A/N- XO I CAN'T BELIEVE I ACTUALLY MANAGED TO UPDATE IN A DAY! Thanks to your encouragement, I started typing right after I uploaded chapter 24 and right when I woke up this morning. Anyway, this is the last chapter (not including epilogue, of course), and thank you all for reading this story and staying with me until the bittersweet end.
Two weeks later…
Reborn kneeled at the black marble slab marking the grave of the one person he truly loved, reading the inscription for the hundredth time.
Kudo Tsunade
October 14th, 1978- March 23rd, 1997
"The end is just the beginning."
It was a fairly simple inscription, but the Interpol agents that showed up after receiving news that Tsunade was dead wouldn't allow more than a single line after the "necessary" information. Of course, Iemitsu had argued, saying that she deserved so much more than a few words, but the agents insisted it was protocol and that he was already pushing it by burying her here in Tokyo rather than the graveyard reserved for Interpol.
Reborn had been the one to think of the words that would be forever engraved in stone.
Iemitsu had shown up mere minutes after Tsunade had breathed her last breath, panting heavily. He had obviously been hurrying over, which meant Tsunade must have left a message telling him what she intended to do. Reborn had still been gripping her hand that was as warm as it had been when she was still alive, and he didn't even bother to look back when Iemitsu stopped running, obviously seeing that her chest was no longer rising and falling as it should. Iemitsu fell to his knees sobbing, and suddenly, Reborn felt very uncomfortable being there. He couldn't stand feeling Iemitsu's feelings in addition to his own, because he felt like he was going through the grieving process all over again. Reborn abruptly stood up and left without a word, walking quickly to where his motorcycle was parked.
Once he got back to the apartment complex, going a bit slower than he usually would have, Reborn almost ran to his apartment, wanting to shut himself inside for the rest of the week. However, right before he got to his door, he paused and found himself right outside of Tsunade's apartment, the memory of him leaning against this doorframe to pick her up for class vividly bright in his mind. Hesitantly, he laid his hand on the doorknob and turned it, surprised when the door swung open. The apartment, though seemingly empty, seemed to radiate what he now knew as Tsunade's aura. Immediately, his eyes were drawn to the object sitting on the nightstand that seemed to shine the brightest. Reborn slowly walked over to it, and when he saw what it was, he felt as if his heart was being torn to shreds all over again.
His fingers trembling, he carefully picked up the gold rose pendant dotted with black diamonds that hung from a thin gold chain. He almost laughed despite the situation, now knowing how ironic it was for him to give her a necklace with a black rose. Reborn then noticed a piece of paper that had been under the necklace. He unfolded it and saw it was written in Tsunade's familiar loopy yet neat handwriting. It was obviously written in a rush, but the message was still crystal clear.
'The end is just the beginning. Thank you for my new start.'
Finally, all the tears he had been trying to hold back burst forth. Reborn clutched the note and the necklace to his chest as sobs wracked his body as the harsh reality hit him full in the face.
He would never be able to hear Tsunade shout indignantly as he raced faster and faster on the motorcycle ever again.
He would never be able to feel her arms wrapped tightly around his waist ever again.
He would never be able to chuckle at her flushed face every time he teased her ever again.
He would never be able to feel her soft pink lips on his own ever again.
He would never be able to feel her long slender fingers running through his hair ever again.
He would never be able hear and see her react so cutely to his every look, his every touch, and his every word ever again.
And the one realization that hit him the hardest, was that he would never be able to tell her he loved her ever again.
The procession was a fairly simple one. Her burial was slightly unorthodox since Iemitsu didn't want her remains cremated, and instead, she would have a private grave away from the family graves. Other than the ten Interpol agents that showed up to supervise the funeral, only Keiko, Kureko, Iemitsu, and himself were there. He remembered thinking bitterly that her relatives thought so little of her that they didn't even bother to show up for her funeral. Words were said by the priest, saying how she would be sorely missed and all the usual things said at a funeral, but Reborn felt distant from it all. He couldn't even look at Tsunade's coffin because he didn't want to see her lying there, so cold and lifeless. Afterwards, Keiko and Kureko tried to give him some consolation, but even though he knew that they truly meant their words, he could feel their level of sorrow wasn't even close to his. In fact, Kureko was still struggling with the shock that Tsunade had been an Interpol agent, and Keiko was struggling with that and the fact that they had been involved in a criminal business. Reborn could tell those feelings were preventing them from truly accepting Tsunade's death, and even once they did, they would still be unable to feel the amount of pain he was feeling.
The funeral had ended quite some time ago, and yet he was still there, still mourning in his own silent way. Some corner of Reborn's mind found it funny that as Tsunade herself had said, 'The end is just the beginning, and the beginning is where it ends,' the beginning was where it really ended. They had met after a tradeoff that the Black Hunter had foiled, and she had died after foiling Leoko's plot at the fake tradeoff. Maybe he would've laughed at that bit of irony, but his mouth seemed permanently set in a small frown.
He had been a fool, doubting Tsunade's love for him and trusting Leoko instead. He should've known that there was something dark in Leoko after his angry outburst at the hotel. Yet, he still couldn't let go of the childhood bond that he now knew was fake, and because of his misplaced trust, Tsunade had died. Of course, Reborn knew that Tsunade didn't blame him in the slightest for her death, but that didn't stop him from blaming himself.
Because of his mistake, she died for him.
Throughout the weeks leading up to the funeral, he found himself constantly wondering what would've happened if he hadn't noticed the new brunette barista at the café. Tsunade probably would've eventually taken down his company, no doubt about it. He would be left ruined, penniless, his life shattered into a million pieces. He also doubted he would've fallen in love with anyone else because there was no one even close to how unique Tsunade was. He would've never known love and the thrills it brought with it. Not only that, but Leoko would've probably blamed Reborn for the failure of the company, and acted out his final revenge by killing him. Yes, he would probably be dead, his body dumped in the nearest river to vanish without a trace, the great Renato Chaos lost forever.
But at least…at least Tsunade would still be alive.
Now, he touched the smooth surface of the marble slab, semi-surprised to find it wet. It had apparently started raining some time ago, but he hadn't noticed, the raindrops mixing in with the salty tears running down his face. He was probably soaked by now, but he didn't care. It didn't matter.
Nothing did.
.
.
.
No.
Reborn angrily wiped off his tears.
I can't give up, Tsunade entrusted me with an important mission! He thought furiously, I still have something to live for even if my world is gone. I have to train Tsunayoshi, no matter the cost! But, a feeling of hopelessness threatened to seep in, where do I start?
He felt an aura signature approaching him. It had been hard trying to control his intakes of the auras all around him, and to be honest, he was starting to go a bit mad with the effort it took to distinguish the auras of each individual person. However, he didn't bother turning around because he knew who it was that was coming up behind him. It was the only other person whose grief was on par with his own.
"In her final moments, she was always thinking about you," said Iemitsu softly, looking down at the grave, standing next to Reborn. "After she got kidnapped, the first thing she did was come to me and told me all about her revelation about the mafia. It turns out that ever since she fell in love with you, she had been furiously researching the origins of the mafia and looking for a new solution. Though she didn't voice it aloud, I could tell be the gleam in her eyes that she was beyond happy that she didn't have to destroy your company anymore. Then, when she told me about her identity leak, the only worry she had was whether you would be in danger or not. Tsunade was heavily concerned that the Interpol might come after you if her identity became revealed to you. In the end, she decided to fake her own death to search for the man who knew all this information, and to silence him before anyone else would know." Iemitsu's voice turned bitter. "After all that, she would return to Tokyo, to you, but she never got the chance to even prepare. Why? It's because you lost faith in her and blindly walked to where you would meet your doom. I've known Tsunade for four years, and I've loved her for two. I knew she would save you because there was no doubt that she would die for the person she loved. It was always you who had her heart, and now, the coffin that was meant to be empty as she secretly left Tokyo has her dead body in it."
Reborn couldn't help but flinch at Iemitsu's words, feeling as if a stake was being driven through his already broken heart. He already knew that everything Iemitsu said was true, but hearing it from someone else seemed to hurt more than telling it to himself over and over again. Reborn braced himself for the blame, for the angry words that he knew would be coming, but Iemitsu's next words shocked him.
"I forgive you."
Startled, Reborn looked up at Iemitsu. He had tears of his own, but a small sad smile lingered on his face.
"I forgive you because I blame myself for her death too," said Iemitsu sadly, "Just before she left her apartment, she made one last call to me. I heard the phone ring, and it was right within reach, but I didn't pick up. Deep inside, I guess I was still angry at her for the decisions she made, for loving you. Eventually, I checked my voicemail, and I instantly regretted not answering the call. First, Tsunade told me to let go of my secrets, and that she knew who I really was. She also told me to help you because I had the contacts and power you needed. This all confused me, but then she told me how sorry she was, and what she intended to do. Immediately, I ran out the door and drove as fast as I could to the warehouse, but when I saw you there, kneeling beside her body, I knew I was too late. I was tormented with 'what ifs' too, thinking of the many possibilities that could've happened if I had just answered her call. However, now it looks like you and I have reached the same conclusion. People say that a black rose represents death, but I believe it also represents a new beginning. We can't change the past, but we can put all our effort into completing her dying will."
"Her dying will, huh?" whispered Reborn, turning his gaze back to her gravestone. "That seems quite fitting for someone like Tsunade."
He heard Iemitsu take in a deep breath. "Well, it fits me more than it really fits her," said Iemitsu reluctantly.
Reborn sharply jerked his head back to Iemitsu just in time to see him swallow two white pills. Immediately, Iemitsu's aura flared up suddenly, and Reborn realized that the glow around him was no longer invisible to the naked eye. A flame burst from his forehead and his hands were covered with the flames. Reborn stared at him in awe, the supernatural flames radiating with a powerful heat and light. Then, the flames faded, and Iemitsu was left there, breathing heavily.
"Dammit, it's been so long since I've done that that I can barely maintain it for long," muttered Iemitsu. He saw Reborn's shocked expression and sighed, realizing he should probably explain.
"When I was born, I went through training similar to Tsunade's," he explained, "Only I was training to become a criminal. When I was 14, I was constantly referred to as the 'Young Lion of the Vongola', a shining star rising to the top of the strongest mafia family in the world."
Reborn's eyes widened at the name of the Vongola. Everyone working in some sort of illegal business knew that name, and they feared it for good reason. The members of the Vongola were rumored to have supernatural powers, making them the strongest of all the known mafia families. Reborn began piecing the puzzle pieces in his head, and one the last piece clicked, his jaw dropped as he realized who Iemitsu was.
"In my prime, I was Sawada Iemitsu, son of the prominent Vongola Nono Sawada Timoteo," said Iemitsu, staring off into space, "Not only that, but I was also the Vongola Decimo in training. Everyone said I was destined for greatness, and maybe I was, maybe they still call me the 'Young Lion of the Vongola', but after my mother died, I realized that I wasn't as great as everyone thought I was. If I couldn't protect my own mother, how could I protect a whole famiglia? In the end, I ran away. I knew my dad would be able to find me, but he never came after me. I guess he understood how I felt and how desperately I wanted to leave.
Maybe he wanted to run away too.
I went to live with a good friend of my dads who happened to be the 'honorary' great-aunt of Tsunade. Though not related by blood, Luce, the Eighth Boss of the Giglio Nero Famiglia knew all about Tsunade's curse because she was afflicted with a curse of her own. She completed training Tsunade and gave us the materials we needed to go on our mission. Because of the curse, Luce is about halfway to the end of her life at the regrettably young age of 23, so she couldn't come to the funeral; pregnant with her daughter, Aria. I hid all my involvement with the mafia to support Tsunade, and in accordance with her dying will, I will rejoin it."
Iemitsu knelt down and laid a bouquet of black roses at the base of her grave. "Your company, what will become of it?" he asked Reborn.
"What? Oh," said Reborn, startled at the sudden change in topic, "Kureko is temporarily in charge of it, though I know of his desires to leave the company. After that, I don't know, we may have to fire all our employees and completely disband the organization."
"I'll take over the company," said Iemitsu abruptly, shocking Reborn for the third time in the past 15 minutes. "I'll bring it in as a wing of the Consulenza Esterna Della Famiglia (A/N- Italian for 'External Advisors of the Family', also known as CEDEF.) The skills of some of your hackers are too good to go to waste. Besides, I believe my father has been looking for someone to be the new head of CEDEF, and as a direct descendent, I should be a prime candidate, though it puts me out of the running for Vongola Decimo."
Iemitsu stood up and began walking away. "With my influence and Luce's training, you should easily be able to become an infamous character in the mafia," he said, "Though I warn you, it does come at a price. The real question is: are you willing to try no matter the cost to yourself?"
Reborn already knew the answer to that question. "Yes, of course I will," he said, determination flashing in his eyes that had been dull for the last two weeks.
Iemitsu stopped and looked back at him for a few seconds before chuckling and waving towards the exit. "Then what are you waiting for?" he asked. "Luce is waiting for us in Osaka."
Reborn looked at Tsunade's grave one last time before getting up. He began boxing up his feelings into a neat little corner deep inside of him. Maybe one day he would reopen the box and finally face his guilt, but now was not the time.
Turning his back to the grave, he strode to where Iemitsu was waiting, strengthening his resolve.
Tsunade's dying will shall become his own.
Renato had returned when Tsunade entered his life, but now that she was gone, he would vanish too.
Now, there was only the new hitman:
Reborn.
_=o.O~Fin~O.o=_
A/N- Well, it's been a great nearly-six months writing this story, and like I said, everything made sense in the end. Thanks to each and every one of you guys for reading a newbie's story! Extra super SPECIAL thanks to smileysparklea, it's so SUNNY XD, Okami Endless, and Lite Crystal27 for reviewing!
Though it is the end, I still appreciate feedback and reviews on how I did, so READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!