Good to see everyone again :)
Just a reminder that since this story follows original plot I won't take much time repeating all the little things that actually happen in the anime but focus on where Tsukiko comes into things. Which is why, for instance, in the previous chapter Tsuna and Hibari's training session is glossed over veerrryy quickly.
Also I edited the other chapters a little to define Tsukiko's character a little better because I feel like she was very...strange. And Yamamoto isn't being cheesy and all head over heels while not knowing it, anymore.
shout outs and replies at the bottom!
Tsukiko sat in silence, her eyes locked onto the cup of tea. After taking a deep breath she finally looked up and leaned back into the sofa.
"25 years, huh? That's all I live to…" She gave a sigh, "Well it could be worse. So, why am I dying? Or more importantly, why is this not 10 years into the future? And why am I not returning back to my time?"
Hibari took a sip of his tea and glanced at the clock. "Others will come to explain." He stood up and headed towards the door.
"Ah! Wait Kyoya—" Tsukiko stopped midsentence as she wass greeted by two familiar faces that walked in as Hibari left.
"It's been a while, Tsuki-nee."
"Fuuta?!" she exclaimed in surprise. "You got so big! Bianchi-san's here too."
"I assume you're probably confused to whats going on but don't worry, we came to explain everything to you." Bianchi said reassuringly.
The two sat down on the sofa where Hibari previously was and began a lengthy talk about the future and its circumstances.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Fuuta said as he pulled out Tsukiko's trademark red and white mark. "I figured you'd want it so I picked it up from your room when Hibari contacted us saying you were here."
Her eyes widened as she reached for it. "Thanks! Hm? The design has changed a little..." Tsukiko remarked as she examined the front. In addition to the red markings, there were blue streaks coming down from the corners of the eyeholes, as if they were tears. There was also a thin crack-like seam that started at the top of the mask and continued through the right eyehole to the side.
"You cracked it while tripping down the stairs and sent it back to Dino to fix. You didn't want anyone else to fix it and insisted on him doing it. Though, under the strict watch of his subordinates of course; otherwise you feared he would break it even more." Fuuta said with a chuckle.
Bianchi nodded her head. "The blue paint was added then; I think you asked to have it done."
Tsukiko tilted her head in confusion. Hmm, I don't think I'd alter anything to this mask without a purpose…why did my future self add these blue lines. Absentmindedly she slid the mask on before remembering something. "Ah! That's right I forgot to ask. What happened to the future me?"
"Well…" Fuuta said hesitantly, looking to Bianchi for help.
Bianchi gave a small sigh and shook her head. "No one really knows about anything that's been going around you lately, except for maybe yourself and Dino. The only thing we know for certain is that you have an abnormal reaction to the Non-Trinisette, similarly to Lal Mirch, but less damaging."
"Eh! But I'm not an Arcobaleno." Tsukiko interrupted in surprise.
"That's why everyone is so confused." Fuuta said. "We couldn't figure out why there was such an effect on you. You didn't really say much about it either other than that it caused you to feel sick and made it harder for you to produce flames."
Tsukiko internally mulled over this while drinking the rest of her tea. It's probably because of that… "Was it that bad that I was hospitalized?"
"No," Bianchi shook her head. "It certainly had to do with it but it wasn't the main cause."
"Then what?"
"You disappeared somewhere for days without notice, Tsuki-nee. And when you came back you were practically dead. It's a miracle you even got back to the base." Fuuta said somberly.
"You wouldn't say what happened and where you went. Not even to Yamamoto." Bianchi said. "Hibari had a hunch that you talked to Dino about it though."
Tsukiko muttered a small "I see." If I only talked to Dino…then it has to do with that again. Hm? But why wouldn't I tell Kyoya? I talked to him about it before, parts of it at least.
"Though your disappearing act wasn't that strange since you would leave every so often to somewhere. This was the first time you came back injured though. Dino seemed to always know about your escapees though so some of us, particularly Gokudera, assumed you were in a relationship with him." Bianchi said with a small smirk.
"EEEHHH?! With Dino? Oh god I hope not." Tsukiko said, her face going pale.
Fuuta chuckled. "Well, I don't think that's true though. You were always ranked to be happiest with someone else after all."
"I don't even want to know." Tsukiko said with exasperation.
"Hahah, well it's practically lunch time now. Should we head to the kitchen? Haru and Kyoko should have food prepared. And you can meet everyone else again." Bianchi suggested.
"Sure!" Tsukiko agreed brightly, forgetting the disturbing past comment.
They all got up and walked to the kitchen while showing Tsukiko around on the way. As they entered Kyoko turned around.
"Ah, Bianchi-san and Fuuta," she called out.
Haru also turned towards them after pulling something out of the oven. "Good timing desu! We just finished preparing food. Tsuna-san and the others should be come soon. She took notice of the short girl standing behind Fuuta. "Oh, and this is?"
"Shiroyuki Tsukiko. Nice to meet you," she introduced herself with a bow.
Kyoko returned the bow. "I'm Sasagawa Kyoko. You're the transfer student in my brother's class right? You got brought over to this time too? Let's be good friends!"
Tsukiko racked her brain. Brother..in my class. Uh, let's see…Sasagawa, the idiotic sun guardian?
"Me too!" Haru exclaimed excitedly. "Let's all get along! Now we have more people help make food and take care of everyone!"
Fuuta smiled. "That's not the best idea; Tsuki-nee is very clumsy after all. And she'll be busy doing things with everyone else too."
"Oh," Kyoko remarked. "You're fighting too?"
Tsukiko gave a small smile. "Ah well yeah." The door opened behind her and she turned around to see Gokudera, Yamamoto and Tsuna walk in.
"Oh, Tsukiko! You're here too?" Yamamoto said as he noticed her.
Tsuna gave a surprised expression. "Tsukiko-san? When did you get here?"
"A little while ago." Tsukiko said.
Gokudera frowned. "Should have just back there, shorty."
"Well it's not like I had a chance, grandpa." Tsukiko retorted back. She looked over at Yamamoto and Tsuna who both had a concerned face. "Something wrong?"
"Ah, its…" Tsuna muttered.
"They're worried about you, Tsukiko." Reborn said as he walked in. "They saw the state your future self is in after all."
"Oh." Tsukiko said as the mood grew cold.
"L-let's eat shall we? Sit down everyone." Kyoko spoke up, trying to break the awkward silence.
"Ah, yeah." Yamamoto smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck.
They all sat down and ate a large amount of food together but there was little talking as they all had there minds occupied by different things. When they were all done eating Reborn jumped on Tsukiko's head.
"We need to talk Tsukiko." Reborn said in a serious tone.
REVIEW PLEASE! :)
Shout outs to SaChan22, Marionette-Rui, kaelum, KilalaReno, Lucenthia, lovelyanimeangel, and becky157689 for following/favorite-ing.
Special shoutouts to kira86 for following/favorite-ing both me and the story! Plus reviewing! Love you :)
To those of you who followed/favorited but didn't get a shoutout it's probably because you did so during my haitus period so all the names of people then got lost :(( But thank you regardless 3
Review responses:
kira86: Thank you! I'll try to update as often as possible
Mistress of Madness: I hope you're confusion is gone? :)
