Chapter 35
After dropping Haru off at her house, Tsuna and his other friends walked towards the direction of Yamamoto's house. Leon protected them from the heavy rain while Reborn healed Lambo's injuries. The child was now sleeping peacefully in Tsuna's arms.
"There's my house," Yamamoto said cheerfully.
A sushi restaurant came into view, the sign glowing bright in the darkness: Takesushi. Tsuna smiled. "Thank you for coming, Yamamoto-kun."
"No problem, Tsuna! I'll always be there for all of you. Tell Lambo he did good for me, okay?"
"Where do you live exactly?" Gokudera said, puzzled. "That's a restaurant."
"Up there." Yamamoto pointed at the top of the restaurant, which looked like a small apartment complex. "My dad likes to stay close to the restaurant ever since it got robbed a few years back. Anyway, I'll see you guys tomorrow!"
He jogged towards the store and opened the door but not before waving good-bye. Tsuna waved back with a soft smile. "See you tomorrow, Yamamoto-kun."
After the teen closed the door, the others walked on.
"That idiot's not even nervous," Gokudera said, blinking rapidly.
"He's the Rain Guardian," Reborn said from Tsuna's shoulder. "They're the most calm out of all the guardians when facing pressure. He's most likely anxious inside, but chose not to show it to not make any one of you worried about his well-being. Yamamoto may seem like a dunce, but he's well aware about what's going on. That makes him the perfect Rain Guardian for Tsuna."
"Well, now that I think about," Ryohei said, scratching the back of his head, "Tomoko's Rain Guardian is similar to Yamamoto in a way."
"Guardians of each weather has a similar attribute," Reborn said. "Rain pacifies and soothes everything they touch. They bring a sense of renewal to everyone around them and extinguish any calamity that comes upon their family. Yamamoto and Sadako are prime examples to these traits. They are carefree and peaceful, accepting the burden of the family if they have to."
Tsuna smiled. "That makes sense. But, I can't help but worry about tomorrow."
"Don't worry, Juudaime!" Gokudera said. "The idiot will manage one way or another. I'll knock him down a peg or two if I can."
Tsuna shook his head. "You don't need to do that. I trust Yamamoto-kun."
Lambo shifted a bit, mumbling a few things under his breath. A sudden tingle went up Tsuna's spine and he snapped his head up, looking around the empty, dark streets.
"What is it, Sawada?" Ryohei said in concern, trying to find what he was looking for.
"I don't know," Tsuna mumbled. "But..."
He widened his eyes and felt Reborn grip his shoulder tightly. "Otou-san!"
Without thinking, he ran ahead with Ryohei and Gokudera trailing behind him.
Lambo wanted to dream about dancing grapes or maybe getting ice cream with his Tsuna-nii, not remember what happened after going in the bazooka.
He found himself on an empty table with a lot of sharp things next to him. He shivered from the cold surface and almost shrieked at the amount of blood around him when the door suddenly opened.
"Lambo?" a voice said. "Shit."
The child trembled in fear as a man in a black suit approached him with a bloody sword in hand. He looked very tired but there was this determined resolve in his dark eyes. Lambo stood up shakily, trying to act brave.
"L-Lambo-san is here," he said bravely. "What do you want from Lambo-san?"
"Oh, fuck!" the man said. "That stupid bazooka again!"
He sighed irritably and ran his hair through his black spiky hair. "Okay, kid. You have to come with me. We can't stay here for too long. Just trust me, okay? I know I look like an angry man and all but your life is at stake here."
There was another explosion behind them and more shouts. Lambo was suddenly grabbed by the man and struggled helplessly in his tight grasp.
"Let Lambo-san go!" he said, pain shooting up in his cheek and stomach. He gasped and held back the tears.
"You want to live, right?" the man said, running through the destroyed hallways. "Sorry about that."
"Mochida-san!" a woman shouted, a gun in hand. "Did you find Lambo-san?"
"Sort of," the man said, gesturing at the frightened child. "Watch out!"
She was engulfed by an explosion, her screams filling the air. The man stiffened but kept on going, knowing that it was futile to save her.
Lambo covered his eyes, trying to not see what was going on. There were screams everywhere and the sound of people gurgling on blood. He trembled, feeling numb and truly terrified. This was worse than last time.
"Tsuna-nii," he mumbled. "Lambo-san is scared."
Liquid suddenly dripped down his cheek and he peeked to take a quick look. Mochida slashed a man out of the way, kicking him down the stairs, before running further down the hallways.
"Why did it have to be fucking underground?" he growled, rotating his blade in hand in a stabbing position.
He thrust it behind him, a scream coming from the unknown assailant. He took out his sword and tossed it lightly in the air, grabbing it in a normal position.
A large door came into view, broken and making an easy exit out. Lambo covered his eyes from the bright light of the sun compared to the dim hideout behind him.
He suddenly fell forward, tumbling on the ground.
"Kensuke," a cold voice said.
Lambo flinched when he saw who it was. She looked like Tomoko, but much older and meaner. He froze when she directed her blue eyes at him. He turned around to see Mochida on the floor, limp and unable to move. A blind man stood over him with a smile. He remembered him to be Milk Eyes.
"You think you're so clever," the older Tomoko said, crouching down to the man's level. She tapped his head lightly with her gun. "But, at least, you have some use."
Lambo shivered when she grinned. "You saved us the trouble of getting the stupid cow out. I thank you for that."
"I hope you rot in hell, you bitch!" Mochida said.
She pulled the trigger, a loud crack breaking the silence. Lambo felt a tugging sensation in his guts and covered his eyes so he wouldn't see his dead savior.
"Jiang-guo, spread the news of Kensuke's death. This will certainly lead the CEDEF to chaos. You do have the bodies of the others, right?"
"Well," Jiang-guo said, almost playfully, "we still have two more of them to find."
Lambo never felt so relieved when he disappeared in a puff of smoke. He wanted to be back in his Tsuna-nii's arms, all warm and safe from the evil world around him. His eyes fluttered open, the sound of rain becoming clearer in his ears. He was in comforting arms and felt the familiar mold within them. Unconsciously, he edged in further to get rid of the cold.
"Tsuna-nii," he whispered, nuzzling his face into Tsuna's shirt.
His eyes fluttered as he started to go back to sleep until the sound of an explosion made him jump a bit, his body stiffening.
"Lambo, don't worry," Tsuna said quietly, pulling him closer. "I'm here."
Lambo trusted him with all of his heart. He loved his Tsuna-nii and he'd be damned if anyone took him away from him.
"What the hell?" Gokudera said, his eyes wide.
Tsuna thought the same thing. However, as soon as his eyes laid on a familiar mop of blonde hair, he slid down the muddy slope. "Otou-san!"
Iemitsu turned to him and smiled weakly. "Tsuna..."
He looked battered, but fine otherwise. Tsuna knelt down by his side with a concerned eye. "What happened?"
His father looked away, the rain beating against his bruised skin. "I'm sorry, Tsuna. They got him."
Tsuna stiffened. No...
"What did you say?" he said, his fists clenching into fists.
Lambo tugged his shirt, his eyes wide and curious. "Who took who, Tsuna-nii?"
"Juudaime!" Gokudera said, landing next to him. "Sawada-san, are you okay?"
Iemitsu rubbed his face wearily with his hands. "They took him..."
Tsuna stood up, anger washing over his body. Without thinking, he ignited his Storm flames and punched a nearby mailbox, destroying it into pieces. He turned quickly to block Reborn's kick.
Someone scoffed. Tsuna directed his eye at a man who was calmly sipping a cup of wine on a lavish chair. He had no time for this weird shit. His eyes wandered through the new company and tensed when he saw a familiar blonde. He took a step forward in disbelief. "Rasiel...?"
A baby was resting on the teen's shoulder, his face covered by a hood. "I would charge fifty for the confirmation of his identity."
Tsuna scowled. "I - "
"Tsuna," a voice said. Dino appeared with Romario and a couple of his subordinates. His lips were bloody and there was an ugly bruise forming on his cheek.
"This is the Varia, Tsuna," Iemitsu said. "Vongola's assassination squad."
"What are they doing here?" Tsuna said warily.
"I was wondering the same thing myself." Iemitsu narrowed his eyes. "What is your business with the Bär Family tribe, Xanxus?"
"It's none of your business," the sitting man said, leaning his fist onto his cheek.
"Boss," the Rasiel look-alike said with a strained grin, "what about my brother?"
"I don't care about that piece of shit," Xanxus said, standing up. "Squalo, get the car ready. We're leaving."
"Xanxus," a rather colorful-looking man said in a scolding tone, "be nicer to Bel-chan! Don't worry, Bel-chan! I will help you."
The blonde teen instantly frowned, bordering a sneer. "The prince does not take help from useless peasants."
Tsuna didn't know what to say. Bel was obviously Rasiel's twin, but he couldn't quite place him. Did the teen hate Rasiel or does he actually have a genuine love for Rasiel?
"Are you going to find your brother?" he said.
Bel looked up at him, his long bangs covering his eyes. "Who are you?"
"Your brother's caretaker," Tsuna said evenly. "Sawada Tsunayoshi."
"And what if I am?" Bel said.
"What are you going to do with him?"
"Ushishi, why, I'll finish what I started nine years ago."
Tsuna instantly saw red. He ran forward but was pulled back by a tight hold. "Juudaime, please think rationally."
He turned to see Gokudera with a solemn expression. "He's still a Varia member and it's against the rules to directly fight them without a plausible reason, even if you're a Vongola, Juudaime."
"But this is a good reason," Tsuna said angrily.
"He's right, Tsuna," Dino said. "Rasiel is affiliated with the Bär Family tribe. You can't do anything without causing a war in the underworld. Neither can Bel."
Bel sneered. "The prince is not fond of orders."
Tsuna glared at him. "I - "
"Tsuna," his father said, "just leave them be."
The brunette looked helplessly back at his father. "But - "
"You're too young to start a war," Iemitsu said. "Let's go home and patch up. We'll have time for them another time."
"When will that be?" Tsuna said, exasperated. "Otou-san, what about Rasiel?"
Dino laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Tsuna."
Lambo looked up at him with sad eyes. "Tsuna-nii, what about Ras-nii? Where is he?"
Tsuna held him tightly to his chest. "I'm sorry, Lambo. We...we won't be seeing him for a while."
The child stayed quiet as if he understood what that meant. He rested his head on Tsuna's chest and buried his face in his shirt, sobbing silently.
Rasiel shoved himself to whatever space there was and wished that he could shrink into a small flea. Anything to avoid the cold blue eyes of his Meister. The car was moving at a smooth pace now and he could hear the quiet rumble of the engine. He flinched whenever they would make a turn.
"Rasiel," his Meister said in his calm voice, "are you happy that you met your brother again?"
The teen stiffened, his thoughts wandering to his little brother. He grasped his head with his hands. He was trying to remember, to remember the good times they had. He whimpered when all he saw was his brother trying to kill him over and over again. He hugged himself to get rid of the imaginary pain, to get rid of the knives digging into his skin.
All he wanted was to help, to become the nice king that his mother wanted him to be. He wanted to see his brother smile again. Whether it was cruel or sad, a smile should be on everyone's face, even if it wasn't him. He wanted to bring that happiness to them. Now...it was hopeless.
"Come here." His Meister patted his thigh.
Rasiel tensed. Slowly, he crawled towards the man and sat down on his lap, facing him. His Meister wasn't an ugly man. On the contrary, he was quite handsome, but that beauty was cold and stiff. Rasiel didn't like that. There was no warmth in his eyes, just a thick layer of coldness. He noticed a bleeding cut on the man's cheek.
His Meister reached out to brush his long bangs away from his eyes. His body tensed and he unconsciously looked away.
"Even after these years, you still flinch under my touch," his Meister said softly, turning his face roughly towards him. "Are you that afraid?"
Rasiel shook his head frantically and tried to get away, but the man was stronger than him. His hands took a hold of his arms and he could feel his skin start to bruise.
"You can never run away, Rasiel," his Meister said into his wet neck. Rasiel shivered. "You can never hide. I wonder how your brother would feel to exchange places."
Rasiel widened his eyes. "No. Please, Master. Forgive me. I won't run away like that ever again."
His Meister's hand trailed up to his neck. "Prove it."
Rasiel blinked behind his bangs. Prove...it? How? "I will never leave your side, Meister. I promise. Please don't hurt Bel."
His Meister smiled languidly, leaning his fist onto his cheek. "You promised many times, Rasiel. And yet here you are, being dragged back to German soil. My patience is thin."
The teen slumped and looked down at his trembling hands, feeling the smooth fabric of his Meister's pants. A hand suddenly gripped his hair harshly and jerked him to look up.
"I hope you enjoyed your stay in the sun while it lasted," his Meister said. "I won't promise anything next time."
He threw him across the car seat, ignoring Rasiel's cry of pain. The teen gripped his head in agony and bit his lips to prevent himself from saying anything else. His Meister was a soft man with his slaves but that only hid the terrifying monster within.
He knocked on the partition window. It opened immediately.
"What is it, Henrik?" the woman at the wheel said.
"Tell Paxon that I won't hesitate to kill him next time if he lets Rasiel out of his sight again."
Edith tensed slightly. "I'll tell him right away."
She glanced in the rearview mirror and looked at Rasiel with pitiful eyes before closing the partition window.
Rasiel did not want anyone's pity. All he wanted was some kind of angel, like in the stories his mother used to tell him when he had nightmares during the night. Now he was living within a nightmare that he wanted to get out of. He wanted to be free.
He closed his eyes and rolled himself up into a ball, ignoring his Meister's piercing stare. He could only think of one person. He didn't know why it was this person, but there was something about this person that made him feel at ease.
Tsuna, he thought. I want to go home. I want to see Bel. I want to say sorry. I want to go home. I want to go home...
Tsuna made sure to not wake up Lambo and Fuuta who somehow managed to squirm his way on his bed. He trekked carefully out of his room and closed the door as quietly as he could. He walked down into the kitchen and blinked when he saw his mother sitting at the table, drinking a cup of tea. She was staring out into the rainy night and didn't seem to notice his presence. The single candle flickered on the kitchen table, providing the only light.
Tsuna ran his hand through his hair, contemplating his choices. He could get a quick drink or stay dehydrated for the rest of the night. He thought his body was a bit more important so he took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen, the tiled floor feeling cold against his feet.
"Is that you, Mitsu-kun?" his mother said, not sparing him a glance. "The beer is on the lower left."
"It's me," Tsuna said quietly.
His mother stiffened. "Yakumo?"
Tsuna looked at her in confusion and a bit of fear. "It's Tsuna."
Who was Yakumo?
"Tsuna," she mumbled, running her hands through her hair. "Tsuna."
It was slightly terrifying. His mother looked lost, so lost that it somewhat pained him to see her in such a state. He took a hesitant step forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Okaa-san," he said quietly. "Don't worry about it."
Nana smiled humorlessly to herself. "He died today at this time."
"Okaa-san," Tsuna said carefully, "who are you talking about?"
"Yakumo," she muttered. "My brother Yakumo."
Tsuna didn't know what to say. Honestly, he never knew he had an uncle. Now...things seemed to make sense. He gripped her hand firmly but gently. "Don't blame yourself, Okaa-san. You don't need to worry." He smiled softly. "I'll always be there for you. Otou-san, Tomoko...we'll all be there for you. Just don't bear everything by yourself."
Nana widened her eyes as she shakily stood up. "Tsuna..."
He smiled. "You're not alone, Okaa-san."
She fell onto her knees lifelessly, tears streaming down her cheeks. She clasped his hand, trembling while doing so. "You...forgive me? After all I've done to you?"
Tsuna kneeled down to her level and embraced her gently. "Someone told me that it's best to just focus on the present rather than be stuck in the past. I'm here for you, Okaa-san. I've always been here. It was just a matter of time until you saw me. Now I'm finally done waiting."
His mother held onto him tightly, never letting go.
One thought ran through Tsuna's head. So this is a mother's touch...
Hopefully, this wasn't a dream.
The sound of gun shooting and men screaming was loud throughout the small house. Tomoko sighed irritably as she slammed her book shut and stood up from her bed. The rain was starting to lessen as the hours passed by. It was 2 in the morning.
She rubbed her eyes as she opened the door, walking out in the cold hallway. It was dark and she felt a chill run up her spine, making her rub her arms. How Sadako could manage to live in such a cold house was beyond her.
"Sadako," she said, opening the door, "please turn that down."
The room was a mess. Clothes and CD cases were strewn across the floor. The only light was from the TV. There were blood on some parts of the screen and several maps on the side.
Sadako brushed back a strand of her long black hair and waved her off. "Sure. Wait a sec. Die, motherfuckers! Stepping on my territory. Ha! You wish!"
Tomoko rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You've been going at it for nearly four hours now. Turn it down or shut it off.
"Okay, okay," Sadako said, pressing her thumbs rapidly on the buttons. "Just...let me..."
She moved her player into an alleyway and pressed the menu button, saving the game. She took off her video game visors with a huff. "There. Now you can go to sleep."
"Turn it off," Tomoko said sternly. "Besides, you need to sleep, too. Slaving off of coffee isn't going to help."
Sadako combed through her hair with her hand. "I'm fine. I'll keep the game on mute."
Tomok leaned against the doorway, folding her arms across her chest. "Are you nervous, Sadako?"
"Nervous?" the girl said in disbelief. "What do you mean 'nervous'? I told you I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about."
"That's what you said last time," Tomoko said quietly. "You miss singing, don't you?"
Sadako stiffened but quickly smiled. "I'll get my chance again sooner or later. Nothing to worry about. I'll manage."
"Yamamoto's an air-head but he's not stupid. Just try to be quick about it. You have more experience than he does."
Tomoko looked at her phone's screen, checking the time. She pushed off the doorway. "Good night, Sadako."
"Tomoko, can I ask you something?"
The blonde tilted her head to the side. "What is it?"
Sadako looked hesitant. "You're not...angry that Magnus lost?"
Tomoko raised a brow. "Why would I be?"
"Well, don't you want to be Decima?"
"Just because one of us didn't get the ring doesn't mean it's the end of the world, Sadako. I'm not trying to pressure you, but just do your best."
Sadako contemplated it over and stood up with a sheepish smile. "I should probably go to sleep."
Tomoko sighed. "You can play for another half hour if you want on mute."
Sadako shook her head. "My eyes are going to fall out the more I play." She smiled. "Don't worry about me. You should sleep, too. You look pretty dead yourself."
"Good night, Sadako," Tomoko said with a nod, closing the door quietly.
"It's kind of uncanny to see how much she resembles Kinuyo," a voice said in her head. "It's painfully nostalgic."
Tomoko opened the door to her room and glanced at her book.
Another chapter won't hurt, she thought, sitting down on her bed.
"Hmm, I do wonder what the father will do," the voice said.
Let's find out, Tomoko thought, opening the book.
Morning came by quickly and the next thing he knew was that it was ten-thirty in the evening. Tsuna slipped on his shoes by the front door. He was about to leave until he heard, "Where are you going, Tsuna?"
He turned around to his mother standing by the kitchen doorway, wrapping her wool sweater tightly around her shoulders. She looked...worried.
"I'm going out?" he said helplessly, not sure what to say.
Nana pursued her lips into a thin line. "At this time?"
"Shouldn't you be sleeping, Okaa-san?" Tsuna said. "You look tired."
His mother shook her head. "Don't worry about me. Where are you going?"
"I..."
"Nana," his father said, appearing from the living room. "I'll explain."
"I don't want explanations," his mother said, exasperated. "I know what's going on, Iemitsu."
His father didn't seem unfazed, confirming Tsuna's suspicions. He knew.
"He has to go, Nana," Iemitsu said in a soothing manner.
Nana turned away brusquely and climbed up the stairs. "Come home safely."
Tsuna heard the door shut from the second floor and looked at his father who sighed. "I'll be going, Otou-san. Are you going to come?"
"I can't, Tsuna," his father said quietly. He chuckled. "Being external advisor has its bullshit moments once in a while. I'm still trying to find out what the Varia was doing here."
"Oh," Tsuna said, his hand on the handle. "Well, good luck."
"I'm sorry, Tsuna."
The brunette turned to his father in surprise. Iemitsu rubbed his face wearily. "I couldn't keep Rasiel with us. Now, I don't know if we can get him back. There are rules within the mafia. Just thinking about it makes my head hurt like hell."
Tsuna looked down at the handle. "Don't worry, Otou-san. We'll find a way."
"You should go. Your friends are waiting."
Tsuna nodded. "I'll see you later."
"Tell Yamamoto good luck."
"I will."
"It's Tsuna-kun, desu!" Haru said happily, waving her hand in the air.
Tsuna smiled slightly. "Hi, Haru."
Lambo waved half-heartedly from his arms.
The girl instantly realized their unhappy mood and frowned. "Are you okay, Lambo-kun? Tsuna-kun?" She rummaged through her bag while fixing her glasses. "Haru wanted to give these!"
Tsuna blinked when she took out a couple of slim metal bracelets with a different-colored gem. Haru smiled. "These are bracelets that are similar to the rings. You know, in case...something happens."
"Are you doubting us, woman?" Gokudera said with a light scowl.
Haru glared. "Haru never doubted Tsuna-kun or anyone! This will help a lot. Haru promises!"
Tsuna took a bracelet from her hand and examined it closely. It felt cold on his hand but there was some kind of power radiating from it. "How did you do this exactly?"
Haru smiled. "Haru researched the flames a lot and had this idea to help Tsuna-kun! It might not be as powerful as the rings but it's sufficient enough for a short period of time. Here's yours, Tsuna-kun."
She handed him a bracelet with a light blue gem. Tsuna slipped it around his wrist and it fit snugly.
"Haru gave Ryohei his yesterday."
The boxer grinned and showed off his bracelet, which had an orange gem. Tsuna watched as Haru gave Gokudera and Lambo theirs.
"Haru," he said, "how did you get the materials?"
The girl looked hesitant. "Ah, well."
"Where's Yamamoto?" Ryohei said suddenly. "Have you seen him, Sawada?"
Tsuna was suspicious, but left it at that. "I don't know. I thought he would be here."
"If that idiot is late, I'll hunt him down!" Gokudera said angrily.
They waited for another fifteen minutes. Haru glanced anxiously at the clock. "Yamamoto-kun should be here by now."
Tsuna perked up when he sensed the familiar warm presence. "He's here."
"Oi!" Gokudera said. "What were you doing?"
Yamamoto ran towards the gates with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I had to do something with my dad."
"Both guardians are present," a voice said.
Tsuna and everyone else looked up to see the two Cervello women on top of the school.
"Please come to the Aquarion in Building Block B," the other woman said before they both vanished.
Haru handed Yamamoto his bracelet with an encouraging smile. "Do your best, Yamamoto."
Tsuna stared at the arena. Water rained down from the top floor, which acted like a tank, and the smell was overpowering.
"Guardians of Rain, please step forward."
Yamamoto and Sadako walked out into the arena. A small weight on Tsuna's shoulder alerted him that Reborn was here.
"Do your best, Yamamoto," Tsuna said softly.
The teen grinned back at him with a thumbs-up and a nod. "No problem, Tsuna."
Tsuna watched as he took out a katana from the wrapped cloth around his back. He noticed that Sadako had a naginata, the same weapon as Kinuyo.
Yamamoto's feet felt cold as he stepped out onto the arena. His father's katana felt comfortable in his hand and he slashed the air to get a feel.
Sadako spun her naginata in hand and placed the butt of the weapon on the wet ground. She bowed respectfully. "I hope we will have an honorable match."
Yamamoto bowed back. "I hope so as well."
"Do anyone of you wish to back out now?" a pink-haired woman said.
Sadako and Yamamoto looked at her blankly.
"Once the water reaches a predetermined level, a beast will be released," the other woman said. "The rules are still the same. You will have to take the ring from the opposing side or lose. Begin!"
The instant they vanished, Sadako sprinted forward with her naginata. Yamamoto quickly held his blade backwards and started to spin it rapidly.
Shibuki Ame!
Sadako jabbed forward ferociously. She tried to get an opening but Yamamoto kept his ground. She flipped backwards and used her blade to create a large wave with the water.
Yamamoto changed his blade's position and ran to the side to avoid the wave. Sadako instantly caught his blade with her naginata and swiped upwards, forcing it out of his hand.
She slashed down at his hand, but he quickly moved back. That was a mistake. He brought up his arms in a futile attempt to block her longer weapon. He gritted his teeth to prevent himself from crying out. Pain spiked up in both of his forearms and he felt blood running down his elbows.
"Yamamoto!" Tsuna said.
The teen started to breathe at an even pace, keeping his eyes on Sadako's lips. He soon started to evade every swipe and jab from the naginata, keeping up with her rapid tempo.
Gofuu Juuu!
Sadako narrowed her eyes. She swooped down into a crouch and hooked her blade around Yamamoto's ankles.
Yamamoto dashed to the side and rolled on the ground, grabbing his katana. He dropped it and kicked it with his foot. The blade aimed for Sadako's shoulder.
Yarazu no Ame!
Sadako spun her naginata rapidly in front of her, deflecting his katana. He ran forward, catching his blade, and slashed diagonally. He slightly smirked when Sadako took the feint attack. His katana fell into his other hand and he quickly swiped her other defenseless shoulder.
Samidare!
She widened her eyes slightly and gripped her bleeding shoulder with her hand. Suddenly, she grinned. "This is actually getting fun."
She vanished and appeared in front of him in rapid speed. She slammed the butt of her weapon on his right arm. Suddenly, it felt weak and numb. He tried to move it but got distracted when Sadako's naginata suddenly burst up in blue flames.
He widened his eyes as she charged forward. He brought his blade down to block her jab. They entered a fast, furious dance. Every time she got his blade, he would maneuver around her and attempt to get her side but she would always get the chance to block it.
Frustration welled up inside him as he furrowed his brows. As soon as he made distance between them, he created a wave of water with his katana. He quickly jumped over the wave, careful not to be seen. Gripping his katana tightly with his left hand, he stabbed downwards at Sadako.
Utsushi Ame!
Sadako slammed her naginata on the ground and brought it up quickly, a long stretch of water following her blade. Yamamoto gritted his teeth in anger. The bracelet around his wrist started to pulse and he felt something rise within his body.
Unconsciously, he broke the wall of water with his bare hands. When he landed on the ground, the water started to gather around his body. He ignored the ache in his arms and ran forward, bringing his katana over his head.
Sadako used her naginata as leverage to push herself high into the air. Yamamoto jumped with great speed, water and Rain flames surrounding him. Sadako widened her eyes as he brought the blunt part of his blade and slammed it into her head. She fell rapidly to the rising water level and started to sink.
Scontro di Rondine!
Yamamoto landed shakily on the ground and looked down at his bracelet, which had a small blue flame that rippled and shimmered in the core. He moved his head to the side when a sailing naginata whizzed past him, nicking him in the cheek.
He gaped a bit when he saw Sadako sputtering and coughing on a floating piece of debris. She hoisted herself up from the water and attempted to stand. She clutched her bleeding head and looked at him blankly in a daze.
"Never keep your guard down," she said.
Yamamoto ducked as the naginata grazed his hair, going back in Sadako's hand. She swayed a bit and stumbled over her feet.
"The beast is now in the waters," a Cervello woman said.
Yamamoto looked down to see silhouette of a shark roaming around in the water, circling around beneath him. He looked to see Sadako attempt to keep her focus as her piece of debris floating irregularly amongst the waves. The blue flames weren't present around her naginata anymore.
"Sadako," Tomoko said, concern flashing in her blue eyes. "Just give him the ring."
The girl shook her head. "I'm fine."
She jumped up high, spinning her weapon in the air, and came down to stab Yamamoto who jumped back with his katana ready. Despite the situation, she was still calm.
Yamamoto took advantage of her sluggish movements and easily disarmed her, pointing his blade at her neck. "Yield."
Sadako raised her hands, acknowledging her defeat. "Take it."
Suddenly, the shark leaped up behind her and she lost balance, falling into the water.
"Sadako!" Tomoko said, jumping down from her spot.
Yamamoto jumped in the water, trying to call on that power again before. Sadako was unconscious, her long ponytail floating behind her. The shark swam quickly towards her but suddenly it was encased in ice, falling down to the ground with a thunk.
Yamamoto helped Sadako's arm over his shoulder and tried not to wince when pain spiked up in his arms. He swam upwards, seeing a yellow and black blob above the surface. When he finally reached the surface, he took in a deep breath and helped Sadako over onto solid ground. He tried to hoist himself up but his arms were pretty much useless at this point.
A hand reached out to him. He blinked when he saw it was Tomoko's.
"Do you want to stay there?" she said, raising a brow.
Yamamoto took her hand and she pulled him over with a grunt. He almost collapsed on the ground if not for a pair of hands supporting him up.
"Edgar," Tomoko said, "come over here. Sadako needs it more."
Yamamoto blinked when something shiny was tossed at him. He grabbed it with a grimace and looked down at his palm, the ring feeling a bit heavy.
"You win," she said.
The one who held him up let go gently and shuffled towards Sadako.
"Yamamoto!"
The teen turned to see Tsuna and the others running towards him. He grinned a bit weakly, his eyes feeling heavy.
"Yo," he said before darkness took over his vision.
"It worked," Haru mumbled. "It actually worked."
Tsuna and Gokudera helped hoist Yamamoto on Ryohei's back. Lambo reached up to pat his head. "Yamamoto-nii did good. Lambo-san will buy lots and lots of ice cream tomorrow."
Reborn finished healing his arms. "He'll be fine with rest."
The Cervello women appeared in front of them, stopping them from taking another step.
"The winner of the Rain Battle is Yamamoto Takeshi," one of them said.
"The next battle will be between the Guardians of Storm," the other one said.
They disappeared, leaving the two groups by themselves. Tsuna turned to Tomoko who was helping Sadako on Maita's back.
"Tomoko," he said.
She looked at him blankly. "What is it, Tsunayoshi?"
Tsuna hesitated slightly, but said, "Thank you."
A ghost of a smile flickered on her lips. "You're welcome."
A/N You don't know how many times I had to re-write this chapter (Five times...). Honestly, I was about to skip over the Varia confrontation in the beginning, but, since I'm nice, I just left it there. I had different scenarios planned out for it as well so that's why I was iffy on doing it, but I managed. ^^ Hopefully, it's not too...choppy.
I had different takes with Rasiel's scene as well. I ended up re-writing it three times before I managed to land a decent one.
Hopefully, the fight scene wasn't bad. TT^TT I try not to keep it in big chunks of paragraphs because they just annoy the hell out of me and make my eyes hurt. 0_0
Shibuki Ame - Splashing Rain
Gofuu Juuu - May Wind, October Rain
Yarazu no Ame - Last Minute Rain
Samidare - Early Summer Rain
Utsushi Ame - Duplicate Rain
Scontro di Rondine - Clash of the Swallow
And no. Sadako doesn't have a style similar to Jiang-guo's but since the Rain Flames can render their target useless and drain their power, I thought that it would be kind of cool to somewhat incorporate that into her naginata.
Haru's bracelets will be explained next chapter. ^^
Guest Review Reply to KyokoXmukuro: Hello there! Well, I'm only limiting Haru and Tsuna's relationship to a sibling one. Sorry! I decided long ago to not have pairings 'cause it'll be distracting and very...off for this type of story. Thank you for reading! Hope this doesn't offend you or anything. ^^
Nana somewhat came around. It's probably a bit sudden, but I will try to develop her more as time goes on. Also, how could she not realize the situations going on? That really annoyed me in the anime.
Enough of my rant.
Tomoko's Rings - 1 (Cloud)
Tsuna's Rings - 2 (Lightning, Rain)
Thank you for reading! See you in the next chapter.
Upcoming Battle: Guardians of Storm