Regola Atto Aggiuntivo
Rule Addendum
"A man needs a little madness, or else... he never dares cut the rope and be free."
― Nikos Kazantzakis
Meeting the guardians. The statement—nay, the adjunct seemed, at first, so simple and straightforward. The opening salvo to a veritable volley of actions and reactions, wheeling and dealing, of intents passed on and accepted. Of courses and paths taken and alliances forged.
Most would not think twice of such a harmless, inconsequential invitation. Most would not see any danger—over or otherwise—to such an innocuous request. After all, what could be so perilous about meeting people in a convenient locale plied with wine, music and food surrounded by amiable acquaintances and lifelong friends? Who, their right mind, would find such a situation even the slightest bit risky?
Obviously, someone who has never been invited to a meeting with a certain members of a certain Famiglia.
The ballroom was awash in a palpable wave of frenetic energy. Here and there people were rushing to complete one task or another, busily consulting and double checking all the necessary last minute preparations for one of the biggest celebration for the alliance, the Annual Sky Initiation Ball.
The mansion itself had been thoroughly polished to perfection. The security detail already in place and the seating arrangements and physical accommodation already set out in its glittering exactness. Caterers were bringing out a veritable cornucopia of elegant, decadent hors de oeuvres, whilst the chefs in the next door kitchens finished the last dishes to be served later in the night.
Decorators and planners were laying out the last minute accoutrements expected from such a lavish stylized theme that would be the core of the celebration while the members of the orchestra hired for the celebration fine-tuned their instruments in yet another adjoining room, polishing off the pieces that would be played during the festivities.
And standing squarely atop this microcosmic hive of activity, gazing below from the lofty views of the ornate balcony that braced each end of the sweeping grand staircase, watching all the chaos unfolding just beneath their feet were four people. Four men, attired in similar fashions in elegant formal evening wear, their eyes trained intently at the enfolding drama playing just in front of them as the sea of men and women in all shapes sizes and racial affiliation ebbed and flowed into the large cavernous hall.
Alessandro Valerius Corvino, 17th Head of the Corvino Famiglia took a contemplative sip of his excellent Bordeaux and wished just once more to be awakened from the nightmare that seemed to have taken over his life.
Tonight marked his final and true test. After a harrowing few weeks and an even more harrowing and frankly traumatizing two days, he would finally meet the man that caused all of these upheavals in his life. Tonight he would meet the last few members of the man's elusive famiglia. Tonight he would finally meet with the man that stood at the top of their world. Tonight—he, Alessandro Valerius Corvino, 17th Head of the Corvino Famiglia would be presented by Dino Cavallone, 10th Head of the Cavallone Famiglia to Tsunayoshi Sawada, Decimo of the Vongola Famiglia.
Tonight, the madness that began when he received a thin volume of cursed ink and paper would finally end.
And as he took yet another sip of his Bordeaux his eyes fell on the thin strip of bandage that wrapped around of his wrist and reminded him of the incidents that occurred just the day before.
The day before the Initiation Ball
The Cavallone Don brought him to a different wing of the immense mansion, casually mentioning that they were headed for the temporary family wing that the Vongola guardians normally used whenever they held an initiation for new members. The rooms were spacious and well-appointed and curiously structured to resemble, of all things, the interior of a traditional Japanese manor set incongruously amidst the inner rooms of an Italian villa.
"Not quite what you expected is it?"
Alessandro glanced at the Cavallone Don and nodded. He couldn't deny that the interior made him pause and made him remember that the young don he wanted to meet was of Japanese descent.
"It's—startling. I know that the Head came from the East, but to recreate such a world here—and such an unusual setting at that—it's really surprising." Alessandro's eyes looked at the wooden shutters and the pale, translucent paneling's and felt something inside of him loosen and relax. "This is quite beautiful."
Dino gave smirked but his blue eyes were warm. "Yes, it is, isn't it? You could thank the Decimo for that. He wanted to make sure that his guardians felt some connection to the land of their birth. He wanted them to be comfortable because of the sacrifices he felt he already asked of them."
Alessandro heard the lingering trace of awe and affection in the Cavallone Don's tone. No matter what others might say, here and now, he could believe that the Cavallone cared for the Vongola beyond the confines of positions and benefits.
"An unusual stand for a leader to take. Most bosses never see the world that way, you know. A subordinates job—to some degree—is to make those kind of sacrifices."
"Most might think that, but Decimo is not like most people. He isn't like most bosses."
"What is he like, then?"
"Well, you can say he's—!"
Whatever it was that the Cavallone Don would have said it was lost when a sudden explosion of shouts, screams and pink cloud burst quite literally in front of them.
"Come back here in the EXTREME!"
"TUUURRRRFFFF-HHHEEADDDD!"
A blur of black and white streaked past the two startled dons. Fortunately, both their regents kept their heads and pulled the two of them safely to the side and watched as the blurring blobs of black and white slowly dissolve into recognizable, albeit incomprehensible forms.
Alessandro noted that the blur was actually two forms—a young teen with curly raven hair clad in what looked incongruously enough a pair of cow printed shirt and black pants. The other was a much older man—perhaps mid-twenties, clad in an impeccable black suit and pale yellow shirt and darker amber colored tie.
The two were caught in an odd pas de deux—appearing for the entire world like some bizarre nursemaid and charge as the older man clutched tightly the wrist of the fleeing youngster in one hand while the other held what could only be another impeccably tailored suit.
They hardly paid any attention to their surroundings, Alessandro noted and noticed that for all his apparent professionalism and touted self-possession, Mossimo was certainly looking uncertainly at the scene playing in front of them.
"I told you not to call me that to the extreme Lambo!"
"I can call you whatever I want to call you! Tsuna-nii said that I have to be honest with my feelings and my feelings say that I say what I feel!"
"That is extremely difficult to understand! I cannot extremely comprehend what you just said so you just have to listen to me and extremely get dressed!"
"I don't want to you stupid turf-head! I don't want to and you can't make me!"
"I extremely can too!"
The shrill volume made Alessandro's ears ache and he moved to cover his ears but some belated sense of caution and curiosity stayed his hand. Resigning himself to future ear damage he continued to watch the unusual pair. He couldn't help but notice that the Cavallone Don didn't even seem to be fazed by the extreme decibel levels the pair's voices could reach.
He was surprised when the 'extreme' young man suddenly dropped to his knees and crouched close to the obviously distressed youngster and spoke kindly to him, wiping away tears and awkwardly patting the slim back.
"Now, now, you have got to stop crying in the extreme! Men do not cry! Only women are allowed to cry in the extreme! Just tell me why you're shouting the house down in the extreme! You need to be dressed in two hours and I will not explain to the extreme why you're not dressed!"
"My teacher would not let me come tonight. The school won't give me an extension and I don't want to bother Tsuna-nii—and Gokudera-shishou said that I have to deal with it on my own because Tsuna-nii is busy and I don't know how to!"
"That is a situation in the extreme! But don't you worry in the extreme! I will extremely call the school right now and explain to them the reason for your extreme absence and I am sure they will understand in the extreme!"
"You think that would work?"
"I extremely think that it would extremely work! Now, let us get you extremely fitted for the extreme dinner tomorrow!"
The teen sniffed and nodded and allowed himself to be dragged—quite rigorously by the louder all man who extolled quite robustly the extreme dialogue he would be having with the younger man's school head. He then proceeded to make the young teen run and continued shouting encouraging statements punctuated by the ever persistent extreme.
Alessandro found himself blinking and staring at the departing two and wondering if he simply imagined the entire scenario. He was halfway to convincing himself when the Cavallone don's amused chuckle shattered the illusion and forced him to focus once more.
"Sorry about that. Ryohei can get a bit—er-extreme."
Finding the pun apparently too much even for himself, the Cavallone don burst out in raucous guffaws. Alessandro couldn't decide whether to hit the man or pity the man for finally losing his marbles.
"Good god! Was that—normal?"
"Unfortunately yes."
"Who were those two? New subordinates?"
"No. They were two of the Vongola guardians."
"Guardians! Say that is a lie—surely you jest!"
"Not at all. You, my dear sir, just met the Sun and Lightning guardians respectively."
Alessandro was still processing the previous episode and simply nodded automatically at the names. He remembered his grandfather mentioning once the odd propensity of the Vongola for naming the main leader's guardians for attributes of the sky.
"The Sun guardian-?" he asked tentatively, hoping that the joke had finally run its course and the real man would be introduced to him. But alas, it didn't seem likely as Dino nodded at the direction the pair had vanished into.
"The Sun guardian was the older of the two you happened to come across. Sasagawa Ryohei."
"And is he always—?" Alessandro's hand made a weak gesture towards his ears—though the signal seemed to assume the Cavallone for some reason.
"A bit dense? Louder than a jet during takeoff? Unfortunately that was the normal level of his voice whenever he feels the need to converse."
"Normal-! Is the Vongola deaf?"
"I suppose he wishes he was at times. Especially with the kind of guardians he has. The younger of the two is his Lighting guardian."
Alessandro couldn't recall when his temper finally snapped but he turned towards the Cavallone don and glared at the man, his green-gold eyes bright with their simmering outrage.
"But that one is just a child! Surely, the man you told me about could not have condoned such a child being forced to take over the duties of a primary guardian! What is the Vongola Decimo thinking—!"
Whatever tirade Alessandro would've said dried up immediately in the face of the cold implacableness of the Cavallone don's visage. Gone was the playful, almost childish air that the young don sported since their initial meeting. In his place now was the leader he had a glimpse of in the limousine mere hours before.
"Lambo of the Bovino Famiglia is the Vongola Lightning guardian. Vongola Decimo recognizes his strength but as you have pointed out he is just a child. Vongola knows this and makes allowances for his guardian. He will not, however, allow anyone, to impugn Lambo's honor nor make Lambo feel unworthy of his post just because of his age and physical restriction."
"Kukuku…how frightening your intense defense of Lambo could be Cavallone. Should the Decimo fear one his own friends stealing one of his chosen?
And CUT!
Authors Note:
Don't worry. The next one is coming along shortly. Honest. Scouts honor. Not that I ever was in one. And if I were—well, I don't recall much of it. I promise though, the end is in sight. And I guess I have to concede defeat. I couldn't do it in a single chapter. Oh well…
A man needs to learn to go with the flow. Or else go with the flow until you can go AGAINST it. Remember, if you can't win 'em-well, grit your teeth until you DO. - ravenromance27, personal mantra