Episode 23: Time and Consequence
"Why give up? Why give in? It's not enough; it never is. So I will go on until the end. We've become desolate. It's not enough; it never is. But I will go on until the end."
-"Until the End" by Breaking Benjamin

I knew that his battle would be difficult for them to win. I didn't know if they'd come out alive. I sighed and opened Frusta's box. He came out in a burst of fire and sat at my feet, obediently looking up with bright eyes. In response, I sunk down next to him, stroking the leopard's sleek fur. "Frusta, I don't know what to do…" I confessed, feeling tears start to come to my eyes. "Squalo is still missing, and I can't open this stupid Vongola Box! I want to help Tsuna-kun, but right now, I'm just a hindrance."

Frusta growled in reply, pawing at my leg. He was telling me to get up and try again, to not give up. Wiping my eyes, I nodded, a new determination shining within me.

"I know, I know. Let's try this again."

I stood up and ran outside, Frusta right at my heels. I ran to the Training Field, where Bel and Fran were sparring. Levi was injured and Lussuria was out shopping, so Bel and Fran had taken over training once more. I pulled out the turquoise box that had flown through my window and held up my Ring, my hand clenching into a fist.

I would open the Vongola Box. I had to. For my friends and family... and for Hayato.

X Basil X

Basil winced at the battle, and looked to his pocket, where his phone was. He'd called Najika so many times in the past few weeks, but she only ever told him that she'd explain everything when she could. Kaito was next to him holding onto his hand tightly.

The CEDEF operative bit his lip and looked back at the screen. Sawada-dono had won against Torikabuto, and now, Yamamoto-dono was fighting the Phantom Knight in a rematch. Squalo had taught him well, and the Vongola actually had a chance to win.

Basil had to tell Najika. She'd called him right before they left, begging him to keep them all alive, even if it meant dragging them out of the smoke. She didn't know that he couldn't keep his promise. He couldn't go outside of the audience's hut. He tugged his cell phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. His heart sank at the two words printed on his background.

No Service.

Something tugged at his sleeve. He bent down next to Kaito, who was watching the screen intently. "Will Takeshi-nii-san be okay, Basil-nii-san?" the little boy asked worriedly. "He looks like he's having a tough time…"

Basil tried to put on a wide smile for the little boy. "Of course, Kaito-kun. See? He's doing just fine!" Kaito turned back to the screen and watched as the Rain Guardian took on the Phantom Knight.

X Najika Kamiya X

For days I'd been training with my Box Weapons, but whenever I opened the Vongola Box, it just wouldn't listen to me. Frusta gave up at one point and attacked the damn thing, only to have it retreat back into its Box. I sighed. It was kind of fragile, and also sort of cowardly. I guessed it just didn't want to listen to me because it didn't recognize me as its true master.

But Coperture, Frusta, and Vento, along with Michi and Ryuu, all recognized me as the owner of the Box Weapons. Why wouldn't this Vongola Box listen to me? I was doing everything that Tsuna had told me to do…

I was even putting all of my good thoughts and feelings into it. It just wouldn't listen to anything I said. I sighed and propped myself up against the wall, looking at the box. Frusta's golden eyes watched me almost sadly.

"Why can't I open this thing, God damn!" I cried, tucking my legs to my chest.

X Basil X

He'd won…

Takeshi Yamamoto had actually defeated the Phantom Knight, Genkishi.

Basil stared at the screen in horror as Kikyo defeated and killed his own teammate at the command of Byakuran. Kaito gasped and Basil pulled the four-year-old to his side, covering his eyes from the sight. That bastard… He really had no heart. He was willing to sacrifice someone to win the game. This Choice Game was really the end of the line for many.

The Phantom Knight was dying, and there was nothing anyone could do except look away. Even as he was dying, he refused to believe that Byakuran would kill him. He believed that Byakuran would save him from Kikyo's bellflowers. Kaito visibly winced at the pitiful pleas for help.

But Byakuran never came.

No one ever came to save him.

Everyone looked down as Genkishi exploded into mist. Out of both respect and shock, everyone, even Hibari-dono, looked away. Najika was right; Byakuran had betrayed his own team. Kaito looked down and shook, his Rain Ring visibly glinting a bright blue in his anger.

No one would ever forgive Byakuran for what he'd done.

They would win, not for the sake of the world or the 7^3 Policy, but to avenge what Byakuran had done to everyone. Vongola had the advantage at the moment. Torikabuto and Genkishi were defeated, and the Millefiore was down to Kikyo and Daisy, who was the target.

The Vongola still had Sawada-dono, Irie-dono, Spanner-dono, Yamamoto-dono, and Gokudera-dono. Sawada-dono and Yamamoto-dono were going to go after Daisy, while the other three were going to defend against Kikyo, who was still distracted with the decoys. Basil smiled to himself. This may just be the end of Byakuran and his reign over the world.

X Najika Kamiya X

I collapsed once again against the giant tree. Pulling out my phone, I checked for any messages from Basil, or Hayato, or Kaito, or anyone of the force in Japan. Nothing, not even an e-mail had been sent from anyone. Where were they that they couldn't send me word that they were okay?

I at least knew that Squalo was with them, seeing as he hadn't come back from whatever he was doing in Japan. I also thought that Dino was with them, and Reborn, and Bianchi. They were strong, so why was I worrying so much?

All I knew about that game they were playing was that it was a game that required a lot of thought and a lot of luck. Tsuna's intuition was bound to help them out, and Shoichi's experience with the Millefiore would be a huge asset. The game of Choice was a deadly game. I didn't know the rules, or, I didn't remember them. I did remember playing a game with Shoichi and Byakuran, and I remembered…

Only one side could win.

"Damn!" I shouted, curling into a tiny ball. "Damn it all!" Strings of profanity came out of my mouth, earning me strange looks from all the Varia soldiers that were listening to Bel, who was taking the place of Squalo as the rookie trainer. "This sucks!"

Then something hit me, as if I was shot right through my midsection.

No…

They'd lost, hadn't they? And for some reason, I could feel who I thought was hit. Everything in my body told me one thing.

It told me that Shoichi Irie was dying...

My mind blanked out. Two arms picked me up and began to carry me inside as tears flowed down my face. I couldn't help it. I looked up through my blurry vision and saw Bel's face wavering in and out of my sight. He was frowning, and he looked… worried.

"We're all going to die," I whimpered, letting my head fall back to face the sky. "They lost. It's all over now. We're… we're as good as dead…"

Bel put a hand on my forehead and his frown deepened. "You're burning up. Be quiet and let me help you for once!" I huddled into his chest and continued to cry silently, cursing myself mentally for my weakness. It was then that I pieced it together in my mind and then, I knew what Shoichi had done in my time. He was the one who had met Lambo, the holder of the 10-Year Bazooka. He was the one who had started this so many years ago... even if it was only an accident.

Now, it seemed like he was paying the price for it.

X Hayato Gokudera X

"What about Najika?" he couldn't help but ask. Gokudera knew that Juudaime wasn't really dead, but what about the girl he fell in love with? "Did she really die?"

Irie looked away sadly. "… Yes. I didn't anticipate her death. No one did. She really did die, in most all of the worlds. The few worlds that she did survive in, you died, Gokudera-kun. She ended up committing suicide in all of those worlds. Any other world that she fell in love with someone else… Her destiny isn't to live in any of those worlds but the one that you will create. No parallel world can be destroyed, but you can create new choices."

Gokudera's eyes went wide with shock. She died in every world? Why? Why wasn't her fate to live important? She had to live. For him, for Kaito…

Kaito. The little boy looked horrified at the prospect of his mother dying in every world. Gokudera pulled him away when he threatened to cry. He whimpered, "Mom dies in every single world? I don't want that to happen!"

Looking at his future son, the Storm replied, "I won't ever let that happen."

X Najika Kamiya X

I was lying in my bed, being looked after by Fran, as Bel was called away on a mission. He wasn't to happy about it, but he told Fran that he was to make sure I didn't get worse, or Bel would kill him. Fran agreed, however unafraid he was of Bel.

I was simply staring at the ceiling, waiting for a miracle. Every time that I closed my eyes, I saw something different. It always ended in death, though. First Tsuna, then Basil, then Bel and the Varia… all of the Guardians, and finally, a green-haired girl that I didn't know… they all died.

Finally, I saw Hayato's death. His was by far the worst. I cried out in pain when I saw Byakuran blast a hole right through him. I shot up in the bed. Fran, who was sitting in a chair near the window, immediately rushed over and pushed me back down. "Don't strain yourself, Onda-sama. You're sick."

"Let me up!"

He pulled the blankets over my head and snapped, "You should really go to sleep, Onda-sama. You're going to get worse."

I pushed them off of me and pushed Fran away. "Shut up, Fran! I keep seeing these awful things… I just want to go see Tsuna-kun and Hayato! They're suffering!" I cried, picking up the boxes.

"Then I'll tell you that I'm going to break your friend Mukuro out. I'm his student, and I'm going to have to break him out, or your friends will lose." I looked at him in shock. "You should go, if you want to."

I smiled at him. "Make sure you leave right after I do, or Bel will really murder you," I called back. I closed my fist to light my Flames, but no blue fire appeared on the Ring. "What?" I tried again, but still, I wasn't able to light my Flames. "What's happening to me?" I asked, staring at my hands.

"You fucking idiot!" A very angry Xanxus burst through the door and stormed towards me, ignoring Fran's deadpan protests. "You… you overused your damn power!" he yelled, heaving me up by my collar. "Now you're never gonna open your fucking Vongola Box!"

Choking, I replied, "All you have to do is let me go back to Namimori."

He growled a little and dropped me unceremoniously and turned away, snorting. "You have to rest your power now. Your Flames drained, and since you used so many Flames, your body can't handle it very well, and you're getting closer to dying."

A loud slam interrupted all of us. "Naji-hime!" Bel burst into the room. "What the hell are you doing up?" he demanded, pushing me over to the bed.

Xanxus pulled him back. "Get the fuck out, trash. You, too!" he aimed at Fran, who shrugged and walked out. Bel followed reluctantly, sending me one last glance before leaving. "Come on. I have to train you just a little bit more."

He practically dragged me out of the room and down to the Training Field. "Why? Why am I so damn useless now?"

"You overdid it," Xanxus replied shortly. "You have to learn to not have to use your Flames If you really want to survive this." He took out his gun and smirked. "Let's get started… Onda."

X Hayato Gokudera X

Gokudera left to his room and collapsed on his bed. What an awful day he'd had… he'd found out that there was nothing that he could do to avoid Najika's death. She was going to die, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to save her.

He sat up suddenly and looked at his Ring. "I will never allow that to happen," he vowed quietly. "She won't die as long as I'm here."

What he didn't know is that just by uttering those words, he created several possible worlds for the two of them. Just by saying that he wouldn't let her die, he made a promise that would allow more worlds to be made that would change Najika's future. Some would be better, others even worse, but he made sure that she would have a better future than what she had in the current world.

But then he remembered – he had a choice. He could choose to save Najika. He would. Living in a world without that girl was like asking for death to come and capture him itself.

Damn. He really must've loved her for him to react in this way, so violently and so determinedly. The last woman he'd ever cared about… was his mother. And she died, so violently, so suddenly. Gokudera would never let that happen to Najika. Not now, not ever. She had a future, one that was bright, even if it was only him that could see it.

He saw her smiling and laughing as she walked down the halls with the rest of the Guardians. He saw her blushing as he asked her to marry him. He saw her and Kaito, standing in front of the house, waving to welcome him home.

That was a feeling he would never forget.

Gokudera was not prepared to let go of that feeling anytime soon. And with it, he wasn't prepared to let Najika go, either.

I really dislike this chapter. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

I hate it so much. ┬──┬◡ﾉ(° -°ﾉ) - random person

THAT I'LL FLIP A PERSON NOW TOO. (╯°Д°）╯︵/(.□ . \) - same random person

Haha, I actually do hate this chapter, though. I feel like it's so rusty... -shudders- Ahaha, anyways... this story will come to a close within another ten chapters or so. I'm hoping to break 100 reviews by then, so please review! (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ Daebak~!

Fighting~!

Oh, also, head to my profile and take my poll! The series that will stem from that poll will be pretty short. All the series that I've listed there are pretty short. K/K Project, Zetsuen no Tempest/Blast of Tempest, Kuroko no Basuke/Kuroko's Basketball, Durarara!, and Psycho-Pass. I recently got really into those series, please forgive me for taking on so many projects.

ﾍ(￣ ￣;ﾍ)