat—stepped into the empty space in front of Tsuna's throne, reached into his coat, and... pulled out a pair of Maracas.
"They call me Limbo Lambo." His tone was dead serious, sending a wave of quiet snorts and surprised snickers through the nearest onlookers.
"I think it's too soon for that," Tsuna said. Lambo nodded and put the Maracas back into his coat. In their place, he pulled out a pair of nose-glasses and a cigar.
Tapping the cigar like he was doing stand-up comedy, he said, "How about we have a little pun?" The snickers turned into chuckles.
"Don't make me strangle you," Tsuna growled playfully. Lambo nodded, still keeping a serious demeanor, put the props back and pulled out a too-long, green rubber balloon.
Tsuna held up his hand to stop him before he tried to blow it up. "Wait. Just... wait. How many joke props and party tricks do you have in there?"
"A magician never reveals his secret, Decimo." Tsuna raised an eyebrow at him. Lambo opened up his coat again, glanced inside, and said, "I don't know. I haven't mastered Gokudera-aniki's hide-away technique, so I keep loosing stuff. Oh~! Here's something good."
"If you pull out a pair of rabbits and a top hat, I'm going to be upset," Tsuna warned.
"It's better than that," Lambo promised. Tsuna wanted to groan at the first flash of purple, but he decided to allow it. The current Lambo was strong enough to deal with any situation he might transport into. And, as much as Tsuna didn't want to admit it, he wouldn't mind a glimpse from the future.
If only...
If only, the combined force of Reborn and Finn hadn't decided to take that moment to drop-kick the poor Bovino before he could finish pulling out his Ten-Year-Bazooka, Tsuna might have actually gotten that glimpse. As it was, Tsuna could only smirk at the way Lambo was flattened beside their feet.
Finn pulled on the collar of his newest costume—a too-tight, pleather suit that covered him from neck to toe—and acted as if he'd merely walked through the front door. "Hello again, Decimo."
Next to him, Reborn snorted. "Is that going to be your catchphrase...? 'Hello, again'...?"
"No," Finn countered, "I have no need of a catchphrase. I'll leave silly catchphrases like 'Ciaossu' to you, dear Uncle."
"Don't underestimate the power of a catchphrase," Reborn replied, absently kicking Lambo to the side and out of their way. "Marketing affects more than you might think."
"I can't argue if you're that stubborn about it. Should we try this again, then?" Reborn and Finn both paused and turned their heads toward Tsuna with exact synchronicity, making Tsuna wonder if they'd practiced the timing.
"Ciaossu," they greeted. Tsuna's guests burst into applause as if it were a planned show, though Tsuna's intuition hinted that it was merely the Arcobelano pair's natural grace.
"I'm very happy to see the two of you," Tsuna said. He absently raised his hand to command silence. Half a second later, his voice was once again echoing into the far corners of the room. "But, is there some reason you decided to interrupt my Guardian's performance?"
"He was getting on my nerves," they said in perfect harmony. At that, even Tsuna was forced to let out a chuckle.
"In that case, why don't we return to the scheduled itinerary? Unless either of you have any objections...?" Reborn shrugged and Finn yawned. "Right," Tsuna said, mostly to himself since the pair were trying a little too hard to act uninterested. "Hayato," Tsuna continued, turning once more to his Right Hand. "What's next?"
"The reconfirmation of loyalty, Boss." Gokudera glowed with joy. Tsuna carefully kept himself from looking at his Right Hand, terrified to know exactly how much pleasure he received each time he was called upon.
"Ah. Very good." Tsuna straightened up a little in his throne and raised his voice. "I invite Basilicum of the Consulenza Esterna Della Famiglia to make himself apparent."
The crowd to Tsuna's left parted a little to allow Basil to emerge. The years had been kind to him. He'd gained inches in height, allowing him to look like an actual adult in his suit, though his limbs remained slightly too thin and delicate. It didn't help that his straight hair had been allowed to grow down to his shoulders, giving him the appearance of a host at a night club—though Tsuna pitied the fool that mistook Basil for one.
"Good evening, Vongola Decimo," Basil greeted with a formal bow. Flanking him, two newer members of CEDEF acted as escorts—one was the short and muscular Vanderhoff, the other was a tall and chubby stranger.
"Good evening, old friend," Tsuna warmly replied. "You have stood beside me during many hard times. I could fill up most of the night with tales of how you have sacrificed yourself to keep Vongola strong, though I would have to kill all those who listened. Since I know neither of us would want such meaningless deaths on our conscience, I will simply ask: Can I still count on the support and wisdom of the Consulenza Esterna Della Famiglia? And, more to the point, can I still count on you to act as my External Advisor and my Second-in-Command during times of crisis? Furthermore, will you help me choose my heir?"
The guests buzzed over the last question, putting a crooked smile on Basil's face. Tsuna kept his eyes locked on Basil's, though he watched out of his peripheral vision as his children reacted with dropped jaws and wide eyes. The assumption was that Chin and Hotaru had merely stepped down to the position of heir. However, Vongola the Tenth didn't like the way that made him look, since it made him look like he was only in power because a child willed it. He couldn't that sort of mistake go uncorrected.
"I'm not certain how much wisdom I could offer to a person so cunning," Basil replied, pitching his voice to quell the rising agitation in the room. "But my loyalty remains with CEDEF, my fealty remains with Vongola, and my friendship remains with you. This will not change, so long as your loyalty remains with Vongola, your fealty remains with CEDEF, and your friendship remains with me. Take what you will from that."
"I could not ask for more." Tsuna took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling a little bit of the burden lift from his shoulders. It wasn't a lot, and most of it returned when his Flame warned him that the Orange Dragons had slipped into the crowd, but it helped to know that Basil would be there for him. Basil had witnessed all his prior transgressions, so he would be the best choice as insurance to keep the past from being repeated.
"In return," Tsuna added, "Let me give an oath, for all to hear and you to witness, that I swear my life to Vongola. I give my heart to Vongola's ancestors, so I may understand the path they have walked. I give my soul to Vongola's Dying Will, so I can protect everything it was, is, and will be. And I pledge my body, my blood, and very breath to the men and women who have entrusted me with their lives. I will never again falter in my duty to my people nor will I bow before any enemy that threatens the peace of our lives. If I should knowingly betray that, may the Vendiche cut out my tongue and torment me in their darkest prison until the day my spirit is released from this world."
"I cannot accept that oath, Decimo," Basil immediately replied. "The Vongola Ring of the Sky has already claimed thee and everything that is yours, so oaths are meaningless and self-determined repercussions are pointless. Furthermore, thou shalt not fall, since it is not only your Dying Will that will protect Vongola. It is the Dying Will of every man and woman who will swear fidelity unto thee. Take heart, friend. You will never stand alone against any enemy. And should you feel in need of rest, every hand sworn to Vongola will reach out to hold you up. The Sky shall never fall, so long as Vongola is made of more than one man."
Tsuna burst out in quiet laughter, feeling the weight on his shoulders lighten until he felt like he could float. "Then," he said with a wide smile, "Please, come advise me on which hands to accept for such an important task."
Basil smiled and gave another, more relaxed bow in acceptance of the request. As his men faded into the crowd, Basil walked forward to take his place at Tsuna's left side, placing himself at a comfortable distance where whispered advice would be heard without actually stepping onto the throne's dais.
Satisfied that his second-in-command was assigned, Tsuna glanced up at his Right Hand.
Gokudera didn't need a verbal cue. He stepped around to kneel down before Tsuna's throne and he practically pounced when Tsuna held out his hand for the traditional kiss of submission. He was so earnest about it, though, that Tsuna let Gokudera have his moment. To encourage him, he even went so far as to reached out and affectionately ruffle the back of his Right Hand's hair.
Unfortunately, Gokudera's expression when he raised his head was worse than the blushing, perverted masochism from before. It was worse than the glow of satisfaction. Now, he had the expression of an innocent kid in a robot factory—he was so excited and so happy that his face had frozen into a mask of pure joy.
Tsuna had to cover his mouth with his free hand to keep from laughing at the poor man.
"Me next!" Yamamoto exclaimed. Tsuna didn't see what shadow he detached from, nor did he care. Yamamoto provided a much-needed distraction as Gokudera returned to his standing position beside Tsuna's throne.
Behind him, a line formed, creating a formal procession of men and women wanting to swear themselves to Vongola. Ryohei came forward after Yamamoto, followed by a Lambo, Shamal, and Bianchi. Then came Moretti the Murdered, Derrik the Gatekeeper, Strongest Nanny Lanchia, Hundred Smiles Frederick, and Numbers Yuuki. Though, they all cleared out of the way when Hibari walked down the red carpet to Tsuna's throne.
Tsuna continued to cover his mouth, rather than let Hibari see his smile.
"Sawada," he greeted.
"Hibari," Tsuna replied. "Will your pride keep you from doing what you know you must? Or do you intend to wait until I've defeated you in battle?"
"I won't kneel." He raised an eyebrow over Tsuna's audacity. However, before Tsuna could attempt to bring him into the fold with wordplay, Hibari raised up his hand to show off his Cloud Ring and added, "If I remember correctly, this is an all-access pass to Vongola."
"It is," Tsuna confirmed.
"I see." With no further ado, Hibari turned and headed through the crowd toward the Men's Parlor. Tsuna tried not to smile too much at his retreating back. It was true he hadn't knelt, but like Basil had phrased it, the Ring had already claimed him, so any oath he could make would be meaningless. It was enough that he didn't remove the ring from his hand.
"Next," Tsuna ordered, gesturing for Sakura to step forward.
There were several more interruptions as the procession continued. Mukuro created a stir when he, Ken, and Chikusa escorted Chrome forward to kiss the Vongola ring. Xanxus nearly trampled three people when he came forward on behalf of the Varia...and the Varia nearly slaughtered a dozen people when the chaste kiss caused the Flame on Tsuna's head to momentarily triple in size.
It didn't help that the next person in line was Haru. Tsuna pulled his hand away and took a moment to look into her eyes. She stared back at him with the flames of determination daring him to refuse her. Tsuna chuckled and let her do what she wanted, to the surprise of their speechless children.
After she stepped aside, next came Hana Sasagawa, Matsu Yamamoto, Yoshi Yamamoto the Maverick, and Sangia Gokudera. Elario Gokudera stepped up beside his mother, having already come to terms with the power of Vongola the Tenth.
Then came some of the lesser known Vongola—Edward Turney, Black Badge Takahashi and Mamma's Boy Frederick (not to be confused with Hundred Smiles Frederick). Gokudera's team members also took their turns—Cadenza, Fortissimo, Omaggio, Marcata, Fermata, Legato, Staccato, and Tremolo. Being a spy, Caesura would come to him in private.
The loyal members of Vongola Corporation, who had lost their jobs during Hotaru's reign, came forward. Tsuna took a moment to promise each that they'd return to power. Then came a few surprises in the form of Cheri, Aster, and Magnolia of the Duka Clan. All three wore simple suits and their Sanctuary masks, but Tsuna recognized them.
As Cheri knelt, Tsuna's hyper-intuition provided him an explanation for her presence.
"It's too peaceful down here," she grumbled at Badru, King of the Vampires.
His hyper-intuition continued as Aster, now tall, lithe, with long hair braided into a Van Wolfe tail, and tea-shades hiding his blue eyes, knelt down before him and leaned forward to kiss the Vongola ring.
"Thee will be my heir, little giraffe," Badru said with a wide smile. "Thy blood had gotten strong since I claimed thee, but thee still does not have confidence in the world above. Thee should go to little tiger and learn what he might teach. Do not be jealous of him. Little tiger is a treasure to me, but thou are my crown. Without thee, I am a powerless knave."
Then Magnolia took his place and Tsuna's hyper-intuition shouted.
"I want to see my family!"
"Magnolia," Tsuna whispered as she lifted her head from his ring.
Other than the reassurances to his former Corporate employees, it was the first words he'd spoken since the procession began. No matter how distracted his guests had gotten or how their attention had wandered, every ear heard his words and every face turned back toward him to better absorb his wisdom.
"Magnolia," he said. "I have kept silent, even though your part of the world went through such upheaval. There were times when I thought I would go mad, wishing I could utter even the smallest clue. Must I continue to keep your secret, or may I offer introductions?"
"Please, introduce me," she replied. "His Highness said it would be permitted. And he said I could stay here if you accepted me." Her shoulders shook with the effort to control herself, and Tsuna couldn't blame her. Tears formed in his own eyes at the thought of reuniting her with her family.
"Sangia-! Elario-!" He called out. As they stepped forward, Tsuna stood and grabbed his Right Hand's arm. He yanked him forward to stand with his family, then said to Magnolia, "This is Hayato Gokudera, Sangia Gokudera, and Elario Gokudera."
"H-Hello," Gokudera greeted on behalf of his wife and son. "B-Boss, who is-?"
Tsuna grinned and stepped behind Magnolia so he could watch Sangia's face as he reached around to slowly pulled off Magnolia's mask.
"OH~!" Sangia shouted in instant recognition. "Oh my god! You're supposed to be dead!" Magnolia grabbed Tsuna's wrist, fearing that she was about to be rejected, but she needn't have worried. Sangia hesitated only for a moment, before finally throwing her arms around her mother. Her expression was everything Tsuna could have wanted-though she didn't cry. Sangia wasn't the type to cry and Magnolia cried enough for both of them. Instead, over Magnolia's shoulder, she stared at Tsuna with wide eyes that asked how he'd done it.
Gokudera and Elario were simply confused, so Tsuna leaned over and explained, "Magnolia is Sangia's mother who was supposed to have been killed by an assassin contracted out by Sangia's father, the former Don Kuneri."
"The situation sounds familiar," Gokudera groaned.
"Yes, except your father actually love your mother and never would have contracted a hitman to kill her," Tsuna replied. "In Magnolia's case, she was meant to die, but the assassin took pity on her and gave her the option to transform into a vampire. That's why she looks so young."
"G-Great," Gokudera said in a lackluster tone. "It was bad enough that my sister-in-law was a Mafia Boss, but now I have to deal with a blood-sucking mother-in-law."
Tsuna chuckled, sympathizing with his pain. "Why don't you take Sangia, her mother, and Elario to one of the reception rooms for some privacy? There's still quite a few people needing to kiss my ring, so you won't miss anything."
And so it proved. Even after Tsuna assumed his throne and Yamamoto stepped up to temporarily protect Tsuna's right flank, the procession continued in relative tranquility. Someone had the intelligence to send waiters into the crowd with snacks and champagne, though none of it reached Tsuna. He was too busy making eye contact with each of his kneeling subordinates to ensure they knew he cared about their loyalty.
There was Giannini the Weapon's Tuner, Gears the mechanic, Dr. Ericka, Miss Theo Poppy, then came Mayor Leiha of Rehab Island with her escort of Antonio and Ferbie. The world renown Pianist Nichol with his sister Wayra. Then came the non-humans, Ginger, Tan, and Chopper. With him came Kiyoshi in his Jesse disguise, along with Houston, Andy, Jim, and Ray. And Tonno.
"Him," Basil whispered as Gokudera switched out with Yamamoto again.
"What?" Tsuna glanced over at Basil, then back at Tonno, then back at Basil while silence descended again. Then it hit him. "I see!" Twisting his hand around to hold Tonno's chin in his palm, he looked into his son's expressionless face and smiled. "You're right, Basil. The first time I chose, Hotaru was the only one with my Flame. But now it's different. We've rewound the clock and there's no reason Tonno shouldn't be considered a candidate for heir."
"Papa-!" Kiko yelped as the bulk of Tsuna's kids, excluding Gregory and Gillian, looked toward Hotaru.
Hotaru didn't look back. She was too busy being a fireball that sped past Chin's outstretched arms and screeched across the Reception hall toward Tsuna.
"Papa! You can't!" Hotaru stopped a foot away from Tsuna's face to collect her Flame into a solid body. The result, as Hotaru had been attempting to hide since the beginning of the party, was the hovering, five-year-old male form that he'd originally been born into. He was even wearing his original little suit with a baby bowtie. Tsuna's grin widened. Hotaru was too upset to remember that he'd reverted, so the hand propped on his little hip and his angrily pointed finger made him too adorable. Tsuna's hands shook from the effort it took to hold himself back from hugging the little tyke.
"I'm Vongola the Eleventh, Papa!" Hotaru's voice came out in a childish whine, forcing most of the guests to look away rather than laugh in his face. "I worked hard and I did my job. It's not fair if you give it to Tonno."
"Why?" Tsuna asked, cutting through Hotaru's tantrum. "You are going to Mars with Chin. God forbid you die during the trip, but it could happen. You could get stranded there. I could die and it might take weeks for the information to reach you. I pray I live for a hundred years and I see the day that the journey to Mars is nothing more than an overnight trip, but it's bad business to plan for the best. For now, while you and Chin focus on opening the route to other planets, it only makes sense that I need to train a successor capable of focusing his strength and wisdom on behalf of Earth's Vongola. It is even possible that I will decide it is in Vongola's best interests to keep you and Chin focused forward, by not distracting you with Vongola's day-to-day management. Therefore, Tonno and, yes, Ieyasu, you come here, too."
Ieyasu froze in place as every eye turned toward him. Beside him, his secret boyfriend Bernard, turned pale as the blood rushed out of his face. Thankfully, Ryohei stepped in to help by grabbing Ieyasu's arm and dragging him to the throne.
Tsuna took a moment to really look at the three young men who held the Sky Flame hidden within their bodies.
Tonno was technically the oldest and he looked nearly identical to Tsuna, even down to his black suit, and only his black hair gave him away. Tonno bore scars on the flesh hiding under his shirt, in his heart, and in his mind, but he'd grown strong since accepting Ray the scalawag into his life. Tonno was capable of learning from his mistakes and growing even stronger. His Flame of Wrath could be controlled. His only weakness was first contact with new people who didn't understand that he wasn't actually glaring at them.
Hotaru was the first child to be part of the Family. She was part Salamander, thanks to her "pretty-much-dead experience" prior to birth, which meant she would be ageless until the day she decided to join their ancestors beyond Limbo. Her form was mutable, giving her a decided edge in healing, disguising herself, and self-expression. Even as he watched, she realized that she'd turned into a baby. She puckered her lips in frustration and burst into Flame. When she reformed, she was once again a dark-haired, slender woman in a dress that left very little to the imagination. Her face and the style of her hair made Tsuna feel like he was looking in a mirror, though the expressions that flashed across her face made it clear that they were two different people.
Then there was Ieyasu, who looked rather discomfited to be included in such a high-caliber group. With his blond hair and square face, Ieyasu looked like he'd received more genes from Iemitsu than Tsuna, though Tsuna could see Kyoko in his eyes. Tsuna could wish that he'd also gotten Iemitsu's strength, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Ieyasu was a rather remarkable young man in his own circles, being both a highly paid restaurant critic and the manager of the tiny restaurant where his boyfriend worked as head chef. He took after Vongola the Fourth in many respects. He had a good head on his shoulders and he wasn't afraid to throw a few proverbial punches when it could lead to improvement. He had very few supporters beyond his siblings, but that could be fixed. With a little training and a lot of luck, Ieyasu had the qualities necessary to become a very fine Boss. And even if he wasn't chosen to become a Boss, it wouldn't hurt him to get stronger and gain more friends.
"Yes. You three will do rather nicely," Tsuna finally murmured. Glancing around at his guests, he added in a louder voice, "As of now, I proclaim that these three will be candidates to be Vongola the Eleventh. My successor will be chosen—"
"Wait!" Ieyasu finally shouted, bringing the growing excitement in the room to a crashing halt. "Dad, you can't do this. I..." He blushed. "I can't be Vongola the Eleventh. My Flame is all wrong and I'm weak and I get sick easy..." His blush deepened. "Dammit! I'm gay, okay?! I've been living with Bernard for three years now and I'm not giving him up!"
"You're gay," Tsuna repeated with deadly calm. Ieyasu's blush disappeared and his face turned slightly green. Tsuna knew exactly what he was thinking. He'd just realized that he'd just told his Papa—a man known for over-reacting when it came to his children—that he was seeing someone. "And you've been living with someone for three years...? Who is this man... this Bernard?"
"He... ah... He's... um..."
"I'm right here," Bernard said, stepping out of the crowd with surprising courage. After all, he'd already seen Tsuna kill someone, yet he still showed himself? Interesting. He even dared to approach Tsuna's throne to stand beside the now-silently-panicking Ieyasu. "Sir," he said, speaking directly to Tsuna. "I've never met you before today, but I've been friends with your kids for more than fifteen years. I've been in love with Ieyasu for most of that time and he's finally mine. I don't want to be disrespectful, but you're going to have to kill me before I'll let you take him away from me."
"You know I could actually kill you," Tsuna stated. "No one here would be able to save you."
"I know," he confirmed. "I've had fifteen years to think about it."
"Think some more," Tsuna advised. "Ieyasu is not as weak as he claims. I've seen the Sky Flame within him. With a little training, he will be able to stand up to any of his elder siblings. As for his relationship with you, I see no reason that his preferences should keep him from being a candidate. We now live in an era where the Family line can be continued using science, rather than sex. Besides, Tonno is a gay dandere and Hotaru is a shape-shifting hermaphrodite." Tsuna ignored the choking noises and embarrassed coughs from the people around him. "These things do not matter to me. Vongola will be led by the person who proves themselves the wisest, the strongest, and the most capable of protecting this Family."
Tsuna took a deep breath and stared at each of his candidates in turn, before adding, "That also means it might be none of you. It might be Chin. The blood of Vongola now runs through him. It might be Hotaru's daughter Memory, should she be of age to be considered before I die. And, I should not have to remind anyone that I am neither too old nor too infirm to continue fathering children for many years to come." A few blushes arose from that statement, but his point was made. "Reborn—"
"I'll take this one," Reborn said, appearing behind Ieyasu to lay his hands on the young man's shoulders. Tsuna smiled as Ieyasu shrieked a little in surprise over the sudden invasion of his personal space.
"I can take this one," Finn added, appearing beside Tonno. Finn didn't try to touch him—he didn't need physical contact to connect with Tonno. Instead, he matched him glare for glare, initiating a staring contest that continued even after Tsuna waved for his sons to be taken away by their new tutors.
"Hotaru—" Tsuna added, pointing for his son-turned-daughter to rejoin her husband. Once the area in front of his throne was emptied, he cleared his throat a little to ensure he still had everyone's attention, and said, "While we're on the topic, I'd like Lanchia to step forward."
Every eye turned to the farthest corner of the room and the crowd parted to give the tattooed man a clear path to Tsuna's throne. Tsuna gave him credit for not losing his wits. He calmly walked down the available pathway and knelt with both knees on the ground, then plowed his forehead into the floor.
"Considering you've already kissed my ring, I suppose that's the least you should do," Tsuna commented lazily. "How long have you been sleeping with my daughter, Lanchia?"
"I'm not apologizing, Boss," Lanchia blurted. "I'm asking for your blessing! I'd like to propose to Arianna, sir."
"Oh," Tsuna said. "In that case, go for it."
"Sir...?" Lanchia replied as he raised his head in confusion. "I thought..."
"What's the problem?" Tsuna grinned, taking quite a bit of pleasure from teasing his soon-to-be son-in-law. "I might seem like a tyrant when it comes to my children, but I've always had their best interests in mind. I could think of no one more worthy of my daughter than you, Lanchia. The question was always whether you believed yourself to be worthy. If you had closed your eyes and your heart out of guilt, I would have eviscerated you. Since you haven't... go, shoo. I believe Arianna plans to strangle you for me."
"Y-Yes, sir."
As Lanchia left to get strangled, Tsuna glanced over at the rest of his children. "Hell, might as well deal with all of it," he said. "Kaida, come here. Bring your family with you." Tsuna could hear her quiet groan, but she obeyed by stepping out of the crowd and dragging along her somewhat burly and unshaven husband, who was holding their surprisingly big son.
"Papa." For a moment, Tsuna was struck by how much she looked like her mother. She had Haru's hair and her eyes and her nose. If only she hadn't gotten Tsuna's mouth and chin, she could have been mistaken for a twin sister. "This is my husband, Honey, and our son," she introduced.
"What is your son's name?" Tsuna asked with a smile for the way the toddler began waving at all of Tsuna's guests.
"That's... ah... um... well..." Tsuna raised an eyebrow at his daughter. Why did they all stammer in the exact same way when they thought he wasn't going to like what they had to say?
"We named him Moonshine," Honey carelessly said as he tugged the collar of his newly acquired gray business suit.
"M-Moonshine," Tsuna repeated. "You named my grandson 'Moonshine'?"
"Honey was raised by bears," Kaida blurted. "We named him Moonshine after the glow of the moon, not the other thing. It's actually a really sweet story. You see. We met under a full moon. I was out scouting the area for clay deposits. For my sculpting, you know. And these guys attacked me. I think they were kidnappers. I ran deeper into the mountains where their vehicles couldn't follow. But they followed on foot. I thought I was a goner when they caught me, but Honey saved me. He fought them off and killed the leader with his bare hands and then Mama Bear—"
"Mama Bear?"
"Yes, mama bear is the bear that raised him," she said with a furious nod. "She came along and Honey put me on her back and they carried me to their cave—"
"Cave," Tsuna repeated.
"Yes," she said. "Don't underestimate him, though. He's actually really smart and... well..."
"I was taught," he said, speaking up for himself when Kaida began to lose confidence. "I know how to talk and read and figure numbers. Before Mama adopted me, I had Grandpappy. He wouldn't let me go to school and he said I couldn't go into town, but he taught me and he brought me books to learn from. I was in a bad way after he died, cause I thought it was still bad to go into town, but Mama Bear found me and took care of me."
"It was nice there with Honey and Mama Bear," Kaida continued. "I didn't want to come back. So... I didn't. Eventually, I talked him into going down into town long enough for us to get properly married. When the priest heard Honey's story, he tracked down his birth records and confirmed his real name so he could claim his inheritance, which is how we could afford to build our house up in the mountains. It's a gorgeous place to live, Papa. We hunt and fish and grow most of everything we need to survive. I barter my pottery for whatever we can't find in the forest and..."
"And there's only one reason we left there to come here," Honey added while Kaida tried to cover his mouth with a too-small hand. "Wife said people would come and hurt the forest if we didn't. She said that you'd send them, so I wanted to give fair warning. I kill trespassers. I kill poachers. And I'll kill anyone that tries to hurt my family."
Tsuna met his gaze and held it, taking his measure of his daughter's husband. The man meant what he said. Tsuna could see it in his eyes that he was willing and able to kill. Anyone who mistook him for a bumbling fool would have a nasty surprise. He also had a wildness to him that was very charming, and just enough sweetness drizzled over his Tarzan-like personality to keep him civilized.
"I like you," Tsuna declared.
"I'm still not sure about you," he replied.
"That makes me like you even more." Tsuna grinned. "May I hold my grandson?"
"That's up to him," was the surprising response. With no warning except Kaida's groan, Honey put his son down to stand on his own feet and squatted down next to him. "That's your Grandpappy," he said to his son. "Go give him a hug."
"Fire hot!" the boy exclaimed. "Don't wanna owie."
Tsuna chuckled and his Guardians read his mind. Gokudera turned toward the guests, broadening himself as a wall between a potential threat and his Boss. Yamamoto mirrored him on the left side, inserting himself between Tsuna and Basil, who slipped into the crowd to get out of the line of fire. In a flash, Ryohei appeared at Tsuna's back while Chrome's presence was felt by the illusion of blooming sakura that appeared over his head.
As Lambo stepped up to act as a protective escort to Moonshine, Tsuna closed his eyes and carefully lowered his Flame. He didn't turn it off entirely, being too afraid of the backlash from having it out for so long, but he lowered it until he thought Moonshine wouldn't be able to see it.
"Meat!"
Tsuna opened his eyes just as Moonshine grabbed Lambo's leg and expertly jabbed him in the back of the knee to make his leg buckle. Lambo tried to compensate with his good leg, but the kid jumped over to repeat his attack. Lambo crashed to the floor, giving Moonshine the chance to swarm on top of him and grab his two golden horns.
"Kill it, Pa!"
Honey roared in laughter.
"Come on!" Moonshine urged. Lambo reached up to grab the boy. Moonshine kicked his left hand away, dodged his right, and punched him square in the nose. Then he grabbed his horns again to hold Lambo down. "Pa! He's gonna get away!"
Kaida hid her face in her hands as Honey gave one final laugh and said, "Boy, get over here! That ain't no bull! That's one of your Grandpappy's friends, so let him go." Moonshine let go of Lambo's horns and scrambled to his feet. He looked up at his father, then his mother. Finally, he looked over to Tsuna.
"I'm twoo," he said, holding up three fingers.
"Nice try," Tsuna replied with a chuckle. "You're five and you're probably smarter than most teenagers. You don't have to pretend around me. I'm proud of you. That was an amazing take-down. Did your father teach you?"
"A little," Moonshine replied with the first hints of a cocky grin. "Ma says you could pluck the whiskers off a lion before he even knew you were there. That true?"
Tsuna couldn't ignore the challenge. With a puff of Flame through his gloves, he boosted himself to the boy in half a blink. His Guardians, skilled as they were, followed a quarter-blink behind him. Though, to Moonshine, it was probably as if everyone teleported into place. His eyes grew wide and he looked up at Tsuna with unbiased hero-worship.
"Can you teach me to do that?"
"Maybe," Tsuna replied. "For now, where's my hug?"
In a single bound, Moonshine literally jumped into his arms. Tsuna laughed as the boy fearlessly wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, trying his best to get on Tsuna's good side so he might have a chance to learn the trick.
"Ma!" He called out as Tsuna crooked his arm to give Moonshine a place to sit, since the boy was too self-aware to be held like a baby. "Ma! Can I stay with Grandpappy until he teaches me how to move like that?"
"I can teach you right now," Tsuna said before Kaida could refuse. Carrying the boy over to his throne, he sat down with Moonshine on his lap. He held up his hand like he was doing a parlor trick, then snapped his fingers at the same time he created a small Delving Flame. Moonshine giggled and clapped with innocent joy.
"Papa..." Kaida murmured.
"Don't worry," Tsuna soothed, glancing up at her as Moonshine grew entranced with the Flame. "I'd cut off my arm before I'd let him come to harm."
Before she could argue, he looked back down at Moonshine and smiled. The boy's eyes were starting to droop due to having the comforting warmth of Tsuna's Flame so near. Tsuna slowly brought it closer and closer until he could gently touch it to Moonshine's forehead.
Tsuna dove into his mind, bypassing his surface thoughts and carefully digging deep to the source of Moonshine's beautiful, orange Flame. It was burning strong... too strong. It was his Flame that gave him the strength to take down an adult and it was his Flame that made him so quick-witted, but he wasn't ready for it. So, Tsuna did what was necessary to protect the boy from himself... and protect him from the lurking threat of Black Flames. The Horsemen had already returned so many times when he'd believed them to be gone. There was no sense in taking chances when a few moments of concentration could protect his grandchild.
Through the Delving Flame, Tsuna spun a fine net of Sky Flame around Moonshine's Flame. He spun another net on top of that. And again. He layered a hundred invisible webs to protect and dampen the output of Moonshine's Flame. The result looked much like a volcano trying to explode out of a spider's cocoon, but it was effective. The walls of Moonshine's mind that was raw and sensitive from the heat of his Flame were finally allowed a reprieve. It would take a bit longer for his metabolism to slow down to the speed of his body, but it would happen. He'd have a chance to build muscle and add bulk, which he couldn't have done while his body had been supercharged.
As an apology for taking away his secret weapon, Tsuna left behind the memory of his own daily exercise routine. He also left a small map in his head so that, should the day ever come when he reached the limits of a normal human and he still wanted to be faster or stronger, he would know how to find the Vongola Headquarters.
It was a relief to know that his grandchild would have a way to return, even if Kaida and Honey didn't want to let him. It was a relief to know his precious Sky Flame would be hidden from watching eyes, though a hard enough shock from Moonshine's own Flame could rip off Tsuna's protections. Most of all, it was a relief to know that Vongola's Sky Flame had been passed down to someone who could be raised far away from the mechanization of Mafia politics.
Tsuna opened his eyes and pulled the Delving Flame away from Moonshine's sleeping head. "He'll be fine," he said, seeing his daughter's wide eyes and Honey's slightly angry expression. "He had multiple Flames acting in overdrive," he lied. "That is why he was strong and fast enough to momentarily knock down Lambo. And that's why he's able to match wits with adults. I went in and calmed things down a little. You shouldn't notice a difference immediately. He won't lose any speed or strength or smarts. He just won't improve so rapidly or easily anymore."
"W-Why would you do that?" Honey asked. "He was fine—"
"No, he wasn't," Tsuna interrupted. "Think of it like a bear not being allowed to hibernate. In time, he would have weakened and died. All I've done is to put him into hibernation until the day comes that his gifts will not harm him. And, before you decide to get upset that I didn't ask first, you should know that Vongola the Ninth did the same thing to me when I was Moonshine's age. And I did the same thing to my own children."
Tsuna glanced at the grouping of his kids and sighed a little at their reactions. Gillian, Gregory, Arianna, Leonard, Morrigan, Katie, and Kiko looked unsurprised since they'd already removed the blocks on their Flame. Daisuke and Keiji blinked with matching, owlish expressions, having felt their coming loose, but not knowing what was happening. Bridget stubbornly looked to the side, having already removed her block, but angry at Tsuna for putting it into place. Moriko, Kaida, Joseph, and Armande looked completely befuddled since they had no clue what Tsuna was talking about. They'd never questioned why their Flames were so inefficient.
"Kaida, you should know something," Tsuna continued. Then he paused. At this point, there was nothing else she needed to hear other than, "You have made a good life for yourself and I wish you nothing but happiness."
She smiled with a brightness that would have made Kyoko proud and replied, "Thanks, Papa." Tsuna carefully kept his emotions in check as she retrieved her sleeping son and retreated back into the crowd. There was a very good chance that he'd never see her again, yet he couldn't stop her. She deserved to be happy.
Though, he would have to apologize to Dino later for letting Kaida hide her marriage for so long. Luca would be heartbroken, but he'd just have to fall in love with someone else. Tsuna had the perfect person in mind, which made him decide to air out all of Vongola's dirty sheets. Public or not, some things needed to be dealt with immediately.
"Katie and Elario to the front, please."
"Boss...?" Gokudera whispered, slightly concerned that his son was being called out.
"How much do you trust me, Hayato?" He whispered back. Gokudera's answer needed no words to verbalize and no glance to confirm, leaving Tsuna with carte blanche to do what was needed to the young pair that stepped forward.
Elario Gokudera had his parents' silvery white hair and wore a three-piece suit. The woman hanging on his arm, Katie Sawada, had her dirt-brown hair wrapped in a bun and wore a fluttery red dress that she'd designed for herself. They looked like a very cute couple—to everyone except Tsuna. He only saw a young man afraid to disappoint his father and a young woman who didn't want to lose her only excuse to see Luca Cavallone.
"Hell, Maverick, you get up here, too," Tsuna added, waving his hand to beckon the man. "And, Cavallone the Tenth, may I please borrow your son for a few minutes?"
Luca looked bewildered when Dino pushed him forward, but he accepted the request with grace. The blond-haired young man politely pulled off his cowboy hat and used it to dust off his boots, then held it behind his back so his tuxedo would allow him to blend in next to Elario and Katie. On the other hand, Maverick was visibly shaken over the sudden attention. His pink dreadlocks, the sword on his back, and black Mafia-grade battle suit marked him as an elite, battle-hungry fighter. He wasn't the type to be seen with the 'above ground' Mafioso like Elario, a civilian like Katie, or a Boss like Luca.
"Right, I'll make this fast," Tsuna said with a grin. "Luca, I sincerely apologize about Kaida. Over a year ago, your father talked to me on your behalf and I intended to get her opinion on the idea of marriage, but I'm afraid she doesn't come home very often and I didn't know she'd eloped. On the other hand, this could prove to be the best outcome for you, since we both know you only considered Kaida because she never underestimated you." Tsuna held up his hand to stop him from responding. "Katie, dear, please dump Elario and try dating Luca instead. I know he's younger than you, but he's a better match. As for you, Elario, if you continue using my daughter so that no one will know you're gay, I'll personally string you up by your toes. Your father loves you and, since he's dated a man before, he would be a hypocrite if he berated you for following your heart. Maverick, grow a pair and kidnap Elario while you have the chance. It's time for both of you to learn how to be happy. Luca, feel free to kidnap my daughter while I'm distracted. Her protests to the contrary, she'll fall in love with you for doing it. Here, I'll even look the other way to make it easier."
Tsuna pointedly looked back at his Right Hand man.
"What are you waiting for?" Gokudera shouted with neither a blush nor a spark of anger. He was perfectly calm and the sparkles in his eyes suggested that he was relieved that someone finally told his son what he needed to hear. "Go! The Tenth doesn't have any more time to waste on fools!"
Tsuna turned his head back with just the right timing to see the back of Elario's head where Maverick had thrown him over his shoulder, and a fluttering sleeve of Katie's arm wrapped around Luca's body, as they disappeared into the Men's Parlor. From there, they'd head out to the terrace and disappear into the party raging outside—a continuation of the indoor party, since all of Tsuna's guests and all of his Family couldn't fit indoors at the same time.
"Let me see," Tsuna said, turning his head to the remainder of his children. "Bridget, I heard you're back with that Ryan fellow. I'm glad you found someone who won't give up easily. Try not to play too hard with him. Riko, I know you enjoy your art, but you should try dating someone 3-dimensional. At least once. For me...? Joseph, let Doctor Sakura check our your knee tomorrow."
Tsuna pressed his lips together as he glanced over the rest. Daisuke and Keiji were in healthy competition. Gillian just returned from prison, so he was still re-adjusting. Leonard was still two-faced, but Armande didn't look like he was suffering for it. As long as Leonard didn't drag him down the road toward incest, and as long as Armande wasn't complaining, he could leave them alone for a bit longer.
That only left Kiko and Mori-Mori, the two girls in love with Finn. Kiko had fallen for him at first sight, but was fiercely pretending otherwise due to self-preservation instinct. Mori-Mori had fallen for him at first sight and was willing to fight for him, but she was spinning her wheels because she had no clue how to correctly assert herself. Both were being completely ignored by the man, who apparently wanted to distance himself as far away from them as possible.
He needed more time to think before he tried influencing the situation there.
"Where are we on the itinerary, Gokudera?" Tsuna asked. The rest of his kids, those he hadn't called upon, let out a combined sigh of relief.
The procession continued as Charlie of the Orange Dragons stepped forward and knelt to offer his loyalty.