Chapter THIRTY THREE

The next day, they are all called to gather in the training room. Sakura is the last to arrive, but it appears she is also the first to notice. She glances towards the shadows cast by the bikes parked in the corner of the room.

Kyoko and Haru.

'I wonder if they're trying to hide?'

Sakura wonders if she should call out to them when Dino claps his hands together. "Looks like we're all here."

Is it possible no one had noticed them? She is sure at least Reborn would have. Sakura shrugs to herself and brushes past to join the rest of the Guardians.

Dino stands before them. "Starting today, we will start proper training with the Box Weapons. I'll be overlooking your training." The blond man then turns towards her. "Before we start I need to confirm your intentions."

Sakura narrows her eyes.

"You are a Guardian, but at the same time, you are also one of Mukuro's. In this battle against Millefiore, can we count you as an ally?"

Can we trust you?

Sakura thinks for a moment. She has not done anything to make them distrustful of her, but she has to admit she hadn't put much effort into being trusted either. She has a mouthful of retorts she wants to fire off, but she can feel Nagi's disapproval.

"Yes," she says firmly and smiles before she can stop herself. There are a lot of things we still need to do.

Nagi beams. 'That sounds good.'

Dino stares at her for a moment longer, then smiles. "Okay, we're counting on you."

Sakura wonders if that is really it, if they are really just going to take her word for it. Granted, Mukuro is currently nowhere near her and she has not received any instructions from him. Dino turns to address Lambo, then rattles off instructions and training regimes for all their members.

"Chrome, you'll be spending most of your time using Arcobaleno Mammon's Illusion Enhancement Program, as well as training your physical combat abilities with the aid of those two over there."

Sakura follows the man's gaze to see Bianchi and I-Pin standing by the door.

Physical combat is something she is confident in, but she realizes no one here knows that mainly because her close combat used to rely on chakra, which she had refused to us here, and her current fighting style mostly requires her to stay at a distance. She still nods in acknowledgement and as soon as they are dismissed, Sakura walks up to the pair waiting at the door. "I will be in your care," she says, lowering her head.

Bianchi smiles. "Let's get going, shall we?"

She follows Bianchi and I-Pin into a separate training room, and she can immediately feel the Illusions weaved around her. The other two females enter a smaller control room, leaving her alone.

A hologram of Mammon appears before her. "Never thought anyone would be trying this thing out," he mutters. "Oh well. I'm the one who made this program. If you clear if, you'll be a full-fledged Illusionist."

There are many things from her past life that helps her survive in her current world, even if she doesn't want to admit it, and the biggest is her ability to sense killing intent. Most illusions lack one, no matter how realistic they appeared, and while Mammon may be one of the few who can properly project it into his creations, a hologram is nowhere near capable of mimicking the original.

Two rocks come flying at her, but she easily dismisses the illusion and jumps to dodge the real one. It crashes into the earth and shatters.

"Not bad," Mammo says. "Next, try attacking me while you're at it."

Sakura spins her trident. Receiving praise from him does not me happy, she thinks sarcastically. You?

'Me neither,' Nagi agrees.


Her combat training is also held in the room with the terrain.

"We'll start by gauging your current level," Bianchi says. "No flames, but you can use your trident if you want."

Nagi sends her an image of her, back in her old life, smashing mountains with her bare fists. Sakura hushes her, but she puts down her trident. It has been a while since she has trained with the sole focus on close combat, and she is curious about how badly her skills have deteriorated.

'You were so stubborn,' Nagi murmurs. 'Your fists protected people.'

They are hands that killed. Sakura replies. The lives they took had nothing to do with you.

'Exactly,' Nagi says. 'So stop worrying about them.'

Sakura frowns at her words, then shakes her head to clear the confusions that cloud her. Later.

Nagi's voice trails off, momentarily giving up on trying to convince her. Sakura finds herself standing opposite I-Pin, who bows at her.

Sakura never truly understood who the girl was, but she has come to know she was the disciple of Fon, the master martial artist and one of the Arcobaleno.

"Please take care of me!" I-Pin chirps and Sakura returns the bow.

"Likewise."

"Stop when I say so, or if the other party gives," Bianchi says. "I shouldn't have to remind you, but no lethal force either. Begin!"

I-Pin does not move, which Sakura decides is because the point of the match is to gauge her skills. She clenches her fists, suddenly wishing she had gloves, and she shoots forward.

The girl is fast, and Sakura is briefly reminded of fighting Reborn. Sure, she obviously lacks the raw speed and strength compared to the hitman, but they are similar in that their small bodies seem to hold strength those their ages should not have.

The baby dodges her kick and slips her her fist that follows. Sakura quickly decides there is no need to hold back; I-Pin is clearly not an ordinary baby, and she speeds up. Her speed doubles, triples, quadruples, and soon she is attacking at the fastest her current body can manage. Her body remembers the stances and moves, and while she overreaches a few times she is relatively pleased to find that her body simply remembers.

She pushes back I-Pin with ease and she can feel the surprise of her two instructors. She dodges a kick, then uses the momentum to spin, catching the baby's chest with her palm. She flies after her when she is tossed backwards and stops her hand just short of her neck.

"Stop!" Bianchi calls. She walks over, arms crossed. "Impressive," she says. "I have to say, very impressive."

Sakura smiles.

'If only she knew,' Nagi giggles.


Sakura had always thought she could hold her own in a physical fight, and it does not take long for her to confirm this thought to herself, and prove it to Bianchi and I-Pin.

"You're much better than I thought," Bianchi admits. She was nursing a nasty bruise on her arm where Sakura had landed a harsh kick.

I-Pin nods in agreement.

Sakura smiles softly. "Thank you."

"That'll be it for today," Bianchi says. "Pushing yourself won't be any good. Let's go take a soak?"

It takes a moment for Sakura to realize Bianchi is inviting her to the baths. "Oh."

'Friends, Sakura-chan.'

She suppresses the childish urge to stick out her tongue at Nagi. "That...would be nice."


Update, my loves.

Darque: Sakura's trying, but she's got a different approach this time.

Raven: She isn't as close to Kyoko and Haru the way she was in canon, but maybe that'll change.

Darque: She needs friends man.

Raven: No u.

Darque: .

Read and Review~