BECOMING THE BOSS – THE BEST MAN
The Japanese Countryside
The grassy landscape swayed with the wind giving a sense of serenity and peacefulness that spread for miles. The surrounding environment was sparsely dotted with trees shedding their leaves in a way that reflected the season. This is where the Shimon families Suzuki Adelheid and Katou Julie had chosen to watch their boss from.
Julie lay casually in the field, placing his hands behind his head to form a rest. "It's pretty peaceful here, it's quite nice don't you think" asks the desert ring holder.
"Why don't you take some interest in Enma's training" Adelheid replies with a demanding tone.
Adelheid didn't copy Julie's posture, instead she stood proudly, watching over her boss training in the adjacent field. If Enma could learn the ultimate flame it would be the pride of the family, had such a thing ever been done before outside of the Vongola family?
The peace which Julie talked about was very calming but only when it went uninterrupted. The interruption that caused a stir amongst the local wildlife came whenever Enma tried to use the ultimate flame. His lack of ability to control the flame not only resulted in occasional flame explosions but also heat that could be felt even by Adelheid and Julie.
"Incredible" comes a voice from behind the duo. The voice belonged to Sawada Tsunayoshi, the next boss of an allied family.
Accompanying Tsuna was the forest guardian, Aoba Koyo. "Well he is our boss, in the end". Koyo lead Tsuna here after the latter came to the Shimon Family headquarters looking for Enma.
Power began to surge around Enma at this moment. The dying will flame had clearly not fully formed but it was the basis of the ultimate flame. Small wisps of fire spread around Enma's body in all directions, not just on his forehead.
Seeing that his student was struggling to maintain the flame and was panicking as a result, Reborn intervenes. "You need to keep calm Enma".
After having a brief conversation with Adelheid about improving the relationship between the two families, it was at that moment that Tsuna approached his practicing ally.
"Tsuna?" Enma stars in surprise as he sees his friend nearby. The lack of concentration causes the wisps of dying will flame to lose their density, heading away from Enma's body instead of around it. The dying will flame explodes.
Quickly in reaction to the explosion before him, Tsuna enters hyper dying will mode and uses 'serenity edition', creating a shield to protect himself and Reborn from the blast.
"Sorry Enma, I shouldn't have distracted you like that" offers Tsuna as he puts his shield away.
"It's OK, nobody was hurt" replies Enma, unhurt as the flame exploded away from him.
"What brings you here Tsuna?" asks Reborn, quickly changing the subject despite the near fatal incident.
"I came looking for you two" Tsuna informs his tutor as if it wasn't obvious. "Koyo brought me here to see you, what are you two doing here anyway?".
"Enma is my new student" Reborn explains.
"Really" Tsuna excitedly asks, "Congratulations Enma, he's not too bad as a tutor".
"I'm getting that impression" Enma smiles. Reborn has a reputation as a tutor. It had been a few years before the Arcobaleno was confident to teach mafia bosses though. Since taking up the most important teaching job in the world the two students Reborn had taken were Dino of the Chiavarone and Tsuna of the Vongola. The child had quickly become known for producing exceptional students.
"Anyway Reborn, I am here to ask you, will you be my best man" Tsuna sincerely requests. The Hitman Tutor had accompanied him for many years and deserved credit for turning his life around, asking him was the obvious choice.
"No" says Reborn.
"EHHH, what do you mean no" Tsuna yells after not considering this outcome.
"Reborn isn't that a bit harsh" starts Enma. "We're going to the wedding anyway aren't we".
"Of course we are" replies Reborn, "But it would be too much of a cop out if you chose me".
"You're a funny one to talk about cop outs, you used a dying will bullet whenever I couldn't solve a problem" sighs Tsuna.
Resorting to his other choice Vongola 10th turned to Shimon 10th, "Then Enma, would you please…".
"He's too busy training to write any speeches" interrupts Reborn, switching his considerations from his role as Tsuna's tutor to his role as Enma's tutor.
Tsuna looked dejected after that, thinking finding a best man would be easier for someone who's job revolves around wearing a suit. "I will go find someone else then" he mutters before walking off with his head hanging.
"You never let him have it easy do you Reborn" observes the red haired boss.
"Of course not, even now he is a student of mine" explains the Arcobaleno, "Speaking of which, get back to work, we have to make you immune to distractions in the future.
The Japanese Varia HQ
Sawada Tsunayoshi had decided to come to the Varia HQ after his discussion with Enma and Reborn. Last year Tsuna would have never considered that he could have casually entered this building. Formerly the members of the Varia all considered him to be 'trash' as Xanxus put it, but now they looked at him fondly and called him boss, a title that showed he had earnt their respect.
"The boss is here" yells Lussuria so as to alert the entire assassination squad.
"Hello Lussuria" smiles Tsuna before politely enquiring, "How are you?".
"I'm fantastic boss" answers the sun attribute user.
"You're being rather flamboyant too" notes Tsuna, it's no surprise, Lussuria is known for being flamboyant at all times. "I would like to speak to Xanxus".
The boss' request caused five people to emerge from the shadows, Levi, Belphegor, Squalo, Mammon and his teacher, Xanxus.
"What is it you want" Xanxus asks without waiting for introductions, "An assassination?".
"No" replies Tsuna, struggling to believe he will ever order anything such as that. "I want you to be my best man".
"How desperate are you" questions Xanxus, not sounding enthusiastic about the role, "Why don't you ask that Enma guy, or Reborn?".
"They were both busy" Tsuna says still seeming rather disgruntled about it.
"I don't think the Varia is the best place to find a best man" replies Xanxus, being unusually considerate of how much the assassination squad sticks out in public. "Go to CEDEF, I'm sure someone there will do it".
"Of course" yells Tsuna, just realising the options available to him.
Tsuna used the nearest phone to make call to his old friend Basil. Basil had helped him to achieve the zero-point breakthrough all those years ago, the young Italian had stuck by him through thick and thin. Iemitsu's student, someone who the Sawada family had always treated as one of their own.
Tsuna welcomed Basil over the phone and discussed how things were going at CEDEF. It was the plan of CEDEF to move to Japan soon, the Varia had already moved and the external division would be the last major movement from Italy to the Vongola's new home country.
Tsuna felt uncomfortable as he realised the Varia members were all staring at him talking on the phone, listening in complete silence. "So will you be my best man" he asks over the phone.
"I would be honoured Tsuna" declares Basil.
"Thank you" the 10th sighs in relief. "I will send you all the details by email".
"I would be very grateful for that" says Basil. Basil had been in Japan but a few weeks ago, he was helping the 9th organise the transition in power to the 10th. It's only now that the 10th CEDEF boss realises he should have asked about the arrangements at the time.
"Oh and be careful in your speech, remember Mrs Chrome doesn't know that we're mafia" hurries the elder Sawada brother.
"We work in a call centre if I remember correctly" says Basil in a way such that Tsuna knows he is smiling.
"Exactly" says Tsuna.
"I will have to practice my Japanese accent it seems" laughs Basil.
A Tailor Shop, Tokyo
Yamamoto Takeshi struggled through a horde of people screaming, demanding an autograph or a conversation with the baseball superstar. This was much to the amusement of the child who had gone shopping with him, the younger Sawada brother Lambo.
"Now I know how Senior Sasagawa feels all the time" he complains.
"Lambo would have preferred a suit with more white mixed in with the black" moans the child, changing the subject from Yamamoto's troublesome celebrity status.
"I think your suit fits Tsuna's taste more" laughs Yamamoto as he raises his hand to the rear of his head.
"If that's what brother wants that's how Lambo will turn up" says Lambo with an unusual look of determination in his eyes.
"Good work Lambo" smiles the rain guardian before he suddenly stops in his tracks.
"Lambo feels something strange approaching" announces the thunder guardian.
"Yeah" stammers Yamamoto. Something strange approaching is a huge understatement. Whatever is approaching is enough to make Yamamoto take notice, whatever the source of this feeling is, it's dangerous.
"What do you think is going on" Yamamoto asks of his mentor.
"I don't know, but it doesn't feel like the dying will flame is the source of this power" answers Byakuran, sharing his student's alarm.
"Then how are we able to sense it" questions the swordsman.
"Perhaps it is some other source of great power" answers the deceased Millefiore boss.
"You mean there are more sources than just the dying will flame" asks Yamamoto.
"Possibly, we need to investigate, let's go" orders Byakuran.
The Millefiore Headquarters
Yuni and Dokuro had just returned from dress shopping and were sitting down drinking some tea. Yuni was particularly inquisitive about her friend's time in Italy with Tsuna. The two women were rather naïve about the world despite their positions of great power, they had made decisions that could move countries but actually going there on holiday was more interesting to the two of them.
Dokuro suddenly stood up and looked behind her. "Do you…" she begins.
"Yes, this feeling, I've never felt anything like it before" replies Yuni, looking in the same direction as Dokuro, her focus not wavering for a second.
Dokuro closed her eyes and expanded her senses, attempting to find out whatever she could about the source of this power. Opening her eyes again she declared the results of her investigation. "I don't sense any Vongola reinforcements in the immediate area, if this is an enemy we are alone".
Ganma ran in to confirm the suspicions of the duo. "We have to get out of here" he yelled to the two women. Panic written all over his face.
"Ganma, calm down, what is going on" asks Yuni.
"A man with demonic strength is walking right through our defences" explains the influential Millefiore member.
"How could this be?" questions the Arcobaleno leader, not believing that anybody could just stroll through their defences.
"There is already no hope for escape, he is heading this way" declares Dokuro as she summons her trident, the weapon that she and Mukuro shared a liking for.
"Then we will hold our ground" Ganma responds, trusting the judgement of the Vongola families mist guardian.
"I'm not sure what good we can do, but we at least have to hold out until Tsuna gets here".
The Japanese Countryside
As Reborn and Enma continue the training another guest is brought to them. It is the first of the three students trained by Reborn, the bucking bronco, Dino. Dino watches in astonishment as Enma shows the starting of the ultimate dying will flame.
"Ah, it's Dino" Enma notices, the difference between now and before though is that Enma manages to maintain his flame.
"It's good to see you are making progress" smiles Dino. "Remember, now that we are sibling students you can come to me with any worries".
"I can?" says Enma.
Dino continues to smile as he explains, "Yourself, Tsuna and I are the exclusive three members of an elite club".
"Though you're the weak one" Reborn emphasises.
"So rude" tuts the Chiavarone boss, "Anyway if you need anything I'm here".
Suddenly the conversation was interrupted as the three of them look in the direction of Tokyo. Something was coming from that direction, something none of them could identify.
"This is…" mutters Enma.
"Well whatever it is it can't be good" concludes Dino as he subconsciously reaches for his whip.
"We are heading that direction right now" Reborn orders.
"Mr Reborn?" prompts Enma, looking for more explanation from his tutor.
"We don't know where Tsuna is so we can't take any chances" suggests the Arcobaleno, "Until the boss comes back, we are assuming command of this situation".
The Sasagawa Family House
"You actually expect me to go to his wedding" screams Kyoko who is on the verge of pulling her hair out.
"I was only offering, it could be the next stage in moving on" shouts Ryohei, not wanting to be outdone by his sister's attempt to raise the volume.
At that moment they both looked towards the Millefiore headquarters.
"We should go" Ryohei says, lowering his voice and turning towards the door.
"Yeah" concludes Kyoko as she hurries after her brother.
Gokudera's House
"Like hell am I going to meet my parents again" yells Haru, "Nor am I going to Tsuna's wedding".
"You should take your frustrations out on me, not the 10th" Gokudera yells back, thinking about his former girlfriend is always excessive when she is being unreasonable. "He is still your boss isn't he?".
"Bana is my boss" returns Haru, maintaining her loyalty towards her saviour.
Suddenly Hibari entered the house uninvited. The cloud guardian displayed the same emotionless facial expression as always before he turned his back on the arguing couple. "If you two would focus for a moment an emergency has come up".
It was at the mention of this emergency that Haru and Gokudera's heads both noticeably twitched as they sensed the ominous power.
"Let's go" suggests the policeman as he runs towards the source of power.