Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

Warning: AU (sort of)/Unbeta'ed/Lack of knowledge about religion and hierarchy so improvisation!

Rating: T

A/N: I'm starting to wonder if I should put the rating up to M. I also wonder if it would be a little bit more organized if I divided the chapters in arcs or parts. Anyway, there, on one hand, there is not a lot of action in this chapter, but on the other hand, there is information. Thank you for the reviews, follows, favs and for still being there!

Oh, and, to avoid confusion: they're speaking in Italian when the three of them aren't alone. When alone, they're speaking in Japanese. I think that I precise which language it is used each time. Also, Tsuna's speaking slowly and very articulately to control his breathing and emotions to prevent stutter. It doesn't work with intense feelings (terror, panic, fury, etc.), of course. No, it isn't Reborn who taught him that. Guess who did?

Hope you'll enjoy!

The house was quiet in the morning. On Flavia's request, her daughter and son-in-law had brought their children here before heading out to work. While they didn't know why exactly Flavia had been so uneasy for the past few days –though the recent murders were enough of a reason- they trusted her instincts. If Flavia advised them to shut the kids away from the world for as long as she deemed it necessary, they wouldn't argue. Her daughter had witnessed how perceptive and right her mother could be at times. So, with only some words of concern but none of misplaced curiosity, the parents let the children at Flavia's home. School wasn't a problem when safety was a priority.

Flavia was currently sipping her coffee, staring outside. She had a weird foreboding feeling for some days now and wondered what caused it. At first, she thought it was about the murders happening in town and in the forest. However, she began to suspect that it was something else. There was more behind the recent deaths that it seemed. It was the main reason she had her grandchildren at home, under her watch. Her house had protection that their parents' place lacked. Here, she could protect them.

Thinking about the children brought back the memory of a certain young brunet with a black cat. At the first glance, Flavia had known that the boy was peculiar. Firstly, his companion was no ordinary. Usually, Flavia avoided any black cats, knowing the bad luck following them, especially when they presented eyes with odd colors. This Kage-chan was trickier. The feline had two tails, odd-colored eyes and black fur. Her sole presence screamed danger or misfortune. However, she found that she didn't mind one bit the cat's presence.

Flavia's eyes shifted, gazing absently at the table, noticing distractedly that she should put the butter and the jam in the fridge. Her thoughts kept her still though. It wasn't only the cat, but also her foreboding feeling. That was the second point. The boy –Suzume– was so bright, he overwhelmed for a few hours her worries. He was completely at ease with the odd cat, even though he was so shy and almost awkward with her family. It was as if he was comfortable with Kage-chan but not with humans. It was troubling her. Suzume was a child. He shouldn't be so wary, sometimes speaking too wisely for his age before clamming up again. There was something that wasn't right.

Also, why was he alone? The boy was blind with a cat for only companion. Where were his parents? It was so odd, so surprising and so peculiar that Flavia had briefly wondered if Suzume was really human.

She sighed and drank the rest of her drink. She then stood up, reaching for both the butter and the jam. The knife fell on the floor with a clatter, briefly glinting in the sunlight. Flavia contemplated it in silence for a few seconds before bending down to pick it up. Well, it seemed that the day would be a little bit more eventful than she thought first. Time to clean up.

The first among the children to wake up was Agnella. She yawned, rubbing her eyes and headed towards the kitchen. She vaguely remembered that her parents had brought her at her Nonna's home earlier. Shrugging her shoulders, she smiled when she caught the scent of flowers and mint, betraying the presence of her Nonna. Bursting into the kitchen, she ran to Flavia to offer her morning hug. Her grandmother chuckled, returning the embrace before pointing at the table. Agnella turned around, instantly noticing a bowl too many.

"Someone's coming?" She asked as she sat on one of the chairs, knowing that her Nonna usually ate before any of them.

Flavia simply smiled a bit mischievously. The doorbell rang, keeping her granddaughter from insisting. She quickly left the kitchen, followed by a curious Agnella. By precaution, her Nonna indicated her to stay a few steps behind. Well, Flavia knew who was waiting outside but safety first. She opened the door, revealing a brunet and his cat, but also an infant in a black suit and a smiling young man. She paused for a short moment, taken aback. Sure, she had expected Suzume and his companion but no one else.

Tsuna offered her a sheepish smile, ruffling nervously his hair.

"G-Good morning, Flavia." He greeted her, twitching in pain when Reborn pinched the nape of his neck. "Huh, I'm sorry for coming here uninvited–"

"Nonsense!" She exclaimed brightly, taking one of his hands to lead him inside. "Come, come, you're all on time for breakfast."

There was an excited squeal coming from inside, revealing Agnella's presence. Tsuna suddenly felt something crushing into him. He staggered a bit and was thankfully steadied by Nereo.

"Suzume!" Agnella giggled, hugging him happily. "You're back!"

"Yeah…" Tsuna answered, unsure on what to say.

"Agnella, you should wake your brothers up." Flavia intervened, noting how uncomfortable he seemed.

Her granddaughter complied, disappearing further into the house. The group followed the old lady in the kitchen, settling around the table, wisely letting the bowls for the children. She offered a cup of coffee for each of them, excluding Kage-chan who had taken her usual place on Tsuna's lap. Nereo was surprised to see Flavia offering the dark liquid to an infant. Granted, Renato was a child only by form but how was a granny able to see that?

Steps were heard coming towards them, warning them of the sudden storm of three children. Agnella, being the youngest and the most excited, instantly went to Tsuna, asking him to play with her. Davide, still half-asleep, greeted absently everyone and sat on his chair, not even noticing that there were unknown faces. Alessio rolled his eyes at his sister, avoiding warily the guests –with only a nod for Tsuna. The children finally sat around the table, starting eating –or resuming– their breakfast. Tsuna let the scent of hot chocolate, bread, butter and jam briefly remind him of his own home, wondering how his mother and the bakeneko were. He already kind of missed them, though he was used to travelling.

"If I may ask, how did you meet each other?" Nereo asked, sitting beside Davide.

His neighbor immediately began to snicker. "Suzume fell into the fountain."

"He looked like a wet kitten." Agnella added thoughtfully before gulping down her hot chocolate.

"Oh?" Reborn smirked, a glint in his eyes.

Tsuna cringed at the sound, knowing that the small exclamation was quite foreboding.

"Yup!" Davide carried on, unaware of the brunet's mortification. "So Nonna invited him to lunch and gave him some clothes. Then, he played with us all afternoon!" He ended with a big smile, waving his spoon carelessly.

Nereo quietly snickered, inching away from the boy in hope of sparing his own clothes from getting slightly dirty. Agnella put down her bowl, lifting her head to stare at the brunet and completely oblivious to the brown moustache adorning her lips.

"Will Suzume play with us today too?" She asked hopefully. "Nonna said that we can't go outside."

Alessio laughed at her, pointing out the chocolate above her mouth. They instantly started to bicker, much to Nereo's despair who didn't know how to calm them down. Tsuna was inwardly thankful to the boy's lack of tact that had prevented him from answering and disappointing the girl.

"I think it's a good idea that the children stay home today." He commented quietly, shifting on his chair. "Snakes are gone but other dangers lurked outside."

Fluvia's clear eyes darkened. She grabbed her cornicello that she wore as a necklace, unconsciously rubbing it between her fingers.

"I'm glad that the bambini had their bulla and lunula." She mumbled more to herself than to them. "Is everyone done?" She then asked the children who nodded. "You should go brush your teeth and wash your faces before playing. Will you accompany them, Signore exorcist?"

Nereo jerked, startled. "How did you know?" He wondered, looking at his casual outfit. There was absolutely nothing that could indicate his job.

"Signs don't lie." She simply replied.

That didn't really answer his question. He was still on his chair, the children waiting around him, and looked at Tsuna. As if feeling the stare, the teen turned slightly to him and nodded with a smile.

"Go, Nereo." He calmly urged him. "Everything's fine. I'll tell you if something important has been said."

Reluctantly, Nereo followed the cheerful children who were chatting loudly between them. The atmosphere around the table seemed to tense as the kids left. Flavia finished calmly her coffee and put it down with a light clinking on the saucer. She then folded her hands in front of her, looking calmly at Tsuna. None of her suspicion and apprehension could be read in her gaze. She knew at first glance that the boy was special, especially with the black cat with strange eyes following him everywhere. It was bad luck enough to meet a black cat but one with eyes with different colors –well, it was worse. However, since it was obvious that little Suzume was a very kind soul and honestly, when soaked wet and shivering, he simply called on every motherly instinct she had. There was no way she would have left him alone in a foreign town without helping him. That being said, Flavia wasn't naïve. This encounter was certainly more relevant than it seemed.

Tsuna sighed, ruffling his hair, wondering how he should explain the situation. Well, he probably should begin with what she knew. He really needed her help after all. He absolutely hated the thought of doing nothing –of being useless– when he just knew that he could do something, even if it wasn't big. He had to try at least.

"I met Il Malefico yesterday night." He informed her, shifting in his seat in slight nervousness when he felt her stress increase. "I'm fine, nothing has happened to me." He promptly reassured her. "Il Malefico is gone and won't be back."

"You confronted a giant snake that possesses the ability to kill with only one look alone and at night?" Flavia asked, incredulous and more than a little bit angry. "What had crossed your mind, idiota?"

Tsuna grimaced. That wasn't how he had intended it to sound like!

"I-It's fine!" He hurriedly tried to placate her, waving his hands in front of him almost defensively and cringing at his stutter. "T-to put it simply, I knew that I wouldn't be harmed."

Flavia gave him an unimpressed look. "And how would you know that, piccolo?"

"Um…" He fidgeted a bit, wondering what he should say.

He couldn't lie –didn't want to anyway– but blatantly admit that the basilisk Midori was his friend? Yeah, probably not the best answer to give. He couldn't just tell that his gut feeling assured him that he would be fine –he didn't want Flavia to feel insulted. There wasn't any good answer, was it?

"It was a basilisk called Midori who had accidentally killed the sixth vi–uh, person." He blurted out. "She is my friend so…"

He didn't finish his sentence since there wasn't any need to. He shrunk a bit on himself at the following stunned silence. He really should have worded it better. Much to his surprise, Flavia simply sighed.

"I knew that you were special, little Suzume, when I met you." She revealed calmly, watching him stiffen. "The signs were practically screaming at me."

"Signs?" Tsuna repeated.

"In my country, a black cat with odd-eyes is known to bring bad luck or to warn about incoming misfortunes. When I saw you falling into the fountain, I thought that it was indeed the case." She deliberately ignored the snort coming from the cat, knowing that the feline was more than she seemed. "However, when it appeared obvious that she was your companion in your travel, I quickly changed my mind."

"What do you mean?"

Flavia smiled. "Little Suzume, you don't know how your mere presence affect those who surround you, do you?"

Reborn instantly thought of the Harmony of his Sky Flames. However, Tsuna wasn't constantly using them. Also, Flames knowledge was Mafia knowledge and therefore, highly restricted. In fact, no one aside from the brightest minds and those who roamed in the Underworld should know about them. So, was Flavia in the secret or could she feel them in some way? Of course, it could also be something else. Reborn had just been thrown into a world he needed to learn the rules and aspects.

"No, he doesn't." Kage-chan answered, stopping caring about maintaining appearances. "He is completely oblivious."

"Am not." Tsuna scowled.

He was ignored, of course, as Flavia chuckled. "Well, since the two of you understand what I am talking about, I don't really need to explain myself, now, do I?" It was a rhetorical question so she carried on. "I suspected that your presence had a link with the recent deaths but all I could see was a young boy soaked wet by his own clumsiness. Once I approached you, little Suzume, and shared a meal and stories with you, I knew that I should treat you as the signs advised me to."

"In other words…?" Tsuna insisted a bit, half-fearing the answer, so used to hear negative things about him.

It was one of the reasons he hated to have the attention on him. That and attention usually meant that assassins or yôkai were after him. Flavia watched him in silence for a few moments, pondering on her thoughts. She could tell that she needed to be delicate as to not frighten him, as ridiculous as it sounded. Suzume carried a heavy burden that she didn't know of but the presence of the exorcist and of Kage-chan was enough of a hint to know that whatever it was, she shouldn't be involved for her own safety.

"As I said before, you are special, little Suzume." She chose to stick to prudence, avoiding revealing what she had read. "Why have you come here for? I doubt that you wanted to chat with an old lady and play with hyperactive children."

Tsuna frowned, aware that she had avoided answering his question. He didn't push however, somewhat relieved. He then wondered how much he should explain. If their roles were the other way around, he would have wished to know exactly what was going on.

"We know what is behind the deaths." He revealed, shifting on his chair. "A human has been conducting a ritual to invoke at least one demon."

"That explains why you're accompanied by an exorcist." Flavia commented weakly, paling and one of her hands reaching for her necklace once again.

"I've never dealt with any demons before." Tsuna admitted. "I can't really do much but I– I still want to help."

She nodded slowly, still quite shocked. She was worried not only for her children and grandchildren but for little Suzume too now.

"That's why I came to you." The teen carried on without waiting for a reply, focused on explaining the reason of his presence. "I don't think that the charms I know of would be effective against demons. Since the exorcists are going to deal with them, I want to offer them some kind of protection."

She watched him shift in embarrassment on his chair, ruffling his hair nervously. Why did he come to her for advices? Wouldn't it be better to ask some priests? Then again, she was one of the only ones to believe in the old ways, unaffected by the growing skepticism. Her hands went to her nape, opening the necklace. Without any warning, she grabbed one of Tsuna's hands who flinched reflexively.

"This is a cornicello." She began, ignoring his reaction and placing said object in his hands. "It is known to protect from the malocchio. They are usually made of red coral, gold or silver. Though I had seen some made of bones or terracotta."

Tsuna's fingers traced the horn-shaped of the cornicello as he listened attentively.

"Mine is in silver." Flavia tapped the necklace. "For young girls and boys, we gave them lunula and bulla, usually made of metal like gold, silver or copper. Usually, upon reaching their adulthood, they took the charms off and only kept the cornicello. They are also cimaruta which are silver charm composed with different symbols according to your region or your family. I know that one of my aunts had one with a rose, a key, a crescent moon and an owl."

"Are cornicelli easy to find?" Tsuna asked thoughtfully.

He couldn't make them for obvious reasons. However, if he could find some, he would be able to infuse his spiritual power in them. He would have preferred to make them, since his charms were generally more powerful this way, absorbing easily his energy.

"Yes, very." She replied, standing up. "However, more than half of them aren't any good and are only tourist traps. I'll give some contacts of mine that aren't fraudsters."

"That would be really helpful, thanks."

"How old are you, little Suzume?" She asked out of the blue, pausing on her way out of the kitchen. "You're not older than eleven, are you?"

"…I'm thirteen." Tsuna mumbled, a little bit vexed to be considered younger than he really was.

Flavia chuckled at his reaction. "Sorry, piccolo. Stay here, I'll be back shortly."

"Such a shame." Kage-chan sighed in Japanese after the grandmother disappeared. "It would have been better if you could make them with your own hands, mixing early with your spiritual energy. One created by you would be tremendously stronger than hers. She seemed to be aware of the energy stored in charms as she revealed that she is able to distinguish true charms from fakes. We need now to test if her contacts' works are compatible with you."

"Compatible?" Tsuna repeated with a frown. "I thought–"

The nekomata leaped on his face, making him shriek and flail his arms to keep his balance, his chair dangerously swinging back.

"What happens if two different spiritual energies clash?" She asked, using him as a support to jump away and successfully sending him to the ground.

She sat on the table, looking down at him and waiting for his answer. Reborn stayed silent at his place, entertained by the show and listening with rapt attention. Tsuna groaned and massaged his head.

"They merge together?" He suggested carefully, opting to stay put since there was a high chance that Kage-chan would once again send him to the floor if he gave the wrong answer.

At his companion's silence, he instantly knew that his answer was partly right but incomplete. She stared at him, unimpressed.

"What could be the other reaction?" She insisted.

"They could explode?"

"Good." She replied before leaping on him once again, effectively smacking his head on the floor. "You're not an idiot, cub. Think faster and answer with confidence."

The cat then glanced at the hitman. "The tiny human caught up quicker than you even though he doesn't know a thing about spiritual energies."

Reborn tipped his fedora down, taking it as a weirdly formulated compliment. Kage-chan scoffed and turned away.

"Listen." She hissed at Tsuna who sat up, clenching his head with his hands and a grimace. "While putting your energy into an artifact that contained already one, two things can happen. One, the energies will merge and increase the power of said artifact. Two, the energies will clash and repel each other, causing the destruction of their container. It is, in theory, possible for you to strengthen whatever spell is put in a charm by adding your own energy. However, if you are not compatible with the one already existing, the object will explode."

Tsuna nodded slowly.

"Now, you need to understand that merging two spiritual energies are only means used in some circumstances. Usually, it happens between two humans who wish to create or perform a spell, a ritual, a charm or any artifact with multiple effects or a higher power. This is the main reason behind the partnership between exorcists, plus the idea of gaining safety by working as a group. Of course, each individual can only offer what they have –it is a technique to cope with their blatant weaknesses when alone."

"If humans can merge their energies, is it possible between yôkai and between yôkai and human?" Tsuna asked, completely taken by the sudden lesson.

"Yes, of course." Kage-chan replied as if it was obvious. "Yôkai who live in clan, family or community of the sort may decide to combine all of their powers to face an enemy. As for relation between yôkai and human, the contract of shiki is a perfect example of necessary compatibility between the two parties. If none of them are compatible, they can't perform any form of contract or even a pact. If by chance they manage to connect, the process would be terribly painful and inevitably result in their deaths."

"How can Tsuna know his compatibility with someone?" Reborn intervened.

This discussion reminded him of the Flames, though the concept was different. All Flames were compatible with each other. However, not all of them could Bond. It was a matter of attraction. Kage-chan shot him a look, displeased to hear his curiosity even if his question was important.

"Tell me, cub, do you think our spiritual energies are compatible?" She turned towards the teen, apparently ignoring the hitman. "Whatdoesyourinstinctsay?"

"Yes, they are." Tsuna answered without any doubt.

"Correct." She purred. "They are today compatible. However, when we first met, they weren't. Know that spiritual energies evolve with their owner. Humans are the ones with the best potential of change while yôkai seem to freeze into a definite state. In our case, our spiritual powers have both evolved for the past few years. However, it is yours that has definitely changed the most to fall in line with mine."

She jumped on the ground, still purring. She then turned slowly towards the hitman, a sly glint in her eyes.

"Now, cub, do you think your spiritual energy is compatible with the tiny human's?"

The question took him aback.

"Every living being has spiritual energy, even when said energy is extremely low to the point it is almost nonexistent." The nekomata explained without hiding her scorn. "That includes the cursed one."

Tsuna flinched when he felt Reborn's killing intent rise, clearly aiming for Kage-chan. Couldn't they had least behaved? He silently despaired, wishing they could avoid provoking each other.

"I think they are, yes." He quickly answered, following what his gut was whispering to him. "It's also the case for Mom but not for the cats."

Kage-chan shot him a curious glance, her purring stopping abruptly. "Oh? Who would have thought?"

"Y-yeah…" Tsuna mumbled, fidgeting. "It's just a feeling I have. I– I mean, I don't know why or how but–"

"Take the old woman's cornicello." She interrupted him. "Tell me what you sense."

He complied, getting up and putting back up the chair with him. Taking back his previous place, he took a deep breath to calm down and picked up the charm. Letting his spiritual power brush the cornicello, he instantly dropped it. It clattered on the table, innocently glinting under the sunlight.

"It was as if a shock had burnt my fingers, running on my skin to pierce my head." He frowned, rubbing with discomfort his left hand.

"You're not compatible neither with her or the one who gave her the charm." Kage-chan explained, leaping on the table. "This pain proves it."

"There's something I don't understand." Tsuna put his elbow on the table, cupping his chin with his left hand. "If I am not compatible with the cats, how can I feed them with my energy?"

"When two beings try to merge their energies, we consider that they are resonating. When a being eats another, they absorb the energy to make it their own." She reflected a bit, wondering how she could put it differently. "When you're feeding the cats, you're relinquishing your hold on a part of your energy to let them take it to fuel them."

"In other words, Tsuna, you give them willingly a part of you –your energy – without the possibility of ever getting it back to someone else's benefit." Reborn piped in, understanding what she was getting at. "See it as a sacrifice, a negative gesture that creates a lack in you until you rest or fill the void in some way. When you resonate, you control your energy and exchange it with whoever is your partner. See it as a link, a positive bond between the two of you that you both hold and manipulate to create."

Tsuna's face lit up in understanding. Reborn shot a smug look at Kage-chan who glared at him, swallowing down the urge to hiss.

"Did you feel anything when you entered in the house, Kage-chan?" The teen asked, oblivious to the scene.

The cat blinked, turning her attention to him. "No, I didn't."

"That's what I thought." Tsuna hummed thoughtfully. "The protections that are actively warding off evil presence in this house are different from the ones we have at home. Proof is that you have been able to come without any problem, even without Flavia specifically allowing you."

"That's how you knew that your charms won't be effective against demons. Since you've already come here before, you simply needed to check if you were right." Reborn summarized, switching back to Italian. "This house can protect its inhabitants against them, but not against yôkai."

His student nodded.

"I am not surprised that you have been able to perceive the protections in my home." A voice commented from the corridor, entering the kitchen. "They have been put when my mother bought the house. I kept them ever since, knowing that evil entities can't break through them."

"You don't need to regularly replace them?" Tsuna asked, startled.

Flavia shook her head, getting back at her place and putting a large box on the table. The iron and the wood that it was made of were old but well-taken care of. She took back her necklace, absently putting it back around her neck, feeling naked without it.

"As long as the house is inhabited by people, the protections won't fail." She explained, opening the box. "My grandmother was a witchdoctor and she taught quite a few things to my mother. The art of ward was included in her lessons."

Tsuna slightly leaned in, smelling some plants' scents, mixing with the mint following Flavia whenever she was around.

"Are you one yourself?" Reborn asked.

"My mother wasn't as gifted as my Nonna or me. She mainly taught me familial skills. More than half of my knowledge actually comes from my travels."

The answer surprised them. She waved a hand, expecting this reaction.

"Speaking of wards, salt is actually really handy to create barriers or to prevent any malicious presence from entering a room if you generously spread salt at each openings. If you're looking for protection, you should look for silver, coral or jewels made of bones." She carried on, rummaging in the box. "Rowan is used as a revealing tool for any kind of demonic activities. If you're looking to inflict some damage to demons, iron, steel, silver and holy water are effective. Crosses, crucifixes and rosaries don't work when the holder has no faith. Same applies to prayers or psalms. Another important tree is the oak which can't be touched by demons."

She took out two dried branches from different plants. She handed him the first one, still with glossy green and spiny leaves.

"This is holly." She then gave him slightly long and spirally arranged leaves covered with silky trichomes, making his fingers twitch. "And this is wormwood, or absinthe." She let him keep the leaves, searching for flowers or berries. "Both of them are also used for protection and to make sure that your loved ones come back home safely when they leave for a travel."

She let out a frustrated sigh when she didn't find what she wanted. It didn't stop her to continue her teaching.

"Water is a natural protection, especially torrents or strong rivers. Finding refuge on a lake keeps you from demons but not from the creatures lurking beneath the surface."

Kage-chan snorted, knowing how true the last statement was. Flavia ignored her, momentarily giving up on her search to write down names and addresses on a piece of paper.

"I know that the elderberry tree is regarded as sacred in some legends but I don't know if it has any power against demons. Here," She turned to Reborn, sliding the paper towards him. He glanced at it before putting it away. "I gave the names and the locations of some friends of mine who can sell or give you some cornicelli to your companion."

"Thanks." Tsuna replied with a grateful smile. "Did you make any charms with your plants? I don't really have an idea on how make them." He admitted sheepishly.

She looked at him, surprised. "How do you make them usually?"

"Well, it depends." He shifted on his chair uneasily. "The ones called omamori are prayers hidden in a tiny bag, sealed with a cord."

"Yes but what about yours?" She insisted, finally finding holly berries.

"I pour my spiritual power in words carved in sakaki–"

"Sakaki?" Flavia interrupted him. "What is it?"

"It's a sacred tree." Kage-chan answered bluntly.

"–that I put inside a tiny bag that I have knitted. Same thing applies for the cord that I use to close it." Tsuna finished, unfazed by the interruption. "Sometimes I switch with peach wood."

"It's very taxing in both spiritual and physical energy, since he doesn't rely on divine powers." The nekomata added. "Everything that Tsuna does has his energy in it. Usually, exorcists avoid this sort of craft, choosing to rely on charms provided by temples. It's safer for them. Suffering from spiritual exhaustion can easily lead to death."

Tsuna winced at her words. The grimace didn't escape Reborn's eyes. He wasn't even surprised to know that the teen had already reached this point at least once.

"To put it simply, I carved wishes of protection or luck." Tsuna summarized, instantly reminding the hitman of the words he had said to him a few days ago.

"I see." Flavia replied thoughtfully and handed him some berries. "These are holly berries." She then once again rummaged in the box. "Well, I don't really know what I can show you. My charms are usually braided with either holly or absinthe or the both of them in the shape of a cross. Sometimes I put berries and flowers inside a silver or coral locket as a necklace. I specialize in jewels, in fact." She put out some dry wormwood flowers. "Here, maybe there is still the scent of absinthe flowers on them."

Tsuna absently took them, frowning.

"What about talismans?" He asked, playing with the berries. "What do you use?"

"Which types are you speaking about?" She rubbed her forehead, abandoning the box. "They are all kinds of them."

"I'm talking about wards or portative repellent."

Flavia mouthed the two last words before chuckling in amusement. "Well, I don't really know about talismans used as repellent." She then sighed, recovering her serious. "I'm not an expert in talismans, sorry."

Tsuna raised his eyebrows in surprise before his face scrunched up in confusion. "But you have wards on your house."

"Yes but I only use an artifact." She easily replied. "I can't tell you what it is exactly. It's part of my family secrets."

He nodded to show his understanding. Kage-chan lazily stretched, glancing at her cub. She had an idea about it but she can wait until they were out of the house to talk about it. A sudden silence fell afterwards. Tsuna ruffled his hair in frustration. He couldn't go in the forest to try and search for the plants, with the faint hope that some grew nearby. He didn't even know if it was allowed to collect them. As for the metals, well, it wasn't as if he regularly traveled with ingots of silver or iron. Even if he had some, he didn't have the means to work with them. Absently, he wondered what kind of bullets Reborn had. Not that he would ask him to melt his ammunition but it would be useful to the hitman if the need to defend himself from demons were to arise. Though he wasn't Gifted so he couldn't See them and if the demons were strong enough to appear before the Sightless, then bullets wouldn't be of any help.

He supposed that he could write some prayers and psalms on papers to create some talismans. He could also try to find crosses and rosaries. They wouldn't work for him though.

"Renato, do you believe in God?" Tsuna asked out the blue.

Kage-chan's tails twitched, startled. Then she started to laugh.

"No." Reborn bluntly answered, staring blankly at the cat.

There went another possibility to protect his tutor. Then again, Tsuna had expected this answer. He silently hoped that the exorcists didn't share the same mindset or he doubted that he would be able to help them. He also had a terrible lack of knowledge in the art of artifacts so he couldn't create one from scratch to protect a bunch of humans from one or several demons with unknown abilities.

Damn. They really were in a fine mess, weren't they?

Tsuna rubbed his forehead in the vain hope to ease the building headache. He gave back the berries and the flowers and was startled when Flavia caught his hands.

"Take this bulla with you. It's a silver locket." She forced his fingers to close around the necklace. "I know that I can't really help you but let me give you this, at least."

"B-but don't you need it for your grandchildren?" He protested, ready to refuse it.

"Don't worry, I can offer one of them if I wish." She smiled warmly. "After all, I can always make another one."

"If you're sure…" Tsuna hesitantly replied, accepting the gift. "Thank you very much for both the bulla and for sharing your knowledge."

"My pleasure." She firmly said, chuckling a bit. "Now, I should free your friend from my bambini's hold."

Upon hearing that Tsuna was leaving, Agnella instantly rushed inside the kitchen, successfully preventing them from stepping outside the room.

"No!" She exclaimed, stomping her foot. "You've just come back! You didn't even play with us."

Tsuna knelt in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Agnella but I can't stay. I have things to do."

"But you promised that you'll play with me." She pouted, her eyes watering.

He cringed, hearing the pitiful tone of her voice. He didn't know what to say. He ran a hand in his hair, tucking one lock as he thought. The boys came in at this exact moment, spotting their upset sister. Alessio winced in sympathy, knowing how hard it could be to calm her down. Nereo stayed silent just outside the kitchen, observing. Davide hesitated, sending a glance to his grandmother.

"I intend to keep my promise." Tsuna assured Agnella, taking carefully her hands in his. "Yesterday, I said that I'll come back and enjoy another day with everyone, right?"

She nodded though he couldn't see that. "But-"

"But today, there are only your brothers, your Nonna and you, right?" He interrupted her before she could protest. "That means that I'll have to come again to keep my promise."

For one moment, her face scrunched up in confusion. Behind her, Davide smiled, instantly catching up. Admittedly, Tsuna had simply decided to play a bit with the words and how they were formulated, insisting on the fact that he had promised to come back again to share another meal with everyone just like yesterday. Agnella suddenly brightened as she understood, squeezing his hands.

"Then you'll come back!" She exclaimed in delight, hearing what she wanted to, despite the fact that anyone older than her would probably not be convinced by such an explanation.

"Exactly." Tsuna smiled, letting her go.

"I still don't like it though." Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. "But I can accept that."

"Good." He sighed in relief.

Agnella gave him a last hug before he stood up. Alessio had an undecipherable look on his face, glancing between the box on the table, his grandmother and Tsuna. Davide went to the exorcist, talking animatedly with him and biding him goodbye. Kage-chan had already vanished outside, unnoticed. Reborn and Flavia were politely exchanging last words, waiting for Tsuna to be ready. Alessio turned to the brunet with curiosity.

"Who are you really?" He asked.

Tsuna tilted his head to the side, wordlessly encouraging him to explain. Alessio pointed to the box uselessly.

"I mean, it's not often that Nonna brings out her special box. She doesn't show nor does she give this sort of things to other people who aren't family." He made a vague movement with his hand towards the bulla hanging around Tsuna's neck.

Tsuna hummed. "I think you already know who I am."

Alessio started, frowning in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Talk with your grandmother, Alessio." Tsuna advised him. "She holds some of the answers you're seeking."

"Why do Nonna and you enjoy so much being so cryptic?" Alessio deadpanned, face briefly going blank.

Tsuna let out a surprised chuckle. There wasn't any mockery in it but simply genuine amusement. The Italian boy relaxed despite his exasperation, a small smile lifting the corners of his mouth. He sighed in defeat.

"Fine, I'll talk with her." He withdrew willingly. "So whatever you have to do, be careful. You have a promise to keep to my sister."

Tsuna smiled. "I don't make empty promises. Besides," he added with a tranquil certainty coming from he didn't know where, "we'll meet again."

Flavia and the children relaxed, hearing his parting words. Nereo raised an inquisitive eyebrow, witnessing their reactions and wondering where such faith came from.

The sun was hiding behind clouds when they got out of the house, Nereo leading them towards the nearest church.

"So, did you learn anything useful?" He asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"Do any of you believe in God?"

"Some of us do." The exorcist replied without missing a beat despite the unexpectedness of the question. "You're thinking about crosses, holy water and such, aren't you?"

"Yes." Tsuna confirmed, carrying as usual both Kage-chan and Reborn around. Really, since when did he become their official human vehicle?

"Well, we all carry crosses on us. As for holy water, we usually have some inside our cars but we didn't think we'll need it so we didn't bring any of it. It was stupid of us. We should have considered the possibility of demons. We even took some bags of salt with us."

"We'll need the salt." Tsuna quietly commented, shifting his hold on Kage-chan. "Do any of you know psalms or prayers?"

Nereo shrugged. "Apart from the Ave Maria, I'm not sure."

"What about weapons?"

"Well, all of us have at least one gun and a knife." The exorcist answered slowly, feeling a little bit put off to talk about arms with a child and an infant –even a cursed one. "Of course, both the bullets and the blade are in silver."

"Mine should be enough to hurt or at least distract a demon." Reborn spoke up, anticipating the next question. "I doubt that I'll be able to kill it, especially if it's powerful enough for me to see it."

Tsuna frowned, clearly uneasy at the thought of letting his tutor fight against a demon. He turned his attention back to Nereo. "Do you have cornicelli on you?"

"Yes, all of us do."

"I'll need to check them to be sure that they are real charms, also, I may be able to strengthen the protection placed in them." Tsuna was more talking to himself than speaking to them. "We need holy water, obviously. I doubt that a Bible will help us, unless someone in the group is a fast-learner or has an excellent memory. It would be great if the churches have some artifact to keep the demons at bay, though I don't think they have one. Maybe we should check for more cornicelli from Flavia's list, just in case. As for the plants, maybe some florists have them or I could try and go in the forest–"

"You will certainly not leave the town, cub." Kage-chan interrupted his ramble.

"The streets aren't safer than the woods." Tsuna argued instantly. "I only need to find some oaks or maybe some rowan. With those, I can craft–"

"You will do no such things." The nekomata cut him off sternly. "It's already difficult to keep you out of trouble so I certainly don't need you to look for them."

"I'm not looking for them!" Tsuna protested in indignation.

"I'm sure that with the holy water, the crucifix, the salt and our weapons, we will be fine, Suzume." Nereo intervened quickly to prevent an argument between them.

"And the cornicelli." The brunet added, insisting on whatever protection they could use. "I'm still sure I can do more to help you though."

"We'll think about it together after speaking with a priest." The exorcist conceded, trying to negotiate. "For now, we should focus on the task at hand. By the way, how did you know that Flavia would be able to help?"

Tsuna shrugged. "I didn't know, not really. I've simply got the feeling that she could." He shifted in embarrassment, sounding apologetic. "S-sorry, I don't know how to explain."

"Do you have often this kind of feelings?"

Kage-chan snorted. "You should ask when he doesn't have them."

"A-at least, they're useful since they're rarely wrong." Tsuna interjected, looking a bit uncomfortable, clearly wondering if he should really encourage them to talk about him. No, probably not. "So, w-what is the name of the church?" He asked lamely, trying to orient the conversation elsewhere.

"San Francesco, I think." Nereo graciously dropped the subject. "In fact, there are three or four churches in the town, but San Francesco is the closest from Flavia's house. I guess that the others will be atthe chiese della Trinità and the San Lorenzo church, and this one probably as well."

"Do you know which church your informant belongs to?" Reborn asked.

"Why? Do you wish to interrogate him?" Nereo shot back, half-joking.

The hitman smirked, staring straight at him in a way that made the exorcist shudder, fighting the urge to take a step away from the infant.

"Renato, stop that." Tsuna frowned reproachfully at him, sensing the Italian's discomfort. "I'm sorry, Nereo." He added, turning towards said man.

"I'm fine, Suzume, don't worry." Nereo assured him, shooting an uncertain glance at the disturbing old and merciless black eyes boring into his own.

He shivered once again, abruptly turning away. This single look reminded him of something very important about Tsuna and his companions. Renato was a cursed man who knew a lot about mankind's sins and who had his fair share of horrors (had probably taken part of), casually traveling around with customized weapons. His past was probably best kept secret for his own sake. Nereo had no doubt that Renato was extremely dangerous and he wasn't only referring to skills. As for Kage-chan, she was obviously a supernatural creature. She shifted between two forms, including one that revealed her existence to Sightless beings. Nereo didn't know much about Eastern creatures –yôkai as Suzume called them – but judging by how casual and knowledgeable she mentioned demons, she was as powerful as a minor or mild one. She held no interest in humans' lives with the exception of Suzume's as any creature did in her case. Suzume himself was a kind soul, perceptive but full of doubts about his own skills. How on earth did he find himself surrounded by such dangerous individuals?

"Are we almost there?" Kage-chan cut in his thoughts, sounding impatient. "I do not fancy staying outside unprotected longer than it is necessary."

"It's just a few streets ahead." Nereo assured her. "We're certainly going to disturb a Mass so we should stay back for a while, waiting for the priest to finish." He paused then, a thought striking him. "Will you be able to get inside? It is a sacred place after all."

"I'm not a demon." She reminded him. "I'm indeed a foreign entity to this world but I'm not malicious. I doubt that Christian protections will prevent me from entering."

The exorcist instantly noticed the specification. Suzume was an Asiatic name, wasn't it? It was Chinese or Japanese. What were the religions in this part of the world?

"So, Buddhist protections would keep you out?" He asked evenly, fishing.

"You unfortunately lack the power needed to cast such spells." The nekomata replied matter-of-factly, sending him a warning glance.

Nereo took the rebuke in strike, expecting it. It was a trait shared by both humans and supernatural creatures – this refusal to show any weakness. Tsuna looked vaguely disapproving towards her reaction but mostly resigned. It was probably common occurrence from her to treat the other harshly.

"You should focus on your surroundings." Kage-chan advised him, snapping him out of his musings. "You're too distracted for your own good."

"Kage-chan." Tsuna hissed quietly, sounding exasperated.

"No, she's right, Suzume." Nereo admitted, stabilizing him when the brunet tripped over a broken cobblestone. The boy thanked him with embarrassment. "I can't let my guard down, especially not with a demon roaming the street."

"That's true but Kage-chan will be the first to notice it even if you're on the lookout." Tsuna pointed out.

"Laziness will only bring forth injuries or death." The nekomata's voice was severe, teaching. "You need to be able to look after yourself on your own. Don't rely on others."

It suddenly struck Reborn how alike the nekomata and he were. Reborn had learned to hone his skills to perfection for he absolutely refused the idea of dependency. Trusting another would simply make him weak. If he wanted to survive, he had to be alone. It was intrinsically linked to his own nature. He was a free spirit in essence, abhorring the idea of getting chained to anything. It was the main reason as to why he viscerally hated the curse; it went against everything that was him. Choosing solitude over Bond and Harmony suited him –had suited him for years.

Tsuna however was different. He was a very powerful Sky, certainly a very accepting one. Skies couldn't be alone. They needed Elements to keep their balance. So while Kage-chan wasn't wrong in telling him that he needed to be able to fend for himself, it was untrue that he shouldn't rely on others. He would rely on his Elements because he needed it –it was essential. Now, the main concern was to find appropriate Elements to create a bright and encompassing Sky. Reborn rejected the mere idea of grounding Tsuna by letting him Bond with paralyzing and stifling Elements. He would not witness the downfall of a Sky with such magnificent potential. The whole yôkai business surely didn't make the search any easier but Reborn had always liked a good challenge.

Not for the first time the hitman noticed how tense Tsuna's shoulders were. Since he was currently riding on the left one, he could clearly feel how stiff they were. The boy was in dire need of a relaxing massage.

"What's on your mind?" He asked in a whisper, preventing Nereo from hearing.

"I've the feeling that we're being watched." Tsuna answered in kind. "It's definitely malicious but nothing's going to happen, I think. Not yet at least." He ruffled his hair in frustration. "It's confusing."

"It might be the demon, biding its time." Kage-chan commented. "It probably suspects that there are exorcists in town, hunting it. It's merely observing."

"Shouldn't we be worried?" Tsuna paled, not liking how she put it. It gave the demon wits that he wished the creature didn't have.

Kage-chan snorted. "It's not as if it's unexpected. We have disturbed one of its meals before."

Hearing the dead child being referred as a meal turned Tsuna slightly nauseous. Sometimes, Kage-chan was truly foreign to any form of compassion. It still disturbed him despite knowing her for years.

The familiar sound of a fountain nearby distracted him. He tilted his head towards the sound, suddenly paying more attention to his surroundings. They were getting closer to the water –the very same one he fell into not long ago. The presence was still there, following but keeping its distance. From where Tsuna stood, he could hear the Mass being said in the church. The square was void of any people and the only cars were parked around. There wasn't any wind either and the sun had already vanished behind heavy clouds. No birds were thrilling and no stray cats were around, looking for food. Without the sound of the fountain and of the people praying, Tsuna would have readily believed that there wasn't any life in town.

Nereo warned Tsuna of the stairs leading to the church and caught his elbow when the brunet missed a step, glancing thoughtfully at the fountain, no doubt remembering the children's anecdote. The exorcist then slowly opened the wooden door, inwardly relieved when the hinges didn't grate. They entered silently, closing slowly the door behind them to prevent further noisy disturbance. Some glanced their way but most of the attendees stayed focused on the priest. The little group stayed back, sliding discreetly in the last row. None of them really listened to the priest. Their minds were miles away, full of the knowledge of a demon roaming free in the streets.

Tsuna was at first destabilized by the echoes filling the church, giving him the impression that the priest's voice was coming from all around him. He knew that it was the architecture that was producing this phenomenon but it didn't mean that it was easy to adjust, especially with someone constantly using the effects to reach everyone. Being no novice however in matter of adaptation, Tsuna got used to it and leaned towards Nereo, sat beside him.

"Nereo, would you mind giving me your cornicello?" He asked the exorcist quietly, extending a hand. "We should be safe enough in the church."

Nereo agreed wordlessly, placing the jewel on the brunet's palm. It was a bit weird to be without it, making him feel strangely vulnerable. He shook the impression off, observing Tsuna frowning at his protection.

"Kage-chan, there is a limit of how much an item can withstand a certain amount of power, right?" He whispered to the yôkai comfortably lying on his lap.

"Obviously." She answered with a lazy twitch of her tails. "If you think that the cornicello has reached its full capacity, don't try to add your own input. You'll only destroy it."

"Then I should give it back to you, Nereo." Tsuna instantly decided. "I don't want to risk shattering any protection we have."

"How long does this ceremony last?" The nekomata asked with a yawn, sounding utterly bored.

"It's not eleven yet, so we probably have another hour left." Nereo replied, being the only one knowing the answer and willing to give it.

She closed her eyes and shifted a bit, curling her front paws against her chest and let out a deep sigh, relaxing. "Weak hearts attract demons." She stated out of the blue, and Tsuna recognized one of her impromptu lessons. "Humans are vulnerable with their hearts. They don't know how to hide them, making them preys when they think they're predators."

Nereo seemed startled and he glanced around. "Are you saying that the church is full of weak hearts?"

Kage-chan opened one eye to stare at him. "Is it what I have said?"

The exorcist stayed silent, a little bit confused. He turned to Tsuna, vaguely expecting him to translate her words into some he could actually understand despite conversing in the same language. Surprisingly, it was Reborn who went to his help.

"No, it isn't." The hitman quietly corrected Nereo. "She is not specifically speaking about the believers gathered here." He didn't add anything else, clearly expecting him to figure out the rest.

"Humans." Tsuna repeated, head tilted and sounding absent. "Humans are all weak preys, according to you, Kage-chan."

"Most of them." She rectified, letting her eyes close once more. "They are exceptions of course."

He huffed. "You consider exorcists and even me, as preys. I'm the Conciliator, supposedly one of the most powerful humans. How can I be one? Is it because of my age?"

"You're not listening." She chided him, turning disapproving to him. "Your age has little relevance."

"Think, Tsuna." Reborn piped in, unfazed by the sudden glare he received from the dangerous cat. "What makes you a prey in Kage-chan's eyes?"

Nereo awkwardly shifted in his chair, wondering if the infant was deliberately tactless. His mind wandered away from the discussion as he observed Tsuna who didn't seem to have noticed Reborn's slip. He then thought about all the expressions existing in languages, involving the sight. He quickly recognized that it was impossible for him to count them all. There were just too many of them so it wouldn't be the first time for Tsuna to hear one in his presence. It was part of the vocabulary after all.

Obviously the brunet would know of them, know their meanings and how almost natural it was for people to use them. They rolled out of the tongue with ease since it was a common ground for most of the speakers. It was awkward and surprisingly hard to try to avoid using them. These attempts inevitably led to hesitation and even more awkwardness. With a flash of realization, Nereo noticed how it highlighted Tsuna's blindness when people made a conscious effort to avoid any mention of "eyes", "see" and such. The teen probably hated it when it happened and preferred when people spoke without taking precautions.

It was so obvious Nereo wondered why it took him so long to remark it. As he snapped back into focus, he witnessed Tsuna's own epiphany –which amused him greatly.

"Weak hearts." Tsuna whispered, no doubt mentally reprimanding himself for overlooking the obvious. "Power doesn't mean anything if you lack heart."

There was a silence in which Nereo expected him to disagree with Kage-chan, claiming that no, his heart was strong enough. To his shock and worry, Tsuna didn't do any of that.

"Can you really blame me, Kage-chan?" He asked softly, petting her gently. "Can you really blame me for it?"

"I'm not blaming you for it, not for Kioku." She corrected him sternly. "It is your resignation that I'm attempting to destroy."

"I'm realistic." Tsuna argued, his breath quickening. "Y-you know as well as I do t-that I am no m-match for him."

Kage-chan watched him with soft eyes, keeping silent. Reborn had darkened, lips pressed in a tight line. Nereo got the distinct impression that he was missing another level to this conversation that was already quite alarming by itself.

"Can you blame me for trying to save you?" She returned quietly, switching to Japanese, aware of their Italian audience. "You're my cub, Tsuna."

Tsuna didn't answer. He just resumed his petting and released a shuddering breath, allowing himself to let Reborn's Flames soothe him. It wasn't the right time or the right place to discuss about it. They had already argued, countless times and yet, nothing had changed. He didn't see why it would be different this time.

The four of them listened for a while to the priest's sermon –words that ended by losing any sense for Tsuna who could easily hold a conversation but not listen to a succession of sentences where he had missed the beginning as well as their purpose. His attention averted to the wonder of the acoustics of the church, listening to the flow of the sounds. With little effort, he could probably get lost in them. It wouldn't be difficult to forget the presences around him. Several rows of benches separated him from the attendees who paid all of their attention to their priest. Tsuna didn't get the opportunity when Reborn's voice stood out, high-pitched and wrong for someone like him.

"Do you recognize which artifact Flavia was referring to?" He asked, prompting Nereo's confusion who wasn't there at this moment of the conversation and Kage-chan's unplanned twitch of her tails.

"I'm sure you have an idea about it." She dryly answered, keeping her head turned away from him.

"Indeed, I do." He retorted without missing a beat, smirking. "What do you think it is, Suzume?"

Tsuna started, a bit unnerved. He wanted nothing to do with their constant hostility. "I don't know." He admitted quickly, hoping to be left out of the discussion.

"Candlesticks." Kage-chan informed him. "She had one in her kitchen and in the hallway."

"They were all in silver, in a perfect shape and very old." Reborn continued.

"There was one in the children's bedroom too." Neuro spoke up, remembering. "It had a saucer to collect wax and a ring to hold it. I found it odd to see burning candles but dismissed it quickly, with Davide continuously speaking to me."

"I didn't smell anything." Tsuna frowned, bewildered. Usually, he noticed every scents swirling in a room. "Why?"

"I didn't as well." The nekomata assured him. "Then again, outsiders aren't supposed to notice wards."

Tsuna mused about it. "If that's the case, how come you noticed but I didn't?"

"Experience." The three of them chirped.

"It is a skill that you will gain with time, and time only, Suzume." Neuro smiled at him, placating. "Anyway, I didn't even recognize them for what they were. Kage-chan and Renato are simply wiser."

"Renato instinctively looked for anything that struck him as odd." Kage-chan added, sitting up and stretching. "I do as well. It's a matter of survival instinct."

There was another lull in the conversation. Neuro watched both the nekomata and the cursed infant, once more wondering what type of lives they had led to gain such habits. He suspected that he would never know the answer.

They waited for another twenty minutes without exchanging a word, half-listening to the priest. To their surprise, the Mass ended earlier than they expected. The sudden raise of chatters and clatters made Tsuna, who was once again overwhelmed by the echoes, flinch. He stayed put on his bench, resisting the urge to cover his ears and bit his lower lip. Neuro, however, stood up and wandered around for a bit, gleaning pieces of information. Between gossips and genuine enquiries, one held his attention. He mulled it over, absent-mindedly observing people leaving the church slowly and Tsuna and his companions approaching him.

The priest was finishing talking with a concerned woman, his Bible and some papers in his hands, when Neuro took a few steps to pointedly prevent him from retreating. The civilian left with an impeccable timing, allowing the exorcist to speak.

"Padre," he began and looked from the corner of his eyes as Tsuna came to a halt at his side, "I was wondering if you could tell me where I will be able to find Padre Giovanni. We wish to speak to him for quite an urgent matter."

It was their informant's name, not that the brunet or his companions knew it. They however stayed wisely silent, letting him speak. The priest, who was actually assistant-priest, usually simply helping out Padre Giovanni, didn't notice them and shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm afraid Padre Giovanni is quite indisposed for the time being." He replied with a forced smile that didn't erase his concern lines etching his face. "I may be able to help you."

"He is the one who called us here." Neuro noticed that his interlocutor didn't get the clue and added. "I am an exorcist."

The priest seemed startled at first before his expression darkened as he frowned. "I see." He then sighed, giving up any pretenses. "He won't be able to help you, child."

"Why?" Tsuna asked, a horrible suspicion creeping in.

The priest turned a surprised look towards him and flinched in recoil, gaze flickering from open and unseeing eyes to merciless and intense dark orbs to a black cat with two tails. Something resembling fear flashed in his expression before he got his composure back and straightened his back. He sighed heavily.

"Padre Giovanni has been missing for two days now."

A/N: It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm back with a new and long (as usual) chapter. My apologies for the delay, I've been postponing for weeks because of constant change. Alas, my computer is dying so I may disappear for a bit if it decides to abandon me before I get a new one.

I've spent quite a while doing some research on legends, superstitions (including Italian ones) and Popoli. The books are in French. The sites are in French and English. Well, except when I was looking for Popoli's churches for those are in Italian (no, I don't speak Italian but dictionaries are reliable old friends). If interested, just drop a review or PM me.

Same if you got questions, of course, don't hesitate to reach me –as well as to indicate grammar mistakes or errors in coherence, as always.

Thanks for reading!

See you next chapter~