So it seems that things are getting more interesting and more extreme. Lovely. I tried to make this chapter not have so much filler in it... I fricking hate fillers. Anyway, I hope you guys have been enjoying my story so far.

Here is chapter eight. Enjoy!

I do not own any of Katekyo Hitman Reborn. All rights go to Akira Amano, except for the characters I have created.

[3rd Person Omniscient]

"... He really did it..." Gokudera and Tsuna were equally confused as to why Mukuro shot himself.

"He probably thought that he would rather die than be captured," Reborn thought out loud.

"How depressing..."

Seconds later, Bianchi woke up from her unconscious state.

"Finally," Bianchi said as she sat up, "We've defeated Mukuro."

"Aneki!" Gokudera was surprised to see that his sister was alright, but was happy about it none the less.

"Thank goodness Bianchi has regained consciousness," Tsuna headed over to her.

"Hayato, lend a hand to your sister, won't you...?" She pleaded.

Tsuna seemed to sense that there was something off about her, but didn't know what.

"Do I have to? Just... Just for today, alright?" Gokudera placed Kuroi down, whom he had been holding on behalf of Hibari, and reluctantly walked over to Bianchi to assist her.

"No, Gokudera! Don't go closer!" Tsuna shouted at him out of impulse and was perplexed as to why he said it.

"What's wrong? Won't you lend me a hand, too...?" She asked innocently.

Gokudera got close enough to her to help her up.

"Sorry about this, Hayato," Bianchi said with a creepy smile.

"Alright, give me your hand," He reached down with his hand for her to grab onto to hoist herself up.

"Okay."

[3rd Person Limited: Kuroi]

Kuroi could feel her tampered thoughts escaping from her mind, and that set her at ease. She was able to think more clear. She was happy that she was even aloud to think at all. Her time with Mukuro was unpleasant and threatening to her body, her mind and her friends.

However, she could never fully escape him; memories and visions will plague her for a long while.

Just as her mind had calmed down, she felt an odd disturbance. She felt as if there was something evil still present in the area. Kuroi felt this way before whenever she'd wait for Mukuro and, before he'd even enter the building, she could sense his presence. This feeling she felt now... Was all too familiar...

"... Alright, give me your hand," She could hear Gokudera approach Bianchi.

"Ok."

Kuroi instantly shot her eyes open.

"NO, DON'T!" She shouted as she sat up to face the remaining conscious people.

"Huh? Ah! Sora-chan! You're awake!" Tsuna was ecstatic that she was fine.

Kuroi witnessed Bianchi nearly slice her brother's face with the end of Mukuro's trident. Just the sight of Mukuro's weapon, made her head hurt.

"What are you doing!?" Gokudera exclaimed.

"Bianchi!?" Tsuna questioned her actions.

Bianchi went into an act of innocence. When Reborn tried to snap her out of it, she attacked him, as well.

Kuroi knew it wasn't Bianchi at all. Her appearance was just a hoax, concealing what was trully beneath it.

"Get away ... From her!" Kuroi warned as she dizzily stood up, "She's being ... Controlled!"

Kuroi was having a hard time thinking, seeing, and moving because of how nauseous she was. As soon as she got up, she fell forward on her knees, her head swaying as she sat there.

"Sora-chan! Are you alright!?" Tsuna ran up to her.

"Keep her away from Bianchi..." Reborn commanded.

"Could it be... Mind control!?" Gokudera was still sitting on the floor from when she attacked him.

"No, it's different. It looks like she's being possessed by something," He paraphrased.

"It's... Uuunn... Him," Kuroi said with disgust emanating from the sound of her voice when she spoke.

"... It can't be... Rokudo... Mukuro...?" Tsuna guessed at what might be possessing Bianchi.

"Kufufu~," She laughed, "So, we meet again."

Bianchi held her head up to reveal a red eye with a symbol in it replacing her own.

"It's him!"

"It's a curse!"

"That's impossible. It shouldn't exist..." Reborn thought out loud to himself.

Kuroi immediately got up, and backed away. She wasn't afraid, but she was in no condition to fight him. Besides, the closer she got to him, the more pain in the back of her skull would emerge. Either way, she couldn't nor wouldn't go near the devilish being.

Kuroi looked at her surroundings and saw Hibari unconscious, dirtied, beaten up and bleeding on the floor. Her eyes went wide and she ran over to him, swaying as she did so and trying her best not to fall.

"Hibari!" She rushed his name.

She walked like a drunk man as she hurried over to him. When Kuroi finally reached him, she collapsed next to his side. Kuroi pushed at his shoulder closest to her and quietly, yet urgently, said his name.

"Hibari!... Hibari, wake up! ... Please? ..." She continued to push him, but she received no response.

She leaned over him and rested the side of her head down on his shoulderblade, tears lightly streamed down her face. She remembered what she said to him. The awful things she said. And yet, he still saved her from her own mind.

"Hibari... I'm.. Sorry... I'm sorry, Hibari..." She faintly said to him.

She stared at his features for a bit and looked over his face. She took in every scratch, bruise, cut and blood stain. She slowly rose her hand and gently touched his bangs that hung in his face. Kuroi softly and slowly ruffled his hair and cried salty tears.

She stayed locked and fixated on him so much and for so long, she forgot about Mukuro and the others. Kuroi lost track of time and any action taking place. She didn't care, though, she just wanted to stay with Hibari. She repented for what she did. Kuroi wanted to atone for her past actions, so she waited for him to wake up.

Then, she felt the same presence as before again. Kuroi looked up and saw Bianchi standing in front of her with the end of the trident in her hand.

"Mukuro..." Kuroi was not ecstatic to see him in Bianchi's body.

"Hello my dear, Kuroi-chan," Bianchi smiled.

"Leave him alone!" Kuroi unsteadily got in between Bianchi and Hibari.

Bianchi took a step closer to her. Kuroi took a step back and fell backwards, next to Hibari. As Bianchi got closer, Kuroi became defensive and covered Hibari with her body to protect him.

"Kufufu~ it's useless," Bianchi picked Kuroi up by her hair and held the trident up to her neck.

"No! Stop! Leave her alone!" Tsuna pleaded.

"Kufufu~ she's useless to me anyway," Bianchi threw her to the side, "Besides, she was too much of hassle to even control her mind."

She walked over to Hibari and with the trident in her hands, she swiped it across his face.

"Hibari!" Kuroi shouted

Bianchi fell to the floor and Hibari stood up.

"No..." Kuroi was horrified to see Mukuro possess his body.

"No way...! He's gotten into Hibari-san, too!" Tsuna was frightened.

Hibari charged at Tsuna and hit him in the face with his tonfas. However, after he hit him, Hibari collapsed to the floor.

"Hibari...?" Kuroi took a few steps forward.

"Oya~? This body can't be used anymore. He could actually fight like this. What a frightening man, Hibari Kyoya," He said as he tried to stand back up, but the body fell back down to the floor.

"Ah! Mukuro's disappeared from him...!"

"Hibari!" Kuroi tried to run to him, tripping and stumbling as she did so.

She sat down next to him and hugged him tightly. Kuroi didn't want him to be continuously hurt by Mukuro. She wanted to protect him at all costs. She kept her eyes tightly shut and only thought about Hibari. She thought about the fun times they've had together, well, fun for her. She remembered how short of a time she's known him and how fast she's grown so attached to him. She's never really had a friend like him before. Even though he may not consider her a friend, she still believes he is one to her.

Kuroi could hear shouting and explosions, but she didn't care. She didn't want to see anymore horrific sites. She just wanted to go home.

Then, a flash of green caused Kuroi to wake up out of her daydream. She looked around and saw odd, thin, green, tentacle-like things extending from the center of a giant green orb that suspiciously resembled Leon.

She looked at the people around her. It seems that Mukuro was able to possess not only Bianchi, but Gokudera, Ken and Chikusa as well. The four of them were tearing apart the green tentacles that touched every inch of the room.

Just as they finished, two gloves shot out from Leon and landed on Tsuna's face.

"These are... Woolen gloves!? Why!?" Tsuna thought they were of no use.

"Just put them on," Reborn ordered him.

Tsuna put the gloves on just as Ken was about to strike him with the trident. Tsuna rose his hand in defense, causing Ken to hit the glove instead. Tsuna was pushed back a bit, but he was fine. He took off the glove and a bullet fell out of it.

"A bullet!?" He said in surprise.

Reborn took the bullet from Tsuna.

"I've never seen this bullet before," He said, "We'll just have to shoot it and see what happens."

"I won't let you!" Gokudera shouted as he threw bombs at Tsuna.

"Tsuna!" Kuroi screamed.

Kuroi instantly drowned out all noise and focused on Tsuna. She concentrated on finding out if he was really breathing. She didn't pay attention to Mukuro.

Then, Chikusa started heading over to him. He rose the trident and struck down.

However, Tsuna awakened and grabbed the trident just before it hit him. His gloves started glowing and then suddenly turned into thick, metal gloves with an "X" on them.

"Mukuro... If I don't defeat you... Even if I'm dying, I won't give up!"

Tsuna's forehead lit up with an orange flame and his eyes turned into a bright, orange color.

"Tsuna...?" Kuroi was puzzled and called out his name out of shock.

His demeanor was so different from before. He was no longer afraid of Mukuro; he did not run away, his expression was fearless and his pose showed no signs of fleeing.

"I see... You were hit by the special bullet, after all," Chickusa said, "But, you seemed a lot more fired up in the fight with Lancia earlier..."

"The Rebuke bullet brings out the calm fighting will in Tsuna," Reborn explained, "It's a completely new bullet- different from the Dying Will Bullet- with a totally new hidden power."

"Pfft. All I see is a person who's lost his fighting will or a spirit which has sunk into despair. Either way, you're no match for my skills."

While Chikusa was rambling on, Kuroi noticed that Ken was sneaking up behind Tsuna. When she was about to call him out, Ken lunged for him. However, Tsuna halted the attack by grabbing his face and then elbowing him.

"This is an illusion," Tsuna said as he stood in place.

Kuroi didn't understand what he was talking about; she didn't see anything but him standing there.

Then she remembered Mukuro talking to her about illusions when she went to save Hibari and when she first met Mukuro. He tolled her that she could already see through his illusions, so he wouldn't try them on her... So does that mean that she can't see illusions...?

Kuroi's mind was starting to hurt from confusion.

She looked up and saw Bianchi and Gokudera beating Tsuna, whom of which seemed to be taking the punches and not fighting back.

Kuroi wanted to get up to go help Tsuna, but she knew she couldn't fight. Besides, she didn't want to leave Hibari, either. When she looked back up, she saw he had stunned their bodies, and sat them down gently on the ground.

Tsuna looked toward the side, "Show yourself, Mukuro. You're still alive, aren't you?"

"Kufufu~"

Kuroi's head started to hurt in agonizing pain, and she fell into Hibari's back. She clutched at his shirt and mumbled small screams.

She looked over at Mukuro and saw odd veins on one side of his body while the other side was covered in blood. A murderous aura surrounded him.

She buried her face back into Hibari's shirt and screamed louder. His presence was destroying her mind.

Kuroi could hear the fighting going on between them. She could hear Mukuro boasting and Tsuna's shouts of pain. When she was able to glance at them, Tsuna was launched at the wall. He seemed alright, though, since he got back up.

"If that was the extent of your power, I am very disappointed," Tsuna touched his gloves to his head where the flame burned.

The gloves caught the flame and burned the same color as the flame on his forehead.

Mukuro ran to attack him. He swing his trident's staff downward on him, but Tsuna caught it and melted the metal.

The two continued in combat. Tsuna swerved around him with lightning speed to hit him from behind. Mukuro was able to block the attack at the last possible second.

"Are you done warming up?" Tsuna asked calm and collectively.

"Kufu~... Kuahahahaha!" Mukuro seemed delighted, "All of this is just a miscalculation. If I can get your body, I won't even need to gather resources to cause a conflict within the mafia because I can barge directly into the family. I would have used my dear Kuroi-chan to help spark a fire in the mafia, but she is too strong willed to give up her mind and it's too much of a hassle to keep control of her's. But, she could still be an asset..."

"So your goal is to create a conflict within the mafia?" Reborn asked him.

"Kufufu~ No. I'm not petty like that," He smiled, "I plan to possess the VIPs from all over the world soon. Then, I'll control them and change this ugly world into a beautiful sea of blood. A World War... Does that sound too fake? But the first has got to be the mafia... The annihilation of the mafia."

"Mon...ster..." Kuroi choked out.

Mukuro looked at her and she flinched.

"I'm not a monster, my dear Kuroi-chan; I am a savior," He smiled maliciously.

"Why are you so fixated on the mafia?" Reborn asked him.

"I really don't plan on talking any further..."

Kuroi could tell he was going to use another illusion on Tsuna, however she only saw rocks heading his way.

"Another illusion."

*BAM*

The rocks that he threw hit him.

"Don't underestimate illusions, Dame~ Tsuna. He hid stones in it," Reborn chided.

"Got it..." Tsuna said as he held his head in pain.

Mukuro came charging in with his staff. The two of them exchanged in such fast combat, Kuroi was getting dizzy again from just watching it. Then, Tsuna punched Mukuro in the face, knocking him down to the ground, creating a gigantic crater in the floor.

"Kufufufu~ so this is the Tenth Vongola. The man who defeated me," Mukuro stated hoarsely.

Kuroi thought that there was something odd about him. He seemed he was up to something...

"Kill me. If I were to be caught by you mafia, I'd rather die."

"... I can't do that..." Tsuna turned away.

"Tsuna! Look out!" Kuroi called.

Immediately after Tsuna turned, Mukuro got up and restrained his arms. She knew he was up to something. He was faking his injury.

As Mukuro held Tsuna's arms, he continuously beat him. When he was done with his fun, he kicked him toward the trident that was wedged between a crack in the wall.

"Kufufufu~... There's no way you can defend yourself in mid-air. You'll die because of that ridiculous kindness of your's."

"Go, Tsuna. Show him the power of the X-Gloves, now!" Reborn enthused.

Tsuna's gloves produced a huge flame. He positioned his gloves behind him so that the force of the flame would hover him over the trident so that he would not hit it. With the power of the flame, he launched himself at Mukuro. He grabbed his face and pushed him into the floor, knocking Mukuro out doing so.

"No... Way..." Kuroi was estonished at what she saw, "So strong..."

"Mukuro's dark aura has been purified by the Dying Will Flame," Reborn explained, "It's over."

"Yeah..." Tsuna's flame went out and his eyes went back to normal, "He's not dead, right!?"

"Don't go any closer!"

Kuroi averted her attention to the familiar voice. It was Ken. Him and Chikusa were crawling in Tsuna's direction.

"You mafia, don't touch Mukuro-san!" He continued to shout.

"Why... Why do you do so much for Mukuro? After all he's done to you. He's possessed you and used you..." Tsuna was horrified that the two were still sticking with Mukuro after what he did to them.

"Don't speak as if you know anything..." Chickusa said.

"For us, this is nothing- byon," Ken explained, "Compared to our suffering back then."

"What happened?" Kuroi was serious and wanted to know.

"We were guinea pigs for human testing by our own family," He said with disgust.

Ken explained what the Estraneo Family, the family they were once apart of, did to them. They preformed experiments on them to create a special weapon that no one in the world has invented yet. All of what the family did was to get their fallen glory back. Ken explained that Mukuro saved them from that miserable life and gave them a chance to live.

"We can't have you destroy that!" Ken concluded.

Suddenly, the doors to the Cinema Room flung open.

"Who are they...?" Kuroi asked out of suspicion.

"The medical staff, I presume," Reborn answered

Chains lashed out from the figures in the doorway and locked around Ken's, Chikusa's and Mukuro's necks. Tall figures dragged their bodies closer to them. They were all wearing black and had white bandages covering their faces.

"What a quick appearance," Reborn stated nonchalantly, "Vindice."

"What are the Vindice?" Tsuna asked him.

"They are the enforcer of the commandments in the mafia world and they trial those who cannot be trailed by law."

"What're you doing!?" Kuroi asked them.

"Don't try to stop them. It will be troublesome to get involved with them... Just leave them alone."

"What will happen to those three?" Tsuna wondered.

"Their crime will be put on trial and they'll be punished."

"What kind of punishment?" Kuroi asked.

"Who knows? But it won't be light..."

People dressed in white doctor's outfits came in with gurneys.

"The medical team has finally arrived," Reborn stated.

A few people came up to Kuroi, causing her to go into a defensive position over Hibari.

"Are you hurt, Miss?" One of them asked.

She felt relieved to see them. To see someone help them. Kuroi was so relieved, her mind went at ease. So much as to shut down her thoughts. With that done, she rested her head on Hibari's shoulderblade and fell unconscious...

[3rd Person Omniscient]

"Reborn... I still don't understand..." Tsuna looked over at Kuroi, "... What was that flame we saw earlier? ... And her Ring, what is it? Why did Mukuro want her in the first place, and what-... What is her power...?"

"... That flame you saw earlier is similar to the Dying Will Flame... It has the same purpose, but for a different reason. And as I've said before, it is called the Hell Flame, but is also known as... the Black Sky Flame. There is a reason as to why she possesses such a flame and such a ring, but you are too young and underdeveloped to understand..."

"But... Reborn?"

"Don't worry, it'll all make sense soon."

[END OF KOKUYOU ARC]

Yyyaaayyyy! I finally finished the Kokuyou Arc. I think I'm gonna write some happy chapters until we kick into the next Arc.

And, yes, I will do more Hibari & Kuroi relationship development, don't worry.

Let me know what you think in a review and tell me your favorite part and (or) quote.

Until next time, I will see you in the next update.

POOF!