A/N: This chapter is brought to you in part by the wonderful EveJHoang, who has been a longtime (and very patient) supporter of this fic! Happy birthday!

Brief warning: casual mention of dismemberment for convenience.

Also, just as a head's up! This fic is also on Ao3 for those who prefer that site, or would like to download this fic. Most of my newer stuff is up over there, too, but I not planning on removing my fics from FFN. I just find it a bit easier to post over there, haha.

Finally: Happy Halloween or Samhain for those who celebrate! And for those who don't, I hope you had a wonderful Sunday!

Chapter 13: It's Time for D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Dubious Science!

After spending a few more hours puzzling out the remaining bits of information that Blaise had dropped off and doing a quick once over to make sure he's got everything, Hibiki gathers the papers and sweeps them back into the envelope. This causes Chrome and the boys to perk up from their own spots around the living room. Apparently teleportation was decided as Chrome's ace in the hole, so rather than wait for him to finish, they'd all collectively been working on getting her to teleport various small (or soft) objects around the room.

Hibiki has to applaud them for their common sense of trying to teleport things within their visual range. The last thing any of them needed was getting splinched or whatever the Mist-equivalent would be, which honestly promised to potentially even worse than splinching with magic.

"So?" Ken asks, still slightly belligerent.

"Well, it seems like things back in Italy are really causing problems for us over here," Hibiki says with a sigh. "Not that we didn't already know that, what with the sudden appearance of the Varia."

"That's some terrible info, then, if they've gotta tell you that."

Hibiki laughs, "I won't tell them you said that, but confirmation is always nice. There are also some hints as to why this whole thing is happening right now, as well as indications that there's someone else pulling some strings, maybe, but to get to the bottom of it all, I'm going to have to do my own investigations."

"Still doesn't seem worth the time you spent."

"Knowledge is power," Chikusa murmurs.

Ken freezes, hackles rising. "Don't you fucking dare repeat that, you asshole."

Chikusa stares his friend down over his glasses, eyes hard. "They weren't wrong."

Ken growls, but ultimately backs down after a few moments.

In the quiet, Chrome interjects, clutching a pillow to her chest, "Um, I got the pillow to move?"

"That's excellent, Chrome! And it's still intact?"

"Yes."

"Great! Now, how far did you get it to move, and was it fully instantaneous, or did it take some time to reappear?"

"From the floor, I think? I'm not sure about the time."

"It took some time to reappear," Chikusa says with a sniff and a deliberate turn away from Ken. "The pillow did disappear, but it took several seconds for it to reappear in Chrome's hand."

"I see, so it took a bit longer than if she'd reached down and picked it up herself, then."

"I believe so."

Hibiki smiles, "Thank you, Chikusa, that's incredibly helpful! Now we just need to figure out how much power it takes, and if the speed is something that can be increased with practice – it might be that right now it's moving through the air invisibly or something, instead of actually teleporting. Or, it could be that it's disassembling and the reassembling itself, which is part of what's taking the time, or even moving to another plane of existence, or something else."

Chrome's eyes are wide at all the possibilities. To be fair, in the back of his head, Hibiki is also a little concerned at all the possibilities – it would be best for them to narrow down exactly how Chrome managed to move the pillow before she tried moving herself, but given the time constraints, they might not have that – or she might not feel like she had that kind of time. Not that Hibiki wouldn't give her an emergency Portkey, but….

Ken growls, glowering from where he's still standing, shoulders hunched. Chikusa briefly glances at him, before turning away to continue watching Hibiki and Chrome. Hibiki keeps an eye on both of them.

"But, first we should probably get started on lunch, and after that, we can continue trying to figure out how Chrome teleports things. I've had some experience with teleportation, but given the lack of sound, I'm pretty sure the method I know of is pretty different from what you've been working with, Chrome."

She nods, and then glances at him before heading to the kitchen. Chikusa glances between them and ultimately follows Chrome. Hibiki will need to have his own conversation with Chikusa about what he mentioned earlier, but that can probably wait until after his talk with Ken, lunch, working on either Chrome's actual Illusions or further attempts at Mist-teleporting and then dinner.

"Ken, do you want to help with lunch?" Hibiki asks, in the same tone of voice he usually uses when inviting one of the teens to do something.

Ken growls in reply, attention fully on him.

"I was thinking of making a quick stir-fry, so there will be a lot of vegetables that need to be chopped."

The teen flinches a little at chopped, but remains standing, tense and wary.

"Or you can sit at the table and try working on some of your school work."

Ken relaxes a little at that.

"Hmm, maybe we should just call in some carry out and take a bit to relax instead. The leftovers won't go bad by dinner."

He relaxes even further at that suggestion.

"Alright, carry out it is. Anything in particular you want or should I ask Chrome and Chikusa?"

"…pizza?"

Hibiki chuckles. "Pizza it is. Meatlovers for you?"

Ken nods.

"Okay. I'm going to go ask the others what they want, then I'll call it in. While we're waiting I'm going to need to check on Gokudera-kun again, just to make sure things are healing well. Is that okay?"

Ken jerks a nod.

"Alright. Now before we go ask Chrome and Chikusa – Ken," Hibiki makes eye contact with him. "I'm sorry if what I said, or the way I said things upset you. I will do my best not to say things that upset you, or say things in a way that upset you, but I probably will in the future. Thank you for trusting me and letting me know, even in your own way, that that was upsetting you."

Ken jerks back, eyes wide and a slight whine in his throat.

"I promise to keep trying to not upset you like that, if you can promise to let me know when I do. Okay?"

Ken stares at him, and stares at him, and stares at him, before nodding slightly.

"Alright, we'll keep working on that together! Now, let's go as the others and some pizza, then!"

Pizza, it turns out, is a wildly popular suggestion for lunch, even if Chrome is a little upset at not being able to help at all. Her enthusiasm, and the mini celebration for her pillow success, helps keep her mind off of her need to feel useful.

That, at least, is one conversation that will hopefully be able to wait.

~IiI~

The after lunch training session goes a bit more smoothly – Ken is still keyed up and wary, and Chikusa is refusing to look at Ken other than out of the corner of his eyes, but things don't seem to be escalating from there and the tension had eased some. After asking Chrome, it was decided that they would continue working on her teleporting today and work on illusions the next day. (Hibiki also suggested that they all head to bed early so as to be fully prepared for the Mist battle, so there probably won't be further training after dinner. Sneakily, this will also give him a chance to start some potions, check in with Sōon, watch the Rain battle, and confirm who the next lucky victim was. Oh, and maybe sleep a bit.)

So, Hibiki starts out with describing his own experiences (and really toeing the line with the Statue of Secrecy) of teleporting. From a third person perspective, of course, for plausible deniability.

(Sure, he's done and shown all three of the teens various things he's accomplished with magic, but given Flames and the Flame-tech he knows various high profile groups and independent researches alike can access, it wouldn't be completely out of the ordinary for him to have created something similar, especially given he has a connection with Reborn. Also, Verde could probably actually create the training room completely from robots, to say nothing of some of the things that Hibiki's heard Viper can accomplish.)

"So, the kind of teleporting I know about is instantaneous, but loud, and can really only be used to get to places you've been to before and can really vividly remember or visualize really, really well. At least a first. After a while, it seems like one can get used to relying on less vivid imagery, since you know what it feels like when you're teleporting correctly. Or something."

Ken snorts. "Or something?"

Hibiki shrugs. "Or something. I'm not sure how it works, exactly, just that it does."

"So how's that gonna help Chrome or Mukuro-sama?"

"Well, Mist-flames are Creation – so maybe what Chrome's done is Create the object she wants from the object itself, just in a different location, at an atomic level somehow. Or she's Creating a space for the object and then pulling it to that Created space."

"How well would that work on living things, though?" Chikusa asked.

"I'm not sure."

Everyone looked at him.

"What? I'm most comfortable with Storm and Lightening Flames, so while I could definitely help when it comes to sparring and maintaining illusions in adverse situations, I'm not fully aware of how most Mist-techniques work.

"But, I do know that Flames work on Will and part of Will is Belief. So," Hibiki turns to Chrome. "If you Believe you can teleport, eventually, you will and can. We just need to work out the how to help with the Belief and also possibly find ways to speed things up – no need for you to have a sloppy Ace in the hole or develop bad habits."

Chrome nods, resolve hardening in her eyes. "Okay. I can do it. I'll be able to teleport before the match."

"That's the spirit. And if you can't? That's okay, too. I have a few favors I've been meaning to cash in on, and if they can benefit you, too, all the better."

Which, of course, prompts Mukuro-kun to rear his head, although he stops short of fully possessing Chrome, choosing instead to simply take over her voice.

"Oh, wasting your favors on little old us? How generous, Hibiki-san."

Hibiki snorts. "You're something of my wards, legally if nothing else, Mukuro-kun, and it would reflect badly on me if you were injured in my care in a way I could have prevented, however costly."

"I suppose," Muruko-kun drawls, doubt heavy in his voice, but leaving Chrome's body relaxed.

Hibiki resists rolling his eyes. "Now, if that's all, we really should be getting back to the matter at hand – Chrome and teleporting."

"Fufufufufu. Well, I'll just see myself out then, shall I?"

And in a blink, Chrome is fully back in control.

Both Ken and Chikusa look relieved, but it's more likely that they're relieved to see that Mukuro-kun is well and still around more than relief that Chrome is back in control of her own body. It's been a few days since the other teen had checked in, and that probably hadn't helped the boys' nerves, either. Also, given that they probably haven't really shifted their mental view of Chrome as a much more than a convenient body for Mukuro-kun, despite all that she's accomplished and helped with so far, it will probably take a good deal longer for them to really, fully care about her for her own sake. Even if things have started down that path already.

At least that's not another conversation he has to have with the boys (or Chrome) right this second, the bit about caring for them for appearances sake. It's not like he's actually only caring for them for the look of things, but well, if it'll keep Mukuro-kun calm for now…and it's true enough in a way. He just actually cares for the teens; rather than just cares how they look to society.

"So, I guess we should start with an apple, since you moved a pillow, Chrome!"

It's a good thing that they had plenty of apples at the moment to sacrifice in the name of teleportation. But, they do get a much better sense of how, exactly, Chrome instinctively wants to teleport objects (by creating space, not by reassembly) and so the teens go to bed satisfied.

Hibiki is sure to pull Chikusa away for a moment during the cleanup of variously exploded and otherwise partially ripped up apples to mention his words earlier, but Chikusa clams up and so Hibiki doesn't push. He lets him know that he's there if he wants to talk, and he'll do his best to keep from using tones and words or phrases used by the people who've hurt him, but that he needs to know if he does. He also adds a brief aside that Ken might have different reactions than him, and that he'll do his best to accommodate them both, but that they might need to work things out on their own at some point.

Chikusa grimaces slightly, which is somewhat better than the completely blank expression he's been wearing for the majority of the time Hibiki has known him, but nods and heads off to his own section of the kitchen to clean.

Given how long they've been on the run, they likely have a better idea of each other's sore spots and triggers, and it was unfortunate that they came across one they hadn't really known about earlier.

Which, having been on the run (albeit in a very different way, and under a very different situation), Hibiki can appreciate that they likely didn't have time to really experiment with their powers – or otherwise thought of it as training or sparring or something along those lines.

Eventually, the kitchen is clean and after a quick and surprisingly uneventful dinner, everyone heads to bed.

Except Hibiki, who finds that while Gokudera is healing well, will likely need to be returned to somewhere familiar by the next morning in order to prevent too much of a ruckus at his presumed kidnapping. He sets a mental alarm along with one he has for midnight to get the kid to the Sawada's the next morning, for all he said he'd refrain from moving him until he was mobile, it was probably easier to let Tsuna's mother handle the doting.

Hibiki also has more potions to brew and is seriously thinking of asking Sōon to acquire a time turn for him at this rate, when his shadow slinks under the potion lab's door and swirls up to the form the being in question.

"Oh, good, I thought I was going to have to call for you or something."

Sōon laughs, quietly. "Your wish is my command, you know. You have only need but think of me, and I will appear."

Hibiki rolls his eyes. "Dramatic. Also rude."

"Truth. But what can I do for you this evening? I thought you would have enjoyed that little hint I gave you last night."

"I did appreciate it, but I need fresh blood for the potion to work best – and not only that, but preferably blood that is dropped from the person in question into the potion."

"Hmm, and I'm assuming you're still against what you call 'unnecessary dismemberment?'"

"I am. I'm also assuming kidnapping the head of the Varia from their current headquarters in the middle of the night would also be some kind of violation of the rules of this stupid contest, so that's out, too."

"Ah, so you need my more esoteric skills. Hibiki, you do give me some interesting assignments! Between our initial agreement and all these little adventures and quests you send me on, I haven't been this entertained in centuries."

"It's really odd to hear you say that when you're wearing my face."

Sōon shrugs. "You agreed to this."

"Coercion," Hibiki retorts, fond.

"Still agreement."

Hibiki refrains from continuing the disagreement. Instead he turns to his work bench and picks up a glass vial.

"Can you get me a drop of falling blood in this and suspend it so it doesn't touch the glass itself?"

"Of course," Sōon nearly croons. "I can't have you doubting me, Hibiki, what have I done to earn this distrust?"

"The Lightening Battle?"

"The child wasn't that likely to die – I would have told you if that were the case."

Hibiki sighs. "I guess that's as much as I can ask for from you."

"Have a little more faith in the little lion cub. He's quite dependable, in his own way."

"I've been noticing that. The other characters at play, though, them I don't trust."

"Well, that former snake you're slowly but surely wrapping around your little finger is being quite helpful in that regard, isn't he?"

"He is. You wouldn't happen to know some of what he's been digging up, would you?"

Sōon snarls. "No enough, but enough to know that you'll be needed. It's not as bad as Tom Riddle's soul, but it's not so easily solved, either."

"I suppose a trip to Italy will be in order soon enough then."

"I could always take you now?" Sōon leers.

Hibiki scowls. "Not with the kids here, you won't."

"Suit yourself. I'll just be going now."

"Be careful, Sōon."

He cackles as his form once more melts into Hibiki's shadow. "Only you, Hibiki, only you," his voice whispers from the walls as he slides back out under the door.

Hibiki shakes his head and turns his attention back to the various potions he's working on. It seems like he'll be running off Pepper Ups and strong cups of tea again tomorrow.

When the mental alarm for midnight rings, he places those potions that need it under a statis charm and allows the others to simmer with various other alert charms and wards while he apparates to the middle school.

He hangs back, invisible in Death's own cloak which he can now call on with but a thought, and watches the screens.

Really, these battles are ridiculous. He's comfortable enough to see now that the assassins aren't really going for the kill, for all that he doubts any of them would shed a tear if any of the kids were to accidently die.

He's still not forgiving anyone for the Lightening battle, regardless.

But, for all that Yamamoto is a little cut up, at least he doesn't have a child to heal again. The assassin on the other hand might need some help with the shark (he really doubts that the Varia are so wasteful to abandon one of their elites, and one who was previously running the Varia in their current head's absence if Zabini is to be trusted, to a shark of all things. It would probably ruin their image if one named the Sword Emperor got eaten by an animal.)

So he hangs back and watches a little longer. He watches as the man vanishes from the pool, once all the kids are gone from the building, and finally lets himself sight.

At least there's not another kid he'll need to heal tonight. Trident Shamal can handle Yamamoto's injuries, and if the eye causes him problems, well. It's not like Hibiki hasn't brewed Diapsoricum before.

(Pointedly, he doesn't think about Reborn. That's a conversation they'll need to have at some point, but with him bound to his contract, well. That point may be very, very far in the future.

Hibiki tries not to think about how Reborn hasn't contacted him at all since he voiced his displeasure at the Lightening Battle. He has too many things to do, but that doesn't stop the occasional pang of hurt.)

I hope you stay as healthy and safe as possible! Let me know your thoughts on Sōon!

And, as always, reviews are very welcome, no matter how long it might take me to get back to you! (Life is a bit rough at the moment, so any reviews might have a longer turn around time than usual. I apologize in advance.)

~Fins