I've just gotten done with editing. So, basically I've gone back and thrown in references to what happens later, while also getting Grigio more in character and making blatant references to his identity (many did guess. Few will win). I would DEFINITELY recommend going back to read these parts. You don't have to, just a thing you should probably do to understand more. I've also been thinking about writing up a separate "Character Reference" just to let you guys understand my thought process in making the characters how they are. If you would, please tell me if it would help. Thanks! Also, just a by the way: I'm very sleep deprived and tired, so if it makes no sense towards the end, forgive me. I stayed up hours finishing this chapter. Wish me luck getting out of bed tomorrow (technically later today).

"Who was that?" Tsuna asked as they begin walking.

"That was our recent ally."

"Oh?"

"You may know him better as Grigio."

"You better have a damn good explanation for this."

"I know."

Okay, he was not ready for this. Talking over a chat client was one thing, but meeting in person? No. The thing about Grigio is, he had next to no actual people skills (like a usual online nerd). It was easy to act a certain way online, but multiple people at one time was a no go.

This was part of the reason he hid himself away in one of the back rooms. The other part? Well, the rightful Vongola guardians knew his identity already, but he guessed it provided some sense of security? All that was really left to do was wait for the past Degli to get here.

Ever since he'd sent that message to his younger self, he'd grown to regret it. In retrospect, everything he did there in the past might have screwed things up more than they already were. He failed in forcing (scaring Degli into?) an alliance between Degli and the Vongola (instead Grigio allied with the Vongola). At least he could do one thing right. Degli would arrive soon. Tsuna would be able to help. Hopefully.

He wasn't quite sure, but Byakuran was not exactly a force to be reckoned with. Then again, Tsuna wasn't either. For the past year or so, since Takeo handed the reins to Byakuran himself, Grigio had been conspiring with this time's Degli, and boy did they make a great team. Once they got over the fact that Grigio made all those threats and essentially came off as an evil bastard that wanted to off the poor teen, that is (thankfully Degli is surprisingly forgiving). All false threats aside, they were great as a team, until the whole fake death thing that Tsuna insisted upon.

Oh man, would young, almost alternate universe Degli hold that against him? How would he handle this? He proceeded to have a mental meltdown - this somehow became increasingly normal - until he heard a 'ding' that alerted him to someone's presence at the hidden entrance in the woods. "Who's there?" He asked with a hint of weak nervousness. He knew exactly who was there.

"Do you have to ask every time, you idiot? There's a camera right there."

He didn't have the camera on. He remedied that. And he sighed. "Let me have some fun once in a while. Geez," he said. Which... made him sound like a narcissistic douchebag. So much for first impressions.

He should probably just prepare for their inevitable arrival.

.....

Future

One thing that could be said about the unofficial Vongola base was this: It was stupidly loud.

Even with everyone all grown up and in their twenties or so (except Lambo and I-pin), there was not a single moment of silence. For instance, when Tsuna and the future Gokudera arrived in the eating hall, they met people who were obviously Yamamoto and Hibari of all people. With Yamamoto, there was laughter as always, and Hibari was arguing with air? Mukuro must be invisible somewhere around here. And oh, isn't that wonderful? An explosion was heard down the hall with a faint "extreme" resounding after.

So nothing out of the ordinary.

Tsuna wondered how the hell this came to be considered normal.

As such, things were also very abnormal. There was a heavy air over the light hearted laughter, as well as the ritualistic yelling of a certain word seeming almost forced.

It was now that Tsuna wondered how the hell Takeo could do this.

Yamamoto was the first to notice their presence. "Tsuna?" He asked skeptically.

"That's my name. Don't wear it out," the aforementioned teen replied. They wore it out.

Tsuna was pretty sure every single person in the base came to greet him. How these people heard him, he had no clue. Were there special speakers in the base just for that purpose? Plausible, considering who these people are and what they can/will do.

What with one tearful reunion and happy greetings later, Tsuna was ready to go to the back room, where Grigio waited.

.....

Future

"Hello?" Tsuna called into the dark room.

No answer.

Wasn't this supposed to be Grigio's room? Where was he? (Answer that Tsuna does not currently know: hiding behind a filing cabinet.)

The room was, as mentioned before, dark, the only light-source being that of a glowing computer on the far wall. The light didn't reach far; it only illuminated about one quarter of the room in total. In the light was the desk the computer was on, an office chair, carpeting, and two or so filing cabinets.

Instead of calling out to Grigio again, Tsuna stepped forward and rested a hand on the computer's mouse.

The tab was open to surveillance camera footage of all the entrances to the base. He watched. Nothing moved. Pretty hidden, even if the one they came in through was a terrible hiding spot. He figured he should look for Grigio instead.

"Wait," a voice said as Tsuna headed towards the door to look elsewhere.

Tsuna turned around and saw the silhouetted figure in the dim light. It seemed that it was a man, judging from the voice and figure about ten years old than himself. "Grigio?" He asked in confirmation.

The man nodded.

"Interesting. To think: all this time, Grigio was my own age," he remarked. "This confirms it. There's really only one person you can be, isn't there?"

"And who would you believe that is?" Grigio asked.

"Shouichi Irie, right? Logically, it makes the most sense. The reason the past Shouichi told me to come to the future, or specifically how he contacted me. Shouichi now helping future me plan a fake death. Grigio becoming Vongola's ally. Am I right?"

"You put two and two together quick, Degli." It was now that the lights flickered on ('how cliché,' thought Tsuna. 'But things like this happen in real life. This isn't some weird fanfiction after all'), revealing who was supposed to be Grigio.

Grigio wore no disguise. He was just a man with red hair, glasses, and pale skin (what happens from being indoors all the time).

"Grigio. I guess I should call you Irie from now on, huh?" Tsuna asked, taking a seat in the office chair. He seemed lax.  

"You're not even going to ask me why I sent all those threatening messages," Grigio more or less said in amazement.

"Nope," Tsuna said, popping the 'p'. "You had your reasons. I have mine, now. In any case, I came back here to certify your identity, and to ask you something."

"Which is?"

"So what's the plan?"

"Huh?"

"The plan. The scheme you and future me thought up that ended in the other guy's false death and my coming here," Tsuna explained. "You're not used to actual people, are you?"

"Uh, I'll ignore that. Anyway, when I first met up with you from the future, or for me, three years ago, the Gesso was just starting out. They were a smaller famiglia with a man called Byakuran at the lead of it. I was just then getting truly acquainted with you and your brother, who had become Decimo a few years back," Irie explained.

"That's most of the problem there. Takeo's an idiot. He wouldn't know a proper leader's gambit from outright suicide missions," Tsuna said, shaking his head sadly at his brother's 'misfortune'. "It seems I was born as the lucky child."

"Okay... That aside, you had welcomed me, and Takeo, who had also recently learned of your alter-ego, didn't take too well. He was distrustful. But, in any case, eventually I joined up with the Vongola for good, even if not in name or Takeo's knowledge, and worked against the rising Millefiore. They were a combination of the Gesso and the Giglio Nero famiglias, and they posed a power that rivaled the Vongola."

"You know, you're great at story-telling. Have you ever considered becoming a writer?" Tsuna asked.

Irie sent a half-hearted glare at him. "Shut up. They asked Takeo to join them, and he did. So there goes all our fire power, leader, and weapons. Of course, the rightful guardians rebelled, as did I. At your request, though, I went over to the Millefiore as an inside man. Eventually, we made the plan to fake your death and bring the past you here. We... didn't get very far after that."

Tsuna took off Degli's mask and hat just to give Irie his full expression, which said, 'Really? How stupid are you?'. "Let me get this straight: you called me here, but you have no idea what to do next."

Irie nodded. "Basically. Wage Mafia war, I guess." 

Tsuna's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Mafia war? And how many people do we have?"

"Not enough for a war?" Irie guessed. "I don't know, it was more like a 'You'll know what to do,' scenario!"

"And do you know what to do?"  

"No," He admitted. Irie tried again to glare at Tsuna, but to no avail. "I guess someone doesn't want to learn how to use a box weapon, then."

"Your comeback was childish," Tsuna said matter-of-factly, "but I'll bite. What's a box weapon?"

"Well it's a weapon, that's inside a box!" Irie said in a very condescending tone.

"I'll go ask someone else." Tsuna got up from the chair and started walking towards the door. A squeak and yelp was heard from the other side, to which both occupants of the room looked at suspiciously. Tsuna shrugged and headed out anyway.

"We aren't done here, Degli!" Irie yelled after him.

"Yes we are!" Tsuna called back.

.....

Future

Gokudera and Yamamoto quickly hurried away from the door once they heard "I'll go ask someone else." Well, more like Gokudera grabbed Yamamoto's arm and dragged him away at full speed.

"Haha, looks like past Tsuna and Shouichi are on the same terms as our Tsuna and Shouichi were!" Yamamoto happily exclaimed.

"Oi, sword freak, don't shout. He'll hear us." Gokudera scolded.

"But there are surveillance cameras in the halls. Shouichi will hear us regardless," Yamamoto said.

Gokudera stopped in his tracks. "Oh shi-"

"Shhh, Hayato, don't make me wash out your mouth," a voice that was not Yamamoto said. Tsuna walked around a nearby corner, still in Degli's clothes, but without the mask and hat.

Yamamoto laughed. "We've been caught!"

Gokudera narrowed his eyes at Yamamoto. "Shut up," Gokudera mumbled to the other.

"What, pray tell, are you doing running down the halls?" Tsuna asked with a grin.

"We were exercising!" Gokudera offered this as a response, but...

"Takeshi, your turn."

'He ignored me...' Gokudera thought.

"We were eavesdrop-" Gokudera slapped a hand over Yamamoto's mouth.

"We were doing nothing of the sort. Bye now!" Gokudera yelled frantically as he dragged Yamamoto away while still covering his mouth.

'Thought so,' Tsuna thought.

.....

Past

Reborn stared into Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Takeo's eyes. "We're going to find Tsuna."

Gokudera stared blankly at Reborn in return. He and Yamamoto both knew where Tsuna was. They didn't know that Reborn did, too.

I would like to say that comments make my day. There is nothing better than a great comment that is supportive and/or funny. Most authors feel this way, so don't hold back on your commenting!