A Big Choice

Nakayama Hospital...

Everyone gathered in the lounge.

'Xanxus is still that confident even though its five wins on our side against Xanxus' one.' Dino frowned. 'What the heck is going on? What does he know, that we don't?'

'Mukuro knows but won't tell us...but Mai, what do you know?' Tsuna asked Mai who frowned.

'Gola Mosca is strange...I just don't get him.' said Mai.

'What don't you get about him? He's just a big guy in a weird costume with a weird name?' Ryohei asked her. Mai shook her head.

'...Romario-san, do you have a pen and paper on you?' Mai requested as Romario took out a pen and notepad and gave it to her. Mai began drawing an obese human figure on the table. 'Let's say this is Gola Mosca. But as you know, I sense humans by their bio-electric signals. In that case, this whole silhouette must be full in my radar. Like seeing a human-shaped light. However, Gola Mosca...is this.'

She drew a crouching human figure where the heart should be, and a branching series of veins all over inside the Gola Mosca figure and the source is the person.

'Wha?!'

'It means a human is inside Gola Mosca.' said Mai grimly. 'Gola Mosca is just a machine powered up by this person...and this signal is very similar to that of Tsuna-sama and Iemitsu-sama but stronger.' the boys and men in the room stiffened. 'This must be what Xanxus is confident about and banking on. And given how Hibari works...'

'Similar to Tsuna and Iemitsu...you say?' Reborn swore. What the hell is going on here?

'Hai...and Gola Mosca is running on his power too.' Mai added. 'If anything were to happen to this person...and I just learned about the Vindice from Dino-san...it may all end if we accidentally kill this person. One or all of us may go to Vendicare.' she said softly. 'This is his bet.'

The boys don't like the scenario one bit.

'I better go tell Hibari.' Dino said urgently, taking the notepad with him and he ran off with Romario.

'...good thing we have you.' Reborn said darkly. 'Right now, Vongola is in a state of internal strife in Italy because of this conflict.' he said. 'If this person is who I think it is...this is worse than I thought.'

'Who do you suspect is in Gola Mosca, Reborn?' Tsuna choked out.

'...The 9th, your predecessor.' the famiglia stiffened. 'And the 9th who declared the order of Ring Battle is none other than a fake!'

'HAH?!'

'But Reborn...if that's true, then what the hell are the Guardians doing?!' Mai gasped out. 'I was taught about the flames...and how our Sky is important to us Guardian Flames! Yet if the 9th is really inside Gola Mosca, how could they let this happen?!' she cried in anger as the boys gave her odd looks and she answered. 'To the rest of us Guardian Flames, our Sky is very precious. They who welcome and accept anybody no matter who and what you are...they are home. Without the Sky we're nothing...and without us, our Sky has no life. Together the seven of us are a family covering for each other, and we can't be without the other.'

'We are driven by our instinct because Skies are home. They draw people in, grab and don't let go.' Reborn continued for her. 'Without a sky, we can't exist. The sky is our centerpiece. the glue that hold us together and complete our being. All Guardian Flames would harmonize with their Sky and for each Guardian, they have a destined Sky they'll meet and once they harmonized, we guardian flames of the Sun, Cloud, Rain, Storm, Lightning and Mist will do our damndest to protect that bond. If we lose our sky...its like we lost our whole world. Sometimes, due to that fear, Guardians avoided Harmony even if it means a chunk of themselves are gone because what would happen if they lost a sky they harmonized to, would be several times worse.'

'Hey, we didn't know that!' Yamamoto did a double-take.

'So Juudaime is that important...' Gokudera crowed out.

'Wow...' Ryohei blinked. 'So the reason why Gokudera is extremely protective of Sawada is because he harmonized before we all knew about the flames? And we all harmonized too?' indeed, Gokudera is the most protective and defensive of Tsuna as well as possessive of him. Yamamoto would hang around when he could as well. Ryohei has yet to feel that feeling and Mai is another story, willing to do pretty much anything.

'Yes.' Mai deadpanned. 'We're lucky our Sky is nearby and all of us happen to be in just one town and all of us harmonized with you boys being so since last year before Tsuna-sama found out about the flames when this Ring Conflict started and I just found out from his father because I could actually use my power. Nobody else is that lucky...other skies and other guardians take years before they find each other or worse, never.'

'Er...what about HIbari and Mukuro?' Yamamoto croaked out.

Tsuna and Gokudera shook their heads as one.

'You crazy? Given their personalities, that's like, trying to climb Everest with bare hands!' Gokudera sputtered. 'It'll take a miracle!'

xxx

By the riverside where Hibari awaited his tutor, Hibari is informed of the grave circumstances by Dino and what's in store for him in his match tomorrow and what's at stake at his match tomorrow. He has to destroy Gola Mosca utterly and save the person inside the machine without harming him because that person may be who they think he is, and killing him will land them all in prison!

'So that's how it is eh?' Hibari frowned, seeing the image Mai drew.

'Yeah...but for now, Xanxus doesn't know we figured this out. That we know what he's up to. Mukuro gave us the hint and we figured it out from there.' Dino told him. 'None of you must absolutely go to Vendicare.' he said seriously.

'Hn. As if I'd want to share houseroom with that pineapple bastard anyway.' Hibari grunted. 'He can have it to himself.' Dino sweatdropped. He learned that if things are worded the right way, Hibari will move the way you want him to.

xxx

Fushigimori Alley, Tokyo the next day...they inquired at the hospital to see if they have the ability to regrow organs...

'Oh, that CAN be done, but very costly for the patient so think really carefully.' said the Healer. 'A human body's ability to replicate their cells the muggles called Mitosis is naturally limited, only enough to heal injuries helped along by potions. But regrowing organs would take away some of your lifespan, depending on how many needed regrowing...especially if done all at once!'

'A right eye, and pretty much her entire abdominal region, but her Reproductives are still intact.' Reborn told the Healer. 'For now, our patient is living off of Illusion Organs created by someone so the illusions are tricking the body into thinking they're real and function like the real thing. But when their link is broken, its fatal.'

'That's a long list...and I've never heard of Illusion Organs...' needless to say, Reborn had to explain away about the Dying Will Flames, a power only muggles and squibs can access and what each flame type can do, and explained the mechanics of Illusions the medical way. 'I see...so in a way Squibs can have these abilities?'

'Indeed, but I'd rather not advertise that.' said Reborn, working his arcobaleno powers on the Healer, making him stay silent about the topic forever.

'Very well.'

'So how many years will be taken?' Tsuna croaked out fearfully.

'If all at once, that's ten years of the original lifespan gone kid.' said the Healer. 'And a normal muggle can only live seventy or eighty unlike wizards and squibs who have a bit longer. We really need willing consent and I do mean willing...'

'Ah...'

When they left the hospital, Tsuna then went shopping on Mai's requests for beauty products using her money. Well, she still has plenty of Tokyo and Namimori's money...

xxx

Hospital...

Mai watches over Chrome who is still sleeping off her exhaustion.

'Hummm...also a pineapple head but she's cute but a tad skinny...since we're both girls, we might have the same interests I think~' she giggled.

'Mai.' said Tsuna as he returned with Reborn. 'Here are the stuff you requested but you're already all set so is it for her?' he asked her, giving her the shopping bag.

'Yep! She'll be shacking up in my house for a few hours before she goes home to those doom and gloom guys every day from now on. I decided that.' Mai chirped. 'Its only us two girls in this group after all! So what did the doctors say?'

'Well...regrowing what she's missing will consume ten years of her lifespan.' said Tsuna nervously. 'So this is a big decision for Chrome to make.' he said. Mai winced.

'Ten years?'

'That's what they said. So its up to her if she wants to regrow her organs.' said Reborn. 'Talk to her about it later when she wakes.' Mai nodded as they left.

Two hours later, Chrome woke up, seeing a very cute girl in front of her. 'Hi!'

'U-um...hi?' Chrome squeaked timidly.

'I'm the lightning guardian, Fiore Potter but I prefer my japanese name, Nogami Mai. I lived with the letter for years after all.' Mai told her. 'Its just us two ladies out of seven guardians since everyone else are boys...unless Mukuro is sharing the Mist Position with you?'

'I think its like that.' said Chrome. 'Mukuro-sama cannot be here so I act in his stead.'

'I see I see...well, here are the new rules now.' Mai winked. 'After a bath and a little pampering, we're going shopping!'

'E-eh?' Mai took Chrome to the Bathroom to use the products on her and instructing her what to do because 'they're medical'. Upon getting the desired effects, Chrome was amazed with herself as well although the potion to straighten teeth can't be consumed just yet, due to her illusion organs. 'Mai-san, what's all this? Isn't these instant-effect products expensive?' she croaked out. She was pretty sure not even her mother knows of this.

'Meh, they are but its Vongola's money anyway.' Mai winked. 'You don't have to worry about it.' she said before going serious, 'And also, Tsuna-sama found a way to fix your...organ problem even without that bitchy woman but its pretty costly and in the end, its your choice.' she said. 'For now the only ones who know are Tsuna-sama, myself, Reborn and now, you.'

'My choice?'

'Yeah. Regrowing everything will take ten years off your natural lifespan.' Mai told her softly. 'We have the...resources for that but due to that cost, you must decide if you want your organs back. To avert that cost, we can just make it look like an accident and give you her things.' Chrome balked at that.

'Uhm...I-I'll talk to Mukuro-sama about that when he wakes.' said Chrome with a shudder on how casually Mai can talk about killing her mother. Mai nodded.

'There's no rush, our resources won't go anywhere. You have all time in the world to think and think hard because its costly.' Mai reassured her. 'So let's shop in Tokyo and you'll be going home to Kokuyo every night from now on, but stay in my house for a few hours after school. I'm going to physically train you since men don't know squat about training girls.'

'A-ano...I don't go to school. I just wear the clothes.' Chrome told her timidly. 'Because they already signed me off as dead and my files are gone.'

'They...who? Your parents?' Chrome nodded in resignation. Mai muttered darkly about this.

'Tsuna-sama will be furious about this...' Mai growled angrily. 'But don't worry Chrome...they're not worth it. They're trash. Not worth your tears.' she comforted the brunette with a pat on the shoulders. 'What's more important is you found people who actually cared for you. People actually worth crying over. Mukuro saved you and gave you a home. Tsuna-sama and the other boys will care for you too if you let them...I can tell you're kinda shy.' she giggled. 'They won't bite!'

Chrome just looked sheepish.

'Come on, let's go to Tokyo my way! With my ability we can cheat traffic although we can't do that while carrying shopping bags!'

xxx

Ikebukuro, Otome Road...

'A-ano, Mai-san...are you seriously going to pay for everything?' Chrome squeaked incredulously.

'Its our family's money anyway, not my money, no big deal!' Mai chirped to Chrome's sweatdrops. But little did Chrome know that its actually Mai's stolen money, not yet her own funds. First stop was cute underwear and pairs of tights and stockings before actual clothes and shoes. Since autumn, winter and spring are pretty chilly weathers with Spring being mild in comparison, they shopped for both autumn and winter clothes, and matching shoes in either high end fashion, or goth loli. In the end, Chrome has enough to fill a closet...and they had to go to Kokuyo to prepare a closet just for her, and buy it in town...

'Whoa! What the heck?!' Ken yelped as the two girls came to Kokuyo Land with a lot of shopping, and a clearly-controlled pair of men carrying a drawer and a closet.

'Oh, we went shopping!' Mai chimed. 'Girls should have plenty of clothes you know!'

'And where did you get the money?' Chikusa added incredulously.

'Ummm...sponsored for.' said Chrome shyly as the girls cleared up a room just for Chrome in the building(Mai was horrified that they LIVE here but they really don't have a choice: Chrome is 'dead' and the other two boys are fugitives). They planned on buying furniture to make Kokuyo land livable and use the rooms where glass windows aren't shattered.

In fact, they have more shopping to do.

Clothes(something the boys don't care for much).

Furniture.

Cooking ware.

Dining ware.

Pesticides and mosquito nets.

Portable, and battery-powered electronics, heaters and portable gas stoves complete with gas tanks to enable cooking.

Mai is appalled that to get by, they eat snacks! Choco balls, pocky, chewing gum(Mai gave Chrome an odd look when she told her Ken swallows his gum) and other junk food are not really meals! No wonder Chrome's as thin as a twig and apparently, so are the other boys, Mukuro included. She also informed the boys of the arrangements they have no objections with.

xxx

'So you girls did shopping today huh?' Tsuna asked Mai as the main guardians are together while Chrome would be a bit late with Chikusa and Ken.

'Yeah, her closet and shoe closet for now and I bought her a complete set of manga in Otome Road.' the boys went green, thinking she bought the poor girl THOSE. 'I'll use my remaining Tokyo money...just don't tell Chrome I'm using my money. I told her we're spending Vongola's money as a Guardian Perk so she won't hesitate to take it and just let me buy stuff for her.' the boys sweatdropped.

'Hooo? So that's how it is?' all of them got startled by Mukuro possessing a bird.

'Mukuro!'

'You didn't detect him?!' Yamamoto sputtered out at Mai who shrugged.

'I can't detect spirits unless they possess humans!' Mai shrugged in a 'what-can-you-do?' manner. 'I've never encountered animal possession before!'

'That's nice of you to be kind to my dear Chrome.' Mukuro chuckled. 'And she told me many things...some of which, are a big decision to make indeed.' he said. 'We have decided...and Chrome herself will tell you although I'm not happy with what she chose.' he huffed. 'I prefer the easier, less costly way in my opinion but she's way too nice.' and he was gone with the bird's right eye changing back, and flew away.

'What's he talking about?' Gokudera asked Tsuna curiously.

'Its about her organ treatment that we offered.' said Tsuna. 'There are two ways. Both are costly but the other option is a bit cheap.' he said with a wince. As if he could call it that! The so-called cheap way is to...gulp...kill her mother and take her organs! 'Its classified so I can't talk about it. Its under Omerta. I'm the only one who knows along with Reborn.' he lied.

'Heee...'