G8659 & 27 & Fon SHORT-STORY ~ IMPERSONATED DAY
Anime Arc: Inheritance Arc, Ep.182 | Theme: Anime Scene Complement
NAMIMORI STREETS, DAY OF STORM INHERITANCE TEST
"How about considering it enough?" Fon smiles composedly to G. "You should be able to understand how strong is their bond, now. Recklessness and naivety are necessary at times. Weren't you the same, at some point?"
"Humph…" G. can't hide a self-mocking smile at having to drop the role and explain his test to Gokudera and Tsuna who keep on listening with gaping faces. "You can't serve as a Right-Hand Man without the complete trust of the Boss. If your bond is firm, you can face whatever enemy may come."
Gokudera's eyes widen gradually of surprise and understanding at hearing the words of the First Generation Storm Guardian.
"Defeat the enemy with a relentless stream of attacks that never falters. In other words, protect your allies with everything you've got. This is the essence of the Guardian of the Storm Ring."
Gokudera's expression tightens into the same determination of usual as G.'s words sip into him, reaffirming his resolve and duty.
"Always at the centre of attacks, the f… GYAAAH!"
SCRATCH. Uri jumps off from Gokudera's face to land in the arms of the one who has just arrived by his side after having thrown the mean of her revenge on him.
"Good boy, Uri! Very-good-desu!" Haru pats the Storm Animal thankfully.
"OY, Stupid Woman?! What the heck are you doing here?! I was saying something very impo…! W-what…?!"
Gokudera interrupts himself at being stared at really really closely by a pair of big distrusting chestnut eyes.
"Weird-desu… Gokudera-san is definitely the same Aho as usual now, but… but this morning… this morning, it was…"
FLASHBACK ~Earlier the same day~
"I shall buy you some time. Do what you wish to do."
"Then I'll get started."
And G. under Gokudera's disguise leaves Fon behind at the park where the real Gokudera is still searching for Uri amidst bushes.
While reviewing mentally what a day as Decimo's Right Hand Man should be, the first step is more obvious than ever: fetching Decimo at his home to walk together to school. Of course the Sky Arcobaleno missy staying at Decimo's home should be able to see through his disguise, but as it is not her objective to hinder the trials, it can be assumed she'll keep quiet about it.
BAM. Lost in his thoughts, G./Gokudera momentarily forgets that he now has the body substance of a human quite smaller than his usual stature, and he bumps into someone else when passing down a crossroad.
"I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't paying attention and…"
TILT. G. freezes slightly.
This tiny soft hand in his that he had held out to allow the person to get back on her feet, why is it hardening between his fingers…
G./Gokudera raises his eyes and meet with a pair of stunned chestnut eyes, familiar chestnut eyes.
Dannato (Ita. damn)… Isn't she…
"G…okudera…-san…?"
G./Gokudera recovers at the call and swiftly pulls on Haru's hand to lift her on her feet. A faint bow of apologies along with a polite morning enquiry, and G./Gokudera is left with no other choice than walking down Namimori's streets along someone he'd rather have avoided.
After an entire week spent observing the Tenth Generation, he knows enough about the teenage girl walking by his side to feel that she is one of the few who might see the difference between him and the real Gokudera, in other words, a threat for his mission today. On the other hand, her status in the Tenth's Family is such that it can only make him want and behave the proper way with her.
"… ano… G-Gokudera-san…?" "Hum, what is it?" "I mean, hum… Haru can carry her own bag, you know…"
G./Gokudera shoots a glance down at the second school bag he's still carrying after having picked it up from the ground after their collision.
"It is no big deal. I will carry it for you." He says with poise, not planning on letting a girl part of the Tenth Generation Family dirtying her hands with a bag that had become dusty because of him.
"N-no but wait! Listen to Haru!" She rants as something unusually hot runs to her cheeks as she stares at the calm and caring green eyes gazing at her, "And why are you walking Haru until my school? Where is Tsuna-san? Why are y-you with Haru in-instead of…?" "The 10th left for school already." "I-I see…" "Careful."
BAM. In the blink of an eye, G./Gokudera's arm has surrounded Haru to pull her to him while his other hand is blocking a soccer ball lost in perdition after a missed kick from grade-schoolers playing in the streets before school.
"Uwaaah! Sorry sorry sorry!" The kids arrive in panic to pick up the ball and bow in fear of G./Gokudera's deep frown.
"Ah, Gokudera-san! They didn't do it on purpose so don't shout at…" "Here, your ball." "Eh?" "Kids, I'll let you off as long as you'll always remember to take good care of this girl here. So, do we have a deal?"
G./Gokudera smiles faintly, shadowingly but connivingly, and it makes the children drop their frightened air for an admiring one.
"Ooh! Kakkoi niichan! Sure, sure! We promise!"
Haru hasn't defrosted yet by the time the kids have run off with a proud grin and wave for G./Gokudera.
"Shall we go? Your school bell rings fifteen minutes before Namimori Middle School, right?" G./Gokudera asks rhetorically while throwing both schoolbags over his shoulder again and resuming his walk.
Haru follows awkwardly until reaching her school gates, shared between ranting and surrendering to this eerie new sensation making her cheeks feel hotter than usual.
Just why is Gokudera-san looking so calm and mature today, even speaking so politely to her… Just why is Gokudera-san so attentive to her today, even letting her walk on the inside so that other passer-by won't bump into her… Just why is Gokudera-san so aggravating today, even making her heart skip a beat when he brushes her cheek to clean off a bread crumb from breakfast from her face before leaving for Namimori Middle School…
"Have a good day." G./Gokudera smiles calmly and handsomely before walking away from Midori school gates, unaware that many pairs of eyes are still following dazedly after him, including a pair of wavering chestnut ones.
Just why…
END OF FLASHBACK
"Oy, Stupid Woman! What do you mean not as usual?! And this morning?! Arrrhh, wait! Damn! Don't tell me you were fooled by that guy as well?!" "Ahiii?"
Following Gokudera's gaze, Haru's eyes end up on the tall ethereal silhouette of G.
"Ahiii?! W-h-wh-why…?! Why is there someone looking just like Gokudera-san?! Doppleganger-desu?!" Haru mumbles while clenching to Gokudera to try and check if this one is real or not.
"Is your brain damn retarded or what?! How are we looking alike?!" "Of-course-desu!" "Don't of-course me, damn it! He doesn't look like me, it's just an illusion he took today to look like me, got it, you Stupid Woman?! And no, wait, more importantly, you WERE fooled by him?! What did he do to you?!"
"We meet again, it seems." G. bows faintly while taking momentarily back the appearance of Gokudera he had borrowed for the day.
"Aah! The strange polite dreamy gentleman Gokudera-san!" Haru points with a gaping face.
G. smiles amusedly at the remembrance and dispels the disguise before shooting a provocative glance at Gokudera whose expression has twisted into exasperated resentment again, despite his efforts to contain it.
"I suppose you do you want me to ask this girl as well what she feels about my performance today?" "D-drop the damn joke now! And what do you mean tod… OY, Stupid Woman! You said dreamy?! What the heck is that about?!" "Don't shout at Haru, you Aho!" "You're the stupid one if you mistook that weird guy with me! What dreamy?!" "Buuh! Don't call Haru stupid! Of course Haru felt it was weird! Definitely not like the usual Gokudera-san! Awkward-desu!" "Not… the… usual… guuh…" "It appears that on top of not being a reliable Right-Hand Man, you're also unable to treat girls properly, humph…" "Ano, G. … could you give Gokudera-kun a break, maybe… I mean…"
But Tsuna's request ends up lost in one of Gokudera and Haru umpteenth bickering fight, G. himself barely managing to slip a word or two here and there to animate the whole.
"Oy, Stupid Woman! What did you damn do?!" "Haru didn't do anything! It's Gokudera-san's fault for being so mean usually!" "WHAT?! Take back your damn words! I'm not being mean, and why should I care about anyone's opinion except for the 10th's?!" "Haru only said dreamy because this person was nice to Haru! A true gentleman-desu! Completely not like you Aho!" "A-ah?!" "Girls deserve kindness. It's a basic." "Yare yare, pouring oil on the fire… Does he like provoking his successor so much…?" "G.! Just what exactly did you damn do?!" "… and just why is this one so easy to jump on the bait, sigh…" "Buuh, stop ignoring Haru and venting on other people! Don't get angry at people just because they're nicer and more kakkoi than you!"
The last comment has made Gokudera swallow back his words and all the prior frustration of not being up to the task as a Right-Hand Man rushes back at full throttle for seemingly not even being up to the task as a Man.
"He protected Haru, you know, and cared for Haru, you know, and even… even…"
Haru herself gradually turns silent at remembering the crazy beating of her heart on morning, when a pair of green eyes had met with hers amidst a soft smile. Unconsciously, her cheeks start burning up again and she lowers her eyes to try and hide her expression.
"And I even made her blush and feel for me. Here, see the difference between the one who should be caring for others first and you who just follows your own whims…? How hard do you think you'll have to try before you manage to protect your nakamas properly?" "… ugh." "G. That's…!" "That's not true!"
TILT. All turn to Haru who has just interrupted and is now walking towards G. with an angry pout, agitating her finger under his nose in a lecturing pose.
"It's definitely not true! Gokudera-san is annoying but is always protecting Haru somehow! So don't speak bad about him! Also, if Haru blushed for you today, it's only because you had Gokudera-san appearance! Thief-desu! Usurpator-desu! Even if he's an aho, Gokudera-san is a hundred times better than a dishonest liar like you. Because he'll always be here for Tsuna-san, because he'll always save Haru when I am in trouble, because he'll always care for the children even if he shouts at them, Gokudera-san is a hundred, a thousand times better than you! That's why Haru loves Gokudera-san the way he is!"
A long moment of silence falls, everyone trying to process Haru's long tirade – including Haru herself. Her expression suspends as her fingers quietly retracts from her accusatory pose, trying to assemble her thoughts together to realise what she has just said.
"A… hi…? H-Haru said… l… l-l-love…?"
Another heavy silence falls, during which Haru because gradually redder and redder, until reaching the point of scarlet no-return and turning heels to run away at full speed.
"Ah, Haru!" Tsuna reacts first, but she has already become a tiny silhouette distancing itself more and more.
BAM. A red Storm Flame comes and kick Gokudera in the back, propelling him after the runaway girl.
"A-aouch, what the heck is that?! Damn! Aouch! Damn it, forget about that annoying guy! Hey, wait, Stup… I mean, wait, Haru! I said wait, for Hell's sake!"
"Humph…" G.'s lips stretch in an amused smile as he sees his successor disappear at a crossroad.
"… let's say I didn't hear or see anything…" Tsuna heaves a deep sigh while massaging his head, having rarely felt so awkward in a while.
"Decimo." "G.?" "If you're concerned about the inheritance, please don't be." "Ah…? Aah, true!"
MEANWHILE, AT RUNNING SPEED AMIDST NAMIMORI'S STREETS
"I said WAIT, damn it!" Gokudera is panting angrily while chasing after a familiar silhouette.
GLING. A red box in the inner pocket of his vest has just finished glowing from the Storm Flame it had received – along the kicking flame – as proof for passing the Inheritance test.
BACK BEHIND
"It was a good job, G.." Giotto's ethereal silhouette smiles with poise as G. joins him on the ridge of a roof from where the First Generation Guardians are watching divertingly the scene.
"Just been doing my job." G. answers composedly while landing like a feather on the tiles, before averting his eyes from his Boss to gaze after a silver-haired silhouette running at full speed down the streets, chasing after another tiny blushing silhouette.
G. heaves a deep sigh while massaging his neck, unable to stand the sight.
"Tsk, this kid not only brings trouble to Decimo despite their bond, but also doesn't act worthy of his lover either…" He grumbles before turning his back to the romantic pursuit.
"Well, that does remind me of someone as well, doesn't it…?" Giotto chuckles knowingly with a crooked glance for his Right-Hand Man.
"O-oy… Th-that's not what you… th-think… really, it's… dannato, just spare me, Primo…" G. averts his eyes with a guilty blush, trying really hard not to get the hint.
"Could it be that you spent time with this wilful signorina this morning because she happened to remind you of someone as well?" Giotto's teasing yet poised voice comes and agitates G. ears, making them glow redder and redder.
"O-of course not…" G. rants while turning away and crossing his arms in front of his chest, "Just how is that brat's lover similar to Cerelia?! She lacks the blunt honesty and stubborn spirit and complete recklessness when escaping home from the balcony, and even her expression when pouting is different, and also she lacks this idiotic taste for minstrel costumes and troubadours, and…"
"Heehee, I see, I see… So similar, indeed… Speaking about it, G., did you know that both signorina's names meant 'Spring'…?" Giotto smiles mysteriously, not the least rebuffed by his Right-Hand Man denial, "And did you know that, for a Boss, one of our dearest wishes is for our Family is for it to grow lovingly… is for our loyal men to find someone to live for… is for Spring to come for our Right-Hand."
oOo
NEW = side-story about G. and Cerelia s/10546320/1/5986-Primo-Generation-COLORE