Recap
Tsuna finds out his friend, Atsuka, is part of the Mafia the night she took refuge in his home when she was attacked by Puniamo Family members. Meanwhile, in the Elgan Order: Chrome, Yamamoto, Mukuro, and Gokduera suspect that there is a traitor in their midst, someone who is working for the Fallen Angels.
Chapter 13
Age 15
Day 1 of Break
Tsuna turned off his computer after printing his plane ticket. He grinned when he imagined presenting his gift to Donato in person. Tsuna was lucky that it was over the break, which meant he had a week in Italy to hang out with Donato and to visit some of the Vongola Guardians before returning home.
He looked around his sparse room and realized he only had a duffel bag. Is that enough? I hope there's a suitcase somewhere in this house.
"Yes, I'm all packed and ready to leave," Atsuka said. "You called twice already." She tossed a pair of socks into the suitcase and went to find her tablet. "I'm leaving tonight. Of course Lui is coming with me. He's my guardian." Atsuka zipped up her suitcase and lugged it down the stairs. "I'll see you and mom tomorrow. I'm looking forward to spending the week in Italy with you two again!"
Atsuka pocketed her phone and shouted into the house. "Hey, Lui! Are you ready to leave yet?"
"I'll be right there! Last check of the place."
"You know that our guys are still living here while we're away, right?" Atsuka asked.
Lui came down the stairs with a snort. "Yeah, and I know that they might slack off without you here to watch them. They worship the ground you walk on."
Atsuka chuckled with a shake of her head. "Let's go. The plane leaves in two hours."
"Plenty of time," Lui said. "Do you want me to take that for you?" He gestured at the suitcase she was hauling into the trunk.
"I can do it. Instead, have you seen my tablet?"
Lui gave her a narrow-eyed stare. "Did you check the kitchen? I saw you using it last night while you were eating the last slice of cake."
Atsuka stifled a laugh. "Sorry about that. I'll be right back."
She returned in under a minute and clambered into the car. "All set."
Her phone chimed a message. She opened it and chuckled.
I'm not going to be in Namimori for the week. I'm going back to Italy to visit Donato.
She texted, I won't be here either. Did you bring notes to study for the exams?
On my tablet, Tsuna texted. Not sure how often I'll actually look at them, though.
I'm leaving for the airport now.
Safe flying then.
Tsuna put his phone on the table and got ready for bed. "I guess she's leaving because of those bad guys," he mused. "It would be safer to get away from here and go home with those Puniamo lurking around."
Then Tsuna frowned. Wouldn't there be even more Puniamo in Italy? He shook his head. Most of her family was in Italy as well, which meant that she was going to be better protected there.
Day 1
Tsuna stood by himself in the airport, trying to find a familiar face. He was jostled by a few anxious passengers and he tightened his grip on his suitcase.
"Tsuna!"
He whirled around. I swear I just heard the Rain Guardian...
"Tsuna!"
Tsuna turned again and waved at the man. He pulled his suitcase along. After exchanging greetings, the Rain Guardian looked him from head to toe. "It's hard to tell when just video-calling but sheesh, Tsuna! You grew a lot!"
"That's what happens when you're away for a couple years," Tsuna said with a snort.
The Rain Guardian chuckled. "Come on, I have a car waiting for us. You'll be bunking with me while you stay here." He led them outside the airport to where a black car waited for them.
"You don't need to do that," Tsuna said. "I can take care of myself."
"It'll be easier for all of us," the Rain Guardian said. He started the car and they shot off. Tsuna sucked in a breath. He had forgotten how crazy the Rain Guardian drove.
The Rain Guardian continued the conversation without a pause. "You'll be easier to contact in case we need you for anything. Back-up will be closer if the Puniamo tries to do anything to you while you're here. Those guys can sure hold a grudge."
Tsuna shivered at the reminder of the deadly family. "Thanks for putting up with me. I still feel like a freeloader, though."
The Rain Guardian laughed. "Well then. What do you think of doing some odd jobs for the Vongola?"
"Odd jobs?" Tsuna sounded as dubious as the offer did.
"Security, for one. Let's say...if the Vongola is having a party, could we count on you as a hired security guard?"
"S-Sure..." Wait. If the Vongola has a party, doesn't that mean the guests are part of the Mafia!?
"Great. I'll tell Lal about it. She'll know whether you're fit for duty. You're meeting up with her tomorrow, you know."
"I'm guessing that you guys want to test me?" Tsuna asked in resignation. He wasn't looking forward to meeting Lal again. He was sure that he missed practicing something. And yes, he couldn't help but slack off on some days when he was too exhausted to do anything. He had a feeling that he was going to pay for it soon.
"Definitely," the Rain Guardian said with a nod. "She's meeting you at the usual place. You might want to pack a bag."
Tsuna's face paled. "A bag? What kind of bag?" He hoped it wasn't what he thought—
"You might camp out there for a few days."
—Yeah. He was doomed.
"Sawada! What do you that sloppy technique?" Lal screamed from a distance. "I don't remember teaching anything that pitiful!" She stood with her arms crossed and with her shotgun slug over a shoulder. Her eyes were hard as she watched every move Tsuna made against his sparring partner, Colonnello. The boy's moves weren't too bad, Lal admitted. He was still rough around the edges but it was nothing a few days of training wouldn't fix.
"Colonnello! Stop going so easy on him!"
"I'm not!" Colonnello shouted back and grinned at Tsuna. "You ready for another go, kora?"
Tsuna sucked in a breath and braced his hands on his knees. He kept an eye on Colonnello as he tried to catch his breath. He barely nodded when Colonnello attacked, his fists flying and feet kicking.
BAM! BAM!
Tsuna swerved to the left and shrieked. "Lal! I didn't know you were part of this!"
Lal reloaded her shot gun. "Who said that you were fighting one-on-one? Shape up!" She fired another bullet. Colonnello evaded it easily and watched as the bullet passed him and spiralled toward the general direction of Tsuna's head.
Tsuna's eyes focused on the bullet and froze.
"Giotto!" Colonnello reached out an arm, but he was too slow.
The bullet whizzed by Tsuna's forehead, left a burn mark, and lodged itself in a tree.
Colonnello's tackle brought both him and Tsuna to the ground. He shook the boy, who was still unresponsive. "Tsuna. Giotto! Answer me, kora!"
'Die.'
"Why didn't you dodge the bullet, Giotto?" Colonnello was still shaking him.
Who...?
'Go die once.'
"Kora!"
'You'll know when you die.'
Re...born...
"Re...born..."
"Giotto!"
Someone was calling his name. From far away, past the fog...Tsuna's eyelids fluttered open and he squinted at Colonnello, who was hovering over him. "Ugh...Colonnello? What happened?"
"You failed to dodge a bullet to the head," Lal said. She walked toward them, every step more menacing than the first.
His eyes widened and he felt his throbbing head, which until now, had been numb.
"Didn't I warn you about being distracted during a fight?" Lal asked. She yanked Tsuna into the air by his collar and shook him like a toy. She dropped him to the ground after giving him a few slaps on both cheeks. "Damn brats don't take dangerous things seriously!"
"Are you sure you're alright, kora?"
"Ah...uh, yeah, I should be. Sorry, I don't know what happened just now. I was ready to dodge the bullet, but I didn't."
Lal narrowed her eyes at him. Then she grunted. "You were muttering something."
"I was?"
"...You said 'Reborn'."
"'Reborn'?" Tsuna repeated. "Why would I say 'Reborn'?"
"Well, he had a habit of shooting his pupil in the forehead," Colonnello said. "Maybe you heard of him from somewhere and thought you were in a similar situation."
Tsuna's jaw dropped. "Why would he shoot his student in the forehead?! I don't know anyone like that!"
Lal huffed. "Then why did you say his name?"
"I—I did? I don't know why. I just..." Tsuna shook his head. What was he thinking? He just remembered blanking out and someone's voice...a child's voice. They were talking to him, but no matter how hard he tried, Tsuna couldn't remember the words. It was right there. He clawed at the murkiness that enveloped his mind once in a while, but no matter what he did, it was smoke. He couldn't catch smoke. But there was something solid here, in this murky part of his mind. He could almost reach it—!
"Giotto? Are you okay?"
His hand closed over smoke. Soon, even the smoke escaped his grasp. Tsuna sighed. "Yes, I'm fine. Sorry about today."
"Just try not to let it happen again," Lal said. "I can't have one of the Vongola's apprentices dying during training."
Colonnello turned stricken eyes to Lal and pressed his hands to his heart. "What!? Lal, I didn't know you cared about your trainees so much! Wasn't it only me, kora?"
"Shut up! I just don't want the Vongola to nag at me. That brat can be annoying when he puts his mind to it!"
Not sure if you can still call a grown man, who's also the Vongola Boss, a brat... Tsuna thought. He gulped when Lal directed her glare at him again.
"Anyway," Lal said, "I can't think of any reason for why you would say Reborn's name. And I'm not going to dismiss it as though it meant nothing. It has to mean something."
Tsuna hunched his shoulders and sighed. "If it does, I don't have a clue," he said. "Who is Reborn, anyway?"
Lal and Colonnello shared a look of incredulity. "You really don't know," Colonnello said. "This must be the first time someone in the Mafia doesn't know his name. People at least know the name, kora. He's the number one hitman in the world!"
Tsuna's eyes popped out of his head. "T-The number one h-hitman? I would know if I bumped into someone that scary!"
Colonnello chuckled. "Do you want to test that, kora?"
"What do you mean?"
"I heard he's coming back from a mission today. Where did he say he was going?" Colonnello asked Lal.
"Tsk. Vindicare," Lal said.
"We can get him to drop us off at the Vongola Mansion on his way back," Colonnello said and stood up. He pulled Tsuna to his feet as well and started walking.
"Come on, kora! Grab your bag and let's go."
"No!" Tsuna dug in his heels. "I don't want to meet a hitman!"
Colonnello smirked and continued to drag the boy. "You'll be fine. Don't worry, he probably won't kill you, kora! I can't wait to tell him his celebrity status dropped, kora."
After calling Reborn, the three of them waited by the road, the same side as on-coming traffic. Colonnello perked up when he heard a car engine. Staying in the shadows, he leaned outward slightly and grinned. "Here he comes."
Lal nudged Tsuna and jerked her head to the left. Tsuna gave her a curious look but followed her lead. "What are we doing?" He looked over his shoulder and to his surprise, he saw Colonnello climbing the tree he was leaning against. "Colonnello's climbing a tree... and Falco's carrying a rifle..."
"It's so he can aim at the car."
"Wait. Car? I thought that was Reborn's car?"
Lal nodded.
Even more confused than before, Tsuna watched as Colonnello set up his rifle and lied down on the thick tree branch. He had a grin spread across his face as he watched the deep purple sports car approach.
BAM!
The moment the gun sounded, the car swerved, just in time for the bullet to only take out the right wing mirror.
BAM!
Again, Colonnello missed.
The driver side window slid down and Tsuna saw a black barrel stick out, aimed at Colonnello.
"What's happening!?" Tsuna screamed and covered his ears while shots from a handgun rang out.
The car drove past Colonnello's tree.
Colonnello swore. "Missed him again."
A few metres away, the car stopped. The driver's door opened and a man wearing a black suit stepped out. Tsuna's eyes instantly gravitated toward the man's shoulder, where a green chameleon sat. It was the one oddity of the man. His black fedora, black with an orange band, shadowed most of his face from Tsuna, but Tsuna could still see the man's smirk.
"Colonnello," the man said, "was that supposed to kill me?"
"If it did, I'd be very disappointed, kora!"
"How was your visit at Vindicare?" Lal asked.
Reborn grunted. "Everything's fine. He brews some fine espresso there." He turned his gaze to Tsuna. "So? This is the latest one you wanted me to meet? He looks as useless as the Tenth was when he was that age."
Lal snorted. "Giotto is much more capable than that brat was at fourteen." Lal called out to Tsuna, "Stop creeping around the shadows and come here!"
Tsuna was nailed to the spot. It wasn't that he didn't want to move. It was that he couldn't. His hands and knees shook so much just from the sight of Reborn. He didn't know what would happen if he approached the hitman. The foreboding feeling was almost too much to bear. And yet...
"Giotto!"
The moment passed and Tsuna was released from whatever trance he was caught in.
Tsuna exhaled. "Okay, I'm coming." He glanced at the Reborn as he passed the man.
And yet...there was something about the hitman that felt...safe?
He met Reborn's eyes and the thought left his mind as quickly as it came. Nope. Not safe. Never safe. How could he even think the world's greatest hitman was safe? He was insane to think it.
Reborn got into the driver seat while Colonnello and Tsuna piled into the back and Lal took the front passenger seat.
"So did anything noteworthy happen while I was away?" Reborn asked as he shot off like a bullet. Tsuna slammed into his seat, but everyone else was prepared for it, and they continued the conversation as though manic driving was normal. Heck, maybe it was.
"Hmm," Colonnello said. "The twins won a music competition yesterday."
Reborn smiled.
It wasn't a smirk. Nothing sly or malevolent. To Tsuna's amazement, it was an honest, proud, and happy smile.
"Do you have a question, Tsuna?" Reborn asked.
Shoot! He caught me staring! "Um...who are the twins?" Rule number one of not attracting the number one hitman's attention: Don't stare at him!
"They're the Storm Guardian's children," Reborn answered.
"Aside from blood family news," Lal started, "The Puniamo has made another move."
Tsuna grabbed Lal's seat. "What?"
"What are they doing now?" Reborn asked. "Kid, sit properly. I don't want your head smashing through the window."
"This isn't even your car," Colonnello said. "You would've killed me if that wing mirror was yours."
"This is Skull's car. I borrowed it—"
"—Borrowed. Right," Lal muttered.
Reborn ignored her. "But I don't want the hassle of explaining why there's blood on a shattered window."
Tsuna immediately straightened with his back pressed against his seat.
"So? What are the Puniamo doing?" Reborn asked again.
"They attacked Longchamp's family last night. Their headquarters got spared, but most of his men are wounded and the outer wall of their property is destroyed. We managed to keep the police from noticing, thanks to Verde's Mist Intervention gadget, but we don't know how long it'll last if these attacks keep up."
"People who aren't part of the Mafia are kept out of it, kora," Colonnello said. "Even the Puniamo try to keep them out, if only to keep these fights to ourselves."
Reborn grunted. "Hypocrites. They're the ones who purposely attack the police officers who put their members behind bars. Puniamo. Their entire existence is to punish."
He sped down the mountain, taking the sharp turns at ridiculous speeds that made Tsuna nearly scream every time. Eventually, Tsuna blocked out their conversation and the ride by closing his eyes and blanking his mind.
Reborn glanced in the rear-view mirror. "The kid looks scared."
Lal snorted. "Of course he would. Your driving is suicidal."
Reborn chuckled. "You're the one who wanted a ride. I could have left you up here."
"We were supposed to stay a few days," Lal murmured and glanced at Tsuna, who had fallen asleep. She was impressed. To be relaxed enough to sleep in Reborn's presence was a feat not many achieved. "Something strange happened to him." She explained what happened during training and added, "Then he said your name."
"I'm not the most famous hitman for nothing," Reborn said.
"Don't be so full of yourself, Reborn. He said he never heard the name before. As far as we know, you've never met him."
"You do know his full past, right?" Reborn asked.
"Of course we do, kora. You even checked it out yourself before you let him meet the Vongola. You stalked his apartment and his friends."
Reborn grunted. "That reminds me."
"What is it?" Lal asked.
"He's childhood friends with Donato."
Colonnello and Lal stared at Reborn. "Really?"
"Why didn't Giotto tell us, kora? Better yet, why didn't you tell us?"
Reborn shrugged. "I didn't think I needed to. And about why the kid didn't tell you. Apparently, Donato forgot to tell his friend he is in the Mafia."
Colonnello chuckled. "Giotto is in for a surprise. Dino was looking for a bodyguard for Donato and Decimo offered to help."
Reborn smirked. "Oh?"
"Lal recommended Giotto because he also goes to school in Namimori."
"Kora! It's time to wake up!"
Tsuna stirred and turned his head away from the voice. "Five more minutes..."
Someone snapped a magazine to a gun.
Tsuna bolted straight out of his seat and hit his head on the car's roof. "HIIEE!" He spun around as he looked for the threat that made his hair stand on end.
All he saw was Colonnello's amused face and Reborn, who was giving Tsuna an irritated look while putting something away into his coat. Lal was already out of the car and walking up the steps of the Vongola Mansion.
Tsuna quickly clambered out, not liking the look the hitman was giving him. Reborn and Colonnello exited after him and Reborn tossed the keys to the black-haired youth standing nearby. "Have someone return this to Skull."
"Of course, Reborn! Glad to see you're back."
Tsuna gazed up at the mansion. Its bricks were worn with age and mismatched from repairs and general reconstruction. The doors were beautiful, but thick with a metal core. He gulped as he passed them and was instantly hit with a blast of cool air in the foyer. He didn't have time to admire the decorations on the wall or the windows that allowed light to pool onto the tiles—Lal's impatient growl was enough to make him run.
"Who are we meeting?" Tsuna asked when he finally caught up.
"The Storm Guardian."
He nearly tripped over his own feet. "T-The Storm Guardian? Why am I meeting him?" I still can't light a single Dying Will flame!
"We're giving you a job. You said you wanted to pay your rent, right?"
Tsuna felt bewildered. What was she talking about? And then he remembered. The Rain Guardian had asked him yesterday if he wanted to work off his rent. Tsuna had said yes. To bodyguard duty. Blood drained from Tsuna's face as he realized that he was going to have to protect someone. Didn't he just nearly die today in training? He wasn't ready for this!
Lal didn't bother to knock when she reached the Storm Guardian's office. She walked right in. After Tsuna entered, the doors closed behind him.
The Storm Guardian was working behind his desk, reading reports and writing information down. He was so focused that Tsuna wasn't sure if a screaming child would have caught the man's attention.
Lal went up to the Storm Guardian and rapped her knuckles on his desk four times.
"What?" he asked.
"The job for Giotto."
"Here." Without looking up, the Storm Guardian picked up a file from the right side of his desk and handed it to Lal.
She opened the folder and flipped to the second page. "Wasn't he supposed to guard Dino's kid?"
"Dino refused. Said his son needed a guard who could fight against flames. In this time, everyone's demanding a flame user. Sorry, Giotto, but that's how it is. Are you able to use flames yet?"
Tsuna shook his head. "N-No."
"Then that's it. After what happened to Diana, Dino's not going to let just anyone guard his only child, especially when we're fighting against the Puniamo."
"So when you said he was guarding the heir who lives in Namimori...you meant the Menta girl?" Lal asked, skimming through the file.
"Yeah."
"W-wait, are you talking about Atsuki?"
The Storm Guardian finally looked up from his papers. With a start, Tsuna saw that the Storm Guardian looked more haggard than he had ever seen the man. Whatever was happening in Italy was more serious than anyone made it out to be if the Vongola's right-hand man looked like this.
"You know her?"
"She's my friend. She's in my class," Tsuna said. "I found out she was in the Mafia, but I didn't think you'd tell me to guard her!"
"You're not guarding her, really," Lal said. "She can protect herself, but there's only so much that a teenager can do on her own. Her father put in this request after what happened to her in Namimori. The Menta family didn't have anyone who could suitably blend in with her current life, so her father asked the Vongola for help."
"So it's not that different from usual," Tsuna muttered to himself.
The Storm Guardian waited until Tsuna met his emerald-coloured eyes. "You're being paid to guard her," the Storm Guardian said. "No matter what Lal or the girl tells you, you're hired to be her guard when she is not at home. You're representing the Vongola with this job, kid. Don't mess it up. Who knows? Maybe Dino will let you—don't you know Dino's son?" the Storm Guardian interrupted himself to ask a question that he should have asked earlier.
"Uh—who?"
The Storm Guardian furrowed his brows. "I'm sure that Menta and Cavallone are in the same class. If you're Menta's classmate, you should also know Donato Cavallone."
Tsuna's knees buckled and he dropped onto the seat in front of the Storm Guardian's desk. "Did you say Donato Cavallone!?"
The Storm Guardian raised an eyebrow.
"He's my best friend," Tsuna murmured. "I've known him since I was a kid." I didn't know he was in the Mafia. Both Donato and Atsuki are in the Mafia. So am I. How did this happen? Atsuki...she knew he was in the Mafia. Tsuna remembered when she said she didn't tell Donato she was in the Mafia. A truth that wasn't the full truth. Donato knew. She just didn't have to tell him because they ran in the same world.
The same world he ran in now.
The Storm Guardian returned to his work. "Aside from what happened the last time, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Most of the action is here, in Italy. What you should worry about is the rest of your vacation here. It may be your last if you're not careful."
"I just came back to surprise Donato," Tsuna muttered. "It's his birthday soon."
Lal let out a frustrated growl. "Giotto!"
Tsuna shrieked. "H-Hai!?"
"Stop looking so depressed! And it's time for you to continue your training; you're going to meet the Menta family in three days."
"W-What!?"
"Do I have to repeat myself?"
"No, never mind!" Tsuna shook his head with his hands outstretched. "I heard you!"
Lal slapped Atsuki's file to Tsuna's chest and started for the door. "That's the file on Azzurra. Make sure you read it."
Tsuna stared at the plain folder that held information on one of his friends. A friend that he was supposed to protect. He opened it and started to read as he walked out of the Storm Guardian's room.
He closed the file. At the door, he turned around. "Um...thanks for the job."
"Don't thank me just yet. Being a bodyguard is the most annoying job you can have."
"What do you mean?"
The Storm Guardian threw down his pen and sighed long and hard. "The person you try to guard usually ends up wandering off on their own, making their own plans, faking their deaths to save the world, deceiving the protector for their own good—it's stressful and bad for your blood pressure. It's a thankless job where you have to keep both eyes on the body or else they'll get themselves killed or in a state similar enough to death to piss me off. That's not even the worst part of it—" the Storm Guardian stood up and started to pace.
Tsuna nodded slowly. "I'll um...I'll leave you now." He closed the door as lightly as possible and began to walk. He nearly bumped into Reborn, who was leaving Decimo's office.
"Sorry!"
Tsuna was close enough to Reborn that he smelled the gunpowder clinging to the hitman like perfume. Looking up into the shadow of Reborn's fedora, Tsuna saw eyes, eyes so black and bottomless that he thought his soul was being sucked in.
"I'm not the Grim Reaper."
"What?"
"I'm not about to steal your soul from your body."
Tsuna's jaw dropped. How did he know what I was thinking!?
"I can read minds," Reborn replied with a straight face and walked away.
Tsuna whirled around to stare at Reborn's back, not sure if he should call the hitman's bluff or just walk away and pretend the encounter had never happened.
Anonymous Reviews
KK: Thank you so much for the kind reviews! I've edited chapter 4 a little. As to your latest review (which gave me cold sweat at first until I read the entire post and now I'm EXTREMELY happy), that is also a good point. I've come up with something to (hopefully) fix that plot hole and I hope it's alright! It'll be appearing in a few chapters.
A/N: According to google translate, punire means "to punish" in Italian. The name Puniamo is derived from the verb punire. If this is incorrect, someone please tell me so I can start digging a hole for my embarrassed self. Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it :)
Uploaded 2016-10-07th
Edited 2016-10-10th
-LLM
