Tsukiyo was holding the metallic staff Lal Milch gave her, and at the moment, her tutor was watching with her arms crossed. She was waiting for Tsukiyo to do the test she was talking about.
Tsukiyo took a deep breath. Concentrate. Think of my own resolve. Concentrate. Vent it on the staff… Now!
Lal Milch thought she couldn't do it but she was surprised by the sudden expenditure of black flames from Tsukiyo. Her flames had melted the staff. That staff should not thaw even at an intense flame. That staff was specialized by the Vongola Family as Iemitsu ordered. It was supposed to be fire-retardant that it can even stand a Vongola Flame but as she remembered, Tsukiyo's flame was altered by the Estraneo. She felt a little disgusted but she managed to threw it away. Iemitsu must have really planned to give that staff to Tsukiyo as a weapon but now it's gone.
Only a true intense flame with a reciprocated resolve would have done that. Really, Tsukiyo and Tsunayoshi were always surprising her.
Tsukiyo, on the other hand, was expecting one immense whack from her tutor but nothing came.
"Tsukiyo, what's your resolve?" She heard her asked instead.
Tsukiyo hesitated to answer. If she answered, it would show that her acts were a sham. She felt uncomfortable. It all contradicted her first so-thought resolve. She gazed at her tutor and the kid-woman was waiting impatiently for her answer.
"R-revenge," she said, closing her eyes. She just hoped Lal Milch would let her answer pass.
"You wanted revenge that bad, huh, Tsukiyo?" Lal Milch said emphasizing the very word of her resolve, as if mocking her. But somehow, there was not a tone of dissatisfaction from her. "That's something for a determination," she said, and Tsukiyo heard laughter from her. "We're almost the same, Tsukiyo. Almost the same," she commented and gazed at her, halting from her hilarity.
"You can never lie from a tutor."
Tsukiyo just blinked at her. "You know?"
"Of course, I do. But that isn't my business anymore. Well then, let's continue with your training."
"Yes sir, I mean ma'am!" She stood up attentively like a soldier would do. She could give her a salute if the kid-woman wanted to.
"At least you know now how to summon your flames but still you can't control them. You failed the first challenge I ever gave you."
Tsukiyo didn't respond.
"Tsukiyo, I might as well give up on you." That statement even weighed her being. She can't help but look at Lal Milch with a cheerless mood.
"Don't get me wrong. I know someone who can be more of a help to you. It's not me you needed, Tsukiyo," she continued, making Tsukiyo baffled. After minutes of complete silence, Lal Milch suggested they go back to Varia Headquarters. Tsukiyo asked if Lal Milch would want to have a lift on her shoulders but the latter refused. Their journey back to the quarters was silent but that meant nothing.
She already took his step inside Varia's grounds after watching Lal Milch set off to the Vongola Mansion. She traced her steps to the kitchen, where Lussuria always was but she halted in front Xanxus' room. She wanted to talk to him but she had nothing to say to him at all. She sighed. If Fiamma didn't die…
_._._._._._._._._._
After the travel from the Varia Headquarters, Lal Milch met up with Timoteo the minute she stepped into the Vongola Mansion.
"Ninth, I guess it would be better for Tsukiyo to learn from that guy," she suggested to him. It might be an absurd proposition but if it was Tsukiyo they were talking about, things will turn out properly.
He sighed. "Birds of the same feather flock together. That's what the old saying says, and unfortunately, no matter how old it has been, it's always right," Timoteo said, resting his chin on the back of his palm. His elbows were resting on his mahogany table. "However there's always another side of that story. Disloyalty will always interfere with bonds created. That is why transcending others is inevitable. We don't know what the both of them are capable of doing, Lal Milch. We're risking the safety of Vongola."
"It's a cruel situation for such a young kid like Tsukiyo, however, I take her father's word. I can see her bizarre adaptability at its best. She can deal with Byakuran. Besides, if both of them will impose problem we will have no choice but kill them both," Lal Milch spoke.
Timoteo sighed upon hearing the name. Yes, they were supposed to seal Byakuran's memories but they did not. What they just have to prevent was his earthly ambition of ruling the world. Byakuran's compliance with the Vongola showed he was disinterested with his past obsessive goal thus, making him a present collaborator of Vongola. And the Millefiore will never be established again. At least, that's what they see in the present Byakuran.
"I'm leaving her training to you, Lal Milch. Do what you think might be best for her. Be it having Byakuran as his mentor," Timoteo said, voicing out his decision. He hadn't completely trusted Byakuran yet but he had the same flame type with Tsukiyo. With him, Tsukiyo might learn a number of techniques. He might understand Tsukiyo the best. Or yet, if Tsukiyo's memories from the future had taken into her, they'll never know what she was capable of, or what might happen.
They need to get moving. They really need to find out why Tsukiyo betrayed the Vongola. If it's true that Tsukiyo was innocent, who then might have pushed her to kill Tsuna? Or was it another person?