Fuuta opened the door to Lambo's room and couldn't help but stare at the younger teen. Who is currently sleeping in a cream-colored hammock, over his perfectly functional bed, that Fuuta has never seen before in his life.
He is quite positive that neither Lambo nor Vongola own one, nor did Lambo come with it. So, where the hell did he get it?
"Lambo?", Fuuta calls out calmly as he continues to openly stare.
"Hmm?", Lambo grumbled, awake, but making no move to get out of bed.
"What are you doing?", Fuuta asks.
"Sleeping.", Lambo replies bluntly.
"I see that.", Fuuta nods, "What I don't see, is the reason why you're not sleepng in bed."
"I am sleeping in bed.", Lambo states factually.
"No. You're sleeping in a hammock.", Fuuta states with a raised brow.
"Which is my bed.", Lambo retorts uncaringly.
Fuuta sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exasperation, "No it's not Lambo. Where did you even get a hammock?"
"Made it."
"Out of what?", Fuuta cries incredulously.
"A tent."
Fuuta had no words for that, blinking at both Lambo and the hammock, that was apparently once a tent, dumbfoundedly. Lambo has never expressed interest in hammocks before. He'd usually demand one instead of getting it on his own. Yet here he is, in a perfect homemade hammock.
Out of a tent no less!
But despite Fuuta's shock and slight aggravation, he just sighed, deciding to tell Tsuna afterwards and he can handle it after the Gala.
"Just, get out of the hammock and get ready.", Fuuta orders, "The Gala's today so dress nice."
Lambo leaned out of the hammock, on the verge of falling but somehow not doing so, as he stared at Fuuta with wide curious eyes.
"Seriously, that's today?", Lambo asks in surprise.
Fuuta nods.
"Wow, time really flies when you're living.", Lambo comments off handedly as he gracefully slides out of the hammock, landing on his feet on the floor, stretching his arms above his head, "By the way, where's I-Pin?"
Fuuta blinks, not expecting the sudden question from the Lighting Guardian. The two youngest members of the Vongola haven't gotten along in years. Not ever since their falling out in school.
"I-Pin? Why?", Fuuta asks, staring at Lambo a little cautiously and wondering if this is some sort of act.
Lambo shrugs as he opens his closet, searching for one of his usual button up black and white cow printed shirts and a suit. It's a formal event, so he's not allowed to wear his khakis and usual footwear. Lambo is a little upset about his bottoms, but the suit jacket is fair.
His suit jacket is absolutely demolished, practically nothing but stiches now. Much like Lambo's shoulder.
"Well, her room is just down the hall from mine.", Lambo explains as he continues his search, finding his shirt and now needing the suit, "Every night, no matter the time, I always hear I-Pin walking past the door, but she never did last night. So where is she then? Did she switch rooms or something while I was gone?"
Fuuta just stared at Lambo's back for a moment, not expecting the observation, but chose not comment on it. Instead, Fuuta answered Lambo's question.
"There is a smaller mafia group from Loguetown that couldn't make it because of the Marine high security. There are many members that I-Pin is friends with within the mafia. Both high and low ranking. So, since it's easier for one person to sail in and out rather than a whole mafia group, no matter if it's big nor small.", Fuuta informed Lambo, "And since I-Pin has so many close connections inside of the mafia and she isn't a Guardian, therefore her presence doesn't need to be here, she was sent to Loguetown a couple of days before your return."
There are many things Lambo could say to that, both good and bad. But in the end, the young teen just settles with a simple...
"Ah."
… And left it at that.
…...
The Gala was to be started any minute. Everyone is rushing to bring out the food, plates, glasses, and silverware. Setting up the all the last-minute touches in order for it to go well. The Gala is a tradition for all of the mafia families. There is a single family that hosts the Gala in each of the great oceans, as well as the Grand Line. The Largest Family in each of the Blue Seas would be the host. And every year, in the East Blue, the Vongola host the Gala without fail. It is a sign, and truce, of peace between the families.
But, unknown to them, the Gala this year will be very different.
And not as peaceful.
The large entrance hall, that leads to the ballroom where the Gala is to take place, is filled with many of the members of Vongola, including Sasagawa Kyoko, Tsuna's lover and fiancé, Chrome the once temporary Mist Guardian, and Yamamoto Takeshi the Rain Guardian, the latter two helping Kyoko check off all the preparations for the Gala.
Then suddenly, the doors to the grand main entrance that lead to the large entrance hall, bursts open. If they weren't created for the purpose of keeping unwanted parties out, the doors would have splintered into piece, ripping clean off from their hinges from the sheer force of the new unidentified group's entry.
The entire room froze and stared at the open doors in various expressions of surprise and shock.
In marched in a particular looking boy wearing a straw hat, followed behind by a green haired man with a white katana at his hip and a ginger haired woman with a blue tattoo on her arm, and behind them is a bushy haired boy with a long nose and a blonde man with a curly eyebrow over his one visible eye.
"Where's Lambo?", the straw hat boy practically growled, eyes blazing as he stared down the entire room.
...
Tsuna's words to Lambo the other day seemed to have decided to slap him in the face as he stared incredulously at the group of five that stood in front of his desk, their faces either stoic or set in harsh glares at the sight of Vongola's Decimo.
"Where's Lambo?", Luffy repeated his earlier question as he stared unblinkingly at the Head of Vongola, expression blank.
At first Tsuna didn't answer, eyes studying each member of this, obviously, newly built crew appraisingly. Tsuna knows all too well how deceiving appearances may be. But for the life of him, he can't see how this boy has achieved the deed he's heard, much less become captain of a pirate crew. Even, the carefully placed spies Vongola has placed in the Marines also report back that many of the high-ranking Marines have come together in a very important meeting concerning this certain straw hat wearing boy.
Yet with all this, Tsuna still can't bring himself to believe it. If anything, the two most dangerous looking people of this crew that Lambo had joined is the swordsman and the blond man in the back. Hell, the green haired swordsman looks like he should be captain instead of this goofy Straw Hat.
"He's not coming.", Tsuna answered carefully, "In fact, I highly suggest you get back in your boat and sail off without him. Lambo doesn't plan on coming back, he realizes his mistakes and wishes to stay here."
"I find that hard to believe.", Nami says skeptically, crossing her arms defiantly at the calm Mafia boss.
"It's true.", Takeshi interjects, having been the one to lead the group to Tsuna's office, waving his hands placatingly, "We knew all that Lambo was doing was throwing one of his famous tantrums. This time just... got a little out of hand. Of course, you all have to know what I'm talking about. He's been with you for a while, he's had to throw at least one. In fact, it's been a couple days before he left for vacation, he was screaming up a storm in here."
"A tantrum!?", Ussop exclaims incredulously, staring at the Rain Guardian furiously, "He's fifteen, not five!"
"The point is...", Tsuna interrupts the quickly growing argument between the two, "That Lambo made a mistake and has decided to come back here in order grow and become stronger. Honestly, I'd thought you'd be happy to have him off your hands."
"Our crewmate was captured, of course we're going to go get him back!", Ussop shouts.
Tsuna's eyes lit up with 'realization', "Ah, I see. There was a lack of communication in the proceedings."
"P-proceedings?", Ussop asks, sweat dribbles down the side of Ussop's face as he stares at Vongola's Head in confusion.
"I apologize on behalf of my advisor; he must not have informed you. I'm sorry as well, I neglected to instruct Reborn to inform you of your fortune."
"Our fortune?", Nami asks, eyes lighting up in greed, with hidden wariness, her guard up on high.
"Yes.", Tsuna agrees graciously with a nod, "Vongola knows more than anyone how difficult and terrible it can be to take care of one that is the likes of Lambo."
"Terrible?", Zoro grunts, his voice a low rumble.
"Difficult?", Sanji repeats in disbelief.
It took a lot of Tsuna's will power to not roll his eyes most of the words these pirates have uttered are just repeats of what he, himself, have already said! Not to mention their Captain hasn't uttered a single words besides his original question in the beginning to Lambo's whereabouts.
Maybe the reports were over exaggerated or, better yet, these pirates just happen to find themselves at the right place in the right time in order to take credit of the high-level pirate's defeat.
"He is high maintenance after all. With all his selfish wants and desires.", Tsuna continues, not realizing how he wasn't helping his case in the pirates' eyes at all, "It'd be a mercy for you. I'd say you should even be grateful from the extra load we relieved you of."
"Bullshit.", Sanji hissed, his eye narrowing into slits as he glares furiously at the taken aback Tenth of Vongola.
"'High maintenance'?", Zoro repeats Tsuna's words with a raised brow, expression hard with contained rage, "Don't make me laugh."
Ussop pipes in, his fists clenched as spoke, "Lambo is the most easy-going person I have ever met in my entire life."
"He almost never asks for what he wants unless prompted.", Nami adds in, voice sharp.
"I have to always push a little so I can see what he even wants. 'Selfish wants and desires' my ass.", Sanji practically snarls before turning to Luffy, "Are you hearing this crap?"
But Luffy remained silent, staring at Tsuna and Takeshi with an unreadable expression.
Tsuna honestly didn't expect their reaction, he had really thought the pirates would be happy to be rid of Lambo. Yet their reactions prove the exact opposite than his expectations.
But why? How is this even a thing? What's going on with these pirates? How can Tsuna convince them that what Vongola did for them is a favor? That taking Lambo away is an act of mercy.
That's when Tsuna was suddenly hit with an idea. Maybe they don't need to convince these pirates after all. They can just show them how Lambo is truly like. There's a high chance, after all, that Lambo could be hiding, tricking these people so that they would let him tag along. A smart move for someone with as bad grades as Lambo has, but it could have just happened and the teen went along with it.
Either way, this is the best way to show Straw Hat and his crew how wrong they are of Lambo and that it's best for him to stay with Vongola.
"Alright. I have an idea.", Tsuna leans forward, looking at the group pleadingly along with a charming smile, "But I will need all of you and your crew's full cooperation in order for it to work."
Zoro's and Luffy's expressions never changed, while Sanji, Ussop, and Nami looked at the two Vongola members skeptically.
"We're listening...", Nami says warily.
"There is a high chance that Lambo has been acting a certain way in order for you all to see him the way you all do.", Tsuna begins, a small confident smirk hidden behind his interlaced fingers, "Whether it's purposefully or accidentally, I can't say for sure, but I believe I have come up with a solution to this misunderstanding."
Luffy continues to stare at Tsuna with an unreadable look on his face.
...
"Do we seriously believe that load of crap about Lambo faking it all?", Sanji asks exasperatedly as they stood, scattered across the deck of the Going Merry.
Ussop shrugs, trying to go for an air of causality.
"We can't disregard the possibility.", Ussop states before his eyes hardened and his brows furrowed in anger, "But that doesn't mean that I believe it. A liar knows another liar when he sees one, and Lambo isn't it."
"It's confusing though.", Nami says thoughtfully, "The Vongola know Lambo to be one way, while we know him to be the other. If it is some sort of act, I'd say it started by accident."
"Do you seriously think it's was all just an act?", Ussop asks incredulously, "Practically the same thing happened to you back at Arlong Park. Except we don't have Lambo here to deny or defend himself!"
Suddenly Nami froze, eyes wide in realization.
"Wait! Ussop, say that again!", she orders the Straw Hat sniper.
"Uh, we don't have Lambo here to defend himself...?", Ussop repeats, his sentence sounded more like a question rather than a statement.
"No, before!", Nami shakes her head.
Sanji's eyes widened as he also came to the same conclusion Nami did.
When neither of the two older men spoke back to the youngest crew member, Lambo took several steps closer, facing Nami and her cold heartless façade unflinchingly.
"Nami.", he called out, his tone left no clues for any of them to decipher what the Guardian was thinking.
Nami raised a brow, waiting for hurtful words to be spit at her out of spite and pain. Words that the boy has every right to say, she knows that doing this is opening some scars for him, she saw it before she made her presence known earlier when Johnny told them what he saw.
But his next words surprised all of them.
"I see you.", Lambo told her fondly, his expression softening with a sad smile, "I don't know all that's going on, but I see you."
"Nami went through the same thing back at Arlong Park.", Sanji breathes.
"He told me he saw me.", Nami says quietly, "I didn't understand then, but I think I do now. Zoro, do remember how Lambo was like when we first met him?"
The said swordsman nods, "Yeah, he wasn't very open back then. Always had this mask of neutrality or boredom on his face. It wasn't until after we met Ussop that he began to let us in a little more as well expressed himself more as well."
"Exactly.", Nami nods, "But you're missing an important detail. Think of his eyes, what were they like."
Zoro thought a little bit, his eyes slowly widening as he got to where Nami wanted him.
"They were like yours whenever you let your mask fall back at Arlong Park.", Zoro answers slowly, "Broken... dead."
"'I see you'.", Nami quotes, "He meant it in the literal sense. He could literally see me, see past my façade, because he had a similar one for who knows how long. Lambo's like me. The only difference is that he has even less of a choice and freedom then I did."
Slowly, the Straw Hat crew began to piece all the little clues they've gathered from their meeting with the Head of Vongola and the past with Lambo.
"You wanted us to go away... so, you pretended to be one of them. You pretended you didn't want to be with us.", Ussop walks them all through, thinking out loud, "Tried to get us to leave...! They don't want us here!"
"Vongola wants us gone and to leave Lambo here with them.", Sanji agrees before scoffing, "Like hell that's going to happen."
"We've seen the scars they've left behind.", Zoro speaks up, nodding to Nami and Luffy, "I'll be damned before I let them leave anymore on the kid."
"Then what's our next move?", Ussop asks.
"We either go all in, fists flying.", Zoro states.
"So, the usual.", Sanji nods as he smokes his cigarette, "It's bit difficult though with all the mafia families from all over the East Blue coming today for this peace Gala the Vongola are hosting."
"Our other option then is to play the Head of Vongola's game.", Nami states, "Which is, of course, attending the Gala and watching Lambo without him knowing."
"Bit of an ask, and not really preferable.", Ussop sighs, "Neither option is, so which one do we pick?"
The crew all fell silent, no one saying a thing for several minutes before Zoro turns to Luffy, who is sitting at his spot on the head of the Going Merry, his back facing the rest of the crew.
"Captain?", Zoro calls out to the silent Straw Hat.
"... We'll play their game.", Luffy answered stoically.
"Really?", Nami says in surprise, gaping at Luffy dumbfoundedly.
"Yep.", Luffy states bluntly, popping the 'p' as he did so, "Only way to talk and see Lambo."
"I guess... wow, I didn't expect you, of all people, to think strategically like that.", Ussop says in shock, scratching his head at the out of character response from Luffy.
"Plus, there'll be free food.", Luffy added, turning to the rest of the crew with a wide bright smile.
"BE SERIOUS!", angrily shouts Nami with sharp teeth.
"THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT FOOD!", Ussop roared angrily with sharp teeth.
Luffy just laughs.
...
Lambo stares down at the ring Fuuta had left before suddenly rushing out after one of the minor members of Vongola ran in, whispering something in the older boy's ear. Lambo noticed the pointed, both horribly tried to be discreet about it, glances his way. But the Lightning Guardian didn't even bother trying to gain answers.
Even if he wanted to, he was too distracted by the ring that lay on the desk in front of him.
It wasn't just any ring that caught Lambo's.
But it's his ring. His Vongola ring.
The one he sent away.
Lambo didn't want to put it on. It looked heavy from Lambo just staring at it. But that's not the only thing weighing heavily on his mind. Lambo's no navigator, but he knows how long it takes to get from Cocoyashi to the Vongola Manor.
They should be here by now.
Lambo's heart skipped a beat as he tightly clenched his hands, trying to ignore the doubts slowing creeping in. He has to have faith. They went back for Nami, they'll come back for him. Knowing Luffy, they were probably delayed because of all the meat they had to store thanks to the captain with the bottomless pit of a stomach.
A small smile rose on Lambo's lips as he couldn't help but chuckle at the reminder. Yeah, they'll be here tonight, at latest, sometime tomorrow, knowing their luck, Lambo wouldn't put it past the universe to have some sort of obstacle or trouble get in their way and delay them.
They'll be here. He just has to be patient.
But that doesn't mean he wants to wear that ring.
Lambo's eyes narrowed as he glared down at the ring.
"Stupid Cow! Hurry Up!", Lambo can clearly hear Gokudera shouting from down the hall, "We're going to be entering with the Tenth soon and we need all the Guardian. Get your ass moving and get over here! NOW!"
Lambo just sighed; he still didn't want to wear the ring. That's when he spotted a small chain that will serve perfectly as a necklace. Well, at least he doesn't have to wear it properly.
Yeah, they're not here now. But they will be.
Lambo just has to survive through this Gala so that Luffy and the others will still have someone to come for when they finally arrive.
Author's Note:
Hi y'all!
Sorry that this chapter is a little shorter than the others, but the next one is the Gala and there is no good place to stop there in my plans. I hope you guys enjoyed it.
How was the interaction between Tsuna and the Straw Hats? Did I do good with the Straw Hats? Did I keep them in character? Comment on what you want to happen in the Gala, I have a lot of scenes in mind, but I don't feel like they're enough. I'd love some suggestions you guys have any. No Hibari this Chapter, and Lambo didn't really pop in as much as I would've liked either. But don't worry, our favorite Guardians will have more appearances and larger roles in the next Chapter.
Anyway, hope you've all enjoyed! Be Your Best You! Bye!