Author's Note: Still completely fantastical. I couldn't help but write this, sorry everyone who wants more of Peregrine Blues.

Author: C.S. Thompson

Summary: AU. Third in the series All the Angels and Saints, sequel of Life Lessons and Fall From Grace. At fourteen, Tsuna thinks he understands the world. At twenty five, Diachi thinks he's seen it all. They're both wrong, and life is gearing up to show them just how much. But learning and applying; that's what life is about.

Rating: M

Warnings: Violence. Swearing. Crime. Death. Some OOC characters from the manga and OCs. Mentions of drugs. Politics.

Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! in any shape or form. I am not making any money out of this fanfiction. I do own all original characters mentioned, though. Quote below is by William Shakespeare.

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The Application of Virtue - Prologue:

Humility, Long Since Earned

~ So our virtues lie in the interpretation of the time. ~

''... this is a mess,''

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vir·tue [vur-choo] noun

1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness.

2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude.

3. chastity; virginity: to lose one's virtue.

4. a particular moral excellence.

5. a good or admirable quality or property: the virtue of knowing one's weaknesses.

- X -

Prologue:

Humility, Long Since Earned

A young boy frowns from where he sat at the very back of the room.

He's ignored by the adults who are mingling together closer to the front, but he doesn't pay it any mind. He would have loved just go home now, as he didn't know a single person personally, aside from his parents. In fact, he would rather have stayed home, but that would have been rude. That didn't change the fact that he is bored, though.

He sighs, shifting in his seat as he watches his parents go up to a man with a somber look on his face. The man they are talking to is none other than Tachibana Daichi, he notices, but he pays little attention to them. His parents had come to pay their respect to the deceased, and Tachibana was technically that person's family, in a way.

". . . had a good heart," he hears one of the other guests say. The boy turns his attention towards the small group, eavesdropping on their conversation without seeming too obvious about it. His parents had said that it is a good skill to have, being able to gather information inconspicuously, that is.

He watches in the corner of his eye as an old man with graying hair sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Far too kind to have died like that. This is a mess." he says tiredly. His companion nods empathetically, glancing at the front of the church with a mournful look. The young boy's eyes flick to the front, taking in the white flowers he recognized as chrysanthemums and orchids surrounding a picture in a black frame. From where he sat, he could only make out blond hair in the photo.

"- worried about the boss," he heard when he tunes back into the conversation.

The door to the church creaks open just as the old man finishes his sentence. Everyone's heads swivel to glare at the disturbance, but stop when they see who had entered. A blond man and another, nondescript man comes in quietly, the former holding in his hand a purple flower with what looked like a star in its center, along with three other orchids. The guests continue their conversations, though a few give the man thinly veiled looks of irritation for coming in late. The blond one pays them no mind, instead walking up to Tachibana with silent and confident steps. The other black haired one stays at the entrance, but keeps an eye on his companion as he walks between the chairs. The young boy spots a tattoo just peeking out from underneath the blond's collar, and idly he wonders if getting that tattoo had hurt.

His parents have already left to talk to the other adults by the time the blond man is close enough to speak to Tachibana. The young boy cannot hear what they say to each other. All he sees are their lips moving and the soft expression of the supposedly powerful boss of the Tachibana-gumi. The blond man offers the flowers and it is taken by Tachibana, held in the same hand that held apricot blossoms and another white flower that he didn't recognize.

He stops paying attention when nothing else happens, instead sweeping his eyes across the room unhappily.

He blinks when an older person sits next to him with a heavy sigh.

"Hello?" he ventures after a moment of silence. The young man next to him gives him a tired smile. There's nothing special about this man from what he can see. He's wearing a black suit, just like everyone else, and has messy brown hair that looks like it could use a trim. His eyes are a kind, deep brown and the bags under his eyes a purple-y colour.

"Hello." the man greets him, and doesn't say anything else.

"... Why are you sitting next to me?" he asks after five minutes, a bit frustrated.

"Well, you looked a bit bored," the man replied. The boy almost snorts. Of course he is. He didn't see how this death would affect him. His parents weren't important, and he was in America until recently, far away from the people here and the drama that had occurred. He didn't have any personal ties to the deceased or the people mourning. The man frowns, tutting at him. The boy blinks, not aware that he had said what he had thought aloud.

They spend the next few minutes in silence before the man breaks it. "What's your name?" he asks, standing up.

The boy blinks, almost frowning as he answers him. "I'm Arata," he tells the man, taking the hand that's offered to him and following the man out to the gardens. "Who're you?"

The man chuckles, "I'm Tsuna." he answers. They walk in silence, Tsuna leading the way and Arata following like a little duckling. The garden is beautiful and tranquil, almost pleasant despite the fact that a someone is dead. The weather didn't seem to care, either. The sun is out and there are only a few, fluffy white clouds spotting the blue sky. The older man slows down, and Arata peers around him to see a koi pond, complete with lily pads and dragon flies.

The older of the two sits down heavily on the stone bench at the edge of the pond, patting the seat next to him in an obvious invitation. Arata sits down next to Tsuna curiously, peering up at his face. The other doesn't look at him, instead staring down into the still water contemplatively.

"Why don't I tell you a story?"

- X -

AN Note: Part one is coming up soon.