The Hired Help

Mugenjou.

Its a terrible slums place.

Slums, derelict buildings, crooks, and kids who never got the chance to be kids by how their eyes looked.

'Awful...why did auntie make niichans and neechan live in a place like this?' she croaked out as she had to defend herself from people trying to make, and fail miserably, in making prey out of her.

'AAAAAH!'

'STRINGS?!'

'You're-!'

Bodies got torn to pieces behind a smiling girl.

'Oh, kindly just die.' Mizuki smiled darkly, promising suffering. 'People like you are better off sleeping with worms~'

And she had to deal with 'lying surroundings' too!

Well, she found him eventually lounging around.

'Mizuki!' Kazuki gasped, seeing his cousin in this side of the world. 'What're you doing here?'

'Niichan, I don't think you can visit while 'it' is hanging around.' said Mizuki blandly. 'They're here for me. The last one slept with the worms already.'

Kazuki made a face.

That means Vongola's heirs in the Main Family are all dead, which leaves her as the spanner in the works. That means in a bid to keep them away from the Mafia, visitations are out of the question now to keep him and the others out of it.

'I-I see...so you're here for training?' of course she'd be here for what could be her last sparring session with him...

'Yup. Not to mention I'll be borrowing a sea urchin to take care of a birdie at home for me so you won't be seeing him for a while...'

'Haa?' Kazuki blinked, bamboozled at his smiling cousin.

(sometime later, he found out what she meant...)

xxx

Honky Tonk...

Midou Ban twitched.

'So you're telling me ito-maki's cousin dropped by, hiring us for a job AND paid off our tabs, effectively deducting our reward money and job in question is unknown as she's playing with her cousin in his home ground?' Ban asked as he ordered a biiiig dinner for himself and Ginji did the same, since they had big money on themselves now but how much was the reward, was up in the air as not even Paul knows how much she's willing to pay them. But considering the suitcase near Paul...its bound to be big, not to mention he could effortlessly get his car out of the pound.

'Ah, she's here!' Natsumi chimed as they all saw a foreign-tinted japanese girl in an orange kimono with spools and bells in her hair.

'Hi! We're the Get Backers ojousan, what can we do for you?' Ban shamelessly curtsied up to her since reward was big.

'I'm Sawada Mizuki.' Mizuki bowed, giving them a homemade but well-made business card. It's even laminated! 'And its not a retrieval job I'm hiring you for but a Tutorial Job.'

'Eh?' both Ban and Ginji sported question marks on their heads.

'Not Fuuchouin?' Ginji blinked.

'Oh, niichan's mother and mine are sisters so we have different names.' Mizuki piped up.

'Oh...' that explains it. Maternal cousins! But this missy is trained by cousin, so...

'So what's this tutorial job for? You seem to be a do-no-wrong girl.' Ban pointed out.

Mizuki gave them photos of Hibari and Ryohei.

'These guys lives in the same town as me. Their names are Hibari Kyoya and Sasagawa Ryohei.' said Mizuki as she looked thoughtful. 'Considering what I heard from shades-man,' Paul sweatdropped at the referral, 'You're a one-man army walking disaster by yourself, so your job, for 500.000 yen per month, totaling ten million yen all in all,' several jaws dropped hard into crashing on the floor. '...your job is to train him real good in fighting and survival. Drag them with you in your jobs if you have to if boob-lady calls and just call it 'real life adventure' or something.' she quipped.

'Ten million yen and 500 grand a month...that includes what Paul yanked off for our debts?' Ban mused. Counting that, that means they'll be in Namimori for a year and eight months. Almost two years in fact!

'Yup! So budget properly and park in a proper place next time~' Mizuki chirped as the Get Backers choked hard. 'I'll go more into details when we go home to my town and meet your new chew toys!'

"This kid is...a little messed up." they all thought.

'Wait, you're asking me to train these two guys for a huge reward...what for?' Ban narrowed his eyes. 'There's gotta be a catch...'

'Omerta?' Ban and Paul froze in horror. Paul nearly dropped the mug he's holding to polish with a cloth. Ginji and Natsumi looked concerned with their expressions as the two somehow knew things they didn't.

'Holy shit...seriously?' Ban choked out. This kiddo is Mafia?!

'Sadly not my choice.' Mizuki shook her head glumly. 'Mama and I aren't too happy when we found out what my paternal side really is and sadly, I'm a hidden egg, so to speak and they want that hidden egg now for a little educational upbringing. The official chicks are now sleeping in the cold.' NOW Paul, Ban and Ginji choked hard. Three heirs dead so she's next, was their conclusion. 'So I have to gather ideal retainers as part of the job.' she explained. 'And I need six.'

'Ah...THAT Kind of Famiglia.' Ban nodded in understanding. 'And I can guess which one you are, you're practically wearing the color.' Mizuki nodded. 'Just two and not all six?'

'I gave you the two most difficult guys since I'm no good with fists, I can't train them at all.' Mizuki pouted. 'I can train the rest myself, and hire when needed. Just that, Hibari and Sasagawa are ahem, beyond my ability to train.' she sighed. 'Hibari is a self-trained street fighter using Tonfas but sadly, has tunnel vision. Sasagawa Ryohei is way worse, you'll understand when you meet him. We must get to Namimori before my chosen tutor comes and I absolutely do NOT want him to find out about you two, he'll drag you in for sure whether you like it or not, he's too used to getting his way due to his reputation.' she said. 'I'm somewhat safe from that bit, everyone else is fair game.'

'And this whackjob is?' Ban frowned.

'A fake baby.' Ban and Paul paled again. Girlie is using 'referral terms' for the sake of civilian ears, but easy for those in the know to understand. Her family just chucked an Arcobaleno to tutor this girl.

'Ah shit, THOSE guys?!' Paul yelped in shock. 'Their rates are heinous!' that means this girl's paternal side is waaaay up the ladder to afford an Arcobaleno's services. Wow.

'Yup. Niichan can't even visit me anymore...I told him not to, while he's sticking around.' said Mizuki glumly. 'I can't let them be dragged in too. Mama's angry as it is she basically told him to go back to Italy and kick the boss and my dad hard in the balls or else he can't start and she likes it when my cousins visit, now they can't anymore. I would know if he lied, nobody can lie to me after all.' the boys paled and turned to rock in horror at the woman's revenge on her child's behalf. That, was...shockingly cruel, asking an Arcobaleno to kick men hard in the balls...

'Riiight...job accepted, Mizuki.' Ban nodded. 'Tutorial for ten million, we'll take it!'

'Goody! Let's go home quick! We have eight hours to set up shop, quick! I wish ten hours but they got jets!'

'Let's vamoose!' and the trio left the shop with their money.

'...is it that bad that you're careful in talking here?' Natsumi asked Paul.

'Yup. We have to use referral or metaphors because if we're straight-up honest in talking about 'that sort', the lawmakers will know and drag our asses to jail.' Paul shuddered at the thought of Vindice and their not-so-comfy prison Vendicare. 'Those guys have spidey-senses if anyone broke it.'

'Oh...' guess she won't know any time soon, Natsumi thought.

xxx

Namimori, next morning...

Hibari Residence...

Hibari was having breakfast when he got three uninvited guests on his backyard. 'What the?!'

'Hi, Hibari~!' Mizuki chimed. 'Sorry for the unannounced visit but I'm a little time-constrained, see?' she said with a nervous smile. 'But I promise this is all good!'

'This had better be worth it. Kamiokorosu zo!' Hibari grumbled. Ban raised an eyebrow at the 'or else' the boy stated.

Hibari and Sasagawa does NOT know what they're in for. Just training and that's it. Because Mizuki must 'court them' herself.

Mizuki explained away what is going to be an interesting year and eight months of his life, and gave both him and his teachers a list of conditional terms. That was solid and fair. The thing was, the boys would live in his house, but would pay for their own groceries and laundromat but since they clearly can't cook, they'll pay Hibari's chef 3000 a day to cook for them.

That means in that year and half, Hibari's family cook would earn over 1 million yen so Ban had to pay up front in an instant! And considering they pay for their own groceries and gas...and hospital bills...yep, they have to budget! And still need jobs from Hevn for extra cash!

'...so that's what's gonna happen.' Mizuki chirped. 'Anything you wanna ask, Hibari?'

'While I don't mind you brought interesting things on my doorstep, why that loud herbivore too?' Hibari twitched.

'He's waaaay worse. He definitely needs this.' Mizuki deadpanned. 'Don't worry, he won't be staying here, he'll go home to his own house after a day of training.'

'Hn.'

'Well, have fun with the boys~!' Mizuki chimed happily, clapping her hands once. 'You're in for an interesting 20 months!' and she left.

'Sooo kiddo, where's our room?' Ban asked Hibari. By photos alone and a personal close-up look, he could discern that this kid will be difficult.

But nothing the great Midou Ban-sama can't handle!

At least they get to sleep on a niiiice bed, showers in a niiice bathroom, and large meals...

(needless to say the Get Backers, Hibari and Ryohei are in for an interesting 20 months indeed)

xxx

Around sundown, Reborn returned to Namimori and was given a thorough stare by Mizuki.

'Yup, he did it!' Mizuki chirped. 'He passes.'

'Hmm hmm, I suppose he can do his job.' said Nana with a sweet smile but atmosphere, scary. 'He did that simple requirement and all.'

Reborn decided Iemitsu's wife is scary.

Hell hath no fury a mother's wrath indeed.

The daughter, even moreso. Just WHERE did she get strings that can deflect bullets? He researched known material but while it does exist, breaks in one use. Hers doesn't.

And how long are the strings in her bells?

In Vongola's history, there are known unusual weapon users.

Primo uses Gloves, Quatro uses a large Fork, Sesto uses a Boomerang, and Nono uses his Cane. And now, Decimo uses Strings from her bells!

Five out of ten bosses, have unconventional weapons. The remaining four have conventional weapons and the last one doesn't bother with any.

Reborn asked for a full body photo of Mizuki to send home, wielding her strings so they can photoshop what could be her adult appearance for the sake of making her painting to be put in the Hall of Bosses in the Iron Fort.

'Why not do it here with your computer, baby-sensei? I know better how my body will turn out than some random stranger, 100% accurate, you know?' Mizuki pointed out.

'Well, I suppose why not...' said Reborn as he had Leon turn into a laptop for him, complete with photoshop software. 'Lets begin...'

'My height by the time I'm 20 would be 5'8...' and Mizuki described down to minute detail how she would look as she could 'feel' with her intuition. Then made her photoshopped self wear a kimono with a posing of her wielding her bells between her fingers.

The turnout was INCREDIBLE, Reborn thought. Mizuki is one hell of a bella fiore! She would be in history as its most beautiful boss!

'If I keep up my diet, that's how I'll look like one day.' Mizuki shrugged at the look on Reborn's astonished expression. 'AND using my flames to ensure that happens using Harmony Factor of Sky Flames.' now that, was news to Reborn...so Skies can make themselves beautiful by using Harmony that way? Wow!

'Uwaaaa! Its like seeing spoilers of how Micchan would look as a grown-up!' Nana exclaimed, seeing her daughter's adult self as she envisioned with her family ability.

'Haha, assuming I live that long.' Mizuki said airily and rather cynically.

'Hunny!'

'...diet?' Reborn asked as he saved their hardworked image of her as Mizuki was very fussy and pinpoint about the details. He wondered what she eats to turn out into THIS beauty, he thought as he looked at the woman in the computer that would be Future Mizuki.

'Yup, diet!' the two women smiled mysteriously.

Come to think of it, Reborn thought, Maman doesn't have a single sign of aging such as sagging skin and wrinkles...

'You can have the guest room by the stairs as my daughter's room is a no-go zone, and lessons will be happening in the living room, OK?'

'I see...then, would you mind having a second house guest?' Reborn asked. 'This boy is a candidate for Guardianship, as part of Mizuki's family set. Out of all in her age group, he was by far, the one who passed my standards of loyalty, integrity and devotion in personality tests. He was also sadly underrated by racist people yet this person is a genius in academics and chemistry.' he said. 'Other boys are from...well...no way will Nono let them near his heiress when I submitted all exams, so the rest of the Guardians will have to be from this town.'

'I see...I'd like to meet this boy then.' said Mizuki. 'Problems?'

'He has issues as a result of dealing with rejection thus determined to prove himself.' said Reborn. 'And has dietary issues as he has had a history with Poison Cooking.'

'He's being poisoned?!'

'As a child yes, so he ran away from home, but if he sees his sister's face, he has psychosomatic symptoms of a terrible stomachache he can't even stand up. She was the chef in question...'

'Details about that, please.' Mizuki twitched. 'Nitty-gritty. And does he have a monthly salary from Vongola as my Guardian Candidate? He does need to go to school with me and pay for food bills.'

'How much is the food budget maman?' Reborn asked Nana.

'Oh, about this much a month for two of us.' Nana took out a piece of paper containing six digits. 'We only eat rice for dinner but the rest, all nuts, eggs and vegetables and certain types of fishes.' she shrugged. 'Then we'll change when Micchan is 16 as too much of a good thing becomes bad.'

'Ah...'