Chapter 7: Change

I ran towards the smoking shrine, hoping that I wasn't to late. My flames have calmed down a little now, but my nerves will stay on edge as long as I don't see my friend alive.

I heard the clashing of metal against metal and unconsciously quickened my sprint, all my assassin training clicking in. I ran towards the sound and found the one I knew as Gamma flying upwards. I jumped up towards him, adding a little of my flames on the soles of my feet. I drew my sword out and stabbed him straight in his chest, I watched coldly as he gasped for, "Who are you?" he asked coughing up some more of his blood.

I looked at him coldly before driving my sword into his chest, "None of your business." I whispered in his ear before taking out one of my daggers and slitting his throat. Merciless and yet stunning my conscious said making me scowl in anger. I watched as his body dropped to the ground in one stupid head before I jumped down beside him, I took deep breath in before putting on a patch. I felt the familiar feeling of the poison seeping into my skin, before I acknowledged Mr. Cloud Ring.

I looked at him with a curious eye, staring at his features. He still looked the same, shaggy black hair, slanted eyes, but the only difference was that he grew taller, like really tall. I suddenly heard the bushes rustle to my left, before Tsuna and Miss Lal emerged from them. "What have you been up to, Sawada Tsuna?" the cloud ring holder said with a smirk. "Hibari-san! Luca-san!" Tsuna exclaimed. I nodded towards the forest behind him before turning towards the one known as Hibari.

"Decimo, the others are in the forest, you might want to go there and check on them." I said. I heard a loud gasp come from him before the sound of his feet hitting the ground quieted down. I looked towards Hibari with emotionless eyes before he spoke, "You like your doing well Valentino." I raised my brow at his formalities before turning to look at Tsuna. "Yeah, you too…" I mumbled closing my eyes. My temper was still flaring, so I really didn't feel like talking to anybody right now. I let out a small sigh before opening my eyes to look at Tsuna who was trying to move Gokudera and Yamamoto. "Decimo, Don't move them so much, you might worsen their condition." I said walking towards him calmly.

I crouched down beside their horrible looking bodies before gently rubbing my hand over their foreheads, "Sometimes I wonder if theirs even a brain in those heads of yours…" I faintly heard Hibari say something before I felt someone tap my shoulder. I looked over to see Tsuna with a small smile, "We have to go," I looked over at the two on the ground before lifting up Gokudera, lifting him on my shoulder. "Alright…"

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As I gazed at the damaged form of Gokudera, I couldn't help feel guilty. Even if he is my "rival" he was still so much fun to be with, his overreactions were good entertainment, his scowls were like reminders to stay away. I let out an anxious sigh, Damn it, damn it all. I can't believe I was so stupid… it was my fault that the two of them got hurt, why did this have to happen? I put my face in my hands as I tried to stop my guilty thoughts, damn…

I felt a light pressure on my shoulder, jolting me out of my thoughts. I looked over to see Reborn with a small reassuring smile; I returned the smile before allowing him to sit on my lap. We sat in a comfortable silence, I tried to calm down during this silence but to no avail, couldn't. "You know, it's not your fault." He said breaking the silence. I glanced down at the little arcobaleno on my lap before shacking my head, "I could have moved faster, we were only lucky that they got out of that with only injuries and not…" I trailed of, sighing in anger and frustration. Reborn turned around to look at me, before slapping my cheek. Though it was only a soft slap, it still took me by surprise.

I looked at him in confusion and surprise before lightly touching my cheek. "Its not your fault." Reborn stated, pronouncing each letter like he was talking to a child. "You are not someone who can protect everybody. You're human. Don't go around like you can be their saving grace, let your comrades take some of you duties from you shoulders, let them help you." His words struck something inside of me, and it hurt. It hurt to know that in this world I couldn't save everybody who is dear to me, it hurt to know that I could be vulnerable; I hate it so much because it hurt.

I looked deep into the eyes of Reborn, hoping to find some kind of lie in his words, but there was none. I leaned my forehead onto his, making our forehead touch. "Why do you have to right about so many things?" I asked mostly to myself. Though I knew he heard cause he chuckled, I smiled at the comforting presence he brought around him before lifting my head to look at him with a genuine smile. "Thanks Reborn." I mumbled as he gave me a comforting pat.

I heard the door open and saw Tsuna come in, "Luca-san, he is still asleep?" He asked as he stood beside my chair. I nodded my, not counting on my voice to crack. "B-Boss… I'm sorry…" I whipped my head over to the weak voice of Gokudera before grinning widely, "Gokudera-kun!" Tsuna exclaimed coming closer to the bead. "I've been really scared … ever since we came to this world…" it took me a lot of my will power not to lecture him, but I was glad he was able to wake up. "My temper got the best of me… and I took all out on Yamamoto... I let something like this happen… I'm so sorry…" he seethed.

"Yamamoto said the same thing when he woke up, he told me not to tell." Reborn said with a small smile. I chuckled at the face Gokudera made when he found out that Yamamoto was okay. "It was good that you came back alive, wouldn't want the competitions to be to easy now do we?" I said leaning back on the chair while crossing my arms. Gokudera scowled at me before smirking, "Won't be so easy now, when I get back into action your getting outta the candidates of the 10th right hand man." I chuckled at his overconfident tone before looking at the opening door.

I watched as the door fully opened to show Hibari and all his glorified black suit. "A word if I may." He said politely stepping into the room. He glanced at her with a nod of acknowledgement, before turning his gaze towards Reborn. "Well met Hibari." Reborn commented with a small baby smirk. "Same here baby." I snickered at the use of words before turning my head away.

"Its good news! Miss Bianchi and Master Fuuta have arrived from their gathering of information!" Gianini stepped into the room with a happy grin. I looked at m blankly before turning my head away again. The kid is here? Gosh this will end up weirdly… Fuuta and I had a little meeting before when he was younger. He always blushed around me, or ran away when I talked to him, that's why we never had a proper meeting without him chickening out or something like that.

Suddenly the door slammed open, showing an ageless looking Bianchi and a fully-grown Fuuta. "Reborn!" she screamed running towards Reborn with eyes glistening with tears. "My beloved! I promise to never let you go!" she screamed making me sweat drop.She seems passionate… Bianchi hugged Reborn like he would disappear if she let go…

I looked over at Fuuta and saw him staring at me with a blush, "Sup kid." I said making him blush a deeper red before turning his head to the side. Well that new… he never just reacted like that; well it must mean he really matured. Suddenly I felt like the air was knocked squeezed of me, "Gah!" I felt like an anaconda was trying to kill me, or something. "Luca! Oh my dear sweet little angel, I promise never to let you go either!" how could I forget the OVERLY protective sister act Bianchi always had for me. Ever since she visited the Valentino estate as a child, she would always make me wear such frilly clothing.

I shivered at the thought of wearing that damned corset, or those unbelievably painful shoes, and lets not forget the spa… oh my go the spa, it was like a torture chamber for me, she would give massages with a hammer, bubble baths with to much soap with water that felt like you were being boiled. And the acupuncture… I'll give you two words, big needles, that's all I'll say.

I literally felt my inside turn to mush at how tight she was hugging me, sometimes I wondered how Reborn could stand such rough treatment. We're talking about Reborn here Girl… oh yeah it is Reborn… "Gah, it's good to see you too…" I mumbled wiggling a little to try and get out of her grasp. For kami's sake let me go woman.

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We sat on the coaches around the table and waited patiently for Kusakabe to start. Bianchi was still hugging Reborn and I tightly, but at least she let us breath this time. "And here we go…" I mumbled as another cough* cough* boring cough* meeting started.

I listened patiently as Kusakabe explained the use of the Hibird, and how it was used as a backup method to send a S.O.S. "Then what does your organization do?" Reborn asked as Bianchi cuddled into the both of us. I mentally gagged at how she can be such a PDA. "We're a secret organization that was formed y the Namimori Disciplinary committee of Junior High." He explained making me laugh a little. An organization when they were still in Junior High? That's kinda funny… no offense to them…

"I've heard about it from Tsuna-nii, Hibari-san has been traveling non-stop around the world, researching and investigating about the boxes and how they can be used to their full potential." I glanced at Fuuta as he made his explanation, before nodding slowly. "Well, seems like he's been doing well for himself for the past 10 years." I said crossing my arms over my chest. All of them nodded a little before Kusakabe broke the silence, "For any information regarding the boxes, please ask Hibari-san directly." The air seemed to thicken a little before Bianchi and Fuuta gave out a smile, which seemed to lighten the atmosphere.

"I guess it our turn to spill the beans." Bianchi said cuddling a little more into both Reborn and I. I mentally scowled at her before training my eyes on Fuuta. "The Millefiore's have at most, 17 squads. Among all 17, 6 of the captain have rank and up. But there are currently two of which are in Japan." I tried to absorb each and every single word he said, before looking up at Miss Lal. "That I suppose is Gamma and Irie Shouichi."

"But something doesn't add up, what has gotten the attention of the Millefiore to go all the way to Japan for?" I asked catching a few people of guard. "Well beside that, we have good news too!" Bianchi exclaimed making her hands loosen for a split second allowing me to breath. "We've found the entrance of the enemies hideout." She said it with so much enthusiasm, that I wonder how much I can take before I have to punch the nearest thing to me.

I was so engrossed in my own thought, that I didn't notice all the gasps of surprise from everyone. "It was literally right under our feet, the Namimori station underground shopping mall." I fell silent at the words of Fuuta "Does this mean we carry out the attack?" I asked. Everyone in the room grew silent at my statement, before Tsuna broke it. "Attack? But everyone's still injured!" he exclaimed making me sigh.

Yeah, the risk was high, but as off now its either fight or die, regardless if your injured or not. "It's a competition to see who can recover first and finish of the enemy." Miss Lal stated it bluntly and simply. But that's all I had to hear before let out a sigh. "The that means the key to victory…"

"…is how fast you can grow stronger in a short period of time." Reborn finished with a nod of his head. "Not again, Lambo-kun!" the door burst open to show the frantic, yet playful looks of both Haru and Kyoko. The room grew silent, before wide grins spread on everyone's faces. Both Bianchi and Fuuta shot up from their seats, before scrambling towards their long friends. Bianchi gave both Kyoko and Haru a girl hug, while Fuuta ran to I-pin and Lambo, hugging them and twirling them around.

I smiled at both Tsuna and Reborn, not one of my fake ones, but true genuine smiles. Both of them looked so surprise at first, but they soon returned my smile while we laughed at the scene the six were making.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\ 13 Days Later \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\

"Hahahah, breakfast was delicious!" I exclaimed downing another cup hot chocolate, making the others laugh. Everyone was in a good this morning. Especially the girls excluding myself, it seemed like with Bianchi here they were more up beat about things, actually having girl talks.

Fuuta was having a blast with Lambo and I-pin; it seemed so natural to them how to have fun even in times like this. "Ah, that's great!" Haru exclaimed giving me my like, fourth mug of hot chocolate. "Down drink it all at once Luca, you should taste it, feel the texture of the liquid flowing down your throat like a river." I looked blankly at Bianchi as she made drinking hot chocolate sound like a life and death thing if you didn't drink it properly. "Ah, okay…" I slowly sipped the cup of hot chocolate, as she watched me.

"All right, I guess I should go to training now." Tsuna yawned, the split second that Bianchi looked away from me, I drank all the hot chocolate before standing up on my seat. "I'll come with you!" I exclaimed walking towards the lift. Not too soon after Tsuna joined me.

We rode down the elevator in silence, until I heard the familiar ding, signaling that the lift had stopped. "Hopefully today there would be less beating." I chuckled at the obvious unhappy tone laced in his voice before stepping out of the lift. I didn't except though to see a familiar silver head nimrod and smiling idiot.

"Yo!" I glanced at the two happy idiots before sighing in defeat. "Great… more people." I thought watching as the three as they talked.

Reborn started to explain how they were going to be taught, while Miss Lal and I conversed. "It seems like your arms are doing fine." She stated never taking her eyes of the three. It was rather comical watching Tsuna get hit by the dying will bullet. Of course I'd never tell anyone that… "Yeah, but I felt better." I balled my hands into fists, stretching them to see if they were fine. "How long have you had these… side-affects?" she asked looking at my arms that were scared from the past fights and aftermath of my ring.

She stayed silent, not bothering to ask any more questions. I calmly looked at Tsuna as he walked towards us. I noticed the intensity of his flames increased immensely, but from the look on Miss Lal's face, she was not satisfied.

"Shall we begin?" Tsuna asked stopping in front of the both of us. I stared at him in silence before shaking my head. "I wont be training you anymore. Your flame has not matured as much as I hoped it to be." Honestly, I never a fan of Miss Lal's training method, but knowing Tsuna he wouldn't care as long as he grew stronger.

"But this is all I can do," Tsuna reasoned. I really didn't want to do the favor I was asked to do, but I guess it couldn't be helped. I fired one of my flames at Decimo. He seemed really surprised but countered it with his flames. I knew that he would have done that so I had to put in one of my assassination traps. "My apologies Decimo. But I suppose this is the only way." I said in monotone. His eyes widened in shock before red needles pierced into his skin. He howled in pain, I looked at him with a cold glare before swiping my sword over his chest.

"Welcome to Mio Processo Sangue."

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Well that's it for now, sorry for not updating sooner. Hopefully I'll have time to upload something within this week, but if not I'll uploading something next week. Thanks for reading! And remember, comment, favorite and follow! I would really like it if you did, thanks again for reading! Arrivederci!

-Anies2012 fuori