thekillerwhale | IC Inbox

We uphold the ideals of the Vongola family - especially to protect those that can't protect themselves! [Really it's less like 'mafia' and more like 'power rangers' when they do it. No wonder Yamamoto thought it was a game for a long time.]

Family... I think the family that you choose is more important sometimes.

[He was really glad he decided to get the story from Gokudera himself because Mukuro was making him out to be a bad person. He won't tell him that because he doesn't want to rile him up again, but he's glad he's having this talk and getting his side.]

"Protecting others that can't protect themselves"...So it's like one of those "good gangs" that you sometimes here about. Bad title, but good deeds.

It was originally started because the law wouldn't or couldn't help people! [Well, Vongola was, as for the 'actual' mafia it's hard to tell since they deliberately kept no records and came up with a bunch of false stories.] There's some bad people, but there's a lot of good people too!

So like a group of vigil antes.

[He smiles even though Gokudera can't see.]

That doesn't sound bad at all.

IT'S REALLY GREAT, AND THE TENTH IS THE BEST. HE'S REALLY KIND-HEARTED AND DETERMINED AND DOWN TO EARTH- [And Gokudera has a LOT of FEELINGS, okay? ~~Tsuna was the first person to care if he hurt himself.~~] ... He was here, for a really short time. If he ever comes back - I think you'd like him. [BECAUSE HE'S AMAZING.]

[Oh! Then there was sudden passionate yelling. He can't help but give a small chuckle at that.]

The Tenth?

[Oh right, he was getting ahead of himself. He coughs.]

Sawada Tsunayoshi.

[He makes an affirmative noise of understanding.]

Is he your leader?

If I'm asking too many questions, you can stop me. I'm just really curious about this now.

No, it's okay. It's kind of nice to actually talk about this to you now? Yeah, he's our leader. HE'S THE BEST LEADER!

[He laughs again when he starts getting excited about his leader again.]

When he comes here, I'll definitely have to meet him then.

It's all really interesting, you know? Hearing about all of these different kinds of people with different abilities from different worlds. And even if we're from the same country, it's still very different.

Yeah. When I -

Okay, uh, to backtrack a little ... I wasn't entirely truthful when I said friends helped me through the transition period coming here, that first time. I mean, they did, but ... this isn't the first time I've done this kind of thing. Time travel and alternate universes, I've dealt with those before, even visited one. Like, before I got here even. Anyway... something that's been bugging me, I've been wondering if... maybe we're all actually from the same world after all - just different versions of that world, or that universe. Maybe there's a Gokudera Hayato somewhere in your world, and maybe there's a Tachibana Makoto somewhere in mine, you know? Space is infinite, and always expanding.

Anyway, when I got sent home it wasn't ... exactly the same as my world. That's how I knew I was probably coming back here. I was, uh. Starting to see if maybe I could find you there, just to test the theory, but I didn't get very far in looking before I was yanked back.

[Makoto listens to the explanation, trying to wrap his head around it. It sounds like something straight out of a science fiction movie or a video game, but there is probably truth behind it. The fact that they are all here proves some of it.

When he heard that he went looking for a version of him when he went back, he couldn't help but feel his heart warm at that.]

Really? You went looking?

Haha...Japan is really populated.

If you get sent back next time, try Iwatobi High School.

[He then makes a humming noise in thought.]

What if that version of me is different? What if he's really short and is good at art? Hahaha!

Yeah? I will. That'll make the search easier. [Oh good Makoto wasn't weirded out by it.]

Then he's really short and good at art, if he's Makoto I'm sure he'll be a good friend.

[He smiled brightly at that even though Gokudera couldn't see it. He was glad that Gokudera could find such a good friend.]

Maybe the Hayato in my world is really tall and has bad aim. Hahaha!

I bet he's super tall. Like, a giant. Two hundred thirteen centimeters even!!

[He's probably always a short chainsmoker actually. That's been pretty consistent no matter where he goes. Goddamn it. Even 24-year-old-him seemed to be ... well, taller, but still the shorter one among his companions, aside from Tsuna. WHO HAD THE HEART OF A GIANT SO IT DIDN'T COUNT.]

Eh?! Really? That tall?! Maybe he'd be a basketball player at that height. But if he has bad aim, then it would be really sad.

[He laughs at that.]

I'd invite him to join our swim club, that way he can just reach out and hit the other side of the pool.

Ha, maybe tall Hayato can swim, too. Yes, he totally can. He's an amazing swimmer. [Because it's Gokudera's fantasy and he can be as cool as he wants to in it.]

I wonder what tall Hayato's specialty stroke would be...

Maybe it would be the doggy paddle. Haha! He's number one in Japan for the doggy paddle.

Hey, normal Hayato happens to be alright at that one too.

Can you not swim well?

I can be dropped in the water and not drown but that's about all I've got goin' for me.

If you wouldn't mind learning, I could teach you some techniques when it warms up. We're going to try to restore the abandoned pool that's here.

If you don't think it'd be too tedious to teach a beginner, yeah, that'd be fun. [... Shit, then Makoto will have to get his shirt off. SHIT, NOW GOKUDERA WAS THINKING ABOUT IT.] SO, uh, you know pool restoration, then?

Not at all! One of my friends, Rei, he joined the swim club and didn't know how to swim at all. He...he actually sank like a rock. But now, he's really amazing at the butterfly stroke! I'm the captain of the swim club back home, so I could get you swimming well in no time.

And yeah, we had to restore the pool at our school back home. It was full of weeds, grass, and cracks. It'll be more complicated for the one here, but I think we can do it.

Where there's a will there's a way, right?

Oh, before I forget, there's something I wanted to give you. I was able to get some supplies when I went back, a little bit anyway. Tried to keep it to things easy to carry, you know? So no icebox full of convenience store food or nothin.

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