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Target 57: Grand Finale: Return

Kotsu takes a few seconds to check if he can move properly before suddenly blasting forward at full speed at his two opponents striking at them both with a fork each and as they both block he springs up doing a spin-flip in the air shooting them both with a cloud beam. Ywan jumps back creating a giant axe out of his sky flame, striking down at Kotsu, who uses one of his forks to boost out of the way right as Zaccaria comes for him causing him to get the full front of the attack, however he pays it no mind using his cosmic sky flame to negate it easily. "So you're back in the fight!? You were beaten down once! Don't think we can't do it again!" He yells as the two of them start closing in on Kotsu in spite of his best efforts to keep his distance knowing it's only the pain that's been numbed by Geraldino's cosmic rain flame.

"I intend fully to win this battle. So that is what I will do," He simply says landing and he aims for Ywan with his fork and the tips light up however they don't fire. Kotsu grits his teeth. He's out of flames to use for his forks. He's down to just using them to fly with as they can't accumulate enough to shoot with. Ywan of course notes this and smirks as he gets in close making his knife longer with his solid flames.

"So you are running out of dying will flames! And yet you think you can defeat BOTH of us!?" He yells striking at Kotsu who blocks and right after Zaccaria comes in striking at Ywan who was too focused on Kotsu and gets flung back as the two young boys begin their close quarters fight. Kotsu keeps blocking his sword strikes with one fork landing small hits with the other and Zaccaria grits his teeth. "REVERT 30%" His sword splits in two and the two continue and now Zaccaria can block his second strikes as well. The two end in a stalemate when suddenly Ywan comes in breaking with a solid strike from a giant sword he created and the three break from each other. All three are panting immensely and from the looks of them all they are each quite badly damaged. Kotsu quickly concludes that it's about to be over. During the first part of the fight Zaccaria would've definitely been able to block all his second strikes with just the one sword and Ywan wouldn't have been taken off-guard by Zaccaria's previous attack.

"I grow tired of this fight! The one who will be boss is me!" Ywan yells charging forward and Zaccaria grits his teeth angrily.

"Like hell you will! IT! WILL! BE! ME!" he yells creating his sword again. Kotsu closes his eyes and concentrates.

"This is it…" he says before his eyes shoot open and his flame bursts for a few seconds and he runs forward. The three clash for likely the final time, each striking with all their might, but it seems the they can just barely manage to scrape by each other. "I understand both of you… you came from a dark place… You want to prove your usefulness!" Kotsu declares landing a solid kick pushing Zaccaria back. "Ywan… your brothers… and your mother… the world treated you like garbage!" Ywan's eyes get filled with a mixture of grief and anger.

"What do you know about me!? Cease your mindless attempt at sympathy!" he yells stabbing at Kotsu with his knife and finally Kotsu spots his chance.

"You're right. I don't know much about you…" He says catching Ywan's knife within the two spikes on his fork and with a quick jerk manages to make him lose his grip on his knife. "But I do know that you cannot treat your people poorly! Just because some people are evil does not mean EVERYONE is!" He yells and Ywan, in the moment he lost his knife I taken completely aback and Kotsu lands a solid his in his stomach before knocking him high into the air. Without his knife he has no way to recover. Kotsu blasts forward for Zaccaria while Ywan is in the air and the two begin their fight again. "And you Zaccaria. I'm sorry your father died! But that is no reason to act the way you do! I know you must have SOME good in your heart!" Zaccaria grits his teeth, as they enter a stalemate.

"You're an idiot if you think I have good left in my heart Kotsukiba! I lost that LONG AGO!" He yells and as they break the stalemate Kotsu drops one of his forks leaving him with just one. "REVERT 20%" Zaccaria declares and his two katars once more become one, this time it's looking more like a brass-knuckle with two large spikes on it. "KOTSUKIBAAAAA!" He yells striking when suddenly Kotsu closes his eyes.

"I KNOW you have good in your heart… Reborn wouldn't have picked a cruel person like you…" He says leaping to the side spinning with his final fork held like a bat. Zaccaria's eyes go wide as right in front of his attack Ywan comes falling and he pulls his arm back, and right as he does Kotsu finishes his fork swing hitting Ywan straight in the stomach and knocking him into Zaccaria both of which fly back and hit the fountain in the middle of the plaza getting knocked out in the process. Kotsu stabs his remaining fork into the ground using it as support as he falls to his knees. Just then Chido comes flying. "Chido…" He says seeing that it's carrying some rings which is dumps into his hand. "These are all mine… and… Boris'… Antonio and Riccardo's… then I just need… Reishiro's… to win…" he says when suddenly out of the corner of his eyes two figures emerge and get in front of Zaccaria and Ywan. It's Gerald and Faust. Faust carrying Ren, who's unconscious. "Ren…" Kotsu says and the two of them look at their boss candidates.

"Kotsukiba… you know we can't just allow you to take that ring…" Gerald says and Kotsu grits his teeth before getting into a fighting stance though it's clear that he hasn't got much left to go on, while Faust and Gerald look in great condition.

"I already said… that I… will win…" He says and the two thunder guardians begin running forward. They both strike at him, but miss the attack as Kotsu ducks under it and when they turn to see what he'll do they hear him hit the ground as his flame disappears from his forehead.

"He… passed out…" Gerald says and Faust looks at him.

The two thunder guardians look at each other, realizing that they are the only ones left as well as Geraldino somewhere. "So… I take it you will take Zaccaria's rings and give them to him.

Faust looks at Zaccaria. He then takes off his thunder ring placing it in Kotsu's hand. "He beat master Zaccaria… that was his condition…" he says and Gerald looks at Ywan and then down at Kotsu, before smiling.

"You are a good friend to Tsugemora, Kotsukiba…" he says putting his own thunder ring into Kotsu's hand and the two of them go and grab Zaccaria's vongola sky ring, Ywan's vongola sky ring and Pietro's mist ring and naturally Reishiro's mist ring. They place them all in his hand and just as Reishiro's ring hits his palm the clock hanging from the middle of the main hall rings loudly.

"The second ring conflict is hereby CONCLUDED! The winner is: Kotsukiba Niruo! Possession count: Ywan: 0 rings collected! Zaccaria: 0 rings collected! Kotsukiba: 21 rings collected!" Primo and the rest re-enter the mall and a ton of healers from the Cervello enter as well heading around to where all the guardians are laying.

Reborn stands over Kotsu, kneeling down and holds out his sun ring, turning it on and Kotsu slowly opens his eyes. "R-Reborn! What happened!? I-I lost…" he says remembering that Gerald and Faust 'defeated him'.

"You won. Well done. Now get up," He simply says and Kotsu slowly sits up feeling sore all over as Geraldino's 'pain-killers' have worn off.

"But… HOW!?" He says and Gerald walks up to him.

"It's simple Kotsukiba… I see you worthy of being the Vongola boss," he says and Kotsu slowly manages to stand getting a few of the Cervello healers to him.

"But… what about Ywan… you were chosen to be HIS guardian…"

"Sometimes a parent makes a weird choice… that's all I can say…" he says leaving to help out with the cleaning as this mall needs to be as good as new as soon as possible.

Kotsu's eyes widen. "My friends!? W-where are they!?" He demands to know and Reborn smacks him over the head.

"Calm down will you. They'll all be here in a few minutes. Ren's right over there," He says and Kotsu runs to Ren as the healers get him conscious again and he slowly sits up.

"Sir don't move too much you still need healing…"

"It's fine…" he says with a happy smile having gotten a good grasp on his own ability to heal. Kotsu suddenly comes crashing into him giving him a hug.

"REN! You're okay!" He yells and cries into Ren's sports jacket.

"Yeah… I'm fine… and… from now on… I'll be the guardian you need me to be…" He says and Kotsu sniffles happily.

"Yeah… that sounds good…"

-NII-

After a few minutes of waiting around everyone has woken up. Kotsu looks to Ywan who simply glares him down annoyed beyond belief. "Beaten by a mere child…" He says and Kotsu gulps.

"S-sorry?" He says and Ywan reluctantly holds out his hand.

"But I suppose you beat me fair and square… let me be clear, boy… I do not acknowledge you. I only acknowledge your power," he says and Kotsu shakes his hand. "We're leaving!" he declares walking off along with all his guardians, except Albert who has to go through a more thorough healing after what happened with Ricci.

"NII-SAAAN!" Tsugemora yells and comes sprinting and Kotsu dodges almost instinctively causing Tsugemora to tumble after his attempt at assault. However instead of standing he simply grovels and bows with his head on the ground for Kotsu. "I'm so sorry Nii-san! I lost once more! I only managed to beat NM-5 and no one else! I was weak, but I swear I will become stronger! I SWEAR IT NII-SAN!"

"A-alright alright! Calm down Tsugemora! It's alright… we… we won. So it's fine…"

Slowly but surely his entire group gets together, Cotton also really angry that she didn't get to beat anyone up, while Rinoka and Ren are simply glad it's all over. Reishiro has little memory of what happened, and Marco is happy Cotton is safe. Kotsu looks around not seeing Geraldino anywhere. He figures quickly that he's probably doing his own thing. He's a pretty distant fellow…

Zaccaria stands nearby talking to his guardians. Kotsu looks away from his conversation with his own to look at him and the cosmic sky flame notices him. He walks over. "H-hey… Zaccaria… I um… I'm sorry?" he says already apologizing like he did to Ywan.

"No need for that. You fought really well. With such a short time for training and improving you really pulled through!" He says with a smile Kotsu has not seen before taking him completely aback.

"W-why're you so friendly…?" Kotsu asks and Zaccaria just laughs a little.

"Well you see… that was all just an act… to try and get you motivated to beat me… and it surely worked!" he says and Kotsu is now more confused than ever.

"B-but… why would you… and then…?" He says his brain almost short-circuiting.

"Allow me to explain," Reborn says coming out from behind.

"Wait what!? But you NEVER explain ANYTHING!"

"You'll just bother me about it anyway,"

-NII-

"A while ago I got a call from Primo saying that the council of the Vongola, had voted for a third man system. And that man was Ywan. Normally we COULD just both vote against him by choosing a third, but Primo proposed something else…"

"What do you mean 'pick someone else'? you really are no good Tsuna," Reborn says over the phone and Primo smirks on the other end.

"Maybe just a little bit, but hear me out… If Kotsu simply becomes boss… then what happens…?"

"Nothing,"

"Exactly… but he'll need to face stronger opponents in the future where we cannot be there to assist him. So he NEEDS training. The only way that'll happen is if THREE candidates are chosen,"

"Alright… So what you're saying is… we use the council to train Kotsu," Reborn says before smirking. "That's just stupid enough to work. So who should I pick?"

"I've got someone in mind… do you know Zaccaria?"

"the new leader of the Varia? The boy who stayed 13? The cosmic sky flame? Yeah I know him. He won't do. He's too strong…"

"I think you'll be able to talk him into it," Primo says hanging up.

"Did he just…?" Reborn says looking at the phone. "I'm smacking him next time I see that no-good-Tsuna…" he says before walking away.

"He asked me to talk over Zaccaria. A guy known for being kind and just to everyone. A guy who was known as a perfect leader,"

"I won't do it… I can't," Zaccaria says sitting at a desk doing some paperwork.

"You're the ideal leader Zaccaria. You know this! Taking over the Varia at your age of 13."

"I'm 25 Reborn-san. I took it over when I was 20,"

"You have the power. You have the skill and you have the leadership potential to be the ideal boss,"

"You're wrong. I've already reached my maximum potential… my cosmic sky flame doesn't let me get stronger due to its harmony-ability… And I know I'm not strong enough to beat some of the enemies I'll have to face during my time as boss,"

"I know that… which is exactly why I'm asking YOU," Zaccaria puts down his pen.

"What do you mean?" Reborn explains his and Primo's plan. Zaccaria thinks for a moment.

"So you want me to be the pseudo-trainer for Primo's candidate? I'll… have to spy on him to find out if he's worthy…"

"And so he did. For quite a while. He saw you during most of your ventures. He even saw you fight with Geraldino. It was right after then that he returned to me,"

Zaccaria stands in front of Reborn. "I'll do it… but he's very kind-hearted. So I have a few conditions. My guardians will be the Varia members. And we will all be acting evil. If I can kind or show compassion he will want ME to be boss. And also I want you to keep it a secret that YOU were the one who chose me. Those are my conditions," he says and Reborn and him shake on it.

-NII-

"So that's what happened," Reborn finishes and Kotsu gulps.

"Then… what if I failed…?"

Zaccaria smiles slightly. "then I would've beaten Ywan and become boss. But it was a risk I was willing to take, since I trusted your immense potential," he says smirking slightly.

Kotsu smiles. "T-thanks for that Zaccaria… So you're… actually a nice guy,"

"Well that's a subjective opinion… but so I've been told…" he says holding out his hand. "So… let's be friends?"

"S-sure… it'll take a while to get used to that… you were really good at acting,"

"Well I'm a hitman. It's part of the job…" He simply says and the rest of his group walk up behind them. Ricci with a large bandage around his missing arm. The healers can't heal an injury like that. But everyone else just looks exhausted. "So I'd like you all to meet Varia. The REAL version of us,"

Tsugemora angrily points to them. "So how much of it was faking it!?" He demands to know and Boris tsks.

"Let's just say we pulled out our cruel sides. What you saw was pretty much the real me, though I'd never let a child fight," he says looking at Cotton with a kind and confident smile.

"Glad we see eye to eye sir," Marco says giving a confirming nod his way.

"I am a ninja as stated," Kagetora says looking quite ashamed that he simply got taken out by Geraldino without being able to put up much of a fight. Cotton's eyes sparkle.

"A REAL Ninja," Kagetora simply nods, looking quite a bit more confident from the simple praise.

"I'm not as hot-headed as you would be led to believe," Ricci says shrugging before winching in pain, not used to having an entire arm missing.

"I don't hold grudges for that long. But I had to stop you," Faust says holding out his hand to Ren. "You're pretty powerful,"

"T-thanks… but I was really angry during our fight so…"

"I am a machine… I am incapable of pretending, but I did withhold information," NM-5 says and Rinoka just pouts.

"T-that's not t-true! Y-you warned me about Galileo… y-you're really nice,"

"My programmer thanks you," He says bowing politely.

"So now that we're done being all buddy buddy, I'm gonna get the hell out of here…" Barley says also having gotten 'knocked out' by Geraldino though in reality he used his hair to make Geraldino think that per Zaccaria's orders. "Why the hell did you even want me to be your guardian in the first place?" he says mostly to himself.

Zaccaria turns to him. "You know… we could use someone like you in Varia if you're interested?"

"Tch! No way in hell that's happening! I don't even LIKE half of you people! Such a bunch of goodie two shoes!" Barley says and walks off, looking to Jute. "See you back home cousin,"

Kotsu smiles happily to himself as they say their goodbyes to the Varia. Primo comes up to them with a big smile plastered on his face. "Well fought Kotsu. And I'm sorry for keeping secrets from you. But congratulations on your win! I would like to invite you to Italy with me, next summer break, which is right around the corner. So we can officially get you introduced to the family. What do you say?" He says smiling happily that his candidate won.

Kotsu holds out his hand. "that sounds… pretty nice… I guess… you're leaving then…"

"Yeah… but I will see you soon so no worries there," he says and the two laugh as he hears a helicopter outside. "That's our que. Take care Kotsu," he says as he leaves for Italy, along with Gokudera and Yamamoto.

Kotsu falls backwards, being caught by Ren and Tsugemora. "I'm… a little tired guys… can we go home now…?"

"Yeah… let's do that…" Ren says and they all look up amazed that they won the ring conflict.

-NII-

Out the back of the mall where Ywan and his guardians are walking, going towards the station to get to the airport as well they're stopped as someone exits a tree. A very tall man towering almost a head above Ywan who's already quite a well-built man with short brown hair and a tattoo on his cheek with the number 16 and wearing a large coat over his entire body so only his head is visible. "I see that you have failed Ywan. They will not be happy with you, you know?" Ywan raises an eyebrow not recognizing the tall figure.

"Whom are you speaking of and who are you?" He says already having drawn his weapon.

"My name is unimportant. But your brothers were very much hoping you would win…" He says and Ywan's eyes go wide and his knife bursts with flames and he leaps forward for the man.

"You are with THEM! Tell me where they are!" He yells and all Ywan's guardians prepare to fight the man as well.

"I cannot as I don't know. But they are looking for any opportunity they can get to come and destroy your family… they know where you are Ywan… and we will find you," he says suddenly disappearing into thin air.

Ywan grits his teeth. "They're coming for me? Those three will be in for one hell of a bad surprise if they try and destroy MY family…" he says gritting his teeth. He looks where the man stood seeing a card on the ground. It's a tarot card. The tower. On the back it says. 'We're coming for you. Brotherly love: Joseph, Nikita, Leonid' it says and Ywan gets angry tossing the card into the air holding up his knife and it bursts with sky flames. "RE DEL LA SPADA!" He yells and slams the giant sword into the card completely evaporating it. "Those three… I will kill them if they so much as approach my family…"