Greetings Fanboys and Girls~

These chapters took far too long to get out. I know! I was really planning on an update during the week of May 11th, But I was falling behind on a lot of things so thank you so much for the continued patience! Now:

-Just a heads up: I have some scenes somewhat worked out for a few of the pairing choices. So, when it comes down to the pairing in the end, whatever isn't used here in Caomhnoir will be put into a series of reader one-shots (Which I think its a good decision because some of them are pretty good~). One the note of the pairing for Caomhnoir, there is still going to be another poll. Because I have been using the polls, that means neither I or my lovely Beta know who Ashlynn will end up with.

-For those of you who are a little confused about the discrepancy about TYL Ashlynn's pregnancy: A decision in the present can change the future, simple as that. But for the question of 'So why don't they defeat Byakuran in the present instead of travelling to the future?' Because it was the only place within all of the parallel universes where Byakuran's demise was even possible, ridiculously difficult, but possible. There is also this to help you:

'Oh no, oh no...No no no...I- I fired it too early! A-Ashlynn-san! Wh-what am I going to do now! She was supposed to be one of the last ones to go! Aughh, It doesn't say anything about what to do if I mess up!" -Present Shoichi, chapter 23.

According to the instructions present Shoichi got from his future self, Ashlynn was supposed to be one of the last ones to switch into the future. The fact that she had been the very first (before Reborn) to be sent changes something. Is it solely responsible for the number of months she is married and pregnant? Is her pregnancy changed because of her dumbass idea of using the lightning poles to channel lightning and drop kicking Levi? No, there's a ton of unknown variables that have to be taken into account. but those are good examples of change. Any other time continuim stuffz will be explained later on~.

- A little editing thing I'm thinking about. Should I go back through all the chapters and make thoughts into Italics? It's something that my creative writing class has been trying to get me into the habit of doing. 'All my thoughts,' Silver closed her eyes leaning back in her swivel chair. 'They would be like this sentence right here, that I am typing right now. I wonder if that would make it easier to tell the difference between dialogue and a character's thinking process.' So, Yay or Nay? I think it would be easier to tell which from which.

LunaticSheep: Thank you for the review~ And again, sorry for such a late update! Little Ashlynn really did meet Reborn and Tsuna (and her older self is mostly responsible for Flaithri's initial interest in Japan, thus ensuring that Ashlynn would later learn Japanese along with her brother). She just doesn't remember that she met them nor does she remember that she got a hat to emulate Reborn.

I didn't make up that little poem back in Chapter 21. It's a real saying. From a real Warlock grave. I remember my English teacher in high school assigned it as a writing prompt and I felt it had a nice fit into the story; thus I decided to reassign that assignment.

Yes, future Ashlynn called Hibari by his first name. Does it mean anything more than a familiarity between somewhat friends/comrades? Hee Hee, you can dream M'Dear, but that has yet to be confirmed.

And finally in regards to Ashlynn's flames. Her character does make you think she would be well-suited to have Rain flames as her secondary affinity because of her underlying somberness; But anyone would be sad to leave home in the manner that she did and she is overcoming that sadness. What pressed me to choose Sun flames over Rain is that there is a 'Guiding light' quality that she has. She's the eldest of the Guardians and she finds herself trying to be a good role model for them, even with them all being ingrained into the the most powerful and influential mafia Family in the world. The Sun flame also explains her innate healing ability.

Mel: Thanks for the review! The thing about future Ashlynn expecting the future Arc for her previous self, and knowing that just about anything her past self does holds the power of of changing her present: Well, I guess I could describe it as...the moment Ashlynn was pulled in from the bazooka it added her self to the Reborn universe and it's many timeframes (Some born within that universe and some not, some alive and some dying: The time continuim is a tricky thing to deal with. Too many options). This present Ashlynn is the original.

So, my point: Ashlynn lived through all the events to the ten years later point knowing she would be switched with her past self. Because everyone lived to that point the first time through. Then you add in the plan Tsuna, Hibari, and Shoichi came up with and put into motion which gives us the switching. The best I can say is that they all had to live up to that point first otherwise the past selves wouldn't have had to go to the future in the first place.

I hope I did not just confuse you even more.

Kurohanefuyu made another piece of fan art for Caomhnoir and It. Is. Amazing~! It showcases a cupcake, an awesome looking Ashlynn, a very accurate sketch of Ran (it looks very close to my original. It's like she read my mind or something~), and a gun. Seriously Fanboys and girls, go check it out~ The link has been provided on my profile so mosey on over to take a look~.


The future influences the present just as much as the past.

-Friedrich Nietzsche

One of the most difficult things everyone has to learn is that for your entire life you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive. No matter who you are or what your position is you must keep fighting for whatever it is you desire to achieve.

-George Allen, Sr.


"Hey Squalo? I know it's a little late to ask and I get that we're in Italy, but... where exactly the hell are we?"

He glanced back her through the rear view mirror, opened the console between him and Fran and handed her a small screen that looked like her IPod. She pressed the small button on the top and a map appeared on the surface.

"The safe house is about five miles north of San Donato di Ninea. When I found you, you were north of that and about nine miles away from Mormano. This morning we were outside of Spoleto. We'll be passing Ferrara in a little bit and we'll be stopping in Vicenza for another checkpoint which will take another five hours driving. We'll meet with an Uccello there. After that we're going further north to your base."

Ashlynn nodded finding the places he said. "...My base? And...an Uccello?"

Fran twisted his body within the seat belt to look back at her. "The one we're heading for is in Reschensee. And it's easy enough to tell that it's one of your bases because you're the only one that has really cool passwords."

The swordsman made a disagreeing noise in his throat but otherwise did not comment so Fran continued his explanation.

"Originally it was just something small scale created out of boredom and used to amuse yourself (and probably to blackmail) when there were new recruits to troll or when pervert Levi had to send a report through you to Boss Tsunayoshi. But when it turned out to be pretty effective you started using it for the bases under your command. Most of it is really ridiculous, some more than others. Like the one time Levi showed up at the gates wearing a banana costume, was shaking maracas, and singing that it was 'Peanut Butter Jelly Time'. He hasn't realized it yet, but he's the only one who is required to dress up. He also doesn't know that you've kept a record of every single 'pass code' he's done in a file named 'Butt Monkey'.

"Oh really?" She smirked after a few moments of laughter. 'Serves him right for stabbing through my stomach with an umbrella.'

"Un~." Fran nodded a finger tapping his cheek. "I heard a rumor that early on the Boss had to sing about how nice it was to make friends."

'Tatta Latta...?' Ashlynn snorted. "Xanxus? Did he do it?"

"It was back when this shit was still on the small scale. He blasted the speaker into nothing before kicking the sentry guard's ass." Squalo answered derisively. "It was then decided that there would be people exempt from having to go through checkpoints and give crappy passwords. These people were the Arcobaleno, Boss, Tsunayoshi, and that Hibari guy. The Arcobaleno are a given but for the other three there would be a target for them to destroy with their flame or box weapon to prove their identity."

"Hmm...You said that it's only my bases that have these kind of passwords right?"

Squalo nodded.

"Has anyone tried to use one of the cool passwords to a base that did not use them?" She asked passing the electronic device to Fran. He switched the button off then placed it back into the console.

"We get a lot of those at our bases. What happens is that we'll either lead them into a cell or they'll get used for live target practice." Fran said.

"I'm going to guess that because I came up with it, my future self doesn't have to use the codes much?"

Fran shrugged. "You give it when you think it's funny enough but other times you just don't bother and use the target."

Squalo switched lanes on the highway. Now that they were in a car with tinted windows they could travel somewhat safely on major roads. "If we had been anyone else there would have been a lot more to go through. Technically there is only one more but there is the normal crap we have to do when we get to the base. Like actual pass codes with numbers and DNA scans."

"Do I need to do that?" She asked.

The swordsman shook his head and raised a hand to brush his hair away from his face. "I'll vouch for your identity if someone has a fucking problem."

"Thanks Squalo~."

"Humph."

"Taicho is getting flustered because of a mere thank you~" Fran teased. Ashlynn found it even more funny because the boys' expression still had yet to change.

"Voii! Don't make me kick out of this car, Rookie!" Squalo snarled once, then again as he lifted his hand again, but to his ear. "The fuck do you want?"

"..."

Ashlynn looked over to Fran confused to who the man was talking to. He lifted his own hand to his ear and mouthed the word 'walkie-talkie'. She nodded in understanding and sat back in her seat.

"...Got it. We'll meet you there then, brat."

"What's the plan now, Taicho?" Fran asked as they merged onto a ramp changing their route east instead of north.

"Time is still the same but we're going to Verona instead of Vicenza. We're going to a damn monastery."

"Monastery?" Ashlynn switched her attention away from the window.

"Aa. that one then, San Zeno Maggiore. A nun thought you were a woman from behind once because of your hair, right Taicho?" Fran queried.

Ashlynn snorted.

"One more crack, Fran, and you can walk the rest of the fucking way!"

The threat held for the rest of the forty-five minute driver and Ashlynn had the experience to watch in wonder at the mostly white bricked houses with red clay roofs they came closer and closer to as they drove over a bridge and in through the cobble stoned roads passing by a stadium until they stopped, parking between two buildings and Squalo motioned for them to get out. Ashlynn unbuckled herself from her seat belt and followed the white haired man around the building, with Fran beside her. They walked away from the alley onto the main street towards the old, washed out, white bricked church between a building and a brick tower, with a large circle on the top portion of the building with stained glass panels surrounding a smaller circle in the shape of a flower. They walked up to the steps just as the wooden double doors opened and a young woman stepped outside onto the porch with two stone lions laying in guard. In a flowing black skirt that fell past her knees, a short sleeved white button up, and long laced up black boots.

She nodded at the two Varia then turned her eyes on Ashlynn and smiled. "Hey, Nee-chan."

Ashlynn focused her attention back to the church instead of the surrounding area. She blinked once, and then twice at the dark brown hair pulled into two low braids and green eyes that were sparkling at her. 'Dolly...? No that's not...' She tilted her head opening her mouth then closed it, much to the female's amusement. "Birdy?" Ashlynn ventured.

"Surprised?" The teen closed the gap of twelve steps between them and threw her arms around Ashlynn's waist. The time traveler noted that they were about the same height though she still had about three or four inches on the other girl as she returned the embrace. "It's you from the past...but I'm always happy to see you, big sis."

"Wonderful reunion," Squalo said sarcastically. "Let's get a fucking move on, Birdy; we can't stay for too long. And while we're on the topic that it's her from the past, you better keep your mouth shut about it."

"I figured that would be the case on both accounts." Came the flat reply and Birdy let go. "Inside then. Oh, and you'll be happy to know that Sister Dominique isn't here, Squalo. She's taken a trip to Roma and won't be back for two months so you don't have to worry about your manliness being questioned again."

The older Birdy let them enter in front of her and she shut the doors behind them. "This way," she said taking the lead over the white and cream checkered tiles into the high ceiling room with the isles of benches in front of an altar. "Basilica di San Zeno dedicated to Saint Zeno. See that statue over there? That would be him." She explained for Ashlynn's benefit as they made a beeline to a door in the back. "This building is famous because it its architecture is really old, the wheel of fortune stained glass that you saw from the outside, and also the tradition that the crypt is the place where Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet were married."

"Cool."

Birdy hummed nodding her head to a passing nun and held the door open for them that lead into a grassy area. They passed this and entered another building, the abbey, Birdy explained as she continued down a hallway to the furthest room that turned out to be a study. She let them in before entering herself and pulling the door shut then moving to sit behind the large brown desk and pulled out a few files. "From the last time we saw each other, Squalo; we've found six of their bases and have taken three of them from the Millefiore and its allies. And in retaliation, five our bases have been destroyed and three of them have been tracked."

"Fuck. Which ones?"

Birdy opened a file and spread five pictures across the desk and pointed each one in turn. The first two were a single tall hotel and a cluster of three worn out apartment buildings on an abandoned strip on a beach, the third and fourth were both pictures of grassy hills and the ruins of what looked like castle fortresses and the final one was what was left of a large bell tower Birdy pointed to each one in turn. "Beach walk Base, Grecthen Underground, Castle Vodka, Mesen Fortress and Zanarkand Tower. Altogether we've lost twenty-eight men. And not to mention that fourteen rings and nine boxes are unaccounted for. The forts they've found but have yet to attempt to take are Angela's Summit, The Marble Tower, and Beryl's Crypt.

Squalo growled slamming his fist on the table making Ashlynn jump in surprise from the action. "Fucking trash! Those places are important!"

Birdy nodded not really minding the man's outburst as she the pictures back into the folder. Fran merely stared up at the ceiling poking his pinkie finger into his ear to clear the canal of wax or to pop his ears.

"Add San Donato di Ninea." The swordsman swore.

Birdy frowned looking up at the man. "Are you serious? But isn't that one of our most-"

"Not anymore it's not. They tracked the place down the moment the brat was switched with her older self." Squalo jerked his head in her direction. "She's escaped capture along with her life because she hid under the fucking kitchen sink when the alarms went off. According to her they believe that they just missed her and that they were going to stakeout the place until one of us entered the property thinking it was still safe. The brat took out the sentry when he confronted her then took one of the bikes, was followed, and killed that person before I found her. Out of that we got a rain ring and a rain weapon box."

"Is it a useful one?"

He shook his head. "It's a fucking crossbow."

"There's also the box of lightning rings with two of each grade that my future self had in the night stand..." Ashlynn provided.

The other girl raised an eyebrow. "And you knew enough of this time to take them?"

"There was letter addressed to me by me." She shrugged not giving anymore on the matter despite the curious look she was getting for not continuing.

"Hmmm, so add in that sis has a double set of rings at her disposal we make up for what we've lost ring wise plus a few extra. The rest of my report is in this." Birdy handed over a file to Squalo who snatched it out of her hands and left the room. Birdy gave them both an apologizing look. "Not that I don't trust you two with the information, I do, but what's in that folder is kind of sensitive and an eyes only report."

"That's okay, Birdy." Fran blew on the pad of his pinkie.

"...So," Ashlynn prompted curiously. "'Castle Vodka'? Zanarkand?"

Birdy snickered. "Zanarkand because of a video game I played and there was another one that I got to name Isengard (a movie) because I called dibs to name a few of the bases. And the other one is actually called Castle Vadbka; the ruins of the original castle were restored a long time ago and we've been using it as one of our forts. The moniker came from Lambo, who either didn't hear it right when it was said to him or he just couldn't pronounce it so he christened it to Castle Vodka. Since then the nickname sort of stuck."

"It also helped that Boss was usually seen drinking vodka there." Fran added in.

"Also," Birdy continued. "When you say Castle Vodka, people think you made a structure made from only vodka bottles...We did do that once to throw off a few Famiglia over the years. We made a tower building about five feet high made only of vodka bottles with a two foot high fence around it with more bottles. It's actually still standing today. We also get some tourists over there too."

"That fort's construction was all thanks to Boss's excessive drinking." Fran said as Ashlynn imagined what that might have looked like to a group of Millefiore who were expecting to storm an actual castle.

The door opened again a few minutes later and Squalo motioned for them to follow. "It's time to move on."

"Aa. I suppose I can't keep you here much longer and I need to be out of the country by nightfall." Birdy agreed standing up to follow them out of the study and linked arms with Ashlynn when they stepped into the hallway. "I'll see you out~."

"Hey Birdy?"

"Yes?"

"Aren't you in school right now?" She asked.

The girl nodded as they took the lead. "I am, studying law, that is. Right now I'm playing lawyer slash informant for the Varia thanks to their main one, Gianluca, is looking to retire from his post and no one else wants the spot. So now he's training me up to take his place. He's a real character that one. He's got the school convinced that I have some sort of apprenticeship with him, though that's really not a lie. Thanks to the old guy I'm ahead of my class. Alright, I guess I'll see you guys when I see you. Be safe."

Squalo snorted stepping through the church's threshold and back into the street with Fran. Ashlynn stayed back a moment to hug the girl. "You stay safe too, Birdy."

"Sure thing. Love you Nee-chan."

"I love you too."

"VOOOOOOI! Let's get a move on, you damn brat!"

"Better get going before he comes back and carries you off like a sack of potatoes. And he'd do it too." Birdy rolled her eyes letting go so Ashlynn could catch up to the two. She then called out to the Varia captain. "I'll tell Sister Dominique that you said hi!"

"You better not you piece of trash! Brat! Let's go, we've got another two hours on the road!"

Ashlynn looked behind her to wave but the ten years older version of the girl had already shut the doors. '...Hunh.'

The trio got back into the car and traveled through the streets to get back on the highway road in silence and the only time conversation would pop up was when they passed a place of interest and they told her the name of the town or city and if they had people or a base there. Otherwise the trip was spent staring out the window until a lake appeared.

Ashlynn raised an eyebrow as Squalo began to slow down and parked into a garage. "Are we here?"

"Not yet, Nee-chan. We got to get on a boat for the rest of the way."

"A boat?" She blinked sling her bag over her shoulder.

She followed Squalo's lead as they walked alongside of the road to a small building where a guard sat swordsman glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Have to give a stupid ass password right here. You better not fuck it up."

Ashlynn tripped a little in her step as he strode forward and she raced with Fran to catch up. "You say that, yet you don't tell me what it is?"

"Vegeta," Fran said when they were in front of the guard. "What does the scouter say about his power level?"

She whipped her head to the teal haired boy and moved to say something, that is, before Squalo slapped his real hand over her mouth then yelled. "It's over NINE THOUSAND!"

Fran continued the scene. "What? Nine thousand. That can't be right."

Squalo let go of her face and nudged her forward to say the final line. She shook her head beyond amused. "I think that's right. Kaoken."

The man in the booth like building tipped his hat to them with a shit eating grin on his face as they walked passed it to the shore of the lake a few meters away. Ashlynn managed to keep a straight face right up to the moment they were about to board a motorboat built to hold at least hold fifteen people comfortably. But the broad smile on the boat captain's face was just too much and doubled over falling into a seat in laughter.

"VOOOOI! Shut your trap, Trash!" Squalo yelled.

It only served to make her laugh harder. Ashlynn tried to catch her breath and rubbed away tears from her eyes. "Hahahaha! O-oh Brighid! M-my, Hahahaha, future self is awesome! Ehehahaha~!"

"Brat!"

"You have to admit, Taicho that was pretty fu-."

The man waved the sword now re-attached to his fake hand. "VOOOI! You shut the hell up, rookie! "

She snorted before having another laughing fit. "Ahahahah, oooh~, hehe, hahahaha, oh I-I'm dying~ Hahaha!"

"If you don't stop I'll really show you what you'd look like dying!" He threatened.

Ashlynn covered her mouth with her hands and tried to smother her giggling but every little while a few would break through. It really wasn't her fault. The man at the wheel kept giving her knowing glances and that added with Squalo's glaring only made it funnier.

Squalo scowled at her but nodded behind her in the direction they were going. "We're here, fucking scum." He walked over to the side of the boat.

That ultimately made her stop as she turned around in her seat looking for some kind of building but only saw more water and what looked to be a bell tower from a church steeping out from beneath the watery surface. "This? But it's- oh. Crap, it's underwater, isn't it?"

Fran nodded as they followed. Squalo stepped up on the ledge of the boat just as they reached the side that couldn't be seen from the shore, then reached for the wall and hefted himself over a few bricks and indents in the stone work to an opening that he climbed into. Once he was in Fran did the same thing then held out his hands for Ashlynn to throw her bag up. She did then she shakily climbed onto the ledge and hopped to the wall, nearly losing balance but was able to hold on. She slowly climbed her way up as the boat went back to the shore. Once she made it to the opening Fran grabbed her arm and helped her into the tower. There was a latch in the floor that was pulled up and a ladder leading down into the depths. Fran put his arms through the bag and motioned for her to go first after Squalo. She crawled in backwards, reaching her feet for a bar then stepped down bar after bar, thankful for the small lights built into the sides so she could see. Fran waited for her to go down part ways before he too crawled in, closed and locked the hatch before he began the descent.

At the bottom there was a steel door that was open thanks to Squalo. There were a few pieces of metal on either side of the threshold that held light laser beams. Squalo entered through it just fine so she figured that it was the barrier that kept the Non-Trinisette out of the base just like the one in Namimori.

"This one of the many locations that have been created from ruins, towns or cities that have been flooded or destroyed. Basically we look for anyplace that has been abandoned by the civvies, buy the land off of whoever owns it, and then fix it up so we can do whatever the hell we want with it." Squalo explained as they walked down a hallway and into an elevator. "This one actually gives us profit. That guard collects a fee then the boat's captain gives a ride around the tower. The fact that it's a base is obviously unknown to the public."

"We're underwater~..." Ashlynn said. "Don't get me wrong, it's pretty cool, but I can't help but think of the worst possible scenario where the water leaks in then we get crushed or we drown..."

"I don't like it much either but it's something you'll just have to get used to, brat. But the base is about half underwater. The other have is underneath the mountain. And this one is pretty small compared to the others. Our largest underwater base is aptly called 'Atlantis'." The man shrugged.

"How fun~."

"Ne, Taicho. How long will we be here?" Fran asked as the doors opened to another hallway.

"Che. I've got a hit to take care of further north. But we'll be using this base for three days, four at the most before we switch to another one when our next job comes up. And that's only if nothing drastic happens to make us get there earlier." He said stepping on but held the side so the doors wouldn't close just yet. "Rookie, make sure she knows where her room is then meet me down in the training rooms. I need to report then I'll meet you there." Squalo nodded then turned around and walked away and the doors closed.

The room that was designated to be hers was easy enough to get to and remember where it was. So after dropping her bag off on the bed she followed Fran back to the elevator and they went further down to get to a training ground where Squalo was waiting for them with a tall brunet in a black suit beside him.

"Good afternoon," The man greeted in English. Ashlynn nodded in thanks. "My name is Vittore Palladini. I'll be in charge of your training regime while you are here."

"I know who you are." Fran tilted his head. "And I already went through the regime. And she's the one who initially trained you."

Vittore shook his head. "I was introducing myself to her."

Ashlynn tilted her head as well unconsciously in the same manner and direction as Fran beside her. "But you're not supposed to introduce yourself. It's supposed to be another-"

Squalo growled. "Brat, Palladini. Palladini, brat. There, you've been fucking introduced and while it's good to be suspicious of anyone that introduces themselves to you, right now we don't have the god damn time. Besides, he would have been dead and in a ditch somewhere if he wasn't who he said he was."

Vittore gave the man a hard stare. "Thank you, Signore, for that wonderful image."

"Whatever, trash." the swordsman crossed his arms and placed his attention back on her. "You need to understand, brat that we're in a state of emergency; The Vongola Headquarters was destroyed a few days ago and anyone with even the remotest tie to the Family is being hunt down with extreme prejudice. And this is including many of our associates. Added onto that we've lost contact with the Ninth, many members of the Cedef, and practically half of Algar's forces including Algar himself."

"The Guardians of the Family are spread out across the globe and Don Tsunayoshi...Well, I don't know what's happened to him." Vittore confessed.

"Probably hiding, the trash." Squalo scowled.

Ashlynn struggled to keep her face cleared. 'He's dead you asshole.'

"Right now we need all the manpower we can get our hands on." Vittore smiled thinly pressing a purple flamed ring into a box, catching a lance and pointing it at her. "You better get used to the feeling that your life is on the line, Signora; because from here on out, it is."

What followed next was the first of many ass-kicking's Ashlynn would receive. She was barely able to keep with the man for twenty minutes and every ten from then on he would step up his attacks and she was finding it harder and harder to block every swishing strike that targeted her body. The shirt and slacks she was wearing had a myriad of tears in them with shallow scratches from where she had been hit from the edge of the lance.

"This isn't just a regular weapon fight, Signora." Vittore chided cutting through the wire that connected the chakram to Ashlynn's hand. The weapon continued its arc until it wedged itself into the wall behind him. "It is safe to uncover your rings and use your boxes. You know what? Go ahead, let out your box animal."

Ashlynn nodded flaring up the Vongola ring and letting out the two white swans from the box.

"Cigni Fulmine... what you need to know about the boxes is that a certain flame can only open a certain box." Vittore explained breaking through her guard again. "Example: I only have a cloud flame which means I can only use cloud rings and cloud box weapons. If I tried with any other box that I did not have an affinity with, then it wouldn't open. These boxes were constructed by three scientists, but it was thanks to tipping off what you knew about gems and minerals that broke the way for different graded rings."

"M-me?"

"That's right, Nee-san. You always did know a lot about gem properties and how the more transparent the more rare they were." Fran called out from his spot, sitting against the wall. Squalo had left for his mark within the first five minutes of the fight.

Ashlynn blinked as a few feathers from the flying birds drifted on a draft down around them. One caught on her chakram where it crackled but the plumage did not disintegrate as she thought it would. Vittore nodded his head and waited patiently for her to do whatever with a small smile. 'Hmmm...what if I...?' She snatched the feather and channeled lightning through it just as both swans beat their wings. The fallen feathers stood up straight with the points down and cast a net of electricity nearly tripping over Vittore.

The man smiled a little more. "Fulmine Piuma Nido, based off of Signore Levi's Levi volta but ground based opposed to his air one. Very good, Signora. This is one of the many attacks you will have to perfect. Now let us try that again but with a little more subtlety. It wouldn't work so if you channel your flame so obviously. And another note, you do not need to direct Cigni Fulmine's every action. They are sentient because of your will and your flame and they will instinctively know what you need to have done."

"So if I think of them pecking your eyes out right when they come into existence then they'll do it?" Ashlynn asked a little sourly as he shot forward and landed another hit against her side.

"If that's what-!"

Ashlynn squeaked as the two bird launched themselves, flapping wings and all, at the man's face and chest knocking him over on his feet from the force. Ashlynn was even more surprised that there was a bit of gust from the powerful beats and that sparks were catching at Vittore's suit.

"Aa-! Stop! That's good!" Ashlynn called reaching her hands out to the birds. The male perched on her right should and wrapped his long neck around hers and after a final peck into Vittore's side the female strutted over to Ashlynn's feet. "V-Vittore?" She asked the fallen male. "Are you alright?"

He groaned pulling himself up into a sitting position. Ashlynn winced at the sight of blood and the crookedness in his nose. His left eye was also beginning to swell not to mention all the scratches along the skin of his face and neck and the few tears in his suit.

Fran gave her a thumbs up. "Good job Nee-san~."

"E-eh?" Ashlynn gaped. "Um, maybe we should stop? Vittore...?"

The answer to that was Vittore putting both hands over his nose and pushed it back into place with a loud pop that sent a shiver goose bumps over her arms and the back of her neck. After a few experimental rubs to make sure his nose was back where it was supposed to be, The man stood back up and used his foot to kick his fallen lance into the air before catching it. "Thank you. But if I had been an enemy then-."

"If you had been I wouldn't called them off unless we needed you alive." Ashlynn finished. '...Not something I want to end up doing...but it'll one day be necessary...'

Vittore nodded and his ring flared again splitting his lances into two. "Let's continue Signora."

Ashlynn's face turned grim as they shot forward to clash, she maneuvered so a lance would go through the hole of her remaining large chakram and forced her strength to pull it out of the man's grip. It was successful but he merely made another with the cloud flame. 'This is going to be like Yann...crap.'


Lal Mirch's eye twitched. She had decided, thanks to Reborn bringing up memories that were best in the recess of her mind, that she would impart the basics of how fighting went about in this era. She had also decided that the very moment one of them began to slack off or fall behind, she was going to consider them a lost cause, and a waste of her time, before moving on ahead without if they couldn't grasp the lessons she had to give then that was their and Reborn's problem to deal with. Lal had other important things to do other than babysit a bunch of weak children, like finding the person who had killed Colonello before she died herself from the effects of the Non-Trinisette.

She scowled stalking into the kitchen where everyone had gathered and snapped at her new 'recruits'. "Listen up!"

Kyoko opened her mouth in a shocked 'o' from beside a smirking Reborn and the mechanic Giannini. 'Who is this...?'

Lal stared down the three boys. "The basic knowledge you need to know and the fighting methods used...I'll hammer them into your skulls."

"Then...then you'll-" Tsuna started forward with his arm in a sling, but the older woman began talking again.

"For some reason the enemy has sent much more powerful opponents than we have anticipated. The Black Spell that you fought- if it had been the whole squad assembled before you, you wouldn't have stood a chance regardless of you holding the Vongola rings."

Tsuna swallowed remembering the battle and how the future Kyoko had reverted to her younger self. "The Black Spell?"

"The Millefiore is the result of two Families merging together." Lal growled. "The up-and-coming Gesso Famiglia led by Byakuran. And a Family with as much history as the Vongola, the Giglio Nero Famiglia, led by Yuni. Those from the Gesso wear a white uniform and are called the White Spell, while those from the Giglio Nero wear Black and thus are called the Black Spell. It is said that the White Spell has more precision and cunning battle tactics while the Black Spell has more frontal assualt members in their groups."

"Whoa! What's gotten into you so suddenly? Giving us this information now?" Gokudera bit out sourly.

"O-oi." Yamamoto tried to chide but it was ignored.

Lal huffed. "Don't worry about it. If you fall behind I have no problem with leaving you while I go on ahead with my own marks."

'She's the devil!' Tsuna despaired.

"You're first lesson with me will be on the box weapons. And your first objective is to open a box that has never been opened before."

"N-never been opened before?" Tsuna repeated. "What does that have to do with our training."

"Stop whining. Do want the instruction or not?" Lal demanded.

Tsuna raised his good arm. "N-no, we'll do it!"

"Hmmph. Reborn, is there a place here where we can train?" Lal queried.

He shook his head. "Not a clue."

"Miss, there is a training room in the basement that should suit your needs."

Lal nodded curtly. "Sounds good. Will you lead the way?"

"Of course, this way please." Giannini took the front as they group left the kitchen.

Kyoko frowned. She didn't really like that she was being left behind even if she was about to start making a meal for everyone but even the kids were following so, surely it wouldn't be a problem if she tagged along, would it? They probably wouldn't even notice if she was quiet enough.

Reborn stopped "Kyoko?"

She jumped. "Y-yes, Reborn-kun?"

"If you want..."

Kyoko shook her head. "Go on ahead, Reborn-kun. I need to finish up here anyway. But, I really would like to know what's going on with the boys...N-not that your explanation wasn't informative, Reborn-kun! But I..."

"Fnn. I'll talk to Tsuna but, remember our first meeting, Kyoko." He said cryptically before leaving the kitchen as well.

'Our first meeting...?' Kyoko smoothed out the apron she had found. 'Was there something back then that can explain further about what's going on? And what about that woman...Oh! I never got the chance to introduce myself! She's really pretty, and that gorilla on her shoulder is really cute...'

Reborn stepped into the elevator with everyone before the doors shut and Giannini pressed a button for one of the lowest floor. The mechanic was explaining more about the hideout.

"...The total surface area, though, is about one and a half times the size of the San Siro Stadium in Italy. The electrical power is supplied through our own generator but also runs off of geothermal energy."

"I'm not sure if I understand the details..." Tsuna confessed. "But it sounds incredible."

"Yeah, it's like a secret hideout!" Yamamoto laughed.

Gokudera rubbed his temples irritably. "It is a secret hideout, you moron."

"Aa. We're here; at B08." Giannini announced as the elevator stopped and the doors opened and the group filed into the massively spaced room. "If that's all, I'll return to my repair work.

"Thanks!" Yamamoto waved.

"By the way," Lal stared looking around the expanse of the room, finding to her liking. "I'll assume that because she isn't here, you haven't been able to find your Lightning Guardian."

Tsuna flinched back a little. "N-no. We were told that she went into hiding and that only a small number knew where she was. You...you don't-?"

"If I knew where she was I wouldn't have asked, Sawada."

"Eto, we were also told that we'd have to rely on Lambo of this present...but when he and future I-pin brought the future Kyoko to the base...all three of them switched with their younger selves." Tsuna hesitantly informed the older woman. '...Kyoko-chan switched but, all we know about the future Haru is that she was on sort of trip overseas and was being 'protected'...I hope so.'

"Where is he then?"

On top of Yamamoto's shoulder, Reborn pointed to the child that rushed out into the area in front of Lal, screeching at the top of his lungs to hear the echo sound throughout the room. "There he is. The lump of hair that's barely worth noticing."

"Lambo, don't move!" I-pin cried running after him.

"Neh, Neh, we'll play tag in the big room! I-pin's it! I-pin's it!" The cow child slapped his butt mockingly before scurrying off.

I-pin followed after him. "Lambo, not fair!"

Lal Mirch merely stared, watching the ridiculous display from the child as Tsuna tried to call out to the boy to be a little quieter and Gokudera was scowling at 'Idiotic cow'.

"While we wait for information on Ashlynn, we are to use him." Reborn told her.

She turned away. "I don't see anything."

'Sh-she! She erased his existence altogether from her mind!" Tsuna gasped.

At that moment Lambo barreled through the entrance of the door, looked back and stuck his tongue out at I-pin. "Gyahahahaha! You'll never catch me!"

"Lambo wait!" she cried following him out the door.

Tsuna sighed.

Lal turned around again to face them. "Before training begins, I ask one thing: you cannot keep up with half-hearted determination. Are you really determined? Are you really resolved to fight in this war?"

"Yes." Yamamoto nodded.

Tsuna agreed. "Yes, I'll do it."

"Of course! And I'll prove it to you anytime!" Gokudera reinforced.

"Then I do not ever want to hear the words 'I can't'. Anyone who complains will be 'corrected' without mercy."

'Wow,' Tsuna gulped. 'She's really scary...even though I'm grateful I can't help but be scared of what we're going to have to do...'


The first night at Reschensee Vittore didn't allow them to stop until it was a struggle for her to even stand on her feet. He sent her off with Fran to get something to eat from the kitchen staff with orders to go straight to bed afterwards. Then the following three days consisted of the very same thing they did before: fight to the brink of exhaustion. The only good thing she could see out of the short term rewards was that she was learning to be more creative with her flame.

Lightning had a solidifying factor. From Vittore's explanation she could make things hard. An innuendo died at her lips when Vittore cut in (both metaphorically and literally with a lance) and told her to keep focus on their fight rather than being funny. And adding the point that her future self had already used what she was about to say.

Continuing on the conversation of flames, the lightning flame could be used as a shield which worked wonderfully against Vittore's attacks in the beginning of their fights. Though after a while it took more effort than she could afford to bring it up so it was decided that it would be used, it was much easier to harden something than it was to conjure up a shield in front of her. Example: a normal couch or a regular wooden table would have bullets flying through it and through anyone who was taking cover from it. But with the solidifying factor she could harden the mass of whatever she was hiding behind making that couch or table at least as hard as concrete. Making that object shoot out electricity at random intervals was pretty cool and sort of made up for that bit of training where Ashlynn had to either dodge or taken cover while Vittore sent lances, bullets, and explosives her way.

And they were still using that table she used for coverage at meal time.

Ashlynn took a bite out of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich and swallowed. "Fran mentioned that I was the one who trained you, Vittore...so I know you well enough in my future?"

"Yes Signora. For a while you mostly worked under Signore Algar's and Signore Coyote's tutelage; it was through the former that I was introduced to you. And after a few years in service I became your second in command." Vittore said before taking a bite out of his own sandwich. Pastrami. Fran already finished with his handed his plate to one of the staff. He was now sitting backwards on the wooden chair with his arms crossed on top of the furniture as he waited for them. They would be meeting with Squalo outside when they were finished.

Vittore placed his cup down after a drink. "How much do you know of our hierarchy?"

"Godfather at the top with his heir being the underboss, the right hand man...consi...consigill?"

"Consigliore."

"Yeah. And there's also the head of Cedef. Then...captains?" Ashlynn shrugged not knowing much else.

"You're right so far. The top is the Godfather who is the Boss of his Family and the Boss of the Bosses that he is allied with. Beneath him (or her. Vongola Ottavo was female) is the Boss' heir who will later on take over the reins of the Family; this person would be the Underboss. The Cedef is actually a special case in that we don't have much contact with them besides biweekly reports or when there is a crisis like what we have now. Moving on, the Boss has a number of Caporegime's, or lieutenants: These would be the Guardians and one of these would be the right hand man. With me so far?"

Ashlynn nodded.

"You have me as your second in command but that is not to say that all the Guardians have someone as their right hand. Going further, under the Guardian's command there are Capo's or Captains..."

"But isn't a Captain higher in rank than a lieutenant?"

"That would be correct if this was the military. In the mafia the Caporegime outranks the Capo."

"Okay."

"Moving on, those Capo's have crews of buttons numbering from five men to twenty..." Vittore paused at her confusion and allowed her to ask.

"Buttons?"

"A phrase we use to call the Soldati, the soldiers. You might know them as 'wise guys', 'goodfella's' or 'Men of Honor'. Then at the very bottom there are the associates: people who work with us regularly but isn't a part of the actual Family. An example would any of the hired guns or any establishments that do business with us."

"Alright." Ashlynn said. "But returning to my first trail of thought: You know my future self well enough right? You can call me Ashlynn."

He shook his head grinning. "Your future self has said the same thing many times but I still have yet to drop the honorific. And a man to man talk with your husband kept me in the habit..."

"Rumor has it you soiled yourself, Palladini." Fran stuck his pinkie in his ear.

The man flushed. "I certainly did not!" He cut himself off right there and took a deep breath. "I apologize. I did not release myself but I am...very wary of the man."

"And that narrows down who I'm married to by so much." She said sarcastically. She held up the Claddaugh on her right hand. "My future self may be married but this ring on this hand says otherwise. You may call me Ashlynn."

"Very well then...Signora Ashlynn."

Ashlynn rolled her eyes. "At least you're not calling me Principessa..."

Vittore gave a knowing smile letting a server take his empty plate but kept his drink. "It's about time. Instead of going up the ladder to the chapel tower we'll be taking the exit leading into the mountains."

"Do you know where we'll be going?"

"You will definitely be traveling with Signore Squalo and Fran. But I will be separating with you to go cause someone a serious headache."

"So you're going to make a nuisance out of yourself to the Millefiore? Like-?"

One of the servers, a brunette, giggled as she took Ashlynn's empty plate and cup. "Hitmen have a rather ironic sense of humor, Signora. What he means is that he's going to put a bullet into someone's head."

Ashlynn blinked. "Oh. Well, have...fun?"

"Is that an order, Signora? I'll see that I do for your sake." Vittore chuckled as the server walked away. He stood up and motioned for them to do so as well. They pushed in their chairs and Ashlynn smiled as the staff called out their farewells. She waved back as she let herself out of the room and into the hallway.

"Will you meet back with us again or are you going somewhere else afterwards?" Ashlynn asked adjusted the strap on her shoulder.

Vittore laughed again. "I am happy to hear that you like me enough to see me again, Signora, even after our training."

Ashlynn shrugged.

"Well, ever since you went into hiding; our slang for that would be 'going on a lam' by the way. Because of your maternal leave, your forces have been spread out to a few different groups. The majority of them now fall under the command of the Varia while some have joined Signore Hibari's and Signore Sasagawa's factions."

"That's just the majority though," Fran said on her other side. "Your associates had started speaking through Algar because of your pregnancy but since we don't know where he is, they are now reporting to Birdy. That's one of the reasons why she said she had to be out of the country the day we saw her."

"That was the day you came here, correct?" Vittore asked as they stepped into an elevator. When the doors closed he pressed the button for the first underground floor.

"That's right." Ashlynn provided.

"Well to answer your question: Yes. I will be seeing you soon after this job because I will be reporting to Signore Squalo. Though it will be a little difficult if you're going where I think you're going.'"

"What?"

"Best I not say where, Signora. You'll get the details from Signore Squalo anyway."

Ashlynn furrowed her brows. "Okay, but is there a problem with where we are going?"

"Not yet but there might be. I'm sorry that I brought it up, Signora, a lapse in thinking on my part. Please do not worry so much about it. Especially since you've progressed so much over the last few days. I'll make sure that when the battles with the Millefiore are over I'll tell them that you, as you are right now, did better than they ever did on their first days of training."

"Hmm." Ashlynn snorted amusedly. "Does that mean I'm going to get a special limit break attack soon?

Vittore looked over confused. "Limit break attack?"

"You know when you're low on HP? Well you get this attack, a limit break that will hit more critically than your other attacks because you're close to dying."

Fran nodded. "I'd like mine now, too. Along with a cool pose and battle music."

"And just where did you hear this from?" Vittore asked.

"Various anime and video games." Ashlynn confessed.

The man sighed. "I'm afraid that it doesn't exactly work that way. I understand that a person in a desperate situation could muster up strength for a final effort to fight and take the opponent with you. Other than that I can't strategically think of why you wouldn't use that stronger attack when your other ones were not dealing enough damage."

Ashlynn sighed.

"Sorry for destroying your hopes." Vittore apologized.

"You don't look very sorry, Vittore." Ashlynn said calling on the non-apologetic expression. "But you're right anyway. I shouldn't have seriously asked that. It would have been cool though to have something automatically be available to me in that situation and a cool attack name to go with it."

Fran nodded.

"But then again," Ashlynn rolled her shoulders. "It's better to just attack without calling the name of it so your opponent doesn't have that split second to realize what you're doing."

"That explains why you're mostly silent during sparring. But this is Shounen." Fran pointed out.

She nodded agreeing with the sentiment. "...On a side note calling shots means 'where I want to hit him'. Like how in pool you'll say, 'eight ball, corner pocket'.

Vittore frowned becoming lost with the change in the conversation. "...Shounen? What do boys have to do with this conversation? And billiards?"

"Don't worry about it, Vittore." She waved her hand then looked to Fran seriously. "I get that it's a Shounen and it just wouldn't be Shounen without calling your shots but I believe that there is a time a place for stuff like that. Sparring could be one, but I've noticed that your called shots are all said in Italian. I would like to point out that I obviously do not know enough of the language to be dramatically calling out my attacks. I'd be more likely to insult you and your mother first than some cool phrase calling attention to whatever I'm about to do. Now that I think about it, my way is more …what's the word I'm looking for…?"

"I would say 'smarter' for this one. 'Strategic' if you want to be fancy and intelligent sounding." Fran rubbed his chin.

"We'll go with that then. So me insulting an opponent making him or her attack recklessly instead of me saying what I'm doing for the benefit of whoever's watching, which would give my opponent a chance to either dodge or counter me." Ashlynn explained as the doors of the elevator opened for them. "Also have to keep in mind that anyone watching could be an accomplice of my opponent and is observing to see what my battle habits are. Then when my opponent is defeated that person could make a plan to get around the attacks I so helpfully named during the fight."

"It may be smarter but it's still Shounen. You're just cast as one of the more battle-smart people." Fran shrugged.

Ashlynn hummed agreeably. "But it's not just Shounen that does it. There are some Shoujo that pull that kind of thing as well. A good example would be Sailor Moon."

"Un~. We've lost Vittore."

Vittore sighed. They were now walking up a few steps and a door was opened to the outside world. Ashlynn likened the scenery to a glade within the space between mountains. The man turned around, locked the door they used, and made a gesture with his hands that made the entrance disappear. "I got the part where it would be smarter to not call your shots. But it could also be used to your advantage."

"Aa." Fran uttered. "I see how you could do that."

Vittore took the lead into the grass towards the outcropping of trees on the other side about a mile and a half away. "Signora, you say that it would be better to insult your opponent. While a good tactic to use, there a people that will not bite the bait, so to speak. So what good would announcing your battle plan to your opponent do?"

She was silent in thought for a time that they had come within twenty feet of the trees before she answered. "You'll say one attack but actually do another. Going with the situation where there is a hidden person observing they would believe that because you said it was a certain move then it would always be that move."

"That's right." Vittore smiled as they weaved through a few trees ad Ashlynn saw a helicopter waiting in the middle of another clearing. Once they cleared the foliage the blades of the machine starting up.

"Still think it'd be better to either insult the other person or be quiet." She said as they got closer.

Vittore grasped her shoulder and bent over so she could hear him. "This is where we split off Signora. I wish you the best from here on out!"

"You too, Vittore!" She shouted before Squalo came out of the vehicle with his hair flying everywhere. He held out a hand for her to grab onto and he hauled her into the copter, stashed away her bag, and strapped her into a seat before doing the same in the seat beside her. Fran, already buckled in, passed her a headset with a microphone.

"Vooooi!" Squalo yelled making her cringe. "Time to head out, scum!"

Ashlynn found herself unbelievably excited, Vittore's almost ominous words fading away to the back of her mind. It was her very first time on a helicopter and it was beyond amazing being up so high in the air with the window blowing and she was grateful that Squalo had tied his hair in a tail at the base of his neck before they took to the skies. They weren't in the air for as long as she liked and they settled down on top of a tall building at about three or four o'clock after flying over two mountain-y national parks and then into a city.

Squalo let her unstrap herself from her seat and pushed her bag into her arms and practically dragged her off the flying machine into the building below and towards the bathrooms. "If you gotta go, go now. We're in a Vongola controlled building in Brescia but we need to take a car to Milan. I'll be by the elevator. Fran go get the car ready."

"On it, Taicho~." Fran disappeared down the hallway.

"Um, okay. thanks." Ashlynn pushed the door opened and stepped into the room and into a stall to take care of her business then back out to wash her hands. It was as she was turning off the water of the faucet and reaching for the device that dispensed paper towels that a black haired woman in a grey pant suit entered the tiled room. Ashlynn did not like the glint of recognition she found when their eyes met through the mirror.

Neither did the click of a gun sound very friendly.

The first two bullets hit the glass of the mirror scattering pieces into the sink and on the surface of the counters and floor. The third bullet was shot into the ceiling breaking through a sprinkler and setting off the remaining ones. Ashlynn grabbed the somewhat taller woman's wrist and twisted the limb until she heard it snapped and her attacker cried out in pain, releasing her weapon but still had the sense to push her weight on her to topple both of them to the ground where the woman grabbed a hold of her ponytail with her good hand.

Ashlynn yelped kicking her legs over the raven head's thighs and swung her fist into the other's face to force hold off her hair.

"Vongola puttana!" The attacker raged out through a bloody and flat lip rolling both of them over across pieces of glass that caught in their hair and scratched any uncovered skin. The woman kicked out from under the hold and scrambled on the ground for the hand gun on the ground.

Her fingers barely grasped at it when Ashlynn pounced on her back and pushed the gun across the floor under the furthest stall in the back then pressed her own gun against the back of the struggling female below her.

"Who the fuck are you?" Ashlynn demanded in English. When there was no answer she asked the same in Japanese and then again in Irish.

Thankfully the woman had stilled with the barrel of the gun pressed hard against the base of her neck. But other than glaring up at her out of the corner of her eye she did not answer. By now both of them were wet from the sprinklers and the adrenaline had died down a bit but the younger of the two was not going to let her guard down so easily.

Ashlynn scowled. "Who. Are. You."

"Essa Contiello. A spy planted by the Gessania Famiglia. Good job, brat. Looks like you didn't need me to rescue you after all. "Squalo's voice said from the direction of the bathrooms entrance. He stepped forward over the glass, crushing already broken pieces into smaller bits then stepped a foot on the woman's good hand and crushed the bones beneath him with the sole of his boot.

The revealed spy whimpered and struggled over the pain to ask. "...How...did you...find...out?"

"Trash. We knew the entire time." Squalo smirked then switched his gaze to her. "Ashlynn."

She grunted not taking her eyes off her capture. Though in the back of her mind she noted that it was the first time he actually called her by her name instead of 'brat'.

"Kill her."

"...?"

Squalo raised an eyebrow. "You're hesitating now? She was here to do the very same to you. We have no further use for her and before you even start to think it you can't make her become your friend just because you spared her life. She'd go along with it then at the very second you let your guard she'll kill you and anybody else she can get her hands on. Do it now Ash-."

She gritted her teeth.

She pulled the trigger.

Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

The swordsman nodded taking the gun out of her grip and wiped the blood splatters off the barrel with a wet paper towel before pressing it back into her hand. "It's not a nice world to live in, Ashlynn. You're definitely 'made' now."

"I know." She whispered. She moved off from where she had been pinning the woman down and turned for a clear space on the counter and she slammed her free hand, open palm against the surface. "Fuck."


...Her teacher once said that children can see things that adults would miss or even try to hide. And her mother had always said that she was very bright for her age. And Fon said she had good tact which meant having a keen (another word she learned from Fon) sense of what to do or say to avoid giving offense in delicate situations. However being only a second grader in the Elementary there weren't many things that Birdy had to be 'tactful' about. So long as she behaved, did her homework, ate her greens, brush her teeth, and go to bed on time; she did what she was supposed to so she practically lived worry-free like a normal child.

But...being tactful wasn't helping her get rid of the batch of butterflies that were flapping away in her tummy. And she knew that the only way to get rid of the tummy-ache she was having, was to fix the problem that was making her mother worry: Ashlynn, her cool older sister, had gone to school about a week ago. But she never came back home. And the following days she neither showed up to school, work, or home and there wasn't a sign of a note anywhere and no calls or texts saying where she was and when she was coming back...

...or IF she was coming back.

Birdy could tell her mother wasn't taking the sudden disappearance very well. Especially after what was happening at night that one week where she would leave with Ashlynn after she was tucked into bed. It had been something really important if her mother was taking her shotgun and switchblade with her but whatever that was; it was over now if that party was anything to judge by. But the very next day they found that while Ashlynn did attend school she did not appear for her shift at work. But after the older girl's disappearance dragged on for another full seven days and still no word of her location, Birdy decided that it was high time to talk to someone who could do something about it. Mother was losing more and more sleep than usual and that scared her thanks to another fact she had retained from one of her teachers: A person could actually die from lack of sleep.

Her mother had already talked to the school, Aunty Keiko, and Ran. She also talked to Aunty Nana and found that Reborn, Tsuna-nii, Hayato-nii, Takei-nii, I-pin and Lambo had run off somewhere as well and there wasn't a note to insure that they would be alright and come home safely. There was one fact stood out to the second grader: people from Tsuna-nii's mafia family were disappearing. So now it was up to her to go directly to the top of the food chain within Namimori.

This was why she was currently waiting patiently outside the gates of Namimori Junior high school for someone to notice her so she could enter the grounds. She might have entered herself but too many stories from the older elementary students kept her from walking the distance between the gate and the front doors. So Birdy stayed there leaning against the wall, constantly looking over to the entrance in case someone came out that she could call on for help and when the bell rang for the students to break for lunch she sighed in relief, the growing tension in her shoulders going away as someone walked out the doors and in her direction. He didn't really look like a student with the black uniform and the big hair-do but she was glad someone at least came out. Maybe he was part of the staff or even a student-teacher.

And with that Kusakabe found himself with a little predicament. A small, rather cute one, but a predicament nonetheless. He first noticed the child wearing the Namimori Elementary uniform standing outside of the school gates just as the lunch hour began. At first he had thought it might have been the younger sibling of a student who attended the Junior high and was waiting because of a half day (of course he knew the class schedules of Namimori Elementary, Junior, and High). But as he came closer he recognized the small dark haired girl as the one who was the all but blood sister of the Outside Deputy Omnivore, Meagher Ashlynn. The child also looked up to the members of Sawada's group of friends so perhaps she was waiting here because it was closer than the high school? But the fact that no one from Sawada's had bothered to come to school for the past week save for the boxer Sasagawa Ryohei, well maybe it had something to do with their absence. So here he was standing on the campus side of the gates while the girl stared up at him from the other side of the divide.

The girl tilted her head.

He blinked.

"My name is Cross Suzume but I'm usually called Birdy, is Hibari-san here? I'd also like to talk to Ryo-nii if he's still here, but I need to talk to Hibari-san first."

He blinked again.

Birdy adjusted the straps of her backpack. "I was told by the older kids at the Elementary the Hibari-san ruled the town. So I came here and waited outside because they also told me that he doesn't like when people come here that aren't supposed to be to...but this is really important so..."

"You wish to see the Chairman?" He clarified the request.

She nodded affirmatively.

He hummed in his throat thoughtfully trying to think of the reason why such a little thing wanted with the chairman, even if she was the sister of the Outside Deputy. "Would you like me to escort you?" He asked deciding that it would be better if he went with her so she wouldn't lost or get in trouble with the chairman for trespassing.

"Yes please."

He nodded turning his body ninety degrees then another before he started walking back to the school building with an Elementary student by his side. "My name is Kusakabe Tetsuya. I am the Chairman's second in command of the disciplinary committee."

"Nice to meet you." The little Bird chirped.

He nodded looking up at the school and the fast approaching prefect coming in their direction. Huh, looks like he didn't have to escort the little lady too far into campus, barely even ten feet. He bowed his head and motioned to the child beside him. "Kyo-san, this is Cross Suzume."

Hibari stared at the child but spoke to him. "Leave us, Kusakabe."

"...Of course, Kyo-san." Kusakabe was confused but immediately moved to follow the prefect's orders.

Birdy went straight to the chase the moment Kusakabe shut the door after entering the school building. "Ashlynn-nee-chan has been missing for a total of eight days. Reborn for about six. Tsuna-nii and Hayato-nii for five and yesterday Aunty Nana said that Lambo-chan and I-pin-chan ran off somewhere with Take-nii four days ago. Ka-san already talked to the high school, Aunty Keiko and one of Nee-chan's friends. I wasn't sure if you knew or not-"

Hibari's eyes narrowed as he moved forward his hand reaching out to grab the child out of the way of the rocket that was blasting their way but it hit her before he could grasp one of the straps of the child's backpack. He glared at the sudden appearance of pink smoke and the stare intensified as the air cleared but there wasn't anyone in the girl's place nor did the child switch back after five minutes.

Someone was kidnapping students from the Namimori schools. This person would be found...

...And be bitten to death.


"The ten year bazooka? Well at least we already exchanged information."

Birdy blinked. There had been pink smoke and then she was falling down a colorful tube before she was swallowed up by a big bright light. And now she was in a seat on a train...across from an older looking...

"Ryo-nii?" Birdy whispered.

The man smiled pressing her gently into a hug. "Yes, little bird. It's the Extreme me ten years into the future. This is your first time being shot with the ten year bazooka, isn't it?"

She nodded though she was beyond confused and a little light-headed from falling upside down through time and the slight movement from the train was not helping her little tummy.

"It's okay, Birdy-chan." The older Nii-san soothed. "Just sit with us for five minutes then you'll be back to your present in Namimori, alright?"

Birdy nodded again nuzzling deeper into Ryohei's arms and the man tightened her grip on her a little more. The seconds ticked by and the he started to a hum a light tune to further calm her. But when the seconds stretched on into minutes he paused with a frown.

Birdy pulled her head away. "Nii-san?"

"Well," He smiled. "It looks like there is a malfunction with the bazooka, not like it's the first time its happened. Could have had better timing but there's nothing we can really do about it at the moment.'

She gulped tightening her grip on the jacket of his eyes began welling up with tears. "But...wh-what if I don't switch back? And I g-get stuck here?"

"Don't worry now, little bird. I don't know how long you'll be here but you can count on your Extreme Nii-san will make sure you're safe while you're here in the future. I Extremely promise. Pinky swear?"

"P-pinky swear." Birdy shook her little finger with his relieved to be with someone familiar and trusted.


-Trying to do battle scenes with the box weapons is actually a little challenging, but it helps when I think of Pokémon.

-Sometimes I wonder if I'm portraying Fran too OOC or not...

The Glossary:

-Uccello means 'Bird' in Italian.

- Puttana means 'whore' in Italian

-'Eyes Only'= a document with important information that can't be relayed over the phone or in person because there might be a bug, so it can only be seen with eyes only before the document is destroyed (Ashlynn's letter from her future self is a good example. A small piece of mafia lingo that I've picked up over research.

-Associate: Someone who works with mobsters, but has not been asked to take the vow of Omerta; an almost confirmed or made guy. In even plainer terms it means someone with an affiliation with a mafia organization but is not an official member.

- A 'Made Man': A person formally inducted into the Mafia through a ceremony: Traditionally, prospective members are called into a meeting without being given a reason. Through an elaborate ritual, they are then invited to join the Mafia. They are typically told the rules of the hierarchy, and the general disciplinary measure for disobedience- death. The prerequisite for admission is usually killing someone...

The thing is, in KHR, the Guardians got an okay from Reborn and that was that. Sure, Reborn is the best hitman in the world and is doing the Ninth a favor, but with my research, one would think the guardians would meet the Ninth to prove loyalty to the Vongola foremost and then to Tsuna when it comes time for him to take over. This is obviously not the case, especially in the ring Arc when the Ninth is trapped in Mosca.