Disclaimer: I don't own KHR or stuff.
Word Count: 6137
Part 81: We Begin This End
Uni could feel her heart drop when she heard Natsume's scream.
She watched as Tsuna put his arms around his sister. Hayato keeping one of his hands on her arm looking unsure, but not moving away from the girl's side. Takeshi's back was to Uni, but the tall teen had crouched down and placed a hand on Natsume's back.
"So it was safe to walk through," a voice said as it approached them.
Uni turned to see who it was and recognized the blond man as the Cavallone boss. She noticed the way he ignored looking over at the four, instead giving his attention to Reborn, "Everyone else is here it seems."
"I didn't know she could pull this off," Dino said and felt a chill crawl up his back when Reborn looked him dead in the eye.
"She didn't," was the curt response.
"Then who –"
"I think this would be better to put off until later, Dino-san," Fuuta spoke up, grass crunching beneath his feet as he walked up to them. There were signs that the young man wanted to cry, but he merely sniffed, adjusting the child in the cow print pajamas in his arms.
"The Varia should be here within thirty minutes."
"I thought they would have gotten here already, Giannini," Bianchi said coming to stand beside Fuuta and setting I-pin down on the ground.
The engineer sighed, arms crossed in front of him, tablet held tightly against his chest as he did, "There was a delay."
"A delay or are they running late like usual?" Fuuta asked, wanting to feel amused at typical Varia antics when having to deal with them, but not being able too. He had felt the loss, Kawahira's powers extending beyond what the man usually showed.
"I think we should move the none fighters down to the Nature Center," Fuuta brought up, a niggling feeling in the back of his head that he only got around one person.
Tsuna overheard what Fuuta had said and with a brief whisper to his sister, he got up and made his way over to the group, "I don't think splitting up will be a good idea, not at this point."
There was a moment of silence, Fuuta's brow furrowing slightly, "But Tsuna-nii, would you really expose them to all of this? Haven't they seen enough?"
"We don't know what else they have, Fuuta," Tsuna responded, "Splitting up again won't help us anymore, it doesn't matter how well we're hidden they'll find us."
Tsuna paused, looking back to where his sister was, "Kawahira-san made sure to bring us all together for a reason, I'm sure if he knew of a safer place for some of us, he would have done so."
"For now we'll stick together and watch out for each other as best as we can."
Fuuta nodded, having to think on not to tighten his grip on Lambo. He didn't say much, just moving towards Natsume, "Go with Tsuna you two," he said to the two teens.
They didn't move, not even as he set Lambo down. The six year old seemed to be able to read the situation and didn't yell his wonder about the magic he had experienced. The Lightening instead reached up for Natsume's hands, "Ane? Do you want a hug?"
"Che, seriously?" Hayato uttered, hand still holding onto Natsume's elbow. Takeshi gave the teen an exasperated look, but didn't say anything.
"Just cause you don't know how to hug people, stupidera," Lambo was quick, his hands wrapping around Natsume's wrists so he could tug her down and attempt to hug her. She moved, shoulders still shaking as she let herself be pulled forward and Lambo's short arms attempted to hug her.
"L-Lambo," she croaked out, using her hands to wipe her face, though she seemed to have a hard time of doing said face wiping. "That's not nice."
Her voice was nasally and Fuuta could see that her eyes were red, more amber than hazel and he felt a chill, Lussuria's recounting of when their Natsume had felt Tsuna's loss.
(She screamed, Dio mio, she wouldn't stop screaming. She lost control, whatever she felt in that moment pushed her beyond whatever edge she kept herself on.
She won't be the same when she comes back, Fuuta.
Even when we managed to get her to calm down, Boss still had to stick around to make sure she wouldn't lose it again.
Natsume, that poor thing, she really loves doesn't she?)
"Hayato, Takeshi," she called to the two, not looking at them as she leaned her head against the fluff that was Lambo's hair. "It's okay, go with Tsuna."
"You're going to be okay," Takeshi murmured, moving the hand at her back and putting it around her shoulder, his cheek resting against the top of her head. "We'll get through this."
"…yeah," she breathed out and if he hadn't been so close he wouldn't have heard it.
Fuuta watched the interaction, the two teens standing up and heading to where Tsuna and the others were. Bianchi had made her way over to where Ryohei, Haru and Kyoko were, nudging the white haired teen over to where Tsuna was.
Hibari had stayed back from everyone, Tetsuya standing beside him. The older man was staring away from everyone, brow furrowed, before he stepped away.
Fuuta frowned, the feeling from earlier not having gone away. (3)
Where did Chrome go?
/ | \
"Mukuro-sama!" Chrome gasped as she came upon the older man, moving to stand beside Chikusa who was propping him up against one of the trees.
Ken rolled his eyes at the girl's brief panic, hands tucked into his pants pockets, "He's fine, silly girl."
Mukuro made an odd sound, one that sounded like a cross between a laugh and a cough. Chikusa shook his head, pressing his hand against Mukuro's left side, the man wincing, "Ken can you do your job."
"Can you do your job, byon," Ken mocked back, resting on his knees as he lightly prodded Mukuro's chest with his middle and pointer finger. The ring on his middle finger sparked a dark yellow, a yellow line being trailed down Mukuro's stomach as Ken moved his fingers down. "If you wanted a better healer, you should have brought M.M."
"I'm surprised you made it out alive, Mukuro-sama," Chikusa went on, pulling his hand back so he can reach into his sweater and pullout his phone. The clicking from the keyboard made Mukuro's brow twitch, "The Prince did say you were left behind with Byakuran and them."
"Fu~, I have my ways."
"You used Natsume's box didn't you?"
"That explains the smell, byon," Ken chirped, giving Mukuro a wide smile when the man scoffed at him. Chikusa rested his arms on his knees; phone lightly gripped in his right hand as he now noticed the smell that Ken pointed out.
"They were stronger than you expected," Chikusa stated, checking his phone when it chirped a high sound. "Sad we couldn't bring Lancia."
"Fuckers hiding with the Tomaso since Mangusta got killed off."
"I was hired for a job, he's not hiding," Chikusa corrected Ken as he straightened up. "Focus on what you're supposed to be doing Ken."
"Aren't they lively?" Mukuro smirked at Chrome who was eyeing the two men, confused over their banter and how casual they seemed under the current situation. "Best way to keep up spirits during these times."
"….it's different," Chrome responded, clasping her hands in front of her. "I'm glad you're okay Mukuro-sama."
Mukuro hummed, slapping Ken's hand away when he went to press his hand against his side, "That's enough." A staff materialized in Mukuro's hand, one that he used to help himself up so he wouldn't have to get help from the other two men.
"Mukuro."
"Ah, Tetsuya-kun," the Mist greeted pleasantly, barely tilting his head forward at the man. "How well behaved is young Kyoya?"
Tetsuya sighed, shaking his head, "As behaved as you are if you act like it."
Mukuro laughed, moving forward and in the direction that the Foundation member had come from, "Well then, this should all be a civilized reintroduction."
Chrome watched as Chikusa and Ken traded something with each other (4), something Tetsuya noted and again the man only sighed.
She decided to walk alongside Tetsuya, the man giving her a thumbs up as if asking if she was okay, "Yes, I am, were you able to see the fight with Daisy Kusakabe-san?"
"It was…disturbing," Tetsuya admitted to the teen, bringing his hand up to scratch at his cheek. "This hasn't been like anything Byakuran has done before," Tetsuya paused, shaking his head as he watched Mukuro approach Kyoya. "The way Daisy was speaking and how he fought against Kyo-san and Dino-san, they know how we fight."
"You stink," they heard Kyoya say, who crossed his arms against his chest as he turned away from Mukuro.
"I told you, byon."
"Natsume did you no favors with that box weapon."
"Where is she – " Mukuro's voice sounded annoyed, which made Tetsuya pray that the man kept his cool. He couldn't see Mukuro's face as he had his back to him, but Tetsuya could tell by the way Mukuro looked away from where Natsume was that he could guess what had happened.
"Mukuro!" Tsunayoshi's voice called to the Mist, who turned to look back in the direction, a curt smile aimed at the teen. "You're alive!"
The others turned to look at the man, who shook his head as he tightly tapped the butt end of his staff against the ground, "What else am I supposed to be?"
Thankfully none of the teenagers answered that question as their older counterparts would have, which would have started an unnecessary fight.
Mukuro strayed over to where Tsuna and the others were, Tetsuya staying back where Kyoya was. Chrome instead of following Mukuro, went to where Bianchi was and was immediately hugged by the Kyoko and Haru.
"Chrome-chan!"
"You're okay," Haru breathed out, keeping a hand against Chrome's arm. "We're okay too and we have spoilers."
Kyoko lightly swatted Haru, "Hahi, oh, yeah, nevermind we don't have spoilers."
It sounded as if Bianchi snorted, the three turning to look at the woman who was staring straight ahead at where Fuuta was getting Natsume to stand up.
"Should we go?" Kyoko asked Bianchi, not liking how defeated Natsume looked.
"Wait," Bianchi uttered, uncrossing her arms and bringing them down to her sides. "Fuuta will let us know."
/ | \
Barely breathing.
How does someone still manage to look pissed even when they're unconscious?
Arm's missing, box weapon's surprisingly still active, geez, what kind of motive does this guy have?
Giannini decided not to question the way Fujimori (1) sent in his report, sending a response to stabilize the man before moving him and to find Inoue immediately. Giannini backspaced, I'll send Inoue to your location; find a stable area within the base.
Ay, ay captain.
As the others talked around him, Giannini sent off a message to the Varia, alerting them that they were going to be down an Officer.
(He could already hear the complaining, the ribbing, and as Natsume would put it, the bitching from all of them.)
"Something wrong Giannini?" Spanner asked beside him, getting Shoichi's attention as well.
"The Varia will be here soon…."
"What if they're waiting for them to –"
"Wouldn't that be happy coincidence?"
All talking ceased at Byakuran's voice.
Chrome had pulled Kyoko and Haru between her and Bianchi, who had moved closer to them. The others tensed up, some already lighting up their rings, while others waited for the moment Byakuran moved.
The white haired man chuckled, hands in his pockets as he stopped a ways away. A deep rumbling from behind had Tetsuya cursing, while the other two Funeral Wreath's casually walked up beside Byakuran.
"I think I've been nice enough about asking for what I wanted," the man's gaze landed on Uni, who was moved behind Tsuna. "Oh my, Tsunayoshi-kun that's such a scary look."
"It almost reminds me of the way you looked at me the last time we met," Byakuran's gaze slid over all of them, noting their tension, their looks of distaste. "So sad, you children don't really know me to have such hateful glares aimed at me."
"We know enough," Tsuna spoke out, brow furrowed and mouth turned down in a frown. "We're not giving you Uni."
"Mmph," Byakuran chuckled, head tilting to the side. His laugh ended with a long a sigh, smile still in place, "This honestly wouldn't have been such a problem if you knew how to keep your head down Decimo."
Byakuran's smile fell away, "I should have broken your older self's spirit before he and Shoichi came up with this plan." He waved his left hand, "In other world's you fell so much easier, you broke and gave in, but in this one you've surprised me."
He extended his fingers, rubbing his pointer and middle finger's together, "All of you have and it wasn't until Daisy's fight that I figured it out."
"There's a presence here that didn't exist in the others," his finger's straightened out, pointing just behind Hayato and Takeshi. "I figure if I take care of the mistake in this world, everything will fall in order."
"What are you –"
"Kill the girl."
Bluebell moved as did Kikyo.
Kikyo headed for the larger group, opening his box weapon so that it could trap them, while Bluebell sailed over them. She reached within her coat, pulling out a medium sized dagger that elongated with blue tinged coating of flames. She brought it up, about to slice down into Natsume, Lambo and Fuuta.
Only for it to clang loudly off a shield that appeared and expanded, throwing her back and setting fire to Kikyo's bellflowers.
"You're messing with the wrong ones!" Fuuta yelled, having moved Natsume and Lambo behind him. The shield fell way, curling itself down into the floor and beginning to build a figure.
Byakuran watched with interest as the incomplete figure began to run towards them, Bluebell moving to intercept the half formed body.
There was a soft chuckle, a whisper that Bluebell couldn't understand and she had to drop her blade when the hand that grabbed her wrist lost its form and began to wrap up her arms.
Juste Judex ultionis, Donum fac remissionis…..(2)
"I can't –" Bluebell grit out as she tried to pull away, only for the whispers to overlap, her body beginning to feel heavy. "What is this? I thought he couldn't –"
"It seems there is missing information," Kikyo cut down at the thick ribbons that were twisting up Bluebell's arms. There was a mou of disappointment and Kikyo stared at the half formed face of the illusion before him.
Her wings spread out, the force that was used to lift and fly herself back knocked Bluebell into Kikyo, who held his ground, staring down the empty sockets that began to fill. One eye blue, the other purple blinked back at him, serpents twisting up and down her upper arms and shoulders.
"It seems Vongola has a fan of mythology."
Byakuran didn't show it, but there was a brief feeling of panic.
(What had he done wrong in this universe? He had been keeping things in line hadn't he? It had been playing out as all the other times and though the slight changes were interesting…to see someone who rarely fought fight….
What wasn't right here?
….it couldn't be….)
"It seems even small mistakes create giant waves," he said, the edges of his mouth quirking up into a humorless smile. "And to think I thought you were just a spare Sawada Natsume….it seems you've had great influence."
"My sister is not a mistake!" Tsuna yelled, stepping forward to stand beside the serpent haired woman. His forehead was lit, fire curling along his knuckles, "You just miscalculated!"
Ante diem rationis.
"Oh," Byakuran raised his hand, dark orange flames smoothing over his hands and up his arms. "We'll have to see about that won't we?"
/ | \
"This is a different kind of Boss battle," Haru breathed out, feeling as if her heart was about to beat out of her chest.
She jumped at the feeling of hands on her shoulders, jerking her head to see Bianchi whose brow was furrowed, "Be ready to move, we need to get out of here."
"You're going to get some cover to run," Mukuro told Bianchi, who was already beginning to break away from the group. "Just wait a second."
"A second," Bianchi uttered, earning a harsh laugh from Ken who was in the middle of shoving something in his mouth. Bianchi wrinkled her nose in disgust as she saw the saliva dripping down the blond's fingers, his features changing and turning more animalistic.
"Chrome will stay," Mukuro continued as if Ken hadn't made a sound, holding his arm out. "Go to the Prince, Poison Scorpion."
Bianchi all but bolted away, Kyoko and Haru feeling as if their feet weren't touching the ground as they were whisked across the field that was becoming a deadly battlefield.
The cover they received to get away was a blinding white light that should have made anyone who looked at it flinch away. But Zakuro snarled as he threw Ken at Tetsuya, who had been distracting the man from what was to come.
"Always dropping us right into trouble, Mukuro-sama," Fran said, watching as Xanxus immediately fired off at Zakuro. "Chrome-san you're looking youthful."
Chrome didn't have much time to ask who the teal haired young man was, already moving to get away from a magma shot that Zakuro shot in their direction.
"You're like that guy from the base?" Zakuro's guttural voice sounded as if it was two pieces of metal grinding against each other. "Won't be much of a problem to deal with you bastards like I did him."
"Oh no Squa-chan," Lussuria said his hand covering his mouth in shock. His cheery tone of voice not at all matching his words or actions. "We can't keep losing men like that."
"Tch, if he couldn't hold up against him, he didn't deserve to live," Levi added, pulling out two of his parabola's.
"Shishi, does this make me the Captain now?"
"As if I would listen to you," Fran deadpanned, "I barely even want to listen to you now."
"Is this the right time for this?" Kusakabe asked, making note of Hibari moving to the others to fight with Kikyo.
"Shut the fuck up all of you," Xanxus pulled out his other gun, "And get to fucking work on this damn bastard!"
Zakuro laughed, his upper body bowing forward as he shirt was burned away from the flames, "Let's fucking go then!"
The box in his chest caught their attention and without having been informed much on it, they all came to the conclusion.
Break that shit down.
Intermission 29
"What do you think of bonds?" Kawahira asked one day after a lesson, staying seated on the cushion as Natsume got up to make some tea.
He couldn't see his student's face, but he could guess the face she was making.
Mouth pursed, cheeks slightly puffed up, left brow slightly raised as a 'uhmm' left her.
"They're connections we make," she answered after a while. Her voice sounded tired, a yawn leaving her after she spoke, "With our family, our friend's, the people we care most about."
There was the clinking of porcelain, the whistling of a kettle and the almost quiet pour of hot water. The crinkling of plastic made him a little excited to see what his student had brought from home. She came a few seconds later, setting the tray down on a small table that appeared before him.
"This isn't the usual," Kawahira commented, watching her pour him a cup and then herself one. He reached for the cookies, which looked to have some sort of nut on top and were half dipped in chocolate.
"My tutu mentioned them the other day and I asked my mama if we could bake."
"And the tea?"
"Mango, coconut and orange, I dried them last night."
"Hmmm," Kawahira raised the cup to his lips, taking a careful sip and nodded. "You do like your sweets."
"Like you don't," Natsume responded brattishly, having to stop her snickering so she wouldn't inhale the hot tea on accident and burn herself. She got a cookie and took a bite out of it, turning to him and giving him a pondering look. "What about you sensei? What are bonds to you?"
Kawahira didn't answer right away, taking his time as he drank his tea, idly chewing on his cookie, liking the way the chocolate melted from the heat in his mouth.
"I believe bonds are like a garden," Kawahira he answered softly, setting his cup down so he could pour himself some more, but was beat by Natsume. "There are different kinds, some that are deep rooted, some that just barely graze the surface."
"And like us, this garden feels, so when it's uprooted, or uncared for, we feel the strain. When it's flourishing we feel that joy."
He raised his cup again, barely shrugging one shoulder, "Then again that's only if you let yourself become connected to your garden. There are those that hoard a garden for the sake of beauty, to show that they have it, but there are those that devote themselves to it, a piece of themselves in every bud."
"….that's a nice way of putting it, very eye opening," Natsume said, tongue sticking out between her teeth, a teasing smile curling her lips. "…you should write poetry, sensei."
Kawahira huffed, lightly elbowing Natsume, "Brat."
The pair finished off the tea and cookies, Kawahira moving on to commenting about her fighting that day, giving her pointers on what she could do to better protect her blind spots and to not let herself become so focused on what is in front of her.
"What happens if a bond breaks? Or…y'know….the garden is uprooted?" Natsume asked as she picked up the tray.
"That depends…." Kawahira answered, standing up and righting the room to its regular set up with a snap of his fingers. "How much love do you have for these bonds? What do you think will happen if it breaks?"
Natsume wrinkled her nose in thought, having an idea of her answer but deciding not to say it aloud.
Part 82
"Natsume you need to come to us now," Fuuta panted, bringing back the serpent haired woman to his side after Tsuna and the others threw themselves at Byakuran and the Funeral Wreaths. "I feel it too, it hurts, I know –"
"I'm sorry," Natsume uttered, her lower lip trembling. "I don't…."
"Fuuta!" Lambo screamed at the projectile headed their way. He hiccupped, the fizzy sound of lightening twining with Fuuta's box weapon's shield, deflecting it off to the side were it struck the grass.
"Oh that's not good," Fuuta murmured as he watched the surrounding area turn black. He picked up Natsume, his box weapon taking over his blind spot as he started running to the thicket of trees. "Lambo, I'm going to need you to bring out Gyudon."
(She could feel what was going around her, but she couldn't process what was happening. She knew she had to do something, had to help and fight, but she felt too out of touch.
Was this really happening? Had that really happened? Was it her fault? Would her older self hate her? She was the one who had taken them there and now, there was a part of her that felt like it was there but wasn't.
Would she be fine once she got home?
Home.
She had to get home.
To get home, she had to fight and force herself through this.)
She let out a shaky breath, blinking the tears that started falling again. She wiped her face, turning in the direction where the fighting was coming from.
The blue haired girl had taken the form of what looked like a mermaid, the pretty man had lost his coat and shirt, was reaching for the box in his chest. Byakuran and her brother were in their own fight in the air, beautiful white wings keeping the white haired man up.
"Where's Uni?" she asked, searching the disaster area for the girl. Fuuta didn't look back in surprise at Natsume, instead searching for said girl and pointing her out.
"There! That's…..Lightning Gamma?"
"He's harmless," Natsume soothed whatever panic was starting to take over Fuuta. "I'm….well we aren't far from the Nature Center."
"Ane!"
"You were out for a while," Fuuta said, voice cracking at the end. "I can't hold on to Alecto much longer."
"The Varia's here and they've pushed back Zakuro, Uni is with Gamma. Bianchi, Haru and Kyoko are just a bit farther out that way," Fuuta listed off from what he was seeing, "I haven't seen Giannini."
"I can't see Shoichi or Spanner either, I think they may have all gotten away together," Fuuta assumed, running a hand through his hair.
Natsume stood up, her legs feeling shaky but she forced herself to move regardless if all she wanted to do was fall and just lay on the ground. Lambo reached out to grab her hand and she could feel the warmth of the Vongola ring on his finger against her skin.
"You're very brave Lambo," she inclined her head at him. "And Fuuta, I'm very proud of you." She held out her hand, glancing at the dark purple box that Fuuta was gripping tightly, "You can relax now."
Fuuta sniffed, refusing to blink lest the tears fall as he placed the box in her hand but didn't let go, "I don't know about relaxing, Tsume-nee, but we'll watch your back."
The box wasn't as heavy as it looked. She focused a mixture of her flames in the bottom of it, watching as Alecto's fading image solidified. She handed the box back to Fuuta, "I think that's all I can do for you right now, Fuuta."
"Shouldn't have," Fuuta muttered.
Crack!
"Oh that's a big bugga," Natsume stared at the changing figure of Zakuro, watching as the ground around him cracked and fell away under his power.
"Nice of you to join us, Princess," Mukuro appeared, an odd smell coming off of him as the large, black shaggy dog deposited him on the floor. "It seems Hells-Bells deemed this a safe place."
"Glad to see you're alive," she decided to focus on the fact that Mukuro was alive and not whatever she had assumed he would become when they left him behind on the Choice field.
"The box on Zakuro's chest got a love tap," informed the older teen who appeared beside Mukuro, twirling a knife around his pointer finger. "Also Levi-senpai is out of commission."
Natsume nodded slowly, looking back at Zakuro who looked to be trying to stomp on the fast moving figures of the rest of the Varia. She breathed in slowly, her breath shaky as it left her as she tried to take in the situation while also trying to have some control over herself.
A gloved hand tugging at her wrist had her glancing down at Mukuro, who was going to use her as a way to get up. She tensed up, her hand grasping his own wrist and helping him up.
He then proceeded to use the same hand to pat her head, eyes closing shut as he smiled at her, "You stink," she said before he was able to say anything. His brow twitched and he ended up smacking her forehead.
"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate children?"
"In different ways, Master."
"Fran…shut up."
/ | \
Tsuna dodged, barely getting grazed by the dragon that Byakuran had called from a box weapon. He didn't have time to think or see how the others were fairing, but the constant flares, accompanied by their voices let him know they were still going.
If only he could help them.
An oh shit slipped out when the dragon turned back around, attempting to burrow into his back, but being stopped in time by a transformed Natsu.
"Gao!"
"Don't get distracted now, Tsunayoshi," Byakuran yelled out, the wings that had sprouted from his back flapping to keep him a float. The way he grinned at him, made Tsuna want to punch his face in.
And he had.
A few times already.
Except it seemed the man was a Bastard of the highest extreme. Byakuran's face was covered in dried blood, Tsuna was sure at one point he had broken his nose, which was what had gotten the dragon out in the first place.
Said dragon flew on back to Byakuran, curling around his shoulders, tail wrapping around his wrist as its head bumped just beneath his chin.
"I have all the time I need –"
There was a ping, one that had Natsu vibrating in excitement.
"What the hell –"
(I believe it's coming to an end.
Your spirit is quite admirable for one so young.
If you would forgive a man like me, Tsunayoshi.
I would be humbled.)
There was a cry of success and Tsuna felt another ping though this one unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. Tsuna took a second to look away from Byakuran's surprised face as the man swiveled around in the air to watch as Zakuro was brought down.
Tsuna looked too and was surprised to see Natsume back flipping off the man's chest, smoky red-gold spikes protruding through his chest.
"Xanxus caught her," that was probably the most surprising thing, even if the two did fall over.
"No!"
"Natsu!" Tsuna thrust out his left arm, the cape unfurling around him. "Cambio Forma!"
The caped form of Natsu lifted up, wrapping around his wrists. He hadn't finished forming and Tsuna was already heading towards the stunned Byakuran, who was just barely turning to face him again. The dragon reacted first, but Tsuna was ready, flaring the newly formed gauntlets as much as he could.
Strings of flames flared curled out, circling around Tsuna in a protective cocoon that had the dragon screeching when it sliced into it.
(Let's bring this Mare boy down.)
The whisper in his ear didn't scare him, if anything it reminded him of when Natsume took him into her room and in her own way helped him get to Natsu.
(….he wasn't being haunted was he? Because now was not the time….)
He couldn't hear what Byakuran said, not when his fingers flexed and the power that had been brimming released in its entirety.
The feeling of someone patting his shoulder, the brief movement he saw from out of the corner of his eye, could have all been blamed on Natsu turning back into his cape and shielding him from the backlash that came from being so close to the explosion
But he saw blond hair.
(….there was no way.)
Distracted at the worst possible moment (and he already knew if he survived this, Reborn was going to be telling him off for being an idiot in so many stupid ways.)
But suddenly Natsume was there, popping up as she did nowadays, yelling something as she brought down a matte black staff and swung it down at the approaching Kikyo.
"I'm not losing someone else today!" she yelled, watching as a dark colored wave left the tip of the staff. It looked like a sharp blade, except it didn't slice into Kikyo. Instead it wrapped around him, splitting itself into small tendrils.
If she looked any closer she could see them digging into his skin, slowly zapping at his flames to strengthen them. She floated there for a second, watching as Kikyo fell back to the ground.
Then she started to fall too, not really thinking of keeping herself up.
The staff in her hands turned back into Kalani, the box animal chirping as it grabbed her by the back of her shirt and she just hung there.
"Now you know how Emi felt as a kitten," Tsuna tiredly commented, moving to his sister's side and putting an arm around her waist. Kalani let her go, its tail lightly whacking Natsu who had transformed back to his animal self before it headed back down to the ground.
She let out a heavy sigh as she reached up to wrap her arms around his shoulders, "…yeah…"
They watched as Bluebell was brought down, Gamma being the one to land the final blow that would knock her out.
Natsume sniffed, tears beginning to fall again and Tsuna reached up with his other hand, ruffling the top of her head, "It's going to be okay Tsume."
"….yeah….."
Part 83: A sigh of what….relief?
Kikyo had a large black hound sitting on him.
It seemed even though he was unconscious they would still rather have Mukuro's smelly box weapon on him. Bluebell had also been made unconscious, Dino's torn jacket covering her.
Tsuna didn't ask what they were going to do to them after this, he would rather not make the decision for what happened to them.
He would leave that to his older self.
He would leave a lot to his older self to clean up as well.
No one asked what he had done to Byakuran, instead his friends had spent the last few minutes just making sure they were all fine.
"Something's won't ever change," Dino commented, voice slightly cracking as he spoke and he winced when he saw Lussuria's curious gaze suddenly on him.
"Okay there Bronco?" the man had the audacity to chuckle as he waggled his brows. "Need a checkup~ "
"Ah-ha, no, I'm….fine," Dino waved off earning a laugh from Bel who was on the floor, arms spread out at his side.
"Fine is the last thing any of you all are," Reborn said, joining in the conversation after having gone to look for Bianchi and the girls. He should look for Giannini, but Gamma had mentioned he saw Shoichi and Spanner running with a short man when he had come up.
Or something like that.
It was sometimes hard to understand things in the middle of a fight.
Speaking of Gamma, the man had all but kept Uni by his side and had been looking more upset the more the young teen spoke.
"What is this worth? More than your life, why would you give it away –"
"You wouldn't understand," Uni interrupted the man, mouth upturned, brows furrowed and Reborn was reminded of Luce when the woman was upset. "And you don't, I may be young, but I know better."
"Do you even know what you're talking about? The world is fine now, Byakuran is dead, all we have to do now is just clean up and get the family –"
"This is more than just family," Uni looked apologetic now, eyes bright. "Gamma, I have a duty and I'm the only one who can restore the Arcobaleno."
"What?"
Reborn didn't want to know.
"What?"
But he had to know.
The conversations were still going around them, no one seemed to be paying attention. Reborn moved closer to the pair and when Uni explained, it felt like he swallowed ice.
"…."
…but you're so young
Wouldn't that be hypocritical of him to say?
It wouldn't have mattered what he said anyways. Uni, while feeling scared was dead set on doing what she had to do, Gamma's quiet pleading to reconsider dying away when her resolve was so clear on her face.
"I'll just be one more to save so many more."
/ | \
Lacrimosa dies illa
Natsume sat beside Fuuta, head resting against his shoulder as Alecto hovered behind them, singing in a low, warm, but sorrowful voice. (Que resurget ex favilla)Natsume had heard snippets of the conversation between Gamma and Uni, almost seeming to flee the vicinity when her gut twisted in a way that made her feel sick.
"Many ghosts are visiting here today," Fuuta's voice sounded exhausted as if he had been screaming. "Some proud, some sad, some that just wanted to see how it would end."
(Judicandus homo reus)
"They're waiting for one more."
"The Mother asks for one to return them all, she can hear it, but she's scared."
(1)Originally possessed by Mukuro in the khr. Fujimori Mitsuru. Friend of Fuuta's. Nonflame.
(2) Originally was going to do Greek words, but I was listening to Dies Irae and looking up the translation
(3) This should have been noted first, but Fuuta gets weird feelings when Mukuro is around because of *reasons* coughkokuyoincidentcough.
(4) they traded money
AN:
Hello, if you follow me on tumblr, you'll know I was having a struggle with this chapter. It still a struggle, but I think I'm happy with how it is. I'll tie up loose ends in the next chapter. You also get to kinda see how I view and interpret flames for the characters, and we'll probably see a true explanation of it in story soon.
I know in certain parts of the chapter it says "character was going to find so and so" and then they didn't, I'll use the excuse that with the hectic shit that was going down, they ended up doing a plan C. so. yeah.
If you know what type of Mythological creature Alecto is, very cool! Her name kind of gives it away tho.
Hope you all enjoyed.
Sorugao