And this is where the plot starts moving.
Probably.
Chapter Eight
Melancholy
It's hot. Maya's body was burning. She was surrounded by fire. She raised her hands only to see it engulfed in flickering orange and blue fire.
What was happening? She felt...curiously calm. Like the whole world stood still, and there was nothing she couldn't do. Like maybe she could fly, soar for once.
Though, she really would rather that it rained.
.
Make it rain. Make it rain. Make it rain.
Make the clouds fall and wash away the mist.
.
"Wha-what is that?" stammered Tsuna. Mukuro and Hibari ceased fighting abruptly, turning to see Maya in flames. It was reminiscent of Tsuna's flames, but instead of being a soft, amber color, Maya's was a deep blue surrounded by a halo of gold.
Could she be like Basil? wondered Tsuna. But no. That wasn't it either.
This was...
.
"Oya, oya. As I thought," Mukuro said, interest in his voice. "Your little pet is truly something else, Skylark." He flashed a grin at the dirty look Kyoya sent him. "Mind if I play with her a little?"
"Go to hell, !#^$%$#&$."
(Let it not be said that Hibari Kyoya did not cuss.)
.
"What in the hell is that?" snapped Gokudera, leaning on a wall beside Yamamoto. The baseball idiot did not answer, too immersed in watching the burning girl.
The flames danced around her, hot but not scalding. There was something about it that called to him, a sense of calmness...and loneliness. He wanted...
"Oi, Yakyuu-baka, what's gotten into you?"
Yamamoto didn't reply. He couldn't.
.
"Hmm." Reborn watched the entire scene unfold through the lenses of Leon in binocular form. Maya possessing dual Dying Will Flames were an unexpected but welcome surprise. The girl had a lot of issues, but she had a strong heart. "She will make a great addition to the family." Add in Kyoya's apparent devotion to her, and she was one hell of an asset.
The hitman smirked. Things were getting lively.
.
"Are you sad, Maya?" Kushima asked the girl of twelve years. The girl was quiet. She had always been less vocal than most of the kids, but usually on this day she was more...enthusiastic. She would be visiting her beloved Kyoya-sama, after all.
The girl shook her head. "I'm not sad."
"Hmm? Then why do you look like you're about to cry?"
"I just...it's been a year since I last saw Kyoya-sama, and I'm sure he's been doing amazing things in all that time. He must be really strong now, and yet, I-I haven't changed at all."
Kushima smiled kindly. "Of course you have. I'm sure Kyoya would think so as well."
Maya looked up in surprise. "Are you being nice, Lady Kushima?"
Kushima's smile tensed. "And look at you being all smart-ass. Let's go, it's not good to keep a Hibari waiting."
Maya smiled softly. "Thank you, my lady."
.
Kyoya's muscles felt like lead. He tried to move his hand but was unable to, tried to take a step but couldn't. There was something keeping him immobile, but what it was he couldn't see. A new technique from Mukuro? This did not feel like one of Mukuro's attacks though.
This is bad. He was vulnerable like this. And Maya...
He tried calling out to her. "Ma..." His throat was clogged. "Ma...ya." He tried again. "Maya." He said her name over and over, feeling his mind shut down. Where are you, Maya?
.
"Kyoya," his father called. The boy stopped pounding on a poor person whose face was currently unrecognizable and faced his father. His father barely glanced at the person his son beat up and gestured for the boy to follow him.
They walked for a while. They arrived at the garden where his mother was teaching Maya how to distinguish poisonous plants from perfectly safe ones. The little girl had an adorable look of concentration on her face that made Kyoya smile. His father sat on a nearby bench, far enough that they could talk privately, but close enough that they could observe the females unhindered.
"Was there something you wanted to say, Father?" asked Kyoya impatiently. For all his prowess, he was still a little boy who had very little patience.
His father patted his head fondly, making Kyoya bristle, though he did nothing to shake the hand off.
"What do you feel about little Maya, Kyoya?"
The answer was quick. "She's better than all of the other herbivores around here."
His father considered this. "What makes you say that? She hasn't won a single fight since she came here, and she's slow in her studies."
"That doesn't mean she's weak," defended Kyoya. "She's just...different."
"So you like her?"
Kyoya shrugged. "I like her better than you."
.
Tsuna saw Kyoya drop like fallen leaf, closely followed by Mukuro with growing horror. Chrome screamed. "MUKURO-SAMA!" Maya stood a few feet away from them, still engulfed by flames, looking like a lifeless doll. Gokudera and Yamamoto were behind him, wearing identical faces of shock.
It all happened so suddenly. One moment Kyoya and Mukuro were standing right there, the next they were paralyzed. Kyoya had choked. His expression was one Tsuna would never, ever forget even if she lived a thousand years. And then they were...
"What on earth is going on?" he said, going by reflex and swallowing two Dying Will Flames. Gokudera drew ten rocket bombs and Yamamoto unsheathed his Shigure Kintoki. Chrome rushed past them towards Mukuro and they watched as she, too, convulsed and passed out.
Tsuna was panicking in his head, but strove to keep his mind clear. The three of them inched towards the fallen bodies of their friends. Three steps in, Tsuna stopped. "There's something there." He couldn't see it, but he felt its malignant presence lick his hand as he reached forward.
Hot. He recoiled. His eyes narrowed, noticing the raised temperature. Was this because of the flame around Maya?
He clenched his teeth. He really didn't know what it was they were facing, if it was Maya's fault, but he couldn't just stand here while his family was fallen. He needed to do something.
"Let's-"
"Wait, Tsuna," the familiar voice of Reborn said. There was a thump as the baby landed on Tsuna's head. "You can't go in there."
"Why not?" answered Tsuna irritably. "Don't you see Mukuro, Chrome and Kyoya? They're hurt! We need to-"
"I understand you feel concerned, but there's really nothing you can do this time, Tsuna. If you go closer, you'll just drop dead like those three."
"Don't say that!" yelled the brunet vehemently. "They're not dead."
"Maybe." Tsuna growled. "But you still can't come closer."
"What should I do then? I don't even know what's going on! It was supposed to be a normal day, it's my first day in high school! I know our lives aren't exactly normal or safe, but...but..."
Reborn kicked him. "Don't be so melodramatic. It's unseemly for a boss. Anyway, she should be exhausted now, releasing that level of flames her first time. Her body must be sore."
"What? What are you talking about? Who-"
There was a thump as Maya fell on the floor.
The flames were gone.
.
This came out, er, more tense than I expected. I'm a bit apprehensive about the direction this fic is taking. I have an ending planned, but the details are all spontaneous, so every chapter is as much a surprise to me as you guys.
Haha, hope you like this.
