Ah... I actually don't have much to say about this one except that it was a pain to write, and at the same time, very entertaining. I started writing it after finishing Suberidai and it had taken nearly all of my time, and other things got it the way of completing this sucker so I wound up work on only this story for a month straight. XP
More than anything though this was practice for a story (KHR! of course) that I have in the works, so if it seems ah... inconsistent, I suppose, in some parts (I know it does) I seriously apologize.
Disclaimer: I really don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn! and the disclaimer is proof of it. I wouldn't put one up if I did.
The plots had been overflowing.
For the first time in his now deemed 'mundane' life, Byakuran felt so excited, he almost couldn't contain it.
The plots were overflowing now that he knew that he could travel through parallel worlds.
There was so much-oh so much!- that he can do and he could do it all with his new found power.
The thought of it was so divine. He sat there in his dorm, eyes wide and lips slightly parted gasping for little puffs of air due to the slight exertion of his power, and the thought was divine.
He, himself, could be divine. He could be as powerful as God.
His lips spread into a slow, devilish smile.
"Just so you know, once that I get the Mare Ring… I might cause mass destruction, or wipe out an entire population, or use it for some very nonsensical things."
Byakuran gave a light, feathery smile, but upon opening his eyes, a dark, near pitch black glint shined in them, showing that his angelic-like smile was not there in the slightest.
"Would you try to stop me?"
The two cloaked women in front of him stared at him impassively, and one stepped forward to him. Her smaller, darker hand took Byakuran's bigger, lighter hand and placed a winged ring in his palm, the orange jewel glinting as she did so. Her face tilted up to him and Byakuran stared back into her obscured eyes.
"We will never interfere with you. However…"
The dark woman stepped back with her partner and chorused, "Do not forget that there are two other Sky Rings, two others who may try to stop you."
Byakuran closed his eyes in a smile as his lips quirked upwards even further. His long fingers enclosed over his Sky Mare Ring and he could feel its power pulsating slightly, showing it was willing to help play out his scheme.
"That's great! A game would be boring without rivals, after all!"
'Just two key players to crush in the end.'
Byakuran laughed a loud and light laugh, but to the Cervello women before him, it sounded dark and near evil.
"Wh-Who are you?"
"Not even wearing a protective suit… This is a contaminated area y'know!"
Byakuran smiled lightly and with a single twist of his wrists, a knife embedded itself into each of the doctors' stomachs. His purple gaze never left his target as he walked forward, the two bodies falling behind him. He stopped in front of a bed and peered down on a figure, completely mummified and blood staining its wrappings and the sheets beneath him.
His eyes closed in a smile and his greeting rolled off his tongue,
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Genkishi."
Byakuran nearly laughed when the bedridden male had twitched slightly in hostility. Oh what a wonderful opportunity this disease had given him.
"Oh~?" His fake surprise had been well disguised. "So this is the incurable disease going around for which there is still no vaccine... I had heard the symptoms were acute but…" He raised an eyebrow as his eyes landed on visible skin, redden by blood but broken, cracked and grey without the blood staining it. "All this in only two days? It certainly does work quickly."
Byakuran slipped a hand in his jeans pocket and brightened his smile. "Incidentally, that lovely nurse at the reception desk tells me that you haven't said a word since you arrived here… just spent the whole time crying."
There was no response, and though the silence was neither confirming nor dissuading, Byakuran opened his eyes and let what he saw confirm what was said. At that he gave a soft smile.
"Oh, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Byakuran's tone softened. "No matter how great the swordsman…death is a scary thing.
Genkishi's one visible eye stared into Byakuran's eyes, tears spilling over, mixing in with the blood.
Byakuran stared back, eyes not holding the same amount of softness as his smile and words, but staring back with enough to fool him.
Byakuran closed his eyes in a smile again and continued.
"God must be a rather cruel person, don't you think? Never granting long life for those who do good work."
He tilted his head, soft smile brightening considerably. "Those admirable doctors and that lovely nurse outside died ever so easily…and he turns a blind eye even when a splendid swordsman such as yourself loses his life to simple disease on a training journey."
Byakuran stepped forward once and gently placed a hand next to Genkishi's bloodied form. He leaned his body over the man and opened his eyes, false kindness overflowing and the soft smile backing up his deceit.
"If I were God, I wouldn't act that way."
Genkishi's eye widened and Byakuran continued, his voice softening even more. "I would give those who worked their best for me the reward they deserve."
Byakuran fought to keep from grinning wildly and the way Genkishi's eye flickered in hope. He was too pure… too easy.
"So, I'll heal that disease for you…" Byakuran smiled warmly and felt Genkishi shiver from underneath him. "…And you can think the rest over yourself!"
And after Byakuran administered the vaccine, Genkishi came to life again. The once fallen swordsman flexed his fingers and stared at his body, eyes wide and searching for the one detail that could shatter this miracle bestowed upon him. And when finding none, he turned his gaze onto Byakuran. Golden eyes stared at him as if he was his life, his world, his one and only God…
Byakuran grinned near devilishly at the sight. He could get use to a look like that.
"Come on in, Uni-chan."
Byakuran ushered in a small girl and watched as she stared at the grand room in slight awe. Byakuran kept his smile and once the girl turned around, Byakuran's eyes opened and a rush of hunger overflowed.
She had the Sky Arcobaleno Pacifier. Here in this guest room was one the key players that would stand in his way and fulfill his desire, unknowingly.
He allowed his angelic-like smile to twist darkly, knowing he was about to obtain a huge part of his desire.
The moment Uni turned back to Byakuran, the dark ambitions vanished from his face and he closed his eyes in its usual smile, shielding off the darker emotions.
"So, Uni-chan, ready to start negotiating?"
Uni didn't respond.
A silence stretched, and soon a good ten minutes passed without either being speaking. Byakuran felt his smile twitch, almost faltering, and spoke quietly, "What's with the silence?"
Byakuran allowed his eyes to open and found himself watching Uni stepping backwards, large blue eyes staring back at him nervously, but very calculating. She licked her lips and clasped her hands together on her chest, her feet coming to a complete stop.
And she spoke.
"Your eyes have a very dark light in them, Byakuran-san. Your smile is so angelic, shining almost heavenly, and it hides that ugly, evil desire in your soul that your eyes reflect so strongly."
Byakuran's smile finally fell, and his eyes widened in disbelief. Within only five minutes of being in the same room of this child, he had been completely seen through. It was near frightening…no, exciting.
If she had that kind of a power, how much more power could be obtained with both the Sky Pacifier and the Mare Ring?
Byakuran's eyes sharpened in desire and his smile stretched across his face. So much power…
Byakuran laughed, his eyes closing in genuine, yet deceitful, mirth. He heard Uni's quiet breath hitch in surprise as he approached her slowly.
"Now, now Uni-chan! That makes me sound like I'm a bad person!" Byakuran let out one last laugh as he came to a stop before Uni. His eyes opened ever so slightly and took in Uni's rigid form through his long eyelashes. Uni stared back, eyes widened in apprehension. Byakuran slowly put a hand on Uni's cheek and smiled slowly.
"Besides, if I were as bad as you suggested, I would have already disposed of you. All I want is your Sky Pacifier, Uni-chan."
"No. You wouldn't." Byakuran's eyes widened and stared at an expressionless Uni, large blue eyes hard and lips pressed in a firm line.
"I have too much importance," she continued. "I am a key to helping you fulfill your desire, completing the Tri Ni Sette. If you get rid of me, you just may lose something important."
Byakuran stared at the Sky Arcobaleno, surprise apparent.
Slowly, his eyes narrowed and his lips twisted in a dark smile. His ring burst to life in a large Sky Flame and let his greed and desire flow through the flame. Uni's blank demeanor vanished at the sight of his flame as she watched Byakuran's flame lash and flicker against her skin in a near hypnotizing dance. Slowly her eyes met Byakuran's eyes.
"Wonderful, Uni-chan. You were able to tell so much." Byakuran grinned devilishly,
"You need to rest now, Uni-chan."
Byakuran watched Uni's eyes widen and look back at the orange flame. Byakuran's grin widened as her blue eyes slowly clouded and emptied. The Sky Arcobaleno Pacifier was nearly-
Her gaze sharply flicked back to him, clouded eyes burning in resolution and…
Byakuran nearly sneered. There was defiance.
Uni's eyes burned brightly in a last bravado before her eyes drooped to a close. When her eyes opened again, blue eyes stared soullessly back at him. Byakuran's eyes narrowed at the empty girl before smiling brightly and leading her outside.
He watched as Uni and Gamma, along with others from her Family, reunited, Uni told them of the merge between the Gesso and the Giglio Nero Families, how Gamma tried to question Uni, and how Uni merely blew him off. Byakuran stared expressionlessly as Gamma realized something was very wrong with his young Boss and turned to him, correctly assuming that he was the reason for Uni's behavior. Anger flowed and contorted his face and he screamed at him,
"Byakuran! What did you do to Uni-sama!"
"Hmm…" Byakuran smiled blankly, "I wonder what?"
And Byakuran truly did wonder. Something was wrong with Uni and he didn't cause all of it. It was as if just before he put her into a deep sleep, her soul had left-no, escaped.
Gamma began an attack on Byakuran, his anger peaking past its maximum. With an angry cry at his name, he sent twin golden foxes, spewing lightning reflecting his rage, rolling in a straight course towards him.
Uni stepped in front of him, arms spread in a defense for him.
"If you want to lay a finger on Byakuran-sama, you'll have to kill me first."
Her empty words cut across Gamma's heart, just like the lightning cutting her skin, and his troubled face reflected it beautifully.
Byakuran smiled.
In the end, it didn't matter what happened to her soul. That defiant look didn't surmount to anything either. In the end, he came out as victor.
He had the Sky Arcobaleno Pacifier.
Amusement percolated in violet eyes as they watched the bespectacled red-head before him. He smiled easily as Shouichi Irie nervously reported success of a recent attack on a Vongola ally, the Tomaso Family.
"A-after the Black Spell located and reached the Gr-Gr-Grand H-H-Hall, they en-encountered th-th-th-"
Byakuran laughed jovially and Shouichi flushed up to the roots of his hair.
"Take a deep breath, Shou-chan! There's no need to be nervous!"
Shouichi didn't respond as he pushed up his glasses and looked at the report, a nervous grimace appearing on his face and picked up where he left off.
"…The Black Spell encountered the Eighth Tomaso Boss, Naito Longchamp, and…"
Shouichi paused and Byakuran stared at him curiously.
"Shou-chan?"
Pained anger flashed on Shouichi's face and gritted out,
"…And they killed him with a shot through his heart."
Byakuran's curiosity faded and he grinned at the news. "Ah~ That's very good news, Shou-chan!"
Shouichi didn't respond. Byakuran stared at the man, his eyes blank and his smile bright. "Is something the matter, Shou-chan? You don't look very happy though we have received such wonderful news. This brings us to the next step, you know."
Shouichi looked straight at him, green eyes flickering nervously and…
Disapprovingly.
Byakuran's eyes narrowed darkly before closing them in a smile. He heard Shouichi's clothes ruffle as he bowed and muttered, "I'll be leaving, Byakuran-sama."
Shouichi's boots clicked against the tile flooring as he turned and started to walk away. Byakuran's smile widened and he called out,
"Oh, and tell the forces to prepare the attack on the Vongola HQ."
He heard Shouichi take in a sharp gasp as he turned abruptly to face Byakuran. "You… you can't mean-"
"Why can't I mean it, Shou-chan?" Byakuran's eyes snapped open in a cold gaze, his smile barely hanging on his lips and Shouichi froze at the look. A silence passed through the two, the air still and heavy with unspoken tensions and feelings, and Byakuran smiled brightly.
"Our stage is set, Shou-chan. Vongola forces are at a point where if we were to attack, they could be utterly overwhelmed. Within a few days, maybe one day if we overestimated them, the Vongola HQ could be destroyed."
He studied Shouichi's shaken form with blank eyes before they slid to a close in its usual smile.
"After taking down the HQ, we'll be one step closer to a more entertaining world. Isn't that wonderful, Shou-chan?"
Shouichi's response was only a pained noise, followed by a quick rhythm of footsteps sounding farther away from him.
Byakuran's eyes opened and stared at Shouichi's retreating back, violet eyes frosted.
Shouichi disapproved.
His sharp gaze lingered on Shouichi until he disappeared through large mahogany doors. Byakuran slowly closed his eyes and a slight melancholy frown slid on his lips.
Shouichi had always disapproved. Nearly everything he did had earned a disapproved glance from bespectacled green eyes, and truthfully, it was upsetting. Shouichi Irie was a very special friend; he had been hanging around him since his university years. The two of them were almost always with each other, talking about the latest game system, annoying professors, various foods and pastries and what ever came up. And when Byakuran told his group of friends how he could be divine and how he would be able to reign over the world, all of them turned their backs on him, refusing to even be near Byakuran and his absurdity.
Shouichi, however, stayed right by his side in the telling of his plots, and stayed when everybody else left. Shouichi was his first follower.
But something had changed, and now Shouichi's once friendly gazes became distant and disagreeing.
Byakuran sighed and smiled with sardonic amiableness. In the end, it didn't matter.
If Shou-chan defied him, then he would be disposed of.
The Vongola were in a pinch. Their headquarters obliterated, allies falling right and left, and their reign over the mafia world threatened, the Vongola were in a serious pinch.
Byakuran knew that. He knew that they were in a critical crisis. He also knew that the Tenth Vongola Boss wanted to protect, to keep as many lives alive as possible. That was why he had arranged a meeting to negotiate demands in which would put a stop to the growing bloodshed between both forces.
Byakuran found it mildly admirable and completely foolish and naïve. Years of being the Boss of the entire Underground World should have taught him that meetings like this could end his life, and if it wasn't the experience then that dead baby tutor of his should have drilled it in his head. However, the negotiations could provide him with what he wanted.
He wanted the Vongola Rings.
More than anything, he wanted the Vongola Sky Ring.
The Tenth Boss of the Vongola was obviously the possessor of that ring.
A nasty sneer curled on Byakuran's lips and the arm resting on the top of the couch he slouched on tightened with the closing of his fist.
But he had heard that the Vongola Rings had been destroyed.
The Tri Ni Sette couldn't be completed if one-third of the equation had been destroyed.
His other hand ghosted over his pocket, feeling for a loaded gun given to him by Shouichi. That man had defied him, and those who defy the divine, the all powerful, must be rid of.
His purple eyes darkened in anger, greed, anticipation, and his lips twisted so abruptly that his whole face contorted with it; it was the face of the embodiment of the Devil.
And the doors opened.
In walked Sawada Tsunayoshi.
Byakuran's eyes narrowed to a near close at his appearance. In had walked probably the most beautiful -surreally beautiful- man and Byakuran felt the urge to kill him increase. With every stride taken by the dark suited man, with every second brown eyes that were as warm as rich, melted chocolate lingered on him, with every slight ruffle of groomed-to-be messy brown hair, and with every passing moment that his calm face remained directed at him increased that urge to see the man who had defied him so wrongly dead.
Sawada Tsunayoshi smiled.
"Good afternoon, Byakuran."
Byakuran returned his smile, with lips and eyes.
"Goodbye, Tsunayoshi-kun."
And Byakuran cherished Sawada Tsunayoshi's surprised expression and how his peach skin paled when Byakuran clicked the safety of his once pocketed gun off and pointed at him.
"Sorry to say, Tsunayoshi-kun, but negotiations were off the moment you decided to destroy the Vongola Rings." Byakuran laughed loudly. "And to think that you destroyed the rings to protect your Family when the rings would have prolonged your lives!"
Sawada Tsunayoshi didn't reply, more like, couldn't reply. The moment Byakuran's statement ended, the trigger was pulled, and the air cracked and ripped as gunshot sounded. Morbid satisfaction shone on Byakuran's eyes as he watched the bullet sail through the air on a one way course through the Tenth Vongola's skull. The bullet inched closer and closer to the Tenth's forehead and he grinned in anticipation of seeing that man's blood.
Sawada Tsunayoshi smiled and narrowed his eyes.
Byakuran's eyes widened, locking gazes with the don.
The bullet penetrated the Vongola's skull.
Blood splashed out and slid down paling peach cheeks.
Blood fluttered about as the Tenth Vongola Boss descended.
Byakuran remained locked in his eyes as he slowly fell to the ground, not once blinking.
Sawada Tsunayoshi crashed to the ground, eyes narrowed and smiling.
Brown eyes still burned though clouded; his will still burned brightly.
His smile was knowing. His eyes defied.
You won't win.
It was stronger than Uni's defiance. It shone brighter than Shouichi's disapproval. It was bright, haunting and Byakuran felt overwhelmed- as if he had been given his Judgment.
But Sawada Tsunayoshi was dead.
And Byakuran was the other worldly, above-all-humanity figure, not this dead, surreally beautiful human.
You won't win.
Byakuran nearly dashed out the room, numbly telling a Black Spell member to clean up the dead body and deliver it to the Vongola, as a negotiation 'gift.' He needed that man gone.
That man was dead; there was no way he could do anything.
You won't win.
Byakuran's lips parted and released a long, loud scream as the orange flames engulfed his body. His limbs flew back yet he was held in place.
He was burning. The flames consumed and his insides felt like fire; he was burning. His neck strained as he moved it down to meet those defiant, bright orange eyes, eyes that still haunted him.
Sawada Tsunayoshi was alive. And he had won.
The boy was still as surreally beautiful as he could be ten years younger; peach skin glowing with light of his Sky Flames, hair ruffling from the force of the X-Burner, and hard, narrowed eyes burning defiance, reluctance, and his will.
Ah, but his defiance wasn't really defiance, was it?
Sawada Tsunayoshi was higher, more powerful than he was.
The look in his eyes was his Judgment.
Byakuran smiled, he felt warm and the light was bright and blindly. He knew this smile was pure and genuine, and that this was his true smile.
'You win.'
I seriously blanked on the last part of this. There was something else that needed to be put in the final scene and I couldn't think of what it was. How frustrating! And I know the Tomaso Famliy was supposed to be missing, but I couldn't remember any other Vongola ally that would work. Sorry Longchamp!
Nonetheless, I hope it was understandable (to a degree...) and that you enjoyed it!
Sorry for the mistakes in this and please review!