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Chapter XXV Tsuna
Just reach out. That's all I was doing. I still had my hand stretched out to where Nico…to where Nico… I can't even finish. I never thought I could have so many tears, but the loss of Nico, Percy and Kurama was too great. This can't be happening. This can't be happening to me. I already lost my mother, but, why…why am I losing everyone that I love? It wasn't fair.
I was in so much pain. So much pain that it made my dislocated arm seem like a small pinch. Seeing my friends, my family, getting murdered right before my very eyes, no one I would ever meet would know how I would feel. It was like someone brutally ripped my still beating heart out of my chest and crushed it like it was glass.
There was a snap sound and I fell to the floor. I quickly crawled my way to the pit where Nico was thrown in. But when I got close the pit disappeared. I began to claw at the floor.
"Bring him back, bring him back, bring him back!" I cried, my fingers already bleeding and embedded with splinters.
Meiyo stepped close to me and I could feel him staring right at me. I didn't care. I only wanted to save Nico. He could still be-NO! He still is alive. He's strong, more than strong enough to live through being…impaled and…tossed into a pit. He's the strongest person I have ever met. I can't, I can't…I can't lose him.
"If you want to avenge your loved ones," Meiyo said, "You will have to fight me."
I didn't move. I just continued to dig through the wood floor with me bare hands. Meiyo sighed and grabbed my hair. It felt like nothing compared losing the people I love. I didn't even fight him, even as he dragged me away from where the pit was. I think I was in shock, because as he dragged me I kept clawing at the air as it was the floor.
I was tossed to floor like a rag doll. I could see my sword in arm's length, but I just laid there, not moving and the tears still streaming. Meiyo was standing over me now, so I could have easily grabbed me sword and killed him here and now, but I couldn't even get the will to move a finger, let alone kill a minor god.
"Prove to me that the death of your friends was not a waste." Meiyo said as he walked to the center of the torches. "Fight your way back to this room, and you may get a chance for revenge." He snapped his fingers, teleporting me somewhere else in the shrine.
I was leaning against a wall, staring into space. I kept seeing what Meiyo did over and over. It was worse when I closed my eyes. Kurama falling that hole, Percy being incinerated, Nico…My heart started beating fast, and I was breathing rapidly. I started crying again, and I cried harder and louder than I ever have.
I don't know how long I sat there crying. It didn't take long for my cries to turn to screams. The more I accepted that what happened really happened I felt more agonizing pain in my chest. I could hear my screams echo down the hall.
I wasn't able to catch my breath. I started coughing. But not long after I wasn't even able to cough or breathe. I sat up and turned to a corner and threw up. After dry retching for a few seconds I crawled backwards until I hit the opposite wall.
I curled in on myself, looking straight ahead. I saw something glinting in the corner of my eye. Looking over I saw my sword. My eyes went wide and I practically dove for it. Once it was in my hands I sat on my haunches. I stared at the blade for a moment before I put it against my throat. I felt the cool of the Divine Steel against my skin.
I wanted to. I wanted to kill myself so much. But I couldn't do it. I'm such a coward. I threw my sword away and pulled at my hair and screamed. Once I screamed my throat raw I started to take few breaths in an attempt to calm down. I ran my hands through my hair as I stood up.
I felt that I was shaking, but I walked over to my sword and picked it up. I followed my instincts and headed down the hallway. I just kept thinking of the others, and how it was my fault that they are dead. Who am I to kid myself? There's no way Nico could be alive.
With Kurama dead, I didn't have a friend who knew Japan and the myths. Without Percy around, I not only lost my brother, but Sally and Paul would never forgive me and take me in. And since Nico was dead, I will earn Hades's eternal hatred. I feel dead inside about the whole thing. It's my fault that they're dead. And I want to die for causing their deaths.
I can't kill myself though, I'm too scared, too much of a coward. But I was told that if you do a great deed for the gods that they will grant a wish. So this is what I am going to do: I'll complete this Quest. I'll gather the Three Sacred Treasures and present them to that pompous king Zeus himself. And then, I'll ask for the Council to kill me and send me to the Fields of Punishment as retribution for Nico and Percy's deaths.
With this in mind, I set out to find Meiyo and make him pay. I felt so much anger just thinking about the minor god. I don't think anyone has ever made me so angry, even that piece of trash Triton. I will kill him, I swear it.
As I was walking I started to hear laughing. I thought it was just Meiyo playing tricks on me. But as I pushed myself forward the laughing got louder and I recognized it. It belonged to my friends, with Percy's and Nico's laughs being louder than Kurama's. I broke into a run but their laughter kept getting louder and louder.
"STOP IT!" I screamed, covering my ears.
I ran even faster, but it became so loud that it was like they were screaming in my ears. I closed my eyes and forced my hands over my ears harder to drown out the sound. I still kept running and ran into a wall. I picked myself up, only to see the others standing in front of me.
"Guys!" I yelled.
I ran to them, only to go straight through them. They were like ghosts. I put my hand on Percy's shoulder only for him fade away like mist. Kurama already dissipated, leaving only the ghostly Nico standing in front of me. As I stared at him, with a smile I found out that only I have been able to get him to show lately, my heart broke again. I reached to brush a hair out of his face.
"I'm sorry." I said as the misty Nico dissipated, letting only a single tear fall this time.
The laughter didn't stop the entire time my friends' ghostly apparitions appeared. It had merely quieted down. But the moment Nico faded the laughter returned full force. It was driving me crazy. I need to get away from it. At the end of the hallway I saw a sliding door. It was the only way out of the hallway so I ran through it.
Once on the other side of the door the laughter finally stopped. But…I wasn't in the shrine anymore. It was so disorienting. I was being stared at by people, actual people. And they weren't Japanese, they were white. A lot of them had tans, which could be explained by the bright sun above the city. As I turned around to debate whether or not to go through the door again I saw that it had disappeared.
"Guess I'll have to find a different way back." I thought.
It was really warm out so I took my jacket and hoodie and tied them around my waist. The locals were giving me weird looks. Most of the men were in suits, while the women were in dresses. As I walked around I noticed that there were many canals and beautiful stone bridges over them. Then there were the little booths that were selling fruits and vegetables and various meats.
I was starting to feel disoriented. My head hurt and everything started to blur and twist in my sight. I tripped over a loose stone and fell to the ground. A large man with a blood stained apron (he probably was a butcher or something) helped me up and asked if I needed help. I didn't answer him. I just shook my head and ran away into a dark alley.
I leaned against a wall and took a couple of deep breaths. I looked around and noticed the architecture. It seemed so familiar. I couldn't place where until I heard singing. I walked out of the alley and saw a man pushing a boat, singing a jaunty tune. Then it clicked.
"Venice." I said. I looked around and finally recognized where I was. "I'm in Venice. Thank you Doctor and those sexy fish vampires. But how am I in Venice?"
I looked around and tried to think. But this whole situation was confusing me. How the hell did I get to Venice? I was in Japan not even a few minutes ago. I walked through the crowds, trying to process anything to figure this out. I bumped into a lot of people, well, they bumped into me. It's like they were doing it on purpose. One large man saw me and practically rammed his shoulder into me, turning me around. Before I yelled at him I backed into someone, causing us both to fall and spilling whatever was in their arms.
"I am so sorry." I said. Looking around I saw that what had fell were two bags full of groceries. The food was spilled all around the ground. "I wasn't watching where I was going." I reached around to help pick up the food.
"Oh no." It was a woman's voice. "It was all my fault. These bags were so big and heavy I didn't see you."
I grabbed a large red tomato and handed it to the woman. As she grabbed it we looked up and saw each other's face. She was a very beautiful woman. Her long black hair was beautifully framing her face, falling behind her back like a waterfall of ink and her eyes were deep brown in color, and so familiar that it scared me. Like the rest of the Venetians I have seen today she had a natural olive complexion. Her arms were covered in white gloves which stood out against her skin. She was wearing a black satin dress that has the faintest floral designs on it. Sitting on her shoulders was a red shawl.
"Is there something on my face?" she asked, breaking me from my trance.
"Sorry," I said while smiling awkwardly, "It's just that your eyes look familiar."
"Aw, you're sweet." She said. Her smile was so bright and warming. After putting the food back in the bags she lifted the two bags.
"Here, let me." I said, taking a bag from her. She was right, it was heavy.
"You're so kind." She said. I walked alongside her for a while and looked around the area. "New to Venice?"
"That obvious, huh?" I asked,
"A bit." She said. "Would you like directions to any place in particular?"
"Sorry, I'm not really sure where anything is here in all honesty." I admitted.
"If you wish I can lead you to a hotel or something after I pick up my children." She offered.
"That would be lovely." I said. "Thank you." After walking around for a while I adjusted the bag in my arms. "Why do you have so much food? If I'm not intruding too much, that is."
"No intrusion at all." She said. "I'm making a wonderful home cooked meal me and my two children before it gets hard to get such good food." Was that sadness I heard?
"What's wrong?" I asked. "And what do you mean 'hard to get good food'?"
"You haven't heard?" She asked. "People say war is looming over us. But people are trying to act like it isn't, that's why everyone looks happy."
"War?" I asked. "What war?"
"We shouldn't speak of it." She said. "With Mussolini rising in power, my love just says that it would be much safer in America, but I can't bring myself to leave Venice."
"Mussolini?" I thought. "Why does that sound so familiar? Wait a minute…War, Italy, Mussolini…Di Immortales! I'm in World War II!"
"Are you alright?" the woman asked.
"Yeah, sorry." I said. I then realized I was being rude. "Oh I'm sorry; I just realized I never told you my name. It's Tsuna."
"It's nice to meet you Tsuna." She said. "My name is Maria."
"So, Maria," I said, putting emphasis on her name, "Have you lived in Venice a long time?"
"Just since before my daughter was born." Maria said.
"What are they like?" I asked. "Your children, I mean."
"They're the greatest part of my life." Maria said. "My daughter is very sweet, though she can be a bit blunt. And my son is the cutest thing I have ever seen. He's curious, as most children are, but he's really shy."
"They sound amazing." I said.
We talked, with Maria leading the way. Just being around her was calming, to the point where I was able to almost push what had happened to the back of my mind. But when I was starting to feel relaxed the memories kept flooding back. I put up a happy front for Maria though. She didn't need to know about what I'm going through.
"We're almost there." Maria said as we came to a long bridge. Once we were half way across Maria broke into a huge smile.
"Mama, Mama!" cried two children, a little girl and her younger brother, as they ran to us.
"My babies!" Maria said, bending down to give them a hug with her free arm. "I've missed you so much. Where's Aunt Fiorella?" The little girl pointed at the other side of the bridge, where a blonde woman was coming towards us.
"Maria." said Fiorella. "Your little angels were rambunctious today."
"Were they?" Maria asked, looking right at her children. They fidgeted around. "Sorry Ella. Thanks for watching them while I went shopping."
"Oh, it's no problem." Fiorella said. She leaned down and the two kids gave her a hug. "We had a lot of fun."
"Are you still coming to dinner?" Maria asked.
"I wouldn't miss it." Fiorella said. She looked over at me, just now noticing my presence. "Who's this Maria?"
"Oh, this is Tsuna." Maria said.
"How did you two meet?" asked Fiorella.
"Well," I said, "Let's just say we bumped into each other." Maria giggled a bit.
"It was nice meeting you." Fiorella said, waving goodbye. "Bye Maria, bye kids."
"Bye Aunt Ella!" yelled the children.
"Okay Tsuna, are you ready to go?" Maria asked.
"Yeah, but should we drop these off at your house?" I asked.
"We can, but it won't be a bother…" Maria said, but I drowned her out a little bit. I felt like I was being stared at. I looked around to find Maria's daughter holding her hand.
She was, well, adorable. Looking maybe five years old, I noticed she was the splitting image of her mother, with dark black eyes. Her black hair was tied back by a blue ribbon. She was wearing a light blue shirt under a grey dress, which was tied around the waist by another blue ribbon. She had to be maybe five or even six.
"Um, hello." I said.
"Bianca!" Maria chided. "It's not polite to stare."
"But Mommy, he's so pretty!" the little girl said.
"Pretty?" I thought.
"Now Bianca," explained Maria, "We call boys handsome. Like how your brother is handsome."
"But he isn't handsome though." Bianca said. "He's just a dumb baby."
"Bianca!" Maria said.
"Momma…" said a boyish voice so quiet that I barely heard it.
Looking near the ground I saw a cute little boy hiding behind his mother, peeking out to look at me and clutching the bottom of Maria's dress. From what I could tell, he was wearing shorts that cut off right above his knees and a dull brown shirt. He had ink black hair and his mother's dark brown eyes. Like his mother and sister he had an olive complexion. He actually looked familiar to me, but I couldn't place where. I gave him a smile and bent down. Putting the bag of food to the side I waved at him and put it in front of him to shake.
"Hi there." I said. "What's your name? My name's Tsuna." The five(ish) year old little boy quickly hid back behind his mother only to peek around again a few moments later.
"I'm sorry. Like I said earlier he's a little shy." Maria said.
"It's okay, I understand." I said.
I stood back up and looked at the three of them. They were a happy family. Untouched by the world I now live in, they didn't need someone like me around. I would only bring them trouble, attracting monsters that would only endanger them, especially the children. I had to go.
"Hey Maria, thanks for everything you've done for me." I said. "But I think I can find my way from here."
"Are you sure?" she asked. "It would mean so much to me if you would join us for dinner."
"I would love to, but I need to get going." I said, handing her the other bag. "Thanks again Maria."
"You're welcome Tsuna." Maria said. "If you ever go to Washington D.C., please stop by for a visit."
"I will." I said, trying not to show my grief. "You take care of your little brother now, okay?" The little girl nodded. "And you watch out for your big sister, okay little man? She's going to need you when the two of you grow up." The boy hid again. "Goodbye everyone. Enjoy your dinner Maria."
"Goodbye Tsuna." Maria said.
"Bye Mr. Pretty!" yelled Bianca, waving like wild child. The little boy, still hiding behind his mother, waved too.
I walked back until I was on the opposite side of the canal. After giving the family of three a final look I walked down an alley. And I got lost within five minutes. I ended up walking in circles, and I know this because I passed the same sausage stand three times. Once I got my bearings I walked along the edge of a canal.
I saw Maria and her children on the other side. Maria was sitting on a bench resting, the grocery bags sitting next to her. Bianca was talking to her little brother, who wasn't listening. He was laughing and trying to reach for the water. I heard Maria warm him to be careful. I smiled at them, but there was this sense of familiarity I had with them that was making my head hurt.
Deciding to leave instead of waving at them I walked off. But then, not even a moment later I heard a splash and the scream of a little girl. Then there was Maria's scream.
"My baby!" she shrieked. I turned around and ran to the edge of the canal. "Someone help my baby!" I looked over and only saw Bianca screaming, pointing at the water. Which could only mean-
"No." I said. Without a second thought I dove into the water.
The water was murky. I couldn't see the boy, so I swam deeper and moved closer to the side he was on. I sensed something ahead of me, like something struggling. I swam closer and saw Maria's son being held down by a couple of water nymphs. The boy had his hands over his mouth and nose. I saw air bubbles coming out between his fingers.
"Get away from him!" I yelled as I swam closer to him. They just laughed at me and tried to tickle the air out of the boy. I brought my sword out and got closer. "I said get away from him!"
They still ignored me and kept trying to get Maria's son to let out his remaining air. I have to give it to the kid; he sure has strong lungs for a four year old. But he could only hold his breath for so long. I swam close only to have one of the nymphs shoot me an annoyed look and blast me away with pressurized water.
After spinning out I regained control and swam back. There's no way I'm going to let Maria's son drown. The nymph glared at me again but I couldn't care. Before she could stop me I sliced her with me sword. She backed up enough so she wouldn't get killed and, looking terrified, ran away. I heard bubbles flowing so I looked back at the boy and say that he had taken a breath full of the canal water.
"NO!" I screamed. I felt the water bubbling around me, and I sensed the waves above churning violently.
The nymph looked scared, so scared that she actually let go of the boy. As he sank to the bottom of the canal I rushed to grab him. After shooting the nymph a 'get out of my sight' look I kicked off the ground and swam to the surface. I willed myself to get wet and had my sword go back to its ring form.
I took a deep breath as I broke the surface (so the locals wouldn't suspect anything) and raised the boy above me. Maria was calling out to her son while I swam over to her. I gave him to her so I could climb up.
"He isn't breathing!" Maria screamed. Her son was limp in her arms. Bianca was crying and being held by an old woman.
"Lie him down!" I yelled. She didn't, as if she was scared that if she let him go she would lose him forever. "Maria, please trust me. I can save him."
She stared at me for a few seconds before nodding. Laying her son on the ground I started performing CPR. As I tried to save his life I couldn't help but think why people who live in Venice of all places didn't know CPR and attempted to save the kids' life as soon as he was out of the water. It was taking too long for me get him to get the water out, so I used my powers to force the water out of his lungs. The boy started coughing and I sensed that all the water was out.
"Oh, my baby!" Maria said with tears of joy falling from her eyes, as she took her son into her arms. She took off her shawl and wrapped him up after he started shivering. After kissing her son Maria grabbed me and pulled me close, kissing both of my cheeks and pulling me into a tight hug. "You saved me son. I owe you my life."
"There's no need." I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder. "As long as your son is safe, that's all I want."
With that Maria hugged me again. I felt something struggling between us and saw the boy getting out of the shawl. He crawled his way on me and hugged me tightly around the neck. I didn't move for a second, but I hugged him back. I don't know why, but it made me happy. After the hug he went back to his mother.
"I'm so glad you're safe." Maria said, cuddling with her child. Bianca was hugging the two of them. "My baby, my little Nico."
"Nico?!" I yelled.
It…it can't be. I reached out for him, for Nico, but everything started to fade away. The buildings, the people, until only Nico was standing before me. The four year old version I just saved from drowning was aged to the fourteen year old who I…who is my best friend. I went to hug him, but something grabbed me from behind. I struggled against its hold on me where I noticed that the two water nymphs were trying to drag me back into the water.
"No! No, Nico, wait!" I yelled as I fell into the canal.
But I didn't hit water. I just fell. I was falling down a black void. The next thing I knew I was laying on the floor of the shrine. I didn't move. I just stared at the ceiling with tears falling from my eyes. What was the point in all that? Was it to make me suffer? Sending me to the past, making me save Nico from drowning, was that supposed to happen? Did Nico really meet me in his past?
I slowly sat up and wiped my eyes. Standing up I dragged my feet as I walked down the hallway. After I turned a corner the torches that were mounted on the walls went out. It was pitch black, so dark that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face.
"Fan-fucking-tastic." I said. I kept my left hand on the wall to make sure I wouldn't get lost. But a short while later the wall ended. "Great."
Practically blind I tried to use my sword as a walking stick. It was really annoying. As I walked I smelled burnt meat, but I tried to block it out. But it kept getting stronger and making me sick. I tripped over something and fell into something warm and sticky. I felt around for my sword and ended up feeling hair and leather. Ignoring it for a minute I found my sword, only for the lights to turn on above me.
The light was really bright, so it took a few moments for my eyes to adjust. I rubbed my eyes and felt the warm sticky liquid on my face. When my eyes finally adjusted I screamed. On the floor, lying in a pool of blood, was Percy and Nico. I could just barely recognize Percy because he was burnt to a crisp. Nico was really pale (and I mean it was making me sick he was so pale) and the wound in his stomach was still bleeding.
I screamed even louder and backed up as far as I could against a wall. I then noticed that my hands were covered in blood. Screaming again I tried to wipe the blood off my hands with my shirt. That's when I heard the gurgling noise. I realized that the noise was coming from Percy and Nico. They were moving a little bit.
"Oh my God!" I yelled. "You're alive!" I crawled closer to them, only to have their eyes look right at me.
"You killed us Tsuna." They said in unison.
"What?" I said.
"You led us to death." They twisted and crawled over each other. I scooted back against the wall and they crawled closer, like they were from the Walking Dead or something.
"You let us die, brother:" Percy said. I could feel the venom of his voice. "You had the power to save us."
"You are so weak." Nico said. That felt like someone was twisting a knife in my chest. "You could have done something."
"I-I know." I said, basically breaking down. They started grabbing me tightly. "I failed the two of you. I couldn't save, either of you."
"You should have died instead." They said, looking me in the eye.
"I'm sorry." I said. "I would rather be dead than see the two of you hurt."
They pushed against me and slammed me against the wall roughly. I heard the wood cream and moan against my weight. Nico wrapped his hands around my throat and started choking me. He wasn't doing it hard enough to kill me though. Percy pushed down on my ribs, almost hard enough to break them.
"I want you to feel the pain I felt." Percy said, pushing harder against my ribs.
"Just…do it." I choked out, just wanting to die.
Nico increased the pressure he had around my neck. Percy stopped pushing against my ribs to grab me by the hair and bang my head against the wall. I heard a loud cracking noise; whether it was the wall or my skull I couldn't tell you. But as they pushed against me harder, the cracking grew louder and the next thing I knew I was falling. I could see Nico and Percy staring down at me through a hole in a rainy sky as I fell, pieces of wood falling alongside me.
I landed roughly on cement. I stared up at the sky, letting the rain hit me in the face as I tried to find where I was pushed into this new land. The hole was gone though, and I had no idea where I was. By the smell of it I was in an alleyway. I didn't care though; I just let the rain wash away the tears.
"Oh my God! Are you alright?" a woman said with a very sweet voice.
I leaned my head in the direction of the voice and saw a woman wearing a white waitress outfit stained with grease and condiments, holding a blue umbrella. Her hair was straight in a lustrous brown color. She knelt down, holding the umbrella over me, and I saw her eyes. They were a beautiful blue.
"Sa...Sally?" I thought, recognizing her. She looked really young, maybe not much older than me, 17 at the youngest.
"Are you alright?" she asked again.
"I…I don't…know." I said. I felt like I was going insane.
"I should get you to a hospital." She said as she helped me up.
"No, there's no need." I said. She invaded my personal space and placed her lips on my forehead.
"You have a fever." She said.
"No, no I don't." I said. I didn't feel sick.
"At least let me get you out of the rain." She offered. Well, it wasn't really an offer. More of a calm 'Do this or else' type of thing.
"Ok." I said.
She held my hand led me to her place. We didn't talk (other than introducing ourselves), and I didn't fight her. If she's like the Sally I know, she's stubborn when it comes to the well-being of others. We arrived at this rundown apartment building. After unlocking the front entrance she opened the door to her apartment. The paint was peeling off the walls, and she had only the most basic of necessities.
There was a small pile of books next to a raggedy couch. In the corner, sitting on a crate was a small TV with a short stack of VHS tapes. The kitchen was in good shape, though. There were two doors which I assumed led to the bathroom and Sally's bed room.
"Here, give me you jacket." She ordered.
I did as I was told and also took off my hoodie. She took them and hung them up in the bathroom. She came out with a towel and had me dry off. After placing a few towels on the couch she made me sit.
"I'll be right back Tsuna." Sally said. She was gone for less than five minutes. When she returned, she was caring something I didn't expect to see.
It was a baby, wrapped in a blue blanket. I froze when I saw him. I mean, how could you expect to see your brother as a baby in person? Sally was cooing at baby Percy as she walked in.
"What's the matter?" Sally asked when she noticed me staring at her and Percy. "Have you never seen a baby before?"
"No, it's not that." I said. Sally sat next to me and kissed her son.
"Tsuna, this is Percy." She said.
"How, how old is he?" I asked.
"He's a little older than two months." She said, cradling the boy. "He's the best thing to ever happen to me.
"I know the feeling." I said. Percy started crying and fussing.
"Oh, somebody's hungry." Sally said. "Could you hold him while I get him his bottle?"
"Um, yeah, sure." I said.
She handed him over to me, telling me to be careful of his head. Once she felt he was comfortable she went to the kitchen. Percy stopped crying and stared at me. Just looking at him reminded me of every last moment I have spent with his future self.
"Hi Percy.'' I said. I twiddled my fingers in front of his face. "It's nice to meet you."
Percy just stared at my fingers as if he has never seen fingers before. I went to poke his chubby cheeks, but he grabbed them and squeezed. As I thought that he had a strong grip for a baby he stuck them in his mouth and sucked as if they were candy, chewing on them with his toothless gums. I broke into a smile and cried, this time out of happiness. Percy then took my saliva slick fingers and laughed. It was a cute laugh, the kind that everyone 'oos' and 'ahs' about every time they hear it.
"I've never seen Percy do that with anyone." Sally said when she returned with a warm bottle of formula. "Not even with me." I heard her, but at the same time I didn't. I was just smiling at Percy. "Would you like to feed him?"
"Huh?"
"I need to take a shower, and Percy looks so comfortable there." Sally said. "So would you feed him while I get cleaned up?"
I nodded and took the bottle. Raising the baby's head I gave him the bottle. He really was hungry since he downed half the bottle before he decided he was done. I put the bottle aside and burped him. He laughed again (I never realized baby's laughed all the time for no reason) and then decided to play with my fingers again.
It was late, so I decided to get Percy to fall asleep. I walked around the apartment, calmly talking him and soothingly bouncing him in my arms. I even attempted to sing him a lullaby. He yawned and it was so cute! I looked around for his crib, and figuring it was in Sally's bedroom. I laid him in his crib, put his blanket over him, and gave him his blue dinosaur toy. I watched him sleep for a minute before I went back to the living room. I closed my eyes for a second and was being shook the next.
"Come on Tsuna, wake up." Sally said.
"I wasn't asleep." I said. I heard Percy's baby laughter and saw him playing with his toys on the floor.
"Oh, come on now Tsuna." Sally said. "You don't have to lie. I know Percy wore you out."
"What are you talking about?" I asked. I then noticed she was wearing a different outfit. She must have gotten changed after her shower. But why is she wearing a dress?
"We're going to be late for dinner." explained Sally.
"Di…Dinner?" I didn't understand.
"You're so forgetful." Sally laughed. "I'm getting us all dinner to pay you back since you have been cleaning around the house and helping take care of Percy while I have been at work the past two days."
"Two days!" I thought. "I...I failed. Japan…"
Percy started crying, drawing me away from my thoughts. Sally picked him up to soothe him, but he just looked at me and reached out for me. Sally gave him to me and we just stared at each other, Percy putting his chubby little hand on my face.
I couldn't believe that I've been here for two days. I know I just got here. I mean, I just closed my eyes for a second. But as I looked at Percy, I saw flashes of my time here, like I really lived it. I remember eating breakfast with Sally and Percy, having Percy crawl for the first time when Sally went to work and then showing her when she came home, I remember all of it. But I didn't understand how I lived two days in a few seconds.
I just realized something. Since I am in the past, I can just go to Japan now and get the Treasures. That way my past…or uh, I guess future self from this point…I should stop before I go cross eyed. But the point is I could basically prevent all this. But until then, I guess I'll enjoy my time in the past.
"Let's go." I said.
I held Percy as we walked to the diner where Sally works at. She was apologetic because that's all she can afford. I told her it was no biggie. When we were halfway there Sally realized that she forgot her purse at the apartment. Handing her Percy I told her I would run back to her place and get it.
When I came back, Sally and Percy were nowhere to be seen. It was weird, since Sally wouldn't let me get lost trying to find the diner. I started getting worried and called out to her, but she didn't respond. I couldn't let anything happen to her. I was getting really scared. I ran trying to find her. That's when I heard her scream and the baby crying.
"Get away from us!" Sally screamed.
"No!" I yelled. I ran to the cries, praying it's not too late.
When I found them in an alley they were being surrounded by a group of burly men in trench coats. They were wearing random hats. One was wearing a cowboy hat, another one a fedora. The men were getting closer to Sally, who was clutching Percy to her chest.
"Get the Hell away from them!" I screamed. One of the men looked at me, allowing me to see what he really was. A Cyclops. They all were Cyclopes. "I'll tell you this only once, Cyclops." I pulled out my sword. "You and your gang leave now, and I'll let you live."
"Demigod." said the Cyclops, not even hearing me. "Yummy." He rushed to attack me so I sidestepped and sliced him across the stomach. He turned to dust as he fell.
"Next." I said, shooting the other Cyclopes a death glare.
They stood there dumbstruck, but then attacked me as a group. They were so slow and big. I weaved through them and sliced and stabbed them. My motions were fluid and quick. There were two Cyclopes left. I knocked one of them aside with my sword and went after the one that was near Sally and Percy. It looked terrified as I walked closer. The other Cyclops attempted to sneak up from behind me, but I turned my sword around and stabbed him in the stomach while still facing Sally. The last Cyclops looked at me. I stepped closer and he backed up.
"Leave." I said. "NOW!" It bolted away, leaving only me and Sally and Percy. "Are you guys alright?"
"Yeah, I think so." Sally said. I rubbed Percy head and he giggled.
"Attacking a baby and his mother," I said, "Just because he's the Son of Poseidon-"
"You, you know about Percy's father?" Sally asked with wide eyes. "How?"
"Because Sally…because…" How should I tell her? I guess just getting it over with would be best. "Because Percy is my-"
"Tsuna look out!" Sally yelled.
I turned around and saw that the Cyclops was right next to me with a steel pipe in his hand. I didn't have time to react as he swung, hitting me in the face full force. I woke up sitting against a wall of the shrine. What was going on? Why is this happening, or how? Was that all a dream, or was it real? Or maybe it was an illusion? Whatever it is, I can't take anymore. I already lost the others, why have me lose them again? This is Hell.
I began walking down the hallway again, where I came across a door. This door 'felt' different, like there was a lot of power on the other side. I walked through it and was actually surprised to see that I was in the chamber where Meiyo slaughtered my family. Speaking of Meiyo he was still sitting in the center of the ring of torches, his back towards me.
I gripped my sword tighter and walked closer to him, quiet enough where I hoped he wouldn't hear me. Once I got close enough I raised my sword high and gripped it with both hands. As I was about to slam my sword down he spoke up.
"I think it was you who told that insolent child that there is no honor in attacking an opponent from behind." He said. How-how did he know that?
"He didn't murder my family." I said. Meiyo stood up and looked at me, the Mirror in his hands.
"I didn't kill them either." He said. This made me so angry.
"DON'T LIE TO ME!" I screamed. "I saw you drop Kurama down that pit, you obliterated brother, stabbed my…my best friend."
"I want you to see all that." He said.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"You're friends are alive, over there." He pointed to the left of the torches. There was nothing there at first, but like a mirage lifting there they are. My friends looked alright, just sleeping. But how could I know they were the real thing?
"You're just using the Mirror to make me see what I want to see." I said.
"If that's what you believe," he said, holding out the Mirror, "Then take the Yata no Kagami."
"How do I know that's the real Mirror and not an illusion?" I asked.
"You don't." Meiyo said. I stood there for a minute, not sure what to do. But with a mental 'screw it' I took the Mirror.
There was a burst of silver light that erupted from the Mirror. I was nearly blinded by it. Once it faded away I looked over to where my friends were, and saw that they were still there. I dropped my sword and the Mirror and ran to the others. I slid to a stop saw that they weren't hurt. I bent down to check if they were breathing, but when I couldn't feel it I leaned my head on their chests and heard their heart beats.
"Your test isn't over." Meiyo said after I let out a sigh of relief.
"Test." I said. "That's all this is to you? A TEST?! Were those blasts to the past part of your little test for me? And how the Hell did you accomplish sending me back in time?!"
"I don't have the power to send you back in time." Meiyo said. I just used the power of the Yata no Kagami and the memories of your friends to create… scenarios, would be the best word, to test you."
"Test me for what?" I asked.
"What does the Yasakani no Magatama represent?" he asked.
"Excuse me?" I said, my eyebrow raised.
"What does the Yasakani no Magatama represent?" he repeated.
"Amaterasu." I said, thinking that the goddess would be the correct answer.
"No, well yes, but that's not it." Meiyo said. "Maybe I should be more precise. What Virtue does the Yasakani no Magatama represent?"
"I don't know, and I don't care." I was getting pissed off. Why am I even attempting to answer his questions? "What's the last part of this 'test'?" His eyes bore into me, like he was searching for an answer from within me.
"You need to fight me." Meiyo said.
"That's it?" I asked. "I have to fight you?" He nodded.
I looked over at my friends. I grabbed Percy and Nico's hands and promised them I'll be back. Standing up I walked into the ring of torches. I picked up the Mirror and stuffed into my backpack, and then tossed my backpack towards the others. After I picked up my sword I got into a fighting stance.
"I have one restriction in this fight." Meiyo said as he drew his sword.
"And they are?" I asked.
"No powers, from either of us." He said. "This is a fight against two swordsmen only."
"Fine." I said. Meiyo nodded and got into a stance as well.
Neither of us moved from our spot. We just waited for each other to make the first move. Just looking at him made me angry for what he did to me, and the others. In my anger I ran at the minor god, slicing at him from the left. Meiyo stepped back enough so my sword didn't hit him. He jabbed his sword at me. I had enough time to react and I blocked his attack with the flat of my blade, making sparks with the contact of steel.
I pushed his sword away and did a jump strike. Meiyo back flipped away and when he landed he kicked off from the ground and used the momentum to increase the strength of his attack. I braced myself, only to be sent flying when his attack hit my sword. When I looked up he was about to do a kill strike by plunging his sword at me so I rolled away just in the nick of time.
As soon as I stood up Meiyo swung his sword again, only for me to catch it with my sword. I tried pushing against each other, but neither of us were getting an inch on each other. When he said no powers I actually didn't expect him to not use his godly strength. He really was the honorable type.
Since we were trying to push against each other with our swords I was in the perfect position to twirl my sword against his, making him lose his grip. I was able to make him let go of his sword. His sword skidded to the edge of the ring. As he was disarmed I used my chance to strike. I swung my sword, but he was expecting that and leaned back. I was able to make a deep scratch on his right cheek. Before I could attack again he cartwheeled towards his sword.
Once he picked it up he raised his hand to his cheek to feel the wound. When he saw his hand was covered in Ichor, he smiled. He actually smiled that he was hurt. Meyio ran forward and aimed at my feet. I jumped and did a downward slash. The minor wolf deity raised his hand to shield himself from the attack. He didn't use the flat of his sword for some reason. The edge of his sword dug into his palm, drawing more Ichor.
He pushed against me and sent me sprawling on the ground. The moment I stood up Meiyo stabbed my left arm with his sword. I screamed in pain, feeling the blade slowly dig deeper and the sensation of blood running down my arm. I fought through the pain.
I was able to get him to take his sword out. From there all I heard was the ringing of steel in my ears. I was sliced several times and bleeding from every wound. I wasn't able to do much since he stabbed me. He did have a few deep scratches here and there though, dripping with Ichor.
I was starting to get tired from the loss of blood. I felt dizzy and was having a hard time breathing. I must have been losing feeling in my hands because I could barely feel the hilt of my sword. My grip on my sword loosened a bit and Meiyo caught that. He knocked my sword out of my hand and lifted me up by my throat.
"This is the end, Tsunayoshi." He said. I tried to talk, but his grip was too tight. He loosened his hand a bit. "What did you say?"
"Just send them home." I begged. "Please." He looked over at my friends and let out a sigh.
"No." he said, his tone extremely serious. My eyes went wide as his grip tightened again. "Once you are dead, I'm going to use the Yata no Kagami's power to make them kill each other slowly, painfully, in every way they know how. And just before the light leaves their eyes, I will release them from the Treasure's power to see what they have done."
I struggled against his grip. If it's the last thing I do I will make sure my friends are still alive. Meiyo readied his sword, placing the tip right in the center of my chest, above my heart. He pulled back, and as he thrust his sword I forced it off course with me hand. I was stabbed just to the top left of my stomach.
"I really hope nothing vital was hit." I thought as I screamed in pain.
The moment he pulled his sword out I grabbed Meiyo by the hair and kneed him in the jaw as hard as I could. He let go of me (causing me to fall to the ground) and backed off, allowing me to clutch my bleeding side and catch my breath real quick. I must have made him angry, because he swung his sword down with all his strength. I rolled out of the way. My sword was right there, luckily, and I used it to support me as I painfully stood up.
Meiyo pulled his sword out of the wood floor, sending wood fragments flying. He looked at me and ran towards me. Both of his hands were around the hilt of his sword, and it was raised to kill. The moment Meiyo swung his sword I ducked and rolled the side a bit. I then used his move from earlier and kicked off the ground. I swung my sword and sliced a huge gash in his side. It was so large that if he was a mortal he would have died.
When Meiyo fell to the floor the golden Ichor began to pool around him. I slowly walked over to him, my stab wound was giving me a blinding amount of pain. I stood above Meiyo, his head beneath me. I kicked his sword away when I saw him reaching for it, and then I got on my knees and raised my sword above, angled right at the minor god.
He just stared at me, waiting for me to do it. And I wanted to, so bad. What he did to my friends, my family…and then what he made me go through. He made me see my friends' pasts, and save my brother. I felt tears falling down my face again, and I felt immense anger. I screamed and stabbed at him, only to stab the floor just to the left of Meiyo's face.
"I hate you, so much." I said, leaning down so I was right in his face. "You made me think that my family was killed. You gave me hope, only to rip it away when I found Nico in Venice. You had me take care of my brother when he was a baby, only to have a Cyclops take me away from him. But you know what? No matter how much I hate you, I know that in the end, you were doing your duty as the guardian of this shrine. And…" I let out a sigh. "I forgive you."
I struggled to stand up as I fought through the pain. I looked to my friends and felt so happy that they were alive. I walked up the platform, the Magatama was glowing a dull red. I lifted it up, only for it to crack and turn to dust.
"Wha-?" I said. I was freaking out. How could a Sacred Treasure just turn to dust? That doesn't make sense. It's supposed to be the most powerful object in Japan.
"Tsunayoshi Noble." Meiyo said. I turned around and saw him trying to stand up. He looked me right in the eye. "You have passed."
"What are you talking abou-?" I said only to see the others moving around. My heart beating hard in my chest, I practically jumped off the platform. I ran to the others and pulled them into the biggest hug I have ever given. I cried tears of joy again. "I thought I lost you."
"You'll never lose me Tsuna." Percy said. "We're family." I pulled Percy into another hug, petted Kurama, and then hugged Nico again. I buried my face in his hair, and I noticed how he has the faintest smell of sulfur mixed with wet earth.
"Gods Tsuna!" Nico said. "You're bleeding!"
"I'll be fine." I said, though I wasn't sure if that was going to be true for much longer.
"Step forward Tsunayoshi Noble." Meiyo said. I turned around and herded the others behind me.
"Why should I do anything you of all people say?" I asked.
"Because you are…benevolent." He said.
"I'm what?" I said. Meiyo walked towards us, healed of most of his wounds except the one in his side.
"You have shown through the test that you possess the virtue of the Yasakani no Magatama, of Amaterasu herself," he said, "Benevolence. And for passing the test, you shall receive the true Magatama."
The flames of the torches burst out in an explosion. They let out such a brilliant light that nearly blinded me. When the light died down I opened my eyes and saw seven red comma shaped lights linked together like a chain. As I reached for the chain my sword was glowing brightly in blue. From my back pack the Mirror was glowing silver, just as bright as the Magatama. As soon as my hand was around the Magatama, I felt a gentle warmth fill me and I felt energized and there was no pain in my entire body. I looked down and saw that not only were my wounds healed, but my clothes were also mended.
The Magatama's glow dulled down a bit, allowing me see that the Magatama was a series of seven red jewels shaped like commas strung together by a black leather cord. Just holding it in my hand let me feel a comfortable warmth spreading from the Jewel. Meiyo grunted in pain, so I raised the Jewel. It glowed bright red, as did Meiyo. When the light faded he was healed.
"Why?" he asked.
"Just because I hate you for what you did doesn't mean I'm going to let you remain in pain." I said. "You were just doing your duty."
"Well said." a woman's voice spoke out. I looked around trying to find the source, but I couldn't.
"Tsuna, look." Nico said, pointing at the Magatama.
It was glowing brightly again and a ball of red light came out. The light expanded, and when it faded there was this beautiful woman standing in front of us. She looked no older than twenty with raven black hair that reached below her back. Her skin was lightly tanned, just barely kissed by the sun's light. She was wearing a blindingly white kimono with red trim. The large sleeves had a red dot in the center, making them look like the flag of Japan and there was a deep red sash tied around her waist with red ribbons tied around her forearms. On her head was a gold crown and she had matching gold earrings.
"Lady Amaterasu." Meiyo said as he bowed. Di Immortales…this is the Shinto Queen of the gods, the goddess of the sun, Amaterasu. She smiled and cupped his face in her hands. She kissed his forehead tenderly.
"It's nice to meet you Tsunayoshi." She said. "And your little friends." She bowed.
"Uh, you too." I said. "It's an honor."
"No, the honor is all mine." She said. "It's not every day I get to meet those of Greek lineage."
"Okay, stupid question." I asked. "How did you know my name? This is the first time we have met each other."
"Your father told me." Amaterasu said.
"When did you meet Poseidon?" Percy asked.
"We were told you Faded a long time ago." Nico spoke up.
"I have never met Poseidon." Amaterasu said, and eyebrow raised.
"Then how did my father tell you my name?" I asked.
"Because Poseidon isn't your father. Susanoo is."