Game on

Chapter 18: Inheritance Arc 2

The Primo Vongola and Simon had been friends – best friends.

Finally, in one journal entry, the founder of the Famiglia alluded to one other organization being present on his last encounter with the allied Famiglia. The logical solution was therefore to go to them to see if they hadn't any information in their own archive – of course, it wouldn't be that simple, as said organization was the Vindice.
The Vongola X had wondered a bit about what to do with this new information – on one hand, going to the Vindice to negotiate with them information about the Simon and Vongola past would be useful; one the other hand, there was only one person that would be able to persuade them without having to concede anything important: Kazami.

And with a ghost able to posses people and meddle with their mind around whom she was the only to be able to feel, the girl twin seemed like a really important asset to have around the Simon right now.
By the time Mizuki's farewell party was starting, the Vongola X had finally come to a solution – another trip to the Japanese Magical Department to ask for the authorizations for a permanent two-way portkey between the Italian main Vongola base and their own Vongola X headquarters.
The procedures to gain such an authorization would be lengthy, but well worth it in the long term, and would allow Kazami to go to the Vindice during a week-end to engage negotiations...

One last unknown remained for the Vongola X - the ring and their associated Flames, that they hadn't heard of ever before. The problem was that they hadn't the first idea about how to learn more about them, so every one was tasked to keep an eye out for anything that could help while doing their own research. Mizuki, her strange powers acting up, seemed convinced that the answer would be found once she managed to learn more about Merlin.

The rest of the Vongola X knew the blond well enough by now to believe in her.

¤.¤.¤

The party where the Simon's were mingling with the Vongola X and a few CEDEF members was on-going, and Mizuki and Kazami were in the backyard, enjoying the usual chaos, when Kozato approached them. The two girl were surprised - while they got on well enough with all the Simon's, except of course the ever absent Katou Julie, they did tend on to mingle more with the usual Guardians...

"I don't understand."
"Something is bothering you, Kozato-san?"
"How can you all be so... so focused, so unified, yet at the same time so easy-going?" the boy was frowning
"Because we are Famiglia." smiled Kazami "I don't see what's so difficult to understand. Your Famiglia is the same after all."

"That it!" he protested hotly "You shouldn't be like us! The Simon and Vongola are completely different!"
"It seems to me like you want them to be different more than anything else." shrugged Kazami
"No! I know they are different! Everyone knows that the Vongola are power hungry and don't care about their allies!"

"When you say everyone, you are only talking about the Simon's, aren't you? Did you even bother to talk about other Famiglia before judging us or did you make your opinion on your own without any outside source?" Kazami's voice was colder, and the teen in front of her felt a bit of fear - because the girl was easy-going Tsuna's sister, he had thought she would be like him, but clearly he was wrong

Not caring about his feelings, the girl was continuing "Because it sure looks like you are the ones who don't care about their allies from my side. You come into our town, not even introducing yourselves, one of your members tried to back-stab me, and when we try to get to know each other all you can do is holding onto your narrow-minded opinions without even giving us a chance." her eyes were even darker "So tell me between the small Famiglia befriending the big own yet talking about them in their back and the big Famiglia befriending the smaller without asking anything back, which one are the power hungry ones that only think about themselves?"

Kozato felt himself grew cold.

Because as much as he wanted to lash out at the infuriating girl and ignore her harsh words, he couldn't. She had over-simplified the situation with her analysis, of course, yet she hadn't said anything wrong and had easily turned his own words against him. And he really hated it, because he never wanted his Famiglia to become like the monster they felt the Vongola to be - yet somehow it seems this was exactly what was happening.

Feeling his resolve grow stronger and something shatter in his mind, he made a decision - he would push what he knew about the Vongola out of his mind and give a fair chance to the Vongola X, as they called themselves and ask the rest of his Famiglia to do the same. Because despite all the things he had heard about the Vongola, he still felt that somehow, Tsuna was different.
And he wanted to be proved right...

[Hidden Goal complete: A clean slab! The Simon will now genuinely try to befriend the Vongola X...
Reward: +100 000XP, relationship status update: the Simon are now Neutral]
[Level up! You are now Specialty Level 16!
+8SP, +2PP, +5CP]
[Level up! Padfoot is now Level 28!
+5SP, +1PP,+3CP]

Kazami smiled at the notification as the teen gave her a glare "I really don't like you!" he said bluntly, making her smile - and surprising him once more "But I can admit that you aren't completely wrong. So let's start over, shall we?" a weak smile "I'm Kozato Enma, Decimo of the Simon Famiglia! I'm not really strong, and my Famiglia is small, but they are the most important thing to me! Yoroshiku!"

She smiled back "I'm Sawada Kazami. I'm not as kind as Tsuna, but I do love all my Famiglia and friends, and I will do anything to protect them and I'm pretty sure that the Simon can become great friends with us. Yoroshiku."
The introduction was punctuated by Padfoot joyful bark.

[+5 relationship with Kozato Enma]

Kazami smile widened - because she knew that the teen had just broken through one major point of his mind control, and would now genuinely befriend them, as proved with the relationship gain - the first since the Simon had barged into their life, despite the way they all seemed to get along.

Sawada Kazami speLV15:

Strength: 32(48)
Agility: 125(219)
Endurance: 32(40)
Intelligence: 67(104)
Wisdom: 97(126)
Charisma:37(48)
Luck: 53(72)

¤/¤/¤

HP/FP : 448/1365
Dam/ F Dam: 388/417
Speed/ F Speed: 662/359
Critic/ F Critic: 512/466
Def/ F Def: 128/200