[IC] As One | Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

[Vongola_Hasayo]

Naoto tried to imagine what horrible punishment Sonya and Vector would collaborate. With each possibilitybecoming worse and worse he became more and more pale. Naoto quickly gained back the color in his face when the Artemis pulled away from him. He reddened realizing he had been holding onto her longer than he intended, distracted by Vector and Sonya. His embarrassment was shortly lived as Artemis got angry, saying that his help wasn't needed and that she didn't necessarily need it. "Well, I didn't see your quick reflexes back there! For the cautious looks you throw at us I'd think you'd try to get out of the way of the man with the deadly weapon!" Naoto had noticed how nervous she seemed around all of them. Understandable considering who they're supposed to be. Then again how intimidating can we be with a guy like Daisuke around and all of us hanging upside down like idiots...?

Naoto's attention was drawn to Vector who addressed him and seemed to become very interested with the pink haired boss-to-be. "I never claimed to be anything. The Vongola came to me...one of them in a very unwelcomed way." Naoto answered the question about his relation to the Vongola bosses with anger towards Vector and his role at the festival. Naoto glared daggers at the younger hitman's imposter comment. Even if he doesn't want the title of boss he loathed Vector's implications. Then, Naoto's glare dissolved into a look of shock as lightning was materialized and shaped right before his eyes. How can he do something like that!? Every time I think the mafia world is not like I thought it would be it reveals something that proves me more right than I could've imagined. As Vector talked about testing him Naoto tried to regain his composer.

"I think you should go with the others." He told Artemis, again trying to keep her out of harms way. "I've got to admit I think I like you better than your future self. At least you don't get innocent people involved when you want to test someone!" Naoto tried to sound and act confident but the longer he looked at Vector's menacing power the more fearful he felt. If he had this kind of power in the past how did I ever think I could fight his present self!? This is overwhelming...I just want to run...how am I supposed to fight someone like him...I've gotta run! His whole body shook intensely.

"Go, go, go, Boss!"

Naoto could never tell if Daisuke was just being an idiot or if he really had that much faith in him. Either way, his cheering oddly enough stopped the shaking. "You did it again you big fool..." Letting out a calming breath Naoto was able to pull his eyes away from the blade Vector had created and rest them on the man himself. He was far from being confident about taking him on but at least he didn't feel like running now. "Well then, Naoto Alato. If you won't answer me in words..." Naoto focused his eyes on Vector and readied himself to meet him head on. Then, to his relief and somewhat irritation, past Vector's time in the present ran out causing him to disappear and present day Vector to appear in his place. Seeing Vectors wounds , Naoto's first instinct was to get him some help. Though, as soon as Vector started talking like nothing was wrong and he remembered it was Vector Naoto's somewhat worried expression vanished and was replaced with an annoyed glare. "I'd be lying if I said I was surprised that people want him dead." He muttered as Vector ignored his existence.

Turning to look at the rest of the group Naoto couldn't help but smile as he rested his hands on the back of his head. Seeing that Fionn had fallen he couldn't help but feel a little guilty for leaving him hanging, literally. At the same time he the kid was growing on him. He was just really familiar. It was also warming to see most everyone coming to his aid. With a slight chuckle Naoto walked over to Daisuke who was still hanging. Looking at him Naoto wondered how this pineapple obsessed screwball managed to bring him back to his senses twice now. "Come on, you can get down now~" He told him preparing to help Daisuke down. As he waited he overheard Sonya talking about continuing the punishment game. "You gotta be kidding! After all that? Shouldn't we be figuring out why he was shot with that time travel bazooka thing in the past? Or better yet, the training we're supposed to be doing other than this!"

[TwilightDragon]

Honestly, Fionn didn’t expect anyone to come rushing over to his side. He believed that the Guardians were going to laugh at him and tell him that he was just one big baby. The thought made more tears come to his eyes, but he held himself back from crying any more. However, Ben, Jak, and Abby ran over to him. The Cloud Guardian spoke up first, telling him that he could have just gotten off the bars due to the fact that Naoto had dropped off of the bars before him. Oh yeah. That’s true… He glanced up at Ben, wiping the tears from his eyes. ”Yeah…” he began to push himself off the ground, wincing in pain, before Abby asked if he was alright. ”Well, my spine’s not broken… so I guess I am.”

As soon as Naoto dropped from the bars, so did Cyril. The dark haired boy was curious about the younger Hajime, but he decided against confronting him. It was obvious that he was much more experienced than he was. Naoto was too rash; why couldn’t the Eleventh Generation boss have just studied the new arrival before he rushed to defend Artemis? Luckily, the younger version of Hajime vanished in a cloud of rose colored smoke before he could harm the Sky Guardian. The smoke dispersed after a few moments and revealed a heavily wounded older Hajime. The man didn’t seem fazed by his wounds at all. He’s used to being injured. He’s been in the mafia for longer than we have, after all.

”Naoto’s right.” Cyril said as he turned to Sonya. ”We should train instead of hanging upside down from monkeybars. But I’m pretty sure that everyone’s too tired to train now. We should go home and rest before training again.”

---

Trespiano was beautiful at night. The sky was like a black canvas littered with diamonds. The full moon hung lazily in the midst of the stars. Now that most of the citizens of the tiny town were asleep, one could hear the crashing of the waves on the shore. Cyril loved when it was nighttime in Trespiano. It was his sanctuary—somewhere where he could think to himself. He also liked to spend some time away from his aunt. She needed her space, too. And frankly, even he got sick of her at times.

He supposed that he was lucky that Sonya had let the Guardians roam free for the rest of the day. She told them that they would meet up again the next day somewhere, but Cyril didn’t really know where. The boy was more focused on leaving the group and spending time by himself. He would spend time with them tomorrow. Maybe he would apologize for being a jerk and get them coffee or something. Then again… if he did, something would probably go wrong and he would be pulling his hair out by the end of the day.

Cyril finally decided to go home. It was late and his aunt was probably worried. She was sure to give him quite a tongue lashing when she saw him. Oh well. he thought, walking down a rather familiar street. It was a rather quiet road, lined with small houses and little gardens. His neighbors often kept to themselves, tending to their rose bushes and the like. His aunt had started to garden when she saw that her friends were doing so, and now she was always buying flower seeds and mulch and the like. It made him happy to see her doing something that she loved.

The dark haired boy walked up the stairs to his home and to the front door. It’s nice to be back. I can finally rest. he thought, pushing open the door and entering the house. His aunt would still be up and in the kitchen, making herself a snack. Cyril went over to the kitchen to greet her, but instead of finding her there, he saw that the kitchen was empty and dark. Used plates were on the table. That’s strange… she wouldn't just leave the kitchen like that. Cyril checked the fridge to see if anything was left for him, but most of the food was gone. She would have left something for me, too...

”Auntie?” he called, making his way out of the kitchen and down the hall. He checked the living room, and then the bathroom. The bathroom stunk horribly and someone forgot to flush the toilet, but in the end, she wasn’t there, either. Where could she be?

Maybe she had gone upstairs to her bedroom. But why would she leave the door open if she had gone to bed? Something’s up. he thought as he made his way up to the bedrooms. She wouldn’t just leave the front door open like that. Especially since I have a pair of keys.

Cyril trotted up the rest of the stairs and jogged to the door of his aunt’s bedroom. As he expected, no one was there, but he spotted a sheet of paper laying on the messy sheets and clothes strewn over the floor. His heart felt like it was going to leap out of his chest as he walked up to the sheet of paper. He felt himself grab at the paper, but even then, he did not feel it against his hands. All he was concentrated on was what could have happened to his aunt. His eyes began to skim the letter, his fingers tightly gripping at the edges.

Dear Cyril,

Okay, seriously, why am I writing A LETTER? It's 2032 for christ sakes. You woulda thought paper and pencils wouldn't exist with all the technology the world got, but nope, government thinks that kids actually want to learn if they're actually using them over technology... then again, I do feel for them a bit; if I had a tablet in a classroom and the teach wasn't looking, I'd be helping myself to some hot chicks or games or some shit.

Oh fuck, I forgot I was still writing this. Uh... hey! Now, you might have noticed that something in your house is missing... or someone. Oh, by the way, your milk went bad two days ago. Just saying. And I ate the rest of that meatloaf as well, but it came out like five minutes later, so uh... make sure to use the air freshener when you go to the can. I also happened to notice that your family believes in the invisible fat man in the sky... well, long story short, I took a big brown angel. Also, no drinks?! Aren't you like, going into high school or some shit?! God damn! I pity da fool!

Fuck. Trailed off again. Okay. Focus. Breathe. Woo. Okay, got it. Okay. ANYWAY. You might have noticed that your house is a little different, and someone is missing. Yes, your aunt... well, forgot her name, but your aunt nonetheless. I had a little help from someone special in the Vongola, and you know who? The boss helped me arranged all of this. So you can thank him for me before you come after me. That is, if you do come. If I were you, I'd be shitting bricks too, but unfortunately for you, I'm the dude behind the gun, and you're the one who's in front of it.

Back to the point, Cyril. You might recall a certain famiglia that you left years ago... no? Does the word 'Birra' ring a bell? No, not beer, you don't have any. Do I need to spell it out for you? Wait, I'm writing. I forgot, I DID spell it out for you. Shit. Well, there you have it. Yes, Cyril, I'm from the Birra Famiglia, and I have one mission; make sure I bring back some part of your body as proof that I killed you.

But don't think I don't know what you look like. I mean, with all the tech, it's pretty easy to trace footsteps, but I say it's just my sheer awesomeness as a hitman. That doesn't mean you haven't seen me, either, though... shamefully, you have seen me. Remember Michael? That tall, handsome Americunt? Yep. That was me. But dude... real talk... HOW IS THAT ANNOYING WAPANESE KID TALLER THAN YOU BY AN INCH? What was his name... Daisuck? The Rightning Guardian? Jesus man!

Now, I might sound a little threatening, I know, but take it from my point of view. I feel bad for you, man. You ain't cut out for this mafia business, but you were brought in by that-- wait, I had a Daisuck moment.. or was it Daisuke? Whatever, fuck Japanese names. I forgot you were born right into the Birra, so you were in the mafia from the start, so no need to blame the Vongola for that. Only need to be angry at your dad for producing you and your mommy for not swallowing you.

Man, your fridge is literally empty. Does your aunt go grocery shopping once a week or something? No wonder why you're shorter than that Wapanese kid. Nutrition's important, dude. I know that and I dropped outta school years ago. That's pretty sad, but whatever. This generation of kids is fucking retarded, anyway; boy-band loving moms and fat people really fucked it up for us in the 1990s and 2010s. God damn Americunts. If I was in charge, I would make it illegal to be overweight. Maybe that'll solve our fuckin' issues. Then again, I already make a living out of killing people, so who the fuck needs to be a president or whatever to do that?

Now, I can't help but notice that you're still reading this letter. I know, I know... but I'm only into girls. Instead of reading, I would be, uh, training? What do those clams do these days when something like this happens? I'm pretty sure you get hit by a train or two? I don't know? Nah, I'm just kidding... but for real, you really don't need any. It's not gonna help you or me at all. Just gonna make the inevitable prolonged, man. I just want to leave this shitty excuse for a town, already. It's full of rats, and it smells like the shit in your toilet that won't flush.

Okay, I'm done with this letter. Just so you know, I'm by myself, because I'm strong enough to kill all of you in time to be back home for dinner. I'll be at that fancy school building that you'll be going to in the fall for god knows how long you'll take to get here. Your aunt for your life. Don't worry, there'll be no witnesses, I already paid a visit to the school and gave the janitors the salary of their lives... if you catch my drift. But anyway, go plunge that toilet and stock that fridge okay bye

Fuck signatures
Bill Clinton

It was almost too much for him to handle. Each insult that he came across in the letter was like a slap to the face. But there were more important things at hand. Someone had taken his aunt against her will. She could be dead or seriously injured. What do I do? he thought to himself as he ran out of the bedroom and back down the stairs. His neighbor had moved in just recently, but she had to know something, right? He jogged over to her door and knocked a few times before she finally opened it. He asked if she had seen or heard anything suspicious, but she answered that she hadn't. Well, crap. Where do I go now? Without thinking, Cyril ran down the path he had traveled down a few minutes before. I have to get help. I can’t wait until morning. There has to be someone that can help, right?

He could to go Daisuke’s place. Or Jak’s. Whoever’s house was closer. The boy ran the rest of the way down the street and rounded a corner. He knew that one of the Guardians lived around there, but he didn’t know who. I don’t care. I’ll beg for that Asian’s help if I have to.

Cyril ran up to the door of Daisuke's house and knocked vigorously. He has to wake up. he told himself. I’ll knock all night. I won’t leave. He just has to hurry up. Grinding his teeth, he knocked again. Maybe he was wasting his time and should go somewhere else. But then again, maybe he was on his way to the door. He felt himself begin to tremble and his eyes burned. Please! Just hurry up!

[RainDash]

Artemis liked walking around at night. She usually prefered to do it close to home and with her set of keys in hand, but that wasn't really an option right now. Mostly because she didn't have a house, left her keys back home, and she was fairly certain that no matter where she went she wouldn't be safe from the assassin who held a gun to her head and came very close to ending her mafia 'adventure'. Which was shaping up to only be an adventure of terror and pain without hope of actually ending up with a computer.

Artemis could only use her laptop for so much without worrying about the IP leaving a trail right to her again. Even so, she needed to find something better and fast. Lugging all of her tech with her wasn't safe. If she fell then she'd be out a computer or worse. Someone might find her old Vocaloid experiments with her voice. Middle school was an embarrassing time that Artemis would sooner forget that whole era than let anyone see her old 'work'.

She sighed, looking up at the stars and wondering how her dad was coping. She'd given him an account which she called her 'rainy day fund' and hoped that he would be able to make it, because it certainly was pouring now. Artemis would stand out in the rain for years if that meant they were gonna be okay. I hope Mom's getting better... I really hope that I didn't sell my soul to the devil for nothing... she rolled her neck and kept walking until she heard someone pounding at a door. She stopped and noticed that the brown haired guy from earlier was knocking at a door with a letter clenched in his hand.

"Hey, what's going on?" Artemis asked. "why are you still out? Isn't it dangerous?"

[Solace]

"Dododododo, dodododododo," Daisuke hummed exuberantly by the kitchen sink as he stacked one clean dish after another, the din of running water drowned out by his headphones blaring an old version of a tune from a still-popular fighting game. Full of glee that he had been welcomed home with a tabletop of glorious food, he offered to clean up after dinner. He always thought long and hard about how much Ottavio worked around the house for him, and more often than not, he would practically force her to take a break as he took her place.

All of the kids had been allowed to return to their homes after the session of torture, though Daisuke himself had been too weak and hungry to free himself from the bond that kept him tied to the monkey bars, so much that Hajime had been forced to cut him loose and carry him home. While Daisuke was in the kitchen washing dishes, Ottavio and Hajime sat on the couch in the living room as she tended to his scattered cuts.

"You know, you're not that much of a fighter anymore like you were back then," she complained as she focused her hands directly above each wound on his body, a yellow aura emitting from her palms that coated each of Hajime's injuries. "You can't just go around the past beating up Canadians for no reason."

"On the contrary. They were Canadian mafioso," Hajime yawned as he flipped through the numerous channels of the television. "They were attacking my past self, and I had to defend myself."

Ottavio drew a long sigh as she lowered her hands, taking a brief moment to quickly survey Hajime's body for any more wounds before telling him that he was fully healed, and to put his shirt back on. "Still," she looked towards the kitchen, worried. "He's always worried about you, and you're never around for him. You're his father, at least be like one every now and then."

Hajime bit the inside of his mouth, swallowing the criticism. "What, you gonna tell me how to be a man now, too?" he snickered, laying the television remote to the side. "Look, I apologize for having actual responsibilities, but I can't stay at home and watch a kid all day when the Vongola Famiglia is at its most vulnerable state with all its Guardians bedridden, and everyone has their eyes on us."

"That kid watched as he lost his brother and mother when he was just four years old," Ottavio reiterated, snapping back. "And, in all honesty, I think he's already lost you, as well. Do you think he can live with that?"

Hajime slouched back into the couch, his eyes casting away from the television and lost in the atmosphere. "That was the past," he spoke in a dull manner, blinking slowly. "Right now, my job is to make him into the best god damned Lightning Guardian that I can. It doesn't matter if I'm not his father, anymore."

Ottavio shook her head, running a hand through her hair as she hugged her knees into her chest. "You can really be cruel sometimes, you know that?" she frowned. "I don't know how you can be like that after all that's happened..."

Just as Hajime was about to apologize for what he said, a series of knocks came from the front door, snapping the man out of his trance. He turned to Ottavio, who was wearing a surprised look, and looked back towards the door. "This late?" he mumbled to himself as he got up, grabbing his shirt and slinging it over his shoulder. He took hold of the television remote and clicked a series of numbers, the result being a camera feed of the front door.

His eyes squinted as Hajime saw a frantic Cyril accompanied by the girl that was with Sonya before, scratching his head as he went to answer the door. "What are they doing here?" he asked aloud as he swung the entrance open, looking down at the boy. "Shouldn't you be home, Cyril?"

[TwilightDragon]

Cyril felt like it was taking an eternity for the boy to answer the door. Every second passed by at a grueling pace. What was taking him so long? He heard voices inside the house, which meant that people were awake. Didn’t they hear him knocking on the door? Maybe he should knock harder… or maybe he should run and get someone else to help him. Just when he was about to turn around and run to another house, someone stopped him. It was that brunette girl from before. She questioned him about being out so late and stated that it was dangerous to roam the streets at that hour. Does she think that I’m a little kid? ”It’s none of your business.” he snapped at her. Then again, what if she could help? She looked like she was a smart girl… ”Actually, I-“

Suddenly, the door to Daisuke’s house opened, and Cyril blinked at the man at the doorway. He didn’t expect Hajime to answer, especially since Daisuke’s caretaker had once told him that he was never home. Though, Hajime would definitely be able to help him find the person that took his aunt away from him. ”Hajime, someone took my aunt!” he told him, his firm grip on the letter tightening even more. ”They say that they’re from the Birra… what do I do? You have to help me, you have to!”

Cyril would have flinched at the sound of his voice if he cared about it at the moment. All he was focused on was getting his aunt back. That, and finding out who was after him. He had left the Birra so he could get away from violence and the like. Instead of finding peace in Trespiano, he found himself joining another mafia family. He still didn't know why. Cyril trembled as he showed the wrinkled letter to Hajime. If he doesn't help, they're going to kill my aunt... and then they'll come after me.

[Vongola_Hasayo]

Naoto stepped out of the bathroom with a towel draped over his head and exhaustion in his eyes. "Man, that was the longest hot bath in my life and I'm still sore. I haven't been this worn out since that one-on-one with Atticus that went on for five hours without either of us scoring a goal." Naoto smiled surprised that Sonya's punishment game actually brought him such a happy memory. As he came down the stairs Miku looked up from the t.v. and smiled warmly at her son. "You're up late Nao-kun~" Sitting next to his mother on the couch flinching at his soreness. "Yeah well I move to much in my sleep to go to bed this sore." Miku chuckled knowing her son couldn't even stay still in his sleep. Naoto took a look at what she was watching. It was an old mob movie. "The mafia world has become much less violent because of Tsunayoshi-kun~" Naoto turned to his mother. "Tsunayoshi?" Miku smiled. "The Tenth. He changed this world with his kind nature and his ideals. He returned the Vongola to its original purpose and continued Vongola Primo's will." Naoto nodded. "Sonya said something look that too. I've never seen the mafia as just a group of criminals. And I know that there really is a real familial bond within it. Now I know why I've felt like that whenever the topic came up, I guess." Pulling the towel of his head he looked at his mother. "Why did you never tell me?"

Miku was expecting the question. In fact, she had guessed that her son would be chosen. "The mafia world is still very dangerous. Being Vongola we are always found at the forefront of that danger. Since we were in such a time of peace I saw no reason to get you mixed up in it. But, I didn't bet on Tsunayoshi-kun passing the torch so early and without having an heir. He's always been so bashful~" She smiled solemnly, brushing Naoto's wet hair out of his face. "I also didn't bet on how strongly the Vongola blood would run through you. Leading you to throw yourself into danger for the sake of others." Naoto knew what she meant and the very moment that really became clear. Miku could see the memory playing in her son's mind and decided to change the subject. "You seen to be getting into the whole boss thing aren't you Nao-kun~?" Naoto became a little red and filed his arms. "No way. I'm more sure now that I don't want to be the boss than before! Jak's so calm about everything that it's kind of disturbing sometimes. I don't think my sanity will last much longer being around Daisuke. And don't get me started on Cyril's attitude. That guy just rubs new the wrong way!" Miku chuckled, happy to see her son talk about the people around him so fervently after so long. Meanwhile, Naoto found himself wondering what the others were up to. They're probably sleep by now...

[RainDash]

Artemis watched Cyril, somewhat offended at his tone and irritation. I was just worried, I mean, the man's out during dark and crying. Usually that means that things aren't going well. Last time I saw some clutching a paper that desperately, it was a College student trying to turn his homework during winter break. I guess finals broke him. Ahh, it's a good thing I left England I guess. Finals might be more deadly than this 'mafia'...

Then he started to talk, but the man from earlier with the bloody clothes and weird -flames?- appeared and a quick glance at her device revealed he was asking what Cyril was doing there. Then Cyril exclaimed his aunt was taken by... the Birra family? Artemis had heard something about the Birra family. Something about them being powerful, and power hungry as well. Not a good combination with the mafia, and maybe not with the Vongola, them being so laid back and all. That, of course, didn't mean that they wouldn't hesitate to shoot her -especially Sonya and Haijme.

"So, what's the letter say exactly? I mean, there's a gotta be a meet up or cash drop off spot, right? It's not a good hostage situation if they don't ask for money or want you to arrive all cowboy style." Artemis reached over Cyril's shoulder, grabbing for the paper to hold it in a better light. She thought she saw something familiar in the scribbles that made up the note in general. "It's werid," she said slowly, "I think I've seen something like this before..."

[Solace]

Hajime drew an astonished gasp as his eyes lit upon the mention of the Birra Famiglia, biting the side of his mouth. "Damn it," he said, clicking his tongue and reaching past Cyril to seize the evidence of the incident that had been left behind. His eyes scanned through the profane, satire-filled letter, mentally feeling a slap to his forehead.

It had taken the kidnapper such a long time to convey their message of the abduction of Cyril's aunt, but to see the boy desperately crying to him for his help, there was no doubt that it was true. Hajime's expression grew tense as he folded the letter neatly to fit it into his pocket, swinging the shirt from his shoulder and over his head to wear it.

"Cyril, I'm going to need you to stay here for the time being," Hajime spoke in a more demanding tone than requesting. He turned back to Ottavio, who had rose from the couch and stood behind him with a worried look on her face that matched his own. "He'll be staying in Daisuke's room," he said to the caretaker, who nodded in compliance. "I need to return to the Iron Fort... this is an emergency."

"Dad?" Daisuke's voice asked curiously as he removed his earphones, his eyes lighting up upon seeing Cyril and Artemis standing at the doorway. "Cyril!" he waved, smiling as he joined them at the entrance and looking back and forth between his father and friends. His smile died as he saw Cyril's miserable countenance, frowning to coincide. "Hey... what's wrong?"

Hajime laid a hand on his son's shoulder, patting it lightly. "Cyril wants to have a sleepover," he explained, faking a smile. "He'll be staying in-"

"YAY!" Daisuke cheered, throwing his arms up and accidentally hitting Hajime in the chin. "You can stay in my room!"

"Anyway," Hajime sighed, rubbing his chin and walking back to the couch. He vocally ordered the television to shut off as he picked up his tattered coat, rotating his hand to look around the surface of the clothing. After a moment of observation, he threw it back onto the couch, returning to the doorway. "I have to leave for an important meeting," he said.

Daisuke blinked, looking down. "Again? This late?"

"Don't worry," Ottavio wrapped an arm around Daisuke, comforting him. "Your dad will be just fine."

"Okay," he nodded, still sounding unconvinced.

Hajime took a brief instant to re-style his hair before he walked past Cyril, stopping near Artemis on his way out. "If you want, you can stay here, too," he offered to her in English as he resumed his travel. "Trespiano is no longer safe."

---

Sunlight peered through the transparent balcony door of Daisuke's bedroom as the morning came. The wake of the sun re-illustrated Mother Nature's beauty as she graced the awakening Italy with life. Daisuke yawned lazily as the light came over his makeshift bed on the floor, causing him to groan annoyingly. He pulled the blanket over his face to immerse himself back into the comfort of the dream world, refusing to open his eyelids.

"Daisuke~" Ottavio sang as she gently opened the door into his room, gasping as it clashed with another structure that was covered in a blanket. "It's time to wake up~"

Daisuke raised a hand from underneath the blanket and rubbed his head, whining as he turned away from the door. "I don't wanna," he complained.

"You know, you didn't need to sleep so close to the door. You could've slept anywhere else in this big room!" Ottavio said as she looked at the large, slightly-messy bedroom. She frowned when her eyes laid upon the bed containing a sleeping Cyril, sighing. "Come on, get up," she urged the Japanese boy, walking into the room and lightly kicking him in the side.

"But it's the freaking summer," Daisuke continued to complain.

"I'll make some waffles for breakfast," Ottavio produced a sly grin.

In an instant, the figure underneath the blanket rose as if it were a zombie rising from the grave. Daisuke untangled himself from his makeshift bed and, with one eye open and the other glued shut, he trotted past Ottavio and into the hallway towards the bathroom.

[Dblade26]

"Hmm, Nao-kun sure is taking his time today!~"

Prospero hummed to himself and kicked bunny-slipper-shod feet in time with some unheard tempo in his head. A nightcap with a fuzzy star on the end replaced his usual magician's hat, and his mask from the day before was traded out for a plushy sleeping-mask. A blanket was currently wrapped around him in place of the usual short cape as well and pyjamas substituted for his tuxedo.

He kept humming happily and twirled a fork between his fingers, occasionally making it vanish down a sleeve and re-appear in his opposite hand to pass the time. There was no reason not to be contented at the moment as far as Prospero was concerned. He'd managed to find a free place to stay now that he was no longer touring in the form of Naoto's house, and with it the opportunity to gather information on the Vongola. Keeping on a happy and civil face just seemed like common sense around Naoto's mother anyways. In all his time in the Mafia Underworld thus far, Prospero had never met anyone quite as scary as her. So he played the part of a cheery kid for multiple reasons. Plus, the last time someone had cooked him breakfast had been...never. He was secretly looking forward to seeing what it was like.

[RainDash]

Artemis was filled with dread as she saw Haijme gasp at the letter and the mention of the Birra family. Are they really that bad? I'm lucky that I didn't go to them first... she muffled her fear with pursed lips and by withdrawing her hand. What if the assassin from before was from the Birra family? What if that was the one group that she'd taken from in desperation? The fear rose up in her throat as she thought about the possibilities. She looked up just in time to see Daisuke be disappointed as his father left for another meeting. She couldn't imagine how he felt, but at least Haijme would be back.

She watched the scene unfold, and was preparing to leave when Haijme passed her and and said, "If you want, you can stay here, too," and added a quick, "Trespiano is no longer safe."

The fear from his words made her blood run cold. She was definitely staying there tonight. She didn't want to die yet.

---

Artemis slept poorly on in the guest room. She kept waiting for an assassin to sneak up behind her again and insult her. So instead she tried to focus on programming in more than just Italian for her arm-gadget-thing, but ultimately fell asleep at the desk around three AM. Her fitful sleep was finally broken by the sun rising through the nearby window. She muttered a few choice profanities at the sun, then checked her clothes to see if she could get away with wearing them again. A quick sniff and shake revealed that the answer was no. She sighed and took out her other shirt that she'd packed, which hadn't been worn yet. She'd have to figure out a way to get more clothes sooner or later...

She came downstairs bleary eyed and exhausted. Instead of making it to the kitchen and sitting down at a chair, she tripped on the last step down and fell on her face. Instead of moving and getting up, she just laid there, sleeping.

---

Jak, meanwhile, was barely awake and just staring out her window. She knew her mother was downstairs and waiting for an explanation for her dodgy answers to why she was home late. Jak couldn't lie to her mother, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to stand it if her mother was hurt by her actions. So she delayed the inevitable, watching birds fly by her window. At least they didn't have to deal with being grounded by their mothers. After half an hour, she managed to sit up and get dressed. No point in waiting. She grabbed her bag and draped it across her back to go to practice after the confrontation. She stood just a few steps from the stairs, hesitating to prolong the time between now and then.

"Get down here, Jakki. We need to talk. Now." Jak grimaced and walked down, quickening her pace to get it over with as quick as possible. "Why are you staying out so late?"

"I'm hanging out with some new friends of mine." Jak said, the partial truth was easier. Hopefully this would satisfy her.

It did not. "You? Friends? Hmmph, they're foreigners I bet. Or at least people who don't read the newspaper very often. Otherwise they'd be pitying you," she stood up, "we'll continue this conversation after dinner. I want to know exactly what you're doing. Love you, dear."

Though Jak did not think it, her 'love you' was empty and hollow. It was as if she were talking to a person she didn't care for at all. "I love you most, Mom."

"Don't burn down the house while I'm gone."

Jak stood at the base of the stairs, clenching her bag's strap tight. She stayed to prepare her Mother's lunch and dinner -she was staying out later, she needed to make sure that her Mother was cared for while she was gone- then left and locked the door. The bright blue sky was so out of reach this morning, what she wanted most of all was rain. Massive amounts of rain pouring down on the town forever. It's like the sky's black...

[TwilightDragon]

Cyril’s night had been full of tossing and turning. He had laid in bed for hours on end without getting any sleep. It was only when the sun had begun to peek over the horizon that he had finally forced himself to rest. The sound of someone moving about in the room had ripped him from his shallow sleep. Even as he laid in the bed with his eyes screwed shut, he could feel as if he hadn’t gotten any rest at all. I don’t feel like doing anything. But I have to if I want to get my aunt back. The dark-haired teenager sat up in the bed, running his hand through his matted hair. I just wish that I could have gotten a few more minutes of sleep…

Pushing himself off of the bed, Cyril made his way to the bathroom. As he approached the door, he realized that the Asian boy had claimed the bathroom before he could. He better hurry up. I really have to use the- His thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone fall near the stairs. He walked to the top step and peered down the stairwell. The girl from yesterday was laying on her face at the bottom. Is she dead? ”Hey, are you okay?” he questioned before noticing that the girl wasn’t moving. Cyril sighed, walking down the stairs and nudging the unconscious girl with his foot. ”Hello?”

It was obvious that the girl wasn’t going to move any time soon. At least he was sure that she was alive, so there was nothing to worry about on his part. Cyril walked back up the stairs and to the bathroom door again, a little more than frustrated when he saw that Daisuke hadn’t come out of the bathroom yet. ”Hurry up!” he said as he briskly knocked on the door. ”There are other people who want to use the bathroom, too!”

---

”Sure is a nice day, ain’t it, Fionn?”

The shorter male turned his amber gaze from the street to the tall man beside him. The sun shone down upon the two and almost made his brother’s golden hair seem white. Reiner’s grin was as broad as always, even if the two had simply gone out to get some things from the grocery store. ”Yeah, it is.” Fionn agreed, looking back toward the street. ”The day isn’t that hot, and there’s a cool breeze.”

Reiner laughed. “Are you going to be gone from home today, too? You never left home this often before.”

”Er, yeah. I am.” Fionn felt Reiner look at him, but he refused to make eye contact with his older brother. If he did, Reiner would know that he was hiding something, and Fionn was not a good liar. ”I made a couple of friends a few days ago. I’ve been hanging out with them lately.”

“Oh, friends? What are they like?”

”They’re kinda nice.” That was all Fionn told his brother as they walked into the market. Reiner had to buy a few vegetables for their mother, who was going to cook a rather large meal that night. Fionn was tempted to ask if he could invite a few of his friends over for dinner, but he wasn’t sure if that would be a good idea. What if Sonya showed up? Or worse, that lightning man? What would his parents think? He shuddered, rubbing his arms as Reiner plucked a few carrots from a bin. I think that I’m just gonna eat with my family. I don’t think that Naoto or the rest of the Guardians are going to like my mom’s cooking…

After Reiner finished purchasing the necessary ingredients for dinner, the two left the little shop without a word. Fionn didn’t know why he was told to accompany Reiner if his brother could easily carry the groceries home on his lonesome. I have to see how everyone’s doing. ”H-hey, Reiner?” he piped, glancing up at his brother. Reiner cast a sidelong glance at him, remaining quiet. ”Do you mind if I walk around for a little bit? I feel like I need a bit more fresh air before going home.”

Reiner watched him for what seemed like forever. However, his trademark grin appeared on his lips once more. “Sure. I’ll tell mum.” he told him with a nod. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want anything to happen to my little Fionn~”

A blush shot across Fionn’s face as Reiner trotted ahead of him. He absolutely hated it when his brother treated him like he was some weakling… I’ll prove him wrong. I’ll show him that he doesn’t have to worry about me anymore! The blond-haired boy walked down the street and turned a corner, biting the inside of his cheek. I have to tell Sonya to not go easy on me. She completely ignored me when everyone was trying to fight her…

[Vongola_Hasayo]

"You don't get to call me that..." Naoto uttered exhaustedly as he came into the kitchen. Just as he thought he was too sore to sleep well last night. At least that's what he assumed. When he did manage to fall asleep he found himself waking up and staring out the window at Trespiano. It was clear that things weren't the same anymore but the feel of the town hadn't changed. Not until last night. As he sat down he let his head drop onto the table looking at Prospero. "By the way, what the heck are you doing here?" Naoto was hoping the magician's getup-What is with the masks?-didn't mean what he thought it did.

"I invited him to stay with us." Naoto's mother spoke up as she set an omelet in front of Prospero with a smile. Naoto would have looked quite annoyed if he wasn't so tired. Great, first Sonya and now this... He thought dreading the idea of things vanishing around the house...like the toilet. "Just don't practice your tricks in my room...or the bathroom." Standing from the table Naoto grabbed a couple of muffins before heading towards the door. "Where are you going Nao-kun?" He swallowed the bite ha had taken before answering. "To find a place to sleep where there's not crazy mafia women and ex-enemy magicians." After he left Miku turned to Prospero. "He gets a little cranky when he's tired~" Also when things don't seem right. Trespiano has become unsettled... Miku looked out the window and saw Naoto. As he walked further into town she could see him stepping further into the other world. Your first trial is on the horizon...be careful.

[Dblade26]

Prospero's cheery mood didn't skip a beat as Naoto came downstairs and reacted with irritation to his presence while insisting Prospero not call him 'Nao-kun'. Instead he put on his sunniest and sincere attitude in response.

"Whatever you say, Naoto-nii!" There was no sense staying at the future Boss's house if he didn't get the chance to tease him at least a little bit. At least not when all of his reactions up until now had been surprising and interesting enough. The fork Prospero had been playing with and an accompanying knife both appeared in his hands and he started in on the omelet as Naoto's mother explained that he was staying here from now on. Naoto seemed to take the news a lot better than the young Magician had expected, though Prospero personally hadn't thought of practicing tricks around the house before now and he had no idea what kind of trick would require the use of a bathroom. The idea actually seemed kind of interesting...

Prospero let Naoto get up and leave without a word and continued eating his breakfast while still humming cheerfully. It certainly felt a lot less coldly manufactured than a hotel breakfast, and it was absolutely better than the few disastrous occasions when he had tried to cook for himself. How he'd wished he could have made that mess disappear! After he finished eating he stood up and stepped back suddenly then swirled and flourished the blanket he'd wrapped himself in so that it obscured him from view and tossed it down, revealing himself now dressed in a similar outfit to the one he'd worn the other day. He found himself having to resist the urge to give a fancy stage bow. "Thanks very much for the meal! I'll go make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble today!"

With luck Prospero would head out a little ways behind Naoto and be able to trail him without being seen. All of his efforts so far would be wasted if some Mafiosi with a grudge and knowledge of the future 11th boss decided to try and do something dumb, so that was clearly the sole and only motivation the orphan magician needed to follow Naoto around.

[AgniSpirit]

"I'm leaving now grandpa!" Abby shouted as she scrambled down the stairs and towards the front door. The sooner she was out of that farm house, the less likely she'd be given some mundane, dumb errand to run. However, waiting for her in the foyer was the crotchety old man himself. She halted to a halt at the bottom step.

"You've been going out a lot." Lorenzo stated.

"Yeah, I made friends." Abby replied while thinking up excuses in the back of her mind. She really didn't want to go on another grocery run.

"Who are they?"

"Uh... I don't think you know them."

"I've been living here for over 40 years. I'm sure I know who you'll be talking about."

"Why do you need to know though?"

"I need to update your parents on your progress." Abby's eyes widened in surprise. This was the first time in weeks she'd heard a peep from them. Has her grandfather been talking about her to them behind her back? She became a little concerned at these news. There was no way her parents would be okay with her being in the mafia. Or training to be a part of it.

"Oh... Um, okay."

"So talk; who are you hanging out with every day?"

"Well there's Naoto, Cyril, Fionn, Benjamin, Jakki, Daisuke, and... I guess this new girl named Artemis and Prospero, that magician boy." Her father stayed silent, possibly trying to match faces with names. She hoped that none of her new friends already had bad reputations before becoming a part of Vongola. Finally, Lorenzo spoke.

"Okay, you can go now." He stated as he stepped out of her way. Abby grinned and sprinted for the door. But the moment she stepped outside, her grandfather stuck a piece of paper in her face.

"By the way, get the stuff on this list before you come home tonight."

"Oh c'mon!"

"No complaining. And remember, you don't get our groceries, you don't get to come home." Her grandfather then slammed the door and locked it, ending the conversation right there. Abby groaned and crumpled the tiny slip of paper in her hands before stuffing it in her pocket. He was so damn incorrigible. Deciding to deal with the stupid groceries later, Abby strolled down her street and headed for Naoto's house. It was rather surprising that she'd already memorized a good number of the streets in Trespiano after only a few weeks. She's gotten so use to the quaint little town that she almost didn't miss the bustling life of New York City. Almost.

On her walk, she turned a corner and saw an irritated pink-haired boy. Abby was about to call out to him but stopped short when she saw a small, masked boy sneakily trailing after him moments later. The blond giggle at the silly sight and hurried down the street she was already on to catch up to Naoto without alerting Prospero.

"Hey Naoto!" She greeted cheerfully once she passed the next corner and saw the pink-haired boy again, "You know there's a little caped rascal following you."

---

Sonya strode down the cobblestone streets of Trespiano, content with the delicious breakfast Miku had made her earlier that morning. She had been up at the crack of dawn, doing her usual morning routine that included cleaning her guns and weapons, a nice relaxing shower, and sparring against the large punching back she had sent all the way from her old home near the Vongola headquarters. She was glad that the Alato household had a room that held all her things. When she first got assigned as the tutor, she was apprehensive at the idea of staying at her protege's home, even if it was tradition. Thankfully, Miku had more than enough room to spare and Sonya enjoyed the small town feel of Trespiano more than she had expected. It also helped that a certain cafe in town served the best cappuccinos she ever tasted.

Heading toward that said cafe to get her daily fix of caffeine, the Russian woman briefly thought about the text she had received last night from Vector. It didn't say much, just asking to meet with him somewhere in a location he would disclose some time this morning but receiving such a vague message was quite strange. Hajime was known for his punctual messages, ensuring that it was always short and to the point. Yet last night's message lacked important information. She wondered what was going on.

As she thought about what Hajime needed to tell her, Sonya turned a corner and suddenly bumped into a short figure. She kept steady but it didn't seem like the other person was able to as he fell butt first onto the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry..." She trailed off when she saw that she had knocked over the other candidate for the Sun Guardian. She raised an eyebrow and looked over the teen. She had almost no data on him, seeing as she overlooked the boy quite often. That in itself was weird seeing as almost nothing could escape Sonya's keen perception. Was this boy so unassuming that he could simply hide in plain sight? It was a talent, albeit a bit sad, but still a talent nonetheless. Traditionally, the Sun Guardian wasn't one for stealth and she wondered if he really was supposed to be a candidate for that position.

"Fionn. Good morning." She finally greeted, although her face and voice did little to project any warmth into the greeting.

[Dusset]

Ben had slept perfectly. He was completely ignorant of the events of last night He lived on the opposite side of town from Naoto, in the first place. His morning was peaceful and undisturbed until he ventured downstairs. His father was, once again, passed out in the living room. The whole portion of the house smelled of rum and coke, a smell Benjamin was angry he was familiar with, having never had a drink himself. He sat at the dining room table and browsed the internet on his phone. His mother, ignoring her husband quite effectively, was making waffles. Eventually she sat a plate before her son and kissed him on the forehead. "Buenos dias." They said in soft unison. Ben finished his breakfast while reading the news, still from his phone. He subconsciously looked for anything mafia related but knew that he would find little if anything. It wasn't as if www.vongola.com/mafia was a real url.

Soon after he finished his meal he got dressed and grabbed his bag full of fencing equipment to keep up appearances. Once he left the house, mother none the wiser, he headed off towards the center of town. He had no fencing practice today. In fact, only his sword presided in his bag, none of the gear or the mask. Now that he was associated with the Vongola, and after seeing what Sonya did to them as the start of training, he wanted to have his sword with him, whether or not he would use it. Like a safety blanket. Except metal. And cold. And pointy. Thank God Trespiano sheriffs weren't great in number, nor particularly active, because it would interesting to explain to them just why he had a third of what one needed to fence competitively, and the most dangerous third at that. He spied pink and yellow blobs just on the distance and knew it was Naoto and probably Abby. He figured he'd at least say hello. Once he was closer he called, "Hola, jefe, Abby."

((Jefe = boss. Don't know how many of you attended Spanish in school.))

[TwilightDragon]

It was strange—there was no one on the streets at this hour. Fionn was disappointed that couldn’t find any of his “friends”. Maybe they just didn’t want to hang out with him? Or maybe they were still sleeping… Either way, the blond-haired boy was extremely lonely. He didn’t want to return home so early and have to deal with Reiner’s god awful jokes and pranks. They have to be around here somewhere. Maybe they all went to Naoto’s place for breakfast? he wondered. And they didn’t even invite me… oh well. I guess I’m used to-

His thoughts were interrupted when someone crashed right into him. A small yelp came from his lips as he was knocked onto his rear end. Fionn looked up at the person who had begun to apologize and instantly recognized the deep red hair of Sonya. At that, the scrawny boy began to tremble, even as she bid him good morning. ”G-good morning, Sonya…” he whimpered as got back to his feet, rubbing his backside. His amber eyes dropped to his shoes; she was simply too intimidating to make eye contact with. He tried to keep himself from quaking in his shoes, but his trembling didn’t cease in the slightest. He hoped that she shouldn’t punish him for appearing weak…

”I’m sorry I bumped into you.” Fionn stopped his voice from trembling as he forced himself to make eye contact with Sonya, but his voice was still meek. ”I didn’t mean to… please don’t make me hang upside down from those monkeybars again, I almost broke my neck the last time I did…”

[Solace]

Hajime was not sure on how to feel about Tsuna's mediation on the incident last night. He had made an emergency return to the Iron Fort upon the severity of the urgent news delivered by the desperate Storm candidate, and after spending the night in his personal quarters, he had sought an improptu audience with whoever was available from the tenth generation.

In attendance had been Stupidera, Lambo, Hibari, and of course, Tsuna himself -- it was an understatement to say when Hajime saw that all of them were not in the best condition to meet. The unknown sickness, which was sweeping through the tenth generation guardians, was truly disturbing; ever since the mysterious diagnosis not too long ago, all of them had already appeared as if they had aged significantly, their youthful appearances already deteriorating. It broke his heart to watch all of his childhood friends slowly rot because of it, and he wished that he could simply rid of the candidate selection process so that he could search for a remedy to save their lives.

"Damn it," Hajime sighed frustratingly as he balled up a fist at his side, infuriated about the situation as he walked down the street with his face underneath his iconic hat. He raised his hand slightly up to his eyes to read the glowing screen of his 'watch', which he had decided to replace his old phone from his teenage years with. It was one of those 'smart' devices that 'revolutionized' the world, but the man saw the 'innovation' as unconventional and unecessary. Watches had been invented for, well, reading the time, not to act as a phone, and those 'smart' phones were even more ridiculous. Cell phones are used to contact people, not for playing games. The world was filled with technology these days, but too much - someday, those machines would be turned against them. He just knew it.

Hajime glared down at the screen of the odd watch, attempting to understand its awkward processes. An experiment from the Bovino Famiglia, it was the only unit of its current existence - according to Tsuna, it had been developed much further than that of the 'smart watch' which was readily available to the public, and it was made specifically for his use. Now, if it can actually work... He used his finger to swipe around the numerous available options on the watch, passing through an application which was a database of all the mafioso in the world, and was finally able to locate Sonya. This would have been much simpler if I had my old phone. He quickly typed a message telling her to gather the candidates and head to his residence in Trespiano, citing the importance of the meeting and her presence.

--

Moments after, Daisuke burst out of the bathroom and, upon smelling the cooking of the waffles, sprinted past Cyril and started down the stairs. Halfway down, he tripped over a rogue slipper and screamed as he crashed towards the bottom of the steps, landing atop of the sleeping Artemis. "I'M SO HUNGRY!" he cried out as he rolled over to the side and gently hit the wall head-on, rubbing his stomach. "C'mon friend," his arm rose as if it were a zombie's hand splitting the earth to free itself from its grave, patting Artemis without moving. "We gotta get the big cakes, mannnn..." As he kept urging her to wake up, he rolled onto his back and froze upon seeing where his hand had been.

Daisuke's face went through multiple shades of red as he screamed and quickly got back up to his feet, running away frantically. "I touched her butt!" he shouted rather loudly and entered the kitchen with his arms over his head. Though, the knob on the entrance began to turn, and the door swung open.

"Hi Dad."

Daisuke's moment of hyperactivity suddenly came to a stop as his arms quickly returned to his sides and he stared blankly at his father, who had returned home. Hajime took off his hat and threw it onto the couch, removing his shoes and stopping as he saw Artemis on the ground. Not saying a word, he blinked past the sleeping girl as he walked into the kitchen and yawned, smiling.

"You sleep well?" Hajime asked as he stopped in front of Daisuke.

The boy appeared surprised as he refrained from looking his father in the eye, looking off to the side. "I- yeah, I-"

"Of course," Ottavio's voice said from behind Daisuke as he looked back and at his caretaker, who returned his father's smile. It was then that Daisuke realized that Hajime had asked her, not him. "How'd it go?"

Walking past Daisuke, Hajime took a seat at the head of the table, and sighed. "I've called for Sonya to bring the rest of the candidates here so I can explain the situation. I'll speak of it when they arrive, but it's important..."

[Vongola_Hasayo]

Naoto lazily finished off the last bites of his muffins with a satisfied sigh. Stopping by one of the canals of Trespiano he splashed his face with water to try and ward off his drowsiness. The cool liquid did wonders as he felt the fatigue ease a fair amount. Still, there was more bothering him than just a lack of sleep. Looking around, Trespiano was as quaint and relaxed as ever. But, there was something lurking just underneath the peace and quiet. It's like a storm is about come even though it's a clear day. I really hate days like that...the sky always feels restless on those days... Naoto mused as he lifted his gaze to the endless blue canopy.

He found himself lost in the realm of the sky until a perky voice bright him back down. As the blonde approached Naoto realized this was the first time he saw her without the pressure of training, torture, or any Sonya enforced activity on her shoulders. He was happy to see her in just a normal setting. "Hey~" He said returning her cheerful tone. He gave her a quizzical look at the caped rascal comment and turned his head just enough to see his new unwelcomed housemate from his peripheral without altering the magician that he knows. "First he bunks at my place and now he tails me. Why does it seem like you're the only normal one out of the bunch?" He asked Abby with an exasperated-though slightly amused-sigh. Another voice caught his attention. "Jefe?" Naoto repeated with a raised brow. On the subject of the bunch he couldn't really say if Ben was normal. The Spanish boy was a pretty aloof person.

[RainDash]

Jakki had been walking along the streets of Trespiano, watching the people go to and fro. She wondered if any of them were Mafioso. It was a weird feeling, to be watched for something she wasn't sure she knew what it all meant. If they even knew anything about me, they'd know I'm the opposite of rain. I destroy everything I touch... she doubted whether or not she actually wanted to practice today, which was a first. She always went there and did that first thing in the morning. Maybe it was her mother's comment earlier. The words burned her ears like hot coals.

As she wandered, she saw Sonya and -she had to think of his name for a but- Fionn. It looked like they were talking and she shouldn't interrupt. So instead of butting into their conversation, she came close and hid behind a building, listening. She hated to eavesdrop, but she didn't want to walk into a conversation either. She was still sore from yesterday. A feat considering her strict training regimen.

---

Artemis woke to someone tripping over her, then adjusted to go back to sleep. She then was rudely awakened by someone grabbing her butt and shaking. There are perverts- she didn't even have the time to finish the thought before the black haired kid from earlier was screaming about something. She gave him the sake of the doubt and hoped that he hadn't meant to. I've gotta not do that anymore... even with the Vongola, I'm still someone who has an assassin after her. Ugh, how did I end up in this situation!

She stood and started towards the kitchen when that guy from before, Haijme, came in. The kid who was usually annoying and energetic stood at attention like he was in the military. Artemis briefly wondered why before he spoke. He asked something in Italian and Daisuke was caught off guard. She was reminded of a friend from back home. Her friend was always nervous around her father, tense and worried about... something. Artemis only had guesses, but the father was rarely home, and the one time he was... only her presence stopped his fists. She brushed off her clothes and held out her hand.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced, my name is Artemis Whitmore. I wish to join the Vongola in exchange for protection for my family." She was very formal, and speaking English. While her gadget could only translate one way, her italian was.... shoddy at best. She could say hello, and maybe goodbye. 'Assassin' was just one of those lucky words that were easy to translate over.

[AgniSpirit]

Sonya watched Fionn quiver under her gaze, feeling a bit guilty for instilling so much fear in the boy. But she'd rather he feel this from her than someone far more dangerous from the mafia world. A sudden beep from her pocket broke her stare and she quickly pulled out her phone. Glancing over the new text, her purple eyes widened at the contents. Before anyone could say anything, she grabbed Fionn's shoulder. "C'mon, we need to go to Daisuke's house. You too Jak." She called out before pushing the boy in her clutches down the street she had just been on while scrolling down her list of contacts. The moment she saw the name she had been looking for, she tapped it and brought the phone up to her ear.

---

"How do you know I'm not as weird as everyone else?" Abby asked, the cheerful smile not once leaving her face. Although, she probably was the most normal person in the group, personality-wise. Now if they knew about her background, she was sure their opinions of her would change. That suddenly brought up an excellent question; did any one of her new friends know she was rich? She didn't have a place to really flaunt her social status since there was no mall in the area, nor did she have the time do so what with all the weird training and fires keeping her busy. It was kind of nice having them not know though. It made Abby feel like they were looking at the real her for once. Maybe she'd keep quiet about it for a little longer...

Ben's arrival interrupted Abby's thoughts and she waved at the taller boy. "Hi-hi!" She greeted just as a ringing noise filled the air. She automatically knew that wasn't her cell phone ringing and looked over to where the sound was coming from. "Naoto, your pocket's ringing."