10

Life at the Sawada House hasn't been calm in a long time. Tsuna escaped an assasination attempt by a young assassin from China that called herself "I-pin". She was a young girl about Lambo's age with a braid and wore a red cheongsam with black kung fu pants. She was a human bomb that went off once the count down on her forehead reached one and Tsuna prayed to all the powers in the universe that she wouldn't go off randomly.

After she figured out Tsuna wasn't actually her target and stopped actively trying to murder him, she was a polite and friendly little girl. Even though she does get into some fights with Lambo, it was usually out of good intentions.

But seriously, what is with the mafia and children?

Child assassins?

Were they really that desperate?

He was starting to have doubts about letting Megumi into that environment. Toji-san wasn't a good father but at least they could choose some decent schools without bloodshed and murders.

Wait, didn't Reborn say something about mafia schools before? Between his attempts to dodge Sasagawa Ryohei, Kyoko's older brother, and his very "extreme" recruiting tactics for Tsuna to join the boxing club...Tsuna thought he remembered Reborn mentioning something along those lines.

Tsuna wasn't really sure. Half of his brain was refusing to acknowledge that there was a whole institution dedicated to mass-producing criminals. The other half was too fed up with Reborn's attempts to drag him into all sorts of crazy circus shows.

Like now.

Tsuna nearly had a heart attack when he saw the crowd of men in black suits surrounding his house. What was it this time? The stupid, almost soap opera like plot Reborn had in mind, he meant. Somehow his family had owned underground banks money and they are here to take away their house or force him and Nana into slavery? Did Reborn send a threat to the local yakuza and declared war in Tsuna's name?

Actually, that last one wasn't ever going to happen. Hibari-senpai's iron rule didn't just encompassed Namimori middle, the whole Namimori was his turf.

The men in black suits let him into the house when he told them his name. Somehow, Tsuna's intuition told him that they don't mean any real harm despite looking like...well, the mafia.

"You're finally back, Tsuna." Reborn was sipping tea in Tsuna's room. Besides him, there was an oddly expensive looking leather chair. Tsuna wasn't sure how they even got it into his room, the size of that thing didn't look like it could fit through his door.

"I have been waiting for you, Vongola's next boss."

A man's voice came from behind that chair. It was lighter than Toji-san's and smoother, as if it was drenched in honey. The chair turned around, revealing a blond man with brown eyes who grinned at Tsuna. He was a handsome one, a foreign romantic.

"I'm Cavallone's 10th boss, Dino." He waved slightly as a greeting. "You're not exactly what I expected. You don't really have that aura and you look like you lack ambition."

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi." Tsuna set his bag down and sat down besides Reborn. At least this Dino wasn't trying to kill him, yet. That was always a good start. "Reborn, what is this meeting for?"

"Getting straight to the point I see," the hitman mused as he got up to introduce Dino properly. "Dino was my first apprentice. I trained him to be the boss he is before I came here to tutor you."

"That's right," Dino chipped in with a golden smile.

"Dino is a total klutz and unsuited to inherit the family name so his father asked for my help." Reborn went on to explain how the man was only good when he had his subordinates around.

Tsuna thought that it was a curious kind of situation, to be only able to function when you are surrounded by the presence of those that vowed to serve you and you promised to protect. But judging from the men's smiles, he guessed that was just how their relationship worked. It was different from the big three of the jujutsu sorcerer families. The distinction between people based on inherited talent and positions were less clear.

In front of him, the discussion had shifted to why Reborn left his previous teaching job.

"Reborn was insistent that he come to Japan so I had to let him go even though there is still a lot more I want to learn. Also, Vongola is the center for all of us allied families, so its things take priority."

"I see...I don't mind if you take him back, you know? In fact, please and thank you." Tsuna wondered if this guy was some sort of masochist, because there was no other explanation for anyone to be able to put up with Reborn's insane training for the long term.

The man laughed. "Reborn was right! You are exactly like how I was before, wishing that you had nothing to do with the mafia and everything. But careful, if you keep refusing…" Dino reached into his jacket and Tsuna immediately tensed up. "He will bite you—whoa!"

Dino blocked the sharp end of the letter opener that Tsuna snatched off the desk with his watch. The pointed tip slides off the metallic watch, but not before leaving a dent.

Tsuna blinked. His body had moved faster than his brain.

"...A turtle?" the teen questioned hesitantly as he lowered his arm. Reborn was staring at Tsuna's hands with a questioning look but he ignored it. He pretended like what he just did didn't happen and casually set the letter opener down.

"His name is Enzio." There was a strange undertone to Dino's words but the man still showed the turtle to him. "That was some speedy reaction. I guess you do have something in you."

"That was purely your imagination." Tsuna ignored the other's cringeful expression that said he knew Tsuna was spewing bullocks. "Will Dino-san be staying for dinner?"

"Dino and his family members won't be staying," Reborn spoke up and that surprised both of his apprentices. "They need to check into their hotels."

"Is that so? That's too bad. You really need to try Mom's cooking sometimes, Dino-san." The words that were coming out of Tsuna's mouth were meant to be polite and a courtesy for guests. Now, he didn't disliked Dino, he just wasn't comfortable with having a dozen men in black surrounding his house and inside his home. In the meantime, he was also glad that whatever Reborn was plotting probably doesn't involve bombs or a battle of fists and guns.

"Lambo! Stop!" I-pin's voice came bursting through Tsuna's bedroom door. He turned around and was met with Lambo juggling two hand grenades while the girl assassin chased after him.

"Lambo!" Tsuna shouted as he snatched the grenades and threw them out the window.

"Tsuna, Dino's men are down stairs."

Reborn's warning came too late. The grenades had already slipped out of his finger tips.

Shit!

"Out of the way!" A hand pushed him to the side and a blur of gold and green leaped out the window. Dino ordered, "Duck!"

The men downstairs bent down in unison immediately. In mid-air, Dino held out a whip and swung both of the grenades higher into the air, where they exploded without harming anyone.

"Dino-san!"

Tsuna poked his head outside the window as the dust settled.

"I'm fine!" the man shouted back. "Everybody is good too."

The teen felt relief. Reborn was standing beside him and the baby hitman kicked him behind his knees.

"A good mafia boss protects his family members. You still have a lot to learn, Dame-Tsuna."

#

Their hotel was overlooking the city of Namimori. Dino leaned against the railing on the balcony as he stared out into the dazzling lights and buzzing night life of the city.

"What do you think?"

Reborn was still in his suit. The baby hitman stood beside his apprentice as they each held a cup of whiskey in their hands. This wouldn't usually be Reborn's type of drink at this hour, not since his body was transformed into this cursed form. But honestly, lately he has just been in that kind of mood.

"He certainly is different." Dino placed a hand on his chin as he thought back to his encounter with Sawada Tsunayoshi. He didn't believe Reborn at first when the hitman told him about the teen's inconsistencies. But now that he has seen the boy in person...well, he can't really blame Reborn. "Tsuna isn't isn't very similar to the old me isn't he? He'd not a klutz and he certainly had training, even if he tried to hide it. Whatever delusional dimension the Young Lion was in when he wrote his report, it certain wasn't reality."

"Iemitsu is disconnected from his family," Reborn admitted bitterly. He was going to have a word or two with the man the next time they met. Not just for making his job harder but also to smack a few senses into the man that didn't even put in the effort to get to know his own son better.

"Why did you call me over, Reborn? If it was just to introduce me to Tsuna, there are probably better times." Dino stretched out his limbs.

"But since I'm here already...the most important thing in a family is trust," he stated with a thoughtful grin. "I'd like to meet and test Tsuna's family members if I can. They are still children right? I'd like to see what they are made of."

Reborn jumped down from the railing. "Actually, there's someone I want you to go check out specifically."

"Oh? A potential guardian for the tenth?"

"No." Reborn handed him a piece of paper that contained a name at the top. "A possible confounding factor."

Dino skimmed the page. "Heavenly Tyrant? Who is this?"

"That's what I want you to find out."

"You think this might be the guy that made Tsuna...Tsuna?" He wasn't sure how to describe the boy. Tsuna looked normal on the outside. A teen without too much love for physical activities and most would even say he had a soft look, with a petite stature and large bambi eyes. Yet, the moment Tsuna felt threatened, it was as if a switch had been turned on. There was an unusual sharpness in the teen's caramel eyes and his movements showed no hesitation. Something that can only be achieved with the right training and countless experiences of facing danger head on.

Which would have been impossible for a boy his age living a civilian life. Dino supposed Reborn was feeling a confused mix of feelings right now. It was good that Vongola Tenth already had training but that could also be his downfall. It is much harder to break habits than to install new ones after all.

Reborn nodded in front of him so the young boss gave him a thumbs up signalling that he had this covered.

"Dino," Reborn called as he tiled the edge of his hat down. "Don't engage too much and get out if things don't look good."

"This guy is that good?" He was curious. While he wouldn't say that he was a top ranker in fighting ability among the mafia, as Reborn's student he was pretty decent. And he would have his family members to back him up too.

"Just a hunch. Call it a killer's instincts, if you must."

Dino looked down at the paper again. There wasn't much on it. Just the code name, a few of the kills the man had accomplished (and even Dino's got to admit, whoever this Heavenly Tyrant was, he was one efficient and cold bastard), and a possible mediator to contact him.

Pursing his lips, Dino shoved the paper into his back pocket and went back into the room. He was going to get to find out if there really was a connection between this man and Tsuna. It wasn't just because Reborn asked, but it was also for the sake of Cavallone and Vongola's future.

Like he said, the most important thing for mafia families was trust. There was no way they would trust an ally if there was some mysterious force whispering thoughts into their ears, especially when the candidate for their boss was so young. He sighed, the Vongola tenth generation was still too young, so it was up to them adults to do a little safeguarding.

But that doesn't mean he didn't want to join Reborn in giving Iemitsu a few pieces of their minds.

Author's Notes: Toji is meeting Dino in the next chapter :)