I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
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"Breakfast." Yo calls out and Kyoya grunts yet doesn't move from his spot near the back door, watching the rain pouring down. With a shrug, he walks over to wash his hands before heading for the table that he finish setting up for breakfast, taking a seat, he digs in to what he made for them to eat.
Today is his eleventh birthday and it's also been a year since he's been pretty much been Kyoya's house guest. Yea, he never did manage to leave Namimori, nope, Kyoya back tracked to investigate his pack only to witness the ending of his Ritual. He was kind of unconscious by the time the Ritual completed itself but once he was better, Hibari Kyoya punished him for public nudity, which means that the cloths he had been wearing had burn away, leaving him naked in that park near that fountain.
For a self proclaim loner and Carnivore, Kyoya seems rather keen on him remaining something of a permanent house guest nor shown any interest in him beyond sparring with him and watching him Rank up both his Flame Manifestation: Sky Flames and Flame Manipulation: Sky Flames Skills when he got around to realizing he even possessed it the former Skill. And yes, Kyoya can clearly see the orange Sky Flames and the look in those eyes at the sight of them... The raw emotion that he doubts Kyoya is ever aware he expresses when he has his Flames out...
When he broached the topic of Flames and what the teen knows of them, Kyoya clearly doesn't want to make it easy on him and flatly informed him that he, a baby animal, needs to beat him, a Carnivore, in a fight. Which has led to their sparring sessions and in doing so, his Hyper Intuition Perk now as a summary about what it does while his Regeneration Perk is also showing its worth by healing him in a complete manner after said spars. His Combat capabilities along with improving his two weaker physical Stats have also improved and Kyoya's been growing increasingly pleased with his progress in going on the offensive instead of just being defensive, although he's yet to win against the teen, but then, Kyoya's Life Profession is clearly something related to Combat, he just doesn't feel its his place to ask what Kyoya's Life Profession is, then again, neither has Kyoya asked him about his own.
Soon enough, he's not alone at the table as Kyoya sits down to eat breakfast as he's pretty much done. Getting up, Yo clears his place of his dishes and walks over towards the sink, finding it rather bitter irony that the Skills his former mother had wanted to cultivate in her 'daughter' are ones that seem to be keeping him in good stead with his host. Never mind that he's been told by Kyoya that he's not allowed to leave the property and again, there's no reason given.
He's even been doing his own grocery shopping... Yo mentally admits, which suggests that Kyoya doesn't want anyone to know about him. Previously, Kyoya was known to despise doing any herbivore behavior so he's also paid someone to do it for him, usually one of the family's retainers as the Hibari Family are rather rich with contentions within the law enforcement and the military's special division concerning Sealed Areas. Again, it's likely why Kyoya's Life Profession is likely centered around Combat and why the teen hasn't been arrested for 'Biting People to Death' for 'herbivore' behavior.
Looking down at his current cloths, they didn't fit his frame very well but then, they were made for Kyoya and the Tailor clearly was very high Level as all of the cloths made seem to be Owned and Bound to Kyoya. Which could mean that any cloths Kyoya lends him won't fit him and be the reason why he feels so self conscious when he's wearing them. The cloths he'd pack had been cheap and thus weren't that durable, but then, he kind of expected to find a Master and begin employing his Life Profession to earn money to buy new replacements...
It's hard to keep from sighing at the fact that yea, he's not where he expected to be by this point in his Life but then, he didn't expect that his options concerning Life Professions to be so... narrowly aimed at Ancient Professions with most revolving around Monsters and Mystical range. Then again, Flames weren't covered at school which means that Flames are a secret being kept from the common population. It's also clear that the reason why Kyoya is even interested in him was because of his Sky Flames and it's because of his Sky Flames that he's pretty much being kept under house arrest at the Hibari property.
Looking out at the window that's near the sink, it's raining fairly heavily given it's October although that might change later today, but for now, he'll be sticking to the house. While he wanted to inquire if Kyoya's heading out, he doesn't as it's clear that there's something on the teen's mind. So, he heads for his room to grab his current reading material and heads for the living room to read it.
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"Meditate." Yo blinks and looks up to find Kyoya, lowering his book, rather surprised to find that his host hasn't left to go on patrol about Namimori. The look on Kyoya's face, it's clear he's not going to accept any answers save doing as he's been told.
Sighing, he puts his book mark into the book before putting the book onto the plain table as he sits up from laying on the ground as the living room only modern item is a clock with the traditional decor. Getting into a comfortable position, he intertwines his fingers and it takes a few seconds for him to spark his Flame in his respective hands. Urging the tiny Flame into a ball the size of his closed fist, the feeling of being connected with everything around him... It's hard to describe the feelings invoked in calling his Sky Flame in a calm manner, never mind the way he feels just having the Flame manifesting outside of his body.
Again, there's those intents emotions within Kyoya's eyes, pose... So, he closes his eyes and just focus on sensing beyond this room and the feeling of Reaching coming from Kyoya, a part of him wants to reach out and grasp Kyoya only... It's clear that Kyoya wants to Reach him without any help on his part. The rest of him isn't sure if he wanted Kyoya to Reach him, that they might be an Ill Fit...
Who's this? He wonders as he senses someone coming towards the house. The closer the person gets, he begins to get a better sense of them.
A man... What animal is that? Oh? Cautious now? Can he sense me sensing him? He wonders as he feels the man comes to a stop, then, then... Red flares around the man and it feels like he's been slapped which causes him to pull back from the man.
Still, as the man finally continues, the Red cloaks the man and the animal, he moves 'out' of the way as he Feels the man continue to approach. Curiosity, annoyance, and... fear seem to roll off of the man. Debating for a few seconds, he pulls his Sky Flames in and opens his eyes, allowing the orange ball of Flame to remain hovering above his hands, he says, "Ah, someone's coming and they noticed me."
Kyoya jerks back a bit and blinks before scowling, a dark expression on the teen's face but he knows it's not directed at him nor is he responsible for the surge of annoyance and fear. "Color?" Kyoya demands and he replies, "Red."
Kyoya snorts and gets up, stalking for the front porch and the front door. With that, Yo pulls his orange Flame back into his body and can almost feel like he had been punched in the face along with feeling rather emotionally exhausted. Fear from Kyoya... It's been a while since he's felt fear from his host and he wonders just how dangerous the man with the animal is.
Leaning back down on the floor with his legs out and his arms behind his head, he listens as the door opens and he hears someone call out a greeting in a different language, then hears a reply from Kyoya in the same language. The pounding of his head does fade after a few minutes while the stranger is clearly at the door by now. Staring up at the ceiling, he is startled when he feels something land on his chest, causing him to give a woof and moves his head to see what's on his chest, it turns out to be a white monkey that seems to be looking curiously at him in turn.
"So... your the animal with Kyoya's visitor..." He murmurs and the monkey finally grows bored staring at his face, sitting down on his chest and scratching their neck. Yo wants to reach over to pet the monkey yet, he didn't know if he should as he's unsure of how the monkey will react to him doing so plus, it's best to get permission from the owner concerning their pets as they can advise about what their pets prefer when it comes to attention.
Looking back up at the ceiling, he wonders when he'll get to actually see the man with his own eyes and the harsh conversation seems to end yet there's no sound of foot steps or any real noise from the front entrance. The monkey seems content to play with the front collar of Kyoya's lent cloths, doing and undoing the buttons it feels like. The monkey perks up at a smooth voice of a man saying, "Lichi."
Feeling the monkey's weight change, he again looks at the white furred monkey to find that the monkey is standing on his chest now and making a beckoning gesture with its right hand. After a not seeing the owner of the voice, the little monkey lets loose a hoot and does a few jumps on his chest, the hands thumping upon his chest with the tail twitching this way and that. "Lichi!"
Which just settles the monkey but it remains content to stay upon his chest. "Come here, Lichi." Yet the monkey refuses to do so, going so far as to begin to curl up and pout from the look he makes out upon the red face.
Finally, he gets to see the man who he Sensed approaching the house with Kyoya stalking after. Yo can't help but notice how similar looking the adult is to Kyoya when it comes to facial features, both sharing the same black hair as well, yet it's done up in a braid. The style of cloths seem to be traditional influenced and there's a bright red stone hanging from a traditional beaded necklace sporting 'fang' beads every third bead.
The man stills and he notices the way the adult blinks in rapid succession before turning sharply to look at the teen, "Kyoya." The tone is mild yet it clearly demanded answers and this stirs Lichi, he's going to assume that's the monkey's name, from its pouting and the white furred monkey moves to sit up, hooting a greeting at the adult with a wave of a hand.
"Mine." Kyoya growls in a very possessive and challenging tone, he can't help but sigh in exasperation. Yo can already imagine the look upon Kyoya's face upon saying something like that.
"You found a Sky User..." The man trails off after turning back to regard him while Lichi seems content to continue to remain sitting on his chest while grooming the tail. "Not even a teenage one at that." The unnamed man remarks after moving to get a better look at him, there's a slight baffled tone underlining that mild musing.
What am I? Some kind of exotic beast? A treasure to be owned? He wonders as he does his best to study the man in turn. "Just what's so special about having a Sky Flame?" He asks, not really expecting an answer.
"What's so..." Ok, yip, that man blinks when startled or surprised by something. "How long has he been your guest?!" The adult exclaims while turning his head towards Kyoya. "Have you even explained anything about Flames?"
Kyoya's arms cross over his chest while glaring at the adult. "Did you at least ask what Flame Perk he picked?" The man asks and he can't help but wonder, "I was only suppose to get just one?"
Ok, now both are looking at him in alarm and Lichi chatters nervously while crouching at the intense looks he's now getting from the two clearly blood related individuals. "I had five so I picked five Perks." He states in a defensive tone. "Was I only suppose to pick just one Perk?"
"Fluffy animal..." Kyoya growls after a few seconds of silence and he sighs, pretty much knowing what the teen wants, it's also clear that there's morbid curiosity in the man's own eyes. "Regeneration, Natural Flame Management, Own Flame Immunity, Quick on the Uptake, and Hyper Intuition." He lists off and there's widening of their eyes at the mentioning of the last Perk before there's a narrowing in the man's gaze, he then Senses something wash over him, it's an odd feeling while the man blinks twice in rapid succession, showing he's surprised by something.
"Toboe Yo?" The man murmurs, which is odd as he didn't introduce himself nor did Kyoya, so how does the man now know his name? Kyoya's not surprised, just a hint of amusement at the murmur, but then, there is a hint of disbelief. "Who'd use Toboe as a Last Name?" After all, most just pick their First Name, never bothering to do anything about their Last Name.
"I did." He admits, again, both seem rather content to stare at him once more. "My former mother made it clear for as long as I remember what she wanted and any time I tried to bring up the subject of picking the other... She just, changed the subject or ignored it altogether, so, last year, I finally decided I had enough and resolved to break my ties with her and the man she married."
"Where did you get one of those Items to do that?" The man asks curiously and he blinks in surprise at the question, before giving the pair a puzzled look. "I still had my Ritual Stone."
The two didn't react for a few seconds before both of their eyes widen and jaws drop slightly in astonishment, arms drop from being cross before the chest before moving about in a manner that's all about not knowing what to do with his hands at that particular moment. "You... five years? Five Years!" Kyoya chokes out which seems to cause the man to stiffen and the mouth moves but no sound really comes out.
"Yes..." He trails off and Lichi's now abandoned his chest to hide near his neck, chatting worriedly. Yo finally decides to sit up, gently moving the monkey so he can do so, allowing the monkey to hide behind his back.
"You are lucky to be Alive!" The man finally explains while massaging one of his temples. "Did you find it strange how you were just... seem to... fade... How people just stop noticing you were there?"
He had noticed but he hadn't really cared about the reason why, really. Yo had been content at being overlooked as he recalled the kind of attention he use to gather back then, when he couldn't keep pace with the rest of his school mates. "I noticed." He admits with a nod.
"And you didn't ask about why?" The man asks sharply and he shrugs, admitting, "I figured it had might have to do the Ritual."
"Your parents never talked to you about why it's important to go through with the Ritual?" Kyoya asks with a look of displeasure. "Didn't spend the day before answering your questions?"
"As far as she was concerned, I was her daughter, even then, the First Name I carried told me what my choice was suppose to be." He tells the pair in a flat tone. "I wasn't allowed to pretend to be a boy at all, the most that was tolerated was using gender neutral use." He continues, "The neighbors didn't approve but she just didn't noticed when they started their shunning of her. So... I didn't that year, I was five, I thought I just I needed more time to broach the topic."
"And so, you waited almost five years before going through it." The man states with crimson eyes aglow with that stone also shining. "Because nobody thought it a good idea to take you aside to explain the importance of going through with the Ritual? Or the consequences of putting it off?"
It was clear that the pair of them weren't happy, not one bit as he notices purple threatening to flare up in Kyoya's eyes, for now, it's just flickering in waves over the usual color. "And, of course, they don't bother to retread something that the parents' are suppose to discus before the day in question." The man mutters, drawing his attention once more and there's silence for a bit.
"What Professions did you end up picking?" The man asks once Kyoya's stalked off, likely heading to the sparring room that's the basement of the house. "... I could only chose one Profession and it was the Life Profession." He answers as he feels Lichi climbing up the back, the tail curling about front of his body before wrapping around his right upper arm.
"And what did you chose?" The man asks with a hint of exasperation while the eyes remain glowing a rich bright red.
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Leaving Lichi with the baby Sky, Fon heads off to the 'basement' of the property to find his grandson. The Mist Territory is tropical in appearance and imposing the appropriate climate, the sounds of Kyoya engaging in a fight with Monster Constructs. It is rather hard to resist the temptation of joining the young Cloud, after all, he's only spend less then day in the baby Sky's company and he's already feeling all protective over the Sky User.
Then again, how many Sky Users can claim to have reached five Flame Perks? Even the likely candidate for Yo's blood father, Sawada Iemitsu who is a member of the Vongola Sect, has only three, which is pretty much the average among Sky Users of the Sects. That this baby Sky started with five is rather telling of the boy's potential along with the kind of pressure he's felt he's been under just living with that woman's roof, for he won't grace this woman with the title of mother, for in his eyes, this woman forfeited that right years ago, failing to even explain the reasons for the Ritual. It's hard enough to not demand a Name from the baby Sky concerning this woman or what Name the boy once possessed.
Yes, he's met others who have felt pressured into picking the gender their parents wanted them to pick, but there have always been Items to change that, well, for those who achieve Flame Awaking. It's a sad fact that it continues to happen and, though very rare, some never go through with the Ritual at all as they lose the Will to Live, preferring to Fade into Death, their bodies are usually found in a public place and it's not unusual to find something like a journal or a note pad that had the child's legacy. It's fairly normal for the parents of said children to die not long after the discovery, after all, the guilty must be punished.
His grandson is finishing up a pack of Constructed Monsters with the features of two heads canines with coats of emerald green and bark brown. Kyoya's been trying to Wake his Flames and looking into his grandson's eyes, the flickering waves of purple alternating with his usual eye color, he's close to doing just that, although it's up in the air concerning whether the baby Sky and Kyoya will sport a Guardian Bond or just Harmonize to Yo's Sky, it's clear that Kyoya's looking to for a Guardian Bond while part of Yo does want it, another part worried they weren't suited to one another, which is a rather interesting fear coming from someone with Sky Flames but then, the baby Sky hasn't had anything explained and his grandson has been foolishly been holding off sending him a letter requesting for help. Given Kyoya's actions over the past year, it's become clear that his grandson sports a secondary Flame, Mist Flames.
"Carnivore." His grandson states upon recovering a bit from the clear exhaustion that's slowly eating into Kyoya's stamina. The teen's eyes continue to cycle through the colors of purple and the natural birth color, just not as fast as it had seconds ago.
"Kyoya." He states in return. "You knew better."
His grandson growls but he presses the issue. "You must have noticed your own change in behavior this past year as well. That you have a secondary Flame."
The teen just glares off at a random direction. "It's nothing to be ashamed about." He states firmly. "After all, Mist Flames will only help you manage your Territory."
There's a slight jerk, almost a slap but then, among the Sects, Mists are always held at arms length as they are considered to be rather unstable given their more malleable nature, Construction is both a great Blessing and a great Curse. "Do you know want to know what his Life Profession is?" He asks after a bit.
"He picked something called Wild Surge." He's never heard of it but according to Yo, it's something of an ever evolving Life Profession that can switch focus on Profession Skills from month to month, there's no dependency on needing him to Level up for it to randomly switch some similar Professions. "It's sounds like the original Jack of All Professions and one that likely going to net him a lot of flake for taking." Not that Yo had a wide range of options as all of them had been Ancient in nature or Mystical in application. He mentally admits. The fact that the baby Sky could only pick a single Life Profession, well, it balanced out with him gaining five Flame Perks.
"No Secret Profession like the rest of us or what you'll pick up, just a single Life Profession that randomly focuses on different set of Skills each month." Fon states and Kyoya glances at him. "Kind of makes him sounds far more flighty then someone with Mist Flames as it kind of sounds like he doesn't any any control over the selections." Yet, after all, the baby Sky might grow enough to earn another Flame Perk and then it would be a matter of finding the right Perk.
"I also doubt he'll think any less of you for possessing a Mist secondary nor do I think he's going to fall into the usual roles the Sects have for Sky Users." He remarks, voicing his own observation of the baby Sky, after all, what use is a Sky User who picked such an unreliable Life Profession? None of the Sects will be looking to recruit the baby Sky, likely just going to write the baby Sky off, likely just considering him stud to help spawn more Skies in their respected bloodlines and nothing more despite the fact that he possesses five Flame Perks. "Just a stud to tap when they are looking to try for another Sky potential child."
Funny how his Storm Flames seem to burn at the thought of others thinking ill of the baby Sky, then again, Lichi clearly taken a shine to Yo and his animal companion has never taken to any Sky User so quickly, not even Luce, who is responsible for his current post as one of the Arcobaleno and the reason he has Lichi in the first place. After all, having Sensed the Sky Flames in the air upon his approach of the house, he feared the worst for his grandson. That they retreated so easily had been something of a relief then.
Purple surges far more completely in his grandson's eyes but, in the end, exhaustion causes the Flames trying to Wake to die down. He's already moving to collect the teen, who grunts and struggles a bit to stand under his own power but, well, his grandson is clearly spent and hadn't bothered to pace himself. It's clear that Kyoya's investing a great deal in the baby Sky, which isn't that bad, it's just that Kyoya's focus is blinding him to the fact that Yo needs to get out of the house and find something to do let alone just get out to socialize.
Soon enough, he's got his grandson out of the Territory basement and into the living room. Laying Kyoya down, he joins Yo in the kitchen as the baby Sky is making a stew for lunch. Lichi is upon the counter and eating some cut up fruit.
"How's Kyoya?" The baby Sky inquires and he replies, "He's a tad tired. He's resting in the living room for now." The baby Sky studies him before nodding in understanding and he, again, finds it hard to believe that someone so young managed to Wake their Flame as the youngest in Sect records has been thirteen years of age.
Which likely explains the surge of protectiveness he's noticing within himself upon seeing the eleven year old Sky. Typically, younger Skies do tend invoke that protective streak in unattached other Flame Users but it fades if the two don't Harmonize then again, there's always the chance that the Element could become Sky Struck. Then again, he's likely the first fellow Awake Flame user this baby Sky has met as Yo's been pretty much under house arrest by his grandson, which means that the baby Sky doesn't have any Elements Harmonized to his Sky and it could be reasoned that Yo's aura of protectiveness continues to remain strong due to that.
Hopefully, the baby Sky is a quick study as I've only the two weeks to spend here right now. Fon mentally muses. With Regeneration, we shouldn't need to worry too much about any injuries done in the course of using Flames in Combat, then again, Own Flame Immunity and Natural Flame Management will only help him pick it up. Which will help when Kyoya Wakes his Cloud and Mist Flames, as Cloud Users tend engage in Combat right after Waking or are already in Combat when they Wake their Flames, meaning that Yo should be able to help calm Kyoya down one way or another.
To Be Continued . . .
