Disclaimer- I own nothing int his but the story line!
I was listening to Change by Miwa when this came to me, so that's why I named it 'Change'.
Fourteen year old Sawada Tsunayoshi arched off the bed in pain, brown eyes flying open as she woke up, a scream nearly tearing past her lips. She-it- but-
She looked around quickly, finding it empty and sensing no one in the house, a note lying next to her head. 'Dame Tsuna, Maman took Lambo, I-Pin, Bianchi and I on a short vacation. Try not to fuck up- Reborn.' Her fist clenched, wrinkling the paper as she shot out of bed and into her bathroom, looking into the mirror in shock.
She was fourteen again? But how? Only minutes ago she'd been twenty six and dying, Lambo the only thing on her mind- she'd died saving him after all. Of course though…little devil probably shot her with the Ten Year Bazooka. He was too smart, and if she was correct, the soup I-Pin had accidentally spilled on it that morning would have given it a shortage so it was permanent…which meant she could change the future- save it.
Well then… She glanced at the balled up paper in her hand, eyes closing for a moment. She needed to get started, and that meant leaving and going on a training trip to get back up to strength- and better than she had been too. She smirked when she spotted that the Vongola Sky Ring was in it's true form, Natsu gleaming next to it. She tossed the paper away and headed back to her room.
Slipping on a pair of jeans, a black hoodie with the number '27' on the back bright green and sneakers, she stuck her Hyper Dying Will pills and gloves in the hoodie's pocket, grabbing the Vongola Black card Nono had given her after the ring battles with the Varia. She tossed a couple pairs of jeans, underwear, shirts and such into a duffle bag and paused to write a letter, making sure to include each of her Guardians names and Reborn's, writing a separate to be given to her mother so the woman wouldn't worry over Mafia business.
She paused as she locked the door, resting her head against the wooden frame. "Gomen minna…" Her eyes hardened as they opened, "I swear, you won't die this time."
With that, Sawada Tsunayoshi vanished from Namimori.
Scene Change, Beach in southern Japan
Reborn glanced at his phone, brows furrowing underneath the shadow of his fedora, "Ciao."
Gokudera's voice was slightly worried as it filtered through the phone's speaker. "Reborn, did Jyuudaime go with you and Maman?"
"No." His brows pulled further together, what had his idiotic student done now, "Why do you ask, Gokudera?"
"She hasn't been to school in the last two days. I thought maybe you took her out to train." Gokudera was beginning to panic, "So you don't have any clue where she is? No one was home when I went to her house…"
The child bodied man's lips thinned, "I'll be there in an hour, gather everyone." He snapped the phone close. "Maman." He called.
The woman looked over from putting sun block on I-Pin, "Hai, Reborn-chan?"
"We need to go home. Tsuna hasn't shown up at school."
The woman frowned in slight worry. "Ahh, ok."
Scene Change, Namimori Japan, Sawada Home
Gokudera hadn't been lying. The house was quiet and no on was home. They were a little relieved when no sign of struggle was found, but still, worry was present in the Guardians- even Hibari and Lambo. Though Lambo was only just old enough to understand.
Nana came- nearly bouncing into the room with two pieces of paper, one open and the other folded neatly, perfect smooth hand writing on the front. "Na, it's alright everyone!" She announced, passing the folded one to Reborn. "It says here 'Kaa-chan, I know it's sudden, but well, I want to go take a breather- get out of Namimori for a bit, ne? Don't worry about me, I'm just going to see the sights of the world. Give that other letter to the guys for me, ok? Love you Mom, Tsuna. PS Do me a favor and hit Tou-san on the head, next you see him for showing my baby pictures to Gokudera, and yes I know he did it.'" She smiled, "I'll go make dinner!"
Reborn frowned as he began to open the- what he assumed- letter. The neat scrawl was similar to Tsuna's though much neater and perfected than her barley legible loops. Normally he would have jut summarized it for everyone, but seeing that even Mukuro was sitting on the edge of his seat, he decided to read it all out to them:
"'Dear Gokudera, Yamamoto, Hibari, Royhei-nii, Lambo, Mukuro, Chrome and Reborn-
I had a nightmare last night- I was weak, and everyone I cared for but Lambo was dead. I was so weak I couldn't even do anything but die saving him. I thought about it for a while and I came to one conclusion: Get stronger. I'm tired of being the weak link, I don't want that dream to come true- ever. Don't think I'm running, because I'm not, I just…I'm not getting stronger here. Reborn, don't think your not a great teacher- I wouldn't have been able to throw a punch before I met you- but I can't learn everything from one person. You've been telling me from day one there was no getting out of being the Vongola's Decima, and I guess it finally sunk in, because I'm leaving to train. But I have a few orders for your guys, and don't you dare not do it- I'll know, and I'll make your life living hell if you don't follow them, got it?
First off, Gokudera- I want you to train in something besides your bombs, work on your hand to hand with Royhei, it's always a good idea to have a back up, right? Secondly, no more calling me Jyuudaime. My names Tsuna, use it. I don't want to be called Boss unless I'm in some kind of formal event or something. And get a grip on your temper, quiet blowing everything up. Yamamoto and Royhei aren't any harm to me, and they've never insulted me. If they do I will handle it.
Royhei- Knock off all the yelling, it gives other people headaches and distracts them. Add in the fact that if your yelling you can't hear anything else but your own voice, and it might wind up allowing you to be hit by an attack form behind. Help Gokudera out.
Yamamoto- You need to work on hand to hand too, work with Gokudera and Royhei. I hate to say it, but no more baseball, if your worried about winning the next game, your not focused on things at hand. You can watch it in your free time, maybe toss around the ball some, but playing on the team is out. You and Gokudera need to be over your fighting issues by the time I get back.
Hibari- Hand to hand, it needs work. I expect you to be civil with the rest of the Famiglia when I return, no more 'biting people to death' because they annoy you. It's political suicide.
Lambo… I want you to do me a favor. Try not to use the Bazooka so often, alright? You gotta toughen up, kiddo. You're my Lightning Guardian, I need you to be strong ok? If all you can do now is start learning how to maybe patch up some cuts and minor injuries, that'd be great. And don't let Reborn get under your skin, he likes to tease you.
Mukuro- Your body will be given into Reborn's care by Friday, if my estimates are correct. I used my Dad's e-mail to impersonate him and request Shamal be over to see to my Mother around then. Reborn, try and make sure he helps Mukuro with rehabilitation, shouldn't take long form what the Guards said. Secondly, get your act together and quiet messing with Hibari, both of you need to get your heads out of your asses-'" Several eyebrows rose at the use of crude language, an unusual thing for her, "'and get along to at least ignoring each other and speaking civilly.
Chrome- Gear up girl, I impersonated my father and sent an e-mail to Colonello and La Mirch. They'll be training you up so you don't realy so heavily on Mukuro.
Reborn- I hate to sound all mushy, you'd shoot me if you were here while I wrote this- but your more of a father to me than my own. You actually give a shit, you didn't sign my fate over to Nono without thinking about what I wanted, and you don't sugar coat anything or run off leaving me and my Mom alone. So, thanks. Keep these guys in line will you?
Again, I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly, but I knew if I told anyone, they'd try to stop me. I'll be fine, I took the Vongola Black card with me. I'll be back as soon as I know I'm strong enough, months or years, whatever it takes. You guys better not fall apart on me- and so help me you'll loose the ability to reproduce if your not getting along. A Famiglia that doesn't work together is nothing. And I'll make good on my threat. One thing about dealing with Hana- you learn many ways to castrate. Love you guys, Tsuna.
PS Reborn, leave Lambo alone ok? And get I-Pin to better control that time bomb of hers.'"
Reborn wasn't sure whether to be pleased(his student had finally accepted it and was stepping up), angry(his student ran off without telling him where she went), or touched(she saw him as a father figure). He glanced at the mixture of pride, worry and annoyance adorning the faces of the Guardians. "You heard her. Get to work- you never know if she'll try and send someone to test you. I will be back in a few minutes." He vanished to go tell Nono what had happened so he could alert Iemetsu.
Scene Change, Italy
She glanced around, head tilting slightly as she walked calmly through the streets, catching broken fragments of Italian. She wasn't interested much in them though. She knew where she was headed. The Airport again.
She'd been in Italy a few days, mainly to reminisce a bit. She'd had a series of firsts in the country…her first kiss, her first time- she managed not to blush when she thought of that- her last first here in Italy had been when she'd turned twenty and had Mukuro's body released. She'd been glad to be able to allow the couple- Chrome and Mukuro- to be able to truly see each other in person again.
In any case, she was headed to South America next. In the future, a few years around when she turned twenty one she and Gokudera had gone there. Tsuna had stumbled on a temple and went in out of boredom. She'd seen the Vongola symbol, and next thing she knew she had an ocelot in her arms, purring and rubbing her face. The ocelot- she'd named the feline Kimiko- was actually a more primal form of box animal. She had the abilities, but wasn't contained in the box. Kimiko had down some weird power exchange with Natsu and bam! Natsu was now the same type of box animal as Kimiko.
The entire trip had been extremely strange- though explaining it to Xanxus had been hilarious, the man couldn't for the life of him remember where he'd seen the damn cat until he looked back into the old history tomes. Kimiko was a box animal that had been involved with the Primo, and had apparently bound herself to ONLY the Primo's blood family, which was the reason she had become Tsuna's partner like Natsu.
She sighed quietly for the second time, knowing she was being followed by a very low rank Vongola. Stupid moron, interrupting her day! She waited until they were at a walk way as the traffic picked back up again, vanishing in the waiting crowd with ease she had gotten years ago- to come?- and managing to make it to the Air Port without another locating her.
Time Change, One Year Later- North America
"Thank you, come again!" The woman's cheery voice sounded.
Tsuna resisted the urge to spit at her. She was ready for an actual bed, a real hot water shower- and goddamn she was ready for a real hot meal!
She'd spent the past year- minus a week or so to find Kimiko- in a secluded place in Israel. She'd been training with Mossad to get her body and reflexes back to what they had been- entire thing had been hell, just like the last time. In any case she had her contacts and alliance with them set back up, so it'd been worth it. Besides, she got to meet Ziva and see what the woman was like before she'd gone to NCIS, (A/N Ha, yes a mention of it. May do a sequel that crosses over with it. Tell me if you want one.) well technically it was before she went back- she'd never known that Ziva had killed her own brother for Gibbs until then, but she suspected it wasn't something most wanted to know either.
Her flight here had landed around an hour ago, and she needed to get to the Italian Embassy soon so she'd have plenty of time to sleep before she met with the President of the United States in the morning. She'd only be informing him of her status and what to expect should any of the Mafioso fights spill into the US. Vongola associated families were never wanted because they tended to do more good then harm, so the man had no problems meeting with her- of course he'd requested she go unarmed, but he wouldn't know if she was with Kimiko and Natsu in ring form and her gloves un activated. She was in a hurry to the Embassy for another reason too- and update had been gathered by the Nono and was handed to Enma, who promised not to rattle off her location. Heh, she'd met him when she was sent on an assignment with Ziva and gotten everything straightened out in a requested meeting after the target was killed.
She nodded to the doorman, quickly walking in and checking in. She headed to her room and cleaned up quickly, slipping on a pair of jeans and a short sleeved button up green shirt.
"Ambassador." She greeted.
He smiled politely, all business. "Ah, Decima. It's quiet the pleasure. John Russo."
She arched a brow, not giving her real name- he already knew it- which was a sign he didn't have permission to use it. "Pleasure. Would you mind handing me that report? It was a long flight and I need some sleep so jet lag doesn't hassle me too much in the morning."
He nodded, "Of course." He answered, sliding the vanilla folder with the Vongola Insignia on the front over too her. "Should I have someone be sent to wake you in the morning?"
"No, I'll be fine, thank you. Good Night, Ambassador Russo."
"You as well, Decima." He nodded in a sign of respect as she closed the door.
She eagerly made her way to the room and plopped down on the bed, kicking off her shoes before closing the window curtains, locking the door and the window. Once she had that down, she allowed her two Box Animals to go back to animal form and lounge next to her on the bed. The first report was on Yamamoto, and she read it quickly. It wasn't much- none of them would be- just an overview, a few sentences at most.
'Yamamoto Takeshi- Improved hand to hand combat, master swordsman, excellent marksmanship with a gun.' Well, that's something at least. 'Fights with Yamamoto and Gokudera have gone down increasingly. Fights normally occur maybe once a month.'
'Gokudera Hayato- Improved hand to hand, excellent marksmanship with a gun, master bomber. Number of fights between Gokudera and Yamamoto down to maybe once a month.'
'Hibari Kyouya- Hand to hand improved, master tonfa fighter, abysmal at guns. Fights with him and other Guardians lessened considerably, now holds civil tongue.'
'Rikodu Chrome- Advanced hand to hand, master sniper, master illusionist- specializes in interrogation illusions. Engaged to Rokudo Mukuro.'
'Rokudo Mukuro- Master trident fighter. Master illusionist, abysmal with guns. Fights between him and other Guardians minimal- fights between him and Hibari down to once a week. Engaged to Rikodu Chrome.'
'Sasagawa Royhei- Master at hand to hand, learning how to fight with knives. Yelling down a rare occurrence.'
'Lambo- Proficient in healing of minor injuries, cries less often and has not used Ten Yea Bazooka since Decima left.
Reborn- trains other guardians at the moment. He did in fact fight with Iemetsu and win- placing Sawada Iemetsu in the hospital for a month with a broken arm. Reasons unknown.'
'Sawada Nana- helps care for Guardians, misses Decima. Still ignorant of Mafioso.'
She set the small file- one paper- down and thought for a moment. She'd missed a lot… Chrome and Mukuro engaged, she wondered how that went. Hell she missed them, maybe she should go home? If she grew distant form her Guardians, this would be entirely fruitless- no, no it wouldn't. If it caused her to grow distant for a little while from them and they survived the future, then it would be entirely worth it. She would not return home until she had the last two things on her check list done, and those would take up most of the next year, if not longer.
She pause when she caught sight of a second sheet of paper, addressed to her. 'Tsuna- Your Guardians asked if I could pass along presents for your upcoming birthday next week. I need an answer and drop off location if they can.- Enma.'
She sighed, should she? It may just make her more homesick…She'd sleep on it and figure it out tomorrow.
The next morning she dressed primly, a pair of black slacks, green dress shirt, a black suit jacket and a pair of healed shoes- thank god she knew how to maneuver in the things, she had to wear them often in meetings and other political events. Her hair was straightened and loose to her shoulder blades, bangs swept to the left. Though she didn't much care for it, she applied just a little eye liner so the orange in her eyes stood out more. After all- event eh President of the US knew that when a Vongola Boss's eyes turn orange, danger approaches.
With her furry friends back as wrings and her fingerless gloves in place- they contradicted but who cared, she could say it was because she had some cuts on her hands- she left the Embassy and got in the car that would take her to the White House.
She bowed once the two were alone with only the President's personal body guard standing behind the mans chair. "President Wilson." She greeted.
"Decima Sawada." He answered, reaching out a hand to be shaken.
Once they were seated, she spoke, uncaring that it was probably slightly rude. She was in control of this situation as the more powerful of the two. He'd get used to it. "As I said when I requested this meeting, I'm giving you an overview of what might happen in the future." She began, "At the moment, I have my eyes on a Family known as Millefore, it's pretty low rank. However it is not allied with Vongola. I have high suspicions that sometime in the next ten years they will rise to power and it will be a war between the Vongola and it's allies against Millefore and there's. Seeing as all of this is mainly in Europe, Asia and Japan, you shouldn't be overly concerned."
He raise a skeptical brow, "FI they're so low in power and rank, why worry over them?"
"Information passed to me as a contact."
"Excuse me, but you're a mere child. How could you know anything of the Mafia?" The body guard- a man in his late twenties with dark brown short hair in a black suit- asked. She didn't like his tone. A little too conceding for her tastes.
She smiled pleasantly, aiming killing intent at the man and watching him hit the floor on his knees. "Well to put it simply I was raised my entire life-" 'So to speak.' "-dealing with it. I most certainly have been in far more fights- far bloodier fights- than you. As a man I know would say 'Your nothing but furniture in these meetings.' In this case that means you have no business speaking. Your human, yes, but that's when you go home or are conversing alone with Mr. Wilson here. In a meeting such as this, you should keep your mouth shut. You never know when you may say the wrong thing and get you and your charge killed."
Wilson, though glad she wasn't directing anything at him, spoke up to stop her. "Miss Sawada. If you please, Jackson was only curious."
She nodded, "Of course, of course. But remember Jackson curiosity killed the cat." She cleared her throat and went back to the task at hand as if she hadn't just threatened someone. "Should it arrive here, expect casualties, destroyed buildings- normal happenings in a war. However it's highly unlikely. I mean no offense- the US doesn't have much the Mafia wants. The Drug Cartel is in Mexico and South America, and Canada has nothing we need. If anything we buy ammunition and some weapons, though usually we can get equal if not better in Europe. I don't believe you have much to worry over."
An hour later- after eating and arranging a flight to France to meet with Xanxus to begin making plans to test her Guardians- she flopped down for a nap, knowing Natsu would wake her when she needed to get up. She'd write a reply to Enma before she went to dinner telling him that unless it was something she could use or wouldn't get in the way, that they could send something, and told him to send it to the Italian Embassy in England.
Location Change- Japan
"Get your asses in gear!" Reborn yelled at the three.
Yamamoto resisted the urge to groan. He's always been one to grin and bear it- but now he knew why Tsuna used to complain so much. The baby was a slave driver. He managed to duck as a bullet flew where his head had just been, leaping back into the three way fight he was having with Royhei and Gokudera.
"Hey guys!" He chanced a glance and got knocked backwards for it, retaliating with a blow to Gokudera's stomach. Enma was here.
Reborn looked over at the red head before motioning everyone to stop and gather around- even Colonello and La Mirch did. "What is it, Enma?"
The red eyed male didn't even make a face at the Sky Archabello's sharpness. "A letter from Tsuna." He answered. He didn't bother waiting and started reading out loud before Gokudera could yell at him to do so.
"'Guys-
I guess I should have written before now, huh? Guys time got away from me. When I left the first place I went was South America to take a look around. It was pretty neat and touch hiking around in that jungle- and hot as hell, I think I drank eight bottles of water in the first hour. Let me tell you, it is NOT fun using the bathroom in there either- very unpleasant actually. But you won't believe what I found! I found an underground cave that had the Vongola Insignia on it! I went in to check it out and I found out some really weird facts. Did you know that the Primo actually had a form of Box Animal- it's a weapon that comes from a box, by the way you open with your Dying Will Flame? I didn't until the thing tackled me! Turns out Kimiko- she's an ocelot- had bound herself to the Primo's blood line and therefore me. Kind of freaky at first, really.
I'm not sure if Enma told you or not so I'll tell you now. For the last year I've been working and training with Israeli Mossad. It's rough, really rough. I don't think I even slept on a real bed for the year I was there. I've gotten us an alliance with them though, so that's good, Reborn would probably find out about that within the next few days. I met with the President of the US too- pleasant guy, body guards an idiot though.
I'm no longer in the US, though, so don't bother trying to find me, because you won't. I've still got so much to do, I'm not sure when I'll come back yet. It will probably be another year though- maybe longer.
In any case, I read the reports on you guys. I'm proud, really proud. I hope you guys keep at it. I've gotten stronger too- haven't been slacking(that's not a good idea in Mossad, you might get killed) and I've even learned a few different fighting styles.
Right, well Enma mentioned you guys wanted to send me something for my birthday. I don't mind, but since I'm always on the move, I'd prefer something that isn't big and won't weigh me down, ok?
I'd love to say more, but I think Kimiko and Natsu(my other Box Animal) are trying to eat the Embassy driver trying to take my bags to the car. Take care
Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decima.'"
Silence. Enma tried not to laugh at the surprised expressions.
Silence. Enma tried not to roll his eyes.
Silence. Enma did NOT giggle. Not at all.
Finally Gokudera spoke. "M-Mossad? Isn't that like extremely brutal training?"
Enma nodded. "Form what I know, pain tolerance, assassination, hand to hand, and weapon training. Pain tolerance…err, well I've heard it's really…unpleasant. The other two speak for themselves. Apparently, their trained to use anything they have as weapons- from actual weapons to toothpicks. A little creative. The mission she met me on with her partner- David Ziva- were assigned to kill someone. I'm not sure who it was, but I believe it was a Drug Cartel Boss."
Hibari and Mukuro went back to their spar while the others continued to contemplate the letter.
"Ne, Reborn, what's a Box Animal? She didn't really explain it well." Yamamoto asked after another moment of silence. It was clear the Guardians of Mist and Cloud were listening as they fought.
"It's a myth, at least that's what I thought. Box Weapons are being experimented with, after someone created them a year ago, but aren't normally used because they're exceedingly difficult to control. A Box Animal is a weaponized animal sealed into a box that can be opened with the Dying Will Flame. Form what researchers have shown, they can aid you in battle. But like I said, no one cares to use them because it's difficult to learn how- it can take a long time. Back in the day the only one who used one was the Primo and it was a primal form, without an actual box. Most didn't even know he did because he rarely used it." Reborn lectured.
"Reborn, if they're all in experimentation…how did she get two?" Colonello asked. "We would've been told it the researchers gave any out."
His fedora lowered. "I don't know."
Time Change- One year, Greenland
She twisted, planting her foot in the next attacker, hand reaching out to snap the neck of another. 'Of course they jump me. Idiots.' Her orange eyes narrowed and she jumped back as the strongest of the bunch launched at her.
'Hn. Time to up my game.' In a second, her flames went black and she charged, grinning when her hand connected to his face and he was frozen in ice form neck to feet.
"Wha- What is this?"
She arched a brow, "A more powerful, better modified Zero Point Breakthrough." She answered. "Later, piggy." She waved as she walked away, ignoring the sharp gasp before the ice- and his body- shattered. Wasn't her fault he was dumb enough to try heating his body to melt it.
She hissed when she felt several other unlit flames headed her way- Vongola flames. She turned on her heel as they entered the ice clearing she was in, her own flames already having vanished. Her father. How lovely. Anyone else feel the sarcasm, she wondered.
Iemetsu stared at his daughter. Her eyes now permanently slanted- no longer large and round, no longer brown- permanently orange. Her hair was in a braid to her lower back, out of her way- she was dressed in a pair of jeans, snow-boots and a lightweight, but warm, green jacket.
He looked behind her and saw the bodies of the team of assassins they'd been notified was in the area. He wasn't sure whether to be happy she was fine, or worried that she so no signs of caring she'd just killed the seven men.
Her eyes narrowed at him. "It's been taken care of. Either get back to your posts and leave it for the wildlife or clean it up." She moved to walk past them, pausing next to her father. "I heard Reborn put you in the hospital. I sort of wish you'd been there longer- or permanently out of duty." She told him quietly, "At least then you'd be home for Mother." She continued on her way, calling over her shoulder, "Do me a favor, Father- don't call me your daughter anymore." She wanted this over with so she wouldn't have to deal with it in the future. After all, her father had betrayed her in the future by giving Reborn's location to Byakuran, enabling the man to kill him. She didn't hate him- couldn't, she would have done the same to save her mother's life like he had. But his idiocy got Nana killed too, maybe this way he'd realize he had some catching up to do. Big time. (A/N No, I'm not bashing, he just needs to grow up.)
Once back at her hotel, she flopped on the bed and relaxed, eyes closing though she didn't sleep.
Not long after she sent that letter a year ago, she'd received five presents- she hadn't expected anything form Hibari, Royhei or Mukuro. Mukuro and Hibari wouldn't bother, and Royhei didn't by presents for anyone.
From Gokudera she'd gotten a slightly longer than average knife he said might come in handy. It sure as hell did, she kept the thing always on her person. Chrome had sent her a blank brown leather book. Said it would be a great idea to write down her thoughts to figure things out, and no one could open it with her specific Dying Will Flame. Lambo had just sent her a letter saying he didn't know what to get her and that he missed her and was doing pretty well.
Reborn had sent her a book containing Shakespeare's Moulin Rouge- he knew it was a favorite of hers. Yamamoto, now she didn't quiet understand his, but she loved it. A plain silver necklace with an amber egg shaped pendant.
She stared at it for a long time. Last time, neither had noticed their feelings for the other until they were around nineteen. Until then he'd treated her like another of the guys, though he'd been protective of her like he was any girl he was friends with. She'd contemplated that maybe being away form him for so long was making that situation pick up the pace, but decided to worry over it. What was, was.
Shortly after, she'd met with Xanxus and began discussing how to go about testing her Guardians. Eventually- through much heated debate and a good brawl with out use of any flames- they came up with one and scared Mammon into doing it for free.
Once she decided it was time, she would where a mask and attack her Guardians while Mammon created a false image of her being held captive by Dino's men who would also go unrecognizable. She would tell them that if they each could beat her one on one then she would release the illusion Tsuna.
She headed off to India for a few days to take a short breather, before hitting Greenland to do more training. So far, she'd gotten the X Burner down, gotten Zero Point Breakthrough- which the better version she'd dubbed Tsuki no Kori because the flame color reminded her of night when she used it- and had gotten eh switch between the two down so good she didn't even need a third of a second.
Now all she needed was to get to where she could control the ice and fire without having to go into Hyper Dying Will Mode. She'd managed it on instincts before- in panic- and had been working on trying to get to be able to do it at will. She knew the downsides though. If she used the fire portion for too long, she herself would start to be burned, and the ice would begin to freeze her from the inside out. It was dangerous, but then again so was everything else she did. This would be nothing new.
"Nya?" She couldn't help the giggle that spilled form her lips when Kimiko rubbed her face with her nose.
"I'm fine…just wish I didn't have to say that too him is all."
"Nyu?" Natsu tickled her with his tail as it slid across her stomach, sitting on her chest.
"Now don't give me that look! I fed you both earlier, and you at three times your weight! How can you still be hungry?"
"Nya/Nyu!" She looked back and forth between them and groaned.
"Fine, fine! Snacks it is."
Japan- One year later
She stepped off the plane and rolled her shoulders, glancing around to confirm that she was in no danger for the time being.
Namimori…wow, it'd been a long three years. She'd gone to Africa for half the last year working with her fire, and once she got that down as far as she was going to, she headed to the lower reaches of Australia for the last six months to work with ice. She'd been attacked by a few assassins- nearly lost her ability to move her arm to one when they slashed her down her left shoulder and had a scar from there to her lower black, jagged and straight from it- though she'd gotten rid of them all. She'd essentially acted as a bounty hunter in those cases, some had some big prices on their heads and she'd turned in the bodies for cash so she didn't use too much of the Vongola's money, even if she hadn't even scratched the tip in the last three years.
She sighed and shook her head. Time to go home. And this time, she wasn't going to let Byakuran win. She was much stronger this time. Wiser too. She wasn't the same naïve little girl who thought she could run the Vongola without killing a few people. No, this time she knew what she was doing.
She smiled evilly, scaring a woman into scurrying away from her. Time to meet with Verde and Dino~! She giggled as she stepped into the car Romario was driving for her. This might actually be fun…
Yamamoto sighed as he tapped the pencil against his lips, looking over the calculus problem. "Gokudera? The teacher didn't dumb it down enough, would you mind helping me out a bit?" He asked, looking up at the silver haired teen.
Gokudera gave out an exasperated sigh as he took a look at his notes and gave a simple explanation in terms the ex-baseball nut understood.
"Oh, ok, I get it." He gave his friend- yes he could actually call the half Italian his friend now- a smile and went back to work on his homework…until Gokudera's cell went off.
"Gokudera." He answered sharply, a tick on his forehead. Couldn't a guy finish his homework?
Reborn's voice filtered over in a slightly slipped tone. "Get here now. We have a problem." Line went dead.
They were there quickly, as was every other Guardian. Luckily Bianchi and I-Pin had convinced Nana to go for groceries.
Reborn looked grim. "I just got this in the mail." He said as he pressed play on the TV remote.
A masked woman with mainly black clothing and a flat white mask with swirls of blue on it came on screen. "Hello, Vongola Guardians!" She said cheerfully. "Hm, most would give a name but…well just call me Tsuki, ne?" She laughed. "Well, to the point, I have something that belongs to you~! She was so hard to get my hands on too, put up a good fight, that one." She turned the camera and what they saw made them pale.
It was a slightly older looking Tsuna. Her hair was a lot longer, eyes slanted and orange. She had a white clothe tied around her head to keep her mouth closed, and was bound in rope that pulsed slightly. She was glaring at the person with the camera as a man in a black suit and sunglass held a gun to her head.
"Now don't be like that, sugar! It isn't nice to glare, ya know!" The woman's voice said sweetly, she had something akin to a Southern US accent. "Now, I think you'll be wanting this one back, huh? Well me, I want a good fight!" The camera turned back to face her masked head. "So, here are the rules of the game we're gonna play, ok? I will contact you with a time, a day, and a location. When I do, it'll also have one of your names. The person who I select will fight me one on one. This will happen until I've fought each one of you, aside from the little squirt. Hn, I don't kick kids asses. In any case, if at least three out of six of you win, you get little Tsu-chan back. But if any less of you loose…" The camera focused on Tsuna's face. She didn't look afraid, just slightly panicked. "Well then, that won't be very pleasant for you little Boss, now will it? The only rules that apply to the actual fights are that you can't inflict any permanent damage, and I won't to you- I have to be able to fight each and everyone of you. DO that, and it's automatic loosing for you." The video turned to snow.
Reborn held up a piece of paper only a little bigger than an index card. "It says Rikodu Chrome, at seven pm in the park, tomorrow."
Lambo looked scared and like he was about to cry. "Tsuna-nee…"
Yamamoto ruffled the kids hair. "Don't worry, kiddo. We'll get her back." He promised.
Mukuro grimaced. He and Chrome had held off on the wedding because one Chrome wanted to graduate first, and two she wanted Tsuna there. He honestly wasn't sure he wanted her to fight against this Tsuki woman.
Chrome on the other hand looked determined. She wasn't about to let her boss be killed by some bitch! 'Bring it on, lady!' She thought, before pausing. 'Aw, damn. La Mirch rubbed off on me!' She realized, refraining from the sweatdrop she wanted to pull.
The next day was apprehensive for everyone, each waiting for seven to come. It wasn't a school day, which didn't give them the reprieve of having to do work to take their minds off the situation for a moment.
Everyone was present when seven finally did hit.
Chrome stood slightly nervous in the park in front of the others as the wind ripped through it with a chill.
"Ne? You came!" Everyone saw the woman from the video hop down form a tree. "I'm glad, that means you agreed to play my game!"
Chrome glared, "Where's Tsunayoshi-chan?"
Tsuki's head tilted, "Eh? Why worry about her right now?" She vanished and leaned in next to Chrome's ear from behind, voice just loud enough fro everyone to here, tone sending shivers down a few backs and making Mukuro worry. "You should be concerned for yourself, little Mist." She said, leg coming up to strike the engaged woman across the back, throwing her into the tree across the park.
'Show me you've grown, Chrome.' Tsuki thought. "Come, little Mist. Show me how far your willing to go for your Boss!" She said with a taunting tone, watching in satisfaction as it drew a reaction.
Chrome glared, eyes flashing as she allowed a illusion to take place.
Tsuki watched- panic setting in when she realized it was an illusion designed to bring out her worst memory. She needed to stop it before it began. NOW!
"Tsuki no Kori!" She muttered, just loud enough for the people to hear. Her flames lit with a black color, ice erupting around them and making Chrome cut off the illusion. She ducked as a trident soared where her head had just been, twisting her body to leap to the side as Mukuro stood next to his wife-to-be.
"Oh? So you figured that loop hole out?" She asked in amusement.
Mukuro smirked, "Wasn't hard. Not bright are you?" His answer was a kick that sent him into the air, though Chrome managed to hit her a good one in the gut in retaliation.
"Smarter than you, Rokudo." She said, grimacing under her mask. The two, were technically still one person if you counted the mental link they shared, which allowed the pineapple head to join the fight. 'I should try and make sure to send them on missions together. For now, I better lower my ability by about a third so I'm on their level…'
She decided later, that what Mukuro lacked in speed, Chrome made up for. What Chrome lacked in strength, Mukuro covered. She was sure that if she hadn't moved, he would have killed her by that last attack. More thank likely, he was fed up and decided killing her would be easier.
She wouldn't up her game, that'd be a little unfair, and would reveal herself to Reborn. In any case, it was time to call it quits. She could take both of them.
She dodged a blow to her head and flipped to land on a crouch on the monkey bar dome, head tilted to one side. "I concede. Your formidable, Tsunayoshi-chan has some good Mist Guardians!" She chirped cheerily. "But…well, Mukuro-chan, you tried to actually kill me, that's against the rules!" She refrained room giggling at the murderous look he was giving her for using a baby voice and calling him -chan. She flipped her phone out, pressing speed dial.
"Yes, boss?" A male voice asked. Ahh, gotta love a disguised Dino!
"They broke part of the rules, Jack. Do it."
"Hai, boss!"
She put it on speaker phone as fake screams sounded from it, making her Guardians- unknown to them- tense and glare heatedly. She let her eyes linger on Yamamoto longer than she should. Why did she always have to get turned on when he looked like that? A mixture of anger and predator. Reminded her of when he got jealous when men came on to her. They always were sent home with a number of cuts…
Mammon was good at this, Tsuki noted. She hit end and flipped the phone closed. "Maybe that will make you remember- now killing blows. Kill me and my subordinates will go out of their way to make little Tsunayoshi-chan fell pain before a slow death." She did giggle that time to add in her characters sadistic side. "Until I call you again~!" She vanished.
Yamamoto blinked, snapping out of his angered daze. "Mukuro?"
"What?"
"Chrome passed out two minutes ago." The ex-baseball nut said with a sweatdrop.
"Shit!"
She leaned back and popped her neck, "Bottle of water, will you Dino?"
"Sure." He nearly tripped- his men were out of the room- but caught himself on the table.
"You know, one of these days your going to break you neck." She muttered.
"Shove it." He leaned against the wall, "How'd it go?"
"Pretty well. Chrome and Mukuro work well together, I have a feeling that even if I went full out, I'd have trouble with them." She answered. "Goddamn, Chrome has a good right hook." She cursed, rubbing at her stomach, numbing it out with a little ice.
"La Mirch did train her." Dino sighed as she lit a cigarette and took a hit. "Those will kill you, ya know."
She shrugged, wincing as she did. "I don't have one often, only when I need to calm down. It's harder to fight them then I though, harder to make them think I'm being tortured then I predicted." She shook her head.
He nodded in understanding. "I imagine. Who's next?"
She paused on her way to bring the cigarette to her mouth again. "Hibari. But I won't be fighting him."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"I told you about the future, Dino. One of the few I trust with it besides Xanxus." She would never tell her Guardians, it'd weigh down on them too hard. "Royhei, Hibari, Gokudera- they'll receive a task. If they don't complete it, they loose. Yamamoto is the only other I'll fight, and he's last."
"Why him?"
She smiled, eyes closing with it as she exhaled. "Because, he'll be the one who will unmask me and let everyone figure it all out." She answered. Dino merely watched before leaving to go to the room he was in.
Two days later, "Hibari Kyouya, Namimori High. Today at noon." Reborn read out. "We have an hour." He announced.
Hibari smirked, "Then lets get there early." He nearly said his old catch fraise, but managed not to. Old habits die hard.
Tsuna paused as she slipped the mask on, eyes looking to her right, though her head didn't turn. "Is everything set?"
"Hai, Decima-sama." Romario answered. "It is ready and waiting."
She gave a grunt, "Good." She muttered, mask slipping onto her face- taking on her persona of 'Tsuki.' "Let's see if he can overcome his pride."
Tsuki was sitting cross-legged in the Sakura tree when they arrived, humming under her breathe. "Oh! Yay, I'm glad you aren't late, Kyo-chan!" She announced happily, masked head tilting to the side.
He growled lowly at the unwanted nickname, but otherwise remained silent.
She snapped her fingers, watching the gates close. "Well, I supposed you'll be disappointed, Kyo-chan. We aren't going to fight!"
Several eyes blinked, "Then what the hell are we here for?" Gokudera asked hotly.
She snickered, "Well, I have a task for Kyo-chan! If he can do it, then it counts as winning!" She held her hands up, in a defensive gesture, "Don't get me wrong, Kyo-chan, I don't think your weak, but you just don't peak my interest!" She seemed unbothered by the acidic glare directed at her.
"Than what do you want, herbivore?"
"Ouch! Just a herbivore? Oh dear, how ever insulting!" She said in false dramatic depression. Even her realy self couldn't help but be amused by how she was grating on their nerves. "But any who~…" She pointed to the doors that led into the building. "Inside you will find four bottles. Each contains a different liquid. One is an antidote, the other three are poison." She began, "None are lethal on there own. Now, somewhere inside this school your little friend Haru-chan is hidden. I've injected her with a poison that will render her comatose if she never receives the antidote. You have three guesses to get the right bottle."
She leaned forward a bit. "In more exact elaboration- One antidote, two unarming poisons that will only give her a stomach ache. The last poison will react violently with the poison already circulating in her system. If this poison is given to her, she will not only be unable to accept the antidote, but her body will reject any form of food or liquid. If that happens, she will die within a few days."
Yamamoto snarled, "You bitch!"
She tried not to flinch under her mask, "I'm called that often, Shi-chan, an I honestly agree. But alas, it's so fun to play people, wouldn't you agree, Reborn-san? You played your student, didn't you? You told her you watch over her father, didn't you?" She laughed harshly, "Yet there she is nine years old and her Papa comes home shot in the shoulder!"
Reborn felt his grip tighten on the transformed Leon/gun, eyes glittering dangerously. "Who the fuck do you know that?"
Tsuki grimaced under her mask. She had asked Reborn that- when she was five and he'd visited with Nono- she'd been upset when her father had come home shot, but never once blamed the stranger. She hadn't even realized it was Reborn until she had officially become the Vongola's boss at twenty four. "She told me." She answered smoothly, "She was oh so devastated. Of course, she didn't know I was there- talking to little Haru-chan. She even wondered if you'd lied to her when you said you would, thought you might be playing her. I think that's possible- you're a hitman by nature, after all- but she doesn't. Your little Boss…she understands life well, doesn't she?" She waved her hand as if shooing a fly, "Any ways- you better get going~!" She vanished in a blur.
They cautiously entered the building, looking down at the four bottles on the table. One was a sickly green, one a bright purple, another cloudy blue, and another murky red. All had a cork in them, and were about as long as his palm.
'Namimori's big, and this herbivore seems to know that this is my territory.' Hibari thought. 'She probably put that annoying girl where I don't go- the basement.'
That didn't work out. He'd just opened the door when he saw-nothing. Not a damn thing. They checked classrooms, club rooms, the field house- everywhere. Everywhere but the place he went the most. The roof.
She was against the fence with her hands tied behind her back, breathing even looking as if she was asleep, though she was stiff. He saw Tsuki sitting on other end of the roof, watching silently.
Hibari wouldn't show it, but he was nervous. If he got the wrong one, Haru-san was screwed, and there for so was he because even he would admit, Royhei might actually be able to kill him for hurting his sister's friend.
An amused chuckled became known, making everyone glance at the previously silent masked woman. "You've been staring at those vials for quiet a while, Kyo-chan, nearly thirty minutes! Are you actually worried about such an…annoying herbivore?" She asked teasingly.
Hibari gritted his teeth, "No."
"Oh…so you don't." She sounded a mixture of disappointed and amused. "So, then am I the only one who noticed the portion of fence she is situated against?"
Eyes zeroed in on the loose chain link, three pairs widening when they realized what it was.
"Yes, the fence piece that was reattached- poorly I might add- after little Tsu-chan saved Yamamoto Takeshi from death by his own hands. I thought it was fitting." Her voice was smiling even if her was calculating. "If you'll take note, she's bound to the fence with rope, which has a detonator on it I have just now-" she snapped her fingers, "Set to count down. If you can't give her the antidote within the next sixty seconds, it detonates and she falls to her death. If you try to remove it, my little sniper friends-" she pointed to the roofs around Namimori, "Will kill both her, and you Hibari Kyouya." She seemed to smirk, though she really wasn't. "You have fifty seconds. Begin."
'Fuck…which is it?' He looked between the vials. If he chose wrong- if he didn't choose- sweat beaded at his neck. He'd never held a life in his hands like this, sure he beat the shit out of people, but it was never something like this. He held to lives- his boss and Haru-san's, and he was confused, he didn't know which vial!
"Such pride, will it kill her? Or perhaps your boss. Twenty seconds." Tsuki muttered absently.
'Pride…?' His brow furrowed. What about his pride? How did that factor into anything? So what if his pride was larger than normal, it should be. He raised himself, learned not to rely on others, his pride had grown form it, allowed him to call himself a Carnivore. So why did she bring up pride? Hell, why give him such an impossible task like- 'Pride! I wouldn't' know this on my own, but Bianchi-san will!' "Bianchi, which is it?" He demanded.
The woman, having caught on as well, pointed to the green. "That's the one that will kill her. The purple will save her." She answered automatically.
He forced the liquid down her throat, watching the girls eyes flutter before her body relaxed from the stiffness it had held. He turned to look at Tsuki as she clapped, giving a signal to her gunman. "Congratulations, Kyo-chan! You lost!"
Royhei balked, "How did he loose?"
Her head tilted, "Allow me to explain. There was never a detonator, but I was timing you. You ran out of time around three seconds before you gave her the antidote. He lost- but look at it this way, it's something you know you need to improve on! Besides, none of you are dead now, are you?" She stood, "Well, the tally is one-to-one. You need two more losses to get your little Boss back. Or two to have her killed." She sighed, "But I don't want to kill her- your all so very…entertaining. So I'll give you some advise, ne? Prepare for anything."
She leapt up to balance on the fence, "Royhei-kun, three days, eleven am at Town Hall." She waved cheerily before leaping down and disappearing.
Reborn glared where she'd been, despite the fact he thought something was up. "She irritates me."
"Pisses me off. Why the fuck do we get the freaky nicknames and he don't?" Gokudera sulked, worried for his boss, but still sulking. His sister merely shook her head at him, turning to Hibari.
"If you wish, I can teach you these at anytime. All of you. For now, we need to get her home."
"Rough time?" Tsuna turned, orange/amber eyes meeting the brown of Xanxus'.
"Hai. I hadn't thought it would be this horrid feeling to do this to them." She sighed and pressed a hand to her face as she leaned back in her chair. "Shit, I just know I shouldn't have brought that up with Reborn." She muttered.
Xanxus- the man was surprisingly accepting of her being form the future, the brother she'd found in him shining through his outer persona- took the seat across the table from her. "How many have you had- three?" He asked as he eyes the empty glass bottles of what looked- more like smelled- like vodka and sake mixed together. He didn't think it'd taste very good.
"Five. I'm nursing the sixth." She answered, foot rolling the hidden two from under the table. "Need it."
"Isn't that toxic at your age?"
"Go to hell."
"Flashback?"
"…yea."
"Of?"
"Hibari. His and Haru's wedding…and death." She answered, eyes looking out the window at the new moon sky as she lifted the glass bottle to her lips, "Needed a drink after that. Just don't feel like stopping."
'Why the fuck do I always take care of drunk people?' He thought, 'First that trash Iemetsu, then Squalo and Bel.' He snatched her bottle away, tossing it in the trash. "Your going to. Don't prove me wrong by becoming trash again, brat."
She glared at him with slightly glazed eyes. "Well what the fuck do I do then? You know how hard it is to see them all alive? To play them like this? To wake up alone in my bed with anyone there?" She answered heatedly. "I haven't slept alone since I was married. It was always either Takeshi, Lambo or I-Pin. It's cold now, and I can't stand it. Hell, I don't even know if Lambo's alive int eh future I left, or if that fucking bastard killed him!"
He watched as she waved her hands wildly, voice rising to a near shout. No, he didn't know. He probably never would, hoped he never did. But drinking enough to possibly make herself pretty sick wouldn't help- he knew that at least. He merely sighed and stood, catching one hand and yanking her forward, chopping her neck to knock her out. He was certain it wouldn't have worked had she not trusted him, even drunk she could probably beat the hell out of most hitmen.
He paused at Dino's voice when he left her room, having set her on her bed. "You think she can handle it?"
Xanxus arched a brow. "She survived their death's, and came back and is trying to fix it. I'm sure she can handle it."
"And the break down earlier?"
The Varia Boss smirked, "Well, she doesn't have her Rain back yet, now does she?" He turned and left to go to his room.
Dino watched him leave with his own smirk. "No…but she will. I'll make sure of that." He muttered, turning to go to his own.
No one was happy. This woman was pissing tem all off with her careless attitude. First she takes there boss, then she nearly kills Haru. Not to mention they didn't have any idea what Royhei would face as they entered the empty Town Hall.
However, only Royhei had entered when the doors snapped shut, a TV on the door lighting up to show everyone what was happening inside.
Kyoko was bound to a metal chair next to another chair (they'd seen her that morning, when had the bitch gotten her?) unconscious. Royhei's fists balled, but he stayed still as Tsuki walked forward and pointed to the empty chair, "Won't you sit, Royhei-kun?"
Once he was seated, he allowed his face to show how pissed off he was. "Why the hell is my sister here?" He growled out.
She pulled out a revolver, ignoring him. "Royhei-kun, have you ever played Russian Rolette?" SHe asked thoughtfully.
He paled, "No."
"Sou ka. Well, no worries about explaining the rules of it- but it is similar." She said. The eyes watching from the TV screen narrowed.
She held up a bullet. "It's rubber, not too lethal." She began, "Royhei-kun, I'm going to ask you a six questions. If I think your telling me the truth, I will shoot at the wall, if I think your lying, I shoot at Kyoko. She won't wake the entire time, even if the rubber bullet hits. She's on the same things as little Haru was, except, I'll give you the antidote once I'm done explaining. If- at anytime- the bullet hits Kyoko, you loose. However, if it hits the wall you win." She tossed him the purple vial, of which he caught carefully. She placed the bullet in and spun . "Six questions, one bullet. Ready, Royhei-kun?"
He nodded stiffly, "Hai."
"Good." Tsuki said. "Here's an easy one to start off with, to show you I'm not lying. When and where was the first time you met little Tsuna-chan?"
He blinked. "I was six, she was two." He answered automatically. "In her front yard when I was getting a ball out of it."
She nodded, turning and firing at the wall. No bullet. "Good, the truth." She paused for a moment, "When did you find out about the Mafia, Royhei-kun?"
He balled a fist. "When part of the school blew up by Gokudera's dynamite. I was headed to Boxing Club." He answered, "Reborn told me a few minutes later when he invited me into Tsuna's family."
She shook her head. "Lie." SHe aimed at Kyoko's head, fired. No bullet. "You found out when you were seven, when you stumbled on Sawada Iemetsu talking with his boss on the phone about the Vongola Ninth's son, Xanxus."
Several looked surprised, though Royhei winced. He'd forgotten about that entirely. He'd thought the man was joking at the time.
"Your weakest point in a fight?" She asked, she wanted to see if he would say the old one where he yelled, or the one of now.
"I don't do good with long range combat."
"Very good." She purred, firing at the wall. "Three down, three to go!" She said cheerily. "Does your sister know about the Mafia, Royhei-kun?"
"No."
"Good. Why,? You do realize if she knew and was trained at least to defend herself, I might not have caught her." She asked after no bullet came.
"I don't want her having anything to do with this world! I can protect her just fine on my own." He answered heatedly.
She sighed, "No, you can't." She fired at Kyoko, wincing when the rubber bullet made contact with her stomach. From the distance across the room, it would bruise and leave a large welt. However, she would be fine in the end. "You loose, Royhei-kun. You may give your sister the antidote and leave. But remember this as a lesson- you're a hitman of the Vongola, you will not always be able to save your precious sister. Teaching her the ways of a hit woman and how to heal so she wouldn't feel useless might be wise, don't you think?"
She looked at the camera that was transmitting to the TV as Royhei moved to his sister, cheerily adding, "Goku-chan, four days. Noon at the docks, where house thirteen. Shi-chan, four days, after Goku-chan and I are done, same place. Tata~!" She leapt out of the window.
Royhei came out of the building with his sister on his back, as Reborn lowered his fedora.
Chrome looked confused, "Why both on the same day? They aren't the Guardian of the same ring like Mukuro and I."
Reborn answered. "Because, it's the last day she plans to deal with us, I assume. Which means you both had best be on your toes, in this kind of thing, she probably ha something big planned for the grand finale."
No one seemed comfortable with such a thought.
Yamamoto sighed as he looked out his window, watching the sun hit the horizon as it set, blood red clouds fading to pink. He could hear his father doing the dishes down stairs after a day at work.
To say he was worried would be the least. He was utterly terrified. Tsuki had kidnapped his boss- the woman he had realized he loved when she left. The masked woman was strong and he was unsure he and Gokudera would win tomorrow, terrified she would kill Tsuna. The woman's cheerfulness angered him too. Even Xanxus in the ring battles hadn't been so careless in his words and tone. It was like she loved torturing them more mentally then physically- yet nothing she used would really kill anyone.
Had Haru fell from the building, it wouldn't have taken much to leap off and save her, she gave them the ways to save them, she didn't do anything to actually kill anyone. It confused him to no end, and he seemed the only one who'd caught the hidden hurt in her tone when he'd called her a bitch. Adding into it all, he felt like he knew her. He wasn't sure why though. He wasn't the only one thinking that either, Reborn and Gokudera had expressed the same thoughts.
And what did she gain? She'd already said she didn't really want Tsuna to die, even if she merely said that it would cost her the loss of entertainment. Add into it that each of these trials or fights were more like lessons…
None of it made sense to him.
"So the last of it's tomorrow, huh?" Mammon muttered.
"Seems like it." Squalo answered. "At least then we can get our asses back to Italy."
Xanxus curled his lip, "What's wrong, trash? Tired of being around your betters?" He grunted when he was slapped on the back of his head.
"Shut the fuck up, Xanxus, you idiot." Tsuna snapped, flicking ash off her cigarette.
"VOIII! Don't you talk to Bo-" He cut off when she shoved her cigarette- cherry and all- into his mouth, hacking and cursing as he ran to the sink for his burnt tongue.
Xanxus and Mammon merely laughed at him. Dino quirked a brow as he walked into get a soda, "What happened?" He asked as Romario followed him in.
"He annoyed Tsuna." Mammon answered. "Still wish I was getting paid for this…"
Tsuna rolled her eyes, "In the long run, you will be." She told the baby like person. 'You'll live, for one.' She thought darkly.
"So, exactly what do I need to illusion up tomorrow?"
"'Illusion up?'" Tsuna repeated with an odd look. "Well, anyway, just make it look like I'm tied up, unconscious." SHe explained, "I've told Romario he'll be holding a gun to my illusion's head."
"What are you doing to that trash Gokudera?" Xanxus inquired, taking a sip of bourbon.
"I mainly want to see how far he'll go to kill his own pride- and piss Yamamoto off for our fight." She answered as she eyed the setting sun, barely it's top left over the horizon of water. "I plan to make him grovel for me not to have Romario shoot illusion me." She said, grimacing. "Not going to be fun, but it's to test his pride, so it has to be done."
Dino rested a hand on her shoulder, "It'll all work out, Tsuna."
She lit another cigarette, staying silent. A few seconds later, she exhaled. "Perhaps."
The docks were quiet. Seemed to be the day off for the workers, they decided. Only the Guardians and Reborn had come this time. Lambo had brought a healing kit though, just incase something happened that needed to be taken care of immediately until an ambulance got there.
No one liked what they saw when they entered though. Tsuna was tied to a chair- arms to arm rests, legs to chair legs, torso to the chair back- with an unrecognizable black suited man holding a gun to her head. Tsuki was perched on the railing above the two.
"Ah, hello everyone." She greeted in that damned cheerful tone. "Down to business, ne? Sound good?" She didn't wait for an answer. "I would like everyone but Goku-chan to move back ten feet. Good." She was silent for a moment before she spoke again. Yamamoto wished he could see her expression- better yet read her mind to understand why the hell all of this was happening. "Goku-chan…how much do you love your little Boss? What kind of love is it, I wonder- sister? Friend? Or maybe as a lover? Go one, which is it? I'm curious."
Gokudera glared, hands twitching towards his hidden dynamite. "Sister."
"Really? That explains why your so devote to her then." She seemed to look past him, "What about you lot, in what ways do you love her?" They didn't answer, though she didn't expected them to- didn't want them to. "As you see, Goku-chan, my friend here is a little…trigger, happy. He loves killing people, I often have to hold him back." She knew Romario was rolling his eyes in his head, "He jumped at the chance to do this. So I'm giving you two choices, Goku-chan. Either my friend here kills your little boss…" She paused. No one breathed. "Or you beg me not to kill her." She said, smirk coloring her tone.
"Do make no mistake, Goku-chan, it isn't some rubber bullet. It's cold, hard, metal." She said. "Metal that will rip her brain apart in mere seconds, she'll be dead instantly. So, hat is it? Does she die…or do you beg?"
Royhei's fists clench. Hibari narrowed his eyes. Reborn growled lowly. Mukuro glared, Chrome tightened her hold on his arm. Yamamoto fingered his katana. Lambo clutched his Medi-kit. She was making him beg? She wanted him to grovel for his bosses life? The men knew that was an extremely low blow for a man. Pride was held high in the male half of the population, to ask one to beg…
Gokudera grimaced, hands balling into fists. Tsuna would hate him if she found out he had basically surrendered to the enemy…
"Choose, Goku-chan. We don't have all day…and my friend here's fingers might bet a little more trigger happy~" She giggled, though behind her mask she was watching him with a hard expression. She felt horrid for this. For all of it. 'What a dirty job I have…but someone has to do it. I just got cursed with it- perhaps blessed, I got to meet them all.' She shook of her thoughts.
Gokudera felt sweat roll down his back. She may hate him for it when she found out…but she'd be alive, damn it. He felt the cement contact with his knees as he fell to them, bowing his body over and placing his head on his hands. 'Pride be damned…'
"I don't here any begging, Goku-chan?" He heard the man shift the gun.
'…She won't die because of me.' His thought finished, teeth gnashing together for a moment. "O-Onegai. Don't…Don't kill Tsuna." She remained silent, and he continued as his mind dredged up horrible images of what his boss would look like if the man shot her. "Please! Please don't kill Tsuna! She's the only other real family I have except my sister! Please- I-I beg of you, don't kill her!"
Tsuki's eyes wanted to tear up, hating this, but instead they remained normal as she spoke, "Oh? Is your Famiglia not family? I thought the Vongola were a close knit Mafioso Family."
"T-They are, but not like Tsuna and Bianchi! Please, please don't kill her! I- none of us could live with ourselves if you did! I'm begging you, please don't!" His voice was desperate.
'You really have gotten over your pride, haven't you Hayato?' She thought, staring down at him threw the slits in her mask. "Jackson." She called.
"Hai, boss?" The man with the gun answered.
"Take little Sawada back to her chambers. She is no longer needed here."
"Hai." He put the gun into his jacket, lifted 'Tsuna', who was actually a dummy illusioned to look like her, and swiftly left through the side door. Though really Mammon was lifting the illusion on the doll once they got outside and hiding everyone's presence as they watched the proceedings.
"Gokudera Hayato, you win." She said, allowing her body to slide off the railing and land in a crouch. "I have to say, most men would rather there boss die than swallow their pride and grovel for their lives. I congratulate you." She clapped lightly as he stood and glared at her, backing away from her to join his Famiglia.
Yamamoto stepped forward, body tense as he wondered what she would have him do.
She merely seemed to stare at him for a while in silence. 'So, finally to Takeshi. I wonder if they'll hate me for all of this, or if they'll all understand.' Her eyes drifted past him to scan the faces of the people behind him.
Royhei still looked angry, probably still pissed that she'd hurt his sister. Hibari was expressionless, just like he always was in the other encounters. Mukuro was watching in expectation, Chrome clutching him in worry. Lambo looked ready to open his kit at a moments notice. Reborn was merely observant, though is eyes darted to where her illusion self had vanished with 'Jackson' minutes ago. Yamamoto…looked confused and apprehensive.
When she spoke, it was a tired tone, making everyone look at her in confusion because it wasn't the taunting cheerfulness she'd given them until then. "Yamamoto Takeshi…your task is to fight me. No killing blows, now permanently harming blows. If you unmask me, you win. Should I knock you out, you loose. Do you understand that?" She asked, ready for it to be over, but knowing she couldn't yet, no she had to actually fight him instead of just letting him take her mask off of her.
He drew his katana, staring at her with honey colored eyes. "Hai."
Her hands lit with the black flame of Tsuki no Kori, raising them into a position of quick movement.
Reborn decided it was much like a dance with a pattern or sorts. Yamamoto would swing, she would dodge, she would try to hit him, he would dodge, he'd manage to cut her, she'd manage to hit him, he'd nearly get her mask, she would barely evade. It made him wonder who trained her, how she was able to keep up so effortlessly with a master swordsman.
She ducked low, bringing her foot into his gut and knocking him away, breathing deeply. The impact of his body into the water pipeline shattered the pipe, water flooding into the room at an alarming rate, nearly two feet deep in seconds, before the water began to slowly drip, n more left to flood the room any higher.
'Now the terrains to his advantage.' She thought, watching him stand and shake her blow off, katana gripped tightly.
'I can't loose!' He told himself, straightening. He rushed at her, using his Rain Flames to run across the water.
'Shit!' She leapt up, "Umi o moyasu!" She yelled, allowing the black flames to turn to normal sky colored ones, spiraling around her to block the oncoming tidal wave of water. 'Not too much power, Natsu, lower it enough he'll be able to get through it!'
'Nyu!' Natsu answered mentally.
'That yell- it sounds like…' Yamamoto narrowed his eyes in realization, vanishing in the steam the collision of water and fire created.
Everyone squinted, trying to see what had happened, the steam too dense to see clearly. But then it was gone, and they saw Yamamoto standing over the woman, the mask gone and her ace covered by her soaked - and now free- hair.
"Why?" His voice reached them, as low as it was.
She woman's head lowered as she stood, voice just as quiet, but still loud enough to be heard. "Yamamoto Takeshi, you win." Her voice rose, "Mammon, reveal yourselves, it is over!"
An illusion fell, allowing everyone to see Romario, Dino, Xanxus, Squalo and Mammon on the balcony.
Tsuki raised her head, allowing hair to fall out of her face, revealing- Tsuna?
She smiled, looking slightly pained, "You ask me why. I told you when I left I wanted all of you to get stronger. You did, but I thought it best to test you, Xanxus and Dino agreed." She said as she backed away from them and picked up the broken mask from in the water, looking down it at. "Damn. Glad that wasn't my actual head." She muttered, the mask was broken in two.
Royhei scowled, "Then why threaten Kyoko? Or Haru? Why make Gokudera beg?"
She looked up at him with orange eyes. "Because that's what the enemy would do. Except there will be no non-lethal parts, no chances to get them back. They'll entertain themselves by making you suffer then they'll kill them, and they'll kill you. I'm sure at least a few of you realized each of what I did was a lesson. To Chrome and Mukuro, I made them figure out that they really need to work a little more on fighting on their own in case their separated, a fact I'm sure they realized once Chrome collapsed."
"I made Hibari realize he has much more to learn in the ways of hitmen- poisons specifically. Royhei, I tried to show you Kyoko needs to know about this, to defend herself, though it's your choice. I Gokudera, I wanted to see if his pride was still in the way. Yamamoto, well he had to use his head and figure out exactly who I was." She snorted, "Don't think I enjoyed it, I was torturing myself just as much as I was you." She sighed as she brought out a pack of cigarettes, grumbling when she found them too soaked to use.
She turned to Xanxus, "OI! Shit head! I know you brought my extra pack, give it!"
He merely rolled is eyes and threw them at her, alongside a lighter. She lit one and relaxed as she breathed in. "Needed that." She sighed again and looked at them, "I don't necessarily expect you to forgive me for it either, in any case I'll be returning here until you graduate with in the next few days. You have then to decided for certain if you will remain in the Famiglia, or if you will leave." Her final test. See how loyal they were.
She'd turned to leave when she was spun around and crushed against the man she'd just been fighting. "Wha-"
"Idiot!" He yelled, "Do you have any idea how worried we were?" She didn't answer. "And then you ask if we're going to stay? Stupid, I'm not leaving." 'No way in hell I ever would.' He thought.
Gokudera joined in with a yell of, "I'm never gonna leave the Famiglia." He declared, hand coming up to rest on her head.
Hibari merely patted her shoulder, "I will not be leaving either."
Mukuro laughed at her, "Don't think so, little Tsu-chan. I finally found the only part of Mafia I actually like."
Chrome giggled, "You still have to come to m wedding!"
Royhei flicked her cheek like he used to when they were kids. "I'm not leaving, little sister."
Tsuna couldn't help the smile that surfaced. "Arigato, minna." She ducked out of Yamamoto's arms and stopped in front of Lambo, "Your not too angry at me, are you?" She didn't want to loose Lambo, not her little brother.
He shook his head and nearly bowled her over as his arms latched around her waist. "Onee-chan!" He wailed. She smiled softly down at him, before looking up at Reborn.
The man shook is head, "You got strong, you know."
"Heard you beat the hell out of my Father." She said, ignoring the compliment.
"Yea, well…he deserved it."
"I agree." It fell into awkward silence. "When did you figure it out?" She asked after a minute, ignoring her Guardians watching in silence.
"When you told Yamamoto to unmask you."
"Reborn…do you mind if I do and say something completely and utterly mushy?"
He shrugged, watching her detached Lambo. He let his eyes widen in shock when she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, "I missed you, Reborn." She whispered.
A rare smile fell on his face. "Missed you too, brat."
Two Years later
"Mission report?" She asked, watching the man bow.
"Millefore Manner was destroyed, no survivors. Byakuran's death confirmed by Reborn-sama." He answered swiftly.
"Sou ka." 'Completely prevented…' Her eyes closed for a moment. 'Thank Kami.' "Dismissed."
"Hai!"
Tsuna leaned back in her chair, turning it to face the window. Not long after everyone had moved to Vongola HQ in Italy, her having taken up the mantel as Vongola Decima she'd finally broken down and told her Guardians and Reborn everything, future included. It appeared to have put them in shock- and Gokudera trying to decide whether to blow up her Father or not- but they agreed Millefore needed to be taken care of.
Of course she was in for her own shock when Yamamoto pulled off a shock of his own, holding out a engagement ring the next day. She'd nearly said no, thinking he was doing it because of what she told him about the future, but after he declared he'd been thinking about asking before then, she said yes in full excitement. They'd been married for three months now.
"Na, happy to have beaten him to the punch?"
She tilted her head back to look at her husband. "Damn straight."
He chuckled, leaning over her. "Good…any chance we could celebrate?"
She smirked, "Maybe…" She covered his mouth when he tried to kiss her, smirk widening. "If you can convince Hayato to finish my paper work."
She laughed when he began to pout. "Times a wasting, Takeshi." She sang, knowing it'd make him go bug Hayato to do it so they could have some alone time. She laughed harder when he practically flew out her door.
Yea, she was definitely happy she'd dealt with Millefore at the root. 'Now to finish this before Reborn gets back and annoys me about it.' She thought.
Wasn't too bad, was it? I know it kind of had a sucky ending... Give me your thoughts on it, try to give me more then 'I like it/I love it/I hate it/I don't like it' will ya?