Mugenjou's Lord of Flames

It all started on the day Reborn came to the house.

He put a flyer in...nobody came out.

The lights are closed for hours.

He checked to see what's inside, only to learn that the house hasn't been cleaned for years due to a pile of a thick layer of dust.

What was eye catching, was the shattered photo frames and torn-apart family photos, and a letter written in crayon by a child.

Mama went out and never came back.

Does she hate Tsu-chan too like the whole town does?

Does papa hate Tsu-chan too because he never came home?

Is it because I'm dame-Tsuna like everyone says?

Everyone in town hates Tsu-chan for being dame.

Its not my fault I'm dame. I hate being dame and clumsy
because everyone enjoys being mean and horrible to me.
They say they got every right to because I'm no-good and
stupid. Does this mean in all schools everyone hurts who
doesn't do well in school and they can do it with the
adults fine with it?

I want to be good like everyone too. Do well in school and
not tripping every few seconds. So nobody would hurt me.

Tsu-chan's leaving.

This place not home anymore. Mama and papa left me too...
wait, why am I calling them that, they're not my parents
anymore.

They don't want me anymore.

When Reborn reported that home, utterly furious as the letter was clearly tear-stricken, written by a heartbroken child who clearly put up with unjust abuse due to the blotchings on the paper and traces of salt on it that there was a frantic scramble in search of Vongola's lost last heir...after grilling her father good.

The reason Iemitsu never came home after about six years of Tsunade's childhood was to protect his family from afar and phone calls are very few in fear of being hacked and traced thus doesn't have any idea what happens at home since. He was horrified that his daughter came to such conclusions but Nana did tell him that she was doing poorly in school and he encouraged her when he could.

They had to investigate Namimori by force using Bouche to force people to talk.

What they hear is not pretty.

The neighbors know full well that Sawada Nana has a useless daughter, and a husband who never came home so people formed their own theories and speculations, most of which, were insulting to downright cruel. At school, the teachers clearly don't care and could care less about that 'stupid girl'.

Iemitsu was furious and wanted revenge on the town after he finds his wife and daughter. He wanted it razed to the ground if not for the Ninth Generation trying to drill sense into the distraught advisor.

But Nono would gladly help him on the matter but first things first, finding Sawada Nana and Tsunade...and get Nana to talk on why she abandoned her daughter and their house.

xxx

Meanwhile...what happened years ago was this.

From a no-good girl to a drastic change even Sawada Tsunade herself thought its abnormal.

Since she nearly-died from hunger before suddenly motivated into surviving, she lost her clumsiness and could normally remember and learn things again.

She just lamented that it happened too late when the world already hated her.

She was convinced she was all alone, friendless and homeless(she defines home as a place to belong not a house to go back to).

She dropped the Sawada in her name and took to just using Tsunade.

She learned how to survive the hard way with a kitchen knife and a smaller knife she took with her in her backpack.

Her feet led her to Tokyo, to Shinjuku...to its slums.

But her feet led her to the worst slums of all in Tokyo.

To Mugenjou.

Her instincts led her to safety thus far. She came here as well, she has nothing and can't exist in society anymore since she quit school.

She made a home for herself in an abandoned building.

At first she was alone.

She thieved and pickpocketed, and bought cheap food for survival. Its everyone for themselves but one day, her instincts told her to pickpocket a certain Beastmaster but he grabbed her wrists. "Eh?"

'Hooo? My friends told me that a kid is trying to slit my back pockets.' he said.

'What friends, you're all alone!' Tsunade cried, trying to wrench her wrist out of his firm grip.

'Iya, I'm not alone kiddo.' the teenager chuckled as he turned to face her by squatting down. 'Honestly, I just got into this shitty place and even a kid here holds knives. Tokyo sure is crappy.' he snorted. 'So, what is this place anyway?'

'...its Mugenjou...where people who have no one and nothing go to. Everything and every unwanted person is thrown here. This place is also perfect for crime to thrive. The people here does not exist in society.' said Tsunade. 'Its what I learned from looking around when I came here five months ago. Crime is pretty much normal here since you can't exactly get a job anyway. If you don't like that leave this place.' she said. 'There's many gangs too, banding together to survive this place because there are times that this place is painted red in blood. The other kids say the monsters from Belt Line, wherever that is, come down and spread disaster cuz' they could. We tend to hide when that happens and the gangs fight these guys.'

The boy with her frowned at that.

'Well, I got nowhere to go to either twerp. My family and clan is massacred. How about you?'

'...my parents abandoned me. They don't want me anymore.' said Tsunade glumly. 'I left my town and my feet led me here.'

'I see...well, you know this place the best, so I'm counting on you twerp.' he said. 'Wanna come with me?'

'Y-you want me?' Tsunade croaked out. 'You want dame-Tsuna?'

'I don't see you as no-good if you can creep up on me with a knife.' the boy snorted. 'I wouldn't know if my animal friends didn't warn me.' he said as he whistled...and a whole zoo came out of hiding. Birds, canines, felines...

'Hey! You're a whole zoo by yourself!' Tsunade exclaimed, eyes popping out incredulously.

The older boy laughed.

'So...what's your name, oniisan?' Tsunade asked him.

'Me? I'm Shido. Fuyuki Shido.'

'...I'm Tsunade.' said Tsunade. 'My parents don't want me anymore, why should I keep using my surname anyway.' she stated glumly. 'Even my name is a lie...they said my name is written as 'to connect hands' but they let go of my hands and left me.'

Shido learned of the girl's past. It was enough to drive anyone to the brink of despair and it was unfair to the poor kid. And she's clearly not lying as he and his animals can sense liars.

He took pity on her so he said, 'Well, we're both newbies, we should stick together then.' he said.

'I don't know Shido-san...you'd probably leave me too for being stupid and clumsy.' Tsunade mumbled gloomily.

'Well, ever heard of late bloomers? Nobody's perfect. Good things come in time. Now then, let's find us a big place to house us and my family.' Shido told her. Tsunade reluctantly accepted his hand because of her fear of being abandoned thrice.

On one condition.

'A condition?'

'Never abandon me like they did and change how my name is written.' Tsunade demanded. 'My name is a filthy lie. Change how its written.'

'Alright. I won't leave you no matter what and as for the name...I'm not changing it.'

'Eh?! Nande?!'

'Its a beautiful name...and besides...I held your hand. Our hands connected.' Shido told her kindly. 'People meet and yeah, they do hold hands but there are times that they let go and sometimes they don't. Just because your parents left you doesn't mean nobody will hold your hands anymore. You will meet people who will hold your hand and never let go. That means they're your true friends or people you can happily call 'family'. That's why I'm not changing your name and I gave you a reason to keep it.'

Tsunade cried, and found resolve in staying with the first kind person she met and decided to live her life with him.

They lived a tough life together and Shido learned the hard way how Mugenjou sucks.

Goons attacking them because their bodies are valuable in the black market for money...the belt line monsters...and...

'What the hell?!'

Their surroundings changed to that of another street.

'Don't believe what you see...this sometimes happens.' said Tsunade. 'Had I told you about it, you wouldn't believe me. However, this illusion is dangerous.'

'How dangerous?' Shido asked her seriously.

'If you believe what you see, you're a goner.' Tsunade warned him grimly. 'Once the place changed that I'm about to fall off a building rooftop while I ran from some guy I stole from. Naturally I was scared but my instinct says its a lie. The place I'm in is a lie and don't believe it so I didn't...so I didn't fall and die. If you believe the illusions, they'll destroy your mind...and your body too. For example, the place changed that you fell...what will your body do if you're a normal person, not a fighter with good reflexes?' she asked him seriously.

'If I was a normal person...I'd fall in a bad way and...get a few bruises or if I'm unlucky, get a concussion or pop out a joint...or go splat on the ground...' then he froze as he realized the dangers of the illusions. '...ah...'

'Yeah.' Tsunade nodded grimly. 'This way.' she grabbed his hand and led him towards a wall. 'Shut your eyes if you can't believe. It'll help. I'll guide you.'

Shido did and shut his eyes as he followed her as she pulled his hand...and he didn't hit a wall at all. 'Eh?' when he opened his eyes, its the street back home to their apartment.

'See?' Tsunade smiled. 'Mugenjou's a very good lying slum world but it can't lie to me! Nuh-uh!'

'...I think this'll take time to get used to...' Shido grumbled, utterly bamboozled by the situation.

'Well, that's not all...some people here are illusions too. These illusion people tend to die horribly when the belt line monsters come out. They're also easily caught too.'

'HUH?!'

Indeed, Tsunade came to be a very useful partner for Shido...her instincts never led them wrong as he taught her to fight...that even joining VOLTS was her decision because she sensed really bad things ahead way beyond just the two of them. That, and they were attracted to Ginji and the hope he gave everyone in Lower Town.

Nobody knows when VOLTS was formed.

When Tsunade came, Fuuga led by Fuuchouin Kazuki was the strongest gang. There was no VOLTS back when she and Shido met.

And she's not kidding when she said things will get worse!

There were times that Tsunade herself nearly died as well but she pressed on because Shido needs her and being the only person who has been there for her since the beginning. She was more loyal to him than she was to Ginji...and some more fights later, enabled her to awaken to flames with...unusual abilities as her abilities were different from that of Ujiie Kaoru's. She can fly ala rocket boosters on her feet, and fire would appear on her forehead and eyes turning orange, akin to a glowing poker. But in this form, her personality also changes, being very clinical and logical to the point of cold-heartedness and knows no fear. That, and her ability to 'see through' is amplified.

She was called the Lord of Flames as her powers were stronger than that of Kaoru's and cause destruction in her wake. However, she was still the weakest fighter due to her young age but has potential to rise when she gets more fighting-savvy. She usually trains with Shido. She was usually a long-distance fighter as she would not last two hits from the Belt Liners who are just too strong.

Shido and Tsunade also brushed up on things need-to-knows for surviving the underworld while also living as Freelancers for money to fund the gang. That, or if nobody's hiring, Shido would go to a gambling ring for her and she would guide him into winning millions of cash for them. She was given another nickname the 'Gambling Lord' because she, through Shido, never lost a gambling game not even once! She can bet heinous risky bets, and earn hundred millions that nobody in the gang complained about necessities ever again.

They met many people and Tsunade finally met the famous Fuuchouin Kazuki but it was beyond her that he dissolved his gang that was around longer than VOLTS was and subordinated himself to Ginji. When she asked he kindly told her, 'You came and joined right? You have to see and feel him to understand since Shido chose to follow him.'

Tsunade just couldn't tell him that its HER who dragged Shido to VOLTS out of Self-Preservation!

'...do we tell them what we know?' Shido asked Tsunade when they were on a rooftop.

'Its a bad time even though I want to tell some of them. But like you yourself, truth is stranger than fiction. And these guys are city folk, far more skeptical like you who's attuned to nature. They're tougher to deal with that its the hard way for them I guess.'

'...'

Shido rose in rank, becoming the third King of VOLTS, the Beastmaster.

And then came the golden era of VOLTS. Prosperity for poor folk like them.

And among her peers, one rose to being King as well, the boy computer genius Makubex and she learned computers and about various security systems from him too to better help Shido in future jobs one day. He was a genius and nobody could rival him in computers.

She may be a kid who are among the rare few who can fight, but due to her young age and the frailty of a child's body, its what kept her from becoming a King as unlike Makubex who was a King through Intellect, she can only be a King through battle. However, she was the financial backbone with Shido as she never goes anywhere without him, never leaving his side akin to Juubei never leaving Kazuki's side. VOLTS has a vast fortune but she says they are to never trust any security in Mugenjou. So they guard their money themselves.

However, one day, Ginji left Mugenjou...and among the Four Kings, Flash Master Kurusu Masaki was the first to leave.

Next was Kazuki...

'...Shido, VOLTS came to an end with Ginji-san leaving.' said Tsunade as they settled on a rooftop with security railings. 'Good things don't last long huh?'

'No kidding there.' Shido griped. 'Ever since that man came, Ginji changed and now he upped and left! Why did he leave with that man?' he fumed.

'You make it sound like he had a clandestine affair and eloped.' Tsunade sweatdropped causing Shido to sputter. 'Really, be careful what you say or people will misunderstand!' Shido just harrumphed. 'But really...why did he leave a gang who needs him? He's our symbol, the Light of Lower Town.' she frowned. 'Who the heck is that guy?'

'Beats me but he caused Ginji to leave and VOLTS to decline...' Shido sighed. 'People are starting to leave.'

'Its your call...you know that I'll follow you no matter what, except for the urinal.' Tsunade told him. 'I'm worried about everyone because our boss just upped and left and two of our Kings leaving.'

'...what does your instincts say?' Shido asked her. 'Your instincts never led our partnership wrong. Not even once.' he said. 'But when Ginji left...I felt that I lost a piece of myself.' he swore, clenching his fists. 'Its like a void created a hole in me. Everyone probably feels the same.'

'...Ginji-san must have a very good reason, otherwise he'd never leave.' said Tsunade. 'Why would he leave to parts unknown when in VOLTS, he's wanting for nothing? Our gang is billions rich, we're a strong force, so that guy must have offered something he can't pass up on...something we'll understand someday. But until then, those attracted to him will have to deal with that hole left behind.'

'...'

'Its something everyone will understand one day and forgive. Its what I feel.' said Tsunade softly. 'Until then, even I can't get a grasp on that glasses guy. He who charmed our boss.'

'...we figure something out then.' said Shido. 'We're going, Tsunade!' and they too, left Mugenjou.