"Go-Gokudera...what...what have you done?"
Tsuna stared in shock down at the charred remains of a body lying at his right-hand-man's feet. The corpse was mangled beyond recognition, however Tsuna swore he could see half of a middle school crest on a burt piece of material. Above it, the silver-haired man stood with grim resolve etched into every crease on his face.
"It was necessary, Juudaime," the practical tone of Gokudera's voice sent cold shivers down Tsuna's spine. Who was this person? His face looked familiar but those eyes...they had changed.
"Necessary?" Tsuna echoed in a hollow voice.
"It was an assassin sent from an enemy family. He had been trailing you for a few days and waiting until you were alone to attack. I caught on early and-"
'It'- Gokudera had just referred to another human being as an 'it'. Was his Storm Guardian really so far gone?
"Murdered him?"
Gokudera snorted in contempt, "I hardly think it was murder, Juudaime"
"No, you're right. By the look of it, I'd say it was a slaughter" Tsuna felt his lunch churning in his stomach. The urge to throw up was steadily becoming harder to ignore as he gazed down at the twisted body, however he had become entranced. For some reason he could not pull his eyes away from Gokudera's victim.
"I disposed of a rat, sent to kill you"
Tsuna's eyes were beginning to sting and a lump was rising in his throat, "How...how could you just..."
"Juudaime?"
"That was a human life, Gokudera! What gave you the right to-"
"It was threatening your safety! I don't understand why this is becoming such a big deal. I was simply protecting-"
"Who?"
Gokudera stopped in surprise at Tsuna's interruption. He studied his boss' face in detail. There was something off about it. Why were his eyes were moist? Because of the loss of a single life? Why were his shoulders quivering. He looked almost...scared...
"What do you mean, Juudaime?"
"That! Right there! You call me 'Juudaime'. Is that who you were protecting? Or...or were you looking out for me? For your friend, Tsuna? ...Or were you doing it for yourself?"
"I don't...don't understand. What are saying?"
"I'm asking you if you feel any regrets about killing another human being?"
"Not one like him! I could- would kill thousands like him if your life was in danger, Juudaime!"
Tsuna stared at him as an icy fist closed over his chest. His breathing halted after those words. This wasn't the Gokudera he knew anymore. Tsuna's head slowly lowered and his next words were barely audible.
"Gokudera...who am I to you?"
"What are you talking about, Juudaime?"
"If I asked you to...to leave the Vongola family...would you do it?"
Gokudera stepped back from Tsuna, "Wh-what are you saying!"
"Would you leave the Vongola family if you were asked by your friend, Tsuna?"
"N-no! Of course not! I have to protect you!"
"Please Gokudera?"
"I-I can't..."
"Then what if I ordered you to?"
Tsuna raised his head to stare at Gokudera. He hated himself, then. He knew that this would hurt him almost much as much as he was hurting himself, but he needed to know...
"A-are you ordering me to?"
"I am"
"Then...I, Gokudera Hayato, relieve myself of the title, Tenth Guardian of-"
"You'd follow my orders..." Tsuna interrupted with an unreadable expression on his face, "Even though this is the thing you treasure most in the world?"
"Of course!"
"But my pleading as your friend was not enough?"
"What are you getting at, Juudaime?"
"That. 'Juudaime'. You respect him and his wishes unconditionally...but that's not me. It was for his sake that you have lied, stolen, tortured...and murdered. Everything was for the sake of the Tenth Generation"
"Yes, of course"
"...Then gather the guardians and all affiliated mafia families. And book me a plane flight, Gokudera. I'm going to Italy"
"Why?"
"...I'm resigning as the Tenth Boss of the Vongola"