SailorStar9: Figured I might as well get this fic over and done with, so this is Chapter 28 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, will it kill you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny and the pairings.
Chapter 28: Future Battle Arc, Part Two
"He sucked him in!" Flan sang after Tsuna won the stalemate.
"Stay away!" Tsuna warned.
"Something's wrong." Aeon Venus stated as the four Senshi landed.
"You're right." Aeon Jupiter agreed.
"Death-Penetration Point Zero Revised absorbs enemy Flames and converts them to your own." Aeon Mercury added. "After absorbing Ghost's Flames, Tsuna's Flames should have increased in size, but there's no change."
"But Ghost possessed an incredible amount of Flames." Lussuria pointed out. "He absorbed the other real six Funeral Wreaths Flames and most of ours too. I'm exhausted."
What's going on? Tsuna mused. What happened to the Flames he absorbed?
"Wow, I'm so impressed." Byakuran voiced. "You actually defeated Ghost. I'm glad to see you're doing well, Tsunayoshi. Wow, this is a crazy lineup here. The Boss of the Chiavarone Family, the Vongola's independent assassination squad, the Varia, the Vongola's outside adviser's team and Mukuro, along with the other Vongola Guardians. I'm so thrilled to see the Vongola's strongest members assembled here. Though, I must say that you have peculiar taste, Tsunayoshi. I mean, just look, Mukuro and Xanxus, you're working with people who once tried to kill you. That's pretty insane."
"Hey, scum." Xanxus retorted. "Let's get this straight. I ain't working for Sawada." he blasted Byakuran.
"Honestly," Mukuro chuckled. "I thought that my words and actions were only capable of fooling an innocent girl or a foolish boy, but I never expected to be lumped together with the Mafia." and released an attack from his Hell Ring.
"I see." Byakuran voiced, seemingly unharmed. "Sorry about that. Anyway, you all seem pretty tired. What was that with that pitiful attack? Can't really blame you though. Since Ghost absorbed most of your Flames. You're all out of gas."
"Don't underestimate me!" Xanxus snapped.
"You can see for yourself if I'm truly out of gas." Mukuro retorted.
"Why are you two taking him on by yourselves?" Hibari glared.
"Everybody get back." Tsuna raised a hand. "He's mine!"
"Do you know why I chose this time to show up, Tsunayoshi?" Byakuran laughed. "Because my body and spirit are finally ready."
"I've been ready for a long time." Tsuna snapped and shot behind Byakuran, hammering him with a back kick. Grabbing Byakuran's head, he knelt it.
Byakuran just grinned, stopping Tsuna's fist with a finger. "Oh, what's wrong?" he taunted. "That's the best you can do? Then, it's my turn. White Finger." he blasted Tsuna to the ground. "Can't have you dying from that. I've only used a tenth of the Flames absorbed by Ghost."
"What do you mean?" Gokudera demanded.
"Just as I thought" Aeon Mercury realized. "Ghost has transferred all of the stole Flames into Byakuran's body!"
"I'm so glad someone manages to realize that." Byakuran declared, growing a pair of white wings. "Not that it will you any good."
"I've never heard of anyone taking Flames from anyone without any contact." Dino stated.
"That's because Ghost wasn't another person." Aeon Mercury hissed. "He was a different version of Byakuran from a parallel world."
"The Water Goddess is right." Byakuran confirmed. "It doesn't matter if you believe me or not. Those are the facts. He ash the ability to absorb Flames, which is an ability I lack. And he also had the great ability to share that Flame energy with me. Well, in the end, that ability would be considered mine. Oh, you mean these?" he gestured to his wings. "These wings are more than simple Flames. They're a symbol of sorts. It's proof that I've become greater than a human."
"Byakuran-sama is meant to be worshipped as a devil." Kikyo snorted.
"It doesn't matter." Tsuna snapped. "It doesn't matter what you are or what methods you use. I'm going to take you down."
"That's the spirit, Tsunayoshi." Byakuran grinned. "I came here to play." both Families' Bosses flared up their Rings. "So you better entertain me. That tickles, Tsunayoshi." he taunted, unaffected by Tsuna's punches. "Finished already? That's no fun. You can play with my pet. White Dragon." he formed a dragon from his Mare Ring.
"Natsu!" Tsuna countered with his Box Weapon. "Cambio Forma!" and blocked off the attack with his cloak.
"Well?" Byakuran recalled his Box Weapon. "Isn't this dragon Box Weapon amazing? I'm the only one who has one. But even then, I was holding back most of my power. The next one will go right through you." and released his dragon at Tsuna.
Tsuna countered by freezing the dragon. "Let's go, Natsu!" he shot forward. "Cambio Forma Modo Attacco! Mittena di Vongola Primo!"
"That's amusing." Byakuran noted. "Now I'll know how strong Tsunayoshi really is. Bring it on."
Big Bang Axle! Tsuna released his attack.
"Here." Byakuran simply neutralized the attack by clapping his hands. "White Applause. Vongola Box defeated. White Applause is the ultimate defensive technique that can shatter any attack. Well, Tsunayoshi? Have you ever been so hopelessly outclassed in battle? Scary, isn't it? No need to feel ashamed. You may be a Mafia Boss, but you're still in middle school. Feel free to pee in your pants." he charged up and flew straight at Tsuna, slamming the teen to the ground with a punch. "You try hard, Tsunayoshi." he landed. "But..." he let loose a ghastly hand and held Tsuna in a death grip. "You can stop now." and tightened his grip. "I was expecting you to put up more of a fight, but this is no fun. You're aware, right? That the size of the Flame from your Ring is the size of your resolve. Your resolve to return to your buddies to the past must be weak. The pressure's a little higher." he noted, as Tsuna reignited his Ring. "I'll follow suit then. Nice Flames. Keep it up. Here it is." he declared, his objective reached as two barriers of Sky Flames encased them both.
Yuni's pacifier broke out of its barrier as it began to engulf Yuni in a similar shield.
"What's that sound?" Bianchi demanded.
"It's coming from her pacifier?" Fuuta blinked.
"I'm not sure..." Yuni admitted.
"Tsuna and Byakuran's Sky Rings are resonating with the Sky Pacifier." Saori supplied, her Heavens Rings shining in response.
"I have no control over my body!" Yuni gasped as she floated off. "Uncle Reborn!" she exclaimed, Reborn being repelled by the barrier.
"Damn, I can't get inside!" Reborn cursed.
"This is bad." Bianchi remarked. "She's headed towards..."
"Byakuran." Reborn finished.
"She was summoned here by Tsunayoshi and myself." Byakuran supplied as Yuni floated over to join the other two Flame barriers.
"The Vongola Ring, Mare Ring and Arcobaleno Pacifier, the 73 Policy Sky elements are attempting to gather." Mukuro surmised. "Did the excessive strain on the Rings cause them to gravitate towards each other?"
"Stop her!" Aeon Venus barked. "We can't let Yuni get near Byakuran!"
"Damn!" Gokudera cursed, both his and Xanxus' attacks having no effect on the barriers. "It didn't even flinch."
"How about this?" Yamamoto slammed his blade on the shield. "It's no use." he remarked, the shield remaining intact. "Not even a scratch."
"Shoot, Yuni's..." Gokudera hissed when Yuni entered the combined barrier.
"Welcome, Yuni." Byakuran greeted. "Well? Aren't you surprised? When the 73 Policy Sky elements release incredible amount of Flames, they create this unique situation. Now, we have a stage where the three of us won't be interrupted. A special stage for the Sky 73 Policy and nothing else. Except that I no longer need Tsunayoshi, so Yuni and I will be all alone very soon."
"Stop it, Byakuran!" Yuni protested.
"How can you possibly tell me to stop now?" Byakuran taunted. "Weren't you the one who forced the Vongola people into risking their lives to protect you? Even when you knew from the very beginning that they couldn't possibly defeat me. Your aimless escape only served to increase the number of victims. Could you be any more selfish? You just wanted to watch as people move at your beck and call. Isn't that the real reason you tried to escape, Princess of the Arcobaleno? What was that?" he was intrigued, when Yuni's cloak started glowing. "You'd hiding something under your cloak."
"No, not yet." Yuni pleaded.
"Not yet?" Byakuran echoed when Yuni dropped the reviving Arcobaleno Pacifiers.
"Something's sticking out of the Pacifiers." Fuuta gasped, arriving with Reborn.
"The Arcobaleno are beginning to regenerated their bodies." Reborn explained. "Or you could simply say that they're being reborn."
"The strongest babies are coming back to life?" Dino gasped.
"The power of the Sky Arcobaleno is able to restore the other Arcobaleno from the verge of death." Reborn added. "I just didn't know that they would be regenerated from their Pacifiers."
"Could it be..." Kikyo realized. "Yuni-sama's escape was meant to..."
"That's right." Reborn confirmed. "Yuni was buying time for the revival of the Arcobaleno after they were killed by Byakuran's scheme, which is why she begged Sawada Tsunayoshi to protect her and the Pacifiers of her brethren."
"But if Master Colonello and the other babies, if the Arcobaleno return, what will happen?" Aeon Mars breathed.
"If the Arcobaleno return, the balance of the 73 Policy, in other words, the balance of the world will be restored." Lal Mirch replied. "And they're strong on top of that. If the Arcobaleno at full strength, joins forces with Sawada, they may be able to defeat Byakuran."
"It's true that there isn't any non-73 Policy here to torture the Arcobaleno." Byakuran admitted. "It would be annoying if they came back now. But it looks like we still have an hour at the very least, before the Arcobaleno return. Looks like I'm right." he noticed Yuni's gasp and knocked Tsuna out. "You can bring back whoever you want and I still won't lose, but that would be a waste of time, right? Nobody can enter this impenetrable barrier. You're mine now. You can cry and scream all you want. The Arcobaleno aren't going to defeat me."
"That's right." Reborn agreed. "The Arcobaleno aren't the ones who will defeat you. That job belongs to
my student. Tsuna!"
"Did you say Tsunayoshi say he would defeat me, Reborn?" Byakuran scoffed as the rest of the non-fighters arrived.
"That's right." Reborn replied.
"Haven't you been paying attention?" Byakuran reminded. "I've completely crushed Tsunayoshi!"
"Don't underestimate Tsuna's Death-Penetration." Reborn warned. "Besides, I'm not talking about winning or losing here. Tsuna," he turned to his student. "You have to defeat Byakuran."
"That was a surprise." Byakuran burst out laughing. "I thought you actually had a point to make, but you just wanted to give a little motivational speech?"
"This is how I roll." Reborn replied. "Listen, Tsuna." he continued. "You're aren't the only one who's putting everything on the line here. Yuni plans to send everybody back to the past by sacrificing her life."
"Uncle Reborn..." Yuni turned.
"The revival of the Arcobaleno takes more than Yuni's powers." Reborn added. "She has to burn off her 'Life Flame'. That will lead to her body being destroyed. Which means she will die."
"So, that's how it is." Byakuran noted.
"Uncle Reborn, you knew all along?" Yuni was stunned.
"Of course." Reborn replied. "Wasn't hard to guess. Since you're like your late grandmother, Luce."
"I can't let you do such a foolish thing." Byakuran chided. "Since your life belongs to me. Now then. Reborn's little prep talk actually woke you up." he chuckled when Tsuna stirred. "You make a great team."
"I won't let you have Yuni." Tsuna swore.
"You're shaking." Byakuran laughed. "You body doesn't lie. It's scared because it remembers the beating you just took. I can feel you shaking from over here. How unlucky for you to wake up to these hopeless circumstances. But I suppose that you haven't had any luck since you entered middle school. I know a great deal about you. And your luck completely ran out once you arrived in this time. If you hadn't been brought here, you wouldn't have had to suffer. It makes you curse your own fate, doesn't it?"
"No," Tsuna corrected. "That's not entirely true. It's true that the future has caused me fear, pain and worry, and I was truly happy for a very brief time, but now, now I think I understand. You take the good with the bad. I consider everything that has happened to be precious moments of my life."
"That's an interesting interpretation." Byakuran remarked. "But you should reconsider. None of that will matter if I kill you. Let's see..." he powered up a small White Dragon. "In your current state, I just need to send this mini-White Dragon through your heart." and tossed the spike. "Now, Yuni," he laughed. "Your savior is dead."
"Ow!" Tsuna winced, getting to his feet. "This is..." he pulled out Lancia's Boss Ring. "Lancia's Ring."
"He was saved by the Ring he wore around his neck?" Byakuran was shocked.
"So, it is true." Tsuna muttered. "Everyone has played a part. Unlucky? I feel pretty lucky." and reignited his Flames.
"Sorry to spoil this touching moment," Byakuran chuckled. "But you haven't solved anything. Your power still pales compared to mine, just as before."
"Are you sure about that?" Giotto voiced.
"The Rings!" Yamamoto gaped as the Guardians' Rings shone in response.
"What a pathetic look on your face." G chided his successor.
"Keep it down." Lampo sighed. "I can't stand kids."
"We are always with you." Asari informed.
"You're not the type to give up now." Knuckle encouraged.
"I'll bite him to death." Hibari swore.
"That's impossible right now." Alaude reminded. "Though I'm not interested in what you plan to do."
"Pity, your back is to the wall," Daemon noted. "And you still refuse to change your position. The Vongola does not need such weakness."
"Decimo is saying the same things Primo did." Lampo reminded.
"He truly does carry our will." Asari agreed.
"So, it's okay then?" G mused. "We already deemed the Guardians worthy. Not that even you even have to ask us. Just do whatever you want. Like always."
"You're right, G." Giotto agreed. "Decimo, I agree with your thinking. I'd like to help out my true successor in person, but I can't do that. Instead... I'll unleash you." he appeared before Tsuna.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.
