The fourth of my Dino and Hibari drabbles for the 50ficlets challenge. I hope you enjoy it.
Amano Akira owns Reborn. This story is for entertainment purposes only.
Theme Twenty-Four - Flip Side
Dino isn't sure what had made him come here in the first place. Perhaps it was concern for the young Vongola Family. Perhaps it was the overwhelming feeling of dread one felt before the possibility of something bad happening, a morbid curiosity that he couldn't shake. Or perhaps it was the fact that somewhere in the back of his mind, a distant voice that he could barely hear but still heeded told him that he was worried that Hibari wouldn't show at all.
He'd parted ways with the younger Hibari some time ago, after his decision to cut their last training session short to save his student's strength for the upcoming battle had been poorly received by said student. He hadn't seen him since then, and it was making him slightly nervous. He trusted the Hibari from his own time, of course; Kyouya had grown into a powerful mafioso and a respected member of the Vongola Family, even if it still irritated him to be so closely associated with them in that respect. They had been through several wars and battles as allies, and had saved each other's necks enough to develop as much of a mutual trust as Kyouya ever allowed himself to indulge in. The thing that was worrying Dino was that the younger Hibari was yet to experience these events with him, or Tsuna, or any of his other allies. And really, it would have been ridiculous to say that Hibari hadn't been difficult to deal with when he was younger. To say he'd been tolerable the first time they'd met probably would have been sugar-coating it.
He can tell the young Vongola are worried, too. Yamamoto is missing too, but Dino knew Yamamoto well enough to believe that he would show for Tsuna's sake, come hell or high water. Tsuna looked nervous, of course, but there was also a fleeting streak of determination and trust that made Dino sure that the boy in front of him would grow into the man he knew. And Dino could sympathise with that emotion, with the nervousness and impatience you felt when your friends were unaccounted for. It was even worse when they were also two of your most powerful allies.
He watches and waits as the minutes tick by. Tsuna may have refused the apparition of Byakuran in the sky for the moment, but he looks a little more stricken with every second that passes. Gokudera smokes endlessly, stubbing out old cigarettes at the same time as he lights new ones. Lambo is running between everyone around him asking questions, and is eventually picked up by Haru and calmed down. Ryohei looks as intense and focused as ever, but is uncharacteristically quiet. Chrome is as silent as usual, and would appear frightened were it not for the steady grip with which she held her trident.
In the end, Hibari and Yamamoto arrive just in time to provide their flames for the Vongola's transportation to the battlefield. Dino feels as though he's been holding his breath since he first arrived, and quickly breathes in and out while his mind buzzes with a muted sort of relief. Hibari is a haughty about his late entrance as ever, and Dino cannot help but smile; he can remember when the Hibari of their time would have acted exactly the same way. These days he had the tact to be a little more gracious, but certainly not too gracious.
And suddenly, all of the young Vongola were being moved to the location of the Choice battle, bathed in a blinding white light that seemed to give off no heat. In an instant, Dino feels himself moving forward and into that light, his eyes still fixed on the younger Hibari. He's seen Hibari fight many times over the years, and many of those times were instances when his former student's attacks were aimed directly at him. But no matter how many times he witnessed Kyouya in the midst of battle, he always enjoyed watching him fight. His power and finesse were always second-to-none, and he found himself appreciating Kyouya's skill, even when those precise, powerful blows were directed at him. And now that the younger Hibari had arrived in their time and he had taken the time to train him, he wants to see the extent of his power too, of all of their powers, of the strength that the Vongola Rings could give them, a strength that the Vongola of their time could no longer wield.
He feels his feet leave the ground; he was a good distance behind the Vongola, but he still ascends at a steady pace. It's probably a good thing that he's going in unnoticed, because he's not sure how Byakuran will react to his presence. The sensation of being shifted to the Choice field is strange, as if he's tripped over his own feet and completely missed the ground when landing. But, he thinks with a smile as he's overcome by the blinding white light, there was no way he would ever miss it. It would be worth it to see his student and all of the other Vongola fight for the safety of all of their worlds.
end.