Chapter 36
The hospital was bustling with several doctors and patients. It kind of felt nostalgic to Tsuna. He blinked and suddenly he found himself staring at a bloody massacre. Mio was reaching out to him, her hand red with her blood. He stiffened and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes to get rid of the image. His hand tightened around his knapsack.
Lambo shifted in Tsuna's arms and tugged his shirt. "Tsuna-nii, are you okay?"
Tsuna nodded slowly, pushing off gently. "Yeah. I'm fine."
"Do you want to go back home?" Lambo said, worried.
"No. I'll be okay."
He navigated his way through the halls silently, avoiding others in the way. He found the empty, reserved hallway that would only belong to one person. When he went up to the door, his hand lingered on the handle.
"Lambo-san will open the door."
The child pulled down the handle and the door opened slowly. Tsuna walked inside the room with tentative steps. He closed the door behind him. He thanked Kami that Maya and Satoshi weren't here. His father asked for Satoshi and Maya's presence despite the other man's protests.
Hibari was sleeping on the bed soundlessly. He looked peaceful and his face wasn't tense. He looked like a child to be quite honest. Tsuna smiled a bit, taking a seat on a chair. Lambo hopped on Hibari's bed as softly as he could and walked over to the teen's head.
"Tsuna-nii," he whispered, "will Hibari-nii be okay?"
"He'll be fine," Tsuna said with a reassuring smile. "Come back here. You might wake him up. He needs a lot of rest so he can get better."
Lambo nodded and walked over to Tsuna's lap. He looked up at him. "What about Ras-nii? Will he come back...?"
Tsuna pursued his lips into a thin line. "I don't know, Lambo. It's difficult to say."
The child stayed quiet and made himself comfortable. "Ras-nii still needs to finish coloring the castle. Lambo-san will wait for Ras-nii to come back so we can color it together."
The brunette held him tightly and buried his face into Lambo's afro, a heavy ache in his chest. He picked up his gaze, attempting to smile.
"Did you forget why we came here, Lambo?" he said in a teasing manner, wiping his eye quickly.
Lambo widened his eyes before taking his ring out of his afro. "Lambo-san remembers now!" He beamed proudly at the sleeping prefect. "Hibari-nii, Lambo-san got a ring! When you wake up, you have to buy Lambo-san lots and lots of ice cream. Tsuna-nii told me that you're the king of Namimori so you can get anything you want."
"King?" Tsuna said incredulously. "I didn't say king, Lambo."
"Anyway," Lambo said, ignoring him, "Lambo-san likes grape so you should buy Lambo-san a lot of grape candy, too!"
Tsuna patted his head to calm him down. "Lambo, you'll most likely wake him up."
The child slowly calmed down. Tsuna looked back at Hibari's sleeping frame. He must've been extremely tired if he didn't wake up from Lambo's excitement.
"Hibari-san," he said softly, "Yamamoto and Lambo got us two rings so there's nothing for you to worry about. I don't blame you for losing. We're all in this together so..."
He left the sentence hanging. Lambo tapped his leg and pointed at the clock. "Tsuna-nii, Haru-nee-chan will be waiting."
Tsuna nodded. "Thank you, Lambo." He stood up and placed a bracelet in the prefect's hand. "If you want to take this, you can. Just don't throw it away, okay?"
He left the room and closed the door quietly, letting out a breath when he heard the small click. He smiled at Lambo. "Let's go."
In the room, Hibari slowly opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling. He grasped the cold bracelet in his hand.
He closed his eyes once again, entering another deep slumber.
Iemitsu signed several papers with a pen and scratched the back of his head, feeling a mograine coming in. Maya was typing away on her laptop while sipping a can of soda, trying to stay awake. Satoshi was outside on the phone, talking in a hushed tone.
Bianchi took out a couple of papers from a folder and looked at Maya. "Did you find anything yet?"
The girl yawned, blinking a couple of times to keep awake. "Hold on. I'm still trying to get through."
"These are the only information we have on the Bär Family tribe," Bianchi said, spreading out the paper on the kitchen table. "Lal Mirch sent them over through the fax this morning."
Iemitsu shifted through them with a furrowed brow. "This is all from last year."
Bianchi shrugged. "They like to stay in the shadows. Quite frankly, they're the most subdued mafia family in the underworld."
Maya perked up. "I got in. Who do you want to know first?"
"Their boss," Iemitsu said sternly.
"Henrik, um, I don't know how to say his last name."
Bianchi walked behind Maya and peered over her shoulder. "Steuer."
Maya nodded in thanks. "He's 33 years old and known for his position as a well-practiced businessman. His father's corporations are all located across Germany and he handles them individually. He was accused of murdering his father nine years ago but got off the trial clean."
Bianchi pointed at the screen. "Go over here."
Maya clicked her mouse pad. "He harbors the Sky flame and his main weapon is a pair of brass knuckles."
"Is there anything about the Varia?" Iemitsu said.
Maya typed away on her keyboard, looking unfazed. "There's not much other that."
Satoshi walked back in the room. "They're already in Germany. We can't do anything about it, Iemitsu-san. The rules are pretty much solid."
"So we can't get him back," Bianchi said quietly.
Maya rubbed her eyes and stifled another yawn. "Anyone else?"
"Maya," Satoshi said gently, "you should go to sleep."
She shook her head tiredly. "I'll print these out first. I don't want to get into their system again."
She typed a couple of keys and the printer started to make copies. Her small fingers flew rapidly across the keyboard before she finally closed the laptop.
"She can sleep in the guest room upstairs," Iemitsu said.
Bianchi lead the way while Satoshi carried the small girl in his arms securely. Iemitsu sighed wearily when his phone started to ring.
"What is it?" he said, flipping his phone open.
"Iemitsu," Lal Mirch said on the other line, "how is everything?"
"It's good. Could be a little better."
"I'm sorry about Rasiel. Did you get the fax?"
"Yes, I did. Thank you."
"Is Colonello doing well?"
Iemitsu winced. This is it. The moment of truth. He didn't know how he managed to keep it from her for this long. "Lal Mirch, the thing is, you trained Tomoko a bit too well."
"Cut the crap and get to the point," she said irritably.
"She used her Zero Point Breakthrough and managed to encase Colonello in ice. Currently, Nono gave his consent for the Ring Conflict to begin. All we need are the rings to melt it. Don't worry, Lal Mirch. He'll be fine."
There was a brief silence and Iemitsu thought she hung up.
"Iemitsu, Nono passed away as soon as you left."
The man stiffened. "What?"
"He died from heart complications. Shamal tried everything he could but it was too late. There was no way Nono could've issued that statement."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Iemitsu hissed, gripping his phone tightly.
"I had to sort out the issues with the other famiglias. They're all putting their kids as candidates for Decimo despite Nono's announcement a year ago."
"Who are the Cervello?"
"Cervello?" Lal Mirch said, confused. "There is no famiglia or group that goes by the name of Cervello registered in the database."
"Then who the hell issued that statement?"
"Iemitsu, what's going on?"
"Some women claimed that they were under Nono's orders and came to announce the Ring Conflict. They call themselves the Cervello. I didn't think much of it since they were from Nono, but - Oh, Kami. Is this the Varia?"
"Calm down, Iemitsu," Lal Mirch said sternly. "The Varia wouldn't directly meddle with this kind of situation. Xanxus still has a soft spot for Nono despite the Cradle Affair. He wouldn't have enough guts or power to form another group under the Varia. From what I can see, he already has a bunch of nut jobs to take care of. More on his plate would just be too much for him until he blows shit up."
Iemitsu sighed, frustrated. "The Vargas famiglia is too weak to create anything under them. The Bovino famiglia wouldn't dare touch us since Lambo is with Tsuna and the Capello famiglia can't lift a finger. I highly doubt the Bär Family tribe would even get involved with this."
"I'll look into it," Lal Mirch said. "Focus on Tsunayoshi and Nana for now. I'll get into contact with you as soon as I get information."
"Thank you, Lal Mirch," Iemitsu said, running his hand through his hair. "Be careful."
"Oh, and tell Tomoko I'll rip her into shreds once I get my hands on her."
Lal Mirch hung up with a sigh and fixed her suit. She massaged her temples, closing her eyes to relax.
"Hello," a voice suddenly said.
Lal Mirch instantly stood up with her gun pointed at the mysterious man. She glared. "Who the hell are you?"
The white-haired man smiled. "The one who you're looking for, of course. Did you forget already, Lal Mirch-san?"
She pieced two and two together. "What are you trying to pull?"
"A few strings here and there," the man said with a calm smile. "It would be best if you just let the Cervello be."
Lal Mirch pulled the trigger, shooting him in the shoulder. She widened her eyes when it automatically started to heal. "Who are you?"
"I am many people," the man said. "But I'm still me. I'll let you off for now since I didn't quite leave a good first impression."
His eyes sharpened to a scary degree. "However, you're quite the troublesome woman, even in this world."
He walked towards her casually. Lal Mirch gritted her teeth. She shot him in the head and jumped over the desk, kicking him in the stomach. He evaded it with ease, his wound healing quickly.
He grabbed her by the neck, choking her viciously. She struggled against him, trying to breathe.
"Leave the Cervello alone," the man said, his voice ringing loudly in her head.
She suddenly sank deep within her conscious, her mind going blank. The man dropped her carelessly to the ground.
"Besides, the show's about to start soon."
He vanished, leaving her limp and unmoving on the ground. The order was ingrained permanently in her head.
Tsuna rang the doorbell to the rather large house. She must be really rich.
Lambo gaped in awe. "Tsuna-nii, can we live here, too?"
"Talk to me when you get a job," Tsuna said with a gentle laugh. "If you want to live in this kind of house, you have to work really hard."
"Then Lambo-san will work hard to get a big house like this for Tsuna-nii, Ras-nii, and Hibari-nii."
The door opened, revealing Haru in a tank top and shorts. She beamed. "Tsuna-kun, Lambo-kun, you made it! Come in. Everyone else is waiting."
Tsuna shuffled inside, slipping his shoes off. He looked around the fancy-looking house. There was a large staircase and even a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The floor was pure marble and it felt cold despite him wearing socks. Strangely, it looked fixed, as if nothing has been touched.
"Okaa-san is a fanatic with European furniture and all that stuff," Haru said, leading him downstairs.
She opened the door and he gaped at all the technological gadgets arranged neatly on the shelves and walls. There were three large screens that had data being processed; one of them had several files in some kind of coded language.
"Juudaime!" Gokudera stood up from his chair with a smile.
"Yo, Tsuna," Yamamoto said with a smile.
"Are you sure you don't need to rest?" Tsuna said, worriedly.
"I'm good," the teen said.
"Sawada, sit here," Ryohei said, pointing at an empty chair.
The brunette walked over and sat down. Haru placed a bowl of candies on the table. "Here, Lambo-kun. Haru put a lot of grape-flavored ones."
Lambo hopped on the table with grin. "Candy! Thank you, Haru-nee-chan!"
He immediately scavenged through the bowl, taking out a fistful of purple-colored candies. Tsuna looked at the girl who beamed.
"Haru, you wanted us to come here for...?"
The girl nodded. "Yes. Haru wanted to talk about the bracelets. Haru has a friend who will explain everything."
"Why don't you explain it?" Yamamoto said.
Haru smiled sheepishly. "Honestly, Haru didn't get the time to really look over the notes and mechanism of the bracelets."
"So you just gave it to us like that?" Gokudera said in disbelief. "What if something malfunctioned or - "
"Haru trusts her intuition," the girl said, her brow twitching. "And Haru trusts her friend, too."
She typed a few keys on the keyboard and a blonde teen appeared on the screen. He was working on some kind of machine and didn't seem to notice them yet.
"Spanner!" Haru said loudly through the noise.
The teen looked up and took off his welding helmet. "That was quicker than I thought."
He placed his tools back on the table and walked over to the computer screen. He twirled a lollipop in his mouth. "Those are your friends?"
Haru nodded. "That's Tsuna-kun, Yamamoto-kun, and Baka-Dera."
"What?" Gokudera said, standing up with a glare.
Tsuna pulled him back to his seat. "Just don't."
The bomb-user sat down with a huff. "You're lucky Juudaime is here or I would've - "
He silenced when Tsuna gave him a look. Spanner observed them without batting an eye. "Did you get my notes, Haru?"
Despite being a foreigner, Tsuna noticed he spoke Japanese pretty well. Haru pointed at a stack of paper. "Haru got them all but it would be best if you were to explain it."
Spanner leaned back on his chair and placed his feet on the table. "Those bracelets are basically just prototypes. I heard that one of them worked."
Yamamoto nodded. "Mine did."
"How did you feel?" Spanner said, suddenly interested. "Did you feel nauseous or get any headaches? Perhaps dizziness?"
"Um, none of the above. I felt some kind of power inside me when I got frustrated and angry, but I couldn't summon it when I tried to save Sadako."
Spanner sighed. "Emotions, huh?" He grabbed a piece of paper and scanned through it quickly. "Yeah. The prototypes will only respond to emotions. I still need to figure out how the Vongola rings managed to do it willingly."
"Are you mafia, too?" Tsuna said warily.
The teen blinked. "Not really. It's more like I don't do anything they ask. Does that still count?"
"Yes."
Spanner shrugged. "I'm not thinking of world domination. Just minding my own business." He shifted through a couple of papers. "Since the prototypes work for now, I guess I can say that they're breakable, but not under normal circumstances."
"What do you mean?" Gokudera said seriously.
"Those gems you see are actually made out of the dying will flames of sky. Don't ask me how but it has to do with special energy conversion and I wouldn't want to bore the common people with the explanation. I assume that they all correspond with your flames, too?"
Everyone nodded. Lambo was too busy stuffing himself with candy.
"How long did it last?"
"About...two minutes?" Yamamoto said, unsure.
Spanner wrote something on his notepad. "Did you feel anything strange before, during, or after the use?"
"Not really. I felt calm though."
"Rain flame?"
Yamamoto nodded.
"For them to break," Spanner said, looking at Gokudera, "would be the use of the same flame. Meaning if it gets hit by the same flame it holds, it will most likely break and be of no use. For example, your opponent has the Sun flame and hits your bracelet, it'll be useless."
"Spanner!" a voice said in the background.
A flash of irritation passed by Spanner's otherwise impassive face. "I have to go. See you whenever."
The screen went back to its original state, lines of codes running across it. Tsuna patted Lambo's back gently when the child started choking a little bit. "Lambo, you shouldn't eat so fast. You'll choke."
Lambo grinned. "It's too yummy."
Haru clapped her hands together. "Are you hungry, desu? Haru has dinner prepared for everyone!"
"Oh, no," Tsuna said, waving his hands in front of him. "You shouldn't. Wouldn't your parents have a problem?"
Haru's mood instantly dampened. "They won't be coming back. Haru is all by herself." She forced on a smile. "It won't be a problem at all for Haru because there's a lot of food in the kitchen. Follow Haru, desu!"
She started walking up the stairs, leaving Tsuna and the others a bit dumbfounded. The brunette mentally smacked himself. Why am I such an idiot?
"Her parents aren't dead," Ryohei suddenly said, standing up. "It's just that they're extremely not coming back. They technically abandoned her here."
Even Gokudera stayed silent, shifting awkwardly in his seat.
"How does she still live here?" Yamamoto said, looking around the room.
"She attends a lot of gymnastic competitions to get some money and does a couple of outside work. Her clients are mostly from the mafia."
Ryohei walked upstairs and turned around to face them. "Are you coming or not? Haru's cooking is extreme."
Tsuna picked up Lambo and followed quietly.
Why is everyone connected to the mafia? he thought hopelessly.
"Gokudera, what are you doing?"
The bomb user looked up from his notebook and forced on a smile. "Nothing important, Juudaime! Don't worry."
"I worry," Tsuan deadpanned. He peered over the teen's shoulder and blinked in surprise. "You write music?"
Gokudera laughed sheepishly. "I do. Only sometimes though when I get...inspiration."
He's nervous, Tsuna immediately thought.
He rested his hand on the teen's shoulder and gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Gokudera-kun. I won't get mad at you if you lose or anything. Just do your best."
"You don't understand!" Gokudera smacked his hand away before widening his eyes. He went onto his knees, bowing his head. "Please forgive me, Juudaime!"
Tsuna kneeled down to his level. "What's wrong, Gokudera-kun?"
The teen tensed when Tsuna touched him. "I - "
"The Storm Guardians are both present," a voice said.
The Cervello women appeared. "Please follow us."
"The third floor will be your arena," the annoying woman said. "We placed hurricane turbines in every room that will operate at random time frames. This is a timed match."
"Once the timer is finished," the other one said, "the third floor will explode. Is there any one of you who wishes to back out?"
Gokudera scowled at them but kept his lips shut. He will win this for Juudaime. He will...
He looked over his opponent. Shuunsuke Maita, a smart one, he'll admit. However, there wasn't much to say about his fighting abilities. He did notice him wearing a pair of leather gloves on his hands. The purpose, he didn't know. Well, he'll find out sooner or later.
"Begin!" The women disappeared.
Maita looked at him blankly, his eyes void of any emotion. It was such a strange and abnormal sight. Going from a nice kid into an emotionless killer in a matter of a year. The mafia could do that to you. Gokudera shook his head. He should stop thinking so much.
He blinked when a sudden gust of wind exploded in front of him. He took a step back. The wind started to die down and Maita immediately moved forward.
Gokudera took out his dynamites from his jacket and threw them in the air, dashing inside a room. He stuck another dynamite on the doorway. He had a feeling that Maita would still live. It was a terrible feeling, but a gut feeling nonetheless.
He jumped over a turbine and rolled forward on the ground, sticking another dynamite under a desk.
He hid himself in the next room, trying to keep his breathing quiet and in check. Adrenaline pulsed through his veins and his senses were alert. An explosion occurred behind him. Desks and chairs exploded into bits, some slamming against the wall. Gokudera prepared another batch of dynamites.
He picked up the sound of approaching footsteps. He stuck another dynamite on the doorframe and leaped to the side, the explosion propelling him forward. He tumbled and landed in a crouch, trying to see through the smoke.
"You're too simple," a voice said.
Gokudera tensed as Maita walked out of the smoke. His face had a few cuts and scratches, nothing too dire. His fists were faintly glowing in a red color, his gloves looking a bit hazy as if it was in a heat wave.
Maita sprinted forward, his fists raised. Gokudera barely dodged his punch and swiftly kicked the boy in the ribs. His foot was immediately caught in the other boy's fist and he threw a dynamite in-between them. He was blown back, his back slamming against the wall.
A loud crack made him flinch as parts of the wall nicked him in the cheeks. Maita loomed over him, his fist buried in the wall above him.
"Give her back," he said quietly. "Give Kasumi back."
Gokudera heard a faint whirring sound. Maita was suddenly blown away by a gust of wind. He grabbed the doorway and forcefully swung his legs to the side, landing in the hallway in a crouch. Gokudera threw a dynamite at him and dashed into another room, sticking another one on the wall behind him.
He hid behind a tall bookcase, breathing heavily. Those gloves were a problem.
Fuck, he thought.
He wanted to end it quickly, but it was longer than he expected. The female clone's guardians weren't to be underestimated, that much he knew. But if ahoshi and the baseball freak got a ring then he could get one, too - hopefully.
An explosion occurred at the doorway and he tensed.
"Ten minutes are left," a voice came over the P.A. system. "Your lives won't be our responsibility once the explosives are detonated."
Gokudera gritted his teeth. Time passed by too quickly. What the hell was this?
He crept quietly across the library, looking around for any signs of Maita. He quickly hid behind a bookcase when he saw a shadow at the corner of his eye. He stilled his breathing, his body growing tenser every second. Maita's heels made light tapping sounds against the floor.
Gokudera slowly reached for a dynamite until he froze. He could feel Maita's presence close to him. It was as if he was right next to him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and a shiver ghosted on his skin. Maita was so close.
The boy's breathing was just as quiet as his. Gokudera flexed his fingers carefully, afraid that even the slightest movement would catch Maita's attention.
Another rush of wind passed by next to him. He ignited a dynamite quickly and threw it in the current, running to the side. The explosion blew several books and bookshelves away. A hand suddenly grabbed him by the wrist and his arm was twisted behind his back as he was forced onto his knees.
"You're not much," Maita said, kneeling down behind him.
He grabbed him by the hair and forced him up. Gokudera heard something crack and his right wrist felt...light. Wait...
"What the hell did you do, you bastard?" he said with a glare.
He was shoved forward, stumbling on his feet. He turned around and realized his mistake.
"Five minutes are left," the voice said over the P.A. system.
Maita slammed his palm into Gokudera's stomach, his hand ignited by a Storm flame. His blank eyes showed utter fury. Gokudera flew back, tumbling on the ground before slamming against the wall.
He suddenly felt sick as he tried to move and cried out in pain when his stomach flared in sheer agony. He could literally feel his internal organs twist and mash into each other. Then it felt as if it was...melting.
His eyes widened as he struggled to get up. He started to choke as something large rose in his throat and threw up violently on the ground. His mouth was filled with the familiar crimson liquid. He collapsed on the ground, his eyes feeling heavy, and couldn't move any longer.
"Time's up."
He heard a sharp and long beep all around him. His eyes closed.
I'm sorry, Juudaime, he thought.
The explosives went off.
Tsuna watched in horror at the screen and accidentally dropped Lambo to the ground. Haru immediately dived down to catch the child.
"Gokudera-kun," he said in a choked voice. "Gokudera-kun!"
He shoved the Cervello women aside and bolted out the door, running towards the smoking building. Panic rose in his chest. No, he won't let Gokudera die. This...this wasn't acceptable.
He sensed everyone else following behind him as he approached the site. He saw a figure in the distance, walking slowly towards him. He instantly glared, a murderous rage bursting within him.
"You bastard!" he screamed, lunging for the boy.
He was pulled back by someone and struggled violently against the person's hold.
"Tsuna, calm down," Yamamoto said quietly in his ear, restraining him.
Tsuna suddenly froze, his eyes laid on the body lugged over Maita's shoulder. It was Gokudera, barely alive. He shook off Yamamoto and ran forward. He glared at Maita.
"Let him go," he said with a small hiss.
The boy blinked as if regaining his senses and nodded sluggishly. His head was bleeding badly as the side of his head was red with his blood. He gently laid Gokudera on the ground and stood up with a stumble in his steps.
Tomoko rushed to his side, her blue eyes concerned. "Maita, sit. Calm down."
Edgar kneeled down next to him and started healing him with his Sun flames. Reborn did the same with Gokudera.
"His internal organs are severely damaged," he said. "We need to get him to the hospital for better treatment. The best I can do is try to put them back in place properly."
Gokudera let out a groan, his face twisting in pain. Tsuna held his hand to comfort him, but knew it was impossible to reach him. Haru ripped her sleeves and wrapped it around an open wound on Gokudera's arm.
"The winner of the Storm Battle is Shuunsuke Maita," a voice said.
Everyone looked up to see the Cervello women looking down at them.
"The next battle will be between the Guardians of Mist," the other woman said. "We will fix the damages with illusions from people within our organization."
They both vanished without a trace.
Tsuna took out his phone and dialed a number. Lambo walked over to him and Tsuna looked at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry I dropped you, Lambo," he said quietly.
Lambo shook his head. "Lambo-san is okay. Haru-nee-chan saved Lambo-san."
Tsuna held him close on his lap, sneaking harsh glances at Maita who was barely conscious.
"Tsuna?" his father said on the other line. "What's - "
"I need an ambulance," Tsuna said blankly. "Quickly."
"I'll be there right away."
He hung up and pocketed his phone, his chest feeling heavy. "It's okay, Gokudera-kun. You'll be fine. Just hang on a little longer, okay? Don't...don't leave me."
They all waited there in silence until the ambulance came. This night was much bleaker than other nights, the sky obscured by the rising smoke.
Tsuna never let go of Gokudera's hand even when the paramedics came and lifted him on the stretcher. He held onto it and vowed to never let go.
Hang on, Gokudera-kun, he thought. Just a little longer.
A/N I'm sorry for not updating! School's been a hassle with regents and finals.
Thank you for the reviews and favorites! Much appreciated!
And, no, Gokudera is not dead. Neither is Lal Mirch. Don't panic. That much I can say, haha. And, yes, Spanner is introduced much earlier and has connections with Haru. Guess who the white-haired man is. ^^
Tomoko's Rings - 2 (Cloud, Storm)
Tsuna's Rings - 2 (Lightning, Rain)
Thank you for reading! See you in the next chapter.
Upcoming Battle: Guardians of Mist