Disclaimer: The characters and concepts presented are created and copyright of Akira Amano. The story is copyright of me, so do not use without permission.
"So, stupid cow-man," Gokudera started, "how long until you turn back into the stupid cow-midget?"
"Ouch, Gokudera-san," Lambo sarcastically, remembering the taunting he always had to put up with from his brother-in-arms. "Well, any minute now, I suppose. Just make sure to throw me back over to the girl's side so they don't go looking for me, okay?"
"Well, at least you're enjoying yourself, right Lambo-san?" Tsuna said with some relief. He was still being intermittently dipped in and out of the water from being Ryohei's added weight. Lambo nodded to Tsuna affirmitively, feeling as relaxed as he ever had. It was a good day for him indeed.
"BWUAH!" Ryohei gasped as he resurfaced. "That's 238…but I can do more! Sawada-san!" he yelled at the boy on his back. "Get me some bamboo so I can breathe longer." Tsuna nodded and looked around for some bamboo. There was some at the other end of the spring, where Hibari was. Tsuna grimaced as he thought of the repercussions of going into Hibari's reserved space.
Well, I should anyway Tsuna reluctantly thought as he sloshed over quietly, or Ryohei-onii-san will just come over himself… Tsuna was within reach of a stalk when Ryohei called him out.
"No, the other one! The longer one will work better!" Tsuna flinched and glanced over at Hibari, whose eyes were closed. Thankfully. Tsuna crept along as quietly as he could, trying his best not to make to many ripples and disturb the menace that would lead to everyone's death. Upon spotting an appropriately long piece of bamboo, Tsuna carefully and twitchingly reached out and grabbed it. He yanked at it relievedly, but it wouldn't budge.
Lambo looked down at his wrist, where a watch had apparently manifested out of nothingness, and calculated in his head. "Well," he started as he rose up, "I suppose I should go. If Lambo-chan comes in, just chuck him over the wall, okay?" Just before he left for good, Lambo turned around to face the boys one last time. "Oh, and Yamamoto-san, Lambo-chan really loves the high, super-hard slopes to ski on, so make sure you take him to one sometime." Yamamoto grinned and nodded, and Lambo left.
Then a small explosion was heard, and a wisp of pink smoke came from the changing room. Immediately after, the short, afro'd Lambo came running out in a towel.
"Guhaha! Lambo-san's gonna do a cannon- Guah!?" Gokudera had cut his announcement short by grabbing him in mid-air. "Hey, octopus! Let me go! Let me…lemme…" Lambo's rambunctiousness died down considerably as he saw Gokudera's dark glare.
"Hey girls!" Gokudera yelled. "We got Lambo! Ready to catch?" Lambo, Tsuna, and even Haru gasped in terror. "Here he COMES!" Gokudera stood up and pitched Lambo straight up over the wall. As Lambo came screaming down, his head banged into the side of the rock was and he tumbled the rest of the way down. Luckily for him, Haru was there ready to scoop him up.
"You jerk!" Haru yelled over the rocky wall at Gokudera. Lambo was already partially unconscious and mumbling from the future shock, paired with the sudden actions of Gokudera.
The girl's side was much more docile in activity. The girls were just enjoying their free hot spring by relaxing as much as possible without drowning. Bianchi was pleasantly leaning against the rock wall, ready to move out on her own instinctual command if her little, helpless brother would call out. Kyoko was busy watching over I-pin, and Chrome had taken up residence of the peculiarly misty far end of the pool.
As Kyoko held and scrubbed a calm I-pin, she couldn't help but think about yesterday. She regretted letting her brother get into such a dangerous situation so carelessly, but she still knew it wasn't his fault. Her mind was also tangled around the brief conversation she had with Chrome the other day, regarding Sawada and her. Every time she thought about it, her mind would get suspiciously occupied, however.
"Hahi!?" Haru suddenly screamed. "Lambo, what are you doing?" Haru asked as she sloshed through the water after Lambo, who was crawling on the rock wall like a spider.
"Nothin'" Lambo replied as he climbed higher still. Soon, he was at the top of the tower, just about in the middle of the wall, and Haru scrambled up to reach him without exposing herself. Lambo, in the mean time, was reaching through his afro for weapons to use on Gokudera in vengeance. He pulled out several weapons, including a recently fired bazooka, but nothing looked very promising. He settled at last on some grenades, but reached for the pins to find that they were already pulled out and stuck in his hair.
One loud explosion and crying Lambo later, Haru was back in the water and cradling him calmly. Chrome felt like interjecting on the situation, but she couldn't even see through her own mist. Once her foot had touched the steamy, warm baths she started emanating steam non-stop from every exposed surface of her body. Everyone assumed that this phenomenon was because of how hot the spring was, and Chrome just liked her baths hot.
"Chrome-chan?" Kyoko called, "are you alright? Do you need anything?"
"Uh…" Chrome nervously started, unknowing of what she could want in a bath, "no! I'm fine." She slumped down until her mouth went under the water and reached up to her head to undo her hair. She could only keep it the same as Mukuro's for so long until she had to wash it, of course. As she brushed her head with a warm washcloth, her mind swam back to her conversation with Mukuro yesterday.
Well well, A familiar voice echoed in Chrome's head, I didn't know you could cook, Nagi-chan.
Not that well, Chrome mentally responded, Just some things I learned…here and there-
Playing den mother to Ken and Chisuka, I suppose.
Chrome sighed, mentally and physically. Yes.
How are they doing?
Well, I suppose. They didn't want me to leave…or they didn't want you to leave.
They can survive well enough without me.
Well, Chrome began tentatively, unless they have to cook or do laundry.
Kufufufu Mukuro laughed. They aren't really helpless…though we seem to bail them out of the most trouble.
They really do miss you, Mukuro-sama.
…Indeed… For a while, that was all Mukuro had to say. He didn't start talking again for quite a while, but Chrome could still feel him around her. She knew he felt troubled, but he wouldn't respond no matter what. It was this arrogance that Chrome had become attached to in the first place, and she knew it wouldn't help to pry the master of illusion for truth. Eventually, he did speak to her again. When he noticed Hibari Kyoya take his diner upstairs without a word.
Follow him, Nagi-chan Mukuro said very suddenly as she was eating.
Chrome silently complied and got up while no one was looking.
I need you to repeat after me, alright? And try not to hesitate. Mukuro instructed. Chrome nodded and marched up the stairs. She opened the door to confront Hibari, then listened for Mukuro-sama's instruction.
Is it good? Mukuro said.
"Is it good?" Chrome repeated plainly.
The rest of the conversation carried out to Mukuro's expectation.
Just remember to deny knowing me, Nagi-chan. I want to see what his motives are now that I'm out of his tunnel vision.
Finally, at the moment of truth, when Chrome divulged the falsity that Mukuro had concocted regarding Reborn, Habari's motives were revealed. Mukuro devised what information he could gather with Chrome's body to provoke Hibari. The only thing he had come back to, however was his own motive: Tsunayoshi Sawada. Reborn was connected to that young man, as was everyone else, not excluding Chrome.
Thank you for your help, Nagi-chan Mukuro said. I hope this wasn't to traumatic for you.
No, Mukuro-sama. I'm fine. I'm just glad I could help you in my state--
It was around that time that Tsuna knocked Chrome unconscious. Mukuro just stared on as his world as seen through her eyes went black and the troubled calls of his target-to-be rang out in the cool air.
"Well," Mukuro started in his imaginary world outside his own body, "it seems that she's in good hands for now. Kufufufufu…"
"Alright!" Ryohei yelled. "That was a good start, but now I need something else!" Tsuna grimaced to himself over being even more extra weight. Ryohei darted his head around and started moving through the water hastily.
"Maybe you should try and relax" Yamamoto politely suggested.
"Yeah, stupid lawn-head, calm down." Gokudera grunted.
"Can't you try and get along with him, Gokudera-kun?" Yamamoto asked.
"Yeah right," Gokudera responded. "An idiot like that'll only cause problems for us." As Gokudera said that, like a trained actor on an exact cue, a loud rumble was heard.
"Sasagawa-onii-san, stop!" Tsuna shouted. Ryohei paused from his current task of removing a large boulder from the rock wall. Ryohei blinked and put his hands down reluctantly.
"Yeah, okay…I should take some rocks from the top first, right?" Ryohei complied. Tsuna stopped himself from nodding and then approached Gokudera.
"Help me stop him, please!" Tsuna pleaded. Gokudera smirked deviously with his cigarette still smoldering in his mouth and stood up with two hands full of dynamite. Tsuna immediately regretted not asking Yamamoto as he stumbled back and scrambled his way out of the water.
"Roger, Boss!" Gokudera growled. The sticks lighted and Yamamoto caught the vibe that Tsuna had left on following after him. Gokudera took slight aim as Ryohei was nearing the top of the rock wall, not noticing how dangerously close to Hibari he was.
"Fly," Gokudera growled as the baths finished clearing, "Roaring Bomb!" He threw the dynamite at Ryohei, who was now jumping off the wall and into the water. The splash he made (right in front of Hibari) woke Hibari up in a very aggravated mood. Before Hibari could accurately measure whom he was going to kill, an explosion shook the entire spring.
The girls all screamed on their own side as the rubble started raining down. Chrome was nearest the explosion, and was temporarily too stunned to move as the rocks started bearing down on her. She stared at the widely, then started to move unconsciously. She was, somehow, able to catch up with the others as they into the changing room.
Outside, after everyone had changed back and nonchalantly started walking back to the cabin, the rest of the spring and its water started rolling down the hill and into the trees. Tsuna was wearing his hoodie up, and Ryohei had caught up before Hibari which gave him a lucky break. Everyone was just looking as innnocent as possible as all the staff vehicles rolled by, as well as a police cart or two.
"Let's move faster." Tsuna said in a hush to the group.
"Good idea." Reborn said from his shoulder. "Giddy-up. A good mob boss doesn't get caught in the act."
The group, minus Hibari ran off through the narrow paths. Hibari, on the other hand, was intent on enjoying his bath, and stayed behind in the now nearly empty spa to contemplate just how he was going to punish whoever was responsible. The police, sensing imminent danger, just worked around him.