Life as Sawada Tsunashige: Book 1

by Neko9406

When they came to me with the idea I thought they had finally gave into old age and insanity. But then they showed me the image of me in that alternate world. I must save him, even if that means bending time, rationality, and death. Even if that means I lose my self, old friends, and identity. I need to save them.

2. Prologue

Prologue: The Idea

Diary,

When Byakuran came to see me with the idea I dismissed it. His idea was insane. More than insane it was impossible for me to even consider. Yet, when Yuni-chan came to me with the same idea, the same plea, I had no choice but to give it some consideration.

The idea was this: go into the past of a different alternate dimension and train the Sawada Tsunayoshi there to be a Mafia Boss who would not destroy the world.

I, at the time this idea was suggested, was 74 years old. Kyoko had already left the world 20 years earlier. Heck, all of my Guardians, my friends, were dead. I was in retirement. And I, I was already at death's door. It wasn't cancer. No serious disease. It was just a lack of will to live. I no long felt the desire, the need, or the urge, to live. All those I longed to protect were gone. My son was doing a good job in cleansing the bloody world we, our family, had so long neglected. My son, with all his good work, did not need me. He had been the XI Generation Boss for over 20 years now. And because of that, all of that, I was content to retreat back to the cozy house I had grown up in. My flame had already extinguished. I was nothing more than a wrinkled, dull, old man waiting to be reunited with his friends.

Byakuran, while he had aged along with me, was still eccentric. Of course this probably had something to do with his abilities. I don't think knowing and feeling the urge to dabble with your alternative selves can be considered sane, at the very least. He would sometimes show up at random just to drag me out, still popping marshmallows into his mouth, saying things like "I found this hot springs in the Black Forest! Let's go!" or "Tsuna-kuuun I'm bored! Let's go to the amusement park!" and once he even suggested "Let's be lecherous old men! I know this young man who has special seats in the bath house!"

Whenever he showed up I would sigh, give him a cup of tea, and calmly tell him no. Yet, somehow, he always managed to drag me out. It was entertaining. But I soon grew too tired even for that.

Yuni-chan had aged lovely. Since the curse had been broken she too aged, married, had children, and lived to bury her Gamma. Like me she no longer felt the will to live. But she still had the energy to play with Byakuran. How I have no idea.

But I digress. Back to the idea, that insane plot Byakuran-san and Yuni-chan had come up with. Ah, yes, to go to the past of an alternative reality and train myself. There were quite a few problems with that. 1) How would I train myself if I physically went to the past? I understood that, since I am from a different dimension, I could exist there without creating some time warp. But my age has me at a rather large disadvantage. I can no long dodge bullets and jump from skyscrapers without fear of injury. 2) I have no flame left. I have no dying will. How am I to teach a youngster anything without the ability to will myself into the state that he…I…we would need? And 3) I wanted to die. I was ready to die.

But, but Yuni-chan showed me what would happen if I did not help. If I was not willing to help. The images still scream at me, all of that Death, Destruction, Blood, and Chaos. All of my friends dead from either fire, poison, insanity, gunshot wound, overwork, or heartbreak. My sweet and foolish mother lay dying on the kitchen floor. My brash, stupid, and selfish father tortured to death. Solid Reborn killed in the most unusual way of them all, in his sleep. Gas killed him. Death stole him away in his sleep. Everyone I knew dead. And I standing at the center weeping tears of blood as my flame turned black and consumed me. I, the image of me, did not cry out in pain but in hallow insane laughter. We lifted our hands higher, willing the flames to burn more and more of us until we were nothing but ashes.

I could not help but weep at the hollowness, the utter despair, which filled the eyes of the other me. I need to save him. I need to save all of them. So, even though this is an insane plan, I shall go through with it. Tomorrow the world shall hear of my death, the death of Former Don Sawada Tsunayoshi. And in a different world I shall be reborn. May God, or whatever higher power that exists, aid me in my mad venture.

Ienobu. My Son. If you should find and read this diary I hope that you would burn it. Or keep it. Consider this nothing more than the mad ravings of a man too far gone in age.

Farewell,

Sawada Tsunayoshi

5/15/2XXX