Chapter 12

Varia Headquarters, Italy

"Anything from the old man?" Xanxus said to Viper, the Varia's main illusionist.

The hooded woman nodded. "The Ninth merely said that Ienari is in a very secure place, and that the rumor that Iemitsu had spread out is easily being ignored by the other families, opting to believe that he is merely hiding somewhere in Europe, going as far to the States. All except…" she trailed off.

"All except the Simon Famiglia." the twenty-one year-old blond man said with a wide grin. "Since the rumor got out, they have been investigating a lot about the tracks of the Decimo from his hospitalization, to him being checked out, and so on. They finally bought it when the Gesso heir had come to Japan for a funeral."

Xanxus hummed deeply as he assessed the information that his illusionist and her partner had given him. On his desk was a formal order from his adopted father, the Ninth, about the whereabouts of Ienari and the truth behind the rumors that the CEDEF boss had spread out without the consent of the Ninth.

From now on, should the others buy it, they would target the son of the Sun Arcobaleno. A task that no one would dare do unless they have a death wish. They just figured that Reborn had been dismissed of his duties for a while and had taken a vacation to Japan for an indefinite amount of time. Some would even conclude that he had gone there in order to protect the other potential heir to the title.

"On your gathering of information, is anyone aware of what you had done?" Xanxus wondered.

Viper shook her head, "Apart from the other Arcobaleno, the only ones aware are you, me and Belphegor in this room. My ward isn't even aware. But he also believes that outrageous rumor of Iemitsu's."

"Tch..." Xanxus growled "The last thing we need is for your ward to get an idea to head to Japan and kill the Arcobaleno's eldest step-son." He stated. "But it can't be helped. If he does end up doing that, he'll find out the rumor was bull on his own the hard way."

"Shishishi~ the pineapple will have to deal with it. Even I don't want to see that Sun Arcobaleno get mad and turn him to Swiss cheese," Belphegor stated. "He's the future Mist guardian after all, so finding his boss will be his priority to confirm the rumor,"

With a sigh, Xanxus leaned on his chair. "That's what I'm afraid of…" he said as he glanced at the photo on his desk, where a younger version of himself, twenty in fact, together with a blond kid somewhere between eight and nine, sleeping side by side at the Vongola Garden's net hammock at the central solarium, flopped against a sea of pillows. Written below the photo was a scribble of a child: Me and my Xanxus-nii! Taken by Grandfather!

"You are dismissed." He ordered. No sooner than that, both Viper and Belphegor left him with his thoughts. His eyes went back to the photo. He remembered that day very well. When he shared something that Xanxus keeps to himself. Even back then, the kid was still unaware of the weight on his shoulders, but it would eventually press him to push his limits with disappointing results—at least in the eyes of the one he wanted to please the most.

…

Seven Years Ago

"What's the matter little brat?" Xanxus asked a lone blond boy staring at the garden roses.

"Xaunxus-nii…" Nine year-old Sawada Ienari turned to see the adopted son of the Vongola Nono look at him. "Just…nothing…" he said. "I asked Dad if I could call Mom in Japan…and he gave me a scary look…"

Xanxus was quite taken aback by the total honesty of the boy. The first time he met him, he was a bit quiet, and too distrusting. Reminds him of someone he used to know. But as the months pass, he was slowly becoming quite reclusive. He thought it was just home sickness, but as he gets himself gloomier and gloomier, all he interacts with are his father, the Ninth and the Ninth's guardians. But there were rare chances when Xanxus comes to the Vongola Castle to do his weekly courtesy call (Xanxus thinks that it was just an excuse of his father to see him from time to time, since he knew that he would just hole himself up at the Varia HQ. After all, he is the only son of his that is still breathing), he would also exchange some words with him.

"That's not an uncommon thing you know." Xanxus said. "The man was just divorced last year. Of course he would do that. But to think he would take it out on your desire to speak to your mother. You're a lucky one." He said as the bitterness of being abandoned by his own mother resurfaced.

Ienari looked back at Xanxus, "Do you think…it's my fault that he's like that?" he asked.

Instead of reassuring Ienari like an adult, he merely shrugged and joined him on the bench. "Nah. That's just him being bitter that you are not hating her as he hates her. Try not to dwell on it too much." He said off-handedly.

"But I don't…want to make my Dad any madder than he is…so should I pretend to hate Mom?" he wondered.

With a sigh, Xanxus sat up, "Come with me for a moment." He said as he walked on, not waiting for Ienari to catch up.

He led Ienari to the garden maze, a place where he had memorized over the years since coming to the Vongola Castle to avoid any annoyances, particularly his second-in-command best friend. As he turned to a corner, he made sure that Ienari was aware where he was turning so that he could not get lost in the large maze. A lot of times, he had also spent the night in the maze for being lost, but it was a good thing that no one questions where he has been, considering that he too, distanced himself from the Vongola staff.

"Where are we going?" Ienari wondered.

Xanxus walked on, not really bothering to face Ienari, "To a place where I always like to go to when I have a lot of things in my head that needed to be forgotten, even just for a while." He stated.

"Can we get back before dinner?" he wondered.

"If you don't lose sight of me, then we will."

It took them half an hour to arrive at the very center of the maze. There was a large mirror dome solarium. Insid the solarium was a simple receiving room, with a net hammock on several places of the solarium. Looking up, Ienari could tell that the dome could be opened up during sunny days, and could be closed shut during rainy days and winter.

"Wow…I've never seen this before…" he said.

"That's because the only ones who knows this place is me, Father, the staff that caters to me, and now, you." Xanxus shared. He approached the double door of the solarium and opened it using a code. It opened widely upon confirmation and Ienari had to say that it was just like the living room of the Vongola Castle, except for the fact that the furniture were for outdoors, only softened by several cushions both large and small.

"I see…" Ienari said. "But…how does the staff know that someone is there, and how do they get here?"

Xanxus scratched his head, "Found a secret hatch just on that path, over there," he pointed on his right, "They know that someone's in the solarium because of entry detectors that are transmitted to the staff room, preferably the kitchen staff room to let them know that someone is here and might need some food if they stay there longer than three hours."

"Oh…" Ienari went to the center of the room to see that the dome did not obscure its view of the sky, which was fine with him since he liked looking at the sky, especially during the night.

"If you want to be alone, you can hide here anytime you want." Xanxus said, "Considering you don't get lost in the maze. Choose a spot you like." He moved his head to the place to indicate for Ienari to choose his own spot.

From the corner of his eyes, the hammock took his attention, and without another thought, Ienari went to the hammock just north of the entrance and sat there at the flurry of the cushions on it.

Xanxus smirked at the boy, "Good choice. I always use that to take naps."

"Do you…use this place to get away from Squalo-san?" the boy asked.

"More or less." Xanxus shrugged. "Scooch over," Ienari did as he was told and gave way to Xanxus. The older man laid down on the hammock and looked at the sky. "Squalo is always so noisy. It gets worse when the Bucking Horse visits,"

"…Bucking Horse? Is that a breed of horse or something?"

At his statement, Xanxus almost wanted to laugh out loud, but he settled for a smirk. "He's a man. Two years younger than me, but a year for Squalo. He's the boss of the Cavallone Famiglia."

"Ah, the one who is being taught by the Sun Arcobaleno?"

"You haven't met him yet?" Xanxus turned his head to look at Ienari who also laid down on the hammock to look at the clear sky.

"Not yet…I…I don't want to meet anyone outside the Vongola just yet…and…I…um…"

"You know, not daring to finish your sentence is rude in front of the more formal Mafiosi. You should fix that." He advised. "Stuttering like that and you will be undermined by the adults, especially the old man's associates."

In all honesty, Xanxus didn't really know what has gotten into him, giving the kid some advice. But since relinquishing his claim to the Vongola title after Federico's death as to keep the bumbling old fools out of his hair of accusing him of killing his three brothers, it seemed that he should at least rectify himself and start helping out the only heir available—if the older brother grows up and dies oblivious to his parentage.

He didn't want to admit it, but it made him feel like becoming a big brother like Enrico had done to him once. That is, before all of them went against each other for the title. He really was glad that he chose not to go into the fight—knowing who he really was—and just laid low as the boss of the Varia.

"Really?" Ienari said. "But why?"

It was then when Xanxus remembered that he wasn't supposed to learn this until he was ten. But it wouldn't hurt to have a head start. "Listen. A lot of things will happen to you for the rest of your life. It won't hurt for you to prepare. You'll get killed if you so much as show weakness, and don't trust people of our world so easily. But rely on your instincts. That's the only thing that would keep you from being swallowed up."

"I understand…" Ienari said.

Silence flew by as the two looked up at the sky. Now being covered by the thick white clouds.

"About your family disaster," Xanxus started. "Know that both parties are at fault, so never ever assume that you are the cause of it."

"But…why?" Ienari asked, still looking at the sky.

"Your father is sixty percent at fault for not being there most of the time, and just settled himself as a guest in the house. And your mother simply chose to be ignorant of his long-term absences but was still in the middle of the puppy love stage, until last year when she gained a backbone." He stated. "Kids are not at fault, even if they think otherwise. Take it from someone who has a more complicated family life."

"But you turned out fine…"

The older one scoffed. "Please. I've been in scuffles since the day I knew how to curse. I was only set right because of that Visconti." He said with a frown, remembering the string of losses he has against the Ninth Cloud Guardian. There were even rumors that Coyote's artificial arm was caused by him. But that's just rumor. His father would not let any conflict inside the family and his guardians end up with broken bones or torn limbs, on this case.

"So I just avoid the subject about Mom in his presence?"

"If that's what you think is fine, then do it. You alone can reassure your nerves." He stated. "A conflicted Sky is not a good Sky."

Xanxus understands that he has to become the welcoming sky. But he finds it hard to just open up to almost anyone. Maybe that was the reason that is flames had become the Flame of Wrath. There was so much control that is needed to wield such a flame, let alone possess it. It had seemed that he had acquired the type of storm and sky flame hybrid because of his resentment towards finding out his identity, and the lengths that his mother had done in order to give him to the Vongola Ninth because of her delusions.

Sometimes he really hates his life. But it was all he has.

During his musings, he had taken his eyes off the boy, and before he knew it, Ienari was sleeping, muttering something close to 'Tuna' and 'knee' or something. But he didn't pay any mind as sleep also took over him, not noticing an amused figure that was just outside the solarium.

…

"Old man, you have some explaining to do!" Xanxus stormed into his father's office bringing along the photo that was taken of him and Ienari snoozing at the hammock.

He didn't care if he shook some stacks of paperwork that Coyote was now holding back while glaring at him, or the splotch of ink that dropped onto a somewhat important document his father was about to sign. He was furious.

But the man in question was merely smiling fondly, "Ah, you've seen it." He said with a smile that annoyed the hell out of him. "You two were so adorable sleeping together at the maze solarium, I couldn't resist. So I snapped a picture and gave it to Ienari-kun," he said cheerfully.

Xanxus was getting angrier by the second. He wouldn't be surprised if his Flames of Wrath was now appearing in one of his hands. But there was a certain tint of embarrassment that might have held the flames in. "Damn it when will you stop with the stalking and taking candid pictures for your own amusement?!" he growled. Childhood memories of him and his older brothers being embarrassed by the Ninth because of his penchant for taking embarrassing pictures flooded back into his mind as he looked at his father. Many would call it a doting parent, but the kids will call it an annoying parent. It probably kicked in during his mid-life crisis.

"What else could I do in my spare time? And I didn't know you would be at the garden solarium with Ienari-kun. I tried to leave when I saw you, but I just couldn't resist seeing your sleeping faces."

"You have some serious mid-life crisis old man!" he growled as he left the office with a storm of paperwork. He could hear Coyote shouting profanities at him from the office, but he didn't care.

A few hours later, he found that he couldn't burn the photo anyway. So he gave a proper copy to Ienari back and kept the original for himself with Ienari's handwriting.

…

Xanxus gazed at the window of his office to the morning sky. He knew that Ienari was safe wherever he is in Japan. It was better than staying in Italy.

When he learned what happened to Ienari a month before, he had to be restrained by his entire team just to assure him that he was out of harm's way. But that didn't stop him from going to the hospital when he woke up. Seriously, the kid gave him a heart attack!

He wanted to kill the bastard that cornered him in doing it as much as his tutor does, along with the others. The only problem was, even Ienari doesn't remember why he did it. The greatest mystery. A mystery that he would do anything to solve.

Even if it means enlisting the help of that person. Since he was already in Japan, it was convenient that he could investigate on the matter better than he and his team could. And no one would ever suspect it.

He only hopes that the brat he considers his brother would have his memories back so that he could maim the one responsible.

…

Public Baseball Court, Namimori, Japan

If you want to see Yamamoto Takeshi playing baseball during practice or at a public baseball court teaching elementary kids, here's an advice: duck.

Ienari learned that the hard way when Yamamoto was the one with the while teaching some elementary school students baseball at a public court alongside Tsuna, Gokudera, and the Nami-High girls plus Ryohei. But this time, there was a girl that was with them that was not Miura Haru and seem to go to Nami-High as well. Ienari had to go somewhere that would not remind him of the white haired teenager who had barged into the school the day before. It was a good thing that Irie was showing him around on the others side of the town, away from their current location.

"Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko's voice called out to them on the bleachers.

Ienari, Tsuna and Gokudera turned to see them and he spotted a girl with purple hair and eyes, looking a bit shy.

"Who's your other companion, Sasagawa-san?" Ienari asked.

Kyoko pouted at the blond. "Just call me Kyoko. It sounds like you're calling onii-chan," she then turned to the girl and pulled her to face Ienari, "Ienari-kun, let me introduce you to one of my childhood friends, Nakamura Nagi!"

The girl, Nagi, laughed and scratched the back of her head, a bit embarrassed, "Nice to meet you, Sawada-san," she said with a soft voice, "Kyoko has mentioned you since she met you," she said with a wink.

Ienari blushed at this. He was never complimented by a lot of girls, and this was a first, but a bit too much.

Nagi observed him and she snickered, "Heh~ you're cute. Just like a yellow rabbit—if there is one, or a Pichu,"

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, sorry, lost in thought." Nagi said. "I also work at Nana-san's restaurant, but last week I was roped in with some trouble. We will be able to work with each other the next weekend after I finish moving,"

Tsuna sighed, "I told you that they would kick you out in your last apartment when you fought with them." he stated.

"It's fine. Showing my backbone is the best thing I have done in my life. I saved enough with working to afford a cheap apartment to move in,"

"You seem so energetic in saying something that could be depressing…" Ienari commented.

"Hehe, that's what happens when you grow up with Kyoko and Ryo-nii." She said with a wide grin.

Hana glanced at Yamamoto who was trying to teach the elementary students how to bat, "Huh. Looks like 'Takeshi-niichan' is doing well with teaching the brats," she mused.

"Yeah," Tsuna said, "He's really good with kids, unlike Gokudera,"

Gokudera grunted, "Never really got along with kids. I babysat once, and I never did it again."

"I agree. I can't stand kids below ten," Hana agreed.

"And here's the I Hate Kids Club," Tsuna said as he rolled his eyes. "Seriously guys, there has got to be a time when you would want one of your own."

Hana looked at him sharply, "Of course I want one of my own. But they would be disciplined and mature as they grow up."

"Sounds like a militaristic upbringing…" Ienari commented.

"It is militaristic upbringing." Hana confirmed.

Just as soon as Hana said it, a panicked voice from Yamamoto was heard. "GUYS! DUCK!"

All obeyed, except for Ienari.

"What?" Ienari said as he turned to where Yamamoto is.

Bad idea.

In a split second, a white blur went towards him, hitting him on the bridge of his nose. He yelped in pain, but kept his ground. Only, he squatted down, trying to alleviate the pain the bridge of his nose.

"Ienari!" Tsuna shouted in worry and shock.

From the court, Yamamoto turned blue in fear. "Shit!" he said as he speeded towards their direction. "Ienari! I'm so sorry!"

Ienari turned to face Yamamoto, "It's fine. Reborn's hit me with worse things…" he tried to reassure them, but there was a flaw in his plan.

Drip. Drip.

"Ah! There's blood coming out of your nose!" Tsuna said as he took out a handkerchief, "Really, if Yamamoto says duck, you duck,"

At his words, Ienari started to remember something again. It was vague, but he could tell that he was in an open space, a garden, or a school grounds even.

"Please duck."

"What was that?"

BOOM

"Vongola!"

"Ienari!"

CLANG

"Ack!"

"Ah. Sorry Vongola. That was too much power, but I did warn you."

"Really, Ienari, when Spanner says duck, you duck."

"Showwy! I chan't pfhay ashenshon shoo anyshing when you're chishtrakting mhe wich your shair…" (Sorry! I can't pay attention to anything when you're distracting me with your hair…)

"Am I really that much of a nuisance?"

"No! Ich not chat! Ow…my cheech…" (No! It's not that! Ow…my teeth…)

"Your mouth is bleeding. We better get you to the infirmary. Spanner, don't fire the next one until I get back."

"Got it Simon."

Reality soon hit him as he looked at Tsuna who was wiping off the blood on his nose and laying him down on one of the bleachers to prevent any more blood loss from the nose.

"OH GOD OH GOD I ALMOST KILLED HIM!" Yamamoto was panicking.

"Calm down idiot. Your hits may be powerful, but it's not enough to kill Reborn-san's student." Ienari heard Gokudera say.

"REBORN-SAN IS GOING TO SKEWER ME, EVEN NANA-SAN! OH GOD NANA-SAN WILL SKEWER ME ALIVE AND THEN PIN ME UP IN HER SHOOTING RANGE AND SHOOT ME TO HER HEART'S CONTENT UNTIL I'M NOTHING BUT A MUTILATED CORPSE!"

"DON'T SOUND SO EXTREMELY MORBID! MY HEAD IS BEING FILLED WITH EXTREME SCARRING IMAGES!" Ryohei shouted as he covered his ears with his hands.

"Stop with the shouting you stupid idiots!" Gokudera growled as he hit the two squarely on the head. "Listen up, no one dies because of a hit on the bridge of the nose. Though it could break, he won't die. Get it?" he said, trying to sound calm, but anyone without idiotic eyes could tell that he was reining in the urge to just let them think of delusions that would never happen.

"Really, guys, it's fine…" Ienari assured as he held the handkerchief on his nose, giving Tsuna the opportunity to take out Ienari's handkerchief and place an ice cube from the cooler that they brought with them. As he did, Tsuna placed the handkerchief covered ice cube at the bridge of Ienari's nose to stop the bleeding.

Kyoko and Nagi, on the other hand, went to the kids to dismiss them for the day, but not before reassuring them that their Takeshi-niichan will play with them again next week and assuring them that the 'Nii-san' that was hit was still alive.

As for Ienari, he feels a tiny bit happy as his older brother fussed around for him. It really was a bit refreshing.

But the vague memories that resurfaced still lingered on his mind. He remembers the mechanic British teenager named Spanner. Byakuran always gets jealous every time he talks with Irie about wires and scrap metal (his words, not Ienari's), but who was the person he called Simon? Spanner only calls the mafia heirs by their mafia family name, and the others by their first names. It was either Simon was a person's surname, or it was a mafia family.

But why can't he remember?

…

Sumeragi-Niserio Residence

Reborn was lounging at the living room when he received a text from Ienari.

Baka-Nari

Reborn, do you know someone with the name Simon? Or a family, maybe?

-Ienari

The hitman was taken aback by the text message of his student. Why would Ienari ask him like that?

'Shit…could it be that his memories of that day was not the only thing that was erased…? If so, how much does he not remember?'

There was only one person who could help him besides the Arcobaleno to solve this mystery. And he has an inkling guess that it was the person whom Luce entrusted the Mare Rings to a year ago.

TBC

And an update before my school starts!

Nagi now appears. Before you complain why Nagi is so upbeat, remember that this is an alternate universe, which means that Nagi grew up differently. As stated above, she was childhood friends with the Sasagawa siblings. And yes, she lives alone. More about her on the future chapters.

Xanxus is also a bit nice, if not, only to Ienari. He knew about his true identity from the start, considering that Xanxus looked around twelve years old when his mother passed him off as Timoteo's son, which means he was smart enough to believe that his mother would have lived a normal life, and not poverty, if she had been with a mafia boss. More insight to come when Xanxus appears again.

Mammon is Viper, that's the canon, but I don't think his gender was disclosed…if it is, then this has a FEM!Mammon/Viper element, but she did not discard her original name, Viper.

Just like I adjusted the timeline, I also adjusted the ages of the other characters.

Xanxus is 28, Squalo is 27, Dino is 26, and Belphegor is 22.

I just finished the two seasons of Tokyo Ghoul and the three manga series, and I can't help but gawk at Arima for being soooooo perfect! He reminds me of Reborn and a good basis for a Strong!Tsuna! Now I have a headcanon oneshot again running in my head. Damn it! This is going to take a lot of restraint not to put it in typing…

And so! My classes starts on Monday, and I hope you could bear with the possible once a month updates that I will be enforcing if my course load proved to be too much work that is needed to be dealt with.

Thank you for your understanding. I'll update soon!