Scroll of the Fox

Strings of Fate and Wrestling Moves

Dedicated to Kuro42Neko (FF)

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Tsuna can count in one hand the times he slightly regretted his yōkai heritage. He usually bathed in the knowledge that he was different; more special than the humans living around him. It was his solace when the bullies' verbal and physical abuse became too much for his younger self. Despite that though, there were instances he just wished to be a normal human; well, as normal as someone involved with the Mafia can be at least.

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The first time it happened it was during the impromptu field trip their class took to an old shrine deep in the mountains surrounding Namimori. Takeshi still had his arm in a sling, but his smile at least wasn't the same fake one when around Tsuna and Hayato. Their history teacher was an enthusiast when it came to happenings from the Edo period; especially the events that lead to the Meiji Restoration. Thus, he led them to a Shinto shrine that was located deep in the forest. It was built there from the hunters and trappers of the region as a way to pray to the mountain Gods, make their offerings and seek asylum from the harsh weather of winter. Dating back to early 1800, it was the second oldest preserved shrine near or in Namimori.

The trek up the mountain pass was a tedious one. Thick foliage surrounded them from every direction, making the sea of trees seem endless. The sun barely shone through the branches, casting shadows every which way. The forest seemed alive; something that freaked out the population of students with only a few exceptions. The future Vongola Decimo with his Storm and Rain along with Kurokawa Hana, were the only students that didn't seemed phased. They stayed close to their teacher, who was amiably chatting about this and that, and simply looking around them with fascination. They saw the tranquility the shadows kept hidden and bathed in the freshness the air seem to carry.

When they had been hiking for nearly an hour and no shrine was at sight, a lot of students had begun worrying that they were lost. Tsuna though, knew better. Since the very first step into the overgrown path, they encountered a number of small stone statues. They were guides, placed there to show the correct path. It was because of them that the brunette knew they weren't lost; that and the fact that the closer they got to the shrine the more he could sense the aura coming from it. He had felt since they entered the forest. He wondered what it would feel like up close. He certainly wasn't disappointed. Just as they passed a cluster of vines draped over branches like curtains, they entered a clearing. A modest shrine stood at the far end, a beautiful and well-cared zen garden around it. It was a small piece of heaven hidden deep in this forest. A priestess was swiping the front steps, her garment of white and red a stark contrast to the earthy tones of the scenery.

Noticing her approaching guest and pausing on her chores, she rose a head of raven hair, meticulously cut bangs framing a heart shaped face and vibrant blue eyes. Faint crinkles around her eyes betrayed a joyful personality and her age. The panting and sweating teenage boys tried to compose themselves at the sight of the beautiful lady. Tsuna casted them a flitting gaze and a chuckle before focusing in the aura that surrounded them; like a blanket, it draped over them in a safe and comforting cocoon. The fact that this place had retained its holly presence through the passage of time was truly magnificent. There weren't many shrines that still had it, but he guessed it had to do with both the location and the presence of the land god he sensed.

Looking back at the Miko, he noticed that their teacher was conversing with her before gesturing at the students. The woman casted her blue gaze at them and nodded at the man. They both made their way to stand at the front of the teenagers. She welcomed them at the shrine; her voice akin to a bird had captivated them. She ushered them to cleanse themselves at the fountain behind her. Tsuna was the last one to do so and as soon as the purified water touched him he felt a portion of himself weakening. While the aura around him was relaxing, the cleansing depleted his yōkai reserves. He could quickly feel though his weak flames trying to fill in the energy gap. He felt a little faint but shrugged off the concerned looks of his friends. He was glad Reborn wasn't with them. The hitman would certainly have picked up on his strange behavior.