H-hey there, dearest readers. I cannot. Cannot possibly apologize enough, and I don't even want to give any excuses though I think you deserve some for sure. I've been distracted, by family issues, and the fact that money is a major problem for me right now, and that I've applied to university and am about 80% sure I'm not getting in…and it's left me distracted.

I know I've uploaded other stories and chapters, but ENOIS is a lot of work. I reread a group of Manga chapters, and re-watch sections of the Anime to get quotes that filter throughout the entire chapter, and then on top of that I write the chapter. So while, yes it's pretty much taking all creativity from me by piggybacking off of other people's work, it is still work. Because I loathe doing things half-assed.

So I offer my sincerest apologies to you my friends, because you and your support have helped me through a majorly difficult point in my life, and I ask that you continue to support me, though that is a tall order for you, given how flakey I can get.

Without further ado please enjoy this chapter of ENOIS, and leave a review, eh?

E'la Nostra Ora Incisa Sull'anello

Cloud's Indignation.

"Primo guardian's thoughts and speech."

"Tsuna and guardians thoughts and speech."

Beta'd by the wonferful mercyn~~

It was the decisive battle and I found my soul writhing and uncomfortable. It wasn't with a particularly easy move that I woke up to muted whispers and soothing words from what I can remember was Dino, my Tsunayoshi's Mafia brother.

It intrigued me really, because though my descendent didn't understand what it meant, Dino had signed himself over to Tsuna in some ways, and Tsuna had been signed over to him. Though not officially, it was a lot of work for the up-and-coming boss of Cavallone to take on a ward of sorts.

I was both pleased and unease by the matter, for Tsunayoshi did not understand the implication and decisions that were made for him again. It was infuriating and it frustrated me to no end that his intuition had yet to mature to a state where he could both realise and have the backbone to act on the twinges when these things happened around him.

"Now now, my friend. It is early, you have little need to get so worked up."

"Asari." I couldn't help the affection, this man was my rain. "What wakes you so early, then? I hope I didn't disturb you with my entrance?"

It was true, I had used my Rain guardian's ring as medium today, it was easier for me to use than perhaps Knuckle, and though G would have been easier yet he was with the Varia and would remain so until the final battle.

"Of course not, Ieyasu. I was awake anyway, for Takeshi was off early this morning."

"Along with the others it seems." I almost jumped when Knuckle appeared, smiling softly from beside his descendent; he placed a hand on Ryohei's and Takeshi's head before joining us.

"It does seem like everyone was up early." Asari chuckled just as the whispering from Dino and my Heir grew louder.

"You want to find out from me how Kyouya will fare tonight, right?"

My heir looked so ashamed and bashful and Dino's eyes crinkled a little. It was nice to see the Boss looking after Tsuna so gently, it was nice to see that Tsuna's sky extended, because I know that the young blonde man, Dino, would be hardened without the little glimpse of innocence he lost upon his father's death.

My eyes flickered back to the children and I couldn't help but smile, they were very slowly becoming one. They fought and bickered, and they didn't sync up the way most guardians did. But they all came to ask Dino so assurance, they all knew he would be able to give them truth so that they could be prepared and could help their boss.

"They dropped by to ask the same thing."

And my Tsunayoshi appreciated it, his soft whisper made me smile with pride. He was a good boss. He wanted the best for his friends, even this Kyouya character that I had yet to meet but whom Alaude seemed to be very intrigued by.

"Everyone….."

It was amusing that the children had fallen asleep as soon as they received good news, but I knew it would have been different had Dino been less confident. They wouldn't have rested until Tsuna either knew from them, or they had checked the cloud for themselves. They would probably have never forgiven Kyouya had he been less than fit to fight. I could tell just from the whispers and the aura around my heir that Kyouya was their last hope.

"Kyouya is perfectly finished. As his home tutor I am saying this without any favouritism, that boy is really strong."

And that was all it needed, because Tsuna's hardened eyes melted back to that constantly burning will and chocolate. Those peaceful eyes and that peaceful voice were ones I wished never changed. Though I knew they would, if not by the time he fought, then certainly by the time he inherited my tainted family.

"I'm glad to hear that."

It amused me that, like his friends and guardian before him I could see my Decimo growing drowsy with relief. Another part of me was amused for another reason, his growing care for these people in his life, and fear for what would happen once these battles were done.

It was saddening and amusing, because what had my child been through to feel these kinds of things, and what future would he bring to what was once my Vongola?

I felt myself quiver and Asari next to me noticed too, though his smile and averted eyes spoke volumes of his own intrigue.

"You have training to get to."

I watched my heir and Dino shiver and whip around and I felt growing dread pool in Tsunayoshi's will.

"You must perfect the Dying will zero point break by today."

Both Asari and I spun around to glare at the Hitman tutor, both of us for our heirs' sakes growled at the tutor and his methods. Yes, he saved Asari's heir and was going to make sure mine survived, but that did not mean we appreciated his methods. These were children, and their lives were different.

But this time our anger was not long lived, instead we were curious, I could see it in Asari's face and felt it in my flame core.

They were teaching my heir my technique, one I had seen passed from boss to boss, but skipping so many generations.

My Zero Point Breakthrough, would my heir truly figure it out?

"The battle today will decide it all! There's not point for me to train!"

I thought myself over the urge to smack Decimo, but the boy could bounce between incredibly in tune with his intuition and too naive and it gave me whiplash of the direst sort. Could he not see every possibility of failure as well as triumph?

But I had no chance to think long on my chosen heir's words for I feel a rise in killer intent and worry from the Arcobaleno man.

"Precisely because it's the final battle. What will you do if something happens?"

I saw Tsuna start, and I felt his unease in tie with the flashes of intuition that scented the air. He was so close, so close to fully grasping his knowledge and his birthright and it made my core quiver, yet here he was, still so confused so stifled by everything and the speed at which it was happening.

"Breathe easy, my friend." Asari assured, a hand on my shoulder as he pulled me from my thoughts. "Remember he is a child, and his life has made it so his Intuition has been forced away and further clogged. He will come into his own when he must."

"But he should now." I seethed, "He needs to now and it's only these ignorant actions that leave my Heir's intuition stunted."

"Maa maa, that is something we as souls cannot change."

"I would if I could."

"And I wouldn't stop you." Asari agreed, but for now we must wait.

I saw Knuckle sigh as he faded away, the boys were waking and taking Tsunayoshi away, and though I could fade away myself, I wanted to stay with my heir longer. I wanted him close, being away from him and drenched in Xanxus' feral, lethal aura was sickening after a time.

So when Asari made move to fade, but saw me remain he smiled and we walked with my heir and his group.

I would feel it I knew. But regardless I was feeding off of Asari's ring; therefore there would be a dull throb of excretion this time.

"How do you feel, Ieyasu?"

"What a broad question."

"Indeed, so it deserves a broad answer, my friend."

How to reply? It had been a long while since a lull in these battles and I craved it. So it was so refreshing for me to just walk beside my guardian, mirroring the children laughing and dancing and joking in the streets, for even a moment.

"I am tired, Ugetsu." I finally admitted, "I'm sure you understand, but I am so tired for Tsunayoshi. My child doesn't deserve this; none of them do really. I am tired for him, of him, and of all this."

Asari nodded, perhaps completely resonating with my feelings, before he continued. "It is tiresome. Especially when you have become so biased towards Tsunayoshi and his friends."

I couldn't help but wince back, because the truth was, though I felt for Tsunayoshi's friends I did not perhaps feel biased towards them. They had caused my heir more than enough trouble already.

But.

I cast my eyes towards the children, Takeshi and Hayato were bickering on either side of my heir and though he was flailing I could see the relaxed angle of his shoulders and the softness in his eyes and voice.

They had caused him so much horror.

But.

They had given my boy a chance at a life he didn't have before. They gave him a reason to live and laugh and they helped him unlock his will and resolve.

So really I couldn't be angered at them.

"The battles are almost done, Ieyatsu. You can rest again then." Asari must have read my mind as he usually could and I could only smile and clap him on the shoulder.

Suddenly a shock rattled through my soul and I was pulled away swiftly, my consciousness split not between ring fragments, but this time between my want to remain with my Heir in Japan while he went to training and my body in Xanxus' ring needing to show me flashes of immense importance.

Suddenly I was standing beside my cloud, whose hair seemed to be standing on end as his face turned feral.

"Alaude?" I was shocked, this man was never so ruffled yet here he stood, snarling.

"Giotto, the bastard is planning something. He has a trick up his sleeve and he is assured it will not fail him."

"A plan? How can you be sure?"

"Look at him!"

"Pfft. Are you excited Gola Mosca."

That mocking tone in Xanxus' voice was cold and shivered through me, Alaude snapped to a fighting position with cuffs in his hands, he spun them with anxiety and it had my flames itching to the surface.

Alaude was rarely so nervous. Xanxus' next laughing roar had me jumping and roaring into my own flury of anxious dying will mode.

"I'm looking forward to it."

And then I was beside Asari again, panting and sweating, gripping my guardians' arm. His face was close to mine, and his mouth was moving but I couldn't hear. I never could after this kind of situation arose. It had only happened three times, for usually I did not bother with the heir of Vongola, it wasn't mine.

Tsunayoshi was changing all my norms.

"-o! Can you hear me? What did you see? Why were you pulled back so suddenly?"

"Xanxus is up to something and Alaude is feral about the entire thing."

Asari was silent as he helped me stand straight and get my breathing righted again. "He hasn't been furious with these battles since Secondo and Sesto."

"Exactly, it unnerves me greatly old friend."

"Well, all we can do is see how things will unfold." Asari looked towards Decimo, who was on the floor arguing about their training again. I could feel how far we were to the school, and the tension in the air had me terrified as to how Asari could materialise by my side even at the distance between his ring and my heir. But then I caught the scent of rain flames and saw the CEDEF heir fighting with Decimo.

It should frighten me that the emotions and flame saturation around us this time had us able to break all our usual boundaries. But instead I was grateful.

"-bari-san's battle! It's starting soon!"

"Leave the battle to Gokudera and Yamamoto. All you have to do is concentrate on perfecting your technique."

"You can't be serious!" And I felt the same sentiment, because surely the bastard tutor realised his student's need to be at these battles. To see and know for himself that he could protect his guardians, that they were alive and safe and fighting and knew what they were doing.

It was not needed for Alaude's boy as I understood, but it didn't matter for Tsuna.

"I'm dead serious, Tsuna."

"Reborn….." I couldn't help my own unease at the seriousness, but I could do naught for my heir.

Instead Asari and I faded away and appeared at the battle ground, watching as the guardians gathered; Knuckle and G appeared at my side as the ring holders of my Heir gathered together.

None of my friends really spoke, right now we listened, still judging and I could see G especially growing in unrest as his boy argued and overthought the possibility and extent of his duty.

I too saw flaws in the storm and could only hope that one day he would settle and become the eye my Decimo needed.

"Why have you all gathered here?" Kyouya appeared, dark and silent, he stalked the ground like a predator and had I been alive, in Decimo's position I don't know that I would have trusted him with my loyalty.

"You're an eyesore, if you're not gone in the next second I'll kill you."

Especially when he appeared to be so volatile that he's turn on his own comrades just because they didn't live up to his standards. Even Alaude, my most volatile and ruthless guardians besides Daemon –who was a different kind of monster in the end –would never truly threaten me and mine.

"Now now, Giotto." The silky voice appeared before me, from the direction of Kyouya's entrance as I mused and I smiled a little, I had been read again by a predator. "You have not spent time with this lamb. You have not seen his loyalty yet, do not be so rash."

"You call the boy a lamb?" Knuckle faltered a little, and G looked disgusted.

"The lad looks about right to slaughter his own team mates. How can that be defined as a lamb; he can't even be called a lone wolf with that attitude."

"So….that's the one."

"Ah, that bloodlust." Asari was shifting uncomfortably as our gazes turned to the boy. It was like he was alive only for the kill. What moments ago were tormenting, threatening grins had suddenly shifted to feral delight on the child's face, and it unnerved me.

The cloud was a hard role to fill, more so than the mist or even the lightning, and though this child seemed to literally personify the clouds of his position's name sake I couldn't help but quiver.

Where did his loyalties lie if my Decimo could not prove strong enough to leash his cloud?

"Giotto." Alaude's voice held reprimand and I whirled around to see a grin stretching his lips. "My boy is the strongest of this set of children, and he will protect them. Don't doubt loyalties you have yet to see, or I'll have no choice but to arrest you."

I saw the visible shiver through my gathered guardians, they saw that lust for a fight in Alaude's eyes, and they saw the want to train and guide and mold the boy who was inheriting his position

It was unnerving, to say the least, that Alaude approved so strongly. He and his CEDEF once upon a time were so strict. If this boy fit his criteria for inheritance than I pray for Tsunayoshi's safety and future.

But I couldn't help but gaze at the boy and shiver.

"All I have to do is bite you to death."

He was so similar to my cloud, yet I never had a doubt about his loyalty to me.

The Cervello were a strange sort, and I couldn't help but be wary when my flame core, the stem of my intuition, began to buck and shift in unease while they explained how the monstrosity of a battle ground fit the sky ring. These women were oddities, and though I know they were hired by Nono to oversee the battles and ensure utter fairness I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

They were new, no famiglia ever looked like them in my time, but I had seen many families fall to them –by order of Vongola but none the less fall to them –during my time within the ring.

I didn't want them near my boy or his guardians at all.

I wanted them gone.

"The mission of the cloud guardian is to be aloof, drifting but protecting the family from an independent standpoint, one whom nothing can bind."

"You know, I've never quite agreed with that description, Ieyasu."

"Neither have I. It's the ultimate misinterpretation."

I could only laugh, because they were right and wrong. The clouds were supposed to stay separated from the sky, they were supposed to be untameable, unbiased, unaffected by inner turmoil of the famiglia.

But, I haven't seen or met a single cloud that wasn't completely tied to their sky in one way or another. Alaude was no different; Nono's guardian was no different. I could only assume that one day; Tsunayoshi's cloud would be no different.

"If you're scared, run away. Just like your boss did."

If the goad was meant to frustrate then it worked, I watched the shift in my heir's guardians as they bristled at the taunt.

"Up yours. He didn't run away you asshole!"

"Can the brat not keep his tongue under wraps?" G sighed, rubbing his face and lighting another cigarette. I could see his urge to smack the boy coming to the surface again.

"He's much like you, G." Asari chuckled, "Is it any surprise that he cannot hold his tongue when his boss is being mocked?"

"At least my boss is worth protecting from such jibes, che."

"G!" I tried to reprimand; I knew I should have been unbiased. But I knew by the time the lightning battle had been and gone that Tsuna was my heir, and I wasn't one to hide such decisions and feelings for long.

"It's just there's no need for Tsuna to be here. Because Hibari is our ace. He won't lose."

I started, I know this for a fact, because I remember my guardians pausing in their soft conversation to call my name, and I remember Alaude grinning in his hidden way.

I never doubted Alaude's loyalty to me and Vongola despite his duty to be the cloud. But, by the words Asari's rain just spoke, with utter conviction and a relieved smile, perhaps Tsunayoshi has never doubted his cloud's loyalties either, and the other elements certainly don't either.

"Ace…Bwahahahah. I'm definitely looking forward to this."

"How foul." G muttered as he watched the man laugh about the slaughter of teens.

As everyone shifted with terror and disgust my chest suddenly constricted and I felt my flame core writhe like they had only done once before, I looked around, surprised to see nothing changing, no burning of sky flames that would signal Tsunayoshi's approach.

I closed my eyes, ignoring the surprise in my guardians, and the chatter of an impending battle.

I allowed my soul to fade out and latch onto my chosen heir. I would be in agony for a long while after this, for none of my guardians or rings were near Tsunayoshi.

But I needed to see what he was doing, why my flames called out so.

When I appeared I was shocked, my eyes widened as I took in Tsunayoshi's form, covered in grit and dirt and scorched and weak.

But his eyes, I could see his confidence there suddenly.

"Some-Somehow, just a little bit…I had a feeling like I know….what the first did with this technique."

And he didn't stop, my heir didn't back out when his tutor gave him the option. My heir worried for his guardian, for his future, for the fate of not his life but the life of his friends…

"If it comes to that…."

He stood instead, he stood and swallowed his pills and I saw the resolve there, I felt his intuition swell in a way it hadn't before. He was so close to breaking the seal which had been placed on him too young.

But he wasn't close either. He had the feeling of my technique I could see that and it was astounding because he was so young and hadn't been training for a week yet.

But he needed more.

"I will help you, Tsunayoshi. Because your resolve…I have waited for it." And I did the unthinkable, something I swore to myself on my ring and my guardians' souls I wouldn't to. I placed my resolve against Tsunayoshi's, I fed my will into him, I touched my hand to his head and hoped it was enough to give him the insight he needed to learn my technique in time.

Because even as I faded back to the battle, the strain making my knees weak and my flame flicker, I knew that something was going to happen with the cloud battle that would push my child to the brink, even with my help.

"If boss were here, that's what he'd have done!"

As the nausea from both forcing my will and separating myself from the ring core settled I smiled down at the storm child. He was trying, and I find myself much less frustrated by these attempts to bring the guardians together than before.

"Seems the storm child has at least learnt that from his boss."

Apparently G was less frustrated too.

"Yare yare, it took him long enough."

"Che, like you can talk, brat."

Lampo appeared after a while, though as he skirted around us I saw his unease, and I wasn't surprised as he faded in and out of our view. I knew he missed both Decimo and his own guardian candidate. Lampo missed the innocence of his boy and the sheer acceptance of Tsunayoshi's sky even if my candidate sometimes don't completely fulfil that role for his lightning he would in time, and while it didn't worry me at the time it should have.

Though, I suppose it had more to do with the face that I was so sure my boy would win the entire ordeal that I put the other's acceptances out of my mind; they'd all have to accept eventually anyway.

I could feel the tension in the air and I wanted to bounce on my feet as Kyouya stepped into the disgusting ring. I was looking forward to this battle most. Because everyone was sure it would go well.

So I couldn't fathom what was happening in front of us –and I could see that none of my guardians or any of Decimo or Xanxus' did rather.

It was fast and furious and I barely had a chance to regain my bearings before the cloud guardian was both downed and walked away. Kyouya stood, clicking his ring together and frowning just noticeable in both disappointment and curiosity, as if he's never heard the shriek when he downed such an opponent before.

Alaude snorted at our expressions, amused by our incredulity as if we should have known that an heir he chose should at least meet this requirement.

Though his face didn't relax as his blue eyes watched the mound of smoking metal, he was uneasy and that made me nervous.

Kyouya was Tsunayoshi's ace, his power was indescribable and I could feel his blood thirst from my position in the air. It surprised me that Alaude hadn't been affected yet, but perhaps that's the curiosity of clouds; when they find kin they are neither affected nor do they effect each other.

But it wasn't over, and I should have known.

"Until I bite you to death, monkey boss of the mountain of monkeys, I can't go home."

"The child's an idiot though, such a kit if he has yet to stifle that will to fight." Alaude sounded, not so much disappointed as reprimanding, as if his child had not quite learnt patience yet but he was still fond of him.

It was a little unnerving because I could only imagine the terror this child would cause if he were raised by my vicious cloud.

What I didn't expect was Xanxus, so cool and volatile to suddenly be on his feet, a crazy grin spreading across his face as he attacked Tsunayoshi's cloud with reckless abandon. Crazed by a good fight, yet controlled as if he expected nothing less than this.

The Varia didn't look like they expected it either.

"We have lost."

Kyouya sneered; I could see his mind whirring, eyes flickering to the Varia and their boss. I could see him trying to work out who was telling the truth, what the plan of action was.

"You're face tells a different story."

And it did, Xanxus did not look like a beaten man. He looked like a man on fire, a man with a mission. He looked possessed, but completely assured. He didn't look like a man losing at all.

"We've already lost the battle. If we get into the fight it'll be seen as mutiny against the incumbent 10th boss. They'll have our heads, along with boss'."

"If that boy keeps fighting he'll forfeit the ring he just won." Asari worried, hand on his swords and fingers tapping a nervous rhythm.

"He's an animal, but he's won. He's just trying to get rid of his tension with a worthwhile fight."

"But Xanxus is Tsunayoshi's prey." I tried to argue.

"Your boy is not here, and my boy has had his pride hit with such a useless fight." Alaude spoke smoothly, as if he were commenting on the dirt under his nails. It was frustrating; Alaude smirked when he heard my frustrated growl.

Knuckle and G had been quiet during the exchange, and when I turned to them I couldn't help but shiver. "G, Lampo, Knuckle, what has you so concerned?"

"The boss is too assured. His….guardian is downed and he risks seeming rogue if he continues to fight against the cloud boy." G started.

"Yet he looks like things are ultimately coming together." Knuckle hummed, "I don't like it. Especially when Xanxus' boys don't seem to understand what is happening either."

"He's giving me the creeps, Giotto. It's like he never intended to play fair."

"And you'd know all about that, eh, Lampo?" G scoffed, but I could hear the agreement in his tone.

"Shut up, old man. Giotto, something's going to go wrong."

Even before Lampo had let the last word roll off his tongue Kyouya was down, with blood pouring out of his leg explosions and fire met our eyes. My guardians were shouting at their heirs, egging them into moving, but they were too busy scrambling to even try to listen to our silent voices.

It was then that things started clicking into place. Xanxus wanted the looming machine to go berserk. He had planned something all along. He wanted my children gathered to destroy them. He wanted this to happen.

But it was happening too quickly, Xanxus was cackling, my guardians were growling and flailing and worried. Had it been a less dangerous situation I would have been smug.

Because my guardians, though they hid it well, really cared for and-

My eyes snapped to Chrome, the child whose fight was eye opening and concerning as she tripped and avoided the gaze of the berserk Mosca. But she could not. In the confusion and terror the two boys who stayed close were protecting her, even with their scowls and shouts of useless embarrassment, they covered her even as the Mosca fired.

Things don't slow down like they say things do during these situations.

In fact my Hyper intuition sped them up in my head, shooting fire into my body as if I could save these children.

But then it settled suddenly, purring happily in my head as fire approached from behind and I knew, in a moment, that though the danger hadn't passed and though my fear from earlier hadn't passed things at least now would settle.

My intuition was happy and lulled me forcibly. But now it told me to rest, because things would fall into place.

"That flame."

No one could deny the beauty of the flame, it was so pure and strong, though it didn't compare to my own yet.

"Boss."

And I could feel the relief suddenly, from the girl and the other guardians dotted around the ruined school. I could see their smiles, their sighs, and I could feel the tension of flames yet to ignite suddenly drop.

It made me shiver to see such faith in Tsunayoshi.

"Wao…their faith is stunning. But they relax too quickly in a hostile situation."

"Can't you give them, even one break?" I sighed.

"Not when our famiglia is at risk, Giotto." And unfortunately I couldn't help but agree with G. Because faith or not anything could happen and right now, the guardians couldn't save their boss if he were to suddenly go down.

Xanxus and Tsunayoshi were exchanging words, and I could see their flame cores pulse and touch. Neither boy knew what it meant; Xanxus was too blinded by his rage to see it and Tsunayoshi too young and untrained. But they touched, skies testing skies, and I know from experience that Xanxus' sky could not compare.

And that in part, is why I think he wants Tsunayoshi destroyed. He doesn't want to believe his work and his power and his efforts don't match up to one with Vongola blood coursing through Tsuna's veins.

He didn't want to be inferior. But only by not believing so did he become so. Vongola blood…my blood…was nothing to be proud of. My blood did not make a man any better than another. Those mafia men put me and my kin on a pedestal because they did not understand our abilities. They put My Blood on a stand and it did not wipe out the truly pathetic men out there with my blood.

"He can fly?!" I forget that this is the first time his guardians had been able to see their boss fight. It's both a blessing and a curse in a way, because though they had been faithful and trusting of their boss' ability and sure of his success, they also could not plan for contingencies.

Hopefully that faith wouldn't change now, and they wouldn't overestimate the explosion of strength they were watching now.

It was explosive and quick like Kyouya's but in a surreal kind of way. Tsunayoshi dodged and whipped, but I knew this.

Instead I turned to my guardians and watched them, finally seeing what I've been seeing, watching their minds turning over the possibility and light with hope.

I can't help but feel smug.

I knew Tsunayoshi was powerful.

I knew he would make it.

And he did, because ripping limbs from the machine before making sure it would never move again. I watch it's parts fizzle I watched the halves fall.

I knew things would work out, and to see everyone else realise that too was wonderful. Until I heard the screeching, bubbling of metal and heard the shock ringing through the arena, the guardians, and even the all mighty Reborn.

"Eh…..it's the ninth boss!"

The horror in my heir's voice, the way he seemed to crumble and the sudden expulsion of HDW had me whipping around, eyes wide before they narrowed and I snarled at the man still laughing on the edge of the arena.

And then I heard Xanxus, and I knew my eyes burned in a feral way, Alaude snarled beside me and I watched as my other three guardians grew pale.

"You've gone and killed the 9th boss."

He planned this. He planned to have his father put in harm's way, to have my heir framed, to break my boy and the faith people had in him from the inside out.

"E-Eh…I…I did…this?"

"No!" I couldn't help it. My Tsunayoshi believed this poor man's claims. This all-encompassing sky was believing the lies. This sky, my heir apparent was believing it his fault, taking the hurt of the family and accepting it.

"I won't allow you to threaten my child!"

"Ieyatsu!"

"Giotto!"

I heard them, I heard my guardians' calls, trying to appease me, but I would bet anything that my flames burned red like rage currently.

"Who is it that struck the old man down with no mercy whatsoever?"

"Who split the mosca in half with the old man inside?"

I could see Tsunayoshi, I could see the panic rise; I felt his will against the fragments of mine that I had given him. I could see the sweat on his face and the way his chest began to heave as air choked at him.

I could see my boy's mind killing itself in panic at the mere idea of hurting this old man.

He believed it!

"I….I killed the ninth."

Then, by all the stars, Nono wakes, he is bleeding and I can feel the strain in his flames. I grow to know my bearers through the years, and Nono's was one of the longest reigns I has seen beside my own. He was weak and he was tired.

But he too cared for my boy and he would not allow Tsunayoshi to hurt himself like this.

"No….the one at fault was me…"

"What did Nono do? Alaude, do you know?" Asari spun on the blonde man but he only frowned with cold eyes.

"I never heard a thing. I didn't even know the fool was in the monstrosity. If I were alive Xanxus wouldn't get out of this alive."

"We finally get to meet….young Tsunayoshi."

And how sad was it, the situation Vongola was in, that the ninth had to settle with giving a child he hadn't met –or perhaps had met before his true character could become known –the key to Vongola and its future.

What a mess my descendants had made of my family for this to happen.

"I'm sorry…all of this happened because of my own weakness…my weakness that allowed Xanxus to wake from his long sleep."

I couldn't even bring myself to listen as Reborn spun a tale of Nono's weakness and Xanxus' past. Because I couldn't bring myself to forgive the man even if his rage was caused by his father. Xanxus wasn't in the right, this could never truly be made right but Nono had lost my favour many years ago.

"Xanxus was asleep?" G muttered, "Nono put his own son into a coma because he couldn't handle him?"

"Tsunayoshi….I've always been hearing news about you …from Reborn…about the girl you like and…about your school…and your friends…you are a child with a heart that…is really mismatched for a mafia boss."

Nono had a good heart, one the closest to my own but still so far from my chosen heir that it made me angry that he dare compare himself to Tsunayoshi.

It made me furious that he would dare call my boy unsuitable for the position of my throne.

"I also know that up until now, you never once fought a battle willingly. You always have these lines between your eyebrows…fists clenched as if praying."

Especially when he knew that my boy was unsuited. Nono knew Tsunayoshi cried at these battles, that he fought against them, that he was plagued by guilt and fury and terror for his friends.

Yet still he sent my boy into the fray.

"When did we fall, Giotto?"

"Where did our famiglia go, Ieyatsu?"

"When did you let us become so dark, these are ultimately children and your ninth is letting a child take his place."

"I thought you said you wouldn't let this happen?"

"It seems both my CEDEF and your family have fallen, Giotto."

And I snapped, I snapped and I seethed and I roared.

"And all that is why I chose you to be the 10th boss of the Vongola."

"I became dark when I put my ideals behind me, when I gave up all to protect my family. We became dark when we toyed with the mafia and thought we could win! I became dark when I let these monsters twist my famiglia to the point that they let a boy take my throne!"

I was heaving and my flames were flickering so erratically I felt like I would freeze myself. I could feel my chest constrict as my friends stared.

I wanted to spit at them. They should have seen it, seen just how torn I was by this.

I want to believe in Tsunayoshi, the boy looks more like my son than any of my own blood. I want to believe in my famiglia.

But he is a boy, a child of a different era, an innocent with naivety bleeding from his soul. How can I believe that anything will come of his reign?

How can I want for his tainting? For that is all that will come out of this if he tries to bring back my Vongola.

I watch detached as Nono lights a flame and presses it to Tsunayoshi's head, I feel the click as the seals and restraints on his dying will were released. Nono put those bonds on Tsunayoshi and I feel almost disgusted, as if Nono believes this will forgive him for putting them on the child in the first place and for thinking he could impose this life on a mafia-less child.

With the flame of official inheritance lit my mind is pulled into Tsuna's memory and I can see the moment Nono decided that Tsuna has a chance. He was sitting in the humble house with Tsuna in his lap and warmth of kin-like flames around him.

Vongola's situation or not, Nono had chosen Tsuna for all the right reasons.

Despite this….

"I still cannot forgive him for doing this to my child."

And not one of my guardians argued with me as they watched the interactions.

"How dare you kill the 9th boss!"

But there is one who I wish to harm more.

"I will kill you as Vengeance."

"Does he think that the Vongola are so foolish?" I could see G's patience wavering, I could see him itching to fight.

How quickly we've forgotten, we have no physical bodies left.

"That man deserves to be arrested and not allowed to see the light of day again. He not only threatens minors but our famiglia with his sly and cowardly acts."

"Yare yare, I've never liked bullies."

"May god forgive where men cannot."

Though I grinned, happy to see my friends agreeing again, I couldn't help but take a moment to really listen. This, I believe, was the first time my guardians had actually agreed, had actually united as one in their believe of Xanxus' unsuitability for Decimo position.

No, they had not accepted my heir yet. No they hadn't seen Tsunayoshi as Decimo or seen why I saw him fit.

But they saw Xanxus as unfit.

And that was a step I was sure we would never reach. Not together.

"I've lost my patience." And seeing everyone flinch back was more satisfying than I will admit.

"Fucking finally," though G didn't feel those sentiments.

"But….I will honour my promise to the ninth and will not interfere with my student's battles."

And I could feel it, all eyes turned to my heir as he stood with legs no longer shaking, no longer worried. No, I felt his core resonate with mine; I felt his flame call to mine.

If there were doubt before, it is gone now. He is of my blood and brood. And a strong thrum rumbles in my chest, one that has me wishing I was alive and could wrap him in my famiglia values.

It had been jittering because Tsuna had finally felt the strings in a boss' chest that had him instinctively protecting him and his.

"Xanxus…I will take that ring back. You will not succeed the ninth."

"Looks like things are ULTIMATELY getting exciting."

"The children are coming into their own."

"Fucking finally…." And then there was silence and a laugh.

"I haven't seen you looking so good in a while, Primo."

And I could only grin, because finally, finally I was about to see something my flame core had been waiting for. My actual heir was making his stand.

Despite the hurt I had subjected myself to before, despite the sting the truth that my family would never be itself again left on my tongue I couldn't help it.

I couldn't help but hope as I watched Tsuna stare down Xanxus with eyes void of dying will –therefore completely strangled by his fears and inhibitions- because despite everything they held a fire so furious and resolved that I could see the future in them.

So it is with great horror that I realise that this chapter has a major jump in writing style than the last, and I am not sure it is a good jump nor an understandable jump. I wanted to give you something worthy of the wait and I can only await any reviews you leave to see if this is a good change, if you notice a change, or if you can even forgive me for taking so long.

To those who reviewed, thank you so much, I appreciate it so much and if I didn't reply I am so sorry, I was trying to catch up with everything so some things slipped though.

Anon Review corner:

mar9893 (Guest) : As you can see I have most certainly not discontinued this story, there isn't a single story I have discontinued. Yes I take such a long time that I feel so sorry for any reader, but they are my babies and I cannot give them up.

T-thank you for your kind words, I am so glad you enjoy my writing, as you can see, here is a chapter. I hope you enjoyed. Thank you for reviewing.

Thank you, merci beaucoup, Danke.

I love you all, thank you.

~~Bleach-ed-Na-tsu :3