{words - 5450}
Chapter 2
"I see you're still here watching the Archery Club practice Master." Gatekeeper said appearing in his spirit form next to a fourteen year old Tsuna who was currently sitting on a bench watching Sakura taking aim for another shot.
"I-I'm just doing my homework while they practice Gil." Tsuna admitted in a hushed whisper switching his gaze from Sakura to his sempai Shirou taking a break to eat his lunch. Following his gaze the Servant smirked when the teen lifted up his head looking exactly where he was standing.
'Looks like the boy is getting better at sensing when I'm around even if he can't see me.' It was a fun little game he played with Shirou over the year after the teen became close friends with his little Master's family. Following the first few times he accompanied the pair of cousins to Shirou's home and the boy himself coming over to eat Gil quickly discovered he could sense his location somewhat. After that discovery it became sort of a game between the two where he'd try to test how good Shirou's little sensing skill was by shadowing him a few times out of the month when Tsuna didn't need his help studying. 'Though most of the praise should go to Master's mother after they discovered he was an untrained Magus.'
Shirou on the other hand had no clue about what started following him all those months ago but guessed it had to be one of Nana's familiars after Sakura discovered his workshop during one of their visits by accident. It was embarrassing but after having the pair of Matou elders lecture him for the rest of the afternoon for not having any defenses in place Nana went about teaching him how to do it properly. Then came the shocker over dinner where Kariya offered to take Shirou on as an apprentice while leaving him in the dark about the part where he caved to the combined looks his daughter and nephew gave him earlier that day.
No one but Tsuna knew Gil had anything to do with Sakura's little discovery since his Servant couldn't help laughing while telling him about it and didn't want to say anything after Kariya agreed to show Shirou what he knew about runes. That the knowledge came from Nana's side of the family who went into a self-imposed exile was better off left unsaid for now anyway. The new Matou patriarch might be willing to destroy all of the things Zouken stood for but they were still reformist instead of a dichotomy like others thought so having Shirou as an apprentice helped in the face of those watching Kariya for any weakness they could use against his family.
And since his first actual friend was getting taught how to be a proper Magus along with access to books that could help him learn more Tsuna decided not to bring up his Servant's little game with Shirou. It didn't hurt anybody and when he quickly became a regular around the Matou residence along with Taiga Fujimura who got the three teens to call her Fuji-nee, Tsuna couldn't help but smile. So he'd let Gil count his little scheme a success. Of course no self-respecting Magus would do something like this for free but with the Gatekeeper pulling a few strings in the background following the plans to bring the Matou cousins into the next coming war things were moving as planned.
"Sorry practice took so long Tsuna." Sakura apologized drawing Gil from his thoughts as he watched the pair draw closer to his little Master.
"It's no problem. I was able to get my homework done while waiting on you." Tsuna replied smiling a small smile while packing his books away so they could walk home together. Even after a year of help from his mother and Gil who simply suggested cheating his grades wouldn't go any higher than a high C or low B but he still tried doing better with every test taken.
"Are you guys still coming over for the ni-?" Shirou started to ask but then suddenly stops when he notices the figure leaning against the nearby fence in front of them waiting. Kyoya Hibari the sixteen year old prefect from hell stood before them with short black hair, a fringe that joins at the center of his face and parts to the sides leaving a sort of "M" shape. Even though it was strange at first the school rules were changed after his family made a large 'donation' allowing Hibari to wear his Discipline Committee uniform, which consists of a long-sleeved white shirt, black trousers, brown belt, black shoes and black gakuran top worn on his shoulders, with the committee's armband pinned onto the left sleeve.
"Clawless carnivore, omnivores." Opening his sharp grey eyes the youngest Hibari stared at Shirou then his eyes traveled to Sakura and Tsuna who were hiding behind the older teen. Kyoya knew all about the Matou clans progress from the men ordered to watch them but felt like keeping them under his own gaze since their sudden success could be traced back to the subordinates his family kept around. Tsunayoshi Matou formally Sawada was strange even if you considered who his parents were and the things they've done in the past. Even at fourteen he was still slightly shorter to most teens his age with a slender build hiding the runners body he gained from the runs Tsuna went on every morning with his cousin.
Though Kyoya honestly expected more when he first learned of Tsuna's existence from his mother then given the short file they gathered on him after the few months spent in the local hospital before Nana could completely heal his injuries. The former Sawada standing before him had teary doe like eyes, fluffy brown hair and wore a black rabbit eared hoodie outside of school that his cousin made for him as a get well present instead of the Homurahara Academy uniform's jacket.
Both of the cousins were intimidated by his hawk like gaze but Shirou glared right back at him even though he lost every time they ended up 'sparring' against each other. Kyoya could respect the teen's determination somewhat after the first time he stood up to him following his sudden move to Fuyuki where his men went to far in dealing with a group of students breaking the rules. But in reality he was far more interested in the way Shirou adapted to his brutal fighting style after their first fight and improved with each clash that followed. "Keep a better eye on your familiar." Moving to the side slightly he allowed them to see the shaking figure of a small, immature lion cub trapped inside a pet carrier with a seal written in ancient Chinese placed over the top.
"Natsu!" Tsuna shouted gripping Shirou's hand to stop himself from racing forward or reaching for the weapon strapped to his sides at the sight of his familiar caged. Glaring at Kyoya who only smirked challenging at him he was quickly reminded of their first meeting and the way the youngest Hibari handled his new territory.
{Flashback}
"Matou." Nearly jumping out of his skin in fear Tsuna fell forward while quickly turning around to the sight of Kyoya standing by the stairs. They were on the school's roof so no one would see them and even if the could the Bounded Field set up wouldn't let anyone interfere.
"Are you here to kill me Hibari sempai?" Tsuna asked while moving a hand over the hidden satchel attached to the side of his belt after noticing Kyoya's weapons were covered in blood.
"The students that were killed back in Namimori... Was one of them a friend of yours?" Ripples in the air appeared surrounding them with each step Kyoya took erecting a golden wall filling the area around them. "Your clan labeled it self-defense and dropped the matter but judged from the look in your eyes you've figured it out." Weapons appeared from every ripple aimed to take the youngest Hibari's life when he stopped right in front of Tsuna. "Accident or not I'm kind of glad their dead after everything they put me through during the hours I spent trapped at school with them." Then with a smile that looked so innocent and pure Tsuna looked up at him as he whispered the last few words. "After they beat me up for costing them their match and watched on, enjoying the sight of Mochida kicking me in the head I just watched Gil kill them the second my familiar appeared. I could have ordered him not to but I didn't even if I do regret watching them all of them die like that."
"...Are you afraid?" Kyoya finally spoke ignoring the weapons trained on him.
"Yes." Tsuna replied still smiling even though the teen standing before him could snap his neck faster than Gatekeeper's weapons could react.
"Will you run from me?" Kyoya asked smirking as he watched his target look at a space of air behind him for a few seconds before the wall of weapons vanished.
"There wouldn't be any use in trying. You are the cousin of the church's most infamous Executor after all." If the news that Tsuna knew about Alaude being a former Executor shocked him any Kyoya didn't let it show. His family did as they pleased in joining any of the factions or simply enjoying a civilian life if they weren't strong enough carnivores so it wasn't that big of a shock someone might have learned about Alaude's past before he found a man worth following. They held no ties to anyone but still agreed to handle a few odd problems when his mother's friends called in a favor or two.
"Then what will you do?" Feeling the cold metal pressed against the bottom of his chin Kyoya's grin only grew seeing the fire in Tsuna's eyes as they turned from their normal doe like brown to a blazing bright orange. Looking down he could see the black gunmetal of Tsuna's mystic code Retribution while the silver gunmetal that was Penance could barely be seen in its holster thanks to the invisible air hiding it. Each gun had a length of 27cm, a weight of 10kg and used Sky flames in two different ways alongside his dual Origin. Kyoya couldn't help but snort in amusement seeing Requiescat in Pace engraved on the side of the gun tipping him off that Tsuna might know more about his Italian heritage than his mother first thought
"Whatever I must so my mother doesn't cry anymore." Without saying a word he turned around walking towards the stairs as three men stumbled through the door barely alive but standing as they saluted Kyoya.
Slamming a tonfa into the middle man's gut Kyoya forced him to the ground before grabbing a fist full of hair so that he stared into Tsuna's eyes. "Speak trash." Their was no yelling or edge to his voice just a cold painful promise that sent chills up the men's spines after hearing those two words.
"We are deeply sorry for failing in our duties while you resided in Master Alaude's territory." The man gasping for air managed to choke out knowing what would happen to him if he collapsed into blissful unconsciousness. "The men I assigned to monitor the area around the school were distracted with other matters and failed to step in when those students found you practicing your family's craft." Reaching forward the man barely standing to his left placed a thick box wrapped in cloth on the ground before stepping back. "Please accept this as a token of apology from the clan's matriarch for your injuries and the shame we brought to the Hibari clan as Master Alaude's vassals."
Kyoya locked eyes with Tsuna who quickly nodded under his angered gaze. "We're done here." Walking off the men quickly moved to follow the youngest Hibari who stopped before turning slightly to face Tsuna. "Be careful omnivore. My mother hears many whispers coming from the herbivores moving amongst the shadows. More than one herbivore has plans too remove your uncle from play."
Waiting a few minutes to make sure Kyoya actually left a shaking Tsuna let out the breath he was holding while Gil materialized near the wrapped box leaning over it curiously poking it with his shoe. "Its a relic."
{Flashback End}
"Gao!" Natsu called fearfully only for his capture to unlock the animal carrier letting him run into Sakura's arms. Pulling her cousins familiar closer the three teens looked at Kyoya confused as they watched him pick up the carrier. "I found him wandering the library watching the students studying." Was all he said before walking back to the main building presumably towards the office his Discipline Committee now used.
"Dealing with Kyoya always puts me on edge." Shirou muttered under his breath while watching the prefect walking away before turning to face the Matou cousins. "Lets hurry to my place before Fuji-nee starts freaking out that we're missing." As they started heading home he never picking up on the way Sakura walked just a little closer to him or the fact Tsuna was still holding his hand but that wasn't anything new by now. One of them usually did something like that after getting scared so he learned to brush it off after the first couple of times they clung to his arm or hid behind him for protection. It felt kind of nice being somebody's hero and for others to look towards him for safety.
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It was a few hours later when the three teens could be found talking in Shirou's living room. "I hope you don't mind us staying with you for tonight?" Sakura asked while watching Tsuna and Shirou getting the futons ready after moving the table out-of-the-way.
"It's no problem." Shirou assured her. "Besides with Fuji-nee taking over my bedroom again I was planning to sleep here tonight anyway." It was still reassuring having other magi around to talk with along with a teacher to help him learn after his dad's death. Being a Magus apprentice wasn't all that bad in his opinion since he's been able to improve some with Kariya teaching when the older man wasn't trying to catch up in his own studies as the clan's patriarch. That left Nana to fill in any of the holes her cousin might have missed and she wasn't anything close to being a formal Magus. Using a somewhat rare jewel filled with prana Gil gave Tsuna who in turn handed it over to his mother they were able to fix a lot of his problems. The lecture she gave him when Nana learned Shirou was using his natural circuits was something no one in the household wanted a repeat of after the enraged mother learned one of the children under her care was hurting himself unintentionally. Blood or not Nana turned into a mother bear when it came to the children in her home.
Like Tsuna and Sakura he'd fall under the category of a Spellcaster who does not follow the normal ways of magi even if she still taught them most of the things they needed to know about the Mage's Association. Being adopted into the Emiya family he had no way of inheriting his old man's Magic Crest either unlike Tsuna who already had pieces of the crest his grandfather created during his exile. Though that issue might be dealt with soon enough by a curious Gil who planned on indulging in a bit of harmless theft after learning about the Magus Killer's legend.
With his Origin being Forge and Elemental Affinity being Sword he was unable to use the magic of the five great elements with precision due to lacking any as an alignment. Though there were other things they could teach him like runes to augment his growing Reinforcement and Projection skills with extra traits, using mana to increase the strength behind his blows and forging blades of different shapes and sizes. On the other hand there really wasn't a lot more either adult could do but hopefully with the few skills that fell outside of the five great elements Shirou could rise above his current status to become more than just an apprentice in the coming years.
"And done." Tsuna declared happily falling back onto the warm futon holding Natsu in his arms. "Gao?" "Yea buddy Mama went on another date tonight so we're staying with Shirou." He was happy for her after everything the man before Dino did leaving for months or years at a time only to come home and drink until he passed out. "Gao." "I know but even if he is the head of a mafia family Dino tries to visit her at least twice a month." 'And unlike that smelly guy who took my big brother away he at least calls every other day of the week.' Yawning Tsuna's eyes start to close as he got more comfortable. "Gao?" "It's so warm Natsu."
"I thought you two wanted to watch a movie?" Shirou questioned looking at the two sleepy Matous quickly falling asleep on their futons. "Come on I even made some popcor-." With a shout of protest he got dragged onto the futon by the younger pair of teens who were surprisingly strong if their grips on him were any clue.
"We can watch a movie later sempai." Sakura muttered griping his left arm while Tsuna held onto his right.
"I have to return it to the local redbox tomorrow or -." A tired yawn cut him off as he tried to stay awake even when Natsu climbed onto his chest for a nap. 'It does feel pretty good. Maybe I've been pushing myself to much.'
Minutes after the three of them fell asleep Gil materialized in a golden wisp looking around amused even if he did stop to stare at the sleeping form of Tsuna for a few extra seconds. "How long are you going to fake sleeping little Master?" Gil asked sounding amused as he pocketed Shirou's Bleach manga in his hand watching Tsuna peek an eye open before sitting up careful not to wake the others.
"S-sorry for making you wait Gil." Tsuna apologized hurrying to slip on his rabbit hoodie while walking towards the sliding door leading outside ignoring Gatekeeper's amused laugh before he vanishing himself. If his Master wanted to go around town in nothing but his sheep themed pajamas and the hoodie he loved so much the Servant wasn't going to argue against it simply because the sight alone amused him more than anything else.
"We need to hurry before they move again." Rushing down the walkway he hurried to the street where his Servant stood waiting wearing a white jacket that had a fur collar, a black shirt and matching black pants. They helped Gil fit in better when walking amongst the humans he sometimes watched along with the golden colored motorcycle nicknamed the GilGil Machine next to him that the Servant rode around the city on when bored.
"Yes, yes. By all means let's go put down the mongrel who dares interrupt my reading of the thing you call manga." Gil commented starting up his motorcycle while Tsuna got on behind him wrapping his arms around the Servant. He smirked feeling his Master's grip tighten around him as they raced towards their targets location once again given a reason not to harm the boy the cousins liked so much. After all Shirou was nothing more than a sword in his mind protecting the Matou cousins from harm and like any blade or treasure in this world the red head apprentice belonged to him. 'It might take some time before the boy comes to see his place in my world as my little Master's blade but I can wait until the coming war starts in earnest to correct him some.'
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While Tsuna and his Servant raced after their target on the other side of Fuyuki in Shinto the area under the Tohsakas control Nana was sitting in the dinning hall of the newly reconstructed Hyatt Hotel. "So your ex-husband is in the mafia like me?" Dino mused trying not to be to nervous or clumsy since none of his men were around him tonight unless they were hiding nearby again spying on his date. It wasn't love at first sight like Romario or any of his other men guessed but something different. What drew Dino to the beauty of a woman sitting across from was the look in Nana's eyes when he offered to buy her another drink. It was the little things he picked up thanks to Reborn.
Like the way Nana's dress just fit a little to tight for a married woman or the unsure blush that appeared when he asked her to dance with him. The way they could talk about his job being the 10th Boss of the Chiavarone Famiglia or the places she went before retiring put his mind at ease over all the women who pretended they cared just for a chance at his family's money or status. It started off as a casual friendship at first since even if she used to be a Magus Nana brought a breath of fresh air into the life forced upon his shoulders. That's why over the past year Dino would make any excuse possible to visit Fuyuki with only his men knowing the truth behind his actions.
"When we first started seeing each other everything I checked into said he retired just like I did to Namimori for a quit life away from all the bloodshed either faction brought." Nana admitted enjoying the view as she gazed out into the cloudless sky. "I didn't have a clue he was just taking an extended leave of absence until my oldest son's fifth birthday when his boss showed up." Even after looking for so long none of her old contacts could find anything on her oldest child short of rumors and guesses.
"I've heard whispers of Iemitsu fighting with 10th Boss of the Vongola Famiglia but we've never met no matter what my old sensei tries so I don't know how true they are." Dino spoke up thinking back to the number of invitations he had to turn down because they were on the same day a meeting was scheduled or happened to be during one of his visits to Fuyuki. He knew of the newest Boss by word of mouth thanks to Reborn but other than that they've never actually met face to face even when they attended the few parties meant to strengthen their alliance. "I don't know the full story but apparently a Mist in the CEDEF did something that has the 10th Vongola enraged but lets change the subject to something less depressing okay." Scratching the back of his head now slightly nervous Dino started to get worried she might have taken what he just said the wrong way only for Nana to laugh before going back to their meal.
"It's fine." Nana assures him with a smile that would belong to an angel. "I've gotten over him but thanks for letting me know." Over the past year with students to teach and Dino coming around at least two to three times a month she was finally putting the pieces of her life back together slowly but surely.
Dino could only chuckle a small blush spreading across his face. 'If I have any say in the matter she won't be single for long.'
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It took only minutes for the King of Heroes to finish them off but Tsuna stood frozen in awe struck horror at the carnage his Servant unleashed upon the monsters that attacked them when they arrived moments ago. It was nothing short of a one sided slaughter. Skewered by enormous blades or the sharpest of lances. Hanging from the nearby streetlights or crushed under the weight of his heaviest shields. Occasionally the Servant went to far in his task making a mess out of the creature but Tsuna was oddly numb to their deaths after finding the missing people used as nothing more then food for the ghouls littering the area around him. On nothing more than a whim Gil pins a ghoul trying to escape by sending halberds to cut of the creatures legs before stomping down on its head ending its life in an instant. A great number of methods used and most taken from the manga Gil loved to read and sometimes watch like Hellsing and Black Lagoon.
"Give me your orders little Master." Gatekeeper tells Tsuna while all around them are the dead or dying bodies of the ghouls and the Magus stupid enough to think he could control them. He wasn't even a threat to the Servant since Gil was able to make short work of them with his weakest of treasures while Tsuna watched on from the entrance of the abandoned building only helping when he could. Now only a few were left alive alongside the broken bodies of the victims kidnapped for his research or simply turned into food for the creatures he gathered.
"They stood against us when we arrived and deserve nothing but death for their actions of striking out against their betters." Walking forward Gil stood before Tsuna whose hooded face was covered in blood from one ghoul who though he was the easier target. "My blades are ready to end the mongrels that still live but you must be the one who gives the orders my little Master." True to Gil's word his gate stood ready to end the lives of every being in the building who still drew breath. "I await your orders Tsunayoshi." Smiling a small venomous smile Gilgamesh hardened his eyes waiting for Tsuna to speak his next order. 'Tonight will prove once again you were the right Master to summon me.'
"Kill them." Those two simple words revealed a lot to Gil who with a simple snap of his fingers launched each blade with pinpoint accuracy while watching the orange tinted eyes staring up at him with such heat behind them. The hatred and guilt behind them for making him give such an order would have brought any other Servant to their knees begging for forgiveness but not him even if the sight did hurt the King of Heroes.
'I know this is just a test to Gil but I still feel like I failed.' Tsuna thought as his Servant pulled him closer. "I know they couldn't be saved after everything he did to them but I still wanted to do more for them than grant them a quick death." 'I've lied to a lot of people. I lied to Mama...I have been for a long time now. I've lied to uncle Kariya who is so busy now with keeping the clan together in the eyes of the Mage's Association.' "Reduce all creation to ash." Whispering the words under his breath while pulling a small glowing red phial out of his pouch Tsuna tossed it towards the body of the Magus. Within seconds of it breaking a small fire appeared that quickly grew with each passing second into a raging inferno. 'I've lied to Sakura whenever I stay late after school and Shirou who tries his best to help everybody. Everyone worried about me when I was hospitalized and I even made Mama cry because I got careless. I've been lying for so long I'm starting to lose count. But I want to become a Magus she'll be proud to have as a son instead of the failure everyone saw me as.'
"Do you regret making a pact with me little Master?" Gil ask with one hand around Tsuna's waist while the other is holding his Master's left arm where the six command seals were located. Each one in the shape of an ouroboros intertwined around each other on the back of his hand and the proof needed that the teen would be a part in the coming war. He knew the first three were for him but to have another three appear truly meant his Master would be dragged into the war instead of hunting down the anomalies bound to appear. Though the thought of summoning another Servant to watch over Tsuna when he couldn't had him smirking at the prospect of a guard dog to watch his Sky.
"Never but I do have one request to make of you."
"And what would that be?" Gil questioned tilting his Master's head up to match his gaze. With the fires raging around them and the building itself quickly falling apart only Gatekeeper and the figure watching from the shadows could hear what Tsuna whispered into his ear.
Author's Notes -
I really wasn't planning on posting this idea any time this month but with Jess playing around its up. I am glad though that people out there like it even if it messes with the pattern I was trying to get into.
In Fate/Zero some of the Masters were chosen a few years before the fighting even began so it's not much of a stretch for them to start being picked two years before canon.
I know your only supposed to have three but Tsuna will have six because he'll be supporting two Servants and like my notes in the first chapter said a few things are going to get butterfly effected with the changes of having a few new players on the board. As for how they'll pull it off it will be the same method Kayneth and Sola used in the Fourth war.
It was going to be in my notes on the first chapter but the Servants won't be the same for most of the Masters since events were changed for four of them.
As for Shirou the idea of him learning runes and the change in his Origin from Sword to Forge came from reading The Obscure Tome by Akallas von Aerok. [Really great story I love reading.] He'll still be Shirou but a more competent Magus and with no Shinji around is still apart of the archery club. I had an idea of making him the second Magus Killer like his old man but discarded the idea in favour of him learning runes. Might change it later since I have one more chapter to go before it catches up with canon but for now it'll stay the way it is.
As for Tsuna's mystic codes Retribution and Penance. Yes they are guns and work as guns but are sort of my play on the Magus Killer's own mystic code. It won't work anything like Kiritsuga's but the Thompson Contender gave me an idea I planned on running with and I'm not going into greater detail until they're actually used. The Tsuna I'm trying to go for doesn't like hurting people or killing but can bluff his way through most things that come his way unless its one of Gil's test or somebody goes after his mother.
I know I promised people I'd work on the stories I marked with an X but I've been a little busy this past month and let Jess work on whatever updates she felt like when she offered to do it for me. I really haven't had that much time to work on the stories I wanted to so sorry in advance but I'm just adding the notes and rewriting a few things for this set of updates.
Response - (Thanks for your reviews.)