QVR: Strange Enma drags confused Tsuna out of his house to provide explanations.

Chapter Three: I'm Not Afraid of Anything Anymore

I feel light.
It's the first time I've been this happy while fighting.
I'm not scared of anything anymore.
I'm not alone anymore.

Tsuna can't remember the last time he actually saw the sky at night outside of his bedroom window. He doesn't believe he's ever actually seen it at all without its protective layer in between. He's always wanted to be able to go up there and pluck the stars from their place and hold it carefully in his arms, giving it the comfort he always wanted for himself. It must be lonely all the way up there. Even after Shoichi told him that they are just made of gas. It was a dream he always had, and reality isn't going to take it from him.

It already took too much as is.

The night sky was much more beautiful outside the glass, and Tsuna couldn't help but stare up high as he allowed himself to be dragged away from the safety of his home and out into the dangers of the night by his strange classmate. He stared at Enma, unsure if he should thank him.

Enma laughed, amused at the brunet's wonderment of the outside. "Wow, Sawada-san, it's as if you've never been outside at night before!"

Those words made Tsuna stop in his tracks, making Enma recoil back from lack of movement. He grew wide eyed as the brunet attempted to tug himself free, exclaiming, "I'm not allowed out at night! Let me go!"

"Nonsense, Dame-Tsuna, I've already received permission from Maman."

Tsuna immediately quit his struggles as he turned to see that strange baby again. "… Reborn?"

Enma frowned at the sight of Reborn emerging from the trees. "I thought we were to meet you at the Park."

Reborn jumped onto Tsuna's right shoulder, making him flinch. "Plans have changed, you know that they tend to happen. Let's go over to the Fountains."

"Change of plans, Sawada-san." Enma spun him around and tugged him to another direction. "Let's go to the Fountains. They're actually really pretty at night. I'm sure that you'll like it."

"O-okay." Tsuna let himself be dragged along, not knowing what or where the fountains are either. He doesn't get out much.

"Dame-Tsuna, are you blind?"

Reborn was suddenly in his face, and Tsuna backed up for a bit from the baby, eyes wide. "W-what makes you say that?"

Reborn frowned, but said nothing as Enma brought Tsuna to a town square with a marble water fountain in the middle, gently flowing water into its pool as it reflected the various street lights that surrounded the area. He took a seat on the bench beside it and motioned for Tsuna to do the same.

Water suddenly burst up from the floor, and Tsuna jumped as he tried to avoid falling into it. He shut his eyes, an immediate reaction from the sudden movement. Enma quickly grabbed his arm to steady him and held him tightly. "Open your eyes, Sawada-san."

Tsuna opened his eyes to see a multitude of colors the water sprayed as it gently began to flow up against gravity due to the pressure. It was as if the water was reflecting the rainbow spectrum from a piece of glass. "Wow..." he awed in amazement.

Enma laughed, smiling at the brunet who was captivated by the colors. "Tsuna," he said, suddenly getting serious, "Do you know the history of the Famiglia?"

Tsuna turned to the redhead and blinked, he wasn't expecting that. "The... the Famiglia?" What did he know about the Famiglia? It sounded foreign… Italian? All he remembered is that Italians liked to wear suits and fedoras and spoke in Italian, at least usually and stereotypically. Come to think of it, Reborn looks like somewhat that would belong in that world. "Isn't that in, like, Italy?"

Enma smiled but shook his head. "Before it was. Now it's on a global scale, this time particularly located in Japan. Or Namimori specifically."

Reborn jumped from Tsuna's shoulder and onto his lap. He spun to face the brunet, and only spoke when Tsuna met his black eyes. "Dame-Tsuna, did you show Enma your ring yet?"

Tsuna blinked. "My… my ring?" The one that Reborn was talking about earlier this afternoon in the Nurse's Office? Tsuna mentally smacked himself. Well obviously, what other ring did he own that everyone seemed to be so fixated on?

Reborn grabbed his hand, bringing it towards the sky. "I'll take over from here, Enma," he said before lowering Tsuna's hand back to his lap. Nodding, Enma got up to leave, but Reborn tugged on his sleeve before he could get far and brought him in front of the two of them. "Stay. It will probably be better for Tsuna."

Enma gulped, suddenly nervous now. "B-but the others -"

"Will not bring any harm to you if they were to swear their loyalty to him," Reborn replied, rubbing on Tsuna's ring as if it was a precious thing. "I do not believe Tsuna has any ill intentions against you." He smirked, an evil glint in his eye. "And if he does, then you must seriously have done something wrong for him to hate you so."

"What's going on?" Tsuna interrupted, terribly confused. "I don't hate Kozato-san. But… what does this have to do with anything, with me?"

"Tsuna, was there ever anything that you truly wanted? Something that you could do if you had the power to do so?" Reborn started, answering Tsuna's questions with even more questions.

Tsuna thought about it.

"Is there something that you want to change in the world, any wish or desire?" Enma added on softly, for emphasis as he bent down to Tsuna's eyelevel. The brunet blinked at their sudden close proximity, noticing the redhead's strange pupils. Enma smiled… in a twisted sort of sense, but Tsuna couldn't look away. "It could be anything at all, Sawada-san. No matter how impossible or silly you think it is, is there anything you want?"

Tsuna blinked. Did... did he have something he wanted?

He smiled softly, millions of possibilities coming to him. He could wish for better grades, he could wish to stop being so clumsy, he could wish to touch the stars, he could wish for cake made of stars - Tsuna faintly wondered what that would taste like - or maybe he could wish for his cat to come back to life.

He could wish for world peace, he could wish for courage to finally stand up for himself and not have others do it for him or maybe to finally ask questions about his life, he could wish for no death, he could wish for his father to come back, he could wish to help his mom.

Or... he could wish to cure his illness.

"I..."

Suddenly, the air grew toxic, and Tsuna started to cough, its familiar smell getting to him.

Cigarette smoke…?

"You! You dare to show your face again? Here of all places?"

Enma stood frigid, turning slightly. "Go... Gokudera-kun?"

Tsuna peeked from behind Enma to spot another classmate. This one was never in class, but he had perfect grades so it didn't really matter. And when he was in class, he would just leave right after.

That honor student delinquent, Gokudera Hayato.

Enma began to nervously laugh. "Go-Gokudera-kun, what are you doing out this late at night?" He tried to look over to find Tsuna, who watched on with curious interest, but with Reborn nowhere to be found.

Enma was really worried now. "Re-Reborn!" he stuttered out, looking for the baby in question.

Tsuna heard Gokudera smirk from behind Enma. "If he's not here, then he can't help you." He raised both of his hands, sticks of dynamite between his fingers were lit as he brushed the tips against his cigarette. Tsuna caught a glint of red on Gokudera's finger before the TNT in his hands took his full attention.

Tsuna jumped off the bench. "D-dynamite!"

One second Gokudera was across from them, the next he was pushing Enma to the ground, the sprinklers long off and something twinkled orange before scattering into the wind. Tsuna quickly got up and ran over to where the redhead had fallen, trying to help him recover.

"Kozato-san, Kozato-san!" He gently shook him, but his efforts were in vain. Enma hit the floor hard enough to make him pass out. Tsuna heard footsteps from behind him, and quickly turned to spot the delinquent slowly making his way towards them. Gokudera spat on the ground, picking out his cigarette before he tossed it on the floor and rubbed it into the cobblestone floor, the smell of acidic smoke still in the air. He narrowed his eyes at the brunet in front of him, who trembled. "Sawada Tsunayoshi, what are you of all people doing here?"

Tsuna gulped, looking for Reborn, for anyone who could help him from this crazy armed guy. Not finding anyone, he had to stall. "I..."

"No Millefiore around? That's a first." Gokudera looked around before his smile turned feral. "No Hibari either. You're totally defenseless. What a golden opportunity. Now I can discover what makes you so important." He raised an arm to strike the brunet, causing for Tsuna to instinctively raise his arms in a form of defense, shutting his eyes tight as he shook in fear.

He expected a harsh blow to smack him down right next to Enma but after a few moments opened his eyes to a strange sight since he was unharmed.

Tsuna blinked, confused. "Eh?"

Gokudera was struggling for words. "Your… You are..."

"W-what?" Tsuna looked around and found nothing around him, save the passed out Enma and the steady stream of water from the fountain. "What is it? What happened? Am I going to live?"

Gokudera fell to the floor, kneeling to the brunet. "You're... the tenth one, aren't you? Reborn has chosen you?"

Tsuna blinked. "E-eh?"

"What are you going to do if I did?"

The two turned to find the baby sitting on the bench, petting a green chameleon in his hands as he watched the pair in front of them, ignoring the incapacitated one on the floor. Reborn continued, "What are you going to do about it, Gokudera? Are you going to challenge him? Are you going to take his ring away from him?" He smirked. "Can you even if you tried?"

"W-wait just a minute!" Tsuna exclaimed, trying to pick himself up from the ground. He was surprised and confused when Gokudera helped him up. "Huh?"

"O-of course not, Reborn!" He whispered to the baby, not intending for Tsuna to hear but he heard it all the same. But even if Tsuna could hear, it was meaningless if he didn't understand what language they were speaking in. Tsuna did notice when Gokudera widened his eyes as if in a revelation, and he did mention Byakuran and Hibari-san. The language sounded familiar though, as if he'd heard similar words earlier that day... Now he remembered. Rokudo Mukuro in the Nurse's Office. Different words, but it sounded similar enough.

"I believe that they have some ulterior motive, but I'm not too sure of the details as of yet," Reborn replied in Japanese, mostly for Tsuna's benefit. Regardless of the kind gesture, it was meaningless since Tsuna had no idea what they were talking about. Gokudera then said the same words Tsuna heard earlier from the heterochrome, cursing in that same language.

This whole situation was just so confusing, it didn't make any sense. What was going on exactly? Tsuna didn't know, didn't know if he wanted to know. He wanted to go home and rest. Tsuna held his head, feeling faint. Gokudera held Tsuna steady as he started to sway, cradling him carefully in his arms.

This is why he's not allowed out at night. It must be very late. Did his mother really allow for him to go out with someone he's never even spoken to until just yesterday? Maybe. He wouldn't put it past her.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera exclaimed, feeling Tsuna's forehead and checking his temperature. He looked over to the baby, but Tsuna couldn't tell what expression he had as he closed his eyes. He heard the honor delinquent whisper, "Reborn... is he really…?"

"Dame-Tsuna, your health is an annoying factor, but the rings do not lie." Tsuna heard him jump off the bench and footsteps indicated he was moving closer to them as well as his voice was getting louder. "These interruptions are starting to mess up my schedule." Tsuna cracked his eyes open to watch Reborn pick up Enma's left hand and picked out his middle finger. In Reborn's fingers was something glinting orange in the light as he replaced a ring on Enma's finger. He placed his yellow glass pacifier around his neck to the gem in the ring, and it glowed before enveloping the redhead in that strange light. Tsuna opened his eyes wider to watch but Gokudera seemed bored. Finally, the light started to dim and Enma recovered slowly but surely.

Enma picked himself up from the ground, trying to dignify himself as he regained his composure. He tried to take back his breath as he sat down on the ground. "Wha... what took you, Reborn?"

"Kozato-san..." Tsuna whimpered as he reached out for the redhead, and Gokudera loosened his hold on him.

Reborn didn't answer, but looked over to Gokudera and Tsuna instead. "Before we continue, Tsuna, what say do you, Gokudera? And I assume you speak for Yamamoto as well?" Reborn turned to the trees, and Tsuna watched another classmate of his step out of the cover of the shade of trees and into the dim light in the Fountain Square.

It was... that baseball star student, Yamamoto Takeshi. Tsuna didn't know that Gokudera and Yamamoto were associated with each other. In fact, he was pretty sure he'd seen them argue with one another when they barely even spoken to each other at all. Then again, he was always distracted with his own friends, Byakuran and Shoichi. Yamamoto walked over to the four of them, kneeling down to Reborn with that carefree, wide, trademark smile that he was so famous for. "Heya, Reborn. It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

Reborn looked up and smiled back, although not as wide. "Ciaossu, Yamamoto. And it was your fault, you both know that you two are just Guardians." He eyed the blue on Yamamoto's finger before his smile turned into a smirk. "Neither of you could have become a Boss even if you wanted to."

"There was no one worthy!" exclaimed Gokudera, glaring at Enma, who flinched under his gaze. "I'll be damned if I follow under this failure of a Boss!"

"Mah, mah." Yamamoto raised his hands in an attempt to calm his... friend? down. Tsuna didn't know, he was still so confused. He tried to scoot over to Enma, at least he had more familiar ground with him than with them. It didn't go unnoticed by the newest member of the group. "Calm down, Hayato. I think you're starting to scare Tsuna."

Tsuna looked over to Yamamoto, with that smile, with a tilt of his head. When were they so familiar with one another to call each other without honorifics? Or does he always speak like that?

Gokudera immediately calmed down, moving to comfort Tsuna. "Are you alright, Juudaime? I'm so sorry!"

Tsuna shied away from the touch, not wanting any physical contact between anyone as he finally released himself from Gokudera's hold. "I-It's fine, but I'm really confused," he confessed. "Why are you calling me 'Juudaime'?"

Gokudera took Tsuna's hand, making him go 'Hie!' as he pulled the both of them from the ground. He paid it no mind as he declared, "Juudiame is Juudiame! I will stand by your side as your right-hand man! No matter what!" Gokudera swore.

Yamamoto laughed. "I'll swear my loyalty to you too, Tsuna. I'll follow you to wherever you want me to go."

Tsuna widened his eyes as the words sunk in. He turned from Gokudera, who was still holding onto his hands tightly, to stare at Yamamoto, who smiled as he knelt down to Tsuna as a knight would to a king. He jerked back from the both of them. "Ehhhhhhh?"

Enma finally picked himself up from the ground, and Reborn jumped onto his head. No one noticed Reborn's wicked smile as Tsuna tried to deny their loyalty, not even knowing what it's for in the first place.

"Tsuna, accept them as members of your Famiglia," Reborn highly suggested as he jumped from Enma's head and onto Tsuna's. "Then I'll explain everything, without any interruptions this time. I also expect an answer from my previous question before Gokudera disturbed us."

Tsuna looked up to try and look at the baby on his head. "W-what?"

"Do it, Sawada-san," Enma encouraged as he approached the brunet. "You have a gift that most Bosses would die for."

Tsuna turned to him, still confused. "A... a gift?"

Enma moved to his ear, ignoring the glare from Gokudera as he whispered, "A gift to have anyone follow you, no matter who they are or what you've done." He grabbed Tsuna's shoulder and tightened his grip on it. "Utilize it." He released him and pushed him towards the Guardians.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera stopped glaring at Enma and raised his arms in a prayer to the brunet, who stepped back from him and unknowingly towards Yamamoto as a result. "Please accept us!"

"Come on, Tsuna," Yamamoto added, "I've always wanted to be friends with you." His smile deflated slightly, falling into a small frown. "But Millefoire-san always told us to stay away, told everyone to stay away from you." He held out his hand. "I think we can all get along quite nicely."

Tsuna was caught up on those last words, stepping back even more, towards the fountain. "Bya… Byakuran-san told everyone to stay away from me? Wh… Why?"

Reborn looked up to the sky, starting to become cloudy. He jumped off of Tsuna's hair and onto his left shoulder. "We keep getting interrupted. I can't say I like it one bit." He frowned. "We don't have any time left here. They've found us. We need to get moving. At Dame-Tsuna's current state, he can do nothing. Besides, I believe he's long due explanations. And I still need the answers to certain questions."

"We can all go to my house and finish there," Enma offered, "I live nearby." Wait, they were still going to continue this? Didn't he need to go home? What time was it?

"Do you have the proper protection? Juudaime isn't ready for this yet," Gokudera raised his arm to act as a barrier between the redhead and brunet. Even if Tsuna has yet to accept him, he was going to protect him. Tsuna stared, first Gokudera wanted to kill him and now he wants to protect him? Weird.

Jolly laughter broke into Tsuna's thoughts. "Of course he does, Hayato," Yamamoto pat Tsuna on the back and pulled him into a hold by the neck. "If he didn't, we would have killed him by now." His voice turned deathly serious but playful at the same time. Tsuna shivered, it somewhat familiar. Yamamoto released him then and moved close to his partner.

Gokudera gave Yamamoto a slight nod as he narrowed his eyes at Enma. "Lucky for him that Juudaime likes him. Very well, take us to your home, Kozato."

Enma stared at Gokudera before turning to Tsuna. He gave the brunet a millisecond of a curt smile before turning and beginning to lead the way. Gokudera and Yamamoto began to follow, but Tsuna hesitated.

What was he doing? What was going on? Did he want to continue with what was currently happening? Was it about to rain, is that why they have to leave? Tsuna didn't know what to do.

"Dame-Tsuna, your mother gave me permission to have you out all night, so don't worry about her," Reborn whispered in his ear. "Follow them, and everything will be fine. After all," Reborn looked up to the moon, not that Tsuna could see. "the sun has yet to set. The fun hasn't even begun."

Tsuna continued to hesitate but as a chilling wind blew down his spine, eventually started to follow after his three classmates who he had learned more about that he ever cared to, breaking into a dash to catch up with the three that were going too far for his liking.

"You know, if you ever betray us, now that we know where you live you aren't safe," Yamamoto said lightly as they stepped inside Enma's apartment. "Just keep it in mind."

Enma shivered, but nodded as what he said was right. "R-right."

Tsuna stared inside, he's never been in someone else's living quarters save Byakuran's before. It was... a little tight for four people, but it will have to do. Enma led them all to his room, where there was a table set up, but only for two in contrast to the four of them there. Gokudera noticed. "Were you planning on this with Juudaime?"

The redhead didn't answer. Instead, he gently took Tsuna's hand and led him down beside him, with Gokudera and Yamamoto following closely. After they took a seat, Reborn hopped off the sienna hair to the table as Enma got up and left the room. Tsuna raised a hand to stop him, but Reborn made him lower it.

"He'll be back, he's just getting some refreshments," Reborn told him, and Tsuna nodded faintly. "But until then, Dame-Tsuna, you should accept your Guardians." Reborn gestured to the two they had met at the Fountains. "Accept them now."

"Please, Juudaime, I shall not fail you!" Gokudera pleaded, bowing low to Tsuna.

"Wouldn't it be fun, Tsuna?" Yamamoto added, smiling his smile.

His mouth was dry. What should he do? Why was Byakuran lying to him after all this time? Why would they suddenly want to be his friends now? All these questions were swirling in Tsuna's head, and he didn't want to say anything until he knew exactly what he was getting into.

"I..."

Enma returned with tea, taking a seat. Tsuna sighed of relief, maybe the tea could take the horrible taste in his mouth. Reborn passed out the cups, but Gokudera grabbed Tsuna's before the brunet could take it. He eyed the liquid through the transparent glass, as if studying it for any poison.

Apparently he was. "It's clean." He handed it back to Tsuna, who faintly nodded as he accepted it. He took a sip, and jerked back from how strong it was. It made him slightly dizzy. But it was tasty, and he couldn't stop drinking some more.

"So, Dame-Tsuna, what do you say?" Reborn asked, watching Tsuna drink some more.

He smiled, feeling slightly bubbly from the beverage. "Sure, sure. I would love to have more friends." After all, friends don't lie to each other. Friends protected each other.

And maybe Tsuna needed a new group of friends.

Gokudera and Yamamoto smiled widely and Tsuna giggled when they took his hand and chastely kissed it.

Enma hid his smile behind his glass as the Guardians turned to Reborn. "Reborn."

Reborn's eyes could not be seen from under his fedora hat. "I approve of this. He may have not yet accepted it, but at least he'll have more protection this way.

"Now, do you have an answer, Dame-Tsuna?"

Tsuna blinked, the high the tea gave him was starting to go down. He clutched his head, fatigue coming back to him in a rush. "An answer…?"

"Any wish you want?" Enma reminded.

Oh, Tsuna almost forgot about that.

"Juudaime, you haven't accepted yet?" Gokudera was surprised. Yamamoto's eyes widened, but both of their fires burned hotter with realization of how much weight was thrust upon them.

"It just means we need to protect him even more, Hayato," the other Guardian said, picking himself up. Gokudera nodded as he got up as well.

"Are you an ally, Kozato?" he asked, both of them glaring at the redhead. "Can we trust you with our Boss?"

"I'm the only one who he could be honest to, you two are merely Guardians. For Tsuna's benefit, I suggest you two leave." He smirked. "This information is only classified for Bosses only."

Gokudera grinded his teeth, but Enma was right. Yamamoto placed his hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"He's right, you two," Reborn said, turning towards the door. "You can all get together at the school tomorrow. After all, Byakuran and Hibari are sure to make their move now that you two have revealed yourselves." He smirked as the two kneeled to Tsuna, who was caught in a daze, before leaving without another word.

Tsuna's eyes hurt. He was really tired. Did he make the right decision? Did he betray Byakuran? But Byakuran betrayed him! He didn't know.

"An answer, Tsuna." Reborn said, ignoring the brunet's condition as he approached him. "I need one, we need one."

Tsuna blinked, trying to regain his focus. "Reborn, I…" He passed out on the table.

"Oops, I think I gave him too little, Reborn," Enma said, gently picking up Tsuna from the table. He brushed his hair away from his face, studying Tsuna's face. He couldn't help but smile at how innocent and carefree he looked. For now, anyway. "But at least he has his Guardians."

"He already had two," Reborn said, studying Tsuna's face as well. He placed his small hand on his right cheek, before moving up to his eye. "But now he has four. But only those two are official and recognized."

Enma widened his eyes as he turned to the infant, whose expression was unreadable. "Hibari I get, but who was the other?"

Reborn smirked. "Enma, it's no fun if you know everything. You're not even that important. In fact, after Tsuna accepts his fate, you're of no help to me anymore. But I'm not worried. After all, you know enough."

Enma's frowned tightly. He knew what Reborn meant but it was out of his hands. After all, he was the one who revealed one of Tsuna's many gifts. He squeezed Tsuna's hand tightly, making the brunet gasp in pain underneath him. Reborn frowned at this action. "Be careful, he's really fragile right now."

"You're a bastard, Reborn," the redhead spat, but loosened his hold.

Reborn smirked. He's been called that by so many people, an additional one didn't matter. "Join the club, Enma."

A/N: This was getting way too long to continue. I can't reread it, so I hope everything is in order.

Hooray for forwarding the plot! Somewhat!

You know, I'm no longer too sure on the pairing anymore. Originally it was to be 6927, but now it could be 10027, 1827, 0027… etc. Maybe it's All27 now, but for the main, no longer sure.

Anyway, thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter!