Chapter 15: Revealed

Tsuna sat in class, staring out the window as the teacher lectured on. ~"You seem distant...what's bothering you? Don't lie to me either."~

He placed his head on the desk. ~Everybody is giving me so much attention...I...It's nice that people care, but...~

~"I understand. They never cared before, so why would they care now? Only because you almost perished in an accident? There's no way of knowing a person's true intentions until they reveal themselves."~

~They're treating me like a hero, which I'm not.~
~"They're treating you like the hero they know you are, who you will be."~

He sighed softly. A bell chimed, and all the kids around him got up and bustled out of the room to go home. He got up slowly. ~"You don't believe in yourself, kid. Everyone else does."~

~They don't. They're just the same people as before, waiting for me to screw up so they can laugh! That's how it has always been!~ He ran down the school's hallway, trying to escape the tears he had begun to shed. ~"Tsuna! Stop, you're going to get hurt. Tsuna!"~

He ran into someone, but instead of falling back, he held on. He was pushed away, and fell to the floor. ~"Tsuna!"~

Tsuna held his chest, trying to catch his breath. He looked up to see it was Ty that he had bumped into. "I-I'm s-sorry!"

Ty grabbed him by the shirt. "You're so stupid, Dame-Tsuna! You can't even see where you're going in an empty hallway!" His group laughed. Tsuna tried to get free, but couldn't. ~"Tsuna! Call for help, god damnit! Tsuna!"~

"Release him," a voice called out from behind them. Ty released him, letting him crash back to the floor. "You're violating School Rules 6 and 14. Fighting on school premises is not permitted, and students found on school property after class is over, with the exception of extracurricular activities, are to be punished."

Tsuna looked back to see Hibari standing there, KT behind him. Ty and his group ran. "Tsuna!" KT exclaimed, and knelt down beside him. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine...I thought he meant what he had said..." He got up with her help. "Etto...Thank you, Hibari-san."

"Once an herbivore, always a herbivore. You neglect to fend for yourself. I refuse to be your guardian if you can't fight for yourself. You just let this happen to you. Why?"

"I-I..." He looked down.

"She was waiting for you at the gate. I knew something was wrong when she came to me."

"Thank you, Kyouya, for your help," KT said. Hibari walked up to Tsuna.

"Don't scare her like that again, Tsunayoshi. You're in no such condition to get into a fight."

"I-I know..."

He walked away. "Ready to leave, then?"

He nodded.

He was silent the car ride home. "You seem troubled, Tsuna..."

"I'm alright. I thought he actually changed."

"He has to act as people see him...don't let it bother you."

He nodded. She pulled her Temporary Nissan into a parking lot. Tsuna looked at her curiously. "The park? What are we doing here?"

"I thought you'd feel more comfortable here while I explained to you what you need to know."

They sat in the top of a tower. KT handed him a sandwich and a can of Pepsi. "Save the can for a moment."

"Okay..." He set the can aside. She smiled at him graciously.

"I'm going to explain as much as I can...Alright?"

He nodded.

"It might be easier if you ask me your questions..." she decided. "So, ask me."

"You told me years ago that your mother was dead, and that your father was in jail in Florida. But you called Gaia your mother...and TC..."

"Yes...I'm sorry I had to lie to you, but it was for my protection, and yours as well. Gaia is Mother Nature, and my mother. TC is, well, Zeus, and my father. I have control over the weather due to being, pretty much, a goddess myself."

"That makes sense..." He took a bite of the sandwich. "So, does that mean you knew Tsu-sama?"

"Unfortunately. His ego was larger back then than it is now. He was younger then, as well."

~"Hey...If you are implying that I am old, think about your own age first..."~

Tsuna looked puzzled. "I have been around more than 17 years..." she explained. "I was actually born thousands of years ago. But only 17 years ago was I reborn into this time to protect you."

"Oh," he said in understanding. Her smile turned into a frown. She grabbed the can of soda. "I really don't understand my father's reason for this..."

A voice boomed below them. "Wait! I can explain!"

TC ran up the stairs; in his younger form. He stopped at the top and sat down. "It's quite simple, actually. He has so much power locked up inside his body, that if he had to activate it himself, he would surely destroy himself. But, using the Pepsi, he is able to bring forth a set amount of power; a safe amount set to keep his body from being destroyed. The amount of soda in the can is the amount of power brought forth, though it seems small, the concentration of his power is quite immense. As he learns to use his power, we can move up to larger quantities, to eventually being able to access it on his own, without aid from these things."

Tsuna pulled the mittens from his pocket. "I always have these on me...I'm always so afraid that I might need them at any moment...I feel like shooting flames at people is all I can do."

TC shook his head. "On the contrary, there are many things you can accomplish, you just have to be trained in them. You will eventually be able to fly, not like a superhero, but using the concentrated flame's energy to propel yourself around."

"Like a rocket?"

"Something like that...your abilities are endless."

"I don't think you've really explained to me before why I'm being trained..."

"I have, only in brief."

"Could you explain it to me...in detail?"

"Of course, if you're willing to pay attention."

"I am!"

"Then I will begin..."

[TIME SHIFT]

"A long time ago, before the universe was created, I lived with my brothers in the darkness."

"Brother!" A younger TC shouted. The very angry god of the underworld turned his head. "Brother, what is your business here?"

"Business, oh come now, dear brother, 'business' is such a blunt word," said he. He whirled around to face him. "Don't get me wrong, young brother, my heart burns like fire that only cares for you slightly. But the time has come that I must destroy you."

"D-Destroy me! Brother, you can't be serious! You will create an unbalance, and-"

"Exactly...I will be dominant ruler! Me!"

TC stared in shock. "Why, brother? What have I done!"

"You've existed..." He lunged for his twin brother. "That's enough for me!"

TC dodged backwards. "Come to your senses, brother!"

"This is what my senses have told me to do, and I will fulfill it," he said, and his mouth contorted into a wide, evil smirk. "You might as well give in, you have not trained as I have."

"You're wrong! I will not let you do this!"

His brother lunged for him again, but this time TC was ready. In the last instant, he shot out with his fist. It made contact with his twin brother, and the darkness of space became full of light.

"This created the universe; the Big Bang theory is true, to a certain extent. My brother was destroyed, and balance was off for a while. You see, when I punched him, he disintegrated into anti-matter. This anti-matter disappeared, but I knew he was still around. He would show up in all the evil figures through out history, literally. Then one day, a scientist discovered anti-matter, and all hell broke loose, even more literally. He was born again."

An older TC sat upon a throne. CT appeared to him. "You surprised me, brother. You learned the one move that can destroy anything in its path. But you can not get rid of me that easy. For the time being, I will let you live. Mark my words, brother, I will destroy you one day...and you won't ever come back."

"After that, I realized I needed to come up with the power to strike back when the time comes. That's where you come in, Tsunayoshi. You are my secret weapon."

Tsuna stared at his hands. "A weapon? Is that all I am?"

His dark room was silent. He knew he would not get a reply. He sat up and wrapped his arms around his legs, which were up against his chest. There was a knock on the door. "C-come in..."

The door creaked open, and Chrome stood in the doorway. "I-I'm sorry, Boss, but-uh..."

He put his legs down. "It's alright, Chrome...Is everything alright?"

"I-I just wanted to make sure you're alright...are you able to sleep?"

He shook his head. "I've just been thinking..."

She clasped her hands together. "May I come in? I might be able to help..."

"Yeah...that's fine..."

She walked into the room. "What are you thinking about?"

"TC explained to me my purpose...and I wanted to know...am I just a weapon?"

"He told you that?"

"He said I was his secret weapon."

She gave him a small smile. "You're not a weapon at all. I promise you."

"What does he mean, then?"

"You're going to be what helps bring an end to Hades...He means it in the sense that you're his only option left."

Tsuna brought his legs up to his chest again. "He's got a weird way to show it..."

She patted his head. "He's very peculiar. I agree with you, but he's also very wise, and very strong."

Tsuna's eyes sparkled. "Why are you a guardian?"

"He saved my life...I'm living because of him, and this is what I have to do to stay alive..."

"He forced you into this?"

"No, not entirely...he gave me the choice to live without this...but he told me it would be very lonely."

"Lonely?"

"I would never be able to go back home, I was supposed to be dead. He said I'd have a new family...and I do."

He yawned slightly. "I-I'm sorry! I just finally feel tired..."

She smiled. "It's alright...I wanted to help..."

He laid back. "You do have a family," he said, yawning.

"Thank you, Boss..." She got up and walked out the door, a small tear sliding down her face.

KT tossed a towel into a basket. "To-shi! Do you have your clothes basket ready?"

"Almost!" he called. Chrome poured detergent into the washing machine.

"Hey, KT! Have you seen my jacket?"

"No! Why? It's not buried in your basket?"

"I've looked three times! I can't find it anywhere!"

"Go look in the living room!"

He tossed a shirt into the basket and walked out into the hall. He poked his head into the laundry room. "Why would it be there?"

"Because you're messy and forget where you put your things...just check."

He smiled. "Okay, fine..." He walked down the hall and into the living room. "I don't see-" He stared at the couch. On it, sat half a box with a kitten sitting inside. He ran up to it and grabbed a note on the side. "Dear Tsuna, I heard the other day that you saw a kitten you really liked. I expect you to take really good care of him, you got it? P.S.-It was all the ego freak's idea."

The kitten mewed. He picked it up gently and nuzzled it to his face. KT and Chrome walked into the room. "The shop owner told me his story..."

Chrome sat next to Tsuna. "It's so cute..."

Bob, the kitten, purred. "Thank you, KT! I promise to take good care of him!"

She ruffled his messy spiked hair. "You better..."

"I will..." He rubbed Bob's small head with his index finger. "Hi, Bob..."

A small voice ran through his mind briefly. He couldn't understand it. KT placed her hands on her hips. "So, did you find your jacket?"

"Oh! That's right...no, I haven't..."

"I washed it for you, it was sitting on the floor."

"I'm sorry..."

She waved him off. "Is your basket ready?"

"Yeah...I'll go get it..." He set the kitten back into the box and ran to his bedroom. He walked in and stood frozen for a second. His vision shifted, and he saw the room contort. Images of destruction and death flashed in his mind. He stepped backwards and hit the wall, making a picture frame on the outside fall and break. KT looked up from the kitten. "Tsuna?"

Chrome stood up from the couch. "Boss!" She ran from the room. KT looked around for a moment, feeling an ominous presence. She ran after Chrome to Tsuna's room. She got there, and Chrome had him in her arms, an indigo sphere encased them both. "He was trying to break his mind..."

Tsuna's eyes were closed.

He opened them, and he was encased in an orb of indigo. The room was white; no colors at all except for the sphere. He looked around. "What's going on here?"

Chrome appeared outside the sphere. "This is your mind."

"My mind? Why is it so white?"

"Your soul is pure. Which means, your mind is pure. Your memories and information are stored in another place."

"Why are we here?"

"Hades was trying to break through your mental barriers...I stopped him. The barrier around you is healing the cracks he made."

He noted the cracks below him, and saw them close up slowly. "You will wake up momentarily...you just shut down to protect yourself."

He opened his eyes again, and he was back in his own room. He shook his head groggily. "That was weird..."

Chrome breathed a small sigh. "Master Zeus will not be pleased with this."

KT tried to supress her anger. "He's going too far with this..."

"KT, don't worry, I'm alright..."

Her eye color shifted. "This time..."

Chrome let the sphere fade away slowly. The kitten mewed in the door way. "How did you get off the couch!" Tsuna moved over quickly to Bob. He touched his head, and a tingling sensation ran up his arm. He moved his hand back slowly, the X glowing in orange. Bob's golden eye started to glow. "I'd like to thank you, young Sky User, for releasing me."

Tsuna stared. "Y-you're..."

"I've been waiting for my rightful master...when you came along, I knew instantly. I could see the energy inside your body..."

"You're talking to me...and I can understand you..."

"Yes, you see...your Sky Element consists of Harmony. You're able to communicate with certain animals, usually in the feline family."

He looked at KT, who was staring very confused. "KT...remember the lions at the zoo? They were friendly, and then when I got scared, they did too!"

He looked back at Bob, who had grown two sizes larger. "I am an Element Watcher," he explained. "With my golden eye, I can see a person's element, and their aura. I can tell their true intentions based on the color and intensity. I am here to protect you, essentially." His voice matured from a small child sound, to that of an English scholar, his voice twinged with an accent. Tsuna laughed. "You sound funny!"

"I sound funny? It's a bloody accent!"

"What accent is that? American?"

"Heavens no, child! It's bloody British!"

He scratched his head. "Oh."

Bob flicked his tail, and it moved across Tsuna's nose. He rubbed it. "You're going to make me sneeze, Bob."

"I'm sorry, I can't really control where my tail goes."

Tsuna sat up in the snow. The tree had lost all its leaves, so it did not aid in protecting him from falling snowflakes, but he didn't mind. Bob stood on his all fours and shook the snow from his fur. "It's starting to melt in my fur..."

He picked him up and held him on his lap. "You're not cold?"

"Unlike you, I have fur to protect me from the cold. You just layer on those jackets."

"Tsuna-san!"

Tsuna looked up, and Habira was running down the sidewalk. She stopped when she reached him. "Oh wow! You got a cat!"

"His name is Bob...you can pet him if you'd like...he's friendly."

She knelt down in the snow and scratched Bob behind the ear. He started to purr. "Oohh that feels wonderful!"

Tsuna giggled. "How have you been?" she asked.

"Good," he replied. "How about you?"

She smiled. "The same as you, I guess...There isn't much going on around here..."

He nodded. "Did your grandmother make that?"

She looked down at her scarf. "She did...she's very good at making them..."

The snow started to fall a bit harder. He looked up at the sky and laughed as a snowflake landed on his face and melted. Hibari walked down the sidewalk, his arms crossed. "Oniisan! You're early!"

He joined the two under the tree. "There's going to be a lot of snow falling soon..." He leaned up against it. "I guess I just worried..."

She got up and hugged her older brother. He turned his head and sneezed. She backed up. "I'm sorry, Oniisan! I forgot you're allergic to cats..."

Bob looked at Hibari. "He's a guardian?"

Tsuna nodded. Hibari raised an eyebrow, obviously able to understand the cat. "I am..."

Tsuna stood up and bowed. "I-I'm sorry, Hibari-san...I don't mean to cause you trouble..."

He sighed. "I'll be fine..."

Bob flicked his tail. "Ah, the notorious Cloud...aloof and indifferent. Your aura says it all."

Habira sat back in the snow. "Oniisan...have you gone to see mother and father lately?"

"I did this morning...I wanted to make sure everything was alright there..."

"I've never met your parents..."

She frowned. "My parents died many years ago...my grandparents, and Oniisan are all I have left..."

"I'm sorry..." He looked at Hibari. "How did it happen, if you don't mind me asking..."

Hibari sat on a root. "There's not much to tell...it was an accident..."

"Were you ever told what really happened?"

Habira's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Well...I know how the truth can be hidden...No one ever knew what happened to my father...as far as most people know, he ran off...but it's not true."

"Did they lie to you?"

He shook his head. "I know what happened because I was there. He killed himself."

She gasped and put a hand to her mouth. "That's awful! How old were you?"

"Three..."

Hibari uncrossed his arms. "They were murdered..."

Tsuna looked at him. He had a mutual understanding of who did it. Habira looked at him. "You knew?"

Hibari looked away. "It was my fault...that's why I knew..."

Bob touched Tsuna's hand with his paw, and something strange happened. He was able to see a color floating around Hibari like a gas. "It's his aura..." Bob told him. He noticed it shift, into a sad blue.

"Hibari-san..."

That moment they all heard an excited yell from up the road. There was a kid on a sled riding down the icy street. It didn't take long for Tsuna to realize who it was. Ty got off the sled and walked over to them all. "Looks like you're discussing something pretty deep, mind if I join?"

He tossed the sled down and sat on it. "Sorry about the other day, Tsuna...I don't know why I did it...Pressure? That's probably it. Do you forgive me?"

Habira looked at him. "You're the boy that keeps bullying him?"

Tsuna was kind of shocked, and he noticed Hibari was too. "Uh...yeah, but-"

"It's alright," Tsuna cut in. "I forgive you..."

Ty looked at him. "Really? You're serious?"

"Well, yeah."

"Boss!" Chrome ran up the sidewalk. She stopped and bowed. "I'm sorry to intrude..."

"Don't worry about it..."

"Kera-Taka would like to invite you all to dinner...she knows the weather is going to become bad, she wouldn't mind to house you for the night either."

Tsuna smiled. "What do you guys say?"

"Absolutely! I love Kera-Taka's cooking!"

"I'm in! Free food!"

He looked at Hibari. He looked unsure. "You're welcome to come, Hibari-san..."

Everyone had gotten up from the ground. Tsuna walked up to him. Hibari looked up at him, and nodded slightly. The gang marched inside, and took their boots off at the door. The house smelled of food. Tsuna walked down through the hallway to the kitchen. KT was slaving over the stove. "KT..."

"Yeah?"

"What are you making?"

"A surprise...go back with the others, it will be finished shortly."

"Okay..." He walked back down the hall and into the living room where everyone was sitting. He looked out the window, and the snow had picked up more. "We made it inside just in time...It's snowing pretty harsh now..."

They nodded.

They all sat around the table. KT served them hot stew to warm them up. "Eat up, now...you'll be warmed right up!" She set the pot down on a rack. Tsuna, Habira, Chrome and Ty all started to eat. Hibari stared at the bowl he was given. "Thank you," he said, looking at her. She looked over. Habira and Tsuna looked too. "Thank you...for doing this..."

She laughed. "It's no problem, really..."

"You've been here for us for a while...I've just never thanked you properly for the things you've done...for me, and for my sister."

KT smiled. "You're welcome, Kyouya..."

Tsuna walked out in to the living room after hearing a noise. He had a can in his hand. He then noticed Hibari sitting on the couch. "H-Hibari-san..."

He looked over. "Shouldn't you be asleep, Tsunayoshi?"

"I've had trouble sleeping lately, so when I heard the noise..."

Hibari looked at the can in his hand. "What do you have that for?"

He set it down on the table. "I was ready if there was somebody in the house..."

"A can of soda?"

He sat down. "It's the only thing I can activate my powers with..."

"Soda?"

"Yeah. Pepsi products only."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "So I don't kill myself trying to fight, I think is what TC said..."

"Ah..."

"Why did you become a Guardian?"

Hibari thought a moment. "I was born a guardian...I hadn't known until I was 7...My father explained this to me, even though he wasn't a Guardian himself, he was a mediator. I had to accept it when my parents were killed..."

"You had the choice?"

"I did...but I realized that they died because of me...and I didn't want that to happen again...I realized that if I had refused, my decision would decide your fate...and that I would be alone, because he would probably come back for me too."

Tsuna felt tears spring to life in his eyes. Hibari looked at him. "You're not crying, are you?"

Tsuna grabbed onto him. "You're not alone, Hibari-san...I promise..."

Hibari was frozen. I'm not...alone? Emotion poured into him, and he cried for the first time since he was 7 years old.