A/N: Its been like two years? AHAHA UMM, Im really sorry about not updating! I got really stuck with this tbh, because it was too choppy. It still is but its better than nothing I guess. I took out 3,000 words because there was too much going on asdgdfhgj I'll have to find a better transition but I hope you guys like this! These parts were actually written in late 2015 aHAHAHA I just never posted it otl THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SUPPORT THO! I cant believe this fic reached 1k follows AHHH

Chapter 7

Namimori was his to protect, it was a simple fact that everyone knew, just like how everyone knew that the sky was blue.

His parents protected it before, and still protected it now- though recently they were much too busy doing their own things. Namimori was his, his home and his to protect, and Hibari Kyoya was possessive of his things. He wasn't foolish enough to believe that he could protect and discipline everyone; the skylark knew that that would only break him. That's why he focused on Namimori, it was a fairly small town. He didn't need 'friends'. It would just be a bother, he only needed to focus on protecting Namimori, and others would simply distract him from his goal.

He didn't need a 'pack' nor a 'herd' and he certainly didn't need Sawada Tsunayoshi, no matter what his father said.

However, Sawada Tsunayoshi is a part of Namimori, and as a citizen of the town he protects, it's obvious that the skylark had to keep an eye on him too.

He blatantly ignores the fact that he keeps an eye on Sawada Tsunayoshi more than anyone else.

The skylark was not amused.

(He found that occurring more and more, recently.)

"Hibari-san! Give me a hand?"

Instead of complying to the brunet's request, Hibari shoots him a nasty glare, turning away in irritation.

Tsuna could only laugh nervously in reply, "Just hold out a hand? I promise that this will interest you."

"I do not follow orders," was Hibari's biting retort. While the skylark had been pondering over his father's words and while he did agree that if he did have a herd, the current herbivores were suitable- he still detested crowding. With herbivores. Carnivores. People in general. (And that included pack mates, though he supposed he was more inclined to crowd with them then any other group.)

The Sky bit his lips before shrugging. "Alright." Plan one failed, so that left Plan two…

Which was to throw it at him and run away and hope for the best. Unfortunately, he didn't get too far.

He got a rock thrown at him for his efforts.

"Ow!" The brunet rubbed at his head, before turning to the culprit. "What was that for?!"

He got another rock thrown at him for his cheek.

"Herbivore, what is this."

"A ring that helps with your flames." Apparently Tsuna wanted to DIE, as he turned away from the skylark to continue his journey. Okay, a small part of him would like to admit that he just liked irritating the skylark. A tiny, tiny part of him that clearly had little to no self preservation. But luckily, his Hyper Intuition helped balance that part out. Or so he'd like to think.

He was pelted with a few more rocks.

The brunet huffs, turning his head back to the skylark. Hibari had a scowl on his face, obviously not pleased with being ignored. He was kind of like a child throwing a tantrum and wanting attention. Kind like Lambo, he absently thought. Tsuna froze for a moment and desperately tried to remove that image from his head. He needed some mind bleach. Immediately.

"It's a Niji ring. You know, for being –oh hey! Look at that herbivore who's defacing Namimori!- one of us." He continues blithely as he adds the last three words in a quick and hurried whisper.

Of course, Hibari hears. Hibari hears everything. In fact, Tsuna was quite sure that the skylark could even smell fear.

The boy's face crinkles for a bit in thought. For a moment, the skylark just stands still- only taking a second to throw a tonfa behind his shoulder to hit the vandalizing offender. Tsuna shifts a bit nervously because he had just basically offered Hibari to crowd with them, and Hibari hated crowding. At least the current Hibari did, not that his version liked crowding any better. The other version was just... a bit better at tolerating it. He subtly scooted back a bit.

Hibari was not looking at him anymore, preferring to observe the ring instead. However, Tsuna was not stupid enough to believe that the boy didn't have him in his peripheral vision, nor did he believe that the skylark was letting him go. The raven stared at the ring intensely, eyeing it from many different angles. The brunet had already looked over it earlier. The ring looked quite similar to Hana's with one difference. Instead of the 'Niji' engraved on the inside of the ring, there was an engraving of 'Niji X'. To separate the Guardians from the Rainbow Squad, Kawahira had explained quite calmly. (Never mind the fact that he somehow knew about the Rainbow Squad…was he stalking them or something?)

Originally, Tsuna had decided that he wasn't going to give Hibari a ring, seeing how he would get a Vongola ring in the future, but Kyoko's guilt tripping and his own bleeding heart had made him go to Kawahira's shady shop again.

A few weeks have passed since the meeting with the Hibaris, and the brunet thinks that the skylark is actually kinda warming up to them. The whole 'hanging as a group' thing that is. He doesn't really join them all that much, but Hibari would occasionally stop by for a few moments. (For Hibari, that was pretty much the equivalent of a normal person talking non-stop...or something like that.) Tsuna would sometimes talk to him, or they would just sit in comfortable silence. The quartet would also talk about Niji business, which the skylark seemed to take some interest in. ("For Namimori," he would say.)

He had also requested a Sky ring as well, for an early start in training.

But really, would the skylark even accept the ring? Tsuna had a feeling that he was going to, but now? He wasn't so sure. Who knew what the skylark could be thinking about? He had to admit that his Cloud Guardian was a wild card, an unpredictable beast. Getting a ring was already girly enough. Even in the past life, Hibari had only accepted due to Reborn and the chance of getting to fight stronger opponents.

"Acceptable."

Tsuna almost did a double take. "You'll accept?"

"Hn."

"Oh," he gave a silent sigh of relief. "That's great! Kyoko will be-"

"Only if you join the Namimori Disciplinary Committee."

Tsuna heard something shatter.

He would like to think that it was his common sense. Or his sanity. Both options are equally bleak.

Oh wait, that was a window.

"The…Namimori Disciplinary Committee?"

"Hn. It is forming in Namimori Middle."

"Um. We're in Elementary School, Hibari-san."

"And?"

"Of course Hibari-san." Because. You never question the skylark. Ever. Unless if you wanted to get beaten down that is.

And Tsuna didn't really mind joining the Committee all that much anyways. One could say that he was getting used to being dragged into groups he didn't really want to join. It happened with the Vongola, Niji and now this. Besides, it was a good way to bond with his Cloud Guardian, and the Committee kept Namimori safe, so that was good, right?

He was wrong.

The Namimori Disciplinary Committee (or this one at least) was a gang. A very rowdy and possibly scary gang. A gang of mismatched kids who looked like they didn't even belong in middle school much less elementary school. Tsuna thought that they resembled the thugs he saw in some Mafia families.

(He's not wrong.)

And Hibari was the gang leader.

"Kusakabe."

"Yes, Kyoya-san!"

"Status."

"The Committee uniforms will be arriving by tomorrow! And all members have been notified of the rules and regulations!"

"Hn."

Kusakabe seemed to hesitate for a moment before he finally gave into the temptation and voiced out loud what everyone else had been thinking. "Kyoya-san, who is the boy behind you?"

Hibari narrowed his eyes and all members felt a shiver go down their spine. They could only hope that the raven was not insulted and decided to thrash them for being 'nosy'.

"Herbivore. Introduce yourself."

"Of course, Hibari-san." The Sky resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing that the skylark would probably beat him down for such cheekiness. "I am Sawada Tsunayoshi, though I would prefer to be called Tsuna." The brunet gives them a bright smile (hey, no need to leave a bad impression right?), and unknowingly to him- flowers bloomed in the background.

Needless to say, the gang doubted his masculinity.

"Kyoya-san, is he…joining?"

"Hn. Advisor. And two more herbivores will be joining as well. One is the secretary, and the other is…a herbivore." A secretary and a herbivore? His hyper intuition tingled. Who else was joining-

"Wait. What?! You can't just add Hana and Kyoko-chan!"

"If there is infighting, I will bite you all to death."

"Oi! Hibari!"

The skylark sent the brunet an annoyed look. "For a dense herbivore, you are surprisingly sharp at the most annoying times."

"I am not dense!" Tsuna retorts, feeling mildly offended yet slightly honored by the compliment? Was that a compliment? In Hibari-speak, that probably was.

"They will have a choice."

The Sky eyed him suspiciously. "No threats."

A pause. "…Fine."

"Then okay. They won't join anyways."

Hibari takes a moment to wonder if the brunet was really that blind, or just stupid. He takes one look at the boy's confident smile and decides that he is, in fact- an idiot.

Tsuna forgets for a moment that the Universe hates him.

They join.

"It sounds like fun!" Was Kyoko's cheerful input, and Hana took a moment to wonder why her friends liked doing such amazingly stupid things before accepting as well. "Why not? More experience for me. Plus, someone needs to watch you two airheads."

"Protecting Namimori is a wonderful idea." Annnd Kyoko simply skips over the insult.

Tsuna snorts, 'protecting Namimori' could range from beating a graffiti artist to death to picking fights with local gangs and beating them down.

"Oh! But what's my job? Hana-chan is the secretary isn't she?" Kyoko looks up with wide eager eyes, practically beaming.

Tsuna blanches, "Urr…you're the spokesperson!" Because saying that she was just a 'herbivore' might hurt her feelings and make her cry. And Tsuna still has no idea how to deal with crying women. Or crying men. Or crying anything in general actually. "You also connect Niji to the Committee, to keep both groups in contact. An Ambassador." Was his bull shit explanation.

Kyoko pauses for a moment, the sparkles in her eyes fading a bit as determination took over. She pursed her lips, "No matter what, I will do my best." The Sky could only blink in surprise at her sudden seriousness. "I know you will." Tsuna gave her a warm smile. We'll be fine."

"Hahaa…The group is actually a Middle School group, so we probably won't do much till then."

He would like to believe what he just said was true, but he had a feeling that it was completely false.

Tsuna has the unfortunate fortune of spitting out his milk one morning as Hibari Kyoya jumps through the kitchen window.

Needless to say, he was not pleased.

The brunet stiffly wiped away the wasted liquid from the table and glances at his milk covered pants in despair.

"What's wrong with entering through the door?" He asks, exasperated and tired of doing spit takes. You would think he would get used to it already, but for some reason, he never outgrew his ability to be easily surprised. (Something that had Reborn quite frustrated, though it made Tsuna much more easy to tease. At least he wasn't easily surprised during crucial times as a boss.)

It's been a week since Tsuna had signed a death warrant by joining the Commitee, and Hibari seemed quite pleased lately. One could say he even looked happy, though no one knows for sure since no one had ever seen him 'happy.' Unless if bloodthirsty counted.

The skylark merely grunts, looking annoyed.

"And I guess that means that you're too cool for the door," Tsuna mutters, rolling his eyes. "What's wrong, Hibari-san?" Because when the skylark actually takes the time to willingly visit a person (and not beating them up), something was wrong.

"Herbivore, keep your eyes on the orange herbivore. The loud one is causing trouble."

The brunet twitches before his amber eyes narrow for a split second. There is a flash of orange, a flash of an older, more stronger man- of a man that faced through countless challenges but never backed down, before it disappears again, and the moment is gone. Tsuna smiles, nodding pleasantly. "Thanks Hibari-san. I'll make sure to protect her." The raven answers with a slight tilt of his head before turning around again.

"Ah! Do you want to eat with me, Hibari-san?"

The skylark lets out a scoff before jumping out the window, leaving the brunet alone.

Tsuna simply huffs, shaking his head as a smile slowly forms on his lips.

"He never changes."

The truth is, Tsuna has noticed that Ryohei, or the 'loud one' as Hibari had put- was fighting a lot more recently. He was challenging a lot of the upper class men, getting injured but winning all the same. It was causing quite a ruckus, and some of the defeated older kids were practically seething after being humiliated.

And that's where he came in.

If he remembered correctly, Ryohei would get beaten up while Kyoko was taken as a hostage. This would be the cause of Kyoko's distaste of fighting. Seeing your beloved brother getting beat up because of her would do that to a person. A dark look flitted across Tsuna's features. Call him over protective, but he would not let that happen again. After seeing her and Haru get kidnapped in his past life, it would only leave a bitter after taste in his mouth. It didn't matter if they were only kids, and there was no real lasting damage- he would not let Kyoko experience that fear again.

And so he will watch.

He will watch and make sure it doesn't happen again.

"Tsuna-kun!" Kyoko greets him cheerfully, all warmth and sunshine and Tsuna shoots her a grin. He will make sure that she will always look like this. Happy, smiling and so, so carefree. Isn't that why he came here?

Hana gives him a small smile, a bag slung across her back- no doubt full of documents - as she stands next to Kyoko. "You're late, Sawada."

The brunet simply laughs sheepishly, shoving his hands into the hoodie's pockets. "Sorry, I got detained by Hibari for a bit."

"Herbivore, I was only there for two minutes. You are ten minutes late." Was the skylark's helpful input as he pops out of nowhere. The boy yawns from his position on the window sill before shooting him a glare. "If you are late again, I will bite you to death."

Tsuna blanches, shooting Hibari (the traitor!) a desperate look as Hana drills holes into him with a glare. "Sawada!"

"I'm sorry! But Hibari-san did hold me up! I would've been here two minutes earlier if not for him!" Tsuna insists. He was rewarded with two unimpressed stares. Ouch. Tough reactions for kids, he thought exasperatedly.

"Hana-chan, Tsuna-kun is only a bit late, so lets forgive him. As long as he's not late next time? Besides, we have to start the Niji meeting."

"Fine..." Hana reluctantly stops her scolding with a huff. She pulls the bag from her back and digs through it to pull out a blue folder.

"Okay, so our newest request is kind of...unusual, I have not accepted or rejected it yet, since I wanted to ask you guys about it."

Tsuna blinked, taking in Hana's words. "Unusual?"

Hana looked quite exasperated as she bit out, "They want us to take care of a local gang that has been recently bothering the Namimori citizens." The skylark's eyes narrowed slightly, he had heard about this recently- and had taken it to himself to beat the herbivores up. Unfortunately, they kept on popping up again like cockroaches. He hated cockroaches, not as much as he hated pineapples, but it was a close call.

"Uh. Hana?"

"Yeah?"

"We're kids."

"How observant of you, Sawada."

Tsuna twitched. Was it just him? Or had Hana's vocabulary been expanding at a rapid rate recently? Those snarks were sharp. "We're kids, we can't (at least normal ones can't) just beat up a gang! Who even requested this of us? We're only eight!"

Hana gave him a rather dry look. "This part is also pretty unbelievable. Based on the note they left us, they are apparently the Crimson Wolf Brigade. I have asked around, and no one knows who they are. But the main question is whether or not we accept."

"We should!" Kyoko chimes in with an unexpected amount of vigor.

Tsuna simply twitched, before sighing. "So what gang is it?"

"The Momoyokai."

The brunet paused, eyes squinting as he tilted his head. Huh...Why did that seem familiar?

(In another world, the Momoyokai disbanded due to a group of thirteen year olds. In this one... well, the less is said, the better.)

"Hana, what is...that?"

"A water gun, what do you think I'm carrying around? A real gun?" Hana gave the brunet a flat look, and for some reason- Tsuna had a feeling that she had wanted to say something along the lines of 'Are you blind, you monkey?.'

"Why are you carrying a water gun?" And Tsuna is obviously confused, because why would she carry one around? Hana hadn't struck him as someone who would carry toys around. Hell, she hadn't struck him as someone who would be seen with toys, first of all.

"It's for self-defense."

"Self...defense?" He repeats weakly, still not understanding. Perhaps his Hyper Intuition wasn't working, or perhaps- it just didn't make any sense at all.

"Yeah, my aim is pretty good, and I don't want to actually beat someone up with my fists." Her face wrinkles at the mere thought of it. "That's what monkeys do. It's vulgar."

Ouch. "Well, I guess that makes sense." No. No it doesn't. "But isn't a water gun too," he hesitates for a moment before continuing on. "Too weak? I doubt water can do anything." Except maybe wet someone.

The smile that Hana gives him in return makes Tsuna want to back away. Slowly. "It's filled with lemon juice, so all I have to do is shoot any targets in the eyes. They'll go down fast. It'll at least give me enough time to escape."

What.

"I was actually planning to fill it up with pepper spray, but I decided that that's a bit too much, so I'll just wait until I'm in middle school before getting it."

What?

No wait, never mind. Tsuna did not want to know what was going on with Hana (a rebellion phase?) in fact, he was going to pretend he had heard absolutely nothing.

.

"You are not coming!"

The brunette scowls, fingers tightening on the water gun as she sent Tsuna the 'Evil Eye'. "I am! I even got this water gun for that sole purpose!"

"You told me it was for self-defense." He accused.

"Duh- it is! Self-defense for when they want to attack me after I yell insults at them. Besides, if I told you my intentions- you would've tried to stop me from going."

"I am stopping you from going. And Kyoko! Don't think I don't see you sneaking around with that umbrella!"

"B-but Tsuna-kun! We're also a part of Niji, you can't just-"

"Nope! I am not hearing this again. I am now going to cover my ears, lalalala."

"Oi, you self-proclaimed carnivore! Tell the idiot that we're going."

"I am not a self-proclaimed carnivore," Hibari hissed. "And I don't take orders from anyone!"

Chaos. Absolute chaos.

"Hana, Kyoko! Just let the Disciplinary Committee handle this, you two just stay here."

"This is a Niji affair you idiot! Besides, you're going too- so don't try to chicken out of this!"

"I'm not chickening out-"

"Even worse! Hypocrite!"

Tsuna wanted to curl up and cry somewhere. Arguing with Hana was like...arguing with a sandstorm.

"Quiet or I'll bite you all to death! It's too noisy."

"Maa, Hibari- it's pretty interesting don't you think?"

"It's not interesting! It's- wait, Ta-Yamamoto?!"

Said baseball player smiled brightly. "You guys were very loud! It sounded like you guys were having fun, so I somehow came here."

"This is a secret meeting, monkey! Back off."

The taller boy scratched his cheek, "Ah, sorry? But I don't think the middle of the street is a good secret meeting place. Everyone's staring."

A beat.

"Disperse. We are totally dispersing." Hana mutters as she begins to run away from the shame. Kyoko follows and Hibari had already disappeared the moment Yamamoto arrived.

"Sorry, Yamamoto! See you!" Tsuna turned and started running away as well, hoping to catch up. But...something urged him to turn around, to take one last look. And as he turned around to the raven once more -with his heart pounding, hurting and twisting and oh god he just couldn't- he found the figure of Yamamoto Takeshi to be very small, unsure and oh so lonely. His heart clenches for a different reason now, and Tsuna can't help but feel that the smile plastered on the boy's face was brittle and fake.

Tsuna wondered if his smile had always been like that, even in the other parallel world. Had it always been so strained since he was eight? Had he been so brittle before? Did he keep his real feelings locked inside for five years until he finally couldn't take it anymore and broke? Until he finally just wanted to die?

Tsuna didn't know, he had never noticed. 'There's a lot of things I hadn't noticed before.' he thought rather bitterly.

Just what the hell was he doing? He had promised to make things better didn't he? How was this making it better? Leaving his Rain Guardian alone, not answering his cries. Why wasn't he bringing him in anyways? Because he was too scared to make changes? Who said that he had to wait to make changes anyways? It's not as if there was a limit, and this was a parallel world so...

So...if he was going to be changing things anyways, he might as well start early.

He goes back to pull Takeshi along.

"Tsuna?"

"Haha, Yamamoto, want to come with us to wreak havoc?"

A pause.

"Sure!"

"Oi, Sawada, what-"

"Tsuna."

Hana chokes on her snack. "Hah?" Because he couldn't be referring to-

"Call me Tsuna." The brunet grins at her, and Hana just couldn't understand because- what? Just where the hell did that come from?!

The brunette twitched in obvious irritation. "Sawada! We have no-"

"Tsuna." He cuts in again, eyes serious and vice firm. "Hana should call me Tsuna. You are my precious friend after all."

Hana could only sputter because the brunet was leaking his charisma and sparkles everywhere and that was embarrassing to hear and she's involuntarily blushing and what the hell was she supposed to do in such a situation?

The brunet turned towards Kyoko. "And Kyoko! Just call me Tsuna okay? No need for the 'kun.'

The ginger blinks in surprise before a breathtaking smile crossed her lips. "Un! Just Tsuna then," she chiroed happily, practically bouncing as flowers bloomed in the background.

Hana sputters. Was she the only one who noticed how abrupt this was?

"Ne, Hibari-san- if you ever decide to drop the whole animal thing, call me Tsuna okay?" A glower was his response.

"Ugh! Fine, Aho-Tsuna, what is he doing here?" The brunette points a finger at the smiling and slightly confused Yamamoto Takeshi.

"Hana, it's not nice to point at others," Tsuna had the nerve to chide before swatting at her finger. "Everyone, meet Yamamoto Takeshi- ("We know who he is, idiot. He's in our class, remember?") the newest member of Niji."

"A new member?!"

"Haha, it sounds like fun!"

Hana angrily jumped off the bed, grabbing Tsuna before stomping out of the room. "I'll be borrowing this idiot, please enjoy the snacks!" The brunet simply laughed nervously as he was pulled out. "Don't worry! I'll be right back!" Probably.

As soon as they shut the door behind them, Hana let loose her frustrations. "You can't just drag in a new member at this point of time! Think of the time, place and situation, Saw-" She stopped at his stern look, and sighed before correcting herself. "Tsuna. Besides, you don't even know him all that much!" She whispered furiously.

The brunet stubbornly kept his chin up. "I know enough, Hana. Besides, he's the blue to our Niji."

"The blue? You mean he knows about the flames?!"

"Ur, not really. At least not yet," he assured, sweat dropping.

"And how would you know that?" Hana demanded, dark eyes narrowing.

"I can just tell, his color is definitely blue."

The brunette lets out a load moan as she puts her head into her hands. "Remind me why I'm working with an idiot like you again?"

"Because you love me?"

Hana twitched, but did not reply otherwise. "Just...give him a chance? I'm not asking you to accept him right away, just slowly get to know him. Besides, can you really kick him out? He needs this." The brunette pauses for a moment, thinking back to Yamamoto. He was right, she couldn't kick him out, not when he looked so happy about it. Shoot, she really was turning soft.

Finally, she lifted her head to stare into large warm eyes. "Alright, lets do this. But if it doesn't go well, it's your fault."

Tsuna brightens instantly. "Of course!"

...Damn that Saw- Tsuna. Damn that Tsuna.

"You're not following?"

Kyoko blinks, looking up to regard the skylark thoughtfully. It was quite unusual for him to speak, and to speak to her nonetheless was even rarer. He usually only spoke to Tsuna, and on very few occasions, Hana. "No."

Hibari narrowed his eyes, seemingly dissatisfied with the too short answer. "Why? Are you not a leader as well?"

The ginger's eyes widen in surprise before she giggles. "No! The only leader is Tsuna." She halts for a moment before continuing on with a soft smile. "Well, for me, Tsuna is the only person I am willing to follow. That's why I'm not going to go with them to talk about this. After all, I'm already supporting his decision."

"Hmn."

"Ah, Yamamoto-kun, I forgot to say this earlier, but welcome to Niji!"

The raven laughs, "Ah, thank you. This seems like a fun place to be!"

"It really is fun," Kyoko chimes in, glowing. "I've never been bored, and being with everyone here makes me very happy. Tsuna and Hana are my best friends, and they're both really cool!"

Cooler than anyone else, after all, for Kyoko, they were simply her heroes.

Please tell me what you think! I was quite hesitant on them joining the committee but in the end, I went with it. This will add to the chaos but I have something in mind so please bear with me! What do you guys think of how things are rolling?