Author's Note:

Not much to say, except: you all are amazing! Thanks for the fantastic responses.

Fun fact: About a quarter of this story was meant for chapter 4, but I did some moving here and there. Kudos to whoever guesses the meaning of the title of this chapter.

Chapter 3 – Reverie

"You'll pay for that, kid," the albino said as he looked furiously into the newcomers eyes.

"Really?" The newcomer made the temperature go down as he looked dangerously at the three assailants, "because I don't like it when people mess with senpai," he said as he tightened his grip on the albino's wrist. The albino yelped in pain.

"What are you morons doing, help me!" the albino shouted to his companions. His two companions looked bewildered as they stepped forward.

"Bad idea," the newcomer said as he knocked the albino out with an uppercut before throwing the albino's limp form with strength that strongly contrasted his small frame straight towards the two other big students who were knocked out by the collision.

"Fran," Tsuna said as he walked towards the boy three years his junior, "you need to work on your temper."

Fran looked hurt, "but senpai! I wanted to protect you," he then turned around and squatted before making drawings on the ground with a small wooden stick.

"You always get depressed Fran, fine, I'm sorry," Tsuna said hurriedly before Fran would do other weird things that Tsuna thought he should be used to by now.

"Hai senpai," Fran immediately stood and all but forgot his depressive mood.

"Why you little piece of-," the albino who woke up couldn't finish his sentence as Tsuna disappeared into thin air before reappearing with a fist reared into the albino's gut.

"You should stay asleep big guy, good for your health," Tsuna whispered into the albino's ear before letting the giant fall to the ground.

Tsuna turned and put a hand on his hip, "see what your depressive moods do?"

"But senpai, I knew you had my back either way," Fran said as he walked away.

"Where are you heading Fran!?" Tsuna asked.

"To the school obviously, I want to meet your classmates."

"You're not in my class," Tsuna said as horror dawned on his face.

"Oh yes I am."

"Don't tell me….." He muttered as he followed the boy who wore a dark Beret on his head.

{Reverie}

"Class, this is Abel Fran, a new student from Italy," Miss Yuri said with a somewhat bedazzled expression, "we're getting more and more students from Italy lately, how wonderful!" Her eyes glittered at the notion.

The seventy year old math teacher had his nose in a formula book, completely unaware of what was happening around him.

"I'm Fran, you may call me Fran and only that," the class looked at Fran as if he was a weirdo with his shorts and red bow tie (which some thought amazing because it was strictly against school regulation to deviate from the dress code)," senpai is my cousin," he pointed towards Tsuna who looked at the nearest window trying to be as unaware as the teacher, "that's all, can I sit now Miss Yuri?"

"Of cou-," and before she could finish her sentence Fran already walked towards an occupied seat next to Tsuna. A brunet with glasses looked up towards Fran. Fran began staring at the brunette's eyes until he made him so uncomfortable that he left and took a seat two rows back. Then Fran sat on the chair as he proceeded to take a nap. The old teacher either didn't notice Fran's presence or chose to ignore it.

Miss Yuri was as oblivious as the teacher as she left with a smile.

Tsuna sighed.

"So senpai, anything I should know about how the mission is going?" Fran asked as he stared at the baseball match going on below on the baseball field next to the school.

"Just go home Fran, I can handle this on my own," Tsuna said as he looked up at the blue sky from his lying position on the stone floor. They were on the roof of Namimori Middle School.

"Not gonna happen senpai, who else is going to keep you out of trouble?" Fran said as he yawned before lying on his back as well, "we're being watched."

"I know," Tsuna said as he closed his eyes, "don't worry, he has no ties to the target as far as I am aware of." Tsuna had no quarrel with Hibari. As far as he knew, Hibari had no connections to Vongola.

"The mission," Tsuna said after a while, "is going horrible. I haven't seen the items on Tezuka or any of his friends, but most of all," he said grimly, "the famous hitman Reborn hasn't shown his face yet either, which is strange considering his rather…..dedicated ways into training his pupils."

"You're referring to the Chiavarone Famiglia right senpai?"

Tsuna hummed in a manner that said 'yes'.

"So what's the plan?"

"We'll wait."

"So that means I can sleep all day right senpai?" Fran said much too happy.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, just shut up and sleep while you still can, we need to find us a place without getting noticed an-," a door slammed open with a loud bang.

Tsuna thought that it was odd that it took Tezuka so long to come to him, considering the memories of a very impatient Tezuka who always got what he wanted.

"You," Tezuka said with enraged icy blue eyes, "who are you and what are you doing in Namimori?"

This needed attention Tsuna decided, so he opened his eyes, stood and faced the person who he had not spoken to in eight years. He wasn't surprised that Tezuka was angered instead of moved. It wasn't always that you met someone resembling your deceased brother, but Tezuka had bad blood in him after all.

Still, he wondered, how does a person like his narcissistic brother be friends with someone like Yamamato Takeshi? He could understand Gokudera and his almost suicidal motivation to become the right hand man of the future Vongola boss, but a kind person like Takeshi? Perhaps he had assessed the baseball player wrongly when he saw him give his lunch to a girl who had forgotten her own.

Or maybe Tezuka had changed in all these years.

"As if," he mentally thought and scoffed at the notion. Oh yes, everyone could change, but someone who was brought up by a mother who praised every action of his, be it bad or good, wouldn't end up well, even with someone like Iemitsu around. Besides, Tsuna had the uncanny ability to look into a person's eyes and see what was really there. Tezuka reeked of negative emotions.

"I'm Abel Tsunayoshi. You're Sawada Tezuka-san right?" Tsuna asked as he peered deep into the clear cerulean eyes that must have swooned a lot of girls.

The air around his brother shimmered dangerously. Fran by now stood and eyed Tezuka warily, "I asked you a question," Tezuka's eyes arched in anger, "who are you really and what are you doing in Namimori?"

"What do you mean? I just told you that I'm Tsunayoshi," Tsuna said with a shrug, "and what I'm doing here? I'm a transfer student, but you already kno-."

"Cut the bullshit Dame-Tsuna," Tezuka interrupted him.

Tsuna almost widened his eyes, "huh?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Tezuka said with a grin, "I knew that you were lying with your pathetic introduction. I have Vongola blood in me, something you obviously lack Dame-Tsuna. Every word that came out of your disgusting mouth rang bells in me. I'll repeat the question, what are you doing here?"

Tsuna had to keep it together. He had a vague idea what the Vongola Blood was, but he didn't expect it to have flowered in his brother. And was it him or did those blue eyes turn transparent red for just a second? Something in his gut told him that whatever he would say now would be disregarded by Tezuka.

"I don't know why you are calling me useless or the reason why you are speaking to me as if we know each other, but you're sounding delirious. Besides," he added, " I can only guess that this 'Dame-Tsuna' is the son of Sawada-sensei and thus making him you're brother. I heard from someone that you're Sawada-sensei's son," Tsuna kept his eyes focused on Tezuka.

"You want to keep playing stupid Dame-Tsuna? Always the fool," his brother sneered as red flashed and disappeared from his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be more surprised if I really am your deceased brother?" He asked curiously.

"Ha, you think I ever cared for you Dame-Tsuna? You always kept me back and made me ashamed to share blood with you. I always told mom that you were useless and that she should disown you."

Tsuna was right after all, Tezuka hadn't changed. His brother was nothing if not devious, treacherous and manipulative. But it really didn't matter. After all these years of traveling in Europe, Asia, America and Africa and other exotic and less than thrilling places, he had seen a lot of cruel things. It also changed how he viewed the world. Why would he trouble himself with facts that he couldn't change either way? The look in the eyes of his brother even told him that whatever Tsuna would say now would be irrelevant.

"So you won't tell Sawada-sensei that you think I'm your deceased brother?" He asked.

"Tell him? Now why would I do that? I got him in the palm of my hand, just like I do mother. You're just in the way, so leave," Tezuka said as he stepped forward.

Fran didn't show it, but his eyes said more than enough; if Tezuka put one more step in the direction of Tsuna, his beret wearing friend would attack Tezuka.

"And if I say no?" He asked annoyed. He could tolerate a lot, but the blond was getting on his nerves.

"JUUDAIME!" Gokudera came running up the stairs and entered the roof before panting. Tezuka's dangerous aura disappeared along with the flashing eyes and look of complete and utter anger.

"Gokudera-kun, didn't I ask you to watch the baseball game without me?" Tezuka asked with a voice that Tsuna had a hard time recognizing. It seemed that his suspicions were right; Tezuka was manipulating the gray haired Italian.

"I couldn't leave you Juudaime, who knows what dangers might walk in your path? I already checked the perimeter around the school, but I found nothing," then Gokudera looked towards Tsuna and grit his teeth, "you better not be annoying Juudaime again." As fast as before the Mafioso by the name of Smoking Bomb Hayato had his dynamites out.

Tsuna admired Gokudera's loyalty, but he couldn't start a fight now. That would be stupid for more than one reason. For one, if he did anything, he was pretty sure Reborn would show up, if he hadn't already, and secondly, it would make the famous hitman wary. Reborn knew about Tezuka's deceased brother after all.

If Reborn suddenly figured out Tsuna's real motive for being in Namimori, it would alarm his father and that would alarm the homeland. Baron would go nuts. He shuddered at the idea of Baron starting a war against Vongola. That would be one bloodshed Tsuna wouldn't want an invitation to.

"I think we're going to leave," Tsuna said as he walked around Tezuka and Gokudera. Fran followed after him with his typical lazy expression, but eyes plastered on Tezuka.

"Hold up," Tezuka said as he jumped in front of Tsuna, "who said you could leave?" This time Gokudera looked surprised, "Gokudera-kun, these are bad people from the homeland, the Ninth has sent me a message warning me about them, they are here to assassinate me," and with a simple yet clever lie Tezuka had made Hayato the bomber look in absolute fury at Tsuna and Fran like they were the incarnation of evil itself. If looks could kill, Tsuna and Fran would be dead by now.

"Tezu-baka, what are you doing?" A child-like voice boomed with authority.

Tsuna sighed; on the roof of the stair house stood Reborn looking at the four with a calculating look. Tsuna could only pray that it would end well. Damn Baron and his mission for the Vongola Rings.

{Reverie}

Tsuna knew he was screwed from the moment Reborn jumped next to Tezuka. Tsuna was an exceptional member of Baron's Famiglia, but Reborn was the number one hitman of the world, one of the seven Rainbow guardians, the I Prescelti Sette. He had to move with caution from now on.

"You the one that's got Tezu-baka all worked up?" Reborn said with a deadly smile. Tsuna would have laughed if it were anyone but Reborn.

"Senpai, who's the kid?" Fran said as he pointed down with his index finger.

Tsuna trembled before putting a hand on Fran's mouth, preventing him from saying anything that might cause them to get into more trouble than they were already in, "I don't know Fran, but show some respect."

"Bugh w-sh-I," muffled tones came out of Fran's mouth.

"Forgive his rudeness stranger-san, my friend sometimes doesn't know when to shut up," Tsuna laughed heartily.

"That's oke, you're Abel Tsunayoshi, no?"

"Hai," Tsuna answered while looking straight into the only pair of eyes that he couldn't decipher.

"You said that Tsunayoshi would be a loud mouth? He's polite, and what were you saying about him assassinating you Tezu-baka? The Ninth never said such things," Reborn kicked Tezuka's knee causing him to jump on one leg and making Gokudera look mortified as he didn't know what to do.

"He did tell me, he just didn't tell you Reborn-sensei," Tezuka sounded awfully controlled even when his face strongly contradicted it.

Tsuna didn't believe one bit that Reborn could be fooled. He knew that Reborn was much older than he seemed. He had read about the Arcobaleno curse. The oldest record of him was in a newspaper in 1983, New Orleans. Keeping that in mind, he put two and two together and realized that the strongest of the seven Arcobaleno had probably seen through Tezuka's act from the very first day. Maybe that was why he referred to his brother as 'Tezu-baka'.

Reborn ignored his brother's bickering and left Gokudera to tend to him, "you're from Italy aren't you? Buongiorno."

"Buongiorno mister…."

"Reborn."

"Mister Reborn."

A silence fell as those calculating eyes looked at Tsuna, assessing him. Tsuna couldn't go underneath Reborn's radar completely, but what could do was capitalize on the fact that Reborn had absolutely no idea that he was Tezuka's brother who by all means should be dead.

"It seems my student is misbehaving Tsunayoshi, I'll be sure to up his training," an evil glint spawned on the Arcobaleno's eyes. Reborn turned, kicked Tezuka again and dragged him by his collar down the stairs of the stair house. Gokudera hurried after them in worry.

Tsuna heaved a sigh in relief. He had thought of at least seven ways how the meeting with Reborn could have ended very badly. Thankfully Reborn knew that Tezuka would lie if it would benefit him, if that wasn't the case, Tsuna held no doubt that he might have had a bullet lodged in his forehead right about now. He shuddered at the idea of the most powerful Arcobaleno coming after him because of Tezuka telling him that Tsuna was after the future Vongola Decimo's life.

"Senpai, what's wrong with you? I could have handled that guy with the dynamite sticks and you could have easily taken Tezuka, why did you hesitate?"

"Because Fran," Tsuna said as he walked towards the stair house, "that was Reborn, and yes, the Reborn I was telling you about four years ago when I first found you," he turned his head over his shoulders looking at a somewhat awake Fran, "he's one of the I Prescelti Sette," and with that he descended the stairs. Fran followed him a moment later.