sooo, hi? yeah, i'm alive. i klnow i haven't updated ANYTHING in the last few months and im really sorry about that (also sorry to all those wonderful peeps whose messages i keep neglecting!) so here's a lil thing that's been stuck in my head for quite a while. this is also sort of relevant to a part of Redemption that i haven't posted yet and i'll probably be directing you right this way when that chapter comes out (and it will! at some point...). anyways, enjoy the ramblings of a probably misinformed KHR theorist.
Flame Core Theory
While the origins and history of the Dying Will flames are still shrouded in mystery to this day, with only the doubtful and admittedly short input from Ancient Earthling Checkerface a.k.a. Kawahira to go by, the mechanics behind organic flame creation and type division as well as several anomalies that branch out from this are no such mystery anymore.
We start at the main point of this theory: the "Flame Core". Flames are not quite an ever present form of energy in one's body, they have to come from somewhere. This is where the core comes in. The flame core in and of itself does not produce the flames per se, instead it converts a person's energy – or their life force in other words – into Dying Will flames. It is what makes it possible for a person to have flames. However, for this reaction to take place strong positive feelings such as determination, resolve and the will to live are used as a catalyst, thus enabling the conversion in the first place.
Flame cores, of course, come in different types. The most common are the six basic Sky type flames: Storm, Rain, Sun, Lightning, Cloud and Mist. A Storm core converts the user's life force into Storm flames, a Rain core produces Rain flames and so on.
Every person on this planet possesses at least one core, however it is not uncommon for a person to have more than one, indicating the affinity for different types of flames. In his case we differentiate between the primary core, of which there is only one and produces the strongest flames for which the user has the strongest affinity, and secondary cores, which can amount from none to several. The conversion rate of secondary cores is not as efficient as that of the primary core, though the general strength and efficiency levels of any core in relation to other individuals varies from person to person. In very rare cases, a person may possess a tertiary core, though the conversion rate of these is ridiculously low and most regard the necessary concentration to summon flames from this tertiary core as too much effort for pitifully small results.
Sky flames, on the other hand, function a bit differently. A Sky user has not one, but seven different cores. Six of these are the aforementioned basic types. These cores are an anomaly as they appear to lie between primary and secondary in strength, but their only function seems to be converting flames at the same time and immediately directing them to the seventh core, the Sky core, which then merges these six flames into a single one, creating Sky flames. The process for the creation of the incredibly rare Earth flames is essentially the same, only with different cores, just as the six basic Earth type cores function identically to the basic Sky types.
Cores come, as mentioned before, mostly in Sky-elementals. Earth-elementals are extremely rare and finding both kinds in the same person even more so. Also, while both Sky users and Earth users can indeed activate the individual cores separately, it takes an immense amount of concentration to both keep the other cores from activating as well and to keep the Sky/Earth core from pulling the flames to itself. Because this process goes against the core's original process, the resulting flames tend to be rather weak and unrefined in comparison to the complete Sky flames.
These cores, while part of any person's body, aren't completely attached. If one were to somehow remove one from a person, it wouldn't affect them in any way except for impeding their ability to produce Dying Will flames.
Hyper Dying Will Mode
When a primary core reaches a certain point of efficiency, which is indicated by a peak in the strength and purity of the user's flames, Hyper Dying Will Mode is achieved. However, this is only achieved through constant use of an already predisposed core, meaning that the necessary disposition or potential for Hyper Dying Will Mode is determined at birth. These cores are called Hyper Cores and are hereditary albeit ridiculously rare and insistent on jumping generations. It does not happen often that both parent and child are born with this potential.
Hyper Dying Will Mode is recognizable through a constantly burning flame on the user's forehead, signifying both the constant production of flames for the whole, subconscious purpose of strengthening the body and the ability to physically manifest flames outside/around the user without a conduct (typically in the form of rings) since their body is already acclimated to the circulation of flames inside it.
Vongola's Dying Will Bullet
The Vongola famiglia's famous Dying Will Bullet is in fact an attempt at reproducing the effects of Hyper Dying Will Mode to an extent and make it usable for anyone. The results, however, deviate a bit from the original enhancement. The Dying Will Bullet uses a compound that acts as a catalyst amplifier for a short amount of time (until it runs out). This results in the core constantly releasing flames in chaotic and uncontrolled bursts and spreading them through the user's body. These bullets, while not quite effective for their original purpose, work marvelously as a way of training a Hyper Core into reaching its full potential.
Although the details are somewhat unclear, seeing as Vongola researchers refuse to release any detailed information on the subject, because the bullet is usually taken to the head, it has a certain effect on the brain that freezes and also amplifies the user's train of thought at the time of metaphorical "death" for as long as the bullet works, thus making them act incredibly obsessive about a certain task or thought.
Special Case #1: Arcobaleno
The Arcobaleno curse itself may still be an unsolved puzzle, but the process of "Arcobalenization" and the function of the pacifier can be attributed to this theory. Arcobaleno pacifiers work as a second primary core, which slowly takes on the function of the actual core. As time passes, the pacifier converts more and more of the cursed one's life force into flames, but unlike the first core, it stores away the converted flames inside itself, thus gradually dwindling the amount of flames the user can use with the same amount of energy to transform.
Of course, the conversion, both in the primary core and the pacifier, only takes place when the user actually produces flames. With no catalyst there is no reaction. For this reason, the pacifiers are given to people who not only have strong enough flames to power them, but who also tend to use them often. The more an Arcobaleno uses their flames, the more the pacifier takes over the conversion function of the core and the less flames they can actually produce themselves.
When this overturning of the energy transformation function is ca. 95% percent complete, the pacifier sucks out both any remaining flames and all life force left in the host. However, this pacifier is by now already pretty used up (as they are artificial imperfect core duplicates they can only be used for a set amount of time before they become unusable) so flames and energy are then transferred to a new pacifier, leaving the old one empty, along with the Ancient Flame Stone, which is believed to turn into flames for a short amount of time until the transfer is finalized and then turn back into solid matter inside the new pacifier. Usually, in the process of this transfer a burst of flames is released, breaking the Arcobaleno curse completely and restoring the body to its original state right before they lose their lives (details are unclear and still being researched) (See: Night Flames and the Vindice).
In the case of the last generation of Arcobaleno, their pacifiers were removed without finalizing the Arcobalenization process, thus leaving them alive. However the flame production rate of their primary core is rather low, making the conversion far more ineffective than originally. This condition will likely get better with time, possibly at an exponential rate. This means that, since the breaking of the curse requires such enormous amounts of flames which they cannot as of yet produce, their growth back to their original state should be gradual, albeit also exponential.
Special Case #2: Night Flames and the Vindice
The only type of core that hasn't been addressed yet is the recently discovered Night type, since it is fundamentally different from other cores. First of all, no one is ever born with a Night core, thus, no person should be able to utilize Night flames since birth.
Night flames themselves are the result of hatred and/or vindictiveness upsetting the balance in the original core if the amount is more than that of the usual catalysts. This imbalance triggers a mutation of the core to a Night type. For an already empty core, for example that of a finalized Arcobaleno in their final moments, this mutating process is rather quick, almost instantaneous. On the other hand, in a still functioning core, the process can be halted with enough willpower, but only before it has done too much damage.
However, both partial and total core mutations are completely irreversible.
As for the Vindice and their origins, the following is information that was gathered slowly from the only somewhat reliable source on this subject, Bermuda von Veckenschtein. Due to lack of other sources, we cannot confirm his claims. However, his word, though scrutinized, will be treated as the truth until proven otherwise. While this not exactly part of theory, it is a necessary story to explain the existence of the Vindice.
According to Bermuda, he is the only one to have survived the Arcobalenization on his own, not allowing it to completely come to an end. Bermuda's survival was in part due to his enormous willpower, but also due to Checkerface's carelessness in leaving Bermuda alone when he held on to the minuscule last bit of life force that had not yet been sucked into the new pacifier.
Thus, Bermuda stayed alive but the curse was not lifted. He used this last ounce of energy and divided it, one part keeping him alive while he used the other to produce Night flames with his by now already mutated core. While the process in itself is somewhat unclear, as we were only vaguely told something about Night portals, which we haven't had the chance to properly examine first, these flames supposedly multiplied up to a certain point and compressed, creating denser, more powerful flames than the regular kind.
The process described next would require extreme amounts of control and willpower and we are therefore still a bit doubtful about it, but it is still the information we were given to work with. Bermuda, at this point, forced a reverse reaction through his core, aiming to transform his Night flames back into life force. This, he tells us, is not only how he managed to stay alive, but also revive the dying finalized Arcobaleno, providing them with a constant stream of flames which continuously force reverse reactions to keep them alive.
This energy, however, is highly unnatural, not meant to exist in a human body. Therefore, while it does keep the Vindice alive, their bodies cannot function properly, giving them an almost "undead" appearance that they prefer to hide.
This is all the information we have managed to obtain for now. We will update our theory as our research continues.