Kyandi: Hey guys! Sorry I didn't post this chapter yesterday.
Roksana: Her back was hurting her so badly, she was in bed all day.
Kyandi: Yeah, I didn't write a word all day. I feel much better today, though.
Roksana: As a result, the chapter is a little longer than normal.
Kyandi: Right. Hopefully there something here to make all of you laugh.
Roksana: There were a few things that made me laugh.
Kyandi: I know. Anyway, since I made you all wait a day, we'll get right to it.
Roksana: Then she's going to lay down again.
Kyandi: Yep. Everyone, enjoy and review! Reviews would go a long way to making me feel even better.
Roksana: Kyandi-sama does not own Katekyo Hitman REBORN.
Chapter 36 Being Right Sucks
Genkishi had been stunned silent, his eyes widened as he stared at the now younger Hibari. This had to be the time travel he had had heard about that had brought the Tenth Vongola boss and his friends to their time era.
"Hey, you. In Nami High, those kinds of eyebrows are against the school rules." Hibari called to Genkishi.
A resounding slap was heard as Roksana slapped a hand to her face. The sound drew the attention of Hibird, who let out a trill before flying from Hibari to Roksana. Hibari followed the bird with his eyes, his eyes finally finding Roksana as Hibird landed on her shoulder, fluttering its tiny wings as it chirped happily at her. Roksana reached up to greet the bird, but her eyes were set on Hibari's face. She could already see the displeasure making his eyes narrow into a sharper look as he took in all the bleeding cuts on her.
He wasn't happy.
"Well, never mind. But, why is one of our missing students lying there unconscious along side my injured vice-president?" Hibari demanded.
"I was the one who defeated Yamamoto Takeshi and injured the girl." Genkishi admitted.
Roksana could have told him that that was a big mistake.
The last person to make that mistake was currently locked away in the Vindice prison.
"Oh, it was you...then, that makes things easy. Your actions, especially those against my vice-president, are an attack on Nami High. I will administer your punishment."
"I'm not yours, so don't put that kind of implication on the word "my"!" Roksana called to him sourly.
Hibari's eyes went to Roksana, the girl stiffening as his glare got even sharper. She could almost guess the words about to leave his mouth, even before they did, and it put a frown on her face.
"You will get your punishment later." he told her.
"Punishment?! For what?!" Roksana demanded.
"Vanishing without a trace, missing your school duties, letting another man injure you." Hibari listed off.
"Only one of those should be of any concern to you." Roksana retorted.
If he was going to be this big of a pain when he hadn't seen her in weeks, than she couldn't wait to see the look on his face when met their future daughter. Just thinking about it put an evil smirk on her face. One that had Hibari raising an eyebrow at her.
First, they had to get out of there alive.
"A bit of a warning, Hibari...he's an illusionist like Mukuro." Roksana called to Hibari.
Hibari's eyes snapped to Genkishi, now even sharper than they had been before. Genkishi shifted his hand to the hilt of one sword, already weary due to the fact that Hibari had the Vongola ring with him.
"Let's begin." Hibari said before rocketing forward.
Roksana let out a little noise of surprise, ducking when Genkishi hit Hibari hard in the face with the hilt of his sword, sending the boy flying back towards her. She pressed herself to the floor, letting Hibari fly over her head to crash behind her. Pushing herself, she turned to look at Hibari.
"Even if you're Hibari Kyoya, you're merely a kid who's not worth talking to." Genkishi said.
The smoke cleared to show an annoyed Hibari sitting on the ground, blood trickling from his nose. She had figured at hit like that would do nothing more than irritate him.
"It seems that you think that you can defeat me with just the hilt and not the edge of the sword. What a joke." Hibari remarked, getting to his feet.
Genkishi couldn't believe his eyes. He had mixed some of his Mist flames in with that hit. For Hibari to take the hit and still stand...he couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, you'd be better off aiming for anything but his head. He has a really, really thick skull." Roksana told Genkishi. "You could bash the world's hardest mineral against his head, and the mineral would crumble first."
Hibari didn't even bother to glare at her as he wiped the blood from under his nose. It wasn't the first time she had said he was hardheaded and he doubted it would be the last time. Considering it had saved him from being knocked out cold or having his head split open, he would take it. Genkishi, though, was looking between the two before he focused his attention back on Hibari.
"Do you know how to fight in this era?" Genkishi asked.
Roksana cursed herself and the future Hibari and all his advances when she found Hibari's confused expression to be the least bit cute.
I'm never going to see this boy in the same way, ever again, she thought to herself, giving her head a shake.
"Have you ever see this thing before?" Genkishi asked, holding up his box weapon.
"A music box?"
Roksana smacked a hand to her forehead. Just because the boy didn't know what it was, didn't mean he had to admit that he didn't know.
First rule of battle...never admit anything.
"If that's so, then this will be a perfect victory." Genkishi said, opening his box weapon.
Roksana leaned back, peering up Genkishi used the "creation" characteristic of his box to create hundreds of missiles, all pointed at Hibari.
"This is something that even in your state now, you can easily understand; visual items. You are being surrounded by a few hundred missiles, and," Before Hibari's eyes, all of the missiles vanished from sight. Roksana could still see them, but Hibari wasn't so lucky. "My weapons can conceal themselves as Mist illusions. The grown up you had more experience in defeating these. It's impossible for you. Farewell, Hibari Kyoya."
Hibari actually had a moment of panic, Roksana opening her mouth to call a warning, but the missiles hit, not Hibari, but a shield of sorts that had popped up around him. They all three turned with a familiar voice spoke.
"Heh...I've returned your favor."
"Hayato!" Roksana called in surprised.
Roksana's eyes widened as she stared at the group in front of her. Kusakabe had arrived, supporting both a beat up Gokudera and a horrible beaten and unconscious Ryohei. A pack on his back carried Lambo and I-Pin and Chrome was at this side. Curious as to how Hibari would take the sight of the ten years older Kusakabe, Roksana turned her eyes to Hibari, but instead of shock, Roksana found distaste on Hibari's face.
Kusakabe, though, was shocked to see the past Hibari. Crouching, he eased Gokudera down to the ground before taking in the state of things. Lal and Yamamoto were unconscious, an albeit lightly injured Roksana standing guard over Yamamoto, and the so called Phantom Knight as Hibari's opponent. This was, in his mind, the worst case scenario.
Not that Hibari seemed to agree.
"Kusakabe Tetsuya." Kusakabe looked up when Hibari called him, a dark look on the boy's face. "Grouping? You are fired from the Disciplinary Committee."
Roksana slapped a hand over her mouth but the beginnings of a laugh still escaped her. Hibari looked at a middle-aged Kusakabe, but could still only think about the committee. As if that was the most important thing at that very moment. Kusakabe couldn't believe it, but pushed it aside.
"Kyo-san uses the ring's flame to fight with the boxes!" Kusakabe called to Hibari.
"The ring's flame? Box?" Hibari repeated. "Even though I don't know what boxes are, the ring's flame...please don't talk like Bucking Horse."
So Dino had actually tried to prepare Hibari and had told him about the ring's power. That would go a little ways towards helping Hibari in this fight. But, maybe a visual would help him more
"Hibari." Hibari turned towards Roksana when she called him. Holding up her left hand, she showed him the Vongola ring on her left middle finger. She met his eyes over the ring, the sharpness of them presenting a challenge, loud and clear. "Still think you're the strongest?"
Before their eyes, a burst of silver flames consumed Roksana, growing to spread out around her. Through those flames, she watched as Hibari's eyes widened and then narrowed.
Challenged accepted.
Roksana's lips curled into a large grin as vivid, violet flames erupted forth from Hibari's ring, growing to match Roksana's before exceeding it. Violet and silver twisted and danced together as Roksana increased her flames to match Hibari's, the two grinning at each other. Watching the two, Genkishi remembered an old story he had heard about the early days of the Tenth Vongola Boss's family. While, back then, Hibari had still been the strongest of Vongola Decimo's guardians, there had been another, one of equal power, who had been the only one to stand at Hibari's side, the two fighting together as well and often as they fought each other.
This was Vongola's strongest couple with flames so strong and intense, they mixed together so easily. Just standing there, watching the two, Genkishi had a feeling that this wasn't not even the strongest their flames could get. Looking at them, he had a strong inkling that the two could feed off each other, taking their strength to levels far beyond what they had shown so far.
Even Roksana twisted her hand, closing her fingers on her own flame, the silver fire dying out, only leaving Hibari's violet flames to fill the space. She gave Hibari a smug-looking grin that told the boy she had just baited him into something she wanted. A look of irritation crossed Hibari's face and only got worse as Kusakabe spoke.
"Kyo-san, the boxes! Please insert the flame into the boxes on the floor." Kusakabe called.
"When did I give you permission to command me around? Kusakabe Tetsuya. It seems that I have to bite you to death." Hibari snapped.
"What...please wait a sec, chairman!" Kusakabe yelled.
Roksana stiffened then, Chrome jolting at the same time. The two snapped to attention, calling out a warning to Hibari at the same time.
"Cloud man/Hibari, behind you!"
Hibari whipped around, stopping the invisible attack from Genkishi's box weapon. Genkishi grit his teeth, his eyes snapping first to Roksana and then to Chrome. The two would serve to be a pain in his backside. Chrome sagged forward then, still weak from her previous injuries. Leaving Yamamoto where he lay, Roksana turned over to Chrome, dropping to one knee beside her. Reaching out, Roksana laid her left hand on Chrome's chest, her flames coming to life once more, the silver spreading over Chrome's chest. Lowly, in a gentle voice, Roksana soothed Chrome.
"Deep breaths, Chrome. Just focus on you illusions." Roksana to her lowly. "Breathe in...breathe out. Good. Keep going."
Slowly Chrome's complexion improved, and her breathing evened out. When Roksana was sure she was stable enough to make it, she pulled her hand back, the flames dying out. Genkishi looked from them to Hibari.
"Save by your companions again. There won't be a next time. But the next one-"
"Companion? Who is that?" Hibari asked, cutting Genkishi off as he increased his flames even more. "Just like what Bucking Horse said, to increase the flame of the ring is...to be pissed off."
"That is so not what Dino told you!" Roksana snapped "Unless your resolve is to be pissed off all the time, that's not right! Just insert your flames in the stupid box already."
Though angry and feeling insulted for receiving help, Hibari couldn't help a little smirk on his face at seeing Roksana's annoyance. Bending, he picked up one of the boxes laying at his feet, standing as he looked down at the box.
"Vice chairman, Kusakabe Tetsuya," Roksana raised an eyebrow. "I'll defeat that knight first. I believe in your words. I know how to use it since I've already seen it."
Taking his strong flame, Hibari inserted it into the box. Out of the box, came the little hedgehog, but there was something wrong. The little creature got to it's feet, only to stumble and flop back down like it was drunk. Roksana couldn't believe it. She had yet to see a drunk box weapon. Then Hibari crouched, offering the hedgehog his hand to sniff. The little thing turned to sniff, only to spear Hibari's hand with one of it's spikes, drawing blood.
Hibari wasn't upset, his expression not really changing, but the poor little hedgehog couldn't take the thought of hurting it's master and went berserk, quickly multiplying. Hibari took a step back, unsure on how to handle this. The hedgehog's sphere only grew larger and larger, it's spikes pressing ever closer to both Genkishi and Hibari.
"Tetsuya, what's going on?" Roksana asked.
"The shock of injuring it's own master and the enormous amount of Cloud flame inserted...the Cloud hedgehog can't control its propagation power now." Kusakabe answered.
"Well, we've got to get everyone back before we all get speared. You handle Hayato and Ryohei. I'll grab Takeshi and Lal." Roksana told him, quickly moving.
Roksana grabbed Yamamoto, hauling him up on her shoulders before moving to Lal to drag her along with them. Moving, she and Kusakabe got everyone back and out of the way as the ever expanding spikes began to tear apart what was left of the room.
"Even though pushing the Phantom Knight back is a good thing, at this rate, we will also be annihilated!" Kusakabe said, looking up at the spikes. Hibari jumping from one spike to the other, drew Kusakabe's attention. "Kyo-san, where are you going?"
"I was beaten up by the weird technique that round eyebrow guy used. he beat me up one-sidedly." Hibari replied, trying to advance, only to be knocked back by the spikes.
"You can't advance like this!" Kusakabe told him.
At the moment, there was very little they could do, given their current predicament. Especially with injured people in tow. Roksana, herself, was struggling under the weight of Yamamoto and Lal. Kusakabe was no better.
"There's a way over there." Lambo called from where he and I-pin had found a way about.
"Good! We'll go that way!" Kusakabe said.
Roksana moved, wincing when Yamamoto weight almost knocked her over. She managed to shift the weight and keep going, but with more people on his back, Kusakabe was having trouble keeping his grip on Gokudera. Hibari stepped in then, pulling Gokudera's other arm around his shoulders in order to help.
"I still owe this guy a favor. Plus, if I let you die here, I won't be able to bite you to death." Hibari said.
"No, instead, you'd have to deal with me biting you to death." Roksana told Hibari, moving on ahead of them.
"This way, this way!" Lambo called, waving them after him.
Roksana lead the way, Kusakabe and Hibari bringing up the rear. They managed to make it out of the room with the expanding hedgehog.
"They can no longer fight. If worst comes to worst, we can only take them and run-"
Kusakabe cut off in what he was saying as the gate slammed shut behind them. Almost instantly, the walls around them started closing in around them.
"The wall is closing in!" Kusakabe yelled. "At this rate, we'll be crushed."
"Argh! I hate this place more than I hate snakes!" Roksana snapped.
"Gokudera-san said that the rooms here can be moved at Irie's will. Is this what he meant by that?" Kusakabe asked. "Kyo-san, do you have any boxes left?"
"None." Hibari replied, dropping Gokudera and Ryohei, who he was carrying.
"Roksana-sama?!" Kusakabe asked, turning to Roksana.
"None of my box weapons can help in this situation." Roksana replied.
Hibari had other ideas. Drawing his tonfas, he surrounded them in his flames and begun attacking the walls, chipping away at them, but it wasn't going to be enough to break through. In the next second, a gas filled the room. Roksana instantly slapped a hand over her mouth even as Hibari started stumbling and Kusakabe crumpled to his knees. Roksana tried not to breathe in the gas, but it slipped through her fingers, her vision instantly blurring, causing her to lose her grip on Yamamoto and Lal, the two sliding to the floor. Roksana stumbled forward, trying to remain conscious.
"Hibari..." she called weakly, reaching for the boy before her consciousness failed her and she dropped to the floor.
The last thing she saw before blacking out, was Hibari stumbling towards her only to fall on his own face.
-0-0-0-0-
When Hibari and the others next awoke, they found themselves all looked inside a reinforced container, Tsuna standing outside it with none other than Irie Souichi.
"Your life is in my hands. I want to talk, so behave, won't you?" Irie told them.
"Bastard!" Gokudera snapped at him.
"Resistance is futile. I've taken all your rings and box weapons." Irie revealed, opening his palm to show the Vongola rings nestled in his hand.
"What is going on here?!" Kusakabe demanded.
"Don't mind us! You must destroy the device!" Lal called out to Tsuna.
"That's right, Tenth! The round device! If you destroy that we might be able to return to the past!" Gokudera agreed.
"Don't..."
Gokudera turned on Chrome, who had just spoken, an angry look on his face.
"Why you! Did this situation make you want to lose your life or something?!" Gokudera demanded.
"No...but..."
Chrome trailed off. She didn't know how to explain what she meant, which only made Gokudera glare at her even more. Irie saved her from trying to explain herself.
"Honestly, I'm amazed at your ignorance. If you destroy this device, the ones to be inconvenienced will be you, right?" Irie remarked.
"What?!" Tsuna demanded.
"Inside this device, those who disappeared while being switched with you, are your future selves." Irie said, opening the device to reveal the slumbering figures of eleven people. "Although what we're seeing right now is a holographic image. They're actually disassembled to a molecular state and preserved inside."
"Wha...what is going on! But ourselves from this time..." Gokudera said, trailing off from surprise.
"They were supposed to have gone back with the 10-Year Bazooka's effect!" Kusakabe yelled.
"That's right. In reality, someone shot by the 10-Year Bazooka should switch between their ten years later and present day from. However, this device managed to keep your future selves here before they went to the past. If your selves from this time went to the past they would do unnecessary things and cause a disturbance in the Trinisette Policy." Irie told them.
"Trinisette Policy? If he know about the 10-Year Bazooka...no way..." Gokudera trailed off, unable to believe this.
"The one who shot the 10-Year Bazooka and sent us to this time...was it you?" Reborn asked Irie.
"Of course. The me of ten years ago could use this time's box weapons and technology, so I shot you with the 10-Year Bazooka. For example, by being exposed to the anti-Trinisette, we managed to restrict the Arcobaleno's movements." Irie admitted.
"And that's how I was paralyzed at that time." Reborn remarked.
"But...why?! Why would you got through all that trouble to get us in this time!?" Tsuna asked.
One of the women with Irie tried to get him to stop but Irie insisted on answering the question presented to him.
"It's a simple story...for Byakuran-san to be able to destroy the world in his hands and make a new world, he needed the Vongola rings." Irie admitted. "In this world there exist a large number of rings with hidden powers of which we call the Mare rings, Vongola rings and Arcobaleno pacifiers which all contain a set of seven, a total number of twenty-one rings. Trinisette. That is, of course, except for one very special ring included among the Vongola rings which acts as the key. Trinisette's ores are the cornerstones that created this world."
"What...a story..." Tsuna remarked.
"You're free to believe it or not, however, the Arcobaleno who sacrificed themselves because they were ordered to protect Trinisette can't deny this story." Irie told Tsuna.
"Wha? Sacrifice...what? Re-Reborn and them have something to do with this?" Tsuna demanded.
"Of course, there was one other reason I needed to bring you all here." Irie said, continuing as if Tsuna had not just spoken. "One of the three sets of seven has an extra among it. Have you been able to guess which that is?"
Tsuna, after all he had learned of that time period, had noticed the lack of only one ring type among those around him.
"The Vongola Moon ring." Tsuna answered.
"Yes. The Moon ring, the symbol of rebirth, a new cycle. For Byakuran-san to complete his plan, he needed the key to it all."
Irie turned, hitting a button. A panel in the wall opened, revealing a second container, though, in this one, there was only one person. Laying unconscious in the container, platinum blonde hair sprawled out around her, was Roksana.
"In other words, to complete his plans, Byakuran-san needs her." Irie told them.
"Roksana!? But why!?" Tsuna asked.
"We're done talking. I'm leaving the rest to you." Irie told the two women with him, turning his back on Tsuna.
"Yes sir. Sawada Tsunayoshi, hand over the Sky ring. If not, we'll poison your guardians." one women told them, pointing a a gun at Tsuna.
"We're not done talking yet, Irie. There's one part I can't agree on." Reborn insisted.
"We're not negotiating. This is an order. If you don't obey within three seconds, you can't escape destruction." the woman insisted.
"Just a...wait! You're Cervello right?" Tsuna asked, trying to reason with them.
The women were relenting though and began their countdown. The others screamed at Tsuna not to do it, that they would still be killed even if he did. Just as the women reached one, about to pull the trigger, there was another sound of gun fire. Both women fell to the ground, revealing that Irie had shot them.
"Don't think badly of me, it'll just make you a little sleepy." Irie told them before he began to strip out of his Millefiore uniform jacket, tossing it aside as he ruffled his hair and fell to his butt. "Haa...it's hot. I'm all worn out. I thought I'd try it out just once. Sawada Tsunayoshi and everyone from the family. Ah...I'm so nervous my knees are shaking. You did well to get this far. I was waiting for you. I'm your ally."
That, of course, was met with surprise and disbelief, many of them yelling out, "You're on our side?!" at the top of their lungs.
"Y-yeah. That's right. Normally, everything I do is under 24-hour surveillance by my subordinates and the cameras which transmit directly to Byakuran-san. But, thanks to you guys, everything's a mess. Finally, I can talk without alerting the Millefiore people. Haa...I've been waiting forever for this moment...being able to meet you in this base, under these conditions, was the goal we were planning for from the start." Irie told them.
"Goal?" Tsuna asked.
"Wh-what the hell are you talking about?!" Gokudera demanded.
"The fact that you were brought to this era because the Millefiore wanted to take the Vongola rings and the Moon Guardian, is true. But, even since you guys arrived in this era, I've been pulling the strings to get you here. According to a secret plan we'd devised without the knowledge of the Millefiore. So that you could undergo training and become stronger." Irie said before burying his fingers in his hair. "A lot of bad things happened though. For that, I'm truly sorry. But, you had to be trained to increase your strength exponentially in the shortest possible time, so that you'd be ready for the battle that's to come. This was the only way!"
"For the battle that's to come?" Reborn asked.
"That's right! I am not the enemy you're after!" Irie insisted.
"Fuck you! You're making all this up! You were the one who got us all into this mess!" Gokudera snapped, the others agreeing with him.
"W-wait a sec! Just think about it! If I'd wanted to kill you, I'd have killed you all much earlier already!" Irie told them.
"He has a point." Everyone turned at the sound of that drowsy voice, finding Roksana pushing herself up inside her prison, a hand pressed to her head. "My head...who the hell gassed me with chloroform?"
"S-sorry about that! It was necessary!" Irie told her.
Roksana raised her eyes to look at him, her eyes taking in the container around her.
"Alright, I have two issues with this picture." she remarked. "But that can wait. Go on with what you were saying."
"Ri-right. No matter how much the Millefiore drop their guard, their fire power is light years ahead of yours. Instead of replacing your future counterparts all at once, I made sure your counterparts of this era could guide and train all of you from the past. Also, once you entered this base, I could have moved the base much earlier and capture all of you. But, that wouldn't help you to gain experience, so I had to delay it on purpose!" Irie explained. "That's not all. Did you think about why I-pin, Sasagawa Kyoko and Miura Hara were brought here from the past even though they were not your guardians? You'd grow a lot stronger when there'er people you want to protect. We'd decided that was a necessity we couldn't avoid. Actually-"
Irie cut off as Tsuna rushed forward, grabbing him by the shoulders.
"How could you..! What kind of reason is that!? What if something has happened to Kyoko-chan or the others!? And, it's not just them! Even before the training started, Yamamoto, Gokudera-kun, even Lal and Roksana...we could have all died in a fight! Especially since Roksana was alone!" Tsuna snapped.
"If that was the case...it couldn't be helped anyway." Irie replied
"What the fuck!" Gokudera snapped.
"I've tried my best to plan it all! My past self even supplied a Mammon Chain to Volkov Roksana and told her to use it for her ring so that when she arrived here alone, she could remain hidden! If something unexpected had happened, I'd be in trouble too! All of this is a lot more serious than you think! Besides, this entire plan was part of your future counterpart's idea too, Tsunayoshi-kun!" Irie told Tsuna.
"My idea...!?" Tsuna repeated.
"This plan was of utmost secrecy held between myself, your future counterpart, and the future Hibari Kyoya. Under no circumstances was the plan to be revealed to anyone else." Irie insisted. "That's also why the future Hibari-kun knew about the ambush from us. Furthermore, your future counterpart resisted the idea of getting the others involved till the very end. Finally, he acknowledged that this was something his past self needed in order to grow."
"Is-is that true...I...I did this?" Tsuna asked, releasing Irie.
"That's impossible! I know Sawada's personality!" Lal insisted, the others agreeing, refusing to believe that it was true.
"Ahhh, geez...Don't you see that's exactly why this situation is that bad!? Let me finish talking first!" Irie snapped. "If we didn't take this gambit to deal with this situation, all of you and all your friends will be annihilated! In fact! More people...or worse, all of humanity will be in crisis!"
"Humanity...in crisis?" Tsuna asked.
"Is that related to the battle that's to come you mentioned earlier?" Reborn asked.
"Yeah." Irie confirmed.
"I think we can believe him." Reborn told the others. "Because he answered most of the questions I'd been wondering about, and, all the facts have been consistent so far."
"I'm inclined to believe him, too."
"Roksana!" Tsuna exclaimed turning to face the girl, who was leaning against the glass wall of her container, back to them.
"Don't "Roksana" me, Tsuna. Surely you can look into those terrified eyes of him and know that he's telling the truth. I can see that much even from here." Roksana told him.
Irie's shoulders relaxed when, at both Reborn and Roksana's words, the others fell silent, more inclined to believe him now.
"Th-thank you. That's right...your true enemy is Byakuran-san. Byakuran-san will stop at nothing to collect the Trinisette and take control of the world. He called this plan his Trinisette Policy. If he succeeds in getting what he wants, you're going to see a hell much worse than what you've experienced so far. Any man, organization, or country who doesn't do as he says will be wiped out." Irie continued.
"If that's the case, there's one thing I don't get." Reborn remarked. "Why have you been helping Byakuran up till now? If you hadn't used the 10-Year Bazooka to send the Vongola rings to this era, he would never be able to complete his plan, right? At the very least, you could have reduced the causalities in the long run."
"Yeah...for a while anyway. But, even without my help, he would have found some way to send you guys to the future. Plus, there's another reason why I had to use this method. The only way to stop him is to do it in this era. The only way to seal Byakuran's power and defeat him is in this era!" Irie replied.
"Power? What power?" Roksana asked.
"It'll take too long to explain, but...Ahh! I totally forgot about them!" Irie suddenly yelled, pulling at his hair. "Have you received any contact from the Vongola HQ?"
"No." Reborn replied.
"Not yet, then? Right, it's not time yet...I'm getting nervous again..." Irie said, wrapping his arms around his stomach as he sank to his knees.
"You're a spaz, aren't you?" Roksana asked.
Irie shot her a look that could have been an put out or just too exhausted to actually argue with her. Instead of clarifying, he turned his attention back to Tsuna.
"What's happened?" Tsuna asked.
"This entire gambit to bring you guys through all that hardship in order to defeat Byakuran...that was the first stage. But, there's also a second stage that we have to clear too!" Irie told him.
"Eh? We have to fight some more?" Tsuna asked.
"Eh? Ah, no...it's not that. I wanted to let you guys rest and heal your injuries for a while. But, whether or not we get that luxury depends entirely on Stage 2." Irie replied.
"What is it? What's this Stage 2 thing?" Tsuna asked.
"You've heard about it, right? The Vongola are launching a large-scale international operation against the Millefiore today." Irie replied.
"Ahh...now that you mention it..." Tsuna trailed off as he remembered about the original raid they were suppose to have carried out.
"If their operation fails, everything is going to get much more difficult. The most important key is the battle of the main force in Italy." Irie told them.
"That's great and all, but...let me the hell out of here before I break someone." Roksana said, her tone dipping.
"Ri-right!" Irie instantly moved to release everyone, starting with the others first. "Please get all the injured on the stretchers."
As Tsuna moved to check on his friends, Irie released Roksana. As she climbed out of the container, she gave him a hard look.
"Just so you know, the last person that gassed me and locked me up, ended up going from a man to woman . Feel lucky you're telling the truth." Roksana told him in a warning tone.
Irie's face drained of color as Roksana moved past him to go check on her friends. She checked on Chrome, Lal and the children first, making sure they were alright. While she was doing that, Gokudera and Hibari turned on Irie.
"Oi Irie, let me punch you once. Even if you had your own reasons for doing this, we still want to vent our anger on you." Gokudera said.
"Let me do it first." Hibari insisted.
Before anyone could move to attack Irie, though, Roksana walked up between Gokudera and Hibari. Grabbing Gokudera's ear, she whacked Hibari over the head with her boot, the boy turning a glare on her.
"If I can't hit him then neither of you can. Besides, with the two of you, one punch quickly turns to slaughter." Roksana told them.
None of what she just said made Irie feel any better about this whole thing. While Roksana was defending him at the moment, he didn't get the feeling that would be a constant thing.
"She's right, guy. Don't we have something to ask Irie?" Reborn said, jumping up on Roksana's shoulder. "What exactly is Byakuran's power?"
"Uh...it's hard to explain. It can only be used under a certain circumstance, but, all the unbelievable things that happened in this era has cause the birth of Byakuran's power." Irie told them.
"How so?" Roksana asked.
Before Irie could answer her, Reborn perked up.
"Giannini just received news from Italy about the main battle. Looks like Xanxus managed to defeat his opponents." Reborn informed them.
"For real!? Finally, the news we've been waiting for. I don't want to be a wet blanket, but...it's too early to celebrate." Irie said. "Even if you've defeated their general, the strength of their army is far superior to yours. If the Millefiore appoint a new general and draw ou the battle-"
"There's no need to worry about that." Reborn told Irie, cutting him off before he could go on a rant. "The enemy has begun to retreat."
"Then, that means...! We've won, right?!" Irie asked, relieved.
"Well, yes." Reborn replied.
"That means we can really do it! The Vongola's fighting power is much higher than we expected! They even managed to overcome the main force!" Irie cheered.
"Why get so excited all of a sudden?" Gokudera muttered.
Tsuna, somewhat relieved, looked up, his eyes landing on Roksana. The girl was staring at the ground, her arms cross and one side of her mouth twisted up. She didn't look relieved or happy in the least.
"Roksana? What's wrong?" Tsuna asked, all eyes turning to Roksana.
"I don't know. Something about this whole thing isn't sitting right with my instincts. They're yelling at me that someone's trying to pull the wool over our eyes." Roksana remarked, bracing her hands on her hips. "I mean, think about it. I know the Varia is strong, but this is the main Millefiore force we're talking about. Xanxus doesn't employ a lot of men within his squad. Even if they're strong, at some point, the sheer difference in numbers has to come into play. My gut is telling me that we haven't claimed victory yet."
"And how right you are. This is merely a little break. Both the main battle in Italy and the Malone base in Japan. You have been most entertaining."
Everyone tensed, spinning around as a hologram sputtered to life in the middle of the room, showing them the grinning face of none other than Byakuran. From the sounds of it, he was broadcasting to both them at the Malone base and those in Italy.
"This pre-game battle had a very important purpose, you know. Like, you've shown me the true abilities of the Vongola's most powerful squad, and Shou-chan's desperate act of trying to lie to me." Byakuran told them.
"Th-then, you mean-"
"Yup. Busted~!" Byakuran sang when Irie trailed off. "Indeed, you managed to carry out your plans very well, Shou-chan. I didn't expect you to join forces with the Vongola in this manner, but I knew you would become my enemy sooner or later. Because, Shou-chan, you have always looked at my actions and plans with disapproval. Since a long time ago."
"What you're doing is...wrong!" Irie insisted.
"See? Well, whatever makes you happy. You'll soon see who's in the right and wrong. But, Shou-chan, you really like living on the edge, don't you? The Vongola Tenth Boss is still a greenhorn. Yet, you've cast your fate in with him. To tell you the truth, as this lovely lady pointed out earlier, it's all too easy for me to continue the battle without a break, and crush the Vongola completely. But, I've been having so much fun so far. Plus, being betrayed by my most trusted aide...had to have some effect on my pride as a leader, right?" Byakuran asked.
"It should say something about your character." Roksana retorted, only making Byakuran chuckle in reply.
"That's why, I thought it's about time we had a proper match. An official trial of strength between the Vongola Family under Sawada Tsunayoshi-kun's command, and my Millefiore Family. Of course, the Trinisette and the Vongola's lovely Moon Guardian, will be the stake." Byakuran suggested.
"Why does everyone try to put me up as some sort of prize!? I don't know what you know of me, Marshmallow, but I'm not some prize to be passed from one person to the next." Roksana said tartly.
Even calling him a marshmallow did nothing to darken Byakuran's mood. If anything, he only laughed at that, as if truly amused.
"I see Shou-chan hasn't told you what part you play in this. I'm sure he will eventually." Byakuran said, Roksana glancing towards Irie. "But, the time is just right for this. A farewell party to bid Shou-chan and this old world goodbye, and a ceremony to celebrate the new world~!"
"Byakuran-san! Please consider your current situation. Do you really think it'd be that easy?" Irie demanded.
"Oh? Why so excited, Shou-chan?" Byakuran asked.
"You sent five of the Six Funeral Wreaths into battle, four in the Malone base in Japan, plus one in Italy. Of the seven Mare rings, you have lost five of them. Now, you're like a bird who has lost its wings." Irie told him.
"I don't know about that." Roksana remarked, making Irie look at her in questioning. "I don't get the feeling that he's too concerned."
"Yup. Well. If those had been the real things, I might have been." Byakuran admitted, agreeing with Roksana.
Before their eyes, the ring around Irie's finger shattered, revealing that it had been nothing more than a fake made to look like the real Mare ring.
"They're fakes!" Irie exclaimed.
"Of course. They are beautiful stones of Rank A too, but the Trinisette are a lot more special than that. Sorry, Shou-chan. I've actually assembled another group in secret. I thought that if you met them directly, Shou-chan, the excitement would be too much for you, but there's no need to hide them any longer. Let me introduce you to them." Byakuran told them, as a display screen appeared beside him, displaying six people before their eyes. "They are the true Millefiore Family's six guardians. The real Six Funeral Wreaths."
Sometimes, Roksana really hated it when she was right.
END
Kyandi: Well...he is a marshmallow.
Roksana: I can think of a lot of white things to call him.
Kyandi: Oh? Like what?
Roksana: A corpse.
Kyandi: PFFT! Anything else?
Roksana: Snow, some rats...I can't think of one other thing that's white...ish, but it wouldn't be very appropriate.
Kyandi: Not appropriate...white-ish...Oh...OH! Yeah, no, that's not appropriate at all!
Roksana: Which is why I'm not saying it.
Kyandi: Me either. So let's move on. Everyone, enjoy and review.
Roksana: We'll be back tomorrow, for sure.
Kyandi: Bye-bye!