Disclaimer: KHR's not mine.
"It's already been eight years, huh?" A 23-year old raven said to the silver-haired man next to him as they walked out of the airport.
The emerald-eyed man just scowled at him and said, "Don't go wandering off into memory lane so early in the morning. We have something to do, that's why we're here, not for him."
The raven just chuckled awkwardly at his companion's statement before letting a sullen smile stretch across the expanse of his face. "I know that. I know that, but..." He trailed off.
"We have to meet up with the others, let's get going." The older man said tersely, not letting the 23-year old finish his thought. Understanding that the silverette didn't want to mention him again, the raven just let a sad, soft smile linger on his face before it disappeared completely, replaced by a totally blank face. He can't afford to let himself get lost in those memories just because he's in Japan once again. He has a job to do.
"Yeah, Hibari won't be happy if we're late again." Was said by the empty eyed raven as the pair walked towards a prepared car that will drive them to their destination.
"They're late." Growled a certain ex-prefect as he paced their base of operations in Japan. There were few others in the same room as he was, for they were scared away by the man's foul mood. Only three stayed and those people included two pineapple heads and a usually loud boxer. Currently the two pineapple heads, Chrome Dokuro and Mukuro Rokudo, were conversing quietly in one corner while Hibari Kyouya continued to fume at the late pair that they were waiting for. Over the years, as the group worked together, Hibari had grown used to the tendencies of his comrades.(Though he won't admit that aloud.) So he has tempered down quite a bit, and isn't as brash about things but he's still eager to fight carnivores, strong people. Right now though he was going to bite the two late herbivores to death. He wanted to get this job done as soon as possible and leave Japan. He knows that the others feel the same too since the blue pineapple isn't trying to pick a fight with him and the loud boxer is unusually quiet, just standing on the side, looking to be in deep thought.
Sasagawa Ryohei was a man of his words and would do what he vowed till the end, but it was what he didn't do eight years ago that caused him to mellow down. Now, even though he's still as loud as always, he's more decisive about things and actually listens to what others have to say. He's also become more understanding about things and prays a lot now, despite the kind of work he does. He wants to repent for his sins from eight years ago, he wants to make it up to him. But the things that he does speaks differently about him actually having changed. Except what he does for a living may really be a way for himself to atone for his sins because what he does haunts him day and night. It may be a selfish way to relieve his built up guilt by torturing himself, but it works so he accepts it.
"Sasagawa Ryohei." The pacing raven growled, startling the white-haired 23-year old out of his thoughts.
"Oh. It's just you Hibari, what's up?" Ryohei said like he just noticed Hibari, which he probably just did. Although Ryohei has changed over the years, his attention span and one tracked thought still hasn't changed, which causes his friends major headaches sometimes.
"Go find the late herbivores and bring them here. They should've already been here two hours ago." Snapped Hibari, impatient with the slow pace of everything. If those tardy herbivores would just get here faster then they could discuss the plans on how to capture the enemies and divide the work. After finishing with that they would only have to stay for about two or three more weeks before they could leave because they would only have to do the clean up and see if they missed anything. They usually would leave the clean up to the lower subordinates, but this was Japan, the place where he lived. They would want to make sure that there's no evidence of them there at all.
"Oya oya. It seems like a little bird can't keep its head cool. If you want to have this finished faster then you shouldn't be so agitated, Hi-ba-ri." Taunted Mukuro as he too joined the conversation.
"What was that, pineapple head?" Hibari asked the illusionist condescendingly while only tilting his head a little to the sideways to glance at the identified man.
Seeing that the tactic of taunting the skylark by calling him pet names don't work anymore, Mukuro decided to try to go for another route. "I'm saying that you shouldn't be that hot-headed will cause you to stay here longer and you might see him and-"
"Mukuro-sama!" Chrome shouted before the older man could continue any further. He should know that he is a sore topic for all of them and shouldn't be mentioned like that so lightly nor should it be used to jeer others. Mukuro himself should know that since he took part in what happened eight years ago.
"Nagi..." Mukuro started, seeing what he did. "I'm sorry." Chrome nodded at that but there were still tears welling up in her single amethyst eye.
Mukuro felt shameful for what he did there. He just felt stressed about everything and here he is, back in Japan, after eight years have passed, from that. He needed an outlet for all the anxiousness and fear that he feels. He's anxious that he might meet him again, but at the same time he fears their possible reunion. What he -they- did eight years ago is unforgivable, still... They were afraid and now they might be able to see what has become of him, the forsaken one. Mukuro was afflicted, he needed to relieve at least a little of his bruden and Hibari produced a perfect opportunity to let out some steam so Mukuro just pounced upon the chance without thought. He could now see the stiff shoulders of everyone in the room and their strained expressions.
So to ease the tension in the room Ryohei asked, "Chrome, what were you and Mukuro talking about over there in the corner?" Hibari raised an eyebrow at that, he thought that the loud herbivore was so deep in thought that he didn't even take note of his surroundings. Seems like it isn't only illusionists who could mask their thoughts, even idiots can, Hibari guessed.
"O-oh, u-um. W-we were discussing about putting illusions on all of us so no one would recognize us a-and some other things..." Chrome stuttered and trailed off, embarrassed with everyone's attention on her even after working with them for so many years. But it's mostly because her Mukuro-sama did most of the talking.
She was suddenly saved from the awkward silence when one of their subordinates came in and reported that the two they were waiting for finally arrived. Hearing the news, Hibari smirked, concocting a plan to punish the late herbivores. All the while Ryohei smiled uneasily, afraid for his friends' lives, and Chrome just sweat dropped. Mukuro just kept a devious smirk plastered onto his face all throughout that chain of events.
As the last of their group members entered the room, Ryohei and Chrome ran to the farthest corner of the room to refrain from interfering the oncoming fight and to not get caught in the crossfire. Mukuro brought his trident out so he too could fight and Hibari slid his tonfas out of his hiding place and readied them in his hands.
This was the scene that greeted one Yamamoto Takeshi and Gokudera Hayato when they entered the room. They were bewildered, but quickly grasped onto their surroundings and brought out their own weapons. Yamamoto wielded a sword he inherited from his father, Shigure Kintoki, while Gokudera held dynamites that he hid all over his body, hence his name as Smokin' Bomb Hayato. As the fight was about to commence a booming voice was heard on the speakers.
"STOP THIS FIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Almost everyone in the sparsely furnished room covered their ears, excluding a pineapple and skylark, when they heard the loud voice of their weapon craftsman. Then a hologram of Talbot, their craftsman, appeared on the wall.
"What did I tell you brats? Stop with these nonsensical fights or else even I won't be able to fix your damn weapons with its damages." Talbot said in a scratchy voice. Immediately everyone put their weapons away. Their last experience with Talbot and their weapons wasn't exactly, um, pleasant.
"What do you want, old man?" Hibari asked rudely while the others gave their own form of greetings.
"Yo, how are you doing Talbot?" Ryohei asked.
"Hey, Talbot." Yamamoto greeted with fake cheerfulness.
"Che, old creep." Gokudera growled out.
"Kufufu, what brings us the pleasure of your holy presence, our great craftsman?" Mukuro spoke sarcastically.
"H-hi, Talbot." Chrome said timidly.
"I'm fine, Ryohei. Good evening to you Yamamoto, Chrome." Talbot greeted back, inclining his head as well. Then he turned to the ones who gave him barbarous greetings. "I was just planning to tell you that the new weapons were developed and that Spanner was going to bring it over to you, but what I heard were your childish squabbles when I got connected over."
"When will they arrive?" Hibari asked, curious as to what their new weapons are.
"Impatient child, they will be there in a few days, a week and a half at most." Talbot answered.
"Hn." Was all Hibari had to say before Talbot understood the dismissal and turned to the others to say his goodbyes.
After the hologram dispersed, Ryohei suggested that they go to bed for the day since it was almost ten o' clock and they still needed to rest because of the jet lag. They could discuss their plans tomorrow. Still, Hibari was dissatisfied and wanted to at least bite the late herbivores. Just because of the two he will have to spend more time in Japan, not something that he wanted even though his precious Namimori was there too. But before he could even move towards the pair, all ready to fight with his brandished weapons, he was stopped by the loud boxing herbivore.
"Cool your head off, Hibari. We can't have you so violent, unless you want to spend more time in Japan." Hibari didn't want to follow what that loud herbivore said, but he knew what he said was sensible. So Hibari put his tonfas away and stood there stoically, looking blankly at the late pair. He then turned on his heels and left the room, thinking of a way he could punish them tomorrow.
Chrome and Mukuro decided to just head for bed, it was a long day and another one would be waiting for them tomorrow. But first, they need to meet some old acquaintances tomorrow morning. The trio that were left in the room had nothing to say to each other for they were each deep in their own thoughts. Finally, Ryohei started to question the pair's whereabouts and why it took them so long to get to their base.
"Well, we were sort of attacked while coming here." Yamamoto said with a grin that didn't reach his eyes. The other two in the room noticed this but didn't comment on it because it's been like this for the past eight years and it's not like they could've even done anything about it. It was because of their decision back then that caused this suffering of theirs. They deserved every little bit of it.
"Who were the people who attacked you?" Ryohei asked, wondering why someone would even go against them at all. Sure, their group usually worked in foreign countries but they should be famous, and dangerous, enough that even yakuza in Japan should've heard about their organization.
Gokudera stiffened when that question came out of Ryohei's mouth, it looks like he knew something about the people who attacked them. Though, he seems reluctant in sharing that information.
"Not sure, but they had this insignia imprinted on their clothes. A clam with wings on top of two crossed guns and under that was a bullet in the middle of a shield. Under that there was the word 'Vongola'." Yamamoto said in an almost childish way.
When that description came out of Yamamoto's mouth Ryohei became dumbfounded. Okay, he knew that Yamamoto was sometimes oblivious to things but he should at least know that the Vongola was one of the strongest mafia families out there. No wonder Gokudera didn't want to say anything. If those people who attacked them were imposters and they went and challenged the Vongola they might very well die. It's not like their organization is weak, not at all for that matter. But the Vongola is big and has many more resources than them. They could just crush them like an ant. Ryohei told Yamamoto to withhold this information. He then shared a glance with Gokudera and he received a nod in return. They will have to investigate more into this before they actually do anything.
Meanwhile...
"I will definitely crush them! How dare they come back after all these years!" A brunet with fiery orange eyes growled out while he stabbed the whole stack of pictures of Gokudera Hayato, Yamamoto Takeshi, Sasagawa Ryohei, Hibari Kyouya, Rokudo Mukuro, and Chrome Dokuro.