OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

Ceremony

This is the day of revelations.

Frantic

Tsuna is, quite frankly, at the end of his rope. Not only is Noriko missing and apparently somewhere in Italy, Takeshi is in a coma, severely hurt, possibly permanently crippled, and this Inheritance Ceremony has turned into a nightmare.

First, the "Sin" has been dropped on the floor and is utterly ruined. Tsuna has no idea what that little vial of red liquid represents, but this is what Takeshi risked his life getting to them, and now he's failed this, too.

Second, just as the Ninth is promising him that everything is okay, that vial was a fake one, Enma and his Famiglia burst into the room. Enma raises his hand and shows them the real Vongola Sin, held delicately in his hands.

First, the Simon Famiglia confess that they were the ones who attacked Takeshi. They were the ones who hurt his Rain Guardian so much, and Tsuna thought that they were friends, that Enma was his friend, and he's so, so stupid.

Ineffective

"We needed this," Enma says quietly, opening the container and tipping the contents over on his ring, "in order to regain our power and take vengeance on Vongola!"

There's a beat. There's expectation. There's dread.

The red drips off the ring and falls steadily towards the ground.

"Ahhh..." Tsuna's confused. That's not anything new, but the Simon Famiglia looks just as confused, which is new. "Nothing's happening...?"

"Impossible!" Adelheid cries, slashing a hand through the air. But her eyes are locked on Enma's ring, and there's really nothing happening. "That was the blood of the first Boss of the Simon, the key to awakening the Simon Rings!"

"Maybe so," a different voice cuts in, so familiar and comforting that Tsuna almost loses his composure immediately. "But I highly doubt kool-aid has the same effect."

Tsuna spins around, barely stopping himself from tripping over his own feet. "Nori-chan!" he cries, the relieved call echoed by several of his Guardians.

Noriko leans against the doorway of the room that had held the safe. Her dress is white, her smile is bright, and her eyes are as hard as diamonds. "Hey, Tsuna," she says, twirling the Vongola Sin between her fingers.

Faux

"That's...!" The Ninth gasps, eyes darting between the shattered container on the floor, the empty one in Enma's hands, and the completely identical bottle Noriko holds.

"What!?" Adelheid snarls, hands balled up by her sides. "How can there be another one!?"

"So that's the real one?" Reborn frowns. "But then...that must mean she replaced the one in the safe before the ceremony!"

"Kufufufufu...Nori-chan~" Mukuro purrs, discreetly nudging Chrome back a step. "You're late."

"Don't act like you didn't enjoy the drama," Noriko retorts.

"Wait a minute here," Hayato interrupts, looking back and forth between Noriko and Mukuro. "Are you saying that Mukuro knew where Noriko-san was this entire time!? The guy you try not to be in the same room with...ever!?"

"I assure you, we have gotten over our differences," Mukuro maintains loftily. "In fact, are we not the best of friends now, dear Nori-chan?"

"Don't push it," she warns flatly, but he merely chortles, unrepentant.

"Nori-chan...?" Tsuna's voice, soft and uncertain, cuts through the sudden wacky atmosphere like a hot knife through butter, and everyone shuts up. His brown eyes are wide, his slight frown bewildered.

Noriko blinks and then smiles reassuringly. "Don't worry, Tsuna," she says softly. "I've got this."

"You most certainly do not," Adelheid snaps, taking a step forward and subtly shielding an abruptly very lost-looking Enma behind her. "Give me that. Now!"

Condition

At that, Noriko shifts her attention to the murderous Simon Famiglia and her smile turns frigid. "Oh, this little thing?" she says offhandedly, holding the bottle with three fingers, a good meter or so above the ground.

Adelheid glares death at the petite blonde and opens her mouth to growl some more, but is unexpectedly cut off.

"Is it the real one?" Enma asks.

Noriko shrugs. "Who knows? I replaced the real Sin two nights ago. This could be the real one...or it could just be another fake. I've had a good thirty-four hours to do whatever I want with the real Vongola Sin. It could be all the way in Hawaii by now."

She pauses and takes a finger off the vial, so it's held between her thumb and pointer finger. "Either way...do you want to take that risk? It's not like this thing is very important to me."

"...what do you want?" Adelheid grits out, eyes flashing and shoulders tense.

Noriko arches an eyebrow. "Why should I give this to you in the first place? This will only help your family grow stronger, which will, in turn, hurt my family. A bit counterintuitive, don't you think?"

"The first Boss of Simon was betrayed by Vongola Primo and left to die," Enma says darkly, the words falling into the dead-silent room like grenades. "Do you expect us to forgive and forget?"

"...what?" Tsuna whispers, horrified. "Primo wouldn't..."

Noriko spares a glance at him before turning to examine Enma neutrally. "Is that what you believe?"

"It's the truth!" Adelheid insists staunchly. "And the Simon Famiglia have endured hell because of it!"

Noriko hums and takes a step forward. "In that case, I'll hand this Vongola Sin over to you," she says, taking no notice of the gasps and stares boring into her from behind, "on one condition."

"What is it?" Enma asks, eyes narrowing.

She smiles and shakes her head. "Not from you, Enma-kun." Walking forward to stand beside a shaken but trusting Tsuna, Noriko looks directly at Katou Julie.

"What do you think you're playing at...Daemon Spade?"