A/N:
These notes are becoming frequent when I'm not a fun of writing them. Warning about this story though... There is a possibility that some of the characters get out of their original character. It is a AU.
Anyways,
@illusteph: Thanks! That took out some anxiousness off from my shoulder. -
@Espeon35: Reborn approached her to know where is Tsuna. :)
Chapter Four
"What's that?"
Reborn flicked his eyes to his colleague. The demon looked like a Chinese Man, donned in a red garb and black wide pants. This demon liked Chinese customs even after centuries of not being able to step in the Mundane world.
Now he wonders if he will be able to get a glimpse of it. Tempting offer, not that he's bored in Fiant already. He'd rather be in here than get in contact with those cruel creatures who call themselves humans. He just want to see how the Mundane evolved.
Then again, he can't help staring at the paper. The same paper that he found lying innocently on the ground near the lake. The same paper that made him feel worried enough to look around for a certain brunet. The same thing that made him check the human camp of Viwox who was in disarray due to a lady shouting at their incompetence.
To be honest with himself, it was his first time feeling something he never had for years. It was the feeling of dread on his stomach after realizing that the brunet might be in danger after hearing the lady shout his name.
"Where is Tsunayoshi."
"Who are you?"
"Where is he."
Silence. "Do you know any big space in here, enough for an entire army of semi-demons to gather?"
"Yes."
"Then lead the way. He might just be in there."
"Reborn?"
He snapped out of his reverie.
"Your anger is radiating."
"It's nothing."
The Chinese man nodded hesitantly, perhaps wanting to ask more but backed out of it. "So what is that?"
"An essay." He answered, staring at the name at the end of the paper.
"May I?"
Reborn hesitated, thought drifting to Tsunayoshi. He considered the brunet's reaction if ever he told the latter that someone read his opinion. Then he remembered the kid's expression when he told him he want to read his essay.
So he gave the paper to the Chinese man.
"What neat handwriting." His company commented.
Reborn peered at the essay. True. Tsunayoshi has a pretty handwriting. The way the letters curve and make a beautiful figures even though they intended to just form a sentence. It made him think why Tsuna become a delinquent when he looked so harmless with his physique and wimpy with how he moved. Cautious and nervous.
"Reborn, kora!" He glanced at his friend who is descending the stairs. A blond wearing blue shirt, a green pants, boots and camouflage bandana with a number one pin on its right. "It's your turn to cook, kora!"
"It's Fon's turn." He answered as he gestured to the Chinese man.
"Eh? I thought today's Thursday, Kora."
"Colonnello. Look at this." Fon called out, pointing at the paper with awe.
Colonnello went to him and read what was trying to convey. Later on, his eyes widened. "Woah. Seriously?"
"I know. To be able to comprehend this much." Fon admired.
"Where did you got that?"
"Reborn had it first. It's his."
"Can I read it?" The blond excitedly asked.
Reborn smirked before nodding. He doesn't want to burst the other's bubble. He's not that cruel. "Have your fill."
"Tsunayoshi Sawada. Japanese?" Fon asked him with a side look.
Reborn shrugged. "Dunno."
"Who is he?" Colonnello queried as he leaned on the couch to see Reborn. "A demon from the Mundane world?"
"A human." The two of them stared at him. "One of those kids who visits Fiant from the Saint Academy."
"Huh." Colonnello uttered, a little skeptical.
"Don't worry about him." Reborn huffed as he stood up. "He won't be back anymore."
Fon and Colonnello watched Reborn ascend the stairs. When the demon entered his room with a silent click, the Chinese man looked back to the papers in his hand. A little curious of the human who caught the attention of his elusive friend.
"I need to meet that kid." Colonnello said out loud.
"I wonder if we ever will." Fon muttered as he continued to read the content of the paper.
Tsuna glared at the paper in his hand before looking at Madam Cara who was supervising their class with their prof. So much for being strict.
Ever since he got out of the infirmary after all the fiasco with the semi, the higher ups had been on his back and watching his every move. Cara told them that he was being suicidal due to his hatred for the school, saying Tsuna wants to tarnish the academy's good name. Regardless of what Nezu-sensei tried go say to defend the brunet's action, the higher ups still monitored him. He was even banned from entering Fiant.
He suddenly wants to bribe Hibari with a spar to get a permission.
Nope. Bad idea.
"Ready, Sawada?" Professor Harold asked. "You can back out, young man. You are registered of not having any color. It will be impossible for you to summon one at all."
Tsuna developed a tick mark on his temple when Madam Cara smirked.
"You are here due to recommendation, Sawada. There is no need to try hard." The guidance supplied after.
"Since I can't try hard, may I try doing some improvisations on my work then?" He asked, taking the chalk from the table. "I want to try something I learned from the books. After all, I am a recommendation."
Madam Cara raised a brow. "Fine. Next."
Tsuna held himself from doing a face to imitate Madam Cara. Talk about being overly conshitted. He went to the corner, away from everyone. Going down in his knees, he pulled out a pen from his pocket and started to write something on the parchment paper. Satisfied with the changes he had in his mind, he started to draw the pentagram. Yeah. A simple pentagram while others have enneagram, a nine points shape creating three overlapped triangles.
He pointed the vertices, estimating each distance so they could have the same number. Then he draw the lines, making them straight as possible. It was simple since he does it all the time whenever he practices inside his room. No one wants to bunk with him, so he has it all for himself. Next he drew the circle using the points. It was practical to draw the circle first before the pentagram inside. But, he wants to try different things this time. Besides, since he doesn't have any color, he can't summon any demons even if he said the exact incantations.
"Wow, Sawada." Tsuna looked back to Hana who was admiring his work. "You drew it nice."
"I improvised the writings though." Tsuna responded as he wrote the last symbol on the last petal. "Can you spot the difference from the original pentagram you use?"
Hana stared at the pentagram with critical eyes, a hand holding her chin. "The length of each writings shortened. Instead of whole paragraph, you did phrases. And instead of listing it down, you wrote them horizontally according to how the petals pointed from its core to the end of its point. Uniform too, clockwise. It actually looked clean."
"Do you think it's easier to draw than the original?" Tsuna wondered.
"Yeah."
"I wonder if it works?" Tsuna grimaced. "I wanted to at least have something for you and Hibari to use when you're in a pinch and in need of summons."
Hana smiled. "Try it."
"Ah no." Tsuna gave a sheepish smile. "I- It's impossible for me. I'm colorless, remember?"
Hana smacked his head. "Stupid. Everybody has color. Yours is dormant."
"Have you done yours?" He asked. Hana nodded. "Can I improvise with the incantations though?"
"Why so? Nothing is wrong with it."
"Yeah. But it sounded wrong. Besides, it might not work." Tsuna shrugged.
"Fine."
"You finished yours already?"
"I'm one of the smartest students here, Sawada. Those two will inspect mine first even if I'm the last one to be called." Hana scoffed making him laugh as he patted down his knees for dirt.
Tsuna went for the table with disinfected knives. He took one small dagger and went back to his pentagram. He pricked his finger and let one drop of blood splat on the inner circle before stepping outside. He looked at Hana who nodded. Looking back to the pentagram, Tsuna closed his eyes and took a deep breathe.
"Accept my calling, oh dwellers in darkness." Tsuna breathed softly like a prayer. "I offer myself as a path of words."
Hana watched as the lines creating the inner circle glowed.
"To convey both desires between colors of elements." He continued.
Her eyes widened as the petals lit with the words inside them.
"I beseech thee."
She gasped as the outer circle glowed.
"Arise before me."
Suddenly, the room was filled with strong, blinding light. It stayed for a minute before it stopped. Tsuna who was the nearest cracked an eye open to look at his circle, only to see a massive black body, like a western dragon he saw in one of the book illustrations in the library. It has two pointy horns, feathery black wings, a strong tail and glaring purple eyes. All he could do was stagger backwards as fear tugged his spine.
He can't breathe. The pressure from the demon in front of him is so heavy that he can't help his body from trembling. Pressure, bloodlust, exceeding power. It was scary yet beautiful- exquisite at the same time. His brain flashing warnings, and giving off calm down commands at the same time. It was fascinating.
Fight or flight, yet be calm for he's not dangerous, it said. And the only thing that is separating them is the strong barrier created by the outer circle. Tsuna stopped himself from erasing the line of the outer circle. He has this urge to inspect the massive body in front of him.
"-da... Sawada! Are you okay?" Tsuna looked at Hana who was holding his arm. "You have a summon."
Tsuna gazed back to see the massive demon warp into a man in casual attire. "Did you see that Hana?"
"See what?" Hana asked back.
"The demon! He has this massive body that oozed with so much power! It has these pointed two horns and purple eyes! It looked like a western dragon!" He stared wide eyed to the man in front of him. "I-It was beautiful despite how scary it was."
"Sawada! What in hell-"
"Hello." Tsuna greeted to his summon with a smile, not caring whether he was rude to Madam Cara, or Hana looked at him in horror.
"Hi." The man with black highlighted with purple hair in casual attire greeted back softly.
"Uhm..." Tsuna cleared his throat. "I'm sorry about the sudden summon."
The man suddenly smiled. "Ah no. It's fine. It is an honour to answer such beautiful calling."
Tsuna blushed. "Thank you."
"Are you calling for a contract?"
Tsuna shook his head. "Oh no. I only wanted to try the pentagram and incantation I improvised. I didn't know it would work though."
"Hmm..." The man looked at the pentagram he was stepping on. "It is rather beautiful. I never seen it before. Though it's much prettier when I saw its big version in the sky of Fiant."
Tsuna flushed darker. His pentagram was seen in the sky of Fiant? "Thank you."
The man smiled before laughing. "Where were my manners. I'm Skull."
"Tsunayoshi Sawada. Call me Tsuna."
Skull pulled a paper from his pocket. "Will you take it, Tsuna?"
His interest piqued. "What is it?"
"I find you interesting. So I thought you can have my symbol. Whenever you want to call me, put my symbol inside the inner circle."
"Oh." Tsuna uttered before beaming and took the paper the man reached out for him. "I will."
"Hmm. Thank you."
Tsuna smiled as the man vanished into thin smoke. He stared at the paper with a cloud symbol in it. Inside the cloud is an image of a scythe with the word 'Skull' in Latin on the blades. He looked at his pentagram, but the drawing was already erased. It's as if it went with Skull to Fiant.
At his back, his classmates, Hana and the two teacher stared at the brunet. They thought he couldn't do any summons because he was colorless. Yet to their utter surprise, he was able to summon a demon in higher level. Not lower, not semi, but higher.
"Sawada." Tsuna perked up from his thoughts and looked at Professor Harold. "Congratulations. You just did a summon."
"Ah. It's just a fluke." Tsuna dismissed as he folded the paper Skull gave him. "It's impossible. I'm a recommendation."
"It wasn't, Sawada." Hana chastised. "You summoned him on your own. With your own pentagram, own version of incantations and own blood."
Tsuna blushed at the praise. "Hana-chan."
"You know what, let's get out of here." And Hana dragged him by the arm.
They all stared as the two went out of the room.
"I shall tell this to Headmaster." Professor Harold said with excitement. "He will be very pleased."
Madam Cara only groaned.
Skull stared at the paper he has in his hand. It was the copy of the pentagram he used awhile ago to go to the Mundane world. The pentagram that made him meet the beautiful brunet with a warming smile.
He's a cloud demon. He is used with those small polygrams that appears on the ground of Fiants, waiting for a demon with the same affinity of the summoner to step inside the circle. He was so used to it that he doesn't care about it anymore. It's been decades since the last time he was summoned. If he remembered right, he gave a human's desire to be defended from his killers until he is deemed safe from them. After he did, that same human shooed him away without giving him the agreed payment.
Greedy little fuckers.
So he stayed in Fiant, and never associated with them again. And today, when he saw the big simple yet beautifully drawn pentagram in the sky, accompanied by soft voice saying an incantation that differs from the other ones he usually hear, he was enchanted. It was so soothing, a voice saying a small prayer. The incantation doesn't sound demanding nor arrogant too. It sounded like a hopeful request but not expectant. It was an open invitation for any demons in their world, whatever their affinity. So open and accepting. So he channeled his aura to the pentagram and it sucked him in.
At first, he was disoriented. And when he heard his summoner saying something about his demon body he didn't really show, he clamped up. How did the human see his demon form without him showing it? And to call it beautiful of all adjective to give. He was used to horrifying, disturbing. But the word beautiful was never expected.
"Hello." The brunet greeted.
A soothing voice, warm smile, and accepting and welcoming yet mischievous and fascinated eyes. Tsunayoshi Sawada. A young man with terrifying knowledge and skill to be able to enchant a higher up like him. He even made Skull give his symbol.
He folded the paper and put it inside his pocket before walking towards their house. When he opened it, Verde, a man in white laboratory gown, is reading a paper. Nothing new. But to see Viper, a man in black cloak, patiently waiting and glancing at the paper three times already in the span of a minute, made him curious.
"What's that?" He asked them before closing the door.
"An essay paper." Fon answered as he walked out of the dining room.
"Oh. What's interesting about it?" He asked again as he stood beside the Chinese man.
"It's about Demons experiencing emotions and feelings like how humans do." Verde responded. "It's quite charming to see a human writing this kind of topic."
"Don't spoil it to me, Verde. I want to read it." Viper complained.
"Where did you got it?" Skull asked.
"Reborn. A Saint Academy student wrote it." Fon replied with a smile. "His name is Tsunayoshi Sawada."
Skull's eyes widened. "Really?!"
All three looked at him.
"I met him just awhile ago." Skull told them. "He made this simple pentagram and I accepted his calling."
"What's in it?" Verde said in disinterest.
Skull shook his head. "No no! His pentagram was shown in the sky, instead on the ground! And his incantation isn't the same with others! I even have a copy of it!" He pulled out the paper. Fon looked at it and blinked in surprise. "It's different."
"Yeah. It's simple, and the outer barrier is stronger."
"Maybe it's a fluke." Viper supplied.
"I don't know. But he was really... Something. Tsuna said he wanted to try that pentagram and the incantation he said. He even expected it not to work. I asked him if he wanted a contract but he declined. He even apologized for the sudden summon because he thought I was teleported by force to the Mundane world. What was really bugging me is how he saw my demon form when I didn't show it to him. I was in my human form when I got transported there. He described it vaguely too. But I know its me because I'm the western dragon."
The room went silent.
"Tsunayoshi Sawada..." Viper said.
"Hmmm..."