I apologize for the somewhat lengthly silence. There is an issue that I probably should have noticed earlier, but didn't - as my parents did help me move, they stayed a month in the cabin with me. As it happens, not only does the cabin not have normally-accessible internet (Dad was using his phone as a hotspot, and somehow it didn't occur to me that mine is not capable of the same), but it doesn't even have a land-line hookup and I have yet to find a service or hotspot provider that will actually claim to cover this area.

Which, of course, is what I get for moving to a not-town part of Alaska. Since it's a bit of a bother to head into town, I'll be updating less frequently. Also, as the cabin has not had winter occupants in some time (Mom and Dad would spend some time here in the summers, so at least the main bits are all working), there's quite a bit I need to do to make sure it's going to hold up under occupancy before the first snow hits. I don't want pipes bursting or anything like that-it's bad enough that I need to haul drinking water. Not a surprise, though, there's a fair amount of arcenides that were disturbed by mining in the area, which led to much of the groundwater being tainted with arsenic. The well is not safe to drink from, though it's fine for showers and the like.

So, I don't have much time to write at the moment. I'll likely have more during the actual winter, but getting to an internet connection is going to be a different question altogether.

Interlude III

Tsuna meandered the crowd, paying attention to both the mutterings (and of course there were mutterings) and the careful actions of several he recognized as Sora. They recognized him, too, but aside from slight bows and 'Oyabun' greetings—he saw three stop themselves from calling him 'Juudiame' and another two cut off his name at the 'tsu' before switching forms of address—they did no more than keep a general awareness of his location in the crowd.

Several Triads assassins were slinking through as well, generally unnoticed, and a few of the off-duty Varia glanced at him but otherwise didn't give him any acknowledgement. Which was good, since the Varia were the only ones that were known to have some kind of association with him, and being acknowledged by him before the actual ceremony started could theoretically cause problems.

Which was actually the reason that Takeshi was at his side, and not Gokudera-kun. The Storm was known where the Rain was not, and with the 'Oyabun' title bandied about, he would be expected to have a subordinate close to hand.

The fact that both of them were young teens would have been a bit of a problem, except-well, Mukuro accounted for that, and distracted from it. Because Mukuro was thorough like that.

All in all, there were a few that Tsuna didn't like the feel of, and he pointed them out to Reborn (and, yes, he knew his overprotective Sun was watching him) with a subtle hand-gesture that said Sun had told him to use.

As for the rest of his Elements... he wasn't sure he wanted to know, but since nothing had blown up and he didn't hear any shouting aside from Ryohei's normal speaking voice, he was willing to assume the more responsible ones (Lal, specifically) were keeping the majority of the others out of trouble.

Not that Skull or I-pin would get into trouble, and Gokudera had been getting a lot better about his temper, but Ryohei was a bit clumsy and forgot his strength, and Mukuro—actually, Mukuro had his attention on crowd-control with Chrome. Takeshi was in his sharp-eyed 'hitman' mode, as Reborn had called it, and at his own side. Hibari, on the other hand... well. Tsuna just thanked the gods for Fon, because Hibari was a wildcard at the best of times, and since he didn't have the time to watch his volatile Cloud himself, he was eminently grateful that Fon was almost as good at calming Hibari as Sky Flames.

Or Hibird.

Anyway, so far he was able to make his way through the masses with no more attention drawn than a few semi-polite greetings (on the parts of the Mafiosi) and more genuinely polite greetings (usually on his own side or the sides of Triads and Sora.)

Thinking of, there were his main group-wranglers, both of whom he was still mildly annoyed with. That in mind, he changed trajectories and put on a cheerful smile, "Ah, Kuro! Shī-san! It's good to see you both!"

The simultaneous cringes were entirely too satisfying.

"Ah... Tiānzi..." Shī offered, bowing apologetically.

Kuro looked like a shamed puppy and the only reason he didn't hit the floor dogenza-style was the crowd, "I'm sorry, Juudaime! Please forgive me!"

Since both were speaking in their respective native tongues (at least, Tsuna was fairly sure they were), he carefully replied in Japanese. "Yes, yes, I'm annoyed with you both. We can deal with that some other time. For now, I really am glad you're here, and getting along so well."

"It is... difficult, to dislike someone as devoted to you as Kuro-san is," Shī informed, switching to Japanese himself.

"He's still a jerk," Kuro informed. "He's just a likeable jerk."

Tsuna beamed at them, "Aw, you're friends now!"

He might have to forgive them the Korea stunt for that, because while they had been solidly allied and willing to work with each other before, now they had stopped eying each other like they were debating the merits of a fistfight.

Kuro and Shī both reddened, looking away from him and each other.

They were adorable. He really was going to have to forgive them. He wasn't going to tell them that until later, though. And they would still have to help with the government.

xxxx

It had been Reborn's idea to have Tsuna slip in with the crowd before the actual ceremony started. With a number of both the Sora and the Triads mingled in, as well as the Arcobaleno scattered about (Viper had even managed to drag in Verde and get Bermuda to snag Colonnello from Mafia Land) and the Varia, Tsuna would probably be fine.

... also, there was something wrong with the world that having a mythological fire-bird hanging out on Tsuna's shoulder with a snake in its feathers was a reassurance.

(Reborn couldn't help but keep tabs on Tsuna anyway, and he was really glad that Tsuna had some talented Mists on his side because none of the Mafiosi had noticed the power of his Sky. Between Viper and Tsuna's not-twins that might as well be and the fact that Tsuna wasn't currently using his Flames, it was apparently a 'simple matter' to keep him mostly unnoticed.)

Colonnello's presence had been neatly directed by Lal's barked orders, but Verde was clearly resentful and sulking in a corner.

Reborn smirked, his target sighted. That annoying scientist needed to learn his relative place in the ceremony—specifically bodyguard—and agree to it. He might be an amoral pain, but he did adhere to his agreements, no matter how grudgingly.

All Reborn had to do was convince him before the show started, and Viper said he had managed to weasel out of a verbal agreement and the Mist wasn't too keen on forcing the matter in a way that would render the Lightning useless.

He watched Tsuna move into the immediate presence of Kuro and Shī, considered the relative placement of several of Tsuna's as well as a few 'off duty' Varia, and glanced at Leon. He had ten more minutes, and Tsuna was reasonably well protected with the minions and Takeshi.

Reborn's smirk turned predatory and he started to move towards the Lightning Arcobaleno. (Ten minutes was plenty of time to convince him.)

xxxx

Tsuna had just made his way to the side room that lead out to the raised dais for the ceremony when he heard Reborn using his 'affectionate teaching voice'. That is, the kind where he was insulting and demeaning and hitting people on the head.

"Stupid Dino, what have I told you about being on time? A good Boss is never late!"

He couldn't help but smile slightly. He'd missed Dino, and the warm furl of his sunny sort of Sky was a welcome addition to the nearby Flames.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't miss my little brother's introduction, though!"

Reborn made a distinctive 'che' sound, but let the matter drop far more quickly than Tsuna had expected, and Coyote-san stepped over to gesture Tsuna in the door. His eyes weren't as hard or as wary as they'd been a few days before, and Tsuna took that as a good thing.

He straightened his shoulders, sent Moeru to get his Ring Guardians (who had been instructed to gather at the back so the bird could get them all at once), and stepped out on the dais, nodding to the others His Own as he did so.

"This is Tsunayoshi Sawada, my heir," Timoteo introduced, using a tone that was simultaneously grand and matter-of-fact.

Predictably, that was when everything went just a little pear-shaped.

xxxx

"That wasn't too bad," Tsuna decided aloud once the guests had been dismissed, the troublemakers escorted out by—interestingly—Dino, Dino's Elements, and the Vindice, and the worst of the mess being cleaned up (Gokudera was playing taskmaster/heavy lifter with the majority of the Varia Elite and most of Tsuna's Guardians, although Hibari had vanished into the rafters and Mukuro was still standing with Tsuna, the Arcobaleno, Shī, and Xanxus.)

Reborn huffed but didn't disagree, and Xanxus only snorted. Most of the others either made noncommittal sounds or agreeing ones, but Colonnello—as neither of the not-technically-affiliated Arcobaleno had been returned to where they'd come from and Verde was busy being in shock over his entire worldview being shattered—turned to stare.

"Someone tried to kill you," he stated, somewhere between flat and incredulous.

"A lot of people seem to do that," Tsuna agreed.

Xanxus and Mukuro shifted guiltily and Shī blushed.

Tsuna grinned, "They don't seem to try twice, though, so that's okay."

Colonnello opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again. Failed to come up with a response.

Lal was slightly more articulate and still new to the warping of reality that surrounded him. "That's not okay, Tsunayoshi," she growled. "You shouldn't be so accepting of them trying the first time!"

Also infected with the new-Harmony attitude, Tsuna noted. Although that might just be a general 'my Sky' attitude, considering Reborn, Fon, Mukuro, and Xanxus. Skull was more subtle about it, though clingy, and Hibari was... um. Hibari. Although he liked to sleep in Tsuna's general vicinity, and tended to make content little humming sounds whenever Tsuna let his Flames blanket the area. And also got a little more violent in his 'bite to death'-ness when Tsuna was actually in danger, judging by the way he'd gone after the Flame-proof monster.

Tsuna was grateful that most of his were slightly less obvious in their overprotectiveness, although the worship from his cult was a bit... yeah, he was pretty sure Gokudera was High Priest, there, but he was not asking.

Still. "No, it's really fine, Lal-san," Tsuna offered a bright smile, "If they still want to try again after that, I can always ask Mukuro and Chrome to have a chat with them."

Mukuro perked up, "Oh, Darling, you give me such wonderful presents."

Tsuna turned a suspicious eye on him, "You won't leave Chrome out, will you?"

She was finally starting to get over her initial self-esteem issues, and he wouldn't have her position as co-head of Internal Security (which included interrogation, much as Tsuna despised the need) infringed on, not even by the other co-head.

Mukuro looked insulted. (Tsuna didn't believe him even a little, since Mukuro was almost as protective of Chrome as he was of Tsuna, but even though she was much less obvious about it, the two of them had a lot more in common than just looks and Flame-type.) "Of course not, Tsunayoshi dear. I'll have sweet Chrome at my side the whole time."

That, Tsuna could believe. Mukuro would definitely feel better about it if he was in a position to handle any direct attacks. Chrome was a good illusionist already, of course, and not a bad close-range fighter, but she was only beginning her training in that area and Mukuro was naturally much better from sheer experience.

Tsuna beamed, "Great! Don't forget to report back to Gokudera-kun when you're finished, and let Takeshi know if you need any outside support. I'm sure Bermuda would be willing to let you know who you'll need to talk to for me. Oh, and ask me before setting Hibari-san on anything, please. I don't need to be dealing with collateral, and this isn't Namimori."

Lal blinked at the exchange, clearly taken aback, and Colonnello gaped outright. "You're a scary kid, kora."

Reborn smirked and hopped to Tsuna's shoulder, patting his hair affectionately. "You've come so far, my student."

Tsuna turned his head just enough to give Reborn a one-eyed glare, "And you, Reborn. You and Fon."

Fon, standing off to the side with his hands folded serenely into his sleeves (having clearly been enjoying watching the entertainment unfold), froze.

Reborn tried looking innocent.

He succeeded, but Tsuna wasn't fooled. "You two broke The Rules."

Reborn drooped a bit and Fon ducked his head, both of them going quiet.

Xanxus paused, then very carefully stepped back, Shī and a suspiciously silent Mammon following suit.

Colonnello stilled, wide-eyed, and Lal looked back and forth between the groups in confused worry.
Tsuna plucked Reborn from his shoulder and walked over to set him down next to Fon, giving them both his most disappointed look, backed with a wave of disapproval in his Flames, carefully contained to the two in trouble.

They visibly wilted.

"We'll talk about it later," Tsuna decided. "For now, you know what you should be doing. Go do it."

They glanced at each other and trudged off, the picture of dejected children, but Tsuna had to let them stew for a while before he forgave them or they'd never learn. That was the problem with trying to enforce good behavior in people who were already set in their ways. Even Gokudera was more reliably well-behaved, and considering his upbringing, that was a minor miracle.

Tsuna sighed, shaking his head. "Those two... well. I still need to speak with Kuro and Shī, and there's a lot to sort out to clean up Vongola's mess, too. Ugh, they couldn't have picked a better time to get destructive?"

Shī also froze, looking a bit wide-eyed, and Kuro popped back in from the doorway, extremely nervous but compliant after having heard Tsuna say his name. At least he usually stayed out of trouble.

"I'm still a bit annoyed about the Korea stunt," Tsuna told them both, and they wilted just as visibly as Reborn and Fon had even without having his Flames backing up the statement. "But since you two actually decided to work together without me having to tell you to, I'm inclined to let it go. You will both be working with Reborn on managing until I have time to set things up properly, though. I don't have time to deal with it right now."

Shī's shoulders eased slightly and Kuro visibly relaxed, both relieved that he wasn't going to turn the you-have-disappointed-me Flames on them. Apparently, at least according to Mukuro (who was remarkably straightforward when asked a direct question about such things, at least if Tsuna was the one doing the asking) they were a lot worse than torture.

Chrome said it was because it felt like they'd let down everyone who mattered at once, and didn't know what to do to fix it.

(Tsuna was just glad it was an effective deterrent. If he didn't have one of those, his crazies would be even harder to corral.)

Lal blinked, "Korea was your people?"

Shī coughed lightly, "Tiānzi was unconscious from massive Flame depletion. There was a doctor in Korea researching artificial ways to aid in Flame-recovery."

Kuro gave a sheepish shrug, "It seemed like a good idea at the time?"

Tsuna sighed.

"Morons didn't even know which Korea to look in," Squalo informed, leaning in the doorway with a grin. "So they just took over them both."

"Uh... is that why Viper was complaining that you're king of a newly restructured country?" Colonnello asked, looking somewhat disoriented.

"Um, no, I think that was because I asked for help with figuring out the budget," Tsuna decided, because Mammon didn't seem to care whose country it was, so long as there was no need for the Arcobaleno Mist to interfere. "Anyway, there's still a lot to do. Xanxus, can you leave a couple of the Varia here to make sure this keeps getting cleaned up?"

Xanxus cast a glance at where Ryohei was trying to get Takeshi into an 'extreme' cleaning contest and grimaced. "... I know they're formerly civilian brats," he informed, "...but I think my street-rat assassins are closer to sane."

Tsuna considered that. Considered his younger group as a whole, the crazy that was his own life, and the fact that Reborn, Fon, and Xanxus had been the least crazy of his Elements before Lal came along and now she was probably ranked somewhere in there with the relatively sane ones.

He nodded, "You're probably right."

(He wouldn't have it any other way.)

xxxx

There will be more on the rather obvious missing scene when I have time, but most of it is going to end up in 'Mythos' from varying points of view. I will try, but timing has no promises.