A/N: I'm continuing, yay! *smiles brightly* Um, someone asked about the pairings and thank you for reminding me about that! ^^ The story focuses on Tsuna's relationship with his guardians so I guess it will be more of a family!fic or a slight all27!fic, depending on how you view it.
Note: Oregano's character isn't exactly made to follow Canon!Oregano so she will be different. And I mean extremely different. I also have a small twist for you!
Also, before you read, do take note that I didn't know how to proceed with the story so I didn't really like how this chapter turned out to be *wince*. Hopefully, I'll like the write the next chapter better because that's where everything begins *^*
Enjoy!
Chapter Two: Frogs.
"Oregano," Tsuna called with a frown on his face. "We are in the right place, right?"
Beside him, the aforementioned woman stood with an expression that was torn between astonishment and apprehension, the latter leaning more on Tsuna's reaction. Their arrival in Japan had been uneventful at best and seeing as to how they don't exactly have much time in their hands, they immediately decided to head for their designated 'shelter' which they will be occupying for the meantime in order to discuss their manner of approach with regards to the brunet's mission, agreeing to save their exploration of the town for later. They knew that they didn't have the luxury to relax and treat their stay in Japan like some sort of vacation given the subtle premonition that the Ninth's and Tsuna's hyper intuition were telling them, so they agreed on rushing things a little.
And so here the two were, in the address that the Ninth had given to Oregano before their departure for Italy, feeling utterly befuddled.
They hadn't expected this.
Debris of ageing infrastructures lay scattered on the pavement and judging by the barbed wires that surrounded the entire area; no one is currently and will be willing to occupy the place. It was eerily quiet and the fact that this area was literally hidden away from the eyes of the residents of Namimori just proved that the Ninth and Reborn seriously took secrecy and stealth as their primary priority. However, Tsuna thought, there was something that was bothering him.
"I can understand why they'd use an unoccupied place and set up an illusion to cover everything up so that we can have the opportunity to do things without garnering unneeded and unnecessary attention," Tsuna muttered and Oregano flinched. She hadn't known that there were illusionists involved. "But why are they covering such a large ground?"
"I apologize for not telling you, Tsunayoshi-san," she said. "But Reborn-san wanted to make sure that you 'wouldn't be slacking off' - as he had put it - during your stay in Japan and had asked Colonello-san to accompany and train you starting next week. Colonello-san didn't refuse the invitation and had personally asked the Ninth to grant you a larger ground to cover for the sake of your training sessions."
The brunet groaned. "And the Ninth just permitted it."
Oregano stiffly nodded.
Sighing in defeat and in resignation (and simply choosing to accept the fact that even if he was approximately 9,723 km away from Reborn, the infant would always find a way to torment him), he adjusted his bag behind his back and held out his left hand, before closing it into a fist. Might as well get this over with; any more surprises and he might give in to the strong urge to slam his head against the nearest wall.
"I am Sawada Tsunayoshi," he slowly said, his eyes which were a dark shade of brown gradually shifting into a brighter and richer shade of amber as Sky Flames enveloped his ring. He had to prove that he was Vongola Decimo in the flesh and what better way was there than to ignite Sky Flames with the Vongola Ring? "Halt."
The illusion gradually melted away until the scenery receded into its original state which was a simple if not a little gigantic infrastructure in the midst of grassland. It was fairly plain, Tsuna inwardly remarked, as he watched a figure emerge from the mist that had proliferated when the illusion faded away.
When the mist cleared out and the entire place along with the unknown person was clearly revealed for both Oregano and Tsuna to see, they both froze and stared.
And then Tsuna ran.
[Vongola Headquarters, Italy]
"Finding someone willing to set up the illusion for Tsunayoshi-kun's temporary home without actually diminishing our offense's strength was particularly difficult," Timoteo stated as he stood with his arms crossed behind his back. "It was a good thing that the child was willing…"
Iemitsu Sawada, external adviser of the Familgia and leader of the CEDEF, nodded along in agreement.
"It truly is something I am grateful for; he is an exceptionally talented illusionist."
"Don't speak in that tone yet, Iemitsu. The worst has yet to come," the Ninth replied with a grim expression. "Tsunayoshi-kun will definitely be displeased that you sent a child like him to Japan. He might be a skilled illusionist but that doesn't change the fact that he's merely 10 years old."
The blond-haired man averted the Ninth's knowing stare, his expression strained. "I'm simply doing this for his safety."
Timoteo looked calm, but his question was cold.
"Whose safety are you pertaining to?"
Iemitsu didn't speak.
He understood without having to be told.
Your son's safety? Or the Inheritor's safety?
"Flan!"
Tsuna ran towards the young child sporting a black t-shirt that had a drawing of an animated green frog imprinted on its front, along with a pair of jeans and a gigantic apple-shaped hat that hugged his entire head. His hair and eyes were a matching shade of mint green and there were markings under the corners of his eyes- just as he had last remembered them a few months ago, Tsuna thought. This knowledge scared him.
Flan was here.
Here.
What was he doing here?
"Lion-san," Flan said with a salute. "Pickaxe-san called and told me you needed help."
It didn't take a genius to find out who 'Pickaxe' was.
"Oregano," Tsuna growled, startling the bespectacled woman. "Tell that bastard that I want to have a talk with him soon," the brunet ordered as he patted the child's large, apple-shaped hat with a dark scowl, his voice dangerously low and cold. "I'm heading inside first. While I'm in, contact Iemitsu immediately."
Oregano winced; she might be working for the brunet as of currently but his father was originally her leader. Nevertheless, she nodded and said, "I understand, Tsunayoshi-san."
The interior of the building was cozy and comfortable. It wasn't stifling with extravagance nor was it displeasing; it was refreshingly normal and plain. Everything that he could see was strictly necessary for someone who would like to live alone or with his or her family which suits Tsuna just fine.
When you enter through the door, you will be greeted by the living room where a white sectional couch, a black bookshelf, and a television could be found. To the right was a staircase leading to the second floor and to the left was a door that led to the kitchen, judging by the appliances that he could see through the open door. Tsuna inwardly reminded himself to check the second floor to see what it looks like after having a talk with Flan.
Looking at the child standing beside him and smiling, he gently ushered the child to take a seat on the couch before doing the same across him.
"How have you been in France?" he asked.
He hadn't seen Flan since a few months ago with his grandmother in France. They had met each other when Tsuna was training in Jura (which was an unexplored region countryside of France) with Reborn in the forest.
He had been in the middle of hiding so that he could replenish his strength when he came across the young child. He must have come out of the trees looking like a wild animal starved for food because Flan had quickly started to explain why he wasn't tasty or delicious to eat. After that, Flan led them to where he and his grandmother lived before asking his grandmother for something to feed their guest who he had started calling, much to his grandmother's surprise and Tsuna's sardonic amusement, a Lion. Of course, Reborn found Tsuna a few minutes later and had dragged him away. The brunet, whenever given the opportunity however, would drop by and say hi, their recent meeting being no more than a few months ago.
"Grandmother's cooking was terrible as always," Flan offhandedly said, reassuring the brunet that they had been fine for the past few years.
"Does she know you're here?"
Flan looked thoughtful for a moment. "I told her I'll be back and she just agreed when I told her I was being asked by Pickaxe-san to help Lion-san."
"As long as she knows…" Tsuna chuckled with a shake of his head. "Anyway," he sighed. "When did Iemitsu call you?"
"A week ago," Flan answered, scratching the back of his head. "He wanted me to make preparations. Visualizing and making a wide-ranged scenery isn't hard but he wanted it to be a high-quality illusion; impenetrable and an alternative security system."
"Are you sure you can handle it?" the brunet worriedly asked. "Even if you don't have any difficulty with making it, maintaining it has to be exhausting."
Flan stared at Tsuna.
"As expected of the Lion-san…" he muttered with what could have been awe. "I can maintain it but I'll be sucked dry of my dying will flames every week so I'll technically need to absorb some of your dying will flames every now and then."
"I'm guessing that you want me to perform a reversed Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised in which under normal conditions, I am to absorb someone else's flames and make it my own?" The brunet looked amused when Flan nodded. "For a child, you're a genius, aren't you?"
"Hardly," Flan said, flippantly waving his hand. "The real genius is you, Lion-san. You mastered the Primo's technique, made a technique of your own based on said technique, and then made more additions to it."
Tsuna laughed. "Well, thanks."
The brunet was about to ask something else when the door suddenly opened, startling both of them out of their conversation. Oregano walked in with her phone in her hand, expression troubled and distressed. "I have already talked to him, Tsunayoshi-san," she said as she slipped her phone inside the pocket of her black suit. "He agreed."
Nodding, Tsuna asked, "And what's the other problem?"
Flan looked up at him. "Other problem?"
"She never breaks in cold sweat unless it will displease or disconcert me," the brunet said in a way of explanation. "I'm guessing he told you something else."
Looking every bit reluctant to say anything, Oregano let her eyes close and spoke.
"I have forgotten to inform you that there are certain matters that the Ninth has warned me of," she began. "Firstly, I will be working under the guise of a substitute teacher in Namimori High so that I will be able to monitor your progress and condition with less suspicion and difficulty."
Flan tilted his head to the side, curious. "But the only way to do that is if Lion-san is a student…"
Oregano looked at the child and bit her lip. "Exactly."
The brunet sat down.
"Continue."
The bespectacled woman nodded in response. "Secondly, despite the low crime-rate in Namimori and well-known discipline of this town, the risk of encountering someone from the Mafia is dangerously high."
"I expected that much; I can't possibly involve civilians in a world of bloodbath," Tsuna murmured with a shrug. "What else do I have to know?"
Oregano took a deep breath.
"The Varia, the leader of Chiavarone, and Reborn-san had made plans of visiting you sometime during this month."
Flan watched with interest as Tsuna visibly froze.
"…Oh fuck."
TBC.
...
A/N: ..omf im really, really sorry! i havent written flan like... ever before? *hits self with frying pan* he was capable of making high caliber illusions in the manga so i assumed that he is a genius of some sorts with a blunt personality who has a habit of judging people without concern for the consequences *hits self with frying pan again* im sorry if this chapter is crappy because its like four in the morning and yea see yaa guys! *kills self*
Next Chapter: Punctuality and Tonfa.
