Ritsu: … So, this took longer than 2-3 days to get out, sorry… I doubt you'll want to listen to me ramble all day, so I'll just summarize the dealio. When I got out of my rut, I sat down to finish the chapters I had waiting, but I couldn't think of how to start. Writer's block, basically. I'd sit down every day trying to write and it just… didn't work. Anyway, I'm back, and I'll be cranking out my tablet this week to finish up all the drawings I'm behind on as well, so yeah.
Haikyuu! is also to blame. Stupid Daisuke Namikawa. Stupid, stupid Trashkawa. Dammit. And Psycho-Pass. And Akame Ga Kill. L.. Let's just say I watch a lot of anime when I'm down.
Anyways, reviews!
BloodyBel: Thank you! Here it is, finally!
Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you do! Sorry for the delayed update!
nanahikari2000: I try not to go into much of my personal life, as I'd rather not rant about it too much (I'd write a rant longer than the chapter itself, which isn't really ideal… -.-'), but thank you for your words! It's a lot better now. Gotcha :) Thank you very much~ Sorry for the delayed update coughcough.
Ch8: No worries! I mean, I did wonder where the lovely nanahikari went, but it's not like I missed you or anything b-baka! (Boy do I know that feeling..) Errr…. B-because I'm the self-proclaimed angst queen..? I, I mean uhh… If… if it makes you feel better… Tomo… Tomo will make it all k, ok? I promise, ok ;n;
Coughcough, there's… v-valid reasons, I swear…! I… I totes have a reason for the differences, ok?! (It's all for the- … It will be ok!)
See? I… I can be nice! The first time I saw a picture of Squalo I had never seen KHR or read it, but I thought "Hey, he looks cool". When I watched it, well, he was wildly different from what I expected. But still, I love the guy. #GrammaticallycorrectVOI We're making it a movement. Tomo always wins. In her mind, anyway coughcough. (omfg fighting scenes should be illegal I don't even- The hardest thing for me is that I can perfectly think up a fighting scene in my head, every little twitch and turn, but turning it into words is ridiculously hard…) Thank you very much!
Viviene001: Yus!
My Name is Alice: Aaah… Darnit… Well, spring is finally starting to show here, thankfully! Cats? My gosh, I adore cats… especially my cat, even if he's a sadist. Glad you think so, considering the pain it was to write XD More will be revealed soon!
rianifitria: They totally should. Worshipping Tomo as the candy goddess!
Flaming Belladonna: Glad you liked it! C: Thank you very much! (And yes, Fran is so adorable, I can't even!)
animagirl: Mwaha c: I enjoy writing it~ I'm hoping to shed some more light over that as well, as there is indeed a reason why Mukuro is kinda different when it comes to Enma! C:
Chrysoberyl-sama: I think I read a fanfic about it a long time ago… XD
KiraLoveless: Cough… Mukuro VS the world! Idk, Tomo's becoming too easy for me to ship with characters… gosh darnit.
Tech-fi: She sure did. Cough, she had it coming (even though she totes won- I mean uhh). Mwaahaha :D Good! It's supposed to be difficult- Err… I mean, yes, so many ships. So many… Thank you very much! :D
turtlehoffmann2251: LET US WORSHIP HER!
Chapter warnings: Some feels, mostly relationship developments, not much plot.
Initially, when I had found Mukuro staring out an open window, seemingly lost in thought, I considered leaving him be. But when a light breeze ran through his hair, temporarily sending his bangs out of the way, and I saw the look in the one visible eye, I found myself rooted to the spot. I think several minutes passed by before he even noticed I was in the doorway, and when he did, I couldn't escape the feeling that I was seeing something I wasn't supposed to. It was as if we had gone back in time, to the time when Mukuro was just a young child, and his eyes were still easy to read. His gaze held a tinge of sadness, something I knew for certain he'd never want me to see.
The next moment, his eyes narrowed slightly, and whatever trace of sadness I had seen was gone. I resisted the urge to frown. Mukuro had grown to become such a mystery to me. A part of me kept insisting he'd taken me on for more reasons than me simply being 'useful', because honestly, I had only just barely started learning fighting and my manipulation of time was unreliable, if Mukuro even knew of it. I didn't have the guts to ask him, however.
Still, there was a reason I had sought him out, and I intended to get an answer for my question.
"What have you and Fran been up to?"
He didn't grace me with an answer, instead he merely kept staring at me silently. It was sort of unnerving, to be honest. Like he was trying to read my mind or something. I blinked, a sudden stray thought striking me.
He's actually managed to cut me with his trident, hasn't he? Does that mean he could possess me? Would that even work, with me being a spirit and all..?
For some reason, the thought of Mukuro even trying seemed nigh impossible. I was firmly snapped out of my thoughts when a hand gently landed on top of my head.
I blinked, a confused look fluttering across my features as I met Mukuro's gaze, a sudden gnawing feeling at the back of my head telling me something was wrong with the illusionist before me. So then, something had happened while I had been training seemed the most likely conclusion.
"Are you-"
When he pulled me in for a hug, I honestly didn't know how to react.
Mukuro hadn't truly experienced fear for quite some time. He hadn't expected to ever experience that wretched feeling again, in fact. While knowing fear was essential to an illusionist, he hated the feeling with a passion and much preferred causing others to feel it rather than him.
And yet such a simple find had brought the feeling upon him so easily, as if he was made of mere glass and that one moment had cracked him beyond recognition. He didn't like it, not at all, but even as hours had passed, he couldn't seem to mend the cracks in his façade.
It was infuriating how utterly helpless it made him feel, and how powerless he was to stop it. Even Fran had noticed his change in mentality, and so he'd swiftly left the boy and went his own way, seeking solitude to settle his thoughts. But of course, she had found him. It vaguely reminded him of how she'd found him when he had been a child too, suffering from the effects of the Estraneo famiglia's experiments.
The light of the moon made her hair seem almost white, and he found himself thinking that she truly did look like a ghost as she stood in the doorway, watching him with curious eyes. He knew his eyes were no doubt revealing things he'd rather keep hidden, rectifying his expression quickly. Proceeding to ignore her questions, he found himself looking at her. Truly looking at her.
He couldn't truly deny it anymore. She wasn't just a spirit. Not just a tool. She was more than that. But just what was she?
Instead of answering his own questions, or letting her phrase one of hers, he pulled her close. Illuminated by the moon, as pale as a ghost, as if she could disappear at any time. It left an unsettling feeling in his gut, once more reminding him of the fear he'd felt mere minutes ago. She would disappear if nothing changed. She'd be there, but not there.
A part of him felt like he'd lost the battle before it even began. His intentions for bringing her to Verde had been various. To make her grow, stronger in both body and mind. For her to gain knowledge. For him to keep her close by where he could keep an eye on her. Going by his plans, she would never even take part in a battle, but from the very start she was destined to?
He resisted the urge to lock her up in some room and never let her out again.
"What happens in the battles?" he spoke, wording his question as more of an order. Tomo remained silent for a while, having stiffened slightly in surprise of his actions or his question, Mukuro wasn't sure.
"A… A lot of things…"
He tightened his hold, more so subconsciously than anything else, as if finding her answer physically painful.
Something goes wrong. She knows it will. So why won't she tell me what happens?
"You don't trust me with the information."
She clenched her fists.
"It's not… It's not that… Why… Why do you want to know, anyway?"
Because something would happen during those battles. Because something would break Tomo. Something would wrap its arms around her and twist and turn until she wasn't his Tomo anymore.
Mukuro found himself doing something rather out of character for him, letting out a soft sigh before burying his face in the crook of her neck.
"M-Mukuro..?"
He ignored her soft calling of his name in favor of inhaling her scent. He never could quite place just why she smelled so familiar and at the same time not at all. Then again, her entire existence was an enigma, and while he was intent on solving it, he was in no rush.
"H… Hey, Mukuro, what's wrong?"
Everything, he wanted to say.
"Nothing," were the words that left his lips. His tone didn't sound especially convincing, even to his own ears, but he didn't bother furthering his lie.
"Is… Is there anything I can do?"
Yes.
"No."
It just wasn't fair, he found himself thinking. He didn't like the idea of having a set future, but parts of the future he was now in were things he wanted for himself. And yet, the one thing – or person, rather – he'd succeeded in attaining, was bound to fall into despair, and he was supposed to merely accept that?
A frown tugged at his lips.
"… Hey, Mukuro..?"
He made no motion to show he heard her, but she continued speaking nonetheless.
"I found out that apparently… if I don't become stronger, I'll get hurt. So… I'm going to become stronger. I want to protect those I care about..."
A scowl settled on his lips now, and he found it hard to stop himself from shouting. Sometimes, Tomo was just too oblivious to the feelings of those around her.
"That's precisely the problem."
I blinked, finding myself rather confused. Mukuro's actions were weird enough already, but his words only sent me further into confusion.
"… What?"
"You can be so frustratingly naïve at times. It's always about protecting others with you. If you cannot protect yourself, you cannot protect anyone."
At that moment, Mukuro let go of me, turning around so quickly I barely caught a glimpse of his angered expression. I found myself wide eyed, swallowing the lump in my throat. But Mukuro wasn't done.
"Have you ever stopped to think about why Daemon Spade kidnapped you so easily? Why Kozato Enma nearly killed you? Why you will lose future battles?"
I frowned, drops of sweat running down my neck. So he knew, about the future me's injury. As I was about to ponder his questions however – though hearing his words made my heart clench painfully – he swiftly continued, no intention of letting me interrupt.
"It is because you always insist on putting everyone else first, but you never let anyone else protect you."
I wanted to deny his words, but they rang true, I realized. I had many opportunities to inform others about Daemon, but I chose not to, worried they wouldn't believe me – and, a part of my mind told me – I didn't want to put them in danger. With Enma, instead of waiting for Tsuna and the others to arrive, I had tried taking things into my own hands instead, and instead ended up almost dying, again.
I found myself staring downwards, seemingly fascinated with a small stain on the floor by my feet. Before Mukuro forced me to look up at him, his hand gripping my chin surprisingly gently. Instead of his previously angered face, his eyes held an unreadable emotion, and his lips were set in a firm line.
"Stop acting so selfishly and allow others to protect you for once."
Like you? I considered asking, but with the look he was giving me, I couldn't bring myself to say anything.
Because, for a moment, I was certain I saw something akin to fondness in his eyes.
Ritsu: Somewhat short, I apologize for that… TSOS update should be up tomorrow sometime (or later today, as it's already the 15th here.). Also, I realized only now that I missed White day, which was the 14th (which ended roughly four hours ago for me). Regardless, I'll be finishing up the bonuses anyway, and publishing them later, mmkay?
