"Ah, what a beautiful day," Yuuki sighed, raising her arms into a stretch, "perfect timing for our vacation." Having heard from Reborn about his idea to bring Nana and the others to Mafia Land for a vacation trip, Yuuki decided to do the same with her team. She had also invited Hibari to come, but he was busy with the Disciplinary Committee and didn't want to leave Nami-chuu unattended.
Oh well, maybe next time…
Thus, after pulling some strings and with the help of her parents, Yuuki and her team got access to the fun park. Being famous was incredible, especially when you come from an infamous group like the Vongola or the Mugen. Despite the different occupations and ignoring their alliance with each other, the Vongola Family and the Mugen clan are quite close. Many considered the Mugen clan to be the sister Family to the Vongola because of their long history together and their popularity.
Since Yuuki was on vacation and she would be surrounded by members of the underworld, she wore her more casual and less ambiguous clothing. Presently, Yuuki and her team were sitting at their assigned table in a restaurant that was located somewhere on the cruise ship that was taking them to Mafia Land. They were having dinner while they waited to arrive at their destination.
Mafia Land was created by different mafia families with the alliances centered around the Vongola Family. This included the Mugen clan. The families all pooled together money and built this island for mafia families to come and relax – a place where they can be safe from harm and not worry too much about the inner works of the underworld or their mafia identities.
There was no actual group controlling the park. It operates as its own entity and the different mafia families who funded the park simply paid for the initial creation of the park, but unlike other businesses, they have no real control over it. The individual groups simply get special benefits from it like the VIP treatment.
"Mmmm, this tastes great!" Yuuki exclaimed, chewing on the tender meat of her steak.
"This wine has a beautiful red color to it," Kazuo mused swirling the shining, red liquid around in his glistening wine glass before taking a small sip.
Before you say anything, yes, Kazuo may be a bit young for alcohol, but he had wine before as a child – it was a common occurrence where he grew up in. Besides, he was a part of the underworld; like anyone was going to stop him from drinking it.
"The sushi is not as great though. Yamamoto's father makes better sushi than this," Arata muttered, pushing the food around on his plate. If the chefs on the cruise ship were to hear his words, they would probably kill themselves out of shame or humiliation.
That was a bit excessive to say, but the words of the Clan do hold weight. It was mainly due to the fact that no one wanted to get on the bad side of the Mugen clan. A single word from the esteem members of the Mugen clan can bear heavy weight to them; they can be the best advertisement or be the harshest review for the different establishments.
"Don't play with your food, Arata." Yuuki gently reprimanded.
"Ne Shoshi, how's your hamburger?" Arata asked his twin who sat beside him, but instead of eating the feminine boy was typing away on his CompC.
"Shoshi," Yuuki narrowed her eyes. "Stop whatever you're doing and eat your hamburger before it gets cold." The Mugen may be a rich household like other mafia groups, but they do have their own set of values like being grateful for the life given to them. This included being thankful for having enough food to eat since most of the members typically came from harsher realities where things like food can be difficult to obtain. Therefore, wasting food was not necessarily a crime to them, but it was not something they encouraged.
Shoshi looked up at Yuuki for a second and saw the stern face being directed at him. "Hai Oujo-sama," he sighed, giving in. He closed his computer and started eating his food, ignoring the slight coldness to it. There were many worst things he could be eating. Slightly cold food was nothing. This was a luxury item compared to what he and his twin had to eat before.
"That's better and Arata don't even think about trying to steal his burger."
Arata froze midway from his attempt at stealing Shoshi's burger from behind him and sheepishly sat back down onto his seat. "Don't you think it's weird?" Kazuo spoke up.
"What's weird?" Arata cocked a brow.
"Ken hasn't said a single word yet."
"….."
"…."
"…" They stimulatingly turned to Ken and saw the boy staring blissfully into the air with a spoon stuck in his mouth. On the table in front of him was a strawberry parfait. The background behind him was a blend of pastel yellow and pink with twirling flowers. Feeling eyes on him, Ken snapped out of his trance, and he looked down to see the team staring at him.
"W-What?" Ken stuttered, his blush deepening.
One…
Two….
Three….
"Aw you are so cute Ken-kun!" Kazuo squealed, jumping over the table to glomp Ken.
"Oi! Let me go, you narcissist idiot!" Ken shouted, still blushing as he struggled against Kazuo.
"Never thought you had it in you, Ken," Arata smiled brightly.
"I must type this down for future reference," Shoshi muttered, taking back out his CompC.
Off to the far side of the room was a group of strangers muttering amongst themselves. They recognized Yuuki's group and those who didn't at least recognize the Mugen symbol. The white-colored emblem stood out from the black-colored and gold-lining haori that was draped over Yuuki's left shoulder, the red-and-white rope keeping the coat from completely falling off (A/N: The best example is Souji Okita in Bakumatsu Rock; only the way he wears it and not the actual jacket). There was also a gold pin of the clan's emblem on the collar of the haori.
No one dares try to approach them, feeling too intimidated by their presence. Instead, they watched them in awe, feeling astonished to have the group there on the ship with them. Yuuki and her team were aware of the stares, but ignored the excited chatters as they were used to the publicity.
"EEEEEEEEHHHHH!?" A voice suddenly screeched near the group. The team turned to see Tsuna gaping at them. Behind him stood Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Haru. "What are you guys doing here?!"
"What does it look like?" Ken retorted, raising an eyebrow.
"We're here on vacation, Tsuna-kun," Yuuki smiled, taking a calming sip of her green tea.
"Well, the more the merrier!" Yamamoto grinned.
"Did Reborn invite you?" Tsuna asked.
"Nope," Kazuo shook his head.
"When I heard from Reborn that you guys were going on a vacation trip, I thought it would be a great idea to take a break from everything and relax," Yuuki explained. "I even invited Hibari."
"WHAT!? Hibari-senpai is here!?" Tsuna frantically looked around, fearing that he would see the skylark.
Yuuki sighed in disappointment. "Unfortunately, no. He didn't want to leave Nami-chuu unattended."
Tsuna released a sigh of relief. He already has enough on his plate with Reborn and the others there with him, he does not need any more trouble. At least Yuuki and her team were pretty tame compared to the others. He didn't need to worry about them too much.
-`ღ´-
"Kazuo-san! Look over here!"
"Ah! Shoshi-san, what are you working on your CompC?"
"Yuuki-san! Are you willing to hold a press conference today? People would like to know how you spend your vacation!"
Immediately after the team got off the boat, a group of reporters swarmed around them. The reporters kept a respectable distance away, having no desire to be on the receiving end of the team's ire. This was a prime time for the reporters to get an exclusive interview with the heiress of the Mugen clan.
Rarely are the members seen in public places and hardly do they give out any personal information. The only information they currently have all came from members like Kazuo who flourish in the publicity and even then, the information was still limited. As long as the information does not inquire about the other members or of the clan itself, Kazuo and the other members were more than fine in answering questions.
"I'm sorry, I will have to decline," Yuuki gave an apologetic smile as she walked away, her haori billowing behind her. Shoshi, Arata, and Ken followed her, leaving behind Kazuo who was setting up a date and time for his executive interview.
"Aneki, I will go check our group in," Shoshi informed Yuuki, pushing up his glasses.
"Alright, we will wait for you by the food court. I'm craving something sweet after watching Ken eat that parfait."
Shoshi nodded his head before heading off to the information building. When he entered the building, he saw Tsuna at the reception desk, trying to check his group in. As Shoshi observed the boy, he saw that Tsuna didn't have an invitation letter or a letter of recommendation. Knowing the rules of Mafia Land, Shoshi wondered if he should interfere and help the boy out. As he weighed his options, the decision was made for him.
"Don't interfere," a voice called to him. Shoshi turned in surprise, but then saw that it was only Reborn. Hearing Reborn's words, Shoshi thought over the possible reasons for his request. Coming to an answer, Shoshi bowed in respect.
"As you wish, Reborn-san. I will not interfere with the 10th's training," Shoshi said before straightening up. "Although, Aneki would like a report on his process, if possible, for the Mugen's database."
"I'll think about it."
"Hai," Shoshi gave one last bow before walking to the reception desk. Shoshi later planned on informing Yuuki of this particular encounter and piece of information. When Shoshi got to the desk, Tsuna was already gone, having left for his examination test during the exchange and so he was unaware of Shoshi's presence.
"Yes, how may I help you," the young receptionist asked when she saw Shoshi. At first, she thought he was a girl before noticing his attire. She slightly blushed from her mental mistake and how feminine the boy looked.
"Hayashi Shoshi, Silent Hue from the Mugen clan," Shoshi calmly stated. The reception lady jolted from hearing his title and the Family name, but kept her emotions in check. She needed to be professional after all.
"Do you have a referral or invitational letter with you?" She asked, her voice slightly shaking. She had met with multiple of important figures during her work as a receptionist, but it was rare for her to get in close contact with someone as significant as a core Family member of a notorious Family. Usually, a lower-ranked subordinate would handle something as trivial as this. So, you can't blame her for being a bit emotional with the encounter.
Overlooking the receptionist's state of mind, Shoshi wordlessly reached into his pocket and took out the folded-up letter. Reading through the letter, the receptionist's eyes grew wider and wider with every sentence read. It was an authentic letter from the clan head, with its specialized paper, wax seal, and signature.
There was even the Mugen Head's signature flame radiating from the wax seal; an icy-blue colored core with nine distinct tails of flames budding from one point!
Unlike the Dying-Will flames of the mafia world, the members of the Mugen clan each had their own unique flames. There was some duplicate of flames, but there were still a variety of different flames within the clan – much more than what the Vongola currently had. In fact, the rarer the flame was, the more unique and powerful. Currently, the rarest ones are generated from the Head Family and its core members.
Alas, there was not a lot of information about those flames aside from the fact that they were considered sister flames to the Vongola and the bare characteristics of the flame of the Mugen's Head for recognition purposes.
Heart pounding with excitement and awe, the receptionist started typing frantically into her computer and got the group checked in. Swirling around, she swiftly got the papers organized along with the complementary gifts. Placing the items onto the countertop for Shoshi, she explained, "Here are the keys for your en-suite rooms, complementary meal cards, and these cards which will give you access to all rides and all show performances for free."
"Thank you," Shoshi said, collecting the items. The receptionist watched him walk away with starry eyes.
Leaving the star-struck receptionist behind, Shoshi exited the building and headed to the food court. When he got to the court, he found it to be crowded with people. As swiftly as he can, he maneuvered his way around the crowd to get to his destination.
It wasn't long before he saw the group sitting at a table in the distance. Kazuo was even there, having finished talking with the reporters. The group was immersed in conversation until Yuuki looked up and saw Shoshi. She waved at him to show that they were there.
Smiling, Shoshi headed over to them, but before he could take another step, he was rammed into by a bulky man with bulging muscles. "Watch where you're going, brat!" The man snapped at Shoshi. The man's two underlings stopped beside him.
Shoshi stumbled forward before turning to face his assaulter. He rubbed his shoulder and narrowed his eyes at the man. Thankfully, he was not hurt, just a bit sore from being shoved. He was not expecting it – who would dare to hurt him – and so he wasn't prepared for the assault.
Noticing the challenging look on Shoshi's face, the man grew angry. Was this brat defying him? Does he even know who the man was?! "Well?! Aren't you going to apologize?!"
Shoshi stayed silent. Why should he apologize to this beast of a man? Besides, he was the one who bumped into Shoshi in the first place. The two were slowly drawing a crowd from the commotion. Most of them didn't recognize Shoshi and so many of the whispers were negative commentaries on Shoshi's supposed ignorance. Was that boy stupid or something? Doesn't he know who that man was? Why was he being so disrespectful?
Seeing the uninterested and unapologetic look on Shoshi's face pissed the man further. The man grabbed Shoshi's collar and pulled him up to his face. Shoshi didn't struggle and was unconcerned by the man's overt display of violence. "You brat! I outta-!"
"I demand you to release my subordinate RIGHT THIS INSTANT," a stern voice interrupted. The voice was laced with restrained anger and malice. The man looked up to scowl at his interrupter.
"OI?! You're this stupid brat's-!" The man instantly swallowed his words. Standing in front of them were Yuuki and her team. Her haori bellowed in the wind and the sun glistened on the gold pin, instantly drawing everyone's attention. Her burning red eyes glared at the man, the shade of red was glowing from the intense emotion.
At first, the man felt like he was badly burned by that glare before he grew extremely cold as an icy chill shot down the man's back. Unconsciously, the man's grip weakens, letting Shoshi slip out of his hold. With his legs growing weak from underneath him, the man dropped to the ground and he sat dumbfounded on the ground. What rotten luck he has for encountering such a monstrous person.
"Are you alright, Shoshi?" Yuuki asked, her eyes not straying from the man's frozen form.
"I'm fine, Ojou-sama," Shoshi nonchalantly patted and straighten the wrinkles on his shirt, ignoring the tensed crowd around them. Having recognized Yuuki, many who spoke before snapped their mouths shut, growing instantly nervous and worried. They hoped the Mugen's Heiress haven't heard their words just now. The pressure was high as everyone was put on edge, watching the unfavorable situation play out in front of them.
There was no saving the man now, he was practically on a death sentence. Everyone there knew that the Mugen clan was fiercely protective of their members and so harming or threatening a member – especially a core guardian – basically got the whole Family and the accuser on Mugen's blacklist. There were some exceptions to this where the Family got away scot-free and only the accuser get punishment, but those were few in numbers.
The man stayed kneeling on the ground, staring helplessly up at Yuuki who glared icily down at him. Yuuki scanned the man, her gaze stopping momentarily on a noticeable tattoo on the man's neck; a poisonous cobra wrapped around a white skull. Recognizing the mark, a dark smirk slowly grew on Yuuki's face. The man's breath hitched as everyone grew jittery in anticipation. "Well? Do you have anything to say?" Yuuki tilted her head with a sadistic grin on her face.
"I-I-I-I'm s-s-s-s-sorry! It won't ever happen again!" The man pleaded as he and his underlings groveled before Yuuki. It was amazing how much power a simple title or reputation can give you, especially when you have the power to back it up.
Yuuki calmly hummed before her smile turned eerily soft. This sudden change of expressions was startling to the spectators. This smile that gave an expression that everything was all and well was a clear contrast to the malicious one before. Everyone in the vicinity knew that the smile was fake despite the unconscious, warm emotions it invoked from others, and it only made them fear the Mugen Heiress even more.
How could they not? Despite the serene expression and relaxed posture, the very air that surrounded Yuuki's frame was sparked with anger and murderous intent. The very strength of those emotions electrified the air, causing the hairs on everyone's arms to stand up. "You make sure you don't, Viper Tongue Sato-san."
The man never would have thought his name could sound so frightening, especially coming from the delicate lips of a woman. It wasn't his name that got to him though. It was the implications behind it. Everyone, including him, can read the hidden messages behind those words. It was especially clear to those who have dealt with the Mugen clan before and were familiar with how they behave. Yuuki may not have directly said it, but they all knew that Sato and his Family were put on Mugen's blacklist, particularly on the list belonging to the clan's heiress.
It was virtually a death sentence for Sato and his Family. With the Mugen as their enemy, there was nothing stopping the clan from eliminating everyone. They have the strengths, the power, the knowledge, and the backup to do it. You can't escape them; you can't bribe them, and begging for mercy wouldn't work. They were doomed unless they do something to get themselves off of that list. It was not impossible, but it was difficult to do. For now, though, the Family will just have to live in constant fear of annihilation. Even if the clan doesn't actually eliminate the Family in the end, the mental torture from constant paranoia would.
Leaving the broken men behind, Yuuki swiftly strutted away, her team falling in line with her. The crowd immediately dove out of Yuuki's way, terrified that she would extend her punishment to them. The group walked off, leaving behind the chilling impression of the power the Mugen clan holds.
"He was an idiot to mess with us," Ken scoffed after the group found themselves on an emptier path. There were fewer people in the area and most of them were not aware of what had recently transpired with the group.
"No need to be so nasty, Ken. It wasn't like he was able to recognize us," Kazuo smiled in amusement. "Aside from Yuuki who has her haori and pin, the rest of the members don't have a recognizable appearance. Say, why don't the Mugen have a uniform outfit or something? Like those other mafia Families."
"It's for secrecy's sake," Shoshi answered. "Aside from specialized items to portray the clan's Main Branch family, the rest of the members don't usually have one because we all dwell in secrecy. Having a noticeable uniform will only hinder our need to blend into the background and gather information. The only time we would ever wear something as close to a "uniform" is when we want people to notice us like during meetings with other Families. I thought we already explained this to you."
"Yeah, I know. I'm just a bit envious sometimes," Kazuo pouted while Ken scoffed at Kazuo's childish manners.
"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" Arata asked his twin, shooting him a worried look.
"I'm fine. No need to fuss. It's not like that pathetic excuse-of-a-man could ever harm me. His strength was mediocre."
"Still, it wasn't the brightest idea to grab you like that. He sorts of set Yuuki off," Arata snuck a glance at Yuuki who was walking ahead of the group. They were all giving her a wide berth in hopes of giving her enough space to cool down.
Yuuki may not be openly fuming, but the guys knew her well enough to know that she was in a bad mood because of the incident. Even the guys were a bit irritated by the man, not because of his disrespect or behavior, but because he was the sole reason for Yuuki's current sour mood. It sorts of put a damper on their vacation. They were supposed to be relaxing and having fun, but that man ruined it. Luckily, Kazuo was always the most optimistic out of the four and so instead of wallowing in the depressing mood, Kazuo decided to cheer everyone up.
"Hey, Ojou-sama!" Kazuo stopped, pointing to the left. "Let's head this way. I heard that there are some performances starting soon which include an improv show! I also saw a funnel cake stand nearby!"
Yuuki paused, causing the others to stop as well. "Funnel cake?" Yuuki mused, perking up. "It's been a while since I had that."
Kazuo smiled at the wistful tone in Yuuki's voice. Mission accomplished. Kazuo was always like this. He was a flamboyant person and would always take it upon himself to try and keep the energy of the group bright and cheery – he already had enough of a life filled with loneliness and sadness. It doesn't mean that Kazuo can't be serious because he does have some serious moments, but those were rare occurrences.
"Well? What are we waiting for?! Let's go!" Kazuo pointed dramatically into the distance as he led the group around the park. With Kazuo taking the lead, Yuuki and her team managed to spend their vacation enjoying the many entertainments the resort had to offer.
Yuuki and Shoshi spent most of their time watching performances while Kazuo and Arata forcefully dragged Ken with them to go on the many rides in the amusement parks. Together as a group, they spent their time competing against each other at game stands and enjoying the many treats and foods around the park.
They were having such a great time that the small incident with that mafia man was temporarily forgotten from their mind. Many pictures were taken by Shoshi on his CompC to remind them of their time at the resort. Some of which Yuuki planned on framing.
Hours went by and before long, the group headed to their quarters to get ready for the beach. Before they could arrive at their destination, there was a loud explosion, shaking the ground and building. People started to panic as everyone rushed to get to safety.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The park's speakers blared. "Everyone evacuates to the shelters at once!"
"We're under attack!" Ken shouted over the screaming people.
"Shoshi!" Yuuki ordered over the blasts.
"On it!" Shoshi replied, taking out his CompC. It was amazing how well he could type with only one hand. With his expert computer abilities, Shoshi swiftly hacked into the island's security system to bring up the surveillance feeds. There was multiple of windows showing different areas of the island.
One of the windows caught Shoshi's attention. The feed was the overview of island from the highpoint of the resort. In the distant, he could see something was sailing in the ocean. With a few clicks on the keyboard, Shoshi zoomed in on the botches. They revealed to be battleships.
Shoshi's eyes narrowed, noticing something interesting on the front ship. Luckily, the camera was able to zoom even more and an image of an infant in a purple leather outfit and a white motorcycle helmet filled the screen.
Shoshi recognized the infant, especially the black octopus-shaped emblem on the helmet and the glowing purple pacifier. "Ojou-sama! The main leader seemed to be Skull! He's leading some battleships to the shore of the beach!"
"Skull?" Yuuki mused, before pushing that thought aside. There was no time to ponder, people needed their help. Despite being a part of the underground world, they still care for the innocent. It was hard not to when many of the times the members of the Mugen clan have children of their own. Furthermore, as mentioned before, some of the members are adopted into the Family and at one point they were innocent victims themselves, sometime coming from the unfavorable environments like the slums.
Since the clan deal with a lot of underground information, they were aware of all the dark, twisted danger that existed in the world and so they tend to grow intolerant for them. By all means, they were not heroes, but they do have their own morale and virtues. As mentioned before, one of those virtues was protectiveness towards the innocents which typically included young children and the more pure-natured people.
In particular, they do not want innocent people to go through similar experience as them; to unwillingly get tainted with this darkness. Protecting the innocents may not be their prime objective, but it did not mean they could just ignore someone in need of help, especially if that person was truly innocent and did not have an ulterior motive.
"Kazuo! Arata! Ken! I want you three to go around and make sure everything is ok. Gather some information while you're at it. Shoshi! You're with me. Keep me updated with what's happening while I go make sure Tsuna's family is alright! We'll meet up at the shelter – which is where Shoshi?!"
"The shelter is at Mafia Castle," Shoshi provided, typing on his computer. You could see the screen of the computer being reflected in Shoshi's glasses.
"Roger that, Ojou-sama!" Kazuo saluted before rushing away. Arata and Ken went in different directions while Yuuki and Shoshi headed off to the beach.
People scurried by the pair in a panic, trying to get to the shelter. The two ignored them, but stopped once to help a small child who had tripped during the chaos. When the pair eventually arrived near the beach area, they saw Tsuna's group being led by Bianchi who seemed more than willing to poison anyone with her cooking if they got in her way.
"Nana-san!" Yuuki called, waving her hand to catch the group's attention.
"Oh, Yuuki-," Nana tilted her head in confusion noticing Yuuki's feminine body, but went along with it. "-chan! What are you doing here?" Nana was surprised to see the boy-no, girl there, which was understandable. She was not aware that Yuuki was going to the same vacation spot until now.
"Not now, we have to get to Mafia Castle!"
"My, what an exciting event," Nana mused as the group followed Yuuki. The girl sweat-dropped before sighing in resignation. At least, it was better than her panicking.
"Get out of the way!" Bianchi shouted, throwing her poison cooking at unexpected tourists. Yuuki cringed in pity, but did nothing to help them. She had a group to protect.
"Yuuki-sama, Skull has just landed his ships on the beach," Shoshi informed her, swiping on the touchscreen of his CompC tablet. He had converted his CompC into a tablet for easier usage while they ran.
"How much further are we from the castle?"
"It's right over there!" Shoshi pointed to the large building.
"Alright!" Yuuki turned her head to check on the group. Bianchi was doing fine, Haru was helping Fuuta, and Nana seemed to be having the most trouble since she was carrying two children while running. Despite the children's capability to run, the mother did not want them to get lost in the chaos.
Slowing her speed until she fell back to Nana, Yuuki held out her arms. "Here, let me help. I have more strength to carry the two." Yuuki reached over and grabbed I-pin. She placed the little girl onto her back where the infant immediately grabbed hold. Next, Yuuki grabbed Lambo and held him in her arms. With no extra packages holding her down, Nana was able to keep up with the group.
"Boom! Boom!" Lambo cheered, laughing at the explosions.
"Yes, boom, boom," Yuuki grinned. Seeing Lambo reach for his afro, Yuuki frowned, giving him a stern look that froze him in his track. "No explosive, especially not at this moment."
Lambo stared at Yuuki before slowly placing down his hands and obeying. He had heard many frightening stories from his Family about the Mugen clan, especially stories about Yuuki since he was going to be interacting with her a lot because of his membership in the Vongola.
His Family had advised him to be on his best behavior for Yuuki or he and his Family will get severely punished by the Mugen. After being urged a lot, Lambo decided to listen to the advice of his Family in the end. Mainly because his Family's insistence eventually digressed into threats of withholding his supply of weaponry if he disobeys. Nevertheless, through the little time he spent with Yuuki, she was at least nice to him and cared for him. She may not be as motherly as Nana, but she won't hurt him unless he upsets her – like an older sister!
"Ojou-sama!" Kazuo called once the group arrived safely at Mafia Castle. Behind Kazuo stood Arata and Ken.
"I'm glad to see everyone is safe!" Arata beamed.
"Were there any trouble?" Ken asked, keeping vigilant as he continuously scans the area.
"No, we managed to get here safely," Yuuki informed the rest of the team while Shoshi simultaneously continued to watch the surveillance feeds and documented the ongoing situation. "Come on, let's go wait in line."
While standing in line, everyone eventually saw Tsuna, Yamamoto, and Gokudera exiting the subway tunnel. "Tsuna!" Nana called out once she saw the boys. She waved her arm to get the boys' attention.
Tsuna was happy to see his friends and family safe from harm while Gokudera immediately hid behind Tsuna once he saw his sister. Getting out of line, the whole group headed over to the boys.
"Tsuna-kun, you're okay," Haru said, relieved.
"Tsuna-nii, I was worried because you were taking so long," Fuuta said.
"Glad to see that you're alright," Yuuki grinned.
"I'm so glad you're all okay!" Tsuna smiled.
"Lambo-san wanted to swim more!" Lambo suddenly announced.
"I-pin too!"
"Now, now, we're about to have even more fun," Nana assured the children.
"Huh?" Tsuna looked confusingly at his mother.
"Right, Tsu-kun? We're going to fight off enemy Mafia in this castle, right? What a fun event." Nana beamed while Tsuna could only look at her with a disbelieving stare.
"You guys can go swimming next time," Yuuki said to Lambo and I-pin.
"I'll be making food with the other ladies in the castle," Nana informed Tsuna. With that, Nana and the others went into the castle where they can be safe behind the secured walls. Yuuki and her team stayed outside since they were more needed there than inside. They would also like to gather more information on the upcoming battles, especially if Tsuna was to be involved with it.
"Bianchi's making food too?!" Tsuna looked very worried at this prospect.
"Boss, what should we do?" Gokudera groaned as he got off the ground. Since his sister was gone, he was slowly getting better.
"How am I supposed to know?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Yuuki asked. Tsuna turned to Yuuki and her team, realizing that they haven't left.
"Huh?"
"We fight," Yuuki pointed to the side where Tsuna and the others saw different groups of mafia Families. Three, in particular, seemed to be arguing.
"The Lefong Family, which controls Asia, shall take command in this battle," the leader said. All the members wore a topknot hairstyle and dark clothing.
Ken silently scoffed. "We all know who truly rules Asia," he muttered quietly so that only their small group can hear.
Yuuki gave a small smile, more amused than anything with Ken's words. The Mugen didn't really rule all of Asia. At the best, they ruled all of Japan with a few side branches overseas in other Asian countries, but that's truly it. Although Ken's sentiment and pride for the clan were very touching. Besides, they were an informant clan, not a mafia family. Why compete with them when they don't even have the same occupation despite both types being in the underworld?
"Hold on," another leader butted in. The group seemed like a typical mafia with signature black suits. "The Beccio Family, with its tradition and status, is better suited to lead this alliance."
"Oi, oi," the third group budged in. They looked like your usual gangster. "That's not funny. You gonna one-up the Nuvo Family? We own New York!"
"You people should back down!" The topknot leader shouted.
"Wanna fight, huh?" The gangster scowled.
Tsuna watched in fear while Yuuki deadpanned, feeling annoyed by their argument. It seemed like Yuuki was not the only one annoyed. Predictably, Gokudera spoke up for Tsuna, "If you need someone at the helm, our boss is perfect for the job!"
"I agree. I believed his boss is perfect for the job," Yuuki added, deciding to play along.
"Gokudera-kun! Yuuki-kun!"
The three groups turned to glare threateningly at their small group. "Your boss?" Topknot snarled.
"And which washed-up Family is he from?" Suit asked, glaring.
"Got a problem with the Vongola?" Gokudera shouted, surprising everyone. Whispers immediately broke out from the three mafia groups.
"That's the next Vongola boss?"
"This is the first time I've seen him."
"Wait!" One voice stood out from amongst the whispers. "That haori! That symbol! It's Mugen's Death Angel and heiress, Kimura Yuuki!"
"What?!"
"The Mugen clan is here as well?!
"That's their heiress?!"
"This is the first time I've seen her."
All the groups simultaneously bowed in respect to Tsuna and Yuuki. "Please forgive our transgressions."
The gangster leader looked up. "We have a commander now."
"Huh?" Tsuna looked puzzled.
"Tradition, status, size, influence, the Vongola are in their own league in every category," Suit-leader explained. "He even has the acknowledgment and support from the heiress of the infamous Mugen clan who is considered to be a sister Family to the Vongola."
The situation started to catch up to Tsuna. "Huh? Wait… Don't tell me…"
"Everyone! Follow our commander, Vongola X!" Topknot yelled as everyone cheered in agreement. The corner of Yuuki's lip twitched, but she forced the smile down. It was truly amazing the sort of situations Tsuna finds himself in.
"Well, this is interesting," Kazuo smirked. You could hear the sear amusement in his voice.
"It's a good opportunity to test Tsuna's growth in leadership skills," Shoshi hummed.
"Yeah, like he even has any," Ken scoffed.
"Now, now, no need to be a sour puss," Kazuo cooed. Arata simply crossed his arms behind his head, basking in the energetic vibe.
"Huuuuuuuhhhh?!" Tsuna yelled.
"See? Just like I said. You're our leader," Yamamoto commented. Yuuki wondered if he meant it as a legitimate mafia boss or their group in general.
"Of course," Gokudera agreed, which was a rare occurrence. "You won't find a better boss anywhere else."
Ken instantly scowled, feeling a bit upset by Gokudera's comment. That scrawny boy was not the best boss around! Sensing Ken's bitterness, Yuuki comfortingly patted the boy's arm. It didn't bother Yuuki. Gokudera simply has great admiration for Tsuna, just like how her team has one for her.
"Eeeeehhh?" Tsuna said, not believing the words that were coming out of Gokudera's mouth. He definitely knew better leaders than him – anyone else would do!
"Ojou-sama, Skull's minions are arriving at the castle," Shoshi informed, watching the enemies through the surveillance feeds. Everyone grabbed their weapon, ready for battle.
"I wonder if we will get the opportunity to fight," Kazuo said.
"Probably not," Arata replied. Ken clicked his tongue in irritation, unhappy that they might not be joining in with the fight.
"Hey! The enemy is attacking!" Someone shouted.
"This is it, you guys! Let's go!" Yuuki ordered.
"B-But," Tsuna stammered.
"Come on, Tsuna! Let's go, everyone!" Yuuki gave a war cry with a raised fist.
"Yeah!" Everyone else cheered. A small group then went to Tsuna and lifted him up.
"Let's bring him to the front line!" Someone suggested.
"Great idea!" Yuuki encouraged, but kept close to the group in case Tsuna got into any danger.
"Yuuki-kun! Don't encourage them! Better yet, help me!" Tsuna shouted while being carried away.
"Be careful with him!" Gokudera said while Yuuki followed Tsuna, her team running after her. The group got to the front where they saw enemies in black leather suits and motorcycle helmets heading toward them. They were all carrying guns.
"Here they come. Let's take care of them real quick, boss," Gokudera said, before taking out his dynamites and throwing them at the enemies. "Die!"
The blasts were effective, knocking away large masses of enemies. The allied mafia force charged forward, firing away with their guns. The enemies retaliate with their own bullets. Yuuki and her team stood to the side and out of the range of fire, unlike Tsuna and Yamamoto who unfortunately was.
"Help!" Tsuna ran around in a circle, luckily avoiding getting hit by bullets. How does he even do that? Tsuna must really be a lucky boy.
"What are the rules in this game?" Yamamoto asked as he skillfully dodged the bullets. Kazuo gave a low whistle while Arata proudly watched his friend. Not a lot of people are able to dodge bullets like he was, especially an amateur middle-school student.
"Just dodge the bullets and not get hurt!" Yuuki shouted to Yamamoto. "The group's main objective is to take down the enemy, including their boss!"
"Thank you!" Yamamoto hollered back.
Seeing how the front line was holding the enemies still, the other members charged forward to push the enemies back. This caused the enemies to retreat with the allied members chasing after them. Unfortunately, the allied members were suddenly flung back to the group.
"S-something's there!" A topknot member informed. Tsuna, Yamamoto, Gokudera, Yuuki, and her team were all together at the front line.
"Ojou-sama," Shoshi said, showing Yuuki an image on his tablet.
"So, he finally shows up, huh?" Yuuki hummed. Yuuki looked up just in time to see trees toppling over to reveal Skull and his minions.
"It's the Calcassa Family's strategist, Skull!" A man informed the group.
"What? That little shrimp?" Tsuna exclaimed in surprise.
"No doubt about it. The violet pacifier is a sign of the Arcobaleno!"
"Arcobaleno?"
"Arcobaleno means rainbow and it refers to the seven strongest babies in the Mafia world."
"There are seven of them?!"
"You actually know at least one of them," Yuuki said to Tsuna.
"Huh? Who?"
"Reborn."
"Reborn!?"
"Doesn't matter," Gokudera took out his dynamites. "I'll take him out!"
The boy threw his dynamite at Skull, but before they could even touch him, it was suddenly knocked away by something red. "They bounced off!" Yamamoto exclaimed, not seeing what Yuuki saw.
As the smoke cleared away, they started to notice something behind Skull. "There's something behind him!" Tsuna pointed out. It was a large red octopus wearing some armor, holding in two of his eight legs were two large logs. "An octopus?!"
"I've heard that Skull controls a giant armored octopus," the man from before stated.
"No way!"
"Hmm, he still has that octopus, huh?" Yuuki muttered to herself. "I sort of regret stopping Reborn from turning it into some takoyaki. I bet it would be delicious." Yuuki suddenly started to salivate a bit from the thought.
Skull made some hand gestures causing the octopus to fling away some mafia members. "The octopus's actions are linked to the baby's finger movements!" Yamamoto said. "Amazing! How's he doing it?"
"I believed it's like training a pet," Arata mused.
"This isn't the time to be impressed," Tsuna scolded his friend.
"Well? Who's next?" Skull asked, wiggling his fingers. The group, excluding Yuuki and her team, slowly backed away as the tentacles of the octopus got closer.
"What? You haven't eaten that octopus yet?" A voice called out. Yuuki immediately knew who it was. Everyone turned to see Reborn sitting on the branch of a tree. "As I said before, I'm sure it'll taste good."
"I want some takoyaki now," Yuuki added, staring intently at the octopus.
"I'll order some once everything is over," Shoshi assured, continuing to type on his tablet.
"Reborn! You finally woke up?" Tsuna questioned as Reborn jumped down to stand in front of the group. Yuuki tilted her head. Was he asleep because of his nap time or was it simply a part of his plan to mess with Tsuna? Each explanation was possible, especially the nap time. Reborn was an infant after all. It didn't seem to matter for Tsuna though. He was just mad with the baby, "We're in a lot of trouble here."
"Why is Reborn-senpai here?" Skull asked.
Senpai? Tsuna gaped. Another one of Reborn's weird acquaintances?
"Ciaossu," Reborn greeted. "It's been a while, Skull. Didn't you notice your pacifier glowing?"
"Ah," Skull agreed, now taking notice of the glowing pacifier.
"Since we're here and all, I'll buy you a drink to go with some octopus sashimi," Reborn walked to Skull.
"D-Don't be ridiculous! I'm acting under the orders of the boss of Calcassa Family! You're an enemy I must defeat!"
"You're always someone else's lackey."
"You're the only one who made me his lackey! But don't underestimate me!" Skull made a gesture and the octopus grabbed Reborn.
"Ah, Reborn!" Tsuna cried out.
"No need to worry, he's fine," Yuuki assured the group. "It would take a lot more to overpower him."
While in the octopus's grip, Leon turned into a gun which Reborn used to shoot two bullets. One was deflected by the octopus, but the other managed to hit Skull's left hand. Skull grabbed his hand, "You're a quick draw… But I only need one arm!"
Under Skull's order, the octopus squeezed Reborn causing him to let go of his gun.
"Reborn!" Tsuna cried with worry.
"This is bad!" Gokudera said, uneased.
"Kid!" Yamamoto shouted. Yuuki suddenly yawned, drawing the three worried boys' attention.
"How can you be so calm?!" Tsuna asked.
"Just watched," Yuuki said turning back to the scene.
"Well?" Skull asked. "I'm no longer the Skull I used to be. Die, Reborn!" Skull made a pinching motion with his right hand, but all the octopus did was look at Skull funny as Reborn got out of the octopus's grip.
"What are you doing?" Skull shouted at the octopus. "Why won't you move?"
"He's hesitating," Reborn explained, "Because he's never seen your left hand like that before."
"What is this?!" Skull cried, finally noticing his hand which grew ten times its regular size.
"I see," Tsuna said, realizing what Reborn did. "He fired a Fist Shot. The octopus can't move because he doesn't understand his instruction."
Yuuki and her team paused before turning to Tsuna. "You have your moments, you know that Tsuna," Kazuo said, giving Tsuna a weird look. Shoshi made note of Tsuna's rare moments of insight.
"Now it's my turn," Reborn jumped down and struck Skull, sending him flying into a tree. Everyone made sounds of amazement while Yuuki watched with pride.
"Reborn's strong…" Tsuna muttered, finally realizing how strong the baby was.
Skull cursed, "In that case, I'll order the fleet to bombard the castle."
"Oh no, what shall we do now?" Yuuki sarcastically droned.
"That's impossible," Reborn calmly stated. "Colonnello's probably woken up by now."
Yuuki perked up. Colonnello was here too? If she had known, she would have paid him a visit. "What?" Skull yelled in surprise, "Colonnello-senpai's here too?!"
A sudden voice came through Skull's radio, "Skull-sama, all ships have been sunk!"
"Colonnello's rifle has spoken loud and clear."
"I can confirm. All battleships have been destroyed," Shoshi spoke up, watching the destruction of the ships through the surveillance feeds.
"So, he's ridiculously strong too," Tsuna muttered in disbelief before scolding Reborn. "Maybe you should've done that in the first place, instead of sleeping!"
"Who cares," Reborn replied to Tsuna. "You weren't fighting anyway." That was true. He really shouldn't be complaining. Maybe Reborn was trying to protect me? Tsuna thought.
"I personally lay the smackdown on my lackey," Reborn explained, destroying any positive thoughts Tsuna had of Reborn.
With the enemies defeated, things went back to normal. Yuuki and her team were able to spend the last of their vacation in peace while also enjoying some delicious takoyaki. Unfortunately, they didn't come from Skull's octopus. It was a pity though. Do you even know how much takoyaki you can make with such a large octopus?
No matter, Yuuki finally got her takoyaki and so she was satisfied.