Ciaossu!

Well, here's another, albeit short, chapter of 'E'la Nostra Ora Incisa Sull'anello'

Because it seems readers do not like short chapters, I'll start to combine the story line from two or more Manga chapters together, to increase length, and material.

If this doesn't work out for you, feel free to tell me.

I don't really like uploading short chapters either, so I'll do my best not to.

Thank you for being patient.

Please enjoy, regardless of the spelling, and grammatical errors that I am prone to.

Chapter 6

~Unexpected Guests and Inexperienced Fighters~

"Giotto's and Guardians' Speaking."

"Tsuna's and Guardians' Speaking"

"Some unexpected guests have arrived sooner than we thought."

He was smirking. Smirking. His son was going to die a painful, gruesome death, and the leader of the CEDEF was smirking.

At least at that point in time, I knew both Reborn, and the apprentice of the CEDEF leader weren't so thick-headed, they at least looked apprehensive. Of course, Decimo was completely out of it, I personally blame the tutor. With such a threat on his tail, so close to Decimo, Decimo should have been informed, at least that way, he was better prepared to die.

Of course I knew who the threat was, it was the Varia. Vongola's strongest, most brutal fighters, I mean, I had been following them, and so had my guardians. The fact that Decimo's advisors had expected fake rings to fool the Varia was a true shock to me… of all the schemes they could have come up with, all the traps and all the games to give decimo time, the use of fake rings was one I would never have used.

Xanxas wasn't an ignorant fool. He was smart, scarily so. Even without the hyper intuition handed down from each man of Vongola blood, to his son, and then to his son again, Xanxas has intuition, he has experience, and that, is a dangerous ally.

For some reason, one beyond my ability to foresee trouble, I feared for the Varia. They were arrogant fools. They were, and still are the strongest fighters, most skilled in all their fields, no one could deny that, no one could beat them… yet, as I watched both 'families' I couldn't help but believe that the Varia were the ones that were going to fall. Their arrogance and experience meant that they couldn't evolve as fast as Decimo and his famiglia were prone to; the Varia were stuck at their level, needing a lot more strength before they were noticeably stronger, whereas Decimo and his guardians improved greatly as each hour went by.

"Go and find him."

The Varia arrived, swiftly, and without fault. Silently, in the dead of the night. They had one mission: seek and destroy. Levi was the guardian of thunder. I didn't know much about him, Lampo had no interest in these matters, he was lazy, and wished to keep his aristocratic ways even into our cursed death. The few things I did learn about him from Lampo was that he was irrationally loyal, to the point where he thought his boss' mood swings and murderous ways were normal signs of affection and gratitude towards him. What Lampo said about Decimo's guardian was completely different. That he was a brat, and that Decimo was an idiota for ever choosing him as his guardian, that Decimo would die at the hands of such 'protection'.

So, filtering into the night like mist into the air, the Varia's lighting guardian appeared. He hit the ground, found his way to the earth, just like his uncontrollable counterpart. He was grounded, followed by his loyal subordinates. He sent them off, into the night, like the wind. I knew something would go wrong, even Lampo knew.

Of course, from the little I learned from Daemon, he wasn't alone.

"An interesting toy arrived with that lightning dog... it should make form some interesting brawls." Of course, this didn't spark any kind of confidence in me, or any of my other guardians for that matter. Daemon was serious. He was particularly interested in Decimo's guardian of mist, telling us little to nothing about the chosen tenth generation; however the way he described the Varia's choice, his face was twisted into an unmistakable mask of desire to fight.

"You said they won't be coming for the next ten days!"

Of course Decimo was tense. He had already met the guardian of rain for the Varia. If he were calm I would have been disgusted. The rain guardian wasn't even the strongest of the Varia guardians, he was however, one of the more brutal and skilled. Decimo complained to his tutor, something I still believed he had all the right to do, telling him how they weren't ready. At least he was smart enough to know that.

It was when Decimo met with some of the female friends who followed him that I noticed the tension in his back and shoulders solidify. He had been tense since the whole fiasco with his father had started, but when the girls explained to him that the three children wards he had taken under his wing weren't with them, and that they were alone, I swore I heard Decimo's patience snap.

"That's bad."

I wanted to kill the tutor for his comment. 'Bad'? Was he an idiot? I was under the impression up until then that the Arcobaleno were the strongest, smartest, and most skilled. However, this Reborn character made me want to posses the Decimo and murder him right there. It wasn't just bad that the children were alone while a murderous psychopath was roaming around; it was grave; there wasn't even a word that could describe it.

At this point, Decimo's emotions were a whirlwind of different extremes. He was trying to put up a calm front, making the girls feel at ease with the fact that not any of the children were in a known, safe location. On the other end of the spectrum, his usually public skitterishness was wreaking havoc in his mind, screaming complaints and terrors that I'm sure the tutor could read, despite the boy's heroic efforts to calm the girls before him. For that I was proud at least; a leader should never worry his friends, this was a lesson Decimo was most serious about. Then again, there was also tipping balance in the boy that I'm sure only I, being more than able to see into the boy's heart, could see. There was the calm, calculating intuition that had passed form me, all the way down to him ten generations over, thinking over the situation, analysing it, calming his very primitive instincts to flee, demanding he stood and fought. His 'hyper' mode as people started referring to it was in a battle constantly battling over each other. His blood lust, the absolute protective side of him that by all rights should have overpowered every natural instinct in his body had it not been for the 'hyper' intuition engraved into the very fibres that also held that protectiveness, was on tipping point. Upon hearing the girls worries that something bad would happen to not only his young lighting guardian, but the two other children Mafioso, the protective instincts, both associated with his slow acceptance of his position as Vongola Don, and the brotherly side of him that had been ignited by each, and everyone of his guardians after meeting each one of them, Decimo's mind had begun the gruelling battle over what was right. His intuition quelling the desperate need to protect, while the suicidal protectiveness inside the boy's heart spurred the intuition into a fury of thoughts, plans, and glimpses of a future should he fail in his duty to protect what he loved.

"We'd better find them before they do."

When his tutor uttered these blasphemous words Decimo reeled. He may not have shown it outwardly, but I have a feeling he was much more 'with the programme' than everyone gave him credit for. He must have felt it, the stir in his heart when his storm guardian addressed him by his title, or when someone said his 'guardians' were in danger form attack. He cannot have been so thick in the skull, or else, no matter the natural ability to be a mafia boss, he would have died the moment he started training.

So when Decimo outwardly didn't understand his tutors words, looking confused while his eyes screamed to the world his desperate understanding, I know his mind was prepared. His intuition decided to stop fighting with Decimo's inner demon, deciding to side with the overprotective nature the future boss naturally fuelled.

"Go find and eliminate them"

This is when I got a message across the weak connection I have with all my guardians. Lampo of all people was screaming blue murder, demanding to know where the decimo was, and who, in a matter f second his descendent was going to be murdered by a ruthless, irrationally loyal dog.

Of course, the first thing I thought was how out of character it was for Lampo to worry about his descendents, and second was the gut-wrenching fear I felt for Decimo. I have never really experienced a loss of a guardian. But Decimo thinks of the small boy –all the children in fact- as his actual sibling, so to lose him, when he is only five-years into this life, I didn't want it to happen. It is only the second time I've ever wanted to help one of my descendents; both times being for the boy in front of me.

Of course, it was only then that Decimo really learned who his guardian was. He protested, the conscious part of him keeping up the rouse that he was a cowardly idiot by arguing with his tutor about the fact that Lambo, the lighting guardian, was too young, he was stupid, he shouldn't be dragged into the stupid mafia facade that reborn was trying to pull. Of course, his intuition side, the side I think is more true to his nature, had a sneaking suspicion that the young cow-print child was his guardian, since the minute he truly looked at the ring suspended from his neck, he felt a connection with all the bearers of the ring. He was almost certain he knew who held the others, though, he would never admit it to himself; it would almost be like he was admitting he was going to be Vongola Decimo. But I knew different. It was the way he was more shocked by the fact his 'intuition' was right that told me he was seriously thinking about becoming boss to protect the things that were precious to him.

Of course, as Decimo ran, and as the consciousness of my lightning guardian neared, his outwardly form being much more solid than mine because of the closeness of his two halves, I watched Decimo's panic, and seemed to be the only one who caught the bloodlust that blasted through the air when Decimo saw the man attacking the three children as they ran. Of course, he reined it in, knowing full well that if his tutor caught wind of the strength of his resolve he wouldn't hear the end of it.

However, as I spied Lampo's form, biting his knuckle in the corner, only being able to watch with unrest as his descendents dukes it out for the rings; albeit in a dirty, disrespectful way. But my famiglia was a mafia now, not a vigilante group bent solely on protection of precious people. His eyes were wide with worry, and if anyone but I saw him in such a state, I don't think he's live it down. But I knew better, I knew that under his aristocratic ways, under the premed etiquette and lazy demeanour, Lampo was a family man, he cared for each and every one of my guardians as if they were his big brothers; I knew he hated seeing such a young child- not really that different to himself- being dragged into and threatened by an enemy even he knew they couldn't beat.

I had to admit, even though Lampo feinted that he didn't care about the ring battles. That he didn't care for who took on the lighting title, and that he really didn't care for the five-year-old Mafioso, I knew better. Of the two, the lighting dog, or the cry-baby Mafioso, Lampo would vote the child to take his position any day under any condition. It wasn't just for the abilities he knew the boy possessed, but the demeanour in which he preformed his everyday activities. Lampo knew that, when the cow-child was grown- he would embody lighting the way Lampo had; the way I had intended him to. I noticed, as the days wore on during our time with Decimo that Lampo spent more and more conscious time with Lambo, he watched Decimo more and more, spending time with me as I sided with Decimo's half of the squillo del cielo. Even if he wouldn't admit it, I knew Lampo really did like Decimo more than he did Xanxas.

While I mused over Lampo's preference to the soft-hearted boy, I felt another presence enter my field of awareness. It was an aura I knew well. One I regretted a lot, for his involvement with me caused him great strife, and conflicting feelings over whether he should follow his friend, or his faith.

"Vongola famiglia's guardian of the sun...is here!"

Watching Decimo's reaction n warmed my heart... I suppose you couldn't really say 'watching' it was more like feeling. Again there were the conflicting emotions wreaking havoc inside his head and his heat. He was shocked, outwardly, to see his 'big brother' there with him, but he was inwardly grateful. His sun really did warm up any situation, making Decimo feel safe and protected. Of course, there was also the guilt and fear that his affiliation with the mafia, no matter the strength of his guardians, would be the death of the blazing ball of energy.

Knuckle appeared beside Lampo, a hand on the young boy's shaking shoulder, reassuring him that everything would turn out ok in the end. Then, my dark haired guardian looked at me, a sad smile on his face. I knew that boy was too much like him for his own good. The haunted feelings in my guardian's eyes are testimony to the work the boy has put into his boxing, and the willingness he possesses to use that strength for Decimo.

"E-everyone's..."

More presences appear with the rush of nostalgia. Warm hands came down on my shoulders as Decimo's eyes filled with uncharacteristic tears. He knew he shouldn't feel such happiness at seeing his friends, fighting stances ready, protecting the young Mafioso they had all come to love. But he did.

Honestly, when his entire mind, body, and soul relaxed at the presence of his guardians, I don't think I could be prouder of Decimo. For all his protests, and all his outright refusals to any relation to the mafia, he was becoming a boss... but not like Secondo, or even Nono, he was more like me, not a mafia boss, but what I had started out to be. I had wanted to find a way to protect myself, my friends, and my famiglia, Decimo is the same.

"Primo. It seems like the brats are finally growing up a bit huh?" G appears at my right, a hand on my shoulder, his crimson eyes not as harsh as they used to be. It seems the young storm, Hayato, has softened the raging clouds that are my storm.

"It looks like that young boy-boss has changed you, Giotto." Ugetsu laughs softly from my left as he watches Decimo's face at the sight of his young guardians.

Despite Ugetsu's reluctance to accept the young rain guardian, I really do think he's drawn to the boy. I think his choice in Xanxas' rain as true successor was the fact that the boy is exactly like him. He is obsessed with a western sport, just as Ugetsu was obsessed with his music, yet, both are, and have, willingly given up what they love for their bosses. I think Ugetsu hopes the boy can still turn back, that he can still forget about the mafia business and be a child for a little longer, play his baseball and never give it up. But, he knows the feeling of obligation, he gave up his music for me, a debt I have yet to repay, he knows the boy will inevitable give up his love for his boss, and I think that is where the tables will turn and Ugetsu will pick Decimo's guardian as his true successor.

Squillo del cielo = Sky ring (according to the internet)
BTW please ignore the word 'skitterishness' I really couldn't figure out a word in the entirety of the English language that represented Tsuna's 'Hieeeeee' than that made up word there.

I'm so sorry! I really am! I think I made Primo a little too OoC in this, but, I for some reason really don't like this chapter very much. That is another reason for it being so long since I updated it, I've written, and rewritten this chapter trying to make it less stupid and less gut wrenchingly terrible. I know this is short. But I figure you'd rather something than nothing. If I'm truthful, when school starts, on Tuesday (O.o) I think I'll be uploading more frequently... or at least I'll try...

Thank you to EVERYONE who reviews, favourites, and alerts this story, to all of you I'm sorry I take so long, some of the reviews I get for this actually make me cry because of how much I realise you love this story.

I hope you realise I've basically lost sleep over this, trying to make is less suckish than it is, because, no matter what you think, I really do believe this is the worst chapter I have written so far.

Thank you, Arigatou. Grazie Tante. For reading a reviewing.

~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3

I love you all for reviewing and even taking the time to read this.