Chrome – or some vague semblance of the girl – loomed over Hibari's slumped and motionless form. Her shadow warped and writhed on the wall behind her, undecided and unstable. She cocked her head to the side slightly, a painfully familiar mannerism of the sweet Mist Guardian, as if deciding what to do with her foe now that she'd incapacitated him. With a sneer she kicked his fallen weapons away and lowered herself down to a crouch next to him, black flames still pouring from her. Her heart slowed. The threat was gone.
Is it really? mocked her shadow.
Stop… she begged, crumpling next to her opponent.
The tonfas had slid to a stop at the feet of the petrified Vongola Decimo who'd dashed to the site of the disturbance from the training field almost as soon as he'd detected it.
What is your despair truly born of? challenged the shadow.
"No!" she wailed from the ground. She was on her knees, begging her unseen tormentor.
"C-Chrome?" Tsuna breathed. "What–?"
Suddenly the sobs were cut off and she snapped her head up to face him, a venomous smile splashed across her face. With one fluid motion she spun to her feet again. Any traces of former weakness were eradicated from her face. Tsuna felt his fingers begin to tingle with the heat of his Sky Flame. Somewhere inside him he, and his flame, knew that he might have to defend himself.
No. He pushed the building energy down even as she stalked over to him. Chrome is my –
"Family!" cried Yuni. She had rushed over when she'd recognized a disruption in Chrome's familiar flame as well (Tsuna wasn't the only Sky Flame user in the vicinity after all). "We are your family Chrome-chan! There's nothing to protect yourself from here! You don't have to fight!"
"Yuni, she can't hear us," said Tsuna, eyes glowing ember-orange. "I don't think she can hear anyone right now."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Yuni stood her ground. Chrome was getting closer, her trident materializing in her open palm again. "I called someone who can help."
"You don't mean–?" Tsuna began to ask, alarmed, but Chrome was already upon them.
"Yuni! Get behind me!" Tsuna commanded as Chrome lifted her weapon to strike. At the same time he threw out his arms and shouted "Natsu! Cambio forma! Modo difesa!"
But there was no need. A blue mist rapidly gathered behind Chrome and quickly arranged itself into – who else – Mukuro Rokudo. His arm shot out in front of the girl, seizing her face first, then harshly retracting, dragging the featherweight guardian into his chest. His hand covered almost her entire face, smothering her.
"I'm so sorry," whispered the newly freed man to his captive as she kicked and clawed. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you avoid this. I'm sorry someone like me can't…so you'll just have to keep fighting." He thrust her away from him roughly. "Fight until the exhaustion is stronger than anything."
She hissed, driven only by blind emotion – or maybe desperate avoidance of it – and her one black eye began flipping through the paths of hell. The partner of her soul gazed at her miserably, longingly.
"I'll have your sanity," she spat.
"Kufufufu," Mukuro chuckled softly. "The Estraneo family beat you to that one." He made a fist with the fingers his rings of hell decorated. His ability to use them was born the first day he'd been experimented on. "I just hope it's not too late for yours."
"It's never too late," Yuni murmured. "I shouldn't have asked you when it could have meant fighting your own…" she was lost for words for a moment, not known exactly how to refer to Chrome in relation to Mukuro. "I shouldn't have asked you for help." She said louder.
"You think I came because you said to?" Mukuro's voice was dripping with menace. "Don't forget who you're talking to, princess."
Yuni regarded him with a hint of sadness, and he had the disturbing impression that she was looking past his ever-present superficial cocoon of illusion. Without warning, she threw aside her robe and charged at the Mist Guardians. Neither had time to react, or even process what was happening before Yuni had her arms wrapped around Chrome in a warm embrace. Stunned, the anguished girl stood frozen.
"We love you," whispered Yuni. "We love you we love you we love you we love you," she chanted. Each repetition slowly blocked out the mantra of "alone alone alone" that was still shredding through Chrome's consciousness. Her eyes rolled back, and she fell heavily into Yuni's embrace.
Am I unconscious? Hibari had to actually think about it for a moment before realizing he couldn't be if he were thinking. This won't do. If he were capable he would have frowned. I'll bite everyone to death... He struggled with his thoughts, trying to retrieve some of his former fearful character. Despite his best efforts, it was hard to think clearly or quickly with an invisible weight pressing down on every inch of him. He felt heavy, like he was still plunging on forever in this void. Slight concern started to set in when the heavy gravity on him really registered and he wondered if he were breathing or not. How long had it been? He had no way of telling if only a few moments had passed or a whole year. Regardless, he had no choice but to wait.
First the weight was slowly lifted, and then footsteps boomed around him. Voices echoed to such a degree that words were incomprehensible. He could almost make some of them out. Slowly colors bloomed in front of him again. Yes! Hibari seized what little control he had of his body and pushed to bring the colors into focus, but agony pressed from behind his eyes. Mildly impatient and frustrated he released the tension again and simply waited as he knew he must.
That vessel…his thoughts wandered as he waited. I want to fight her again.
And Hibari Kyoya himself couldn't tell you if that was because of his lust for fighting, or his developing affection for the opponent in question.
