Ciaossu! To all my readers!

Right, firstly I want to apologize to all my readers who actually look forward to my updates, you guys make writing this story worth it. I've been unexpectedly busy and trying to mull over how to proceed, see I'm not really good at writing action pieces, and as of now things start to get more entertaining. So please be easy on my for being late ( -_-')

Chapter 7

~Sun guardians - Battles of the perpetual light~

"Giotto and Guardians' speaking"

"Tsuna and Guardians' speaking"

So, like the ticking of the pocket watch in my breast pocket, or the slow river of sand from an hour glass, the time for battle had arrived. A time of great anticipation- great anticipation. Especially for one Decimo candidate. He dreaded this time. More than anything he had ever experienced before.

This was another fact about Decimo that left me pondering his true intentions; his true thoughts.

People say he and his guardians are our 'reincarnations' that is the wrong word. Decimo and Vongola's decimo guardians personify the original intention of my friends and I. We were a vigilante group, we sought to protect our loved ones, and slowly we grew in size, drowned in blood, and became one of the strongest mafia famiglia in the world. However, it remains to this day, that Vongola has always aimed for the protection of loved ones. It has yet to be seen however, a generation truly dedicated to this end.

That is until Decimo and his guardians became candidates for the name Vongola. So when the time came for the true fight for these titles, I was incredibly surprised by Decimo's similarity to myself and my friends. During the time I fought, I always hated dragging my friends into the conflicts; they all had to suffer something for my selfish desire to protect.

G joined me loyally, almost without thought into his actions. I sometimes believe I took away his freedom of choice; he has always been loyal to the point of coming close to death for my sake.

Ugetsu gave up his whole life; he gave up music. And to this day he finds it with great difficulty to even pick up a flute. He still hasn't played the song I find so soothing.

Alaude, so aloof and alone. I feel I have taken much, if not all of his freedom from him. Behind tethered to me, like the clouds to the sky, I feel he's given up more than he'll ever be able to understand.

Daemon, he has always wanted the best for his mafia family. I believe that is one of the reasons we spilled so much blood. He's given up everything, even his innocent love, for my famiglia, I believe this is a debt I will never repay. Even after all that he has done to my famiglia and my friends.

Lampo. I don't even have to say anything. He is young. Though in a mafia family by birth, no child should have to have blood stain their skin, yet, I've made him a guardian, I've stained him. I've made him suffer great nightmares and pain for my own selfish aspirations.

Knuckle. I've probably caused him the greatest pain. He killed a man, by his hand, even before he joined me. It was an accident of course, a simple miss thrown fist in the ring. His life revolved around boxing. We had been friends long before we had been famiglia, so I knew exactly how Knuckle had trained his body, and his mind in the discipline of the dangerous sport. So I also knew the true agony his mind suffered when his stray fist ended the life of another. It changed his life; he wasn't as 'EXTREME' after the death. He blames himself, even when he had no reason to. They both stepped into the ring on that day expecting a fair fight, expecting whatever their opponent thrown at him; both fighting preparing for injury, and the possible idea of death.

Seeing his dull eyes and his shaking form on the day, and even days after, his fight wrecked my soul, he was not the sun I knew anymore. I had always seen him as a sun, as a bright, warming light to my friends and I, even before we were officially famiglia. So watching the sun wreck himself over something that could easily be forgiven, it killed me daily.

Finally, when Knuckle found the reassuring arms of God as a place to reside in, to find and forgive himself again, I almost cried with joy. I simply pulled him into a warm embrace and welcomed him home.

As my guardian, I feel I've taken almost everything from him. When he agreed to be my guardian, I didn't really want to believe it. Out of everyone, I think I took the most time making sure he was ok with what he was doing. I explained I was asking him to hurt- kill- my enemies for the protection of my famiglia. Knuckle simply smiled his warm smile.

"Giotto, this isn't your famiglia. This is our famiglia."

To this day I regret that any of my guardians are my guardians. Not because they're weak. Not because of all the pain I've gone through because of them. No, I regret it because of all the pain they've had to go through because of me. Everyone has given something up; everyone has had to forfeit something for my selfish escapade in protecting things I love. To me, their true happiness is a sacrifice too big for the things we've gained. Not even a single moment of their happiness is equal to the power we've gain, the loss is too great.

So when I realised Decimo's guardian's similarity with Knuckle- beyond their eerie appearance- I wanted to choke the life out of Decimo and his 'tutor' for their choice and the inevitable pain they were inflicting on the ever smiling, loudmouth boy known as Ryohei Sasagawa.

He wasn't like Knuckle was after he joined my famiglia; he was Knuckles before he killed his opponent. A happy, bubbly, burning sun that brightened every aspect of Decimo's life.

Watching the interactions with decimo on their daily meetings, I spy Knuckle occasionally -as he often stayed away from both guardians- waited behind his descendent with a soft smile on his face before disappearing back into a coma-like state inside the rings. I knew that expression. It was a sadness he had expressed to me long ago.

"To be drowned in the darkness of our world at such a young age saddens me. May God have mercy on them. Amen."

These statements made me quake with fury. At the time I felt a childish pang of jealousy I knew I had no right to feel. I questioned why my guardians had to give up, and suffer so much in their lives when Decimo's guardians had given up nothing. They still had their peaceful lives. They still smiled and laughed with each other. What made my guardians the ones to suffer? What made these ignorant children so special? I seethed, I will admit to it, I seethed and cursed-cursed Decimo and his guardians- I even admit to wishing their suffering and their early painful deaths.

And I admit to being guilty and cold when I realised my words and thoughts.

My guardians had all willingly joined me, they had all willingly made their sacrifices, and much like Decimo's guardians had done. We still laughed and smiled, and we were still happy. If I had anyone to blame for my guardian's sadness and loss of life it was myself. After all, I was the one who wrought the steel for Vongola creation from the fires of my determination and the skills of my hands.

These realizations made me understand that each of Decimo's guardians had given up something precious to them, willingly, and had found something more precious in return. Decimo's sun being no exception.

"Ahh! I'm so nervous!"

Decimo's words grated me a little, and I didn't really know why. It could have been because he was being pathetically open about his emotions. It could have been because he was stating the obvious. It could be because his words showed he doubted his guardian. Or it could be that it proved he was openly worrying about the boy whom was about to throw his life away in a mafia fight he had seemingly no interest in fighting.

It was more likely than not because of a little of everything. It also annoyed me that a mafia boss was so scatterbrained, so ridiculously open with his emotions and thoughts. It was unbecoming and truthfully disgusting to watch.

Those thoughts scared me.

I was never so cold and calculating, so when was it I became such a typical mafia tyrant?

I silenced myself with my musings, was I really so cold and distant when I died. This was so curious, I realised quickly after waking in the perpetual darkness of the ring that each of my guardians kept their personalities from their youth, but that they also often fell into the personality they held at the time of their deaths, so I can only assume that was the case for me; but if that is true, then how much suffering did I inflict upon my enemies when I chose to act for the mafia in which I never dreamed of being a part of?

"This is a special arena we've prepared for the match between the guardians of the Sun."

I could almost feel the tension in Decimo's hands, the clamminess had settled as he watched the ring light up, but there was something strange in his face, something of relief flickered across his eyes.

I know I saw it, even if the children on the other side of the wring didn't see it behind his panicked, and pathetic display of cowardice and fear.

I can honestly say that I dislike this tradition the Cerevello have developed. I knew a time would some where the choosing of guardians and bosses would waver and arguments would occur, but never had I thought that some new famiglia –one I remember starting during the end of my reign- would take the opportunity to act in this farce as mediators, it irritated me that this was happening and that Vongola was allowing it to happen.

"Yeah!"

The sun guardian's voice rang out in the area, and I was taken aback by the force in the voice. My eyes drifted over to Knuckle, his face a show of incredulity and disbelief. This boy was excited about the arena, about the fight, and I could tell- form his posture and Knuckle's expression- that the boy was excited to be fighting for Decimo.

"The ring is my territory."

Just those words alone tore through me, they were the words Knuckle used to scream at the top of his lungs before he became my guardian, and I could see a nostalgia resting in his eyes, because he longed for the days where he could train without fear of retribution, and where a three minute limit was not placed upon his shoulders.

I walked over then, soon joined by my friends as both halves of their souls were united in one place. Of course Daemon and Alaude were nowhere to be seen, and Lambo was sleeping in a corner, but that wasn't really a surprise to me. It was strange to be together again, we were split long before we were given to Decimo, and now that we were together again I could honestly feel happy.

"It has been a while my friend. I do hope that you and your candidates are doing well."

"Ah, Giotto, I am well, the Lord is seeing to that. Both candidates are strong, and both are fighters, well trained and proud. I do feel for them though Giotto. One fights for his friends and one for his life, and that may lead to a dangerous result; may the Lord have mercy."

"Che. Both are brats, this whole charade of a competition is simply slaughter!"

"G." I smiled, my friend was rarely with the hot-headed silvernette often siding with the blonde-haired tiara wearing boy on the Varia's side, and I wasn't so surprised.

"Your boy Giotto is ridiculous, look at him cower."

Of course G was right, the boy was cowering on the floor, or fussing with the Sun guardian as he pumped his fists into the air, and I was not happy. I was feeling dark and dangerous, and I hated it. What calmed me was when I realised what G had called Decimo. 'My Boy' that made me pause for thought, because, wasn't I always calling him Decimo, and calling Xanxus 'the Varia' surely that meant I had faith?

Of course I had little time to think when the match started. I was focused on the boys fighting, aware that the knee of the Varia's guardian was going to test the boxer boy to the limits, I was worried, terribly so, because I did not want something so similar to Knuckle's experience to happen to this boy- why? I do not know. Because he looked like Knuckle?; Well I really hope I'm not as shallow as that. Because everything else was falling into place for Decimo's generation as it did for ours?; very possibly.

Then my rain guardian started laughing, full, happy laughter. I looked at him strangely, as did knuckle and G, because it had been a while –before Nono's generation was bestowed the rings- since we had heard his musical laughter. Though, in his fit of bubbling laughs all he could do was point towards the circle of Decimo's guardians as they cheered on the blonde boxer before he stepped into the ring.

"Alright, my ultimate power is emerging now!"

How strange. He was actually spurred on by such simplistic actions. I warmed me, because they were children, and even in this serious battle, with monsters bearing down on them, they could be children.

"Well I never." G mumbled to himself, and I do believe he was starting to see the bright side of the non-mafia Decimo. It was hard not to, when one realises that we did the same things at their age, right before playful competitions, or serious missions where smiling was hard to do before or after.

"That kid... He's unlucky."

I whirled around when I heard the lightning of Varia mutter that line, because I didn't really understand why that was. Surely if what the strangely bird-man had said was true then the Sun of Decimo was going to be in for an easy fight where the sun of Varia let him off and let him one. Though there was something dangerously sinister in the eyes of the Sun guardian, and I knew Decimo would face mental and emotional pain through tonight, and probably many nights to come.

Light exploded form the arena as the sun itself descended from the sky to witness the fight. I watched, mutely aware of Decimo's growing tension, and the growing morbidity of Knuckle as the kicks were thrown again and again into the opposing Sun's stomach.

"How tasteless." Asari's face was emotionless, all except the scowl between his eyebrows as he watched the fight, we both knew- we all knew- that Decimo's guardian would have little chance in the blazing ring, not against an opponent who was both wearing eye protection and was a trained assassin. I had hoped that maybe his training would help, that his passion and belief would give him a fighting chance in this battle. I suppose my intuition was getting dull after so many centuries.

Another punch and a kick threw the flailing Sun guardian into the wires, and even Lampo made a noise of disgust when the boy screamed in pain. Electrified wires. There was nothing more cruel than adding to the torture of a boy, and a boy who had seemingly no idea of the mafia and exactly what the fight he was in risked.

"He's fighting so hard."

He was, he was still standing, fighting, flailing pathetically in the bright light with eyes closed and senses open, and it wasn't helping. I wanted so much to stop this, because this was cruelty to the nth degree, and this was wrong. This was everything I could not stand about the mafia, it was cruelty and torture all personified into one gruesome game to watch and enjoy.

Then something amazing happened. In the blink of an eye, something I wished I had witness happened. The Varia guardian was flying through the air, an impact mark making itself visible square on his face. The only thing telling me I had missed something amazing was the echoing words of Decimo's guardian.

"Stop kidding around!"

Just when I thought he had a chance to win, that Decimo- my chosen successor- would win, blood exploded from the sun guardian's hand and arm, a pressure wave form the impact with the opposing guardian's knee. I knew then that things were going to get harder and harder, they were going to test everyone to the limit, and someone would be hurt beyond repair from these happenings.

"Go and show him your true strength, Ryohei."

I never understood, and still do not understand how a few words can change entire situations. They can be blessings or curses; I've never really been affected by words, or, not for the longest of times. I believe when I was younger, when G was telling me that fighting- if for those I loved- was a good thing, and that protecting the weak was something is should do, I remember those words affecting me. Does that mean that I have grown too old and too used to things being difficult? When was it I lose my pure and whole hearted belief in getting strong enough to save and protect what I wanted?

Everything changed with the words of the Arcobaleno. His stance, his aura; even Decimo changed just a little. It was as if he fed off of the aura of his guardians, and I knew he felt useless being outside the ring, only being able to cheer and tell them that he believed in them; that he would always believe in them. I knew this because he was like me. He was simply living for the sake of his friends.

"T-That little bastard." G was on his feet- hacing been sitting on the floor with little apparent intrest in the fight- and was looking at the boxer with interest, not looking at the upright Varia member, but above him. At the lights that blinded everyone.

"I hit for sure."

He hadn't aimed for the lights. I knew exactly why G wa so gobsmacked by the boy's actions. He had never struck me- or anyone from our various meetings- as the intelligent type. He was very much an 'actions-speak-louder-than-words, and 'jump-in-with-two-feet' type of man. Yet here he was, using straytegy, and amazing strategy at that. It was something noen of us were exepecting; especially not G who had once told me: "That boy will be the end of Vongola, he is too ignorant and oblivious to strategy. He will get his boss killed."

We watched then, as the boy's trick was noticed and explained, but that didn't take away any of the awe. The boy couldn't have known he would sweat enough to make salt crystals, he couldn't have known that he's need to use the salt as projectiles, he couldn't have known before hand about any of it. So he was simply amazing, because he deduced it in a split second and used it to his advantage.

Alaude appeared then. He stood beside me, and I suppose he found something interesting if he were to appear now of all time. What I hadn't expected was the outright smirk and laugh that bubbled from his lips for a second when the Arcobaleno on Decimo's shoulder spoke of 'Varia Quality' and the reason behind the strength of the men fighting for the place as Tenth boss.

"These boys are not quality. I will arrest them for contesting they are the best of the best."

I did not argue with him, but I did not totally agree either. They were strong, they were ripping Decimo's guardian apart, solely ripping his arms so he could no longer fight. Though, another surprise awaited us when the Sun guardian's sister arrived. Her words were grievous, tired and worried, she wanted an end to this fight, something I think all of my own guardians could agree with, and her brother looked convinced for a second when he saw the soul-deep terror in her eyes when his opponent prophesised his death.

"I will not lose."

This was something I understood completely. Words of victory and confidence brought on by the will to protect friends who you considered family. There was just something magical about the courage that protective instincts brought about. I was never so glad for Decimo and his guardians than when his Sun spoke such confident words.

It ended quickly then. The Varia's guardian's knee was shattered, his leg torn up by the energy reserved within Decimo's Sun's body, and he fell to the floor quickly. You could see panic in his eyes, and I knew that was fear for his life when his boss found out his loss. You could see the terror and the adrenaline rush when he tried to stand and fight again only to fall and wobble where he stood.

Of course his fears were realised when energy, fiery, burning, furious energy collided with his back and sent him to the ground. My eyes searched the crows, resting on the golem that stood guard of the other guardians. His eyes were red, like his bosses, and I knew the orders were directly from Xanxus.

I blanked most of the words at that point, completely aware they were important and cold. I saw no rebuff for the man with the flaming guns for ordering the attack of his own guardian, for I knew he had little fault in his actions; as cruel as that might be. He was an assassin; failure and weakness were not an option in his line. In fact, ridding himself of the weak was probably going to save him and his guardians in the future.

We were walking away then, Knuckle at the side of his victor, and the others going with the Varia- those they believed still superior and suitable for Decimo- and I noticed something. Everyone was starting to become more like the people they were before the mafia really caught up to them.

"Maybe this farce of a battle won't be such a bad thing for us..."

Arigatou! Thank you! Grazie Tante!

It's been a pleasure, (if not a difficulty) to write this chapter, I don't know much about Ryohei, in general, I don't believe he's given enough time in the manga. So writing this was a struggle. Thanks for being patient with me, I know I'm insufferable.

Anyways, thank you sooooo much.

Please review, no matter how harsh you are with me I won't cry. I will be grateful for constructive criticism.

Thanks again.

~ ~ Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3