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.

The birthday party had been nice. He was actually very touched by just how much effort everyone had put into making him feel special on his birthday. He was amused and delighted at the gifts everyone had prepared but he will openly say that Dame-Tsuna's surprised him the most. How long had he been trying to get math to stick in the boy's head? For two years now, give or take a few months. And all it took was for his own damned son to suggest it would make Reborn really happy for Tsuna to work extra hard to get a better grade!

No one had even known of the results of the test, judging by the surprised delight that flashed over Nana's face and how emotionally proud Gokudera got over Tsuna doing better in school. Well, Kyoya seemed unsurprised, but Reborn could guess who had helped his student study. The Cloud had probably even been very gentle towards Tsuna during their sessions, probably teaching him the way Reborn had taught Kyoya. He wasn't sure how exactly he felt about Kyoya exposing such a side of Reborn's to someone else, even if it was just Tsuna, without his permission, but the happy tears in Tsuna's eyes when he praised him and thanked him for his effort made him decide it was worth it.

Damn, but he was really attached to his two dame-students.

The next day, the celebrations repeated, but with Dame-Tsuna as the birthday boy. Everyone got the future boss a gift, even Xanxus, but Verde almost ended up giving the best gift of all when he updated the Box Weapons so they can combine with weapons he made that made the current 'Vongola Generation' - and Kyoya - resemble the First Generation even more through something he called Cambio Forma. Kyoya, his handcuffs and Roll became even more devastating, Yamamoto somehow got a puppy to go with his swallow, Gokudera now needed archery lessons, Ryohei needed to learn his own limits, Chrome and Mukuro looked weird with theirs, Lambo almost couldn't lift his and Tsuna's had two forms. What's more, the Animals were no longer trapped in Boxes, but rather were now part of the Animal Rings Verde had made. They still needed ordinary rings of the right attribute to call out the Animals' true forms, but the previously-Box Animals could now partially interact with their partners through the Animal Rings.

It was a step towards ensuring Kyoya can still keep Roll out for as long as he wants but without the need for the Vongola Cloud Ring as a necessary conductor to make it happen.

It would also prove way more convenient in battle, should it ever come to that.

What made it a great gift, ultimately, was that it ensured Tsuna's loved ones can protect themselves and be protected, which was the whole reason Tsuna had asked Reborn to continue his training that night, about one year ago.

Reborn's gift still won out. He knew his student the best, after all, though Fon had been even tougher competition than Verde since the Storm, upon meeting Nana for the first time for Reborn's birthday party, recognized that she had been sealed, too. By Iemitsu. And he had unsealed her Flames, letting out the real, not so ditsy Sawada Nana for the first time in years. It didn't become immediately obvious, but within a couple of hours, people noticed just how much more aware Nana was of everything. It will take some getting used to and they will probably have to tell her the truth about Iemitsu eventually, about what Tsuna's future will inevitably be like.

But Tsuna had cried tears of joy when she had, for the first time in his life, properly scolded him for having such bad grades and insisted he should apply himself more to do better, serious and concerned like any mother should be. And then he had cried again when Nana grew angry that his father wasn't there for his birthday. Her exact words had been: "Why, Reborn-san has been more of a father to you in two years than that man has for your entire life!"

Tsuna couldn't quite look his tutor in the eye after that and had a perpetual fear of Kyoya for most of the night until the prefect had snapped that 'no brother of his would be a herbivore so man up, omnivore, and face him'.

Then came Reborn's gift, which was actually letting Tsuna feel his Sky Flames. Reborn had never let anyone feel his Sky except his Guardians and son, not since the Alexa incident that had caused quite a bit of a problem all those years ago. He hadn't even let people see them, even if it was 'no longer a secret' that he was Sky. None of the teenagers that made up the 'Neo Primo Vongola Generation' had seen his Flames since that night one year ago and none of them had dared ask because they had quickly learned just how touchy the subject was with Reborn.

But he let them see the orange Flames of his soul on Tsuna's birthday and he actually let Tsuna feel his Flames.

Tsuna had cried but he had been smiling the biggest grin anyone had ever seen.

Perhaps Tsuna recognized it as the acceptance that it was.

Tsuna was no more his by blood than Kyoya was, but that didn't mean Reborn wasn't raising him.

Dino won't be getting this treatment for yours to come and that was only if he decided to make an honest man out of Reborn's son. Then Dino can be his son in law. Because, really, Reborn may have raised the blond, too, for a part of his life, but Dino had also had a proper father that had actually been there and then also a father figure in Romario. Reborn was actually Tsuna's first proper father figure.

That still didn't change their usual dynamics. He still torture-trained Tsuna with his spartan methods, but Tsuna tried even harder than before. His grades started improving. He got better at sparring. He still couldn't quite stand up to Kyoya in a fight, or even Mukuro or Yamamoto, but he was definitely stronger than his other Guardians, which meant he could protect them. Reborn watched him strive, every day, to become stronger so he can protect his friends. Kyoya was his final goal, to be able to stand side by side at the demon of Namimori's shoulder so they can protect their loved ones together. Reborn's Sky whispered to him Tsuna's plans to one day maybe offer Kyoya to take over Iemitsu's position in CEDEF so they can change the Vongola and the rest of the mafia together, into a world that at least respected the values the Arcobaleno had set, that the Hibari had lived by.

It was interesting to watch, even if he knew he should just tell Tsuna now that Kyoya won't be getting involved. Tsuna knew the Cloud won't bond or harmonize with him and had accepted that, had said they weren't compatible and not just in Flames. Tsuna knew he can't handle Kyoya's wish for freedom, his battle-lust, the cruelty he can at times display.

So instead of inviting Kyoya into his famiglia, when he one day maybe takes over, Tsuna wants him as a consultant, making CEDEF into what it had originally been - advisers.

It still remained to be seen if Kyoya would want such a position or if even that would be too much crowding for him.

Speaking of Kyoya, Reborn never did get a chance to speak with his son about the suspicion Aria had arisen. He had, of course, told the Arcobaleno, the Vindice and, naturally, Kyoya about what the Donna had asked and had shown them the Lightning Ring now in their possession. Bermuda had left the meeting with the Mare Ring in a new box meant to hide whatever signal it gave off until they can take it to Talbot for the man to make the device necessary to feed it Flames as it is natural for it, so that the Trinisette can work as it is meant to,the world stay in balance and so the Vindice can be ready for when Reborn and the others gather the rest of the Rings. Reborn also contacted Squalo about Genkishi, because Viper had heard rumors about the other Mist's swordsmanship skills, so they might need to consult with the silver haired Varia commander on that matter before they try to face him.

Viper also believed him to be in possession of a Hell Ring. They then go on to explain that they are the strongest ranked rings with the Mist attribute and that their power had been discovered way before people learned how to use Dying Will Flames. The price for the immense power they afford is one's own soul, which can drive the wielder to madness if they are not strong enough. Checkerface used to have one, the Segno Hell Ring that Viper had swiped from him before the man was dragged into Vendicare Prison all those years ago, but the Esper often had trouble making it work properly. Only six of these super-rare, super strong rings were in existence and, as of now, only two of the rings' whereabouts are known.

Genkishi would be a strong, dangerous opponent, Mare Mist Ring or no.

"Do we have an actual plan regarding getting the Mare Rings from the Gesso?" Fon asked when everyone fell silent after Viper's explanation. "This won't be like with the Vongola Rings. The Gesso won't engage in needless battles like Tsunayoshi-kun, his Guardians and Kyoya were dragged into against the Varia, especially if what Aria said was true about this Byakuran having the knowledge of his alternate selves. He wouldn't set himself up like that."

"We need to draw him out somehow regardless, kora," Colonello said, crossing his arms and frowning thoughtfully. "Even if we could take down an entire famiglia the size of the Gesso all on our own, we'd be challenging the entire mafia world with a gesture like that, kora. They'd see us as even more of a threat than they already usually do, kora."

"Colonello's right. We need to get the Gesso to make the first move," Lal agreed, pondering their situation. "To attack first would be to declare war and if we don't wipe them out in one go, we'd have them gathering their allies to strike back on top of the rest of the mafia world itching to shoot holes in us until we're like Swiss cheese."

"This herbivore believes he has a weapon that can kill you but is actually harmless to you because of you handling the Trinisette the way you are in this world, right?" Kyoya spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to the younger Skylark. "And the herbivore is none the wiser about that, right? Why not use that to your advantage? He'll be the first to attack, you fake your deaths, wait to see him show his true colors by going after the Vongola Rings and the Vindice and then you strike back when he is on your home turf."

"It could work, theoretically," Verde said, already running the calculations through his mind as to assess the probability of success of such a simple plan. "But we are taking a risk on trusting Aria's ... 'information'," the scientist rolled his eyes and even made annoyed air quotes with his hands, because despite everything they'd seen with the Vindice and the Trinisette - as limited as their experiences were with it beyond stories - actual foresight seemed to be the place where his logical mind drew a line that he refused to cross. Reborn found it funny but knew better than to comment, because that would just set Verde off on a tangent that would simply never end. "That Byakuran indeed doesn't know that we are not cursed infants-" The scientist suddenly remembered who else was in the room with them during the discussion and actually slapped both hands over his mouth as he, wide-eyed, turned to look at Kyoya in fear.

The rest of the Arcobaleno all stiffened as well, because this would be the first time Kyoya was hearing anything about the Arcobaleno curse that would have turned them into babies for the rest of their lives and eventually sucked them dry of Flames and life. Bermuda was especially tense, because he was the only one who actually looked like a true Arcobaleno, in the original meaning of the title and his and Jaeger's fate as former Arcoableno was obvious. It was something they feared might set Kyoya off in a rage unlike any they'd seen before. Reborn looked at his lover, saw how pale and stricken, but also resigned the younger man looked and knew even without Sky intuition or Fon having talked with him about his greatest fear regarding keeping this secret from the teen that the martial artist believed Kyoya would hate him. He wanted nothing more than to reach over and hug his partner close, to try and shield him from the inevitable reaction even as he braced himself-

"You don't seem surprised," Skull commented, a frown clear even in his tone of voice, and Reborn actually took the time to really look at Kyoya.

The younger Cloud really wasn't surprised. He seemed more disgusted by their reactions to Verde's lapsus linguae than what was said.

"You knew," Reborn said, his strange conversation with Aria coming back to the forefront of his mind, the suspicions he'd been harboring rearing back up as well. Not the most ideal time or place to discuss it, but this might be their only chance. Kyoya had just made a mistake that he can't back away from. He would have to explain this one. "How?"

Kyoya snorted before contemplating the Vongola Cloud Ring on his finger. Then, to the surprise of just about everyone, he took it off and tossed it to Bermuda, who nearly dropped it. "You can take that now."

"You'd rather give up your beloved Roll than tell us?" Jaeger asked suspiciously but Kyoya just rolled his eyes and showed his right hand, all fingers free of rings.

"Where is your Animal Ring?" Verde somewhat demands, letting his hands fall down and completely forgetting about his earlier mistake in the wake of Kyoya possibly losing one of his best inventions. Verde was a very proud scientist. He would not appreciate his inventions being treated as mere toys if they were not meant to be toys, and the Boxes and Animal Rings definitely weren't.

But it was suspicious. Not even Tsuna, who absolutely adored his sky lion cub Natsu, wore his Animal Ring as often as Kyoya did. Kyoya often even slept with it, despite it being as spiky as Roll. Kyoya loved having Roll out as much as he loved having Hibird fluttering around him all the time.

Kyoya would not give up Roll's Ring.

"I don't need Rings anymore," Kyoya replied casually, before he brought up his left hand and revealed his wrist. On it was a large, rather complicated looking silver bracelet with spikes and chains. There was a huge oval violet crystal in the center of the bracelet, the silhouette of a skylark in flight over it in gold, securing the stone in place. The crystal glowed with Cloud Dying Will Flames when Kyoya started channeling and then Roll popped up, with a crystal on its forehead and very distinctly violet instead of black eyes.

The crystal didn't crack under Kyoya's intense Flame waves even as a whole minute passed by and Roll seemed rather relaxed and content.

"What is that?" Verde asked, awed, coming closer to inspect the bracelet while Roll turned onto his back and silently begged Kyoya to rub his tummy, which the Cloud did.

"Christmas gift."

"That's old man Talbot's work," countered Bermuda, his grip on the Cloud Vongola Ring tightening. "I'd recognize it anywhere. We stare at the contraptions he's made for the Trinisette every day." Kyoya nodded, not really looking at anyone but his animal partner. "How did you get it? Talbot never said anything about knowing you."

"So I should answer all of your questions, but you refuse to tell me about the Trinisette?" The teen countered with an arched eyebrow, looking back up at them all.

"You seem to know about it, anyway, so why tell you if you've somehow managed to find out on your own?" Replied Viper in a sarcastic question, but that was the wrong thing to say because Kyoya glared.

"This," he told them. "This is why I go to a realtor shop every time you decide to be useless herbivores and forget that I am perfectly capable of protecting myself and fighting at your side. This is why." He huffed, crossing his arms and not looking at them. "It's as if you all forgot that one time in Greece when Lal needed my help to get her out of prison when I was eleven. Or the number of times I've helped Viper find the information they needed. Or that one time when those stupid cult-scientist herbivores came to Namimori to try and kidnap Verde when all of you were away and we were the only ones left in the house when I was eight. And did you all forget your last joint mission before babbo went to teach Bucking Horse and chichi went to dismantle the Triads?"

That was actually a very good point to bring up for Kyoya to win the argument. The mission had, originally, been Colonello's, but the blond and his unit had been betrayed by a comrade and captured by the enemy. Lal, being the closest, had responded, despite still being injured from her own latest mission. Her wound had reopened and she'd passed out from blood loss. Coloenllo had managed to contact Viper and Viper had sent out a message to Reborn before going to try and help them out. Only the bastards were paranoid about Mists because their leader had had a very bad experience with one and so there were powerful barriers that canceled out illusions. Made by Verde himself, no less. So Reborn had to take Verde with him and because he didn't know if his other Rain and Mist were also injured, so they might need help carrying them all out, he'd called in Fon. Reborn got knocked out by odorless, colorless sleeping gas modified to take down Suns - also Verde's work, from before meeting Reborn and the others - Verde was easily captured and Fon got stuck in a trap somewhere while he had been trying to sneak around to find his family.

Skull, when he got called by Kyoya who told him the others were gone too long, picked up the kid, left him at a safe house closest to where the others were being held according to the information the kid could give him, and took Oodako to go and save his Sky and fellow Guardians. Only to be captured at the entrance.

It had been a very embarrassing mission altogether.

The Arcobaleno had started working on freeing themselves as soon as they regained consciousness but their cells were hardened by Lightning Flames and any damage they managed to make was quickly fixed by propagating Cloud Flames while their captors kept pumping all sorts of gasses in to make them sluggish - though the original purpose of the gases was actually to knock them out into a coma.

In the end, Kyoya had been the one to save them, hanging upside down from the dungeon ceiling like a tonfa-weidling, unmasked Spider-Man who was staring at them with judging silver-blue eyes for being caught so easily. Kyoya had freed them and then defended them when the security guards finally caught on that their prisoners were escaping until the Arcoabelno fully recovered from the overdose of gases in their systems.

Then the Arcobaleno had walked out of that enemy's hideout, covered in blood, a sleepy Kyoya in Fon's arms because of a sprained ankle that the Storm would not let him aggravate and Reborn just a bit too tired to heal it from constantly healing his idiot Guardians - and himself - from all the injuries they kept getting in the fight as they broke their way out of there. They had been fine, mostly, just scraps and bruises the Sun/Sky was not up to healing back then.

Had Kyoya not come to get them, though, they would have had to wait for Reborn or Fon to get used to the gases enough that they can heal/burn through their effects and break out by themselves, which could have taken hours, maybe even a couple of days because Verde had theorized they weren't always using the same ones.

They owed the younger Hibari for that one.

"That doesn't answer any of our questions, Kyoya," Reborn reminded, frowning disapprovingly at his son. "How did you find out about the Trinisette and the Arcobaleno? How did you get the bracelet from Talbot? How did Talbot get something that won't shatter under your Flames?"

"I did answer two of those three questions, though," the prefect replied. "It was a Christmas gift-"

"Christmas was last week. Why haven't you given up the Ring before then, kora?"

"I had to test it out to make sure the bracelet was working as it should be," countered Kyoya immediately. "It was a Christmas gift I got from a realtor here in Namimori. We play Go whenever you annoy me by trying to keep secrets as though I am a mere child that can't help you or defend myself. How Talbot knew where to find the materials needed to make something to replace the Vongola Cloud Ring, I don't know, but the Cloud Bracelet combines all of my weapons, including my formerly-Box Weapon Animal, Roll. It's way more convenient than rings on my fingers, makes it easier to grip tonfa and handle handcuffs. It also allows me to keep Roll out as long as I did with the Cloud Ring without needing any additional power added on my side. I like it."

"How would a realtor in Namimori have the kind of money needed to pay for such an amazing custom job by Talbot?" Bermuda questioned. "The only reasons the containers for the pieces of Trinisette were affordable for us Vindice was because we let Talbot study our Pacifiers and our Flames of Night in exchange."

Kyoya shrugged and got up. "I already gave you all the information you need to figure it out." With that, he walked out of the room without a single glance back, ignoring a pouting Verde he left behind, who wanted to actually run a few tests on the Bracelet but was currently denied the chance to.

"Viper, can you check with your Thoughtography all the realtor shops in Namimori?" Fon asked, bringing the attention back from watching Kyoya disappear to the matter at hand. "I've not ran a proper patrol of Namimori since my return from China, last year. Kyoya seemed to have it handled so I did not wish to step on his toes. He's always loved Namimori more than I have, so I left it completely in his care."

Of course Fon can't truly love Namimori, even with all the years of good memories he has made since becoming Reborn's Storm. He had half a lifetime of screwed up memories for the town before then due to his father. Kyoya, on the other hand, only had good memories. Namimori was his the way it had never been Fon's.

Viper took out their scroll and prepared for a big sneeze, which had the Arcobaleno and the Vindice all scooting backwards to prevent any of the snot accidentally landing on them. When the scrying was finished, Viper looked over the short list of names and their mouth seemed to drop somewhere near the end of the page. Then they scrambled to get the Hell Ring off of their finger and the audience all watched in confusion before flinching back when the tentacle-like 'decorations' of the Ring shivered once before the Ring seemed to disappear all on its own in that teleportation trick or whatever that most Mists used.

They all stared at the spot where the Ring used to be before Reborn let his charcoal eyes settle on the list and he wasn't sure if he should curse or bang his head against the nearest hard surface in exasperation at his son when he read the problematic name.

'Kawahira's Realtors'.

Damn. It!