Previously:
Tsuna tapped the message and the screen showed her the content of the said message as she smirked approvingly.
"It's from Spanner." The two mist ring holder tilted their head.
"Did the message say what we thought about just now…?" They asked in unison as Tsuna grinned and showed them her personal device.
The duo smiled and shook their heads.
«Vongola, mission accomplished. You just need to see the new formation and yes, a new reinforcement is on his way. Make a bet with him. ―Spanner»
CHAPTER 21: The Brain of East
Harsh footsteps were heard on the empty basement. The owner of the said footsteps frowned at her own thought as her blond hair swayed with every step she took.
"I can't believe he is that stupid! Like he doesn't know me all this time! I get what I want, I dispose what I don't want to see and I kill everyone who stands in my way." She sneered and halted on her steps when she felt another presence near her.
She looked at the empty hallway behind her from the corner of her eyes and saw a shadow hid itself on nearby pillar. Her mien turned sour as she quietly took a pocket knife from her long robe's pocket and threw it to the said person in shadow with unbelievable speed. The victim didn't have time to react as the knife pierced the victim's hand. The person in pain wasted no time and fled away as Ayame readied to follow that person but halted when one of her guardians came and bowed at her.
"Sesto*, Quinto** has summoned you." At this, Ayame's eyes narrowed immediately.
"Father?"
"Yes."
"Very well. You can go back to your post, Abe."
The man called Abe bowed again before disappearing as fast as his sudden arrival. However, Ayame, didn't move from her last spot at all. She kept staring at the last place that mysterious person in shadow stood. She is sure she has injured whoever it was. One-hundred percent sure she will meet with that person again, soon enough.
-[x]-
GROUP EAST
Gokudera, Yamamoto, Ryohei
"I don't even understand why Juudaime paired me with two idiots like you." Gokudera snorted in disbelief as he kicked a random pebble on their road.
Yamamoto—with his signature laugh—said with a big grin, "Maa, maa… I believe Tsuna has her own way. Besides, she chose you as our leader. Isn't that great, Sasagawa-senpai?"
"EXTREME! SAWADA HAS CHOSEN A RIGHT LEADER TO THE EXTREME!"
Gokudera face-palmed and Yamamoto sweat-dropped.
Aren't they supposed to be a little….quieter?
Aren't they going to be found out by enemies if they are this….loud?
The silverette could only sighed in exasperation as he stared at the small note given by his boss. After a long minute staring contest between him and the said paper, he couldn't even figure something out. He then ruffled his hair and glanced at his side where his eyes clashed with a squirrel's brown one. He then looked at the paper his Juudaime gave, back and forth to the said confused squirrel.
He grabbed Ryohei and Yamamoto's back head and told them.
"Baseball-freak, lawn-head! Look! It's a squirrel!" He exclaimed happily.
"Hn?" Yamamoto hummed with a grin as he looked at the paper Gokudera held.
«Where the tip of leaf directs, that's where you will go. Where the squirrels stand, that's where you will map out the reality. Where the door was found, that will be your downfall»
"Ne, Octopus-head, do you choose this way based on Sawada's instruction of this tip of leaf something?" Ryohei asked as he scratched the back of his head confused. Gokudera's grin dropped as he examined the words throughoutly.
"Uh, no… I think I missed that part?"
"Hey, isn't leaf's tip always blows to our front? I mean, all this time we have walked down the road, following the wind. Isn't that what Tsuna meant?" Yamamoto grabbed a green leaf on the ground and rolled it with his finger. "Want to see the proof?" He grinned. Ryohei and Gokudera looked at each other confused but nodded nevertheless. Yamamoto let the leaf go as the leaf swirled around with the wind and slowly disembark to the ground.
The tip pointed to the path straight in front of them.
Yamamoto laughed sheepishly, "See? Tsuna is always right! She always helps us even if she is not in the same group as us!"
"…Ne, octopus-head, aren't you supposed to be the smartest here? Why did Yamamoto figure it out first before you? Have you gone stupid?" Ryohei asked him bluntly which resulting in Gokudera fumed in anger and Yamamoto tried to stop their fighting with his continuous laugh.
"Anyway, Tsuna's little note said that if we found a door, that will be our downfall right?" Yamamoto started as the two had stopped trying to fight each other. Gokudera—who still pissed—answered reluctantly, "Yes, what of it, Baseball-freak?"
"Then we will just ignore the door and search the other way to enter the enemy's headquarter, right?" Yamamoto grinned widely and laughed.
"EXTREMEEE! I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YAMAMOTO!"
"Ahahaha, Senpai, I think we should be a little quieter."
Gokudera sulked as Ryohei pumped his fists in the air.
The three of them started with circling the north forest and as much as possible, avoiding a thing called door.
Twenty minutes later…
A fresh lump appeared on Yamamoto's head as he laughed in what seems to be a suppressed pain.
"Ouch, Gokudera. What's that for?" He asked.
"What's that for? WHAT'S THAT FOR?! We had been circling this huge forest three times in the past twenty minutes and we even found a back steel door to that Ayame's place, yet we didn't found a single thing about how we are supposed to get in! No window, no hidden passage and no stairs! How can we beat their asses if we even can't get in? Huh?!"
"But Gokudera, the mid-day jogging is quite fun." Ryohei said proudly, making Gokudera hit his face with his palm.
"Okay, let me use my brain as Juudaime had said, for us to rely on my brain, not yours Baseball-freak." Gokudera snorted.
Yamamoto only laughed it off, "Sure thing, Gokudera!"
Two minutes later…
Gokudera suddenly stood up from his squatting position and ran to the way they first came. Yamamoto and Ryohei were taken surprise by this and out of instinct, they followed Gokudera.
Gokudera never stopped running until he arrived at his spot, panting hard from the lack of oxygen but he couldn't care less. He turned his body backwards and took out the paper, reading it once again. The Rain and Sun Guardian arrived half a minute later, also out of breath as they asked Gokudera why he ran and were ignored by the said silverette.
Gokudera then turned his head to left and right, searching for the tree where he had found a squirrel.
He found it.
He took off again to the tree, standing in front of it and read the paper again. Yamamoto and Ryohei swore they could hear gears turning from inside Gokudera's brain.
"Finally, I understand!" Gokudera said in one breath.
"What is it, Octopus-head?"
"You figure out Tsuna's puzzle?"
"Yes. Before I explain any further, first of all, the two of you." Gokudera pointed at them as Yamamoto and Ryohei also pointed at themselves in confusion, "The two of you stand beside me. Now."
They do as he said and getting more confused as second passed by.
"We're standing right below the tree where the squirrels stand. No, don't look up, assholes." Gokudera growled as the remaining two quickly averted their gaze to their fronts.
"Look in front of you. Yamamoto, I bet you can see what's ahead with your eyes. You are used to see a small tiny bit of flying ball in baseball, right? You should have figured it out by now."
Yamamoto's eyes focused to his front and suddenly his mien turned shocked as he grinned at his companions, "Uh-huh. You're right, Gokudera. I totally see what's ahead."
"Why do you sure there is something ahead, Baseball-freak?" Gokudera suddenly asked as Yamamoto's grin dropped. He looked to the front again and then at Gokudera, feeling confused.
"Because you said so?" He replied unsurely.
Gokudera's lips twitched upward in what seems like a hidden smirk, "And you believe me?"
Yamamoto tilted his head but nodded with a smile.
"Why?"
He laughed, "Why? Because we're team, Gokudera! I believe in what my friends say because I know they are true!"
"Oh!" Gokudera and Yamamoto turned to Ryohei who had just spluttered one oh, "I just realize something." Ryohei's eyes met theirs as he said one word that made Gokudera's lips twitched upwards again, "Mist."
Yamamoto's eyes shone with happiness as he brought his hand to the back of his head and grinned.
Gokudera shook his head with a small smile as he threw the little note to the air and threw his dynamite to the said paper.
Boom!
The paper turned into ash.
Gokudera then called Uri out, the same with Yamamoto and Ryohei who took out their own box weapons at the silverette's command.
The three box weapons combined into one.
Ryohei's sun flames made Uri turned into big leopard with sharp fangs, long nails and hard paws as his body was engulfed in Yamamoto's rain flames. His eyes were fiery red. Uri then launched himself to the bunch of trees in front of him as Gokudera fired his Sistema C.A.I to help Uri on his way.
Storm to decipher.
The trees fell on each side, making a path for Uri. And after the trees were disposed, they could see very clearly, a shadow of a big steel door.
"Go, Uri!" The three of them shouted as the said leopard growled in excitement. There was something shiny from the steel door that make Uri slowed down his movement. The small shiny thing propagated into ten and launched at them like a rocket that turned to be a mass of Gola Mosca. Uri's eyes narrowed as suddenly he released a blast and Gola Moscas slowed down as if in slow motion.
Rain to tranquilize.
The big leopard then clawed at the said slow motioned robots with his sharp long claws that were suddenly being lit up by yellow flames.
Sun to be unbreakable.
The Gola Moscas were clawed two times but the damages were tripled, thanks to Ryohei's flames. They malfunctioned and exploded as rain fell down and a big mansion was materialized from nowhere.
The big steel door now was visible without the need to squint for a better view.
The box weapons turned to their original form and stood beside their own masters.
"This is it." Gokudera started after he took a big amount of air to inhale and exhaled it. Yamamoto and Ryohei high-fived with big grins plastered on their faces.
"Let's let them know not to mess with Vongola."
Go to the north where the tip of leaf directed you to. Don't ever waver. Don't bother to search a visible door as it apparently turned out to be the illusion one. There you will see a bunch of squirrels stared at you with a glint of curiosity but only one was outstanding. Yes, you will only see one. Stand below their home, no, don't look up or you will be more crumpled inside the mist's illusion. Then, try to look to your front. What did you see? Did you see it? I bet you are, if you believe in yourself and your surroundings. Now, combine your strength and trust and let it shattered into pieces. Now, do you get yourself a clearer view? That's where the mist hides. Beware of the unseen danger as you're now in their territory.
-[x]-
Ayame opened a big oak door and entered gracefully. The guards on the door bowed at her and left the room where she was confronted with a big screen with her father bearded old face displayed. Wrinkles could be seen on his tired face and warmth eyes but assertiveness and aura of authority still apparent.
"Father." Ayame bowed with unreadable expression.
"Ishihara Ayame." The old man on the screen known as Ayame's Father spoke sternly. Ayame slowly rose up from her bowing position and threw a hardened glare at him. "I command you to stop this childish act right away. You are no longer in position to be engaged to Hibari Family's son. Therefore, I want you to go back to Italy this instant, along with your Guardians."
Ayame let out a high-pitched laugh as the man's eyes glowing with anger even more, "Father, I know that decision you made is so damn wrong. I mean, Kyoya and me loved each other. Why would we listen to you anyway? You as the Quinto of Gralfte Famiglia*** should mind your own business and quickly retire your position so I can take your place and make this Famiglia the most feared and strongest above the Mafia Famiglia ever existed in centuries." The Quinto's expression hardened even more as if it wasn't before. His lips twitched downward in a disappointed and disgusted manner. He then decided this time will be the last time they have a bond, that's it if she didn't comply to his command earlier.
"You are no child of mine any longer. Therefore you lost your privilege to call me Father and Gralfte Famiglia HQ as your home." The Quinto said with cold demeanor which startled the blond haired woman. She fumed with anger as she tightened her fists. Her sharp nails collided with the pale skin of hers, successfully made it bleed.
"You can't. You didn't have any successor to continue this Famiglia, beside me." She sounded a bit desperate this time, hoping her Father would take back his statement. The Quinto didn't waver or blink as he stared at Ayame.
"I have another successor beside you. After all, I have never intended to let you carry on my great great grandfather's Famiglia but because you insisted, I had agreed to let you think such thing. But that will be no more, Miss. From now, you will use your Mother's maiden surname. You are no longer Ishihara Ayame but Tsukimori Ayame. Do not ever let my name or my Famiglia come out from your lips. It will disgrace the entire Mafia World."
"No! You are my Father and will be so! I don't know who Tsukimori Ayame you meant is but I am definitely Ishihara Ayame." A single tear was seen from the corner of her left eye but she overpowered the remorse she felt with anger. The blood from her palms continuously poured down drop by drop.
Even so, The Quinto of Gralfte Famiglia only stared and blinked when he needed to. The two got silent for a full two minutes.
"You will regret this decision very dearly. You will be crying every night for the fool choice you took when you let go of your only daughter. I swear even if you die, you can even think that death is not going to make you feel any better for you to let me go, Quinto."
"Oh? Looking forward to your expectation then, Miss Tsukimori."
Ayame bit her lower lips as she took another pocket knife and threw it to the screen as the device's screen turned black. The knife successfully stuck in the center of cracked screen. She hissed in rage.
"This is all that Vongola Decimo's fault. If only she didn't exist… If only she didn't exist!" She screamed and threw things everywhere with her bloody hands. In no matter of second, the room was messed up with some things have a bloody printed hands on them. Ayame glanced to her side in search for another thing to be thrown. She then walked to the ancient mirror in the corner of the big room. The clacking of her heels resounded in the empty room as a psychopath grin crept up on her pale complexion. She brought her bloody fist to the air and punched the mirror.
She looked at her own reflection on the shattered glasses and she seems…satisfied.
"Oh, I hope your fate will be like this mirror, Tsunayuki-chan. I will make sure to kill you with my own hands… In front of my Kyoya…" She grinned before laughing maniacally.
Note:
*Sesto means Sixth
**Quinto means Fifth
***Gralfte Famiglia is only a made-up
Ne ne ne, are you getting fired up? :D
Did I make you feel somewhat curious? :D
What about my beloved cliffhanger? :D