Prepare for Battle

Training continued.

The park, by the fountain...

'OK~! Everyone ready~?'

'Yes~!'

Hevn, Himiko, Ginji, Tsunade and even Juubei raised their hands and answered back like kids.

Ban was still trying to stack eggs, having pulled an all nighter.

'Then on your marks, get set...GO!' they all jumped into the water.

This earned them 'WTH?' 'WTF?' and 'What're they thinking?' looks from passers-by.

'Mommy I wanna do that!' said a boy to his mother.

'You can do that in our bath tub at home sweetheart.'

'That's bigger than our tub.'

'And that's dirty with icky moss and whatever bugs in there you could get sick, so no.'

'They did it though.'

'They're idiots and my cute widdle Shouta is no idiot.'

That shut her son up.

From afar on a park bench were two old men.

'Swimming in a park fountain?'

'Young'ins these days...it sure ain't like the old days.'

Back to the group...

'Go! Go! Go! You can do it!' Maria cheered, waving a pair of maracas around.

After a few seconds, they got up.

'BAAAAH!'

Tsunade was NOT wet at all, Ginji only had a bit of his hair wet, Juubei looked like he dunked his head in water, while Himiko and Hevn are soaked...or so it looked.

'Tsunade-chan's a perfect score!' Maria squealed, glomping the girl who blushed since...how long has it been since her last hug by a mother figure and praised by one?

She was severely affected by this parental gesture and looked ready to cry.

Maria, oblivious of this was praising Ginji next.

'Gin-chan's 95%!' she waved Ginji about with strength nobody'd think a granny would have. 'Juubei-kun 93%!'

'I'm doing it again!' and Juubei jumped back in.

'Jeez, only my underwear escaped!' Hevn whined as her lingerie's dry, everything is wet.

'My upper half's done for, at least not my waist-down and shoes.' Himiko griped, squeezing her top dry nevermind showing bits of her breasts in public.

Ban was worse than Hevn, completely soaked and even carrying the park koi somehow.

'Oh my, what a bad boy Ban, you're completely soaked!' Maria giggled, amused. 'Oh, I see one strand of hair that's not wet, your grade is 1%...'

Juubei got back up.

'Oh, 95% this time Juubei-kun~'

Juubei jumped back in until he's no longer wet.

'My my, you should learn from him, Juubei's such a good boy~' Maria pouted at Ban. 'Everyone, try improving your dunking grade, Tsunade-chan no need.'

Tests went on.

Gambling wherein Himiko and Tsunade MUST appear as adults wearing fancy dresses before they could play, and everyone must play believing they can win in gambling.

Tsunade had to look into the future just so she'd know what they'd look like as adults and she used a full-body mirror to show Himiko what she'd look like.

This show however, unknown to the others, greatly relieved Ban and Maria...considering what Himiko was, if Tsunade can see Himiko's future as an adult...

Tsunade and Ginji were the only ones to hit the motherlode and the others were stumbling, being new to gambling. Ban's luck sucks.

Boiling Water drinking...Ban's mouth was scorched, Hevn, Himiko and Juubei was utterly disgusted in drinking hot water hot enough for tea.

Fresh water only feels and tastes great when cold after all.

Horse-Racing with outrageous bets...walking on a string...getting marbles in an aquarium full of leeches, bathing in boiling water...the tests got more and more scary for a week until eventually...

In the streets...

'OK, time for the Final Exam!' Maria chirped as they were in the streets. 'You're all sooo talented! Looks like everyone but Ban is getting the hang of it!'

'Maybe you should sit this one out Mido.' Juubei quipped, 'And leave the mission to us.'

'Shuddup!'

'Now, shall we awaken the step wherein you'll fully awaken as Dominators?'

'Yeees!'

'What do we do here, shisho?' Juubei asked her, awaiting orders eagerly as they were nearing mastery.

Maria took out long strips of cloth.

'Everyone, please put on these blindfolds~' said Maria as she took out a card. 'And now I pull out this card Magic Cape, so normal people can't see you.'

'Ah, its like my Invisibility Scent.' Himiko recalled she had one as she saw the resemblance of effects.

'Yup! So now the people driving cars can't see you.'

Awkward silence...

"D-does that mean...?"

Before Hevn, Himiko and Juubei freaked in terror as Maria confirmed the damning suspicion by saying, '-and now you'll walk this street blindfolded!'

'W-we'll get hit by the cars!'

Ginji was utterly nonchalant by now, fully-confident of himself.

'Ginji-kun.' Maria handed a blindfold to Ginji which he took with a confident smile.

'H-hey Gin-' Ban choked out in worry as this one test is no joke.

Maria inwardly sighed.

Really, after all of Ginji's feats he can't even believe in his partner for this?

While she's fine with Ban being stubborn for himself, she draws the line in lack of faith in his colleagues's progress in witchcraft when he really shouldn't talk as even Hevn was better than he was.

Tsunade sensed she was annoyed.

'Be quiet and watch, Ban.' she said firmly in a tone that broke no argument that shut him up.

Everyone watched in bated breath as Ginji took his first step on the asphalt, and walked forward...and the cars only brushed past him, never hitting him and got on the other side.

'I did it!' he cheered. 'C'mon guys!'

'I'll sit this one out.' said Tsunade with a smile. 'I can cross the street blindfolded even without my card.'

'That's true~maybe Ban should sit this one out.'

'Shuddup!'

'Alright! Mastery is at hand!' Juubei grinned confidently.

'Me too!' well, with a taste of power, Hevn was confident of her success rate.

'I'm doing it too!' Himiko wrapped her eyes up.

Ban did as well and they all crossed the street.

However, when a boy came...

So did Dino who swept past in high speed and knocked the boy out with a chop.

'Eh?' Maria and Tsunade turned to see Dino behind them with a kid...holding a card.

'Phew, I made it...' he gasped out. 'I tracked you guys down and saw this kiddie try to curse you guys.'

'Aaand you got one of our targets to boot!' Tsunade chirped. 'One down, four more to go!'

'But still, I never thought I could run that fast though. I researched mythology and why not give it a go?'

'Odin's Steed, the mythical horse Sleipnir...the greatest of all mythological horses.' Maria smiled. 'Good job on using your powers as Odin's Steed.'

'Yeah, I tried training more too...crossing a deadly chasm blindfolded, bullets bouncing off me and no blade pierced my body, finishing all my paperwork without a mistake and without falling victim to tiny-footnote-prints, rooting out spies in my organization with hardcore proof and hiring formidable loyal replacements, not getting crushed by a truck and even managing not to be clumsy without my men for once...I think I gave my boys nightmares for days.' Dino used his powers to bring prosperity to the Cavallone House with more deeds and had Romario enact them all while he was out here though he was present with recruitment of highly-skilled and talented individuals into his famiglia. What he's done, was sufficient to quadruple his current wealth and to think he was already third richest and strongest in the Vongola Alliance when Reborn left him!

But there was a time when he sensed he must stop using witch powers to further do the impossible. His cards warned him so he stopped with what he currently has and only a few people knew what exactly he did and kept quiet since the prosperity they enjoyed was a boost in their monthly paycheck and that meant happier wife and kids back home, as well as happier men with more money to burn. The last he did was inquire how to maintain his newly-gained status until he dies, passing on the torch to his kid.

'Now that's an idea...' Maria frowned thoughtfully.

xxx

In a chapel...

'Odin's Steed is back and has captured Gabriel.' said bandana boy. 'Didn't he quit?'

'...for all his abilities, he's no match for a newbie?' said cap boy.

'At any rate he is compromised but he must come back...he knows what will happen if he fails to return.' said the lone girl.

'He must return...no matter what.' said earrings-boy darkly. 'For there's a fate that awaits deserters.' he said. 'The units are in motion.'

They all prepared their cards.

'Who wants to take on the youngest?' the girl asked, looking into her cards. 'The strongest is the Flames of Heaven. Its only fitting our strongest angel must go.'

'Flames of Heaven...she's formidable right at the start.' said the earrings boy seriously. 'I'll take her on. Who wants Lightning Lord, the second strongest and Odin's Steed the third strongest?'

'What about the others?' bandana boy asked.

'They're weak, its up to the rest of us to dispose of them. Master of Strings is recently perfected isn't he?' earrings boy asked him.

'Hound of Hades really wants that guy...' the girl squealed giddily. 'Can't blame him! How can a beautiful guy exist? I never thought beautiful men can exist!' she gushed out. 'He doesn't have muscles at all and...how'd he have legs even a model would kill to have?'

'Er...he's a homo?' bandana boy piped up.

The other kids paused.

'...let's not think about that, my fellow archangels...' earrings boy coughed awkwardly. 'Such unbecoming issues is unbecoming of us, we should be way better than that. Prepare for battle. Let there be glory to us all and pray for Gabriel to return home. Remiel, your nose is bleeding.'

'Huh? It is?' the girl called Remiel blinked. 'Sorry...' she wiped herself clean.

'Maybe you should have that checked out.' said cap boy worriedly. 'Its getting chilly now that summer's over and that dress don't help matters.'

'I don't want to get rid of this dress, its what Lord Lucifer gave me when I became Remiel but I'll go see the doctor...'

xxx

'Wah, isn't that Ten-Yen-kun?' Ginji crowed as Dino got back, and saving them from being cursed.

'He's one of the kids we gotta get back.' said Ban.

'There's four more in our list.' said Hevn. 'The ones I got are older ones.'

'Me too...they're originally mine and Kazuki's job.' said Himiko. 'One down, a few more to go, huh?'

Ten-Yen-kun was knocked out on bed.

They're all in Maria's resthouse protected by a barrier.

'Yup, its him.' said Dino. 'I managed to get away after formalities are done and Romario's covering my back.' he said. 'Nooow what do we do?'

'I'm keeping him here of course, and convince him that the way he does is a no-go and talk to him.' said Maria. 'By the way, let's try crossing chasms and getting run over by trucks!'

'HUUUUH?!'

'If I can do it, so can you you know.' said Dino wryly. 'Bullets from all types of guns, being stabbed, struck by blunt weaponry, finishing my paperwork with no mistakes and even getting promoted, eating poison that passes out harmlessly...' the last two was a lie of course. It was just to spook the others.

'Let's try let's try! Ooh I know! Since I live by the sea, try walking on water like Jesus!' Maria squealed.

'...'

'Well, Dino graduates.' Tsunade smiled in her declaration. 'Ginji-san and Juubei are full-graduates too while everyone has good marks.'

'Let's celebrate!'

xxx

That night...

'Dino...the last two are a lie, right?' Tsunade asked as they sat by the edge of the cliff not far from Maria's house. 'You're your own boss and how come the Vindice hasn't showed up yet? Blood Tests don't take that long.'

'I had to tell them you're on a job.'

'Ah...'

'Well, this power is amazing...I managed to quadruple my famiglia's wealth, did some house cleaning and hired highly-skilled people to replace the moles I found...I'm now the second-richest in the alliance.' Dino grinned. 'Everyone was wondering how the hell I did it. I earned a lot of jealous enemies now so I need training tips for my men. My prosperity has consequences and we all knew it but we wouldn't trade it for the world. I had to stop because my cards warned me and I realized what my supernatural jump brought me.'

'Sou ne...eventually you'll threaten Vongola with your incredible jump in power and those old fogeys won't like it.' Dino shuddered at her knowing smile.

'Yup. I backed out and listened to my cards.' he said with a cringe. 'If I jump in wealth further, Vongola will call me into inquiry if they feel threatened...I'm rich but I lack in security which they have in spades since when my famiglia was about to go bankrupt and dad overworking to keep everyone afloat, most of our 'power' left us for ahem, greener pastures.' out of spite, Dino did not hire them back!

'Ah...it doesn't help that their security is vulnerable cuz' they have no more heirs no?'

'Yeah. Have you seen your future more?'

'Yeah. Dino...' Tsunade looked troubled that worried him. 'My future is a Mafia Boss, but of what, I refused to see because I refused to accept that future for myself.' she told him in a choke. 'I'm happy with my life here. I'm with my family and friends, that's all I need. Is it because I'm a Sky I became a Mafia Boss? You were there too giving me advice. We're allies which is what I'm happy about but I'd rather go Freelancing. You can even hire me if you like.'

'If I did, that means risking you becoming the Sky Arcobaleno by whoever chooses them if they see how pure your flames are if I had you work for me in Italy.' said Dino. 'Your lifespan will be pitifully short when you could have had a long happy life. I don't want you to step foot in Italy as everyone knows who Skies are there and everyone in our society all over the globe is recorded. You're under the Radar of the Vindice which helps keep you safe. While I'm happy we're allies since I got to know you, its not worth losing 3/4 of your life for. Being an Arcobaleno...cursed infants is just not worth it. You're definitely a shoo-in for the post.'

'...'

'Think on it, OK?'

'...'

'I guess I can't give you the gift I have in mind if it'll put you at risk on being possibly a candidate for that post.' Tsunade sighed. 'Dino...I know why you're clumsy.'

'Huh?'

'Its not your fault just as its not my fault when I was a kid I was clumsy too and can't remember anything new. At least your intelligence was not compromised unlike mine.' Tsunade gave him her card. 'Look at your future. Particularly the future of your 32nd year of life. From start to finish.'

'Eh?' Dino focused into her card to see his future...he looked for the truth of her vague words...and he saw it.

A diary when he was out cleaning one day.

He got curious and read his mother's diary.

Her grandmother was friends with a Sky Arcobaleno before he was succeeded by Luce and learned what it meant to be one and how one is picked. They were THAT close of friends she was privileged with that secret.

Dino was born with Fiamma Purita of 720.886.

Skies with purity scores of over 600.000 are always chosen as the Sky Arcobaleno. In fact, all Arcobaleno are chosen out of that criteria. Out of that fear, his mother begged his father to at least, seal half of his power and kill all who knew his flame levels and edit records in the hospital out of fear for her son as her dying wish as birthing him caused complication as he was a big baby and she doesn't have long.

His father feared the consequences of sealing a Sky as Sky is all about Harmony and Balance, fearing for Dino's life, but for his mother, she could care less as long as Dino lives a long life and not a short, cursed one. She wanted her son to be free, marry the girl he loves and give them grandkids, the happy things being a cursed infant could not give him. Crippling him was merely a price to save him from a worser fate so he would be happy! She did not birth him just for him to be cursed!

He quickly sought out his father's diary who watched him grow up, lamenting his clumsiness he couldn't be left alone for long and he blamed the seal...but sacrifices had to be made as Dino was all he had from his wife whose dying wish was to protect her son regardless of the costs.

Dino apparently burned specific diary entries and called her future self to cry about it in private as she was the only one he could trust regarding what he saw in his father's old things.

'What the...hell?' Dino shook. 'My Fiamma Purita was 330.500...it was doctored all along?'

'At least your mother loved you she was willing to risk one thing about you so you'd be happy.' said Tsunade.

Her parents only loved her because she was special, but take it away...it was why she was here today.

'I didn't know...I'm a Sealed Sky...its the cause of my clumsiness...' Dino stammered in shock.

'But it was to protect you from the very thing you were trying to protect me from. You and your mom are alike in that regard.' Tsunade smiled at him kindly but sadly. 'At least look at you. You're a tall, handsome man, Your chances of finding a girl and marrying are high. You can't do that in a cursed baby body. I don't know if the Sky Arcobaleno is still alive but do you seriously want yourself cursed if that person expires?'

'Well no, just that, this is shocking...all who knows of my true score are dead.' Dino shuddered. 'I'm safe but I'm worrying about you so lay low in flames, OK? I dodged the bullet, so should you.'

'Hai hai...'