Authors Disclaimer: As much as I would wish for fate to change and this brilliant work to be mine, the Gods did not see it fit to bless/burden me with such expectations. Therefore I am a mere happy leech that uses the genius of Amano Akira and KHR as my inspiration.

"When someone sees the same people every day, as had happened with him at the seminary, they wind up becoming a part of that person's life. And then they want the person to change. If someone isn't what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own."

― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

EXPECTATIONS

There was no denying the fact that when the young Vongola Decimo first set foot in the hallowed halls of the Vongola Headquarters Mansion for his coronation, every Vongola mafioso-young and old—every Allied Famiglia representative, contact, servant, support staff and underling from all walks of the Mafia world came in to see what all the fuss is about and what they could expect in the coming years. They all came hoping to pass judgment on the next head of one of the oldest, wealthiest and powerful Famiglia in their world. They wanted to see for themselves just what kind of individual has come to lead them all.

There was no denying that many felt that the Ninth had settled for a less than ideal candidate after the loss of his legitimate heirs-a half-blooded descendant no less and an untested child at that. A child, rumors speculated, that refused to take a life or act in violence until thoroughly provoked. A child that is both frail in looks and in disposition as he had the unfortunate nature of forgiving trespasses and slights to his position and his name going so far as to offer alliances to people that came to kill him after hearing their reasons. He was so lenient that he even allowed the treachery of the Varia's attempt to unseat him with complacent ease and with nary a sign of extracting even the modicum of vengeance or reprimand. As if those strikes were not enough, each and every one of his chosen guardians bore some objectionable flaw or two.

There was no denying that his guardians would have been deemed unsuitable by even the most unprepossessing of Famiglias. All of them were barely old enough to even apply for a driver's license let alone hold such prestigious posts. They were barely older than their supposed Boss, two of them even younger than he himself. Of his six guardians, 2 came from small-time Mafia famiglia that proposes no benefit nor offer any advantage for the powerful family they were joining; 3 came from totally urbane and non-mafia lineage not to mention their foreign bloodline and complete lack of any knowledge of the world they're entering and one came from a famiglia so notorious they were wiped out by their own people due to their nefarious actuation. Add to the fact that technically speaking the Vongola Decimo had seven guardians in total-two acting for the Mist element of his entourage-the other being a silent young woman of indeterminate race or age or even affiliation.

There was no denying that the Tenth's immediate inner circle was littered with the kind of people most famiglias would turn away without a second thought and without any regret. His chosen right-hand man and Storm Guardian was a bastard born out of his Boss-father's more respectable marriage who spent most of his younger years act earning a living as an independent contractor, shifting allegiance from one convenient famiglia to the next. His dedication and loyalty to the would-be Vongola Tenth Head that should've been his one saving grace is more a disadvantage than anything else due to his irate and temperamental nature.

His Rain guardian thought the entire idea of the Mafia was a game and wasn't shy or hesitant enough to express such an idea. He refuses to take anything seriously and flashes his smile with indiscriminate ease.

His Sun guardian had no sense of subtlely or even modicum of control over himself or his voice. He constant tries to invite everyone and anyone around him to join him in his quest to form a boxing club.

His Cloud Guardian barely paid any heed to anyone let alone his would-be-Boss. He threatens to bite to death anyone foolish or stupid enough to come close. He also has an arrogant penchant of declaiming people to be useless herbivores.

His Thunder Guardian was a child that spent more time crying and wailing than actually being anything useful. He also holds the distinction for being the highest ranked Mafioso in terms of being the most annoying and aggravating.

His Mist guardian was an ex-escapee from Vendicare Prison itself besides being the sole survivor of a famiglia that even the Mafia didn't want to claim as their own. He also possesses a gift that makes even the most level-headed Mafioso wary. His malicious and cunning nature coupled with his habit of possessing people makes anyone and everyone question what the would-be Decimo was thinking when he recruited someone as seriously deranged as his Mist. His other mist guardian fails comprehension as well since she technically holds the dubious job of hosting the volatile spirit of the Vendicare ex-con when he can't be bothered to appear in person.

There was no denying that the most coveted seat in their world is being offered on a silver platter to the most unprepossessing individual to ever walk the dark, blood-soaked path of the shadow world. One that, for the longest time denied ever wanting to even hold the post people in their world, would lie, cheat, bribe, betray and kill for.

And when Sawada Tsunayoshi and his guardians were ushered into the room it was as if the entire underworld took a collective deep breath and never had a chance to release it. Because while there was no denying that they were hardly what anyone expected, they were there to stay and they brought with them an air of inevitability and undeniable winds of change.

Because there was no denying that the loyalty and dedication the burned in the eyes of the Decimo's Storm Guardian and right hand-man—a fierce, all-consuming, unrelenting fire that would see his chosen leader's plan clear through, allowing no one and nothing to stand in his Boss' way. He will stand sentinel over his master's life and protect him and the Famiglia from all that wishes them ill-will.

Because there was no denying that behind the benevolent smiles and carefree laughter of the Rain Guardian that soothes the Decimo and his family lies a core of forged steel—sharp and ever-vigilant—ready and willing at a moment's notice to slice and slash its way towards preserving the fragile safety and peace of its chosen lord's world. He will continue to shield their Boss from the pain and reality of their new world even if it means he will have to bathe in blood to do it.

Because there was no denying that the Sun Guardian aims to take on the world and prove to it that their sky is worth everything to them and that he would overcome any obstacle, smashing everything in their path to see his Boss' dream come true. He would stand by his Boss and the Famiglia's side and offer him a helping hand, opening his heart to all that the Boss would deem worthy and keep all of his fellow Guardians heart free of doubt and full of hope.

Because there was no denying that while the Cloud Guardian is not someone who would ever allow himself to submit to anyone's control, he stays close enough to watch over the man that understand his needs and refuses to be bind him to their rules and their world. He stays and watches and waits for the time to act—the time when his sky would call upon him and ask of him. Until then he would fly as free as he wish because he knows full well it is the sky that lets him.

Because there was no denying that the Mist Guardians are there to do more than bemuse and create a place to hide their sky and confuse their enemies. They stay close to their sky, knowing all the while that he will never try and cage them, allowing them the freedom to hide in plain sight and knowing in turn that they will continue to weave their careful web of concealment and illusions so that they could keep him pure and unsullied, to keep prying malicious eyes from basking in his pain and to keep away those that seek out to stain their sky with their greed knowing that it is only with him that they are ever truly just themselves.

Because there is no denying that that while he was weak and frail and always afraid, the Lightning Guardian will be denied nothing by his sky. He will continue to care and nurture his lightning's weakness until such a time when the Lightning would stand on his own and defend the sky and all under those under him with a fierceness that would forgive no trespass and will not yield until all that threatens him is burned away. He fights willingly and with joyous abandon knowing that after the fie-storm abates he can always come back to the welcoming arms of his forgiving sky.

Because there is no denying that the moment they felt the weight of Vongola Decimo's eyes upon theirs all their fears and hesitation was curiously put to rest. The clarity and agelessness in the Decimo's eyes spoke of a timeless wisdom that pierced even the most cynical of hearts, shaming their malevolence into silence, awakening their hearts to the unfamiliar unfettering of hope.

There was no denying that Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo and his Guardians were far from suitable. They were, however, exactly what they have been searching and yearning for.