Note: any word with a * after it is a note that will be at the bottom of the chapter
~8~
Adam ran outside the restaurant and looked around the street until he found a small red bead on the ground.
"Found one!" he called out; Hide, Hanabi, Suzuki, Morita and Reborn ran outside to where Adam was standing, "Just where Mr. Yamamoto said it would be..."
Hide bent down and picked the bead up, he examined it closely before putting it back in his pocket.
"Are you sure your gramps won't come with us?" Adam asked.
"Yeah," Hide nodded, "I'm sure that there are reasons that Gramps decided to retire from being a hitman, and he probably doesn't want to get caught up in this stuff again..."
They all looked up towards the forested hill that was in the center of Namimori, the abandoned Namimori Shrine. Hide gulped before he and his friends started their way towards the Shrine.
~8~
"'Enough to cause a stir'," two purple converse shoes walked down the stairs of the abandoned Namimori Shrine, "'Get in your positions'," sun-set orange cargo-pants sat down on the stairs of the shrine and two hands were stuck in the pockets of the cargo-pants, "Get ready," an eternal frown was set on a statuesque face, not detracting from its beauty one bit, "Poseidon, Loki, Raphael, Amaterasu, and Morpheus...all those that go by a name, like little pets that get so happy when called by their owners."
Dark violet eyes glared as they surveyed the trees, no animals dared to stir in them lest they be killed on the spot.
"Names are restrictions," it spoke like a sharp blade, "A wild animal becomes tamed when it is named."
"What are you talking about?" a voice asked from behind the violet-eyed person, "Talking to yourself about 'names', we all don't want names nor do we need them. We are Boxes, naming a Box is like naming a tool and only the person who uses those tools actually feels the need to name us."
"Yet you respond and call yourself by your name," said the violet-eyed Box.
"You respond to your name as well, Nyx," said the voice, "And my last owner put quite a lot of thought into my name before she called me it."
"Morpheus is such a lovely name," the Box said sourly.
"It is," Morpheus, the only Box that could come close to true human emotion, agreed despite the amount of sarcasm that was in the voice, "My owner, or owners, were actually pretty nice to me instead of constantly making me do more and more fighting like yours did."
"Shut up," Nyx scowled, "Just because you had slight consciousness back then because your affinity is 'Construction'-"
"Yes, yes, I know," it interrupted, "You can't escape humans though, Nyx. Humans created us, Humans opened us, we even feed off Human emotion; even that person was a Human at some point."
Nyx was silent for a few seconds before saying, "What did you come here for?"
"Nothing, nothing, just a little chat," Morpheus grinned, "Ya know, before the big fight that is."
"Then leave," there was no argument at this statement, so Morpheus left it alone and walked up the stairs in silence.
~8~
"God Box?" Hide questioned.
"Yes, God Box," Reborn nodded, he had just been giving a crash course on Box Weapon history to the children, "They are like a mix of Animal Boxes and Weapons Boxes, their weren't an invention of Geppetto* though; a scientist that was outside the group of Verde, Innocenti, and Koenig made them almost fifty years ago. They were designed after mythological gods, hence why they are called God Boxes. Coincidentally, that scientist was actually working for the Vongola, so the Vongola was the first to get their hands on the new technology before it boomed."
"I've never heard of these Boxes though Reborn," Adam stated.
"Me neither," said Hanabi and then she quickly added, "Nor Boxes in general."
"You're grandfather had quite a few, Hanabi, if you remember a small, red and yellow cat* around in your childhood. As for the God Box, Adam, that's because they were banned by the Vongola early on by the Tenth Vongola," the infant explained, "From the beginning, the Tenth disliked using Box Weapons and when Weapons that looked like people came around he immediately banned them. Another reason was that they a great amount of power was needed to open just one, and anyone with that much power outside the Vongola was viewed as a threat. That's why there are so little God Boxes in the world, almost all of them belong to the Vongola Family and most are kept in a protected area."
"And you think that the guys who attacked us are God Boxes?" Hide asked.
"Not exactly, even Yamamoto wasn't sure since he said that Poseidon had the ability to talk," Reborn said with a hint of doubt.
"Is that something bad?"
"Yes," the small infant nodded, "God Boxes shouldn't have the ability to speak nor should they be able to make movements without the owner nearby, they are like puppets in a sense, or moving statues. However, these Boxes seem to be more human-like, I would have to see one in person to actually know if they were God Boxes or not."
"So then you've seen them in person before?"
"Quite a few times, yes," Reborn nodded and added grimly, "But if I am not around and you meet one, remember this one thing that is common in all of them: Each one can show only one emotion, except one and that one is the most dangerous Box. Understand?"
They all nodded and realized that while they were talking, they had already walked to the hill in the center of Namimori. A long, stone staircase ascended up the hill to where Namimori Shrine was, grass and moss covered the stony steps and trees were huddled around the pathway making the path up seem like a tunnel. An eerie sensation was spread throughout the air and the wind made old leaves danced across the moss-covered stones. Hide could feel his knees shake just staring into the tunnel that led to the abandoned shrine.
"I-I don't remember these stairs being so long when I was little," he said nervously.
Suzuki sensed the fear coming off Hide and swung an arm around the boy playfully, saying, "We just have to find this Poseidon-guy or that Loki-guy, right? It'll be easy since we're all expecting what will happen now!"
Hide nodded solemnly as Suzuki took his arm off the boy's shoulder and started heading up the stairs. Suzuki is as carefree as always, Hide sighed, wasn't he listening to Reborn at all? Not only that, but Reborn said that he only has one other Dying Will Bullet! I have a feeling it won't be as easy as he thinks it will be...
"Hey, Hide!" Morita called, he and the others were already walking into the ascending tunnel while Hide was standing in spot, "C'mon Hide, hurry up!"
"R-Right! Coming!" Hide nodded and started running up the stairs, he could only hope that he and his friends would come out the same way they came in.
~8~
A bird flapped its wings overhead as took off from a tree. Another bird cawed and the branches shook as the other had taken off, causing Hide to jump in surprise and trip on the steps.
"Twelfth, are you alright?" asked Hanabi as she helped him up.
"Y-yeah," he nodded and looked around; the trees were almost completely blocking sunlight from inside the tunnel and only specks of light moved back and forth as the tree branches swayed in the wind.
"Stupid-Hide, you got scared over a silly little bird," Reborn mocked his student, Morita and Suzuki started snickering from behind the now red-faced boy.
"Quit laughing at the Twelfth bastard!" the bomber yelled, "Even if he is scared easily!"
That's not helping Gokudera-san! the boy sighed as the snickering continued.
"Sssh!" they all fell silent as Adam had held up a hand for them to be quiet, he was crouched on the ground standing as still as a statue. They waited a few seconds until a passing cloud blocked the sun above, "Get down!"
It happened in an instant, in a simple gust of wind the trees fell crashing to the ground with rocks falling in a loud booming sound that shook the ground. Hide had luckily ducked, or had been pushed down by Suzuki, in time to avoid getting slashed along with the trees. When the dust that had been stirred up cleared, the rubble from the wreckage was pushed aside as he and Suzuki stood up coughing.
"Is everyone alright?" Hide asked to anyone that was listening in general.
"Yeah," Hanabi stood up as she pushed a broken log out of her way.
"Reborn's with me," said Morita as he stood up and lifted a log that was above him, the infant jumped out of their little hole completely unscathed.
"Look," Reborn pointed, Adam was already on top of some fallen trees and was staring expectantly at a figure that sat on top of the stair way, its hands stuffed in orange baggy pants with baggy pockets sown on it. It wore a plum-colored shirt with a brown scarf that had red stars around its neck; it had matted-down purple hair that covered its violet eyes.
The figure was scowling at Adam and staring straight at him, not even paying attention to the others around them. It stood up while still keeping the sharp glare with Adam.
"Hey, Reborn-san," Adam called to the infant without turning around, "This guy here wouldn't happen to be one of those God Boxes, would they?"
"...as it so happens, I believe it is," Reborn replied thoughtfully and called to the Box, "You wouldn't happen to be Cloud Nyx, would you?"
"I don't go by names," Nyx said coldly while still keeping its stare.
"That's definitely Nyx then," the infant nodded in approval.
"Then," Adam began and slipped a hand to his back jeans pocket, "you might be able to tell us where this 'Poseidon' and 'Loki' are."
Nyx's eyebrow twitched and it said, "I don't concentrate on weaklings like those."
"Hmm, well I don't pay attention to people who aren't important," Adam retorted and hopped off the fallen tree he was standing on, he turned and smiled at Hide, "Well, come on guys we can't go burning daylight here and waste our time with something weak."
A spark behind Adam the moment he finished that word, Adam was now holding out two knives that he had in his back pocket. The knives holding back the two clawed hands of Nyx, purple flashed on the knives as did Nyx' eyes.
"I thought that would get you started," the foreigner grinned, he could feel the pressure from Nyx' metallic claws as they pressed harder on his knives.
Hide yelped as he started backing away with fear, Reborn dead-legged the boy and said, "Don't back away now, let's go."
"Wha-what? What about Adam?" Hide asked as he witnessed Adam and Nyx square off.
"It's a distraction," said Reborn, his voice hinted impatience, "Adam is allowing us to pass, we should take this chance while we can."
"But...but..." the boy said doubtfully.
"Come on Hide!" Suzuki urged, Hide gave him a startled look as he continued, "That guy is probably doing his best to distract him! So come on!"
"Well-" before Hide could say anything else he was being pulled across the rubble and up the stairs.
~8~
When they were long gone, Adam smiled and jumped back from Nyx as it did the same.
"Are you going to follow them?" Adam asked.
"No, you are more...interesting," Nyx spoke in a solid tone.
"That's good," he nodded and stuffed his hands back in his pockets, "I guess now I can show you my real strength then."
~8~
They ran as far as they could before they got to a platform on the stairs that was probably for resting on the way up. Hide breathed heavily to try and get his breath back.
"We still have a little bit more to go, but we should be really close to the shrine," Suzuki said brightly.
"While we're resting," Reborn began, "I have a few things for you all."
"You do?" Morita asked.
"Yes," the infant nodded, a pair of red, fingerless gloves were handed to him with a hint of reluctance, "I wish I could have given them to you earlier, but the time has come sooner than I thought."
"They fit," the boy said in surprise as he put them on, he flexed his fist and was amazed when tiny spikes formed on the knuckles.
"The spikes are made of real steel," the infant explained and handed Hanabi a small satchel, "These were given to me by your grandfather, Hanabi."
"Tiny fireworks?" the bomber questioned as she held out a tiny, red tubes with a small wick on each.
"Dynamite, they have as much power as regular-sized dynamite," Reborn corrected, Hanabi fumbled them and put them back in their bag cautiously.
"I hate dynamite! How does that guy even expect me to light these in the first place!?" she exclaimed and rolled her eyes, "It's not like I carry around a thousand lighters like he did!"
"He didn't use lighters, but you should be able to figure it out," Reborn said passively as she scrutinized one of the sticks, he then turned to Suzuki and gave him a pair of boots, "These should be better than the pair you have on already."
The boy blinked and looked down at the shoes he was wearing already, they were regular blue and white sneakers that were almost identical to the ones that Morita and Hide had on. The boots that Reborn was holding were big, black, and rubber; they looked like rain boots or a fisher man's boots.
"What's wrong with my shoes?" he asked, "They're the same pair I use for when I'm running and training."
"These boots are specially designed to help improve your bat-swinging technique," Reborn lied.
That's a ridiculous lie! Hide thought.
"Are you serious? That's awesome!" Suzuki hurriedly put the boots on.
And he believes it... he gaped.
~8~
Meanwhile...
Yamamoto searched all over Takesushi for his fishing boots before sneezing.
"Aw geez, where could those boots have gone now?" he sighed hopelessly.
~8~
"They're a bit big," Suzuki began as he tried walking in his new boots, "And they feel a bit worn, but if they will really help with my technique then I'll keep them on."
"That's the spirit," Reborn nodded and looked over to Hide, "You should learn from Suzuki's willingness, Hide."
Before Hide could say anything more, Hanabi interrupted and said brightly, "Don't worry about it Boss, I'm sure the thing that Reborn-san will give you will be better than a stinky pair of boots."
"You're not getting anything," the infant stated.
That's way too blunt! he gawked.
"Now that we're done resting we should resume our way towards the shrine," said Suzuki brightly and he quickly added with a grin, "This will also give me a chance to break in my new boots!"
"They smell like fish," Hanabi pointed out.
"That just means they're well worn!" he said cheerfully.
I have nothing and these guys are supposed to protect me...Hide thought as he contemplated his oncoming doom.
~8~
Notes from the Author:
*Geppetto Lorenzini was the original maker and designer of the Box Weapons in KHR, its true check it out.
*You should all know the small, red and yellow cat mentioned above *cough*Uri*cough*
**Just another side note, but God Boxes are not apart of KHR they are completely my creation and something I came up while bored in my World History Class
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! does not belong to me, it belongs to Amano Akira
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