Mia Tempesta

Summary: Reborn never liked being a (secondary) Sky, but he can't deny his nature forever, so one day he starts collecting his Elements. Except now there was a tiny Storm that packs quite a punch that he doesn't know what to do with. Denial leads to trouble, trouble leads to possessiveness, possessiveness leads to ... something else much more tender. Throw in Checkerface and the Arcobaleno Sky into the mix and things get quite complicated.

"Are you sure it was such a good idea to send Fon out there alone to make an entrance for us, kora?" Colonello asked as he tried to find the Storm through the scope of his rifle. They needed a more discreet entrance for Reborn, Viper and Verde while Lal and Colonello make a distraction outside of their targeted base. Skull was on driving duty, meaning he'll have to get in close when the inside time is done and pick them up.

Reborn was the internal distraction - and executioner, but whatever - while Verde and Viper used their methods to extract the information they wanted and steal the Flame-stealing prototype one of the middle-classed famiglia were trying to develop as a weapon to be used against 'the strongest seven' in hopes of taking them down. Only the bastards had also turned greedy and started working with a corrupted army general, who turned traitor on them, stole their designs and now had plans of taking over the mafia world for himself.

The mission was technically supposed to be COMSUBIN, but Lal knew none of their recruits or officers were skilled enough for the operation, so she took it over, dragged Colonello into it and then the rest of their fellow Guardians and, of course, their Sky. She would have preferred not to drag a kid along, no matter how strong and skilled and experienced Fon might be, but they really needed stealth for the entrance and Fon was also incredibly fast, so he'd be the best partner for Reborn to make everyone panic and focus on the two obvious attacks so no one would notice Viper and Verde robbing them blind.

The corrupted general had to be killed, of course, because he had learned of Dying Will Flames, which are supposed to stay a mafia secret.

"Vindice were the ones to come to us," Lal had said when she'd been giving them a rundown of the mission and the situation that caused it. "Technically, since the one at fault for normal people finding out about Flames is dead already, they don't have the jurisdiction to deal with this themselves, so they asked COMSUBIN to take the mission as soon as possible. You could say this could earn us some brownie points in case any of us does some stupid shit to anger them. I'm looking at you, Reborn, Verde."

The scientists had to die, too, because of the knowledge they'd acquired and all of their notes had to be eradicated.

Then the whole base should be destroyed and while Lal, Colonello, Reborn and Verde all had various explosives to make it go BOOM, it would be bad if the destruction can be traced back to them because of the weapons and/or chemicals they'd used to do it.

Fon, on the other hand, had a long range attack that could definitely dissolve the base as though it'd burned in a fire, so that was one more reason why Lal and the others should stop babying the kid. He can take care of himself.

And even if they didn't resort to using Fon's Exploding Lotus Kempo or Exploding Dragon Fire Dance - what's with Storms and explosions, anyway? - the Storm still had a technique called the Exploding - see!? - Gale Fist that apparently allows the teenager to move at incredible speeds and react in microseconds. If they don't figure out a different plan as they go, Fon will use that speed to make an explosion and ensuing fire that would look like the base blew up due to an oil/gas leak or something, maybe a malfunction. It would leave no trail to follow because even the military makes mistakes.

Especially when they have under the table operations that Viper will be leaking to the public newspaper companies so people are more focused on that scandal, even mafioso, and no one has the time to even think to question the possibility of sabotage and theft.

Reborn put down his Leon binoculars to roll his eyes at his younger Rain before going right back to watching out for Fon's signal. "I've seen him in action. He can take care of himself."

"The small-fry from the night we tagged him and bagged him shouldn't count," Skull said, ignoring the irony that he probably wouldn't have been able to deal with those same 'small-fry' on his own. Not yet, anyway. Since Skull had become Reborn's Cloud, everyone else had pitched in to teach him some proper self defense. Viper and Verde, too, but those two had no stamina to speak of due to their usual occupations and daily lives, especially for Viper, who floats most of the time. Skull had a long way to go before he can criticize Fon, of all people.

"Do you know how I met Fon?" The Sun asked conversationally, even though he knew they didn't. They'd tried to chase him down for the answer that first time they'd discussed the Storm and he'd escaped because he'd had no intention to lead that conversation. "Remember that pier massacre, where both a yakuza and a Columbian cartel representative ended up dead in the same night? Well, the Triads had wanted the yakuza bastard gone and my target had been the cartel dealer."

"You and Fon fought?" Concluded Verde even with those vague hints.

"Who won, kora?" Colonello asked, forgetting all about looking for Fon and tracking the enemies' movements through his scope so he can gawk at Reborn for an answer.

Said Sun rolled his eyes again, but didn't put down the binoculars. "We tied because we never got to finish the fight. We were interrupted by their goons and then I had a job to finish."

"You knew Fon was your Storm months ago!?" Hissed his female Rain at him and Reborn didn't react fast enough to stop her from snatching up his ear and pulling painfully hard. "Why the hell didn't you tell us!?" Then she paused, eyes narrowing even as she ignored the glare Reborn was sending her way. "Is that why you were sulking before we got Fon? Did you guys get into a fight or something?"

"It's more likely Reborn-senpai said something mean and then felt bad about it." Skull then proceeded to let out an Eeep when Reborn pointed a gun at him.

"It's none of your business and it's in the past now. Fon's here, everyone's happy and he might choose to be one of us permanently in a few months. It doesn't matter anymore."

"My, can we continue this discussion later? I think I see Fon's signal." Reborn, Colonello and Lal all immediately whirled back around to see the situation at hand at Viper's words and saw that, indeed, Fon was sending them the agreed on signal.

"Let's go," Lal said, falling into commander mode and they all followed, getting to their stations with ease as, minutes later, Lal and Colonello started raining down hell outside. Viper covered Verde, Reborn and themselves in Mist Flames just in case as they made their way to Fon's location, where there was a sizable cluster of bodies and a not so subtle hole in the reinforced concrete and steel wall to greet them.

Viper said nothing as they all get in and then the Mist put an illusion over their entrance/exit before their group all turned back to the mission at hand.

Reborn and Fon separated from the two information gatherers some five minutes later at a cross of hallways, the Sun/Sky and Storm heading towards where most soldiers would be right now preparing to defend their base, either outside or from the inside. They also parted ways, Reborn finding a higher ground so he can snipe away the poor bastards while Fon literally just walked into the big armory and everyone stared at his serene smile for nearly a whole minute.

The Fon moved and even before the people could start shooting, a dozen soldiers were already down. Reborn did his part by destroying weapons and causing small fires as well as being Fon's backup by sniping anyone who got too close to the Storm and then everyone else he felt like, firing a Chaos Shot here or there to confuse even the army snipers about the trajectory of his shots. It was advisable that he, Lal and Colonello don't shoot anywhere where a bullet might be found later when the military comes to investigate the place, so no headshots and if they're aiming for the heart, they should instead take a lung if they're sure they can get the bullet to pass through the rib cage without nicking the ribs.

It at least made things more interesting, though Colonello used an anti-tank rifle so precision didn't matter all that much. He'd either blow every target up completely or he'll be focused on the armored vehicles outside. And Lal had it pretty easy, too, since she can use special bullets infused with enough Rain Flames to make the heart slow to an absolute stop in tranquility until the person simply dies. Reborn had seen her do it on that first mission they'd been on together, when they'd first met in Vongola Nono's office as potential recruits for the Vongola. He'd been impressed and disturbed by the method but, then again, Reborn oftentimes let his own Sun Flames' activation property make the human body overwork itself to the point of collapsing and giving out under the stress.

He spent a brief moment changing the magazine in his gun to wonder if Skull could give someone cancer using Cloud propagation or if Fon could make someone die of blood loss by dissolving it right from the veins and heart. Fon actually probably even knew how to do it already.

Skull obviously needed more training.

"I got the prototype and the notes," Verde said over their comms, sounding a bit out of breath. Reborn wondered if he should try to stretch his Sky out a bit to figure out why his Lightning Guardian sounded as though he'd just been in a fight. "I might need some medical treatment soon. There were more guards than we expected."

"Where are you hurt?" Snapped Reborn as he mercilessly shot down soldier after soldier in rage at the thought of one of his Guardians getting hurt, one of his friends. Reborn had never really had one of those until Lal got stubborn and this dance began. Excuse him for being a bit protective of them.

"Kneecap," replied Verde, knowing better than to argue with the Sun. Reborn may not like healing with his primary Flames, because he was a hitman, a killer first and foremost, but his Elements were an exception to a lot of his usual rules so it wasn't all that weird for one of them to come to him or call him to heal their wounds. It didn't even take all that much out of him. Reborn was one of the strongest Suns in the world, after all, and his control was phenomenal. Nothing less for the perfectionist, of course. "I've managed to scrape together a brace so I can still move, but I might not be able to meet everyone at the car in time."

"Stay where you are. Fon?"

"I'm on it," the Storm replied, firing a huge dragon of red Flames at the ones who tried to rush him and just about everyone else in his way before the teen started running, leaving it to Reborn to take care of what was left of their opponents and any poor fools that came rushing into the slaughterhouse. "Where are you?"

As Verde rattled off directions, Viper appeared beside Reborn, several stacks of paper in their arms that were reaching just under their chin and their mouth turned downwards. "I got everything involving the secret project and all the files on the general's other under the table dealings, but there are things in here you won't like. We need to make sure nothing in this place is salvageable, because the famiglia they'd worked with? They somehow know you're a Sky."

The said secondary Sky nearly froze, eyes actually widening the tiniest bit as he turned to give his Mist an incredulous, stupefied look, an expression he wore for the first time in forever because that was just not possible. Reborn had been very careful about his Sky status all his life, ever since he'd discovered that little tinge of orange in his blazing yellow. No one had known until he'd sparked with Lal and then the rest of his Guardians came along. And after he got Viper and Verde, the two had used their skill sets to make sure no one would find out in the future, either. Verde was great at hacking and Viper controlled just about all of the information that went around as the best information broker in the world with a vast network.

"Have they been in contact with anyone named Hibari?" Fon asked over the comms, startling Reborn back into action. Since he no longer felt up to playing, he loaded every shot with enough Sun Flames to utterly devastate the room and fire was already starting to spread. Their original plan didn't matter anymore as Verde and Viper already had what they'd come here for and Fon was busy, anyway. If they'll use Flames, they just need to make sure that no one Flame Active comes to the military base in the next forty eight hours so the signature can fade.

In short, Reborn just really wants to blow some shit up to make himself feel better because that's his lifelong secret that's on the line here. One that will make him a target by big shot famiglias for a whole different reason and it wouldn't be one he'd like. He'd prefer to be shot at, thank you.

"I'll need to look into it. Why?" The illusionist asked just as Fon, apparently, reached Verde and hoisted him up into a fireman's carry, judging by the scientist's indignant protests. That, or a bridal one, but Fon can't fight as efficiently if his hands are full.

Actually, he probably could. Reborn had seen him practicing kicks and jumps enough times to know Fon didn't really need his hands to be devastatingly destructive.

"I doubt they'd spread out that kind of information, but it is possible that a Hibari had found out. The Hibari have a large information network around the globe and they have a way to filter fake data from real data and reveal hidden data. You're not used to keeping secrets from someone like them. I'll have to check with my sister if anyone had gone rogue because that's about the most terrifying prospect we can face. If it's not a Hibari, then someone else knows."

"And they're obviously not above selling the information, kora," Colonello grunted, sounding angry.

"How, exactly, would your sister be involved, though?" Asked Skull, sounding confused.

"Because I am Hibari," Fon replied. "My clan is an old one and often decides the tides of power in secret. They've been doing things like that for decades. Something like this, however, has never been done by a Hibari. So either someone went rouge or we're facing someone who's had a chance to see Reborn using his Sky Flames or was close enough to feel them."

"I'll check and you check and we'll compare information," Viper said, sounding angry as well. "Good grief, just what we needed. More drama."

"Where are you guys now?" Lal asked, sounding a bit out of breath but that was perfectly normal as Colonello was acting as a sniper and she was the front liner for their part of the plan. Reborn shot off a few more Chaos Shots until there was no one left moving and weapons and ammunition started exploding. "Reborn, stick to the plan! We don't need this being traced back to us and your Sun is overwhelming!"

"Oh, sure, you guys get to use your Flames all you want but when I do it, it's a bad thing."

"None of us are using our strongest attacks, Babyborn, kora."

"Fon has as nearly at the meeting point. Reborn, Viper, head out. Skull, you'd better be waiting by the time we get there. My leg is starting to kill me."

"On it, senpai! The great and awesome Skull will be there!"

"Good grief."

Reborn let them banter, since it was harmless, and reduced the severity of his attacks because, unfortunately, Lal and Colonello were right and he shouldn't get carried away by emotions. How odd, that, given that he'd once been perfectly capable of separating his personal life and any emotions that may come from therein and his professional one, where emotions are a weakness of the worst kind. But, then again, that was just his Sky talking. And maybe his Sun, too, just a bit, because Suns were usually utilized as healers in famiglias. Reborn was one strange Sun, but he'd always known he should accept his Flames' properties and had learned how to fix himself up early on. (He'd met an interesting young Mist named Shamal who was aiming to become a doctor, collect all of the world's deadliest diseases and become a hitman through the use of mosquitoes during some basic first aid lessons. Strange world, the mafia was. He guessed that was why he fit right in.)

"We should head out," Viper said after a few more minutes and Reborn finally stopped shooting - it's become somewhat boring, anyways, since no one was brave enough to risk it and shoot back at this point - and sorted himself and his weapons out before the two of them casually walked straight through what was left of the war-zone, shielded by Mist Flames as they were. It didn't take long for them to meet up with Fon and Verde - who was indeed over the younger male's shoulder, the martial artist looking like he was carrying no more weight than a kitten - at the masked hole that had been their entrance.

Skull was waiting outside and everyone quickly climbed into the vehicle, Reborn and Verde on the last row seats as the hitman started tending to the scientist, Fon in the middle row and Viper up front as they immediately covered the car with Mist Flames to hide them as Skull started driving towards their two Rains.

"You did a pretty good job at stopping the blood flow," Reborn commented absentmindedly to Fon as he removed the blood-soaked red material that had once made up the bottom of Fon's tunic. "You could probably patent this brace, Verde. You'd probably make millions."

"I've had to treat my fair share of wounds on a battlefield," the young master martial artist said with a shrug while Verde himself looked greatly offended that Reborn would dare even suggest he put a patent under his name for the undignified piece of machinery he'd made from scraps.

The car jerked to a stop to let in Lal in the back and Colonello in the shotgun seat before Skull gunned it. "Hold on, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!" Warned the Cloud.

"Wait!" Fon all but yelled, moving to get out of the car. "I need to finish it."

"He's right," Viper added before anyone could protest. "I already said we'll have to decimate the place so we leave no tracks. And he can obviously take care of himself."

"Just get it done quickly," Lal instructed because Reborn was concentrating on fixing Verde's knee and the Storm nodded gravely before getting out. "Step on it, Skull. We'll wait at the agreed point."

"Yes, ma'am!" The so called immortal stuntman said with enthusiasm and did just that, making the car lurch hard enough that Reborn nearly lost his balance and he had to catch Verde, to booth, lest the scientist faceplant to the floor. Lal crused the purple emo-looking lackey for the rest of the ride while Viper continued making threats of puking all sorts of monstrosities onto Skull if he didn't drive like a normal fucking person.

Just as they got to a safe distance away from the already ruined military base, the whole thing blew sky high, causing a strong enough fire to attract a storm, rain and thunder and lightning and everything. It was localized weather, but it looked brutal.

The fire still didn't go out, even under the heavy torrent.

"Damn," Colonello said with a low whistle and impressed, satisfied grin as he admired the destruction.

A mile later, they stopped and waited for Fon.

Half an hour later, the car left.