AN: Hi guys. I'm not off hiatus yet, but I'm slowly publishing my drafts since I don't like them gathering dust as it turns out, lol
Anyway, I hope you will like the chapter.
Come morning when she wakes up, Tsuna still can't understand what happened the previous night with Yoru. She doesn't know how to explain it. The closest thing that comes to mind is the final battle with Byakuran in the future when parts of Tri-Ni-Sette called out to one another. But their Flames never joined together the way hers did with Yoru's power - which grandpa called Fear…
Wait, maybe Grandpa knows the answer to the question.
"Grandpa," she calls out, knowing he will hear her. "Do you have any idea what happened yesterday?"
"Afraid not," Primo answers as he makes himself known. "Nurarihyon and I sparred quite often using Flames and Fear in the past, but our powers never reacted the way yours and Yoru's did."
"Oh," Tsuna says with a bit of disappointment. Before she can comment further though, her aunt's voice calls from downstairs:
"Tsuna-chan, are you awake?! Come down, breakfast is ready!"
"Go on," Giotto urges when his granddaughter hesitates. "You came here to rest from the mafia, so do so. Don't worry too much about what happened."
"You're right," Tsunami agrees. "Thank you, Grandpa. For being here for me."
"You don't have to thank me. I will always be with you," Giotto says as he brushes her long hair with his hand lovingly. "Now, go on. Your family waits for you."
The brunette smiles in reply and goes downstairs. Giotto watches her go, expression fond, before returning to the Ring.
Tsuna deserved to be just a teenager for a while after all the dangers she had been through. Yokai and mysteries could wait.
After breakfast, the cousins say goodbye to the adults - it was the beginning of the weekend, so Ichiro and Sumiko were home - and go to meet the other members of the Squad. When they arrive, Kiyotsugu claps his hands together as he announces in a loud voice:
"Okay, gang! Since we are all here, I have news to tell!" Kiyotsugu pauses for a dramatic effect before speaking again. "We're going on a trip!"
"A trip?" the future Donna repeats with wariness. Her Hyper Intuition starts to ring like crazy, and she knows she won't like whatever Kiyotsugu-kun will say next. She is proven right a moment later.
"Yep!" the curly-haired boy confirms. "I have gotten a clue from someone on my site, so we're going to check it out. If it's true, we might see some yokais!"
Tsuna wants to protest. No doubt they will go at night, and it will increase the chances that they would be attacked by yokais and possibly killed. However, before she can voice her objections, Kana whispers to her:
"Don't bother. It's no use to argue with him when he's like this."
"Even so, I doubt Ichiro-oji-san and Sumiko-ba-san would let us go on a trip at night without an adult to supervise," Tsuna counters, her voice also a whisper.
"They already know. It isn't the first trip we had, so they know we will be careful. Besides, we may not meet any yokais at all, so we will be back home fast."
Tsuna sighs at that and looks around. It's clear from the faces of the other members that they will be going regardless of the arguments she may come up with. There really was no arguing with Kiyotsugu-kun.
Suddenly, Rikuo's voice catches her attention:
"I'm truly sorry, guys, but I can't go with you. Tsurara too," her childhood friend says, expression and voice apologetic.
"Eh? Why not?" Kiyotsugu asks.
"Grandpa needs help with the clan, so I will be busy the whole weekend and then maybe some. Tsurara has to help at home," Rikuo says. He isn't lying technically. Now that he was the head of the clan in more than name, he needed to attend meetings and such. Tsurara had her own duties to attend to. And as much wanted to go with them to keep Tsuna and others safe, he also had training with Itaku coming up today. He needed to become strong if he wanted to defeat Nue, so the responsibility came first. But perhaps he could send someone to keep an eye on his friends.
Now, that was an idea.
"You're helping your grandfather with the clan now?" Tsuna's soft voice broke through his thoughts.
He looked at his crush. "Yeah. He's not getting any younger, so someone had to take the reins."
"I understand, believe me," Tsuna says as she sees the way Rikuo's eyes turn somber at the mention of his family. She knows the way he feels - she feels the same way every single day. Although she refused the title of Vongola Decimo in the end, she accepted it - someone had to. It is a heavy burden to bear, but she does it for her friends and family. Same way Rikuo does it for his grandfather, so she understood him perfectly. "Good luck with the Clan."
"Thanks, I'm going to need it," Rikuo says with a smile, wondering when Tsuna's eyes had gotten such a look - it was the look of a leader, one who knows he's responsible for many lives. He sees the same look in his eyes every time he looks into the mirror. He wants to ask what burden she's carrying, so they can share it, but keeps the question to himself. Now is not the time to ask it. "And you be careful too."
"Don't worry, we will."
"Okay then!" Kiyotsugu speaks up. "Nura-kun can join us next time. Oikawa-kun too since she's busy as well. As for us, we're meeting after lunch. The train leaves at two."
Everybody agrees and goes their separate ways to prepare for the trip.
Tsuna's Hyper Intuition doesn't stop ringing until she and Kana return home.
Remembering Reborn's lessons and the way her Hyper Intuition screamed at her earlier, she takes Dying Will pills and X-Gloves with wonders if she should bring contact lenses and headphones too before dismissing the idea – the X-Burner would be overkill, not to mention it would leave evidence that would be hard to explain, and she needs to protect her friends discreetly. So she takes Natsu's Ring instead that she brought with herself as well, and hides it all on her person.
"You really think you'll be attacked?" Daniela asks with worry as she and Giotto watch the preparations for the trip.
The brunette turns to her predecessors. "I hope not, but given the way my Hyper Intuition acted up earlier…" she trailed off.
She didn't need to finish, Ottavo and Primo knew what Tsunami meant. The group would be attacked tonight, and Decimo needs to prepare for every possibility.
After all, Hyper Intuition is never wrong. All of them learned it the hard way.
Nura Mansion.
The evening has fallen and Rikuo finally transformed into his Night Form. Currently, he and Itaku were training outside, the rising moon illuminating their figures.
"Come on, Rikuo," Itaku says impatiently when Rikuo doesn't resume the fight. "We don't have time to laze around."
"I know, give me a moment," Rikuo says, a tad irritated. He knows they are on a tight schedule given Nue is estimated to return within six months or so, but his mentor was running him ragged since he arrived at the Mansion, so he didn't have time to send someone to look after Tsuna and others to his annoyance and worry, for the time during training flew fast.
Logically he knows Tsuna can protect herself and others with her Flames, but he would never himself if he left them unprotected.
Itaku rolls his eyes in response, but thankfully, allows Rikuo this small pause. Rikuo immediately jumps at the chance:
"Kuromaru!"
"Yes, Rikuo-sama?" the oldest of Karasu-Tengu's children asks as he flies over, ready to obey.
"I would like you and your siblings to look after my human friends and protect them in case they are attacked."
"Understood, Rikuo-sama," Kuromaru says curtly. He nods at his siblings and Sanba Garasu take to the skies.
Rikuo watches them for a little before turning back to Itaku.
"I'm ready," he says, taking a battle stance. Itaku does the same.
Sanba Garasu will protect his friends; he knows this for sure. Right now, he needs to focus on getting stronger, so he could protect all he holds dear.
And especially her.