THE NEW WORLD – TO BE APPRECIATED
Outside the Himalayas HQ
Tsuna wakes up gently and naturally, the first time he has done so in months. He looks at his watch, it's midday. It is the day after the resistance achieved a permanent source of water and leadership is still required. To that end the boss decides to get up immediately and see what is happening.
The boss walks outside only to be blinded by the sun, he covers his eyes as they adjust to the brightness. The wind howls loudly in his ears as he waits for his vision to improve. In spite of the wind some sounds still reach the ears of the 10th generation boss. Some shouting and some crashing and banging, he recognises the voices that are shouting.
Sure enough when his vision returns to him, Tsuna is confronted with the sight of the storm guardian and officer. Belphegor looks like has just had the chance to clean his clothes for the first time in years, the boss estimates this to be the truth as they have previously had to ration water.
"It will take a lot of work" Gokudera begins, "but together we can pull this off".
"Let's all work hard to surprise the boss" Belphegor adds.
"YES" is the resounding reply from the resistance members. Each one of them works frantically, whether it is chopping wood, carrying packages are fixing things together.
"What are you two up to" Tsuna asks.
Gokudera and Belphegor both spin on their heels and adopt a more conservative posture as they realise that their leader is behind them.
"Didn't you hear 10th" starts Gokudera, "it's a surprise".
Tsuna smiles, "In that case I won't spoil your fun". The Vongola boss looks around, taking in the beautiful scenery. His gaze rests on the mountain, the crater made by Gokudera is beginning to look more and more natural. He judges that it won't be long before Mammon can lower the barrier around the peak without arousing suspicion.
"So where is Haru" the boss questions Gokudera having not seen his child's mother all morning.
"She says she felt like training herself to be more careful with her sword, so she went to help Squalo with the carving" the storm guardian answers with a smile.
"Who is taking care of Juu" Tsuna asks curiously.
Gokudera's whole body appears to shiver as he is questioned by the 10th. He contorts his face in an unnatural manner and speaks through the very edge of his mouth. "Lussuria".
"Why him of all people" shouts the boss.
"You could have asked me, I'm a genius after all" Belphegor goads his rival.
"You aren't a genius and there's no way I would pick you anyway" retorts the father before he turns to his boss, "The choices were this guy, Levi, Lussuria or Xanxus… it wasn't a hard choice".
"Lord Xanxus wouldn't have really used him as spare rations you know" remarks the knife wielder.
"That's enough out of you" the right-hand man shouts.
Tsuna shakes his head, while it is nice to experience the childish banter between the guardian's and the Varia once more listening to these two argue makes your ears hurt quickly.
"Where is Ellen?".
"She is briefing some of the men and women if you want to go see her" Gokudera remarks.
Belphegor points to a small extension of the hideout, "The briefing room is just over there".
Tsuna thanks the duo for their help and for their good work before making his way over to the briefing room. He heads inside and acknowledges the respectful salutes of each and every resistance member he walks past.
Entering the briefing room, the chestnut haired man notes that Ellen is addressing a few men and women just as Gokudera had suggested. They are all stood up in a formal position, presumably Ellen is trying to work military efficiency into them, the boss concludes.
"So I propose we set up watch posts here, here and here" Ellen suggests as she points at a map that has been provided for her, "What do you all think".
Universal agreement is the response, a collection of nods and a few quiet grunts of approval.
Spotting that Tsuna has entered the room, the former soldier quickly reacts in the correct military procedure. "ATTENTION".
The men and women slam their legs together and their gazes are fixed to the front of the room.
Tsuna starts, realising the formal stance is a result of his presence, "Oh, as you were sorry".
"Actually we were just about done anyway" reports the resistance manager, "You guys can go and organise the resources to build these posts".
As the men and women flood out, offering Tsuna greetings ranging from "hello" to "afternoon sir", Ellen makes her way over to the boss slowly but steadily.
"They are an enthusiastic lot" she informs him, "I think they are pretty in awe of the fact that you are Sawada Tsunayoshi".
Tsuna looks out the door that the resistance members just left through, "Who knows what Xanxus has been telling them, they probably think I was the secret reason we avoided the cold war".
Ellen laughs at the suggestion. She understands better than the mafioso why people behave like this. Throughout history there have been many figures who people have greatly relied upon yet never have so many people universally relied upon the same man. Even a religious figure like Jesus only shared his religion with a fraction of the world's population. Even wartime leaders were only in charge of half the warring citizen's but every formerly free human on this planet was depending on the Vongola boss.
"What did you discuss with them" Tsuna smiles inquisitively.
"I went over a set of codes we will use to identify each other, how to classify things, I set them up in ranks and groups" Ellen swings her head side to side to indicate that is just a few of things she has done, "I was organising them to be as effective a military group as possible, tomorrow they are going to set up watch posts".
"Watch posts?".
"They will be on the edge of radio contact range" explains Ellen, "They will reliably be able to alert the HQ if anyone is coming".
"This is all fantastic Ellen, remind when this is all over that the mafia needs more people like you" compliments the boss as he places his hand on his comrade's shoulder.
"I do my best sir".
An Hour Later, The Meeting Room
Tsuna waits in the meeting room as he has been for 10 minutes. The man he has been waiting for arrives in a timely fashion, the Varia leader, the leader of this HQ Xanxus.
"Boss what is this all about, it's not like you to have secret meetings and such" remarks the assassin. Historically Tsuna has refused to keep secrets from his guardians, he preferred to take the darkness into the light than the light into the darkness.
"This meeting isn't really secret, I just wanted to talk to you alone for a moment" Tsuna says as he gestures to the chair opposite his own.
Xanxus takes him up on the offer, smiling as he sits down opposite his boss.
"From what I have seen here" begins Tsuna, "When I think back to the ring conflict the 9th was afraid of several of your traits, now all of those traits are gone. I just wanted to let you know that you are truly mafia now".
Xanxus holds his smile but does his best to sound impatient, "Is that all, come on we have a lot of work to do". Xanxus stands up and makes for the door.
"I've not brought you here simply to compliment you, I have something to inform you of" the Vongola boss declares.
"What is it?".
Tsuna sighs, "There is a good change I will die before this is all over, or maybe that I will have to give my life to kill Honda".
The seated man reaches into his pocket and pulls out a shiny metallic object. The symbolic Vongola ring. He throws this ring gently to Xanxus.
"This is yours" he declares.
"So you want me to choose your successor" concludes the son of the 9th, "Well I suppose now that CEDEF is gone this is the best we can do".
"You are the successor" Tsuna announces without hesitation.
"Without the old rings you don't need the blood of Vongola to be the successor" the boss deduces, "And if you had the attitude you do now all those years ago the 9th wouldn't have hesitated to break the rules, to name you the boss. So I won't hesitate either".
"Congratulations 11th".
Xanxus saunters over to Tsuna and slides the ring onto his finger in a ceremonious manner.
"What are you doing Xanxus?".
"The 11th will only take the ring when the 10th is dead and I haven't seen your corpse yet" remarks the Varia leader.
"Look at that other ring on your finger" he continues, "You and I are both members of the seven great mafioso. Mine shows me to be the leader of the assassins but yours shows you to be the leader of all Mafia. That ring will be passed on to another after you and that certainly won't be me. So until the Mafia leader ring is passed on I won't take the Vongola ring."
Ellen walks in, interrupting the meeting and immediately apologising for doing so. "I'm sorry to interrupt but there is something outside waiting for the two of you".
Outside the Himalayas HQ
Tsuna and Xanxus both stare at the construction before them, the construction that Gokudera and Belphegor have been overseeing. They have created this surprise in only one day, a colossal feat only made possible by their genius and the hard work of the resistance.
"This is…" Tsuna starts.
"A windmill" finishes the Varia leader.
"It's actually a wind turbine" Gokudera corrects as he skews his voice, "It is disguised as a windmill though so I will give you that".
The storm guardian approaches the Varia leader and hands him a large red button, it is large to the level where it wouldn't be out of place in a comedy sketch show.
"Xanxus, when you press the button the lights we have put in the HQ should light up" the engineer declares with confidence.
Xanxus looks to his left, as if a child looking at their parent for instructions.
"What are you waiting for" chuckles Tsunayoshi, "Just push it".
"No need to be sentimental" scoffs Xanxus as he looks at the emotional faces of the resistance members. He takes the button from Gokudera and places his hand on it. The assassin raises his head one more time to look at the men and women who follow him and hesitates when he does so.
'The looks on their faces, I never thought about until Sawada spoke to me earlier' he says to himself, 'But since back then when I first saw his guardians face I realised the difference, respect and not fear'.
'The look on my officers faces, on the faces of all these men and women, it is respect not fear'.
Xanxus once more looks to Tsuna who is still smiling to him. The former is the Varia leader, the first one to work hand in hand with the latter who is the Vongola leader.
'Sawada realised this, that's why he gave me that ring' concludes the scarred assassin, 'You idiots, getting so sentimental over something like pushing a button'.
Xanxus pushes the button with an unusually large smile on his face. His bright expression is complimented by the bright lighting that erupts throughout the HQ and the surrounding area. They have electricity.
"Mission success" Ellen decides, "We have electricity".
"Good work everyone" shouts Gokudera who had a large hand in helping to complete this project. Utilising his engineering skills was of the utmost importance in facilitating this turbines existence.
"And it's all because of my genius" declares Belphegor which draws an angry look from his rival.
"Voi, we've nearly set up permanently now" Squalo shouts despite the leading group all being in close proximity to each other.
"There is only one more thing we really need" decides Gokudera.
Tsuna has to be reminded, "What is that?" he asks.
"The most awkward thing of all, permanent, long range communication".