Disclaimer: I own the OCs, the rest is Akira Amano's work.

Fratellanza

Kyoya appeared out of nowhere in the kitchen, helped himself some dinner and plopped down on the third chair of the table angrily. I exchanged a look with Arro and we both moved our seats closer to the wall, away from Kyoya and his gloomy aura.

It was his Mukuro aura.

"What's up?" Arro asked him with a nervous grin. Kyoya shot him a glare. I ate my meal quietly and almost choked on a piece of fish.

Kyoya slapped me so hard in the back I almost kissed my plate and my fish landed in Arro's face. He wiped it quietly with disgust.

"Well, I don't need feeding. I can chew my own food just fine."

"Sorry," I apologized between two coughs. "Damn Kyoya, no need to be so brutal!" He glared at me, finished his meal and left the apartment as quickly as he arrived. "The hell was that?"

"I don't know, I'm not his girlfriend." I kicked him in his leg but he laughed. "I mean, shouldn't she go to him and...make him talk about his boo boo through some very enjoyable way?" I blushed a deep crimson and swallowed the rest of my food before going to my room. "I'm all alone now!"

"You deserved it!"

The next day, I met up with Reborn and Lal at a tunnel. From the feeling in the air, there were lots of illusions, so Mammon's test was happening. Once they were done with the tunnel, we entered it just as they were leaving. I knelt next to a sliced metal ball and inspected it.

It was real.

"What's that?" Lal wondered.

"Mammon would do anything for money, right?" I asked them in a serious tone.

"Unfortunately yes," Reborn replied. "Call Alaric to ask him where Mammon's final stage is and bring Arro along."

"Roger." Once I knew the shrine was the last spot, I went to it, Arro on the phone. "Go to Namimori Shrine. Mammon has Verde's projects and is using them." I hung up and hid in a tree, watching Tsunayoshi, Takeshi and Ryohei deal with Mammon's illusions and Boxes Weapons.

I was immediately on the roof of the shrine, sitting behind Lal and Reborn once the fight was over.

"Hiiieee senpai where did you come from!?"

"I got here for the tunnel part and headed there on Reborn's order."

"Good grief, game over." Mammon was tired it seems.

"You were able to effectively utilize your Guardians Sasagawa Ryohei and Yamamoto Takeshi as their Boss," Lal informed him.

"My trial was adaptability. You cleared it. Show me your ring." An indigo light shot from Mammon's pacifier to Tsunayoshi's ring, which glowed indigo a second after.

"By the way, why does Mammon have Boxes Weapons?"

"Hum?" Mammon pulled a box from under their cloak. It looked huge in their baby hand. I looked behind Tsunayoshi and smirked at Arro jumping from the tree branch to the roof. He grabbed Tsunayoshi before he fell from the surprise.

"Verde's been selling these on the black market to test them out, that bastard," Arro stated.

"Hum? They've been circulating within the Mafia recently. Verde did contact me to test them for money."

"It goes against the deal the Weaponries made with Federico," I told them.

"Not exactly," Arro refuted and I raised a brow at him. "If the boxes are used against the Vongolas or, like for Mammon, sold to a Vongola, then it doesn't go outside of the two parties involved in the deal if it's just to test them out." He leaned over Tsunayoshi, a hand on his shoulder as the other one stole the box in Mammon's hand. He turned it around with a frown. "I'll keep that." He stepped back a little and lit up his Storm ring.

"I wasn't expecting Squalo's cousin to be a Storm, or even use flames," Mammon commented.

"Arro has two flames." Mammon turned their head to me. "Just like I do." I frowned when Arro put the flame in the box, which opened. However, the starfishes melted and the box broke in my friend's hand.

"What does that mean?" Tsunayoshi asked him.

"It means they're not totally Flame-specified yet."

"What are those weapons?" I looked down at Lal in surprise.

"Iemitsu didn't tell you? I went to Chicago last year to see what the Weaponry Family and Verde were doing." She cursed against Iemitsu.

"I have to call my Boss, but I'll most likely have to look for Verde and possibly monitor him. Is that okay with your Trials?" Arro asked Reborn.

"Yes, depending on how things go with him you might need to intervene as well." It was serious.

Arro jumped on the ground and left. I didn't really have to occasion to see him in business mode but it was awesome each time. And by 'awesome', I meant how drastically different he was from his usual self.

I picked up Mammon and jumped down as well.

"I'm expensive," they told me immediately, not moving from between my arms and my chest.

"I want blackmail on Alaric." They hummed in thoughts.

"Why would I give you blackmail on him?"

"Because I can patch you up?" They tilted their head toward me.

"You're very different from the Boss." I smirked.

"Because I'm civilized?" They actually smirked.

"Arroganza is also very different from Squalo." I snorted.

"Yeah, he takes pride in that and that when he talks or sing, it's actually nice to listen to and you don't risk going deaf."

"I see." They flew away and faced me. "I'll give you blackmail on Alaric if you give me blackmail on Fon."

"Heh? Your student against my master?" They nodded and I pursed my lips. Having blackmail on Alaric would be useful one day knowing I never managed to get any, however I knew you should not wake up the sleeping tiger, or dragon in Fon's case. He also knew too much to blackmail me. "Yeah, I'll have to refuse."

"Well, you know my price." He vanished in indigo smoke and something landed on my shoulder.

"I appreciate you not selling me out."

"It's not as if I had anything on you anyway," I replied. "When is yours?"

"I am thinking of tomorrow, at your school. I just need to go around for a bit before." He jumped on the ground and lifted one of my foot with a frown.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said, putting my foot down. "While I'm in town, we'll resume our training in Kyoya's backyard."

"Did you ask him this time?" He smiled calmly and left, telling me I had to be there in an hour with appropriate clothing.

Needless to say, Kyoya bothered to look at us for a second before retreating inside his house/mansion. The weights around my ankles were for once visible, not hidden behind my boots or illusions. They looked like regular ankle bracelets, but tight enough to keep them from moving around with gray 'pearls' on it. They were the weights and I would, or be forced to, add a pearl each time they needed to be heavier.

"No more, please no more Kyoya..." I whined, my forehead hitting the desk whereas he was casually laying down in the couch, his hands behind his head as a pillow.

"Punishment." I sighed and raised my head, rubbing my eyes behind my glasses. The words, well kanji, were blurring together. I picked up the pen and continued, finishing the last few papers that needed to be filled. I stopped for a second and looked up at Kyoya, who closed his eyes immediately.

"Do I have something on my face?"

"Hn." I rolled my eyes. "When will you be able to fight properly?"

"Hum...After this whole Byakuran thing is over I think. I don't want to lose a fight because I kicked your ass." He scoffed, clearly contesting my claim. "And...I'm done!" I put the sheet of paper on top of the pile and tapped on it. "It's so annoying to do, but there's something very satisfying once it's over, just like when you clean your apartment or do the dishes." He gestured me to come closer.

I got up and went to the couch. I gritted my teeth when his eyes lingered a little too much on my legs.

"What?" Without a word, he stretched out his hand and put it on my right thigh. I blushed slightly. "What are you...AHH!"

Kyoya pulled me on top of him and had the delicacy to move his head aside so that my forehead could meet the armrest of the couch. However, now his arms were around my waist. I tried to get up but he pulled me down again.

"Seriously?" I asked him, my voice muffled by the couch. "It's not comfortable at all." His hold softened a little, enough for me to move and I laid my cheek against his collarbone. "You're five sometimes."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?" He removed my glasses.

"When you open your mouth things are coming out of it. Stop that." I stuck my tongue at him and he turned on his side, my face now very close to his.

Why did he look this bored?

"You could buy a pillow instead of using me." He smirked. It was small, the corner of his lips barely raising, but it was there.

"You don't mind."

"Maybe I do." His nose was now against mine, his breath mixing with mine.

"If you did, you would have no problem pushing me away." I pressed my face against his chest, my heart beating too fast once again.

"Shut up jerk, can't you see I'm sleeping?"

And, just like all the times I closed my eyes for too long since we came back from the future, I fell asleep.

When I woke up, I was alone. I blinked a few times, rubbed my eyes, yawned and put my glasses back on.

I jumped when the door was slammed shut.

"Kyoya?"

"Fon is here causing ruckus." As if on cue, his ring shone red.

"Right, his test was today at school..." Kyoya's eyes narrowed at me.

"You knew?"

"Heh...see you later!" I said, going at the window to jump.

Finishing the day on napping with Kyoya was better than him chasing me down and wanting to kill me.

I leaned my cheek in the palm on my hand, watching Tsunayoshi and his gang defeating the trash after Aria. I thought I would stay out of it today as well, but Aria had to find my address and picked me up and dragged me around.

I sighed. I jumped out of my seat and ran after Aria when I noticed her leaving.

"Senpai wait!"

"Later!" I screamed back at Tsunayoshi, more harshly than intended. I couldn't let Aria leave without getting answers.

I reached her when she was with Reborn, talking.

"Aria!" She turned a surprised look at me as I took a breath from my inhalator.

"Luciana, do you need something?"

"First of all, you're the one who dragged me in your test, so you can't just leave like that. Second of all, you owe me answers!" She raised a brow.

"Oh? Do I?"

"Yes! What's your link with the Mare Rings?" She widened her eyes at my bluntness, but I had no time to beat around the bush. "Don't look so surprised! My dreams are parallel worlds, it's the Sky Ring telling me I'm a potential wielder of its power, and I'm sure you've known for a while because when I was introduced as Federico's Cloud Guardian, you said another ring should be around my finger. Reborn even told me he couldn't say anything about my dreams because of the Tri-Ni-Sette. Spill the beans, what's with the Giglio Nero and me?"

"I'm impressed, I didn't think you'd figure it out so quickly," she complimented me and I averted my eyes with a click of the tongue, Reborn's knowing gaze on me. I wouldn't have known if it wasn't for TYL Kyoya. "Let's go somewhere more private to talk about it."

Hence how I found myself in her hotel room.

"I should begin with the fact the Mare Rings have been in the hands of the Giglio Nero Family for generations and that's why I have taken an interest in you early on." In that case, the Black Spell made sense. Byakuran was interested in them only for the rings. "Although, people in my Family uses the rings, the Sky Ring will reject anyone it did not choose." Yeah, like Xanxus was rejected by the Vongola Ring.

"Is that why you asked me these questions when I was in jail?"

"Yes, I wanted to check if you would use the ring for bad things later on or not."

"And how did you know so many things period?"

"I'm a seer." I blinked in confusion.

"You're a what now?"

"A seer, I have visions of the future." She giggled. "You've had dreams of one of many parallel worlds, you're in no place to judge me." I had no come back to that.

"I don't want the ring," I mumbled more to myself than her. "I mean...I don't care about power of shit like that, I don't want it."

"I know you don't, but if you don't get the ring, it will become harder and harder for you to get back on your feet after a dream." I averted my eyes to the floor, my fingers playing absently with my necklace. "And I know you are not the only one the ring has chosen. The other one...is not a good omen for the future." Byakuran huh...she wasn't wrong about that. "You know, the Tri-Ni-Sette is very peculiar. The Mare Rings, like the Vongola Rings, almost have a will of their own. The Mare Ring...it has been used for bad purposes in so many worlds that I think it is almost forcing itself on you because it is sick of it."

"I'm trapped. If I play it selfish, the world is doomed. Yippee."

"Using it is not an obligation, but claiming it would be in everyone's benefit Luciana." Mine as well? I sighed deeply.

"Thank you for answering my questions."

"It was nothing." I left her room and went to the river bank.

There, as the sun was setting, casting a beautiful orangey shade over the sky, I smoked a cigarette.

She didn't mention the possibility of me being corrupted by so much knowledge and going batshit crazy like Byakuran.

"Senpai?" I gazed behind me. Tsunayoshi was there, hands in his pockets. "Can I sit?"

"The grass' not mine." He sat down. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"I'm sorry!" he blurted out and I blinked lazily at him. "I mean, you just said what you thought would be best and I screamed at you and gave you the cold shoulder. I talked about it to Yamamoto and he agreed with you. It's not...fair to keep them in the dark when they are already in danger."

"It's not," I agreed. "It's their choice to stay friends with you once they know the truth. You can't keep that from them. Even if a certain boxer might freak out." He paled. "I won't say anything though. It's your job to tell them. However, they already expressed their frustration of being kept in the dark when I arrived in Namimori in the future. Don't wait too long." He nodded but looked unsure for some reasons.

"Thank you for fighting with us," he whispered almost shyly, "Reborn wasn't there but having you was reassuring. You were...are reliable, so thank you for helping us."

"Well I forbade Lal to go and someone with infiltration skills was needed." He scratched his cheek.

"Yeah sure..." I smiled softly and patted his fluffy hair.

"But you're welcome."

"Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know, I just feel like you're...often deep in thoughts recently."

"Future stuff."

"I mean since you came back from Italy." I pursed my lips. Seriously though… "Well, at some point in the future I noticed you had the same look in your eyes than you had when looking at me before Reborn came in town."

"Huh?"

"Guilt." I looked up at the sky. It made sense. "But since after the Ring Conflict...I don't know, I'd say you feel trapped." I snickered bitterly.

"You're scarily spot on."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it's about my birth family and too complicated for me to involve anyone not already involved."

"Xanxus?"

"Humph, Xanxus is the least complicated part of my equation Tsunayoshi." He raised his eyes to the sky as well. "If you had two paths in front of you but none has a happy ending, what would you choose?"

"Well, a year ago I might have told you the least bad one but now...I'd say to just make a new path." I smirked. It was development. "Do you want to eat dinner at my house?"

"...why not?" We got up and started to walking to his place.

"Did you read the letter by the way?"

"Not yet, I'll do that tonight."

Dinner was fine, as good as Nana's cooking always was, and I went home. I greeted Arro, who was in front of the TV, and went to my room.

I deadpanned at the Dying Will Flame at the bottom of the page. Did TYL Tsunayoshi really have to put his Flame here?

'Dear past Luciana,

If you're reading this letter, it means Shoichi told you all about Byakuran being the real target and you know about you and the Sky Mare Ring. Luciana told me two Cervellos came to her and Byakuran in university, but she knew she couldn't control it and would lose any claim on the ring shortly after.

It is not all.

When she was still in university, she had a dream in which our past versions were fighting Byakuran. However, you were not in it.

It was a parallel world in which you were never born, even if you should only be able to access worlds in which you exist, but Shoichi will explain better than I can. The Luciana of my time has been worried for years because of it, because she fears her existence will endanger the outcome of the world I mentioned above. I agree with her now. My intuition is telling me Byakuran will take a lot more precautions than in this world, not only because you're here and a strong fighter, but also because you, as a Sky, attracts other strong people.

By now, Luciana's link to the Mare Ring is...dormant let's say. She can't reach it and she hasn't had any dreams since her Cloud Flames totally overgrew her Sky Flames.

It does not mean the ring cannot recognize you.

Your future self has faith in you and your potential, a potential she couldn't access mainly because rings became a real 'thing' too late for her. It is not the case for you. You have the potential to awaken your Sky Flame in its natural form and not the Flame of Wrath.

It will not come to you as a surprise that in your condition, there will be a price to pay. I know it is selfish and cowardly of me, of all of us in my time and your future, as adults, to count on all of you. I know fully well how my past self must be scared but hiding it for the sake of his friends. You're free to hate us for dropping such a burden on you all when we are too weak for fight them off.

We, I as the Vongola Decimo, do not have a choice.

You have to awaken your Sky Flame and then, claim the Sky Mare Ring as yours. I am sure it will be instinctual for you, just like it was for me when I lit up the Vongola Ring for the first time. Hopefully, you will manage to severe the bond between Byakuran enough for him to lose some of his power, or just make the Ring reject him like the Vongola Ring rejected Xanxus.

I probably should add it is a direct order from the Vongola Decimo.

I doubt you can all go back to your Namimori if you don't go to such great lengths.

Good luck.

Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo.

PS: Feel free to call my past self 'Tsuna' please.

I folded the paper and put it back in its envelop.

He didn't want me to get him the moon while he was at it!?

And tomorrow I had to wake up super early because Reborn wanted me to be there for his test and deny access to the island if Tsunayoshi did not bring all of his Guardians.

The only thing I wanted was crawl into a hole and sleep until this mess was over.

I yawned. It was too early for that. I squinted when silhouettes appeared on the sea and pursed my lips. As they got closer and closer to the shore and I, I couldn't help but think they better be ready. Reborn was waiting for them and he wouldn't hold his punches back.

"Hey, what are you doing here Ana?" Takeshi asked me. Kyoya shot him a quick look, then me.

"Reborn asked me to greet you and see if you were allowed to go to him."

"Allowed?" Ryohei repeated and I pointed at the sleeping Lambo in Chrome's arms.

"Reborn asked for all Guardians to come, Lambo as well. If you guys had refused to bring him along, I would have been in the obligation to make you leave and Reborn would have failed you." I smirked at their serious faces. "But you're all here, so be my guest and go have Reborn's test." I looked at Tsunayoshi. "I'll give you a piece of advice first: don't hold back."

Funny enough, I watched them bite the dust next to Aria but it was just painful to watch.

They were all down in five minutes.

These morons...all attacking one by one because Kyoya was a battle freak and finally Tsunayoshi not taking the only chance Reborn was giving him...It was a dog eat dog world outside.

We moved them to a building on the beach. Actually, Kyoya regained consciousness when we reached it. Before he could make a scene because Shamal was carrying him on his shoulder, I told my doctor to let him go and that I'd take care of his wounds.

It was dead silent when I was doing so.

"Where's the baby?" he asked me when I was almost done.

"In town probably." I deadpanned at him standing up to leave. "And you're welcome!" I left the building as well and lit up a cigarette.

"Lulu?" I jumped and turned around, a hand on my heart. Arro snickered at me. "What are you doing here?"

"They had Reborn's test nearby, so they're resting now." He frowned.

"Nearby you say?" I pointed at the island. "Hum...interesting."

"What are you doing here?"

"Verde is around, and I mean around here. I thought it was the beach but if there is an island...it would make sense." I raised a brow and he scratched his cheek, looking away. "Remember...I have a phobia of deep water...if I don't touch the ground or can't see it if I'm on a boat I can't do shit. Verde knows that and guessed by now I'm looking for him."

"That's sneaky. And smart." I patted his shoulder when he lowered his head. "Sorry Arro. Call Reborn though."

Needless to say, Verde made himself known rather quickly. Once Reborn stated they would join the fight as well, he told Arro and I to protect Aria.

That was it, our glorious help.

"It's painful to watch," Arro muttered next to me. They were all exhausted.

However, I had to pinch Arro discretely when all the Arcobalenos were taken hostage. It was an illusion. Although, seeing them explode was...disturbing to say the least.

The illusion was broken the moment they exploded and Tsunayoshi broke the green device dropping something similar to Non Tri-Ni-Sette Radiations. They all reappeared, the fight continued, we were all paralyzed by lightnings except for Lambo who unexpectedly saved the day.

Verde gave them his seal, they had to swim to the island just like we suspected, Arro ran away muttering curses about the small scientists, Reborn ended up giving his seal as well, there was cheesy lights that came out of their rings and I went home, with the promise to go to the shrine the next morning at dawn.

I was so very done with their crap.

Maybe I should resign from CEDEF and the Mafia. Yeah, External Advisor was cool I guess, but so was raising...I don't know, alpacas in Peru. Watch me become rich out of alpaca wool.

It would be less stressful than saving the future from some bipolar too powerful all-knowing marshmallow freak.

The next morning, Kyoya was in my room when the night was still very much there. I was already up as I had not had a lot of sleep. I put a finger on my lips to tell him to stay quiet, finished my bag quickly and followed him outside, closing my window quietly behind me.

I looked down. I knew he used the tree to climb but...it was still pretty high. I must have looked ridiculous, hugging the tree as tightly as I could as I slid down.

"I'm fragile," I reminded him under his scrutinizing eyes.

"Sure," he agreed, although the sarcasm was tangible in his voice.

Fratellanza

Thanks for reading this chapter! Thanks to AutumnBee124 for their reviews!

Bye!