Kyandi: Greetings guys!
Roksana: Today's chapter is going to be a little short.
Kyandi: I found a perfect cut off point and just had to stop it there.
Roksana: But you get to see one of my box weapons today.
Kyandi: And I get to laugh at all the times I apparently made readers laugh. And the ruler of marshmallow?! The image of a six inches tall Byakuran dressed as a marshmallow nearly killed me!
Roksana: Just thinking about it now has her laughing.
Kyandi: I love the reviews you guys leave! They all make me happy or make me laugh.
Roksana: And she's really grateful for both.
Kyandi: Yes, I am! So everyone, please keep those funny reviews coming and enjoy this chapter.
Roksana: Kyandi-sama does not own Katekyo Hitman REBORN.
Chapter 41 Line of Defense
"And then you go like this."
"Like this, huh..."
"That's wrong, Takeshi."
Roksana watched in amusement as Gokudera tried to teach Yamamoto how to tie a necktie. So far, it was a complete failure, Yamamoto trying and failing for the tenth time. The boy was good with a baseball bat and a sword, but when it came to a necktie, it was like watching a child fumble through the attempt. Roksana had to hold back a laugh while it just annoyed Gokudera.
"Gawd, you could at least learn how to tie a damn necktie, you baseball freak!" Gokudera snapped.
"Ah, come off it, would you? It's not like I usually wear these things!" Yamamoto replied.
"Let me." Roksana said, stepping up and shooing Yamamoto's hands away from the black tie. Gokudera walked away grumbling something about "babying him" under his breath. Roksana shot him a look that shut him up before she turned back to her work.
"Ehm, I didn't know how to tie it either. Roksana had to do it for me, too." Tsuna admitted sheepishly.
"Yes, well...Hayato will never give you a hard time for something like that, Tsuna." Roksana remarked as she tied Yamamoto's necktie for him. "The thing is, a lot of men don't know how to tie them. My own father included, and he wears one every day. Before he married Natalia, I tied them for him. He would never allow his assistant or anyone else do it for him, just me and Natalia. There, all done, Takeshi. You clean up nice."
Roksana gave Yamamoto's chest a pat, deeming his necktie suitable. Yamamoto gave her a smile and a word of thanks before Roksana turned toward Irie and Spanner, the two pouring over the monitors of their base unit.
"We've received map data. It looks like we're positioned in the south-eastern region of the field." Spanner said.
"I see...not a bad position." Irie remarked.
"Irie-kun, are you alright?" Tsuna asked, concerned for the man.
"Yes...don't worry about me. More importantly, how are you finding the base I built?" Irie asked.
"I'm really impressed! I don't know how you managed to-"
"You're three minutes are up." came the Cervello's voice. "Well, then...let the Choice battle begin!"
Roksana, just like during the whole battle for the Vongola rings against the Varia, found herself dragged into a huddle with the boys for a cheer of "Vongola fight!". At least, this time, no one else could see her.
"That really does pump you up, huh?!" Yamamoto asked.
"No, it makes me feel stupid." Roksana retorted.
"I can't believe I just did that again." Gokudera added, hand pressed to his face.
"This ritual is not unique to Japan, correct?" Spanner asked.
"I've seen American teams do it too." Roksana told him.
"By the way, about our strategy," Irie said, changing the topic. "Our only means of pinpointing the enemy's position and vice-versa, is through our flame radars. As such, Spanner and I will remain here, analyzing the relevant data and giving commands, so I would like the rest of you to divide into a defensive and an offensive force. Based on your combat styles, I feel that Gokudera-kun would be best suited to defense, and Tsunayoshi-kun and Yamamoto-kun to offense."
"How many times do I have to tell you?! You don't go giving out orders without even consulting the Tenth, asshole!" Gokudera snapped.
The boy was forced to bend over double, gripping his gut, when Roksana nailed him hard there with a side-ways swing of her fist.
"Considering its his life we have to defend and he is running the command central of our team, I think it's fitting he picks the strategy. Especially since Tsuna's strong point isn't really team strategy. Not to mention, I'm pretty sure that Tsuna agrees with Irie." Roksana told him.
"She's right. I think that sounds like a good plan, and Irie-kun is the one who has experience playing Choice, after all." Tsuna agreed.
"Hmph. Well, if the Tenth says so..." Gokudera grumbled.
With that handled, Roksana turned back to Irie.
"What about me?" she asked.
"Well, as for you, Roksana-chan, given what I know about you, you would be a perfect switch."
"Switch?" Roksana asked.
"Able to switch seamlessly between defense and offense. Because of your versatility and mobility, as well as the wide range Reborn-san said you have, I want you to act as the last line of defense here at the base. If, for some reason, they managed to get past Gokudera-kun, we'll need you and your fighting experience here." Irie told her. "As a last resort."
"Alright. Then I'll just be hanging out on the roof of this thing." Roksana said.
"Alright...let's get moving!" Yamamoto declared.
While Tsuna, Gokudera and Yamamoto made their way to their motorbikes, Roksana took a perch on the top of the base, Irie and Spanner taking their places at the monitors. She fixed her communications link into her ear once she was sitting.
"Alright, listen up. This arena is heavy on cover; plenty of places to hide. As such, the sooner we track our enemies down, the better our chance of victory!" Irie told them before dropping the sheets draped around the base and opening the hatch for the boys.
"You boys be careful." Roksana called out to them as they rode out.
Roksana remained where she was seated, watching as Irie released decoys with his flame signature in order to confuse the enemy on their whereabouts. With the release of the decoys, according to Irie's scanners, three of their four opponents went about systematical eliminating the decoys. Irie had Gokudera stay where he was, attacking as the line of defense before anyone could reach Roksana. He then had Tsuna and Yamamoto head to different points to intercept two of the three approaching enemies.
While Tsuna took on Torikabuto and his illusions, Kikyou and Saru continued on their way. Tsuna found out, quickly enough, that Torikabuto was going to be a tough opponent, one that, just like Gokudera, could use more than one attribute. While Tsuna had to face this threat with the help of his box weapon, Nuts, he didn't seem too concerned. He was even the first to reveal the Cambio Forma version of his box weapon.
A cape and gauntlet used by Vongola Primo.
With the added power of this form, Tsuna thought he defeated Torikabuto, and so did Irie and Spanner. With that out of the way, Irie told Tsuna to extinguish his flames and get back to his motorbike. While Tsuna moved to do that, Saru and Yamamoto clashed, Saru revealing himself to be Genkishi. Apparently Genkishi had been given a second chance to redeem himself in Byakuran's eyes.
Yamamoto took the chance to reveal his Cambio Forma which made use of two different animal boxes; his swallow and a dog which he named Kojirou and Jirou. Roksana listened in through the headsets as Yamamoto faced off When Genkishi claimed that when he lost to Tsuna, he hadn't used even half of his power, Yamamoto replied back with, "Pleased to hear it. This would be no fun otherwise.".
Roksana felt her eye twitch when she heard that.
Yamamoto flinched, having to pull his headset out of his ear for a moment when Roksana yelled through the line.
"Stop trying to look cool, you idiot! I swear, if you weren't one of my favorites out of my friends, I would find somewhere very uncomfortable for you to sheathe your sword!"
While Tsuna, Gokudera, Irie, and Spanner all looked at their headsets with concerned looks, concerned for their comrade, Yamamoto merely chuckled. He was convinced that Roksana would never do something like that to him.
If he lost, he was in for a big surprise.
Fortunately for him, he wouldn't have to find out.
Roksana did feel a little bad for Genkishi when Kikyou revealed that Byakuran had thought of Genkishi as nothing more than pawn before he killed him. That someone could treat someone who believed so completely in them, like that...it made Roksana hope that Kikyou found a way past Gokudera.
She really wanted to take her annoyance and frustration out on something and Kikyou, with his handsome face, would be the perfect target.
"This is the true nature of the Millefiore Family we are fighting...of Byakuran-san." Irie said through the headsets.
"I don't really know about saving the world...or about the Trinisette or anything like that...but what I can see is that Byakuran is putting everyone through terrible pain!" Tsuna said.
Roksana could hear the sympathetic pain in Tsuna's voice. Watching someone do such awful things hurt Tsuna and when her friends hurt, it pissed Roksana off. With their strategy as it was, though, Roksana was left sitting there, her annoyance and anger boiling up while Irie sent Tsuna and Yamamoto out to find Daisy and bring him down while Gokudera maintained his position.
With no more reason to hide to their locations, Yamamoto and Tsuna switched to using their flames to get around. It was only then that Tsuna, Irie and Spanner realized that Tsuna was still trapped in Torikabuto's illusion and the man wasn't done. When Irie and Spanner confirmed that the decoys were being destroyed at an impossibly fast rate, Roksana got to her feet. She had a feeling that things were about to become a mess.
"Hey, Irie, Spanner."
"What is it, Roksana-chan?" Irie asked, half distracted.
"I'm going to need you to trust me. Whatever happens from here on out, just listen to me and trust me, okay?" Roksana asked.
"Roksana-chan?" Irie asked.
"Can you do it or not?" Roksana asked, not willing to explain.
"...Y-yes. But what's wrong?" Irie asked.
"I have a bad feeling, and I've survived off of listening to my instincts. Just proceed as you are. I might just be paranoid, but...leave last resort counter measures to me. That is why you wanted me here, right?"
"Yeah. Be careful."
"Sure."
Irie didn't hear another word from Roksana after that. Instead of worrying about it, Irie focused on his job as Kikyou entered their first line of defense, the man approaching Gokudera at a fast pace. Gokudera, even with the warning, almost had Kikyou crash right into his face. Jumping to the side, Gokudera opened Uri's box, letting the cat out. Kikyou easily knocked Uri aside and attempted to do the the same to Gokudera, only to take a shot to the gut.
The hit didn't seem to effect him though. In fact, there was a grin on Kikyou's face as he looked down at Gokudera from where he hovered in the sky. Gokudera found out the reason behind that smile when he went to open his boxes only to find that Kikyou had sealed them all off with his flames. With that done, Kikyou flew off past him, no longer concerned in the slightest about Gokudera. Gokudera warned Irie about the approaching threat.
"We've got this. Roksana-chan, it's your turn...Roksana-chan?"
Irie was a little concerned with Roksana not answer back, but he had promised to trust her. Whatever was keeping her from answering, he had to trust that she would be there when they needed her. After all, she was a guardian and one that seemed to be very protective and loyal.
Kikyou though, grinned as he approached the Vongola base unit and there was no sign of the team's last combat member. Then again, for all he knew, they could have decided to hide Roksana inside the base along with Irie and Spanner. The only flame reading he got on his radar was that of Irie's flame target.
If the girl wanted to run, that was fine. They would catch up with her quickly enough after dealing with her friends and getting their hands on the Vongola rings and the Arcobaleno pacifiers. He was completely unaware that Roksana didn't require flames to get around.
Or that one should never look at or below eye level for her.
Kikyou had not even a shadow falling over him to warn him of the girl falling rapidly towards his back before she landed right on his back, knees in his shoulders blades, sending the both of them crashing into the ground below. Kikyou gathered his composure in time to cushion the fall with his flames, flipping himself away from the person that had just slammed into his back. The two flew apart, Kikyou sliding in the opposite direction of his intended target.
Straightening up, Kikyou was confronted with the straightening figure of Roksana as she dusted her clothes off.
"Roksana?! What's happening?!" came Tsuna's concerned voice in her ear.
"Did I just hear a crash?" Yamamoto asked right after.
"What the hell is going on over there?!" Gokudera demanded.
"Focus on the fight before you, Tsuna. You too, Takeshi. Leave this to me. Hayato, haul your ass over here. Irie, Spanner, I need you two to remain on standby. If I tell you to move, be ready to do just that, got it?" Roksana replied through the headset.
When she had become the commander, none of them knew, but none of them were stupid enough to question Roksana when she had that hard as ice tone to her voice. Roksana was serious and possibly a little angry and none of them wanted her to direct that anger at them. When she got a "Got it!" back from all five of her comrades, she redirected her full attention to Kikyou. The man was smiling as he dusted off his own clothes.
"So I see they put you as a last line of defense." Kikyou remarked.
"For a very good reason. I can tell you already have your box weapon activated." Roksana remarked.
Kikyou raised an eyebrow, surprised since she couldn't see his box weapon. Roksana didn't feel inclined to explain how she knew. Kikyou's eyes, instead, fell to her belt and the belt around her thigh which held her four box weapons. Roksana's hand was hovering over the ones on her thigh belt, finger tips ghosting over the boxes and idly tracing the designs on the outside of each one of them before moving on to the next one.
"Does that mean you're going to show me your box weapon?" Kikyou asked.
"I think I will. One of them, at least. The question is...which one?" Roksana remarked, her finger tips running over the boxes. Her head tipped to the side then, as if listening to something playing in her ear. Her gaze sharpened then and her fingers moved from the boxes on her thigh belt to her Vongola box, removing it from it's chain. "Seems I need to taking this a little more seriously than I normally would, so I'll be using Tsukuyomi."
She didn't wait for a response from Kikyou, her flames lighting up her ring before she inserted them in the box. The sheer amount of flames that shot free of the box, was a complete shock to those watching. What really surprised Kikyou, more than the amount of flames she could produce so easily or the form they took, was the purity of the silver flames that made up the elegant form that flew out of the box.
Though if Kikyou was being honest, he was just as surprised by the form her box weapon took. All box weapons took the shape of animals that had existed at once point in time. Kikyou had only ever seen one that didn't follow that pattern.
But Roksana's...also didn't quite fit that bill.
Wings of silver fire spread, the flames rippling down the slender body to the long tail feathers tips int the same flames as the wings. The creature landed on Roksana's shoulder giving it's feathers a ruffle as it settled.
Sitting there, blazing with the high purity of Roksana's intense resolve and determination to protect her friends...was a phoenix.
"I see," Kikyou said, recovering and putting his smile back on his face. "A phoenix, the very symbol of rebirth which happens to be the characteristic of Moon flames. It's fitting for you. Though, I must admit...I was expected a wolf or something along those lines."
"There's more to Tsukuyomi than what meets the eye." Roksana replied.
She didn't bother to remind him that she still had three other boxes and those of those were animal box weapons.
Back in the observation deck for the Vongola supporters, Roksana's friends watched as the silver bird upon her shoulder held it's head high with the same pride that Roksana, herself, did.
"Mama has a bird, Daddy! It's so pretty!" Ryoka remarked, tugging on Hibari's pants leg as she pointed.
"I've never seen a box weapon that wasn't based on a real life animal, but a mythical one." Fuuta remarked.
"Reborn, remind me," Dino said, watching the screen. "The first Moon Guardian, Stella...what was her weapon of choice?"
"Stella was an unique woman and her weapon reflected that. She called it the Talons of Fate. If Volkov's box weapon takes the shape of Stella's weapon, it'll make for an interesting fight." Reborn remarked.
Out on the field, Roksana pulled a lollipop from her pocket, ripping off the wrapper before putting it in her mouth. The whole time, Tsukuyomi watched Kikyou as if it acted as another pair of eyes for it's mistress, Roksana feeling relaxed enough with it watching to turn her eyes from Kikyou.
"Since Byakuran-sama has plans for you, I would really rather not fight you. He might be displeased if I damage you." Kikyou remarked.
That drew a curt laugh from Roksana as she reached up to lightly pet Tsukuyomi's head, the Phoenix spreading its wings with a trill, as if it was laughing as well.
"You should worry more about me using that handsome, overly smug face of your to wipe the concrete." she replied. "I don't know what it is about men with faces like yours. I just...really want to mess your face up. We have a man with a face like yours among our guardians, the second half of our Mist Guardian, if you will, and all I really want to do when I see him, is introduce his face to my boot heel. Or the concrete. I'm not picky. Your face incites the same feeling. Hmmm...perhaps its the mix of good looks and smugness."
Roksana shrugged her shoulders, Tsukuyomi chirping in agreement with his mistress. Kikyou might have taken it as a compliment that she thought him good looking, if it wasn't for the way she stated it and the disgust clear in her voice as she admitted it.
"Really, looking at your face just makes me want to go against whatever you say all the more, and I'm already someone who really hates being ordered around. Even my own boss is careful not to phrase anything as an order for fear that I'll react in a very unfavorable way." Roksana warned.
Of course, she had gotten better about that as of late, but that was only because it was Tsuna. Now with it being Kikyou...that was a different matter altogether.
"You sound like someone who can be quite the handful." Kikyou remarked.
"That is actually quite the understatement." was all Roksana said in response.
"Well then, please take this as a suggestion when I say that it would be in your best interest to take my words into consideration. We will prevail here today, so why not save yourself the trouble and just join us. It would make it easier on you and would make Byakuran-sama very happy." Kikyou offered her.
"Hmmm...well, I suppose it's a good thing that I'm not in the business of making twisted, evil mastermind marshmallows happy." Roksana retorted. "Nor am I the same type as your boss who so easily turns her back on those who have faith in her. Unfortunately for you, I'm loyal to detriment, so I'm going to have to say "hell no" to your offer." Roksana replied. "I'd rather die than betray my family. I believe your boss said it earlier...I'm a very self-sacrificing person. But I'm also a very spiteful person. Not a good mix when you need me alive, now is it?"
The smug smile vanished from Kikyou's lips then. The threat to her words had just hit home. If it meant protecting her friends and ruining plans for Byakuran, she wouldn't care if it cost her her life. There was no playfulness to her expression, nothing but seriousness. It wasn't a threat...it was a promise. She would risk it all to defend her friends and comrades.
And that would really ruin Byakuran's plans.
"Are you aware of the situation you're in now?" Roksana asked.
Kikyou plastered his smile back on his face. Even if she was serious, he wouldn't allow her to do anything to get in Byakuran's way. She was just a kid after all. What could she do against him, the leader of the Six Funeral Wreaths?
"I'm not concerned." Kikyou replied.
"Shame. You really should be."
Roksana gave an idle flick of her hand then. Tsukuyomi took to the air, spreading his wings to lift himself off Roksana's shoulder. Roksana shrugged off her suit jacket, tossing it to the side before yanking her tie loose and doing the same with it. She wouldn't need either for what she was about to do.
"Am I to take this to mean that you're refusing to do this the peaceful way?" Kikyou asked, giving her one last chance to back down.
Roksana's two-toned eyes came up, fixing him with an intense look.
"Have you ever heard the saying, "Silence weights heavier than a thousand words"?" When Kikyou merely gave her a gesture of confusion, she adjusted the ring on her hand. "No? How about..."Silence is the best reply to a fool."?"
There was no denying the meaning behind her words with that one.
She was calling him a fool.
"I'm sorry to say that you will end up regretting it." Kikyou told her.
"Not as much as you. Tsukuyomi...Cambio Forma."
Before his eyes, Kikyou watched as Roksana held out her arms, spreading her fingers. The flames that made up Tsukuyomi grew brighter, the phoenix circling Roksana once before flying straight for her hands. The bird turned into a ball of flames that instantly coated her arms all the way up to her biceps. When the flames broke away, silver gloves covered Roksana's arms all the way to her biceps. There were wicked-looking, steel talon-line tips to each finger, a cylinder-shaped devices featuring the crest of the Vongola on the back of each hand glowing from within with her flames. Up the side of the gloves, it displayed the cycle of the moon from the new moon, through the waxing stages, to the full moon, and through the waning stages.
In the viewers box, her friends watched as Roksana flexed her fingers, flashing the talons like a bird about to strike it's prey.
"There they are," Reborn remarked. "The weapon of choice for the first Moon Guardian, Stella. The Talons of Fate."
Roksana flexed her new talons, sun glinting off the metal as she curled and uncurled her fingers, testing the gloves. They didn't look like much to the unsuspecting eye, but Roksana had quite a few surprises lined up for Kikyou. He was about to find out that nothing was as it seemed. Not when it came to her, at the very least.
"Is the kitty going to scratch me?" Kikyou teased, looking down at the wickedly curves sharpness of the talons.
His amusement was ruined with Roksana's next words, delivered as she curled her fingers.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to never judge a book by it's cover? These are talons, not claws. When they're around your throat, you'll find out...they're far sharper."
All of Roksana's friends were pretty sure that when people used the phrase, "Rip you a new one" they hadn't quite pictured Roksana with talons for fingers, but that was what she was about to do.
She was really going to rip Kikyou a new one.
END
Kyandi: You know, I feel the same way about good looking guys with smug looks.
Roksana: It's annoying, right?
Kyandi: Completely! And I just realized something else.
Roksana: What's that?
Kyandi: Kikyou's doom is doubly sealed.
Roksana: How so?
Kyandi: Now that you've called him handsome, even if he beats you...Hibari's going to kill him.
Roksana: Oh...I didn't think about that.
Kyandi: Well...goodbye Kikyou.
Roksana: Yep.
Kyandi: Anyway, everyone enjoy and review.
Roksana: We'll be back tomorrow.
Kyandi: bye-bye!