Thanks for the reviews you guys 3 It definitely gives a lot of motivation to write the story. The chapter's also gone super long for some reason, whoops.

Hope you enjoy the story and lemme know what you think - I do spend quite some time re-reading the reviews lol

Chapter 9

To throw a monkey wrench

Tsuna was surprised to see the newest addition to the room. Kusakabe looked nonplussed to see completely uninjured committee members dragging Yamamoto inside. The former ace spoke jovially,

"You don't have to look so surprised, Kusakabe-senpai. I'm not interested in getting people who're not very related to my cause involved." He then continued with a deep tone when he looked at the brunette, "Though, that doesn't seem to be true in your case."

"Yamamoto-kun? What're you doing here?"

"Tsuna! It surely must be fate that we've been able to meet again, ahahaha. Sorry that I've not been able to come to you sooner, there were a lot of things going on.

I'm here for the same reason you're here. I just had to join you, but there wasn't much of an excuse to do so, so I made sure things got to a point that I could even get a personal invitation to meet up with you. Well, it's not like the things I did to get here weren't fun."

He then circled around Tsuna, giving him a thorough lookover as Kusakabe tiredly went over the briefing for the situation with the others. As he dismissed the disgruntled delinquents who didn't get the fight they were itching for, instead of meeting up with a boring, unconditional surrender; he looked back at the two who were behind the recent strings of his ever-growing headaches.

"If I knew that Hibari-san would do this, I would have played with those guys… Then we could have matching bruises." Yamamoto pouted.

"Wait… Yamamoto-kun, are you the one behind the hospitalization of the Namimori middle school students?"

"They keep calling it with different names, all of them are utterly boring. I prefer to call it a game of whacking the mole. After all, they keep bugging you.

Tsuna, you too. You've got to take good care for yourself. I've no problem in taking care of any more that pop up around you, but Hibari-san? That's a tall order, haha."

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to say more about what you've been up to, huh?" Tsuna said bitterly. He wanted to know, why. Just why would he target his long-time friends? It had been like he was slowly being untethered, with every weight that grounded him (crushing him under) slowly detaching themselves from him. Would they still hang out with him after having all that happen to them? His mom left him alone after he tried to forcibly get noticed.

"Hmm? That's fine with me. I'll answer anything and everything you want to know."

Kusakabe whipped his head towards Yamamoto so fast that it gave him whiplash.

"Huh?" was the only coherent response Tsuna could muster at that candid response.

"It was all for you, so I'd love it if you knew everything about it, down to the very last details~ But not here. It's a bit rude to Hibari-san, but the disciplinary committee room's not very comfortable. So we can talk about in, slowly, as long as you like back home.

Gokudera went ahead and is waiting for us to come back. He said he was feeling bad that he left you all alone, so he decided to at the very least, wait for you to come back so that he could be there to welcome you home. Isn't that cute?"

"Yes… that would be great?"

Kusakabe frowned as he said, "You're talking as if we'd let you prance back after what you've pulled."

"Hmm. I think you'd have second thoughts on that when Hibari-san comes back with an update of the situation."

As the former delinquent narrowed his eyes at that, the door slammed open as Hibari marched in, looking utterly furious.

"You herbivores don't know exactly what you're dealing with, committing murder right inside my town, right under my watch" he hissed.

"To be fair, you're just as clueless about what's happening in town right now."

Tsuna looked incensed as he watched Yamamoto quip joyfully at the other.

Reborn morphed Leon into his personal phone as he dialled Bianchi.

"Reborn? It's great to hear from you, darling. It's been so long, too long in fact- I've been quite lonely without my daily hugs and kisses."

"Hello, Bianchi. I've been meaning to call you in some time. Nono's assignment has been keeping me busy for some time."

"Ah~ It's times like this that the age-old question rings so true. I've always been so jealous of your work, given how much attention you give it."

"This time, I think I won't be keeping you waiting. What do you think of visiting Namimori and giving me a hand in my work? Your little brother's here too, so you two can catch up meanwhile too."

"That sounds absolutely lovely!~ I'm coming there ASAP!"

Reborn chuckled as he replied, "Oh, I think that enthusiasm is shared."

That'll help with dealing with the bomber and keeping that mutt down. He still had to figure out where that unknown variable came about- it was very rare that something caught him unaware like this. The last time this happened, it was at the Arcobaleno trial. It was a bad sign, but to put a positive spin, it might be one of the biggest leads they've had so far.

But still, after so many years and Luce, with Aria now… It was hard to keep hope.

Irie, on the other hand, played both against their hands and right into it, when looking at it from another perspective. Gokudera couldn't have been so blind so as to not even see what would come from that animosity with the Mafia along with how the other intended to protect his friend from that influence. Reborn entered the place through his hidden channels, but it was hard to believe that the Bomber would simply enter and exit the premises with a potentially damning negotiation.

Reborn could read it from a mile away that the ginger would try to achieve mutual destruction of his enemies. He'd bet that the kid wouldn't reveal all that he'd seen with the help of Verde, especially if it'd potentially hurt Tsuna. Hibari's not going to get vital evidence for the case from him, and neither can Reborn. Verde would know, but negotiating information from him…

Reborn whined insufferably. Even if the other would have it in his best interests to reveal that information, he doubted that the guy would do so, being insufferably smug in having one over the great Reborn. Not to mention, now his hidden channels could be compromised – especially the electronic ones.

One of his options were to drag Fon into this and play the middleman, especially since he came here in that strange costume (who's he to talk though) to occasionally check up on his pupil and that little nephew of his (not that Hibari would ever appreciate it). Now that Reborn thought about it, maybe he didn't have to bring it up- if Hibari gets cornered enough, maybe he'd seek the other himself- though it was very, very unlikely. What could happen, could be that Fon sticks his nose into this for that nephew of his.

Yamamoto's one of the keys in this case, to be specific, it could be his connections. But who benefitted from helping him out? And How? Reborn's first clue here could be how Namimori Middle School had to be closed (a sudden but warranted decision given that its students were dropping like flies) in lights of the murders- and that Hibari had chosen to agree with that decision to hunt those who were involved in this.

He turned around to see Kurokawa Hana, looking like she'd be anywhere but here with the sheer reluctance radiating out of her. "I've come to cash in on your offer. Tell me everything about what's going on. We can share information."

Excellent.

Kyoko hummed to herself as she locked the door, the entrance to the outside world and practically pranced, hopping and skipping as she went further indoors to see her big brother lounge on the sofa, upside down in utter boredom.

"I've received contact from the school. They said that the school's temporarily closing down due to the recent events. Of course, that means no club activities in the meanwhile. The teacher told us to stay safe and stay indoors as much as possible. Dad and mom agree, so you should heed the advice clearly, ok, big bro?"

"It's going to be sooo boring… Kyokooo how are you so peppy? This means that you're not going to meet up with your friends."

"It's for everyone's safety, so it can't be helped."

"I'm feeling so jittery. What if I go to the clubroom and borrow some of the equipment?"

"No means no, big bro. It's been so unsafe outside recently. So, we've got to do what we can to keep ourselves safe." Yes, her brother had to stay here and not go outside and fight against the world, slowly whittling away against its harshness. He certainly shouldn't get caught up in the schemes that Yamamoto and Tsuna hatched. It was also for that reason why Kyoko gave that information to that jock- a price for a safe haven from his wrath. She couldn't bring herself to regret that decision regardless of the deaths that came about it- they only further cemented how dangerous that boy was. She didn't want the two to be on his wrong end.

"I know! I'll lend Hibari a hand. He's bound to be drowning in work given how things turned out! That guy doesn't know anything about limits."

'Wait, what?!

Just wait a minute. You're the one in no position to talk about adhering to limits!'

"B-big bro, listen to me. I'm sure Hibari can handle the situation by himself." All that guy had to do was apprehend Yamamoto, he already physically caught him- she had heard from friends that TakeSushi had been closed. Of course, they thought that it was closed to discourage people from wandering about right now, but she knew better. Then the danger factor would reduce drastically.

"Yep, I'm sure that guy would be able to. But since we've been pals for quite a long time, I think he'd love the help! I can even get the guys from the boxing club to join in- they have quite the sense of justice and are just itching to help."

Hibari and Ryohei's bonds were… how to put it, quite one-sided in some sense (though, any relation with Hibari is like that). Hibari probably considered Ryohei as the unwanted, unrelenting 'friend' that he just gave up and let be. Ryohei considered their interactions as one akin to training sessions, never failing to cement himself as a giant nuisance on Hibari's end.

"I know just what to do. I'll get Yamamoto to pitch in. That guy's got a lot of connections, so he might have guesses onto potential witnesses."

If Kyoko could, she would bash her head into the wall until this situation would blacken out of its existence. This was just courting disaster.

"Wait! Uh, I think Yamamoto-kun might not be able to participate. His dad seems pretty serious about this self-isolation thing. You know, he closed the shop and all.

If you go to him, it's undoing that thought since you'd be dragging Yamamoto-kun outside to do all that. That and the culprit might target him instead of looking into this. Hibari-san would be fine even if he was the main target, but other people…"

"Hmm, I don't really get it. I'll head to the disciplinary committee."

But that's where Yamamoto would probably be in. It'd be the start of mayhem if they run into each other there!

"No! No, no no no. If you go one step outside the door, I'm calling mom and dad!" It was supposed to be her brother safe in this house. Her brother couldn't do this to her, not after all she did to get them here. Even if it'd be great if they were here, away from the world that only caused pain and suffering to those who lived in it, forever and ever. Did she need to get a chain? The key to the lock was utterly useless.

"Great idea, Kyoko! They can rally the neighbours to hold a Namimori-wide watch!"

Kyoko would not let Ryohei go into this even if that meant that she would have to cling to his angles and physically slow him down as he would drag her around the floor to go anywhere.

"You know, Kyoko. I've thought about it, but I think that it'll only be right to ask Yamamoto if he'd lend a hand. I've heard from him that he's become pals with Sawada Tsunayoshi-kun, that kid from your class.

Seeing the guys who got injured, don't you think that he's involved in this in some way? I think Yamamoto'd like to be involved in this if it's only for that kid's case.

Also, if everyone's getting involved to protect each other, it's more effective as a measure, even if it's in small ways like keeping a watch. After all, isn't it a bit lonely for everyone to simply watch their backs? We can have each other's backs, after all, we're all in this together!

Wasn't there a new kid here too? We could get him to take a part of this so that he can experience the community first-hand. He must feel a bit lonely being in a completely new environment."

That's somewhat logical, but still! It's wrong! You've got it all wrong!

Tsuna eyed the teacup set on the table which had chamomile tea bags near it. What the guys in front of him needed, was to relax. Maybe preparing and drinking it could help. The tension was palpable in the air as the three faced off each other.

Seeing Tsuna's line of sight as he was (forcing himself to be) distracted from the seriousness of the situation, Yamamoto went ahead with the mistaken request as he started setting up the start of a strange teatime.

Weirdly enough, Hibari seemed to approve of this skewed priority as he targeted judging eyes on the jock who was preparing tea. That look just screamed Amateur. Tsuna just wished Yamamoto didn't indulge him like this, while Kusakabe looked fed up. A stray thought entered his head about how Hibari must take tea pretty seriously with the expensive ceramic cups and authentic tea ceremony set. It seemed like the prefect was pretty into traditional Japanese culture.

The prefect looked appeased at the brunette's appreciation as his assistant coughed to get the ball rolling.

"Kyo-san, was there something you wanted me to look into?"

"Update the information on the victims. They're dead."

Kusakabe looked horrified as the relaxing aroma of the chamomile permeated the air. He then looked accusingly towards the former ace who merely shrugged as it didn't have anything to do with him.

Tsuna partly wanted to kick the tea set, which was not reading the mood of the room, even if that incurred the wrath of the demon of Namimori. But he quickly looked away before Yamamoto took him up on that.

"Reveal your cards" Hibari ordered the teen, the glinting of the tonfas hinting the promise of a threat if he didn't comply.

"I'm willing to do that if you do me a favour in return."

"You don't have to hear him out, Kyo-san. He's only going to bargain for a get out of jail free card!"

"Pssh, you're no fun~"

"You've got no right to complain, trying to bribe the law like this."

"There's nothing that particularly makes this 'law' legal. So, I figure those backdoor agreements are quite fair game."

"Are you're challenging me?" Hibari taunted.

"If we bring it down to the very basics, your law basically has to protect the Namimori citizens from every threat upon it, right? I think Hibari-san just took it up so that he can face any violence face to face and be the go-to guy for any such scenarios that call for it.

But, there's a lot more going on in this town than what you're aware off- information, you're not privy to as a consequence of being a lone wolf. Some of it, I bet Irie-senpai knows from what Gokudera lead him to seeing."

"Where are you going with this?" the teen with the pompadour asked.

"Currently, I'm playing the man in the middle for Gokudera's strategy. I'm not good with this sort of thing after all, haha. I never expected that you'd capture Tsuna though. It changes things.

I want that card for the three of us. I'll keep asking for them from now on."

Hibari narrowed his eyes at the veiled threat.

"After all, you're lacking information, right? As a freebie, I'll let you know that the murders aren't our doing. It's a friend of a friend who's acting all alone."

"It's your card that you lost. Irie knows about what needs to be found and I can convince him." Hibari drawled, sounding bored.

"Ahh, I wonder why Gokudera went with that idea. It's so much harder for me."

Tsuna hesitated a bit before interrupting the conversation by asking, "By murders, do you mean…?" It'd be great if it wasn't what he was thinking.

Hibari looked at him with a look radiating annoyance as he took a photo and flung it on the tea-table. Kusakabe felt his throat drying up as he saw the crime scene. Feeling dizzy with the racing thoughts, he gulped his tea to ground himself. He wondered how Hibari was able to stay calm when faced with such a gruesome scene.

It was too much. The kid near him could never handle something of this level. He was just inadvertently caught amidst terrifying people like Yamamoto and Hibari. And sure enough, the kid seemed to be shocked to silence as he stared at the photo.

Yamamoto looked at the other expectantly with the energy of a dog looking for praise. Tsuna's shoulders started slouching as he kept looking, seemingly caught in a trance as he brought the photo closer to himself. The jock continued the conversation, seemingly intent on giving the other time to process his own thoughts.

"What about your plans Hibari-san? Surely you don't think everything will stop if you round up whoever are responsible for these incidents? Crime doesn't really stop for anyone even if you tried to pause time to stop things once and for all.

Think about it, if you let us off, we could help you have a closer look into all of this. As it turns out, we know each other quite closely."

"What is with you guys? Do you have an annual murderer's convention or something? Do you call each other crows or something?" Kusakabe said, feeling somewhat hysterical.

"Don't talk like you're somehow doing us a favour. You're the ones negotiating your freedom."

Figures that Hibari would be uninterested in this deal. He'd probably be gleeful at the idea that he can sharpen his blade as the situation only gets worse. Yamamoto looked chagrined that the scene didn't trigger the demon of Namimori's pride into enough impatience to leave them be. But if this fails, they'd be separated. He didn't want that. The talk with Irie was a gamble anyway.

Yamamoto's eyes shadowed as Kusakabe fell into alert. His voice was deadly as he said,

"That was the choice we thought you'd like best. After all, to give it up after being cornered seems too much of an insult to you, wouldn't it? You think you have options here?

It's been either take us up on that offer or remain in the dark.

…Kusakabe-senpai, you might want to be careful about drinking tea brewed by people you should be suspicious about."

Hibari started inching forward, fury radiating from him. The assistant seemed to be sick to his stomach at being a liability or maybe it was from the poison kicking in.

"You don't have to look so severe. It's not too late. I've got the antidote."

"I can just beat it out of you." Hibari threatened.

"That's why the second insurance is at Irie's house. Gokudera set up a contact triggered bomb. All it takes is a touch to set it off. It has enough battery to last for a month, since its simple. It's either him opening the door or you guys trying to set him free that'll destroy the evidence and the brains of the operation. Or maybe he'll starve to death instead?" there was a lilt in his tone as he pondered over things in a childish manner. "There's no blue or red wire that you have to cut to stop it. And Gokudera knows his stuff about bombs. Good luck trying to disarm it~"

If Yamamoto expected emotional turmoil from the prefect, he saw none. The other simply came closer and closer, until his malice was clear.

"They've made their peace with the dangers of this position long ago. I've never made a promise or taken the responsibility of protecting them. It's for the same reason why I didn't touch the tea."

Yamamoto looked in alarm towards Kusakabe who looked like this was all normal. He simply said, "Irie didn't come to us with conditions like protecting his family from being taken hostage or protecting him when taking this case. He had been very, very loosely connected before- a type of an independent agent, but this time, it was his request to be an active participant.

You're the one threatening to kill your precious Tsunayoshi's dear friend right in front of him. That too, all for not being pulled apart from him. Don't worry, we'll make special considerations in juvy to make sure it's like having a restraint order against him. It'll be for life. It'll apply for all of the others involved in this case."

After all, that's what Irie wanted from this case, a chance for his friend away from their influence, to atone for. Kusakabe didn't agree, but he could respect his wishes. After all, it'd do good for all of them given the nature of their relationships and how it all came to be. There was always a chance for a change to the better- look at the disciplinary committee.

A shuddering breath full of despair was heard from a device on Yamamoto's ear. So… Gokudera was listening in, huh? What the disciplinary committee had to do right now was to make sure they couldn't run away (their final choice- to be fugitives).

The silent brunette had a look full of peace as he finally towards them. Any traces of that cowardice that plagued him had been completely gone. Recognition filled his eyes as Hibari realized that once again, the brunette was related to the crimes that were running amok in Namimori. That the other stood with the demeanour of someone in the calm of the storm and he realized again why he let things be before.

The photo was the gift given to Tsuna as she showed him the beauty that can be found in death. His friends encased in the violence that was perpetual during their each and every greetings and farewell. It was so gorgeous, comforting him and empathized with the death of his mother. He remembered how she looked, wrapped in the soft petals of royal purple, covered in flowers. It was breathtaking. It was dying like that, that hid the decay associated with death.

The picture told him again how the danse of macabre could be so alluring. It was a show of companionship, maybe to match the splendour with which he bode 'farewell'. It was so like her, maybe it was expected of a person who kept such a close eye on him. It was thanks to her constant presence that she could show this depth of understanding.

And now, things were hanging by a thread again, but he could make his choice and find peace in that.

"Thanks a lot, Yamamoto-kun."

"I was shocked when I heard about her, you know? Here I thought I knew you long enough to know everyone around you. I wanted to do that from now on, but…"

"It's all right, Yamamoto-kun. I can take it from here." He felt like things were finally coalescing together, with the threat of losing those dear to him hanging right above him. The feeling of being as constricted as a Chinese bound foot, a Sarashi that constricted the chest, the corset that restricted and choked a lady to her very death – the beauty and virtue that sacrificed pain and comfort for higher ground; He always knew of it, but the freedom that came right now as he felt the space around him expand, escaping the confines of this room was something he'd prefer.

Golden eyes looked towards Hibari who seemed intrigued by the change in his demeanour.

"Hibari-san, for all you try to enact justice, all I see is you trying to force a situation into enough control that you can handle it again. I… I've always lived a life where the violence took up every slot in my life. It's been a constant for so long, I don't know what it'd be like without it.

I don't understand why you seek a challenge, paying blood with blood like it's something that's a rare treat to be relished. After all, it's quite the common thing."

He looked at Kusakabe who's fingers were trembling and at the teen himself who had anger towards himself for not being able to control himself.

"It's just like that. My body was never mine to control, I've always had to brace myself to wherever that wild horse wanted to ride towards."

He looked towards Yamamoto, a silent request in his eyes as the other sighed and passed a vial. He moved closer to the wary Kusakabe and it was like seeing himself. He forced the other's mouth open with strength the assistant would never think that the kid possessed- it was more of it being opened from the brunette skillfully dislocating his jaw, as if he'd had that being done to him, many times. The vial dripped, making its way into his stomach as his cheeks burned with the humiliation at being forced and helpless, even if it was to save his life.

Yamamoto had a bruising grip on Hibari, who seemed to be torn from missing out on Tsuna's every move while dealing with the former ace (it would be a swift hit to end the deal, but precious seconds away from the form that seemed to be draped in chaos and destruction, wearing the Grim Reaper's robes.) There was sheer kindness, mercy being bequest to Kusakabe even as the gesture greatly contradicted from what the other was experiencing – the gruesome scene of having to consciously watch someone render you completely incapacitated as he dislocated your jaw and pour a liquid of unknown, dubious origins down your throat as the other didn't even bother giving you an explanation. It the vial was held right above the set of teeth, canines included (with which they rip apart their prey, tearing into meat – disarming the predator's inherited weapons).

There were sounds, crackling, coming from the ear set on the jock's end with footsteps that went farther away. Hibari guessed that it was the other who was following Tsuna's intentions into freeing Irie Shoichi. The trio's last trump card was given away so easily that it slightly disoriented the prefect.

Curious as to the view he was currently being made to see, Hibari moved closer towards the brunette, easily breaking out of the grip of the herbivore that tried to stall him. He fluidly brought down the tonfa, sharp and deadly, hearing a familiar crunch of a bone-breaking, well placed to incapacitate the baseball lover. As the pain evoked and reached deeper in intensity, Yamamoto's body shut down to protect itself.

Tsuna hardly seemed shocked by the fate of his friend- it was truly a phenomenon that he was familiar with, the techniques that he employed to display his power that overwhelmed his opponents. But his attention had become distracted, no longer intent at facing Hibari, his gaze stuck at Yamamoto's fallen form.

It brought back that sense of disgust that he had when trying to get a rise out of the brunette before dragging him here. That look that accompanied that violence- the whole scene bordering madness vanished as he seemed to change his priorities. Hibari wanted it back. What would it take it bring it back and go deeper into that? What would Tsunayoshi be capable of if he went deeper and deeper to that state? If that became his new normal?

Was dyeing Namimori in blood all that it would take to get it there? That wasn't a high price.

He brought the tonfas making a beautiful arc as Tsuna ducked under it, rushing towards his fallen friend. That simply wouldn't do, so he swept a foot under his motion, tripping him to punish him for those straying eyes. All of a sudden, he felt that the bruises he gave the brunette fit him perfectly. It made him even momentarily forgive Yamamoto for leading a murder of those idiots who had full reign of the injuries littering the brunette's figure.

Tsunayoshi would look even more fitting if the view was more rose gold. It'd even be better if the new wounds that appear there would be ones that fought their way into that place.

Then, those sneering eyes were on him, his hands pulling the coaster on the table, making the hot tea spill on his figure. The liquid had contact-based poison mixed into it, so it'd slow him down the longer he took. The heat would quicken the spread slightly.

Hibari gave him a shark grin, daring him to pull what he tried with Kusakabe on him. The brunette kicked the vial with what little remained to the other corner of the room, to get him some time. But the prefect didn't rise to the bait, his concentration completely on the former as he aimed a kick to his stomach to pin him to place. He had no intentions of letting this one escape. The demon of Namimori would allow him to play the distraction while the others run but wouldn't let him run from the fight, not when things were getting interesting.

Tsuna hooked a leg under his ankle and pulled as he breathed heavily under the force of his shoe to force him to the ground. Then as Hibari shifted to gain footing and choke the other under the weight of his tonfa and the increased pressure from the momentum. He moved impatiently, interested in observing his actions when choked out of his last breath, mere inches from a hopeful future where he got Yamamoto out of the room against all odds.

His eyes opened wide and a sparkled darkly as he saw golden flames push against him, a blowback that forced him right out of the window with the other looking utterly spent. Complacence washed over him as he realized that this was what aided Nana towards her death, but it wasn't something he'd entertain even for a second. The peace that momentarily flooded him exacerbated the poison and it thrilled him to fight the other in this case, ripping into him with the tonfas embedded into him, dissipating through those flames. He flipped around midair to land on his feet as he pushed forward and onto the wall to parkour back to the room only to find Kusakabe trying to get himself up, no doubt failing to block the duo's escape.

He moved towards the door and found that it had been locked from the outside and let a bored sigh, the adrenaline rush fading away. He simply smashed the tonfas on the knob and turned away from it as the door's hinges gave away with a harsh creak and the lock gave way under the sheer force.

He moved towards the sofa and drunk the remnants of the vial, taking a nap- the case became too boring to pursue further.