The years passed.
Sasuke did not dwell on passing time, but even he felt the anxiety creeping through his throat.
He continued to be no closer to going home, and he thinks he knows the reason. Not that he didn't feel motivated, or that he did not want to go. He wanted nothing more than to see for his own eyes that his family was safe and, well, alive. Would he come back home having seen decades past? Would his parents even recognize him? Would Itachi?
Not to even mention, what if Kiba were to still be stuck in his head? Would they be stuck sharing a body for all of eternity because they wanted to do something good with their lives? It was questions like these that kept him up at night. The nightmares had not subsided, but Kiba's presence in his dreams was always welcome.
Occasionally Kiba would pop into his dreams and insult the going ons. Claiming that Akamaru would allow none of this to happen, of course he had nothing to worry about.
It was nice. For a time, he only saw Kiba in his dreams or in the faint whisperings in his mind as he worked to build their own crime empire. Crime paid well. They needed all the money they could to find a solution for this whole baby thing and find a way home.
'If we recreate the seal,' Sasuke thought, 'Maybe we can reverse engineer a way home.'
'I don't remember the exact way we did it.' Kiba had replied, in a rare moment of lucidity. He rarely felt rested enough to speak while Sasuke was conscious. 'Akamaru did all the drawings for us, remember?'
That was right, Sasuke had forgotten that neither he nor Kiba were good at the drawing portion of seals. 'Maybe Akamaru remembers what we don't?'
It was possible, but unlikely. Decades had gone by since they entered this world. They were no closer to leaving it. Kiba refused to be stuck forever, though. Claiming Sasuke's mind was a dark and scary place he would not like to spend time in.
With a jolt Sasuke opened his eyes and lifted his small pudgy arms in a stretch. He often kept himself appearing to be sleeping. It was the only way to talk to Kiba without people looking at him oddly, staring into space. Even while alone, he tried to keep himself in the habit.
"Ah," Sasuke said. It was almost time to go.
'Finally!' Kiba replied.
Akamaru slithered through the window of their large office. He probably scaled the entire building to come and warn him to get up. Kiba and Akamaru's favorite time of year was upon them and this was going to be more special than usual.
It was not every day that Reborn took a new apprentice.
Sasuke smiled. Their excitement was contagious, and he couldn't help the thrill of happiness that thrummed in his veins. Favorite time of the year indeed.
Tsunayoshi Sawada, brown hair and brown eyes. Short kid, below average weight. He wasn't anything special to look at. Sasuke had noted. Judging by his files he wasn't much to talk to either. Kid was a known victim of bullying from everyone in his life. Teachers included, much to Sasuke's amusement. Everyone in that child's life was against him. Sasuke flipped the page ready to see what made this kid worth all the attention the Vongola. The Vongola taking an interest in anyone was always a pleasure to watch. Reborn taking an interest in someone tipped the scales to something almost scandalous.
"Tsunayoshi." He sighed.
The next page held the answers he looked for, and yet he paused. It was not fun getting all the answers immediately. Sasuke liked the chase and thrill of getting things for himself. How long would it take for the boy to break? Not long, he guessed. Not long at all. But Reborn was training him. If Reborn trained someone...Well he saw the results with Dino.
Sasuke closed the folder and looked up to see his anxious subordinates. Varkov and Victor watched with expecting smiles and Bela, holding more folders.
"Comrades," Sasuke said, slipping into his accented Russian. "It is our favorite time of year." Varkov stood straighter. "I have tasks specific to you." I do not allow failure, left unsaid.
"Skull-Sama." Bela bowed swiftly and took the folder away.
"It's been a long time since we were given tasks." Victor said. "A long time."
"Decades." Sasuke murmured. "The circus took much from us."
Victor scowled, "The circus was your idea. Look where it got you! A baby, really?"
"This baby can still kick your ass." Sasuke rose to stand atop his chair. Hardly intimidating. "Would you like me to show?"
For all Victor's talk, he still flinched. Perhaps remembering when Sasuke was hardly taller than he was now and yet throwing them around the yard. Back when he took some of his teachers out and buried them in the snow. Victor had been there for it all but he was always looking for more. Never being truly satisfied.
Varkov barked out a laugh. "Cherep, beat him later. I'd like to hear more about this task you've got for us." He moved swiftly to stand between them easily diffusing all the tension from their bodies.
Bela watched the three of them from the back of the room, the files clutched tightly to her chest. "Skull-Sama requests you take care of Takeshi Yamamoto and Hayato Gokudera.
"Gokudera?" Varkov muttered darkly. "The bomb one?"
"Dynamite." Victor corrected. "Hurricane Bomb, that must be where you got it from. This Takeshi Yamamoto though…"
Sasuke smiled, "I expect results from you."
The two men turned to look at each, speaking only with their eyes. What must they be thinking? Sasuke observed the two, his tiny cute face scrunching up. Something annoying for him to deal with. Akamaru slithered through an open window, just behind his two subordinates. The Octo-dog silently crawled across the floor and crawled up Victor's back.
Victor shrugged uncomfortably, not aware of Akamaru. "Yes sir. We won't disappoint you."
Yes they will, but Sasuke wasn't sending them out to win. Rather, he wanted to test Reborn more than anything. After all, messing with Reborn was always far more fun than it should have been. With the bonus of ruining Colonnello's day, no one needed to know that.
"I'll meet you there, I have some things to attend to before we start. Oodako you know what you have to do." Sasuke jumped down and waddled toward the door.
The sounds of screaming as Akamaru made his presence known was pure music to his ears. Yes, the day was just going to get better as it goes on; he thought happily.
The day did not end well. Nothing went well actually.
Sasuke arrived at Mafia Island ahead of everyone. He did not bother to acknowledge anyone as he entered. Didn't bother with the ticket, the old lady manning the desk not even bothering to ask for one. They had long since passed the need to do so. After all, Sasuke had gone through so much effort to get a season pass.
(It was actually Gara who had gone through all the work to get the seasons pass. Skull had gone and argued with the front desk lady for so long that both Gara and Bala had been so thoroughly embarrassed they both vowed to never allow themselves to be in such a situation ever again. Thus the seasons pass. Except such a thing had not existed. Bala mourned as she worked to gain tickets for everyday of the year just in case the boss decided he wanted to drop in and destroy Mafia island. Gara took a much simpler choice. Infiltrating the Mafia Island bureaucracy bureau, he worked his way up the corporate ladder with creative ideas, each one fortifying the island. Security was at max level and the castle even got a new paint job! His ideas were so popular that he reached the very top. Six months into his operation he suggested season passes. It was unanimously hated, and they fired him for the effort. But before he left, he walked into the ticket room and created the season pass, anyway. The only one to exist in the entire world. Something Bala prided himself for as he presented it to his perfect Boss. Said boss had glanced at the piece of paper and then stared at him as if to ask, "this is what you've been doing for half a year?" even Bala had looked at him pityingly. No matter how appreciated it was in the moment he knew his boss loved it whenever he walked into Mafia Island without even a single glance.)
(Sasuke had forgotten about the season pass the minute it left his sight. Bala had taken it over and controlled it as she did every part of his life.)
With a laugh Sasuke rushed through the island unrecognizable without his motorcycle helmet or purple jumpsuit. Instead mafioso all around him carefully moved out of the way to not be the one accidentally punting a child. Sasuke always took advantage of their reluctance to be rude to a baby, asking for money and treats. Swindling them out of information in the way only a Shinobi would take advantage of.
Not today though. Today he wanted to push this Tsunayoshi to his absolute limit!
Sasuke positioned himself in the line for the best rollercoaster in the world more than ready for his Masterplan to begin. But he knew better than to plan for any arrival time. Reborn was unpredictable at the very best of times, something Sasuke had learned the hard way. Reborn would have made a perfect Shinobi, Sasuke lamented to Kiba often, the perfect tool for their village. What the Fourth Hokage could have done with a man like Reborn…
With a dark chuckle he allowed himself to be pushed to the front of the line. Each Mafioso not wanting to be the one to break the chain and falling to social pressure. Sasuke reached the front of the line in a matter of minutes. The ride loomed over him, and in this he allowed himself a brief glimpse of joy. The ride glittered happily as if welcoming his presence. Kiba woke within his mind and tried to take over the body so he himself can feel the pride and joy of the rollercoaster. For a moment Sasuke contemplated fighting him for it. Alas, he did no such thing, as in that moment Reborn arrived. Early. For the first time in his life.
Kiba's soul exited the body and pulled through the sky to reach the heavens. Sasuke felt himself the pull to join.
Tsk.
The scream that pierced the air was certainly gratifying.
Keep screaming, Sasuke thought happily, scream so loudly they can hear you in the country over.
All around him his subordinates stormed the island. Finally, something was going his way! Missing out on the rollercoaster was worth it if it meant he could see something like this. The way others rushed into the castle, evacuating to escape them. Escape him.
The fear was intoxicating. It was a type of fear that fed him in the way battle never could. Fear, reverence, remembrance. Everything he fed off of in one full hour.
Perfect.
Were those… balloons with Reborn's smug faces on them? Not on his watch.
"Bala!" Sasuke lowered his binoculars. "Shoot them down!"
She sighed before turning around to order somebody else to do so.
"Sir!" Isaac rushed forward from nowhere. "Bianchi is here!"
The binoculars crushed in his hands. "Eat nothing."
A puppy dying couldn't be sadder than the face Issac pulled. "Nothing." He repeated firmly.
Because he was watching Issacs' slowly falling face, he completely missed as Reborn's balloon face got shot down repeatedly. Second, Reborn wasn't even there to see it. As, at that exact moment Reborn entered the back area of mafia island. A place Gara had designed himself, along with the bribing test. If Sasuke knew any of this he would undoubtedly have dropped him out of a helicopter.
"The ship is pulling up Boss." Bala entered the room once more. "Please ready yourself, it seems two of the arcobaleno will be there. Victor and Varkov are in position to take care of Gokudera and Yamamoto." She handed him his favorite helmet, the hand painted one she created in the likeness of Akamaru.
"Ah," he whispered. "My pacifier is glowing,"
Finally things were going his way.
Kira led the charge. Explosion after explosion lit up the grounds of the island.
Boom, the ground shook.
Sasuke smiled. So far so good it seemed. He could hear screams from over the wall. They seemed to be happy and unfettered by the nonstop destruction. Annoying but nothing that couldn't be rectified quickly enough.
Victor and Varkov had already entered the island. The two were nowhere to be seen but Sasuke wasn't worried about that. They would do their job or die screaming.
With a hum he observed as Hayato leapt over the wall and threw several sticks of dynamite. Four men were hit with the blast and thrown backward into the water.
Hayato fell backward off the wall and into a crowd on the other side. While his men worked on demolishing the wall, Skull took a glance around, ignoring the destruction, to find Bala holding onto Akamaru tightly. They hid her expression behind her helmet but he knew exactly what it would have been where he to see it.
She knelt down to give Akamaru space on the floor. No doubt worrying over how the job was being handled and categorizing who was going back for additional training.
Kiba made an excited noise. "Akamaru!" The word sprang forth in the open as Kiba gleefully took over. With a big engulf of air he leaped and twirled. Kiba exhaled as he landed back on the ground a foot in front of Bala and just an inch away from the dog in an octopus body. "Ready boy?"
Akamaru barked, making the surrounding men to stare. Rookies. Sasuke mourned unhappily. Rookies made his blood boil with their incessant need to know what was happening around them.
Kiba paid it no mind though and leaned forward to place a hand on Akamaru's slimy head. The pull of chakra came from within, and though limited, it was enough to form a bastardized version of the famed Inazuma Clan technique.
Before their eyes Akamaru grew, higher and wider than before. The octopus happily waved its tentacles in the air. Grabbing Kiba's body and smashing it close in some form of a hug. Kiba let out a loud "hmph" sound before switching back to Sasuke. Not wholly exhausted but not wanting to feel the pain of the hug so directly.
Akamaru sensed Kiba left and let out a mournful bark. That stupid brat, Sasuke thought, Kiba spent a lot of time in the body specifically to hang out with Akamaru. It was the dog's own fault for running around causing trouble, therefore spending less time with Kiba.
Though Sasuke thought this he still made a plan to schedule some time for Kiba and Akamaru to attend a spa together.
Quickly Akamaru transferred his hold to something more secure and took off in a new direction. Sasuke screamed for some of his subordinates to follow. Just in case Akamaru went crazy and kill them all. Someone needed to collect his body and put him in a more comfortable position to wake up after all.
It seemed it was unneeded though as Akamaru used his senses to bring him right to Tsunayoshi. Ho ho ho the boy seemed to have tried to escape through the forest. But Akamaru sensed this and intercepted.
"Good job boy." Sasuke said proudly.
"That's my baby!" Kiba took over to say out loud.
Akamaru set them down carefully. Gloating and striking a pose behind him. "Everyone gather around and look cool!" Sasuke ordered. It shouldn't have to be said that they were here for a statement but these rookies would no doubt need the instruction.
From afar he heard screams. Ah, there was Victor and Varkov. They seemed to have caught their prey.
Sasuke got comfortable on the ground waiting for the group to find them. He had full confidence in Akamaru choosing the correct place to set them for the most impact.
The seconds ticked down. His men grew restless. Sasuke himself was growing restless but was held steady by Kiba pep talking to him.
It seemed there was no use for the unease as a group stumbled across them. Tsunayoshi held aloft and screamed.
"I've heard rumors that Skull controls an armored Octopus!" A man of large muscle and blond hair stood before him, ah well.
Sasuke resisted the urge to turn around and see what they were talking about. Because what? Armored Octopus? Akamaru? Where the hell did the Armor come from?
"I have to be freaking dreaming!" Tsunayoshi wailed. Cowardly didn't describe the boy.
Sasuke smiled underneath the helmet and cocked his finger to the side. Akamaru slid a tentacle out quicker than a whip and clutched onto a small amount of the men. Quickly he flung his tentacle out and let go. The men went flying into the air, with nothing to be heard of.
"That's amazing!" Skull's finger movement corresponded with the octopus movement!" The man said impressed.
Yes, Skull was feeling thrilled now.
"This isn't the time to be impressed!" Yes it was Tsunayoshi, yes it was.
"Who's turn is it next?" Sasuke asked gleefully, reveling in their fear and anxiety.
Tsunayoshi lifted his hands to his head and screamed shrilly.
When suddenly an irritating voice broke through his victory, "What you still haven't eaten the Octopus yet?"
Reborn.
"REBORN!"
"Reliable help has arrived!" One man cried.
"You're finally awake!" Someone else screamed. I was intending for him to sleep longer, Sasuke seethed.
"While you were sleeping I was being screwed over!" Tsunayoshi bellowed.
"Why is Reborn-Senpai here?" Sasuke turned to the other toddler curiously. While Reborn being awake hadn't been part of his plan, he had thought the toddler would want to see his student challenged openly for all to see.
"Ciao!" Stupid Bitch, he really said.
"S-Senpai?" Tsunayoshi asked, his face morphing into one of shock and horror.
"You didn't notice the pacifier glowing?" Reborn asked but did not turn to face his stupid. Instead, choosing to stare Skull in the approximate location of his eyes.
"Oh!"
'Cowardly and stupid, dear what the Vongola must be turning into for him to be the heir.' Kiba tittered inwardly.
"We don't meet often." For good reason. "We should have a drink and turn that octopus into tako sashimi!"
That idiot.
"Don't speak nonsense!" Kiba yelled, coming forth. "I have received orders from the Carcassa boss! You're the enemy I have to obliterate!"
(This was untrue. While Sasuke was technically the boss he did not order Kiba to do this. With that said, Reborn did not know they were two in one body. Though he probably had intel, they were the Carcassa boss no doubt he would look at this with a new look and wonder what exactly their power structure was. Sasuke was very annoyed at the thought of having the Sun poking into this very important business. Reborn did not even register the comment for what it would imply..)
"Why do you always end up being someone's errand boy?" Reborn asked derisively.
"I'm not an errand boy! You are the only one who tries to order me around!" True enough. "Looking down on me! I'm going to teach you a lesson!"
Because Kiba was both controlling the body and furious, he made a rash decision. Usually Sasuke could not fault him for that, especially in this circumstance he usually would wholeheartedly agree. After all, implying they should eat Akamaru? Reborn had gone way too far! Imagine if he had told him straight to his face, "hey we should fry your lizard and eat him on a stick!" They would face a multitude of deaths back to back.
But right now? Now Sasuke did not need a rash angry Kiba. They had a plan damnit and antagonizing Reborn was not a part of it.
(Shooting down his balloons did not count!)
So when Kiba made the motion for Akamaru to grab Reborn? Well…
It's not fair! He screamed. This is the most unfair thing to have ever happened in the entire world, Sasuke declared. The balloons with Reborns face on it were bad enough, not being able to see said balloons be shot out of the sky was even worse. But this? No. No no no no no.
This was simply maddening and he will take everyone to task for the pure incompetence they've shown him today.
After all this work he put in, of course Reborn would ruin it. Ordering an assassination of a mafia boss wasn't hard at all. Arranging for the security of Mafia Island to be gone was child's play. Assassinating the boss was even easier than everything else. But it took time! In a matter of minutes Reborn destroyed so much careful planning!
"Annihilate them," he had said "Take over the island."
Obviously it was too hard.
This humiliating event confirmed something to him though. Tsunayoshi had something he thought only Naruto possessed, the natural ability and charisma to have people follow your every whim and thought. Except this boy was far too cowardly and annoying to have the same reach as Naruto. No, this child was clumsy and stupid. He seemed to lack confidence and could barely look Sasuke in the eye. Even as his friends fought around him, the boy still could not stop the fear.
And yet.
He saw it. For just a moment he saw the spark of flame in his eyes. The feeling of safety and unconditional love was so overwhelming it almost brought Sasuke to his knees. It was as if Luce stood in front of him, happy and whole and smiling so beautifully.
The anger that it inspired was familiar. For a moment he felt the urge to take that light away forever, to corrupt and destroy. For just a moment he wanted to kill the Tenth Decimo of Vongola.
But Reborn was there. Reborn. Reborn. Reborn.
Skull despised Reborn. Revered him. Wanted to be him. Skull wanted to see how easy it would be to take over the man and become better.
Sasuke wanted to know what it would be like to destroy him. To bring him to the village and surrender the man and see what could become him.
Nevertheless Reborn as a toddler was always a funny sight. Today not so much. His infuriating smile was annoying today.
"Tsunayoshi!" Sasuke yelled. "Stop cowering you disgrace!"
The small boy with the fluffiest hair he has ever seen - wow! - immediately flinched backwards.
"Um-"
"Useless." Sasuke said. Worse than an unsharpened Kunai, this boy has all the potential of a 25-year-old Genin drop out. Kami, even the Genin of the village would run circles around the boy.
Tsunayoshi threw his head into his hands. His hair sticking out in pretty brown clumps around his fingers. "I can't believe I'm being insulted by a toddler." Sasuke took three steps forward. To do what? He hasn't decided yet but it would be painful. "Nooo there has to be more than one Reborn. Whyyyyyyyy!" The boy wailed.
Annoying.
The fluffy hair was mesmerizing though.
Sasuke would swear to the end of his days that Reborn did not get the drop on him. No Hokage-Sama I did not lose track of someone right next to me. I would never shame the village in such a way.
As Sasuke stated at the fluffy mess on the short boy's head, he felt a sense of doom prickling his neck. Something he ignored happily, his hand reaching out to pat the hair and feel for himself just how soft and luscious it must be.
Inches, centimeters, millimeters, mere hairs away…
SMACK.
Into the wall of the concrete building Sasuke flew. An audible noise and dent accompanied the flying body, if only to give him some sense of what had happened. The sky moved all around him and buildings flew past. It dented his helmet into the side of his head. Something that would annoy him to heal from later.
Kiba chortled in their shared head. He shared the same annoyance for Reborn but seeing Sasuke get whooped was infinitely more entertaining than annoying the curly side burned toddler.
"Reborn is so strong!" Tsunayoshi screamed.
'Oooh.' Kiba whispered, his cackle raising in volume and reverting uncontrollably. Bouncing back and forth from ear to ear.
Sasuke grunted in pain. "Fine. If that's how you want to play Reborn, then I'll send the order to blow this entire island up!" There was no order to blow the island up, but he was sure Bela had already made plans just in case.
"Hah." Reborn smiled. "Colonello is awake."
Kami damn it all, Sasuke should have never left his bed.
Colonello flew down like an avenging angel, the sunlight shined prettily behind him basking him in a halo light. His rifle was held in front of him and pointed right at Sasuke. Great, even better it was ready to be shot.
Sasuke despised these two and if he never saw them again, he couldn't be happier.
"Skull!" Colonello yelled.
Ugh, Sasuke groaned. Kiba cackled in his head.
He opened his mouth and then closed it with a grimace. Losing left something bitter on his tongue. To be bested by two toddlers was humiliating, but these two? Hell with it all. If it did not motivate him to get out of this world, he certainly was now.
"Skull-Sama! The battleships have been sunk!" Bala's voice filtered through his helmet. Kami damn them all.
Reborn turned to his student and started speaking. At this point Sasuke just leaned backward against the wall. Colonello was being swung around by his rifle having malfunctions. It soothed his irritation to see the blonde struggling, but it didn't make all of this okay.
This was supposed to be his moment!
Stupid Reborn and his stupid need to destroy every plan.
'Just let me make the plans,' Kiba cackled.
Yeah right. Let Kiba make the plans, look where that got them!
When Reborn made a promise he kept it. That didn't make the thought of ruining Tsuna's day any less enjoyable.
No fighting, he had said. But he had never promised that the day would be enjoyable or any less of a learning opportunity. Tsunayoshi needed to learn quickly that life would not bend over to him. He needed to grab it by the hair and knock the back of the knees and bend it himself.
Having Lackey here was not planned. Nobody could plan for that idiot. But he could not say he wasn't glad for the opportunity his presence inspired.
Stealing that season pass had been a goal of his since the moment he learned it was even something obtainable. He wanted to know how and who, and why.
That season pass had to be his.
"What are you doing? It's time to go home!" Tsuna's mother arrived with a laugh. Tsunayoshi wailed. Gokudera limped closely behind Nana and Lampo, a hardened frown marred his face. The Rain not far behind the three though looked a little burned.
Reborn turned away not caring the least to see what had happened to them. They all seemed relatively unharmed. The surrounding fighting was losing steam. Everywhere Carcassa members were dropping around them.
Skull hid his expression on that purple motorcycle helmet. A part of him, small but not insignificant, wanted to yank it off and look him in the eye. To demand an answer, to see what face he was making at such potent failure.
Every year The Cloud invades the island. The Carcassa came and destroy the place for reasons unknown to everyone around save themselves. Some years they failed, but more often than not they came out with satisfied faces and smiles. Why?
Reborn didn't particularly care for Mafia Island. He hadn't cared to stop Skull or demand an answer. Not than and not earlier in the day.
But now? Now he wanted answers. He wanted to see a new face and fresh eyes. He wanted to see Skull angry.
Anger on Skull was new and exciting. So rarely seen he wanted it now and not later. Anger on Skull reminded him of Luce.
Reborn shut down that train of thought before it could continue.
Turning away from the Lackey he moved to jump into Nana's arms. Safety in a mother's warmth engulfed him away from Lackey's cold air. He had not spoken. Reborn did not think he would.
The season pass wasn't with the lackey, anyway. No doubt he had hidden it away knowing Reborn coveted it for himself.
Kakashi cursed his Sensei underneath his breath.
"Yes, I would take responsibility for Sasuke and his actions." He had said. First mistake made. "Of course I care for his well-being and would like to see him home." Second mistake. "Dealing with the Uchiha is not my job." Third and final mistake, the nail in the coffin. Whatever mercy Sensei may have perhaps granted him had gone out the window at the moment the words had left his mouth.
Having agreed to find and help Sasuke come home should not have been such a time-consuming mission. No, had it just been time consuming perhaps he could have forgiven his student?
It was Itachi who was the problem.
"Here they used a series of unbalanced seals to create a sequence-" child prodigies were so exhausting. "-and created a pocket similar to the honorable Hokages technique."
"They created something like Sensei's jutsu?" Kakashi asked, stroking his mask.
Itachi glanced up reverently from his scroll. The younger man had dark circles deeply embedded underneath his eyes making him look more deranged than he usually did. Love makes Fuinjutsu masters of us all, Kakashi mused.
Dealing with Itachi hadn't been so bad for the first two and a half hours. The boy had still been reasonable and willing to compromise. Itachi still looked at him at that point and called him Taicho with such sweet adoring eyes.
Now? Now he looked at him with such deep hatred he wondered when it all turned around.
Kakashi turned the page of his Icha Icha Paradise Golden Edition.
"They did something similar." Itachi repeated.
"Something similar." Kakashi hummed.
"Yes."
Kakashi flipped the next page.
Itachi growled.
Oh dear.
Two weeks later found Sasuke back in his pleasant office. He was bandaged and still aching but the anger outweighed all pain.
All was well. It was fine really. Sasuke could get the intel he wanted in other ways. Even if it meant going to Namimori himself and destroying the boy.
It's fine. Really. Fine.
Atop his large plush chair and sitting on a stack of cushions Sasuke observed the outside world. His building towered over fields and fields of orchids. Pretty enough but right now he wanted them on fire.
Sasuke let out a low breath.
"Bala," he called out. His hands came together, snapping his fingers into a clasp. "Namimori. Tickets. Vacation."
Bala sighed from behind him. "Yes sir."
'Namimoriiiii~" Kiba crooned to be annoying. "Ohhhh Namimoriiiiiiiiii~"
I will kill you, Sasuke thought. And make it permanent.
An echo of Liar sounded out through his brain.
Ugh.
Varkov respected his boss.
It was hard not when you grew up with the man turned toddler. Boarding school made monsters of them all, but the homeland had done a special something to make Cherep so insane.
It seemed one day he had climbed the steps to his room, small and childlike. Still smiling and joking. But he had come down the next morning with a frown and a habitual twitch he never seemed to outgrow. His eyes had sharpened and his mouth had formed a deep frown.
Cherep never smiled the same again.
Though he had not taken the name till much later, Skull had been born that same day.
Varkov could still picture the blank cold eyes as they regarded him and deemed his small self worthy of enough trust to bury one of their teachers underneath a pile of snow. It was a bond that could never be broken, even now as his Boss made strides to do the most strange things.
It always worked out, he knew. But it did not make it any less strange to observe. After all, killing their teacher did not seem wise. But when the girls in their school stopped shifting uncontrollably and instead turned to Skull for some sort of protection, it had clicked.
Cherep did not make moves unnecessarily or without benefit to him. Gara may have built this familia from the ground but he had done it under Chereps instruction.
Varkov had not needed to go to prison, but he had done so under Chereps' order. He was small and still a child at the time but under the prison's cruel hand he grew and turned into something deadly. Something deadly for Chereps use. Skull may have been strange to deal with, but he would much rather meet his eye through the motorcycle helmet than face Cherep head on.
Victor had not learned that lesson yet.
Cherep had given them one task. Handle the two young boys on their Boss' order. Simple rough really. Varkov had been killed when he was thirteen on the order of the man, had taken a prison sentence for him. This was not what would shatter his loyalty.
When they reached the teenagers Victor hesitated. He did not attack, did not hit to kill. He did not pull his pistol or extend his arm in a punch. Victor did not move.
This was his death sentence.
Varkov did not attack the two. He did not lunge for their throats nor go for their joints. Did not snap at their spines or shoot them in the knees.
Instead, he grabbed Victor and shot him in the head. With a thud the body dropped. Varkov lowered his gun and regarded the two coldly. They both stared at him back wary.
Cherep did not like cowards.
Skull would laugh at the death.
Varkov smiled something small. In the back of his mind he hummed something low and familiar. As he lunged for the two boys.
Living in Namimori was peaceful. It was a perfect place to raise a family Nana would happily proclaim to anyone who asked.
Tsuna had so many friends here! Every time she returned home she met a new child and a new friend of Tsuna's! Some were more eccentric than others but it was the nature of Namimori to breed such colorful personalities.
She smiled harder than she ever had before when she returned home each day. Children littered her kitchen and living areas.
When Nana was young she had dreamed of having dozens of children to fill her home. To come home to laugher and sweet smiles. Tsuna had filled some of that space in her heart but a small part of her had always wanted just a little more.
It was a selfish wish she knew, so she tried not to think of it and remained positive instead!
Nana loved her family. She loved her husband and son. And she found space in her heart to love every lonely child that wandered into her home.
She laughed as she passed a small boy with horns on his head and the curly haired toddler. Patting them both on the head she called out over her shoulder that she would be back.
The grocery store was calling her name! With a new child coming into her home to stay for a bit she needed more ingredients for his bento box. Something cow themed she thought with a smile. Rice and seeds, seaweed to make horns. Apple slices for a sweet treat…
Nana recited her grocery list in her head paying no mind to the black car following her. She still did not blink an eye when enormous arms grabbed her by the waist and dragged her into said car.
She blinked when she was met face to face with a toddler in a strapped in car seat. Flanked on either side by a woman with short cropped hair and glasses on the bridge of her nose.
And a man, with dark green hair and dark blue eyes. Pretty enough to look at but she secretly thought her husband gave him a run for his money. Especially in the muscle department!
Remembering her manners, Nana smiled largely. "Hello! Thank you for driving me to the grocery store!"
The toddler she faced simply blinked and flipped his purple hair out of his eyes. "Okay! Take her to the grocery store!" The toddler yelled. On either side the man and women simply stared ahead.
"I am Nana!" She introduced and leaned forward and put her hand out to shake.
"I am The Great Skull De Mort! The Immortal Stuntman!" The toddler lifted his own arm and shook her hand hard.
Nana could not contain her own shock and glee at the introduction. "Really! I love your work!"
The toddler, now known as Skull, gaped at her. "You do?" all his bravado fled him, "no ever recognizes it anymore."
"Yes!" Nana nodded, "I should have realized it sooner but your so much smaller than the videos showed! My father used to cover your stunts back when you were in the circus."
Skull looked impassive for a moment before a great enormous smile formed, "Well Mrs. Sawada we have a lot to talk about!"
She could not recall giving her last name but Nana could not find it within her to care. Her childhood hero was standing in front of her!
Tsuna cowered underneath his blanket hiding away from Reborn. "No!" He stubbornly screamed. "Nooooo."
"Fine." The toddler stopped tugging at his blanket. "But the Lackey kidnapped your Mom. It seems he has decided she's his now."
"I will rescue my Mom with my dying will!" Tsuna busted out of bed. His clothes were missing, and they only saw him in his underwear.
Reborn smiled as he put away his gun. The dying will bullet do exactly what it needed to.
"-my favorite was when you were jumping through hoops of fire." Nana nodded, with a hand underneath her chin.
Skull hummed, "good choice."
"But my papa loved when you would fall and pretend to die. He said it always made his blood run hotter." With a giggle, Nana lifted her teacup to her lips.
Sasuke laughed in his own mind forgetting all about Vongola and Tsunayoshi. He did not think of Reborn or the guardians that were no doubt on his tail. He did not consider what Bela and Varkov must be thinking or what trouble Akamaru was no doubt getting into right now.
Instead, he found himself joined in tea with a woman who not only knew him for his professional work but ignored the fact that he was a toddler! And admired him!
Nana Sawada was wasted on that boy.
Speaking of said boy…
Sasuke set his teacup down. His pacifier glowed with a pretty hue that never failed to set his blood cold. But it was not Reborn who entered his tea house. Nor was it Tsunayoshi and his band of guardians.
Instead Fon walked in on the shoulder of a boy gripping a Tonfa tightly.
Sasuke smiled at Nana sweetly. "I have to go Nana! But I'll leave you this!" Quickly he stole a pen from Varkov's pocket and signed his own used napkin. Quickly he slid it over to Nana and leapt out of his chair and onto one railing of the ceiling. Fon joined him soon after and together they watched as Tsunayoshi bursted into the tea shop. The boy Fon had been perched on quickly got to setting everyone to rights.
"Ho ho ho." Sasuke laughed, slipping out the window and narrowly avoiding a hit himself. He abandoned Varkov and Bala to their fates
"Skull." Fon was not so quick as to let him go. "It's been a while hm."
"Yes." Sasuke agreed lightly eyeing the man. Meeting Fon was not always the most pleasant of things but he no doubt enjoyed his company a far bit more than any of the others.
"Perhaps we may share a bun before you return to Italy?" For smiled serenely. His expression never changes.
Sasuke saw it for what it was. "I don't need your intel."
"The Young Lion will no doubt hear about you kidnapping his wife." Fon said.
"I hardly kidnapped her." Sasuke rolled his eyes. Kiba softly disagreed in their shared minds. "I'll deal with him when the-wait." Sasuke pointed right at the red toddler. "The young what?"
"The Young Lion?" Fon repeated, his head tilting to the side.
"A coward like that came from the sweetest women alive and The Young Lion?" Sasuke couldn't help but ask.
You think he would be used to it. His idiot of a teammate came from a very impressive lineage himself. Even Kiba came from a highly regarded mother and he turned out to be…well…Kiba.
"He is not always a coward." Fon chided lightly.
Sasuke let out a loud exhale. "How does everyone know I kidnapped her, anyway!" With a pout he sat on the roof of their tea house ignoring the screams from within. "Stupid Namimori."
"Don't let my nephew hear that." Fon laughed softly. "You are not so quiet when you plan." No, it was the quiet plans he no doubt looked for. Even now he was angling for some information on his realistic goal here.
"The Great Skull-Sama is a very secretive person!" Sasuke declared drawing forth all the bravado he could.
Fon smiled something more genuine now. "Don't change."
"I would never! I am perfect!" Sasuke smiled something sharp and nothing like Skull. Fon watched him for a moment before turning to leave.
"Lal will have already told him."
"What do I owe you for the information?" Sasuke groaned.
"Hm." The man smirked and continued to walk away.
Great, a price he could not afford. Only more motivation to get out of this place as quickly as possible.
'Who's his nephew?' Kiba asked after a moment of silence.
They practically chased Sasuke out of Namimori. It seemed that Nephew hadn't been pleased with his sudden vacation to the peaceful city and saw fit to beat him until he was out of his so-called territory.
Clouds, he rolled his eyes. Possessive bastards can't share anything!
Sasuke happily ignored the fact that he was also a cloud and was indeed a possessive bastard who disliked sharing.
Bala had regarded him with a cool expression that reminded him of Luce. Before she showed him his next plane ticket straight to Italy. No doubt she had an itinerary set up for him already and a few dozen meetings for him to attend but Sasuke had already been given a lead from Fon.
Kami did Sasuke hate Italy.
Bala tried not to glare at her boss. She really tried for his sake not to be angry with him. Anger was not productive, anger led to hate. And hate led to ugly things. Like hating her boss.
Hating her boss would lead to her death.
So she tried not to be angry. She tried not to resent him for his carefree nature. Bala tried to smile like they taught her in school. To put all those hard-earned lessons to good work. She was proud of her work, really she was. But sometimes she could not help the irritation that flooded her veins as Skull-Sama informed her he needed to see the head of the Vongola as soon as he stepped into Italy.
Bala tried not to be angry.
Bala was exhausted.
"Iemitsu sit down!" Lal screamed as she forcefully tugged on the man to get back into his chair.
"He kidnapped my sweet wife!"
"She's fine!"
"She's off limits to everyone." Iemitsu growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "She is not involved in this life I made sure of it."
"Skull won't hurt her." Lal reasoned. Though she herself could not be completely sure. She did not spend any time with the boy before he turned into a toddler. She had always known him as a strange but kind teenager. Even now he was seen visiting Aria occasionally.
"I don't care." Iemitsu could not be reasoned with.
"Your son is the heir to the Vongola. He is public with his wish to succeed the head. This will happen more often. You can't run off every time it does." Lal said.
Usually she couldn't care less what the man did with his time. He knew when it was time to get serious and when he was allowed short moments with his wife. But right now was not the time to play knight in shining armor.
"Your son's claim is being challenged. Let him rescue her and show what he can do. Reborn will allow nothing to happen to her. You know this!"
Iemitsu stilled finally. For a moment Lal thought the man had finally seen reason. "I want a hit on Skull De Mort!" Or not.
"You can't do that." She deadpanned.
"I will speak with Nono."
"-is why I need this man dead."
Nono watched him over the rim of his teacup. "I've already spoken with the head of the Carcassa. It was a misunderstanding officially."
"A misunderstanding?"
"It seems your wife is a fan of his stunt work." Nono watched him for a moment. "Perhaps you should get a motorcycle. According to Skull she was infatuated with the idea of you riding in on one."
Iemitsu smiled something large and dopey. "Nana-Chan!"
Nono shook his head. Young love, what a wonderous thing.
His trip to Namimori hadn't been a complete bust Sasuke thought. It got him what he needed after all.
While Sasuke was distracting Reborn, and Tsunayoshi he had sent Akamaru on a mission. Nana had been just the diversion he needed for Akamaru to run through the city undetected.
Akamaru had been their seal artist. He alone knew the ink type they needed to meet the perfect combination of potency to recreate the seal they had used to arrive here.
It took a few decades, but they were so close to returning home. Sasuke could almost taste the clean air on his tongue. Kiba could almost feel what walking was like again.
All that was missing was Ink made by an Octopus so rare they only found it in specialty shops. And even then it was hard to track down as most specialty shops discarded it quickly. Except one.
TakeSushi was the only place in the world to use such ink. Sasuke did not care to know why. But with the town distracted, Akamaru could go in and purchase.
For the first time in months their plan went off without a hitch. The man hadn't even blinked, according to Akamaru, simply charging him before handing over the ink fully packaged in a soft bag wrapped in cloth.
Sasuke, for his own health, did not want to know how much Akamaru was charged. Akamaru did not ask.
"We're almost home." Sasuke said out loud. In the night he had snuck out of his headquarters. Akamaru expanded to cover more ground.
They made their way to a forested area on the outskirts of Italy. The Adriatic Sea beckoned them closer but Sasuke resisted the call.
"Home." Kiba took over to say.
The seal design laid in their hands copied over and over. Checked and double checked for any mistakes.
They could not afford a mistake now.
Akamaru shrunk down and carefully took a paintbrush, the closest they could find to a Fuinjutsu brush here, and slid it across the ground. He allowed it to carry dirt before dipping it in the inkpot.
Then began the seal work.
Kiba was careful to pull the chakra to his fingertips and dip it into the sealing pot.
This was the only part they could not account for. How their chakra reacted could make or break the seal. Though they were reasonably sure something should happen. The three of them had tried an assortment of storage seals before even attempting this one.
With one last stroke Akamaru finished. Looking, Akamaru stuck a tentacle out and slapped it onto the seal. Quickly so as not to be stuck here, Kiba moved their hand and did the same.
With a bang the seal went off.
BONUS SCENE
"Alexis," Rang a voice from behind him. In front of him stood his companions, open expressions of surprise and closed body language. Guarded arms and hands reaching for something unseen.
Sasuke for his part tried not to freeze. Nobody called him Alexis anymore. The students at his former boarding school used to for a time, but news spread fast and Cherep became the preferred name for the people that needed his name. Cherep was only used by a select group of insiders. Skull was used by the world. And Alexis?
His former instructors only used Alexis. Slowly he turned to face his doom. Kiba stayed quiet but he could feel the dual anxiety from both of them. Akamaru had all but disappeared.
There stood the one woman he never wished to see again.
Sasuke remembered little from this body. Sometimes he would speak, but it came not from him or Kiba. Phantom phrases and speech that long dreamt inside of him awoken from outside stimuli. Years ago at the boarding school, while Kiba fought the demon living in his head, Sasuke would face their teachers and shiver. They did nothing bad to him while he was there and aware of it, but the body remembered. His mouth would open against his will and speak what they expected of him.
While Kiba screamed a battle cry and tackled the dark shadows, Sasuke would stand and listen to his own voice reciting practiced lines.
"Instructor Valkroy, greetings." He said. Dim and so unlike the Skull persona he put on. "Odd seeing you out of Russia." Another language drifting out of his mouth. Another conscious taking over for a time.
"I didn't come here by accident." The women regarded him coolly. "It's not every day your former student becomes a mafia leader."