Trigger: See Warning
Warnings: Yousei is organ harvest group. While there are no graphic scenes, the implications are there.
Important Stuff: N/A
The Eye of the Storm (Fon, the Storm Arcobaleno)
Fon had arrived in Namimori just an hour ago. I-pin came here on a mission here a few days ago and he had gotten concerned when she failed to check in. He boarded the next flight to Japan and came in search for her. Upon his arrival in Namimori, Fon knew exactly who he needed to check in, both as a courtesy and because if someone had seen I-pin, it was more likely his nephew.
Said nephew was sitting across from his, scowling at him; no doubt upset that his peaceful morning had been shattered by Fon's arrival.
"Why are you here, carnivore?" Kyoya demanded.
"Hello Kyoya," Fon said, calmly. "I'm just passing through. My apprentice went missing a few days ago. She was traveling to Namimori for an assignment, but failed to check in. I was wondering if you had seen her?"
Kyoya scowled even harder. Fon wisely didn't say anything, knowing not to push. Kyoya disapproved of Fon's connections to the Chinese Triads (and on bad days, Fon agreed with him, but for Kyoya's protection, for his sister's family Fon considered himself to be an acceptable sacrifice; something Kyoya was to never know).
Fon quietly watched the flicker of emotions that passed in Kyoya's gray eyes. Then, almost slight widening of gray eyes as if Kyoya just realized something, something he didn't like.
"I-pin?" Kyoya questioned.
Fon looked up at him, startled. "Yes. I'm surprised you remember her. You only met her once." Fon had brought her to meet Kyoya over a year ago, to give I-pin a name and face of someone she could trust and turn to should anything happen to Fon. He was surprised Kyoya had bothered to remember her; he had expected to have to explain her to Kyoya.
Kyoya closed his eyes, pinching them tight. Then he let out a growl and stood. He held a hand out for his uncle to climb up on. "Come," Kyoya instructed. "You need to meet the baby omnivore."
Fon stared at Kyoya, astonished by his offer. Kyoya never willing offered a ride and who was the baby omnivore? Nevertheless Fon complied, curious whom his nephew was speaking of.
Just a Dream
Reborn woke up in Tsuna's bed. Tsuna was curled around him, as if sheltering him from the outside, still asleep. The hitman blinked, once, twice and let the thoughts just swim in his head like a frenzied school of fish.
What had happened?
The Spirit World. Fighting against the Yatagarasu. Being thrown off the Lonely Mountain by Zephyr. Fluttering wings and something shiny.
Was it all a dream?
He looked at the child sized hands and felt a wave of bitterness swallow him. It was a rather cruel dream, giving back his true form.
'You think too small.'
Kamikawa's words echoed lightly in Reborn's head.
Before he could dwell on it longer, Tsuna began to stir. Brown eyes flew open, searching for Reborn.
"Tsuna," Reborn greeted.
"Reborn!" Tsuna reached out. "Are you alright? Last night you weren't..." He trailed off, looking utterly despondent.
Reborn hated that look. Just as Reborn was about to ask Tsuna what had happened last night, there came a tap at his window.
Tsuna looked up, surprised. "Kyoya-sempai!" He slid the window open, allowing the Skylark and his passenger to enter Tsuna room.
His pacifier lighting up, Reborn was surprised to see Fon sitting on Hibari's shoulder. Didn't Fon say he had a bad relationship with his nephew? Then again, the reasons driving Hibari's actions were much different than expected. Hibari was as bloodthirsty and dangerous as reported, but not as aloof as expected. If his attachment to Tsuna was any indication.
"Reborn," Fon said, surprised. His own red pacifier was also lit.
"Baby omnivore, this is Fon, my uncle or more commonly known the Storm Acrobaleno," Kyoya said.
Both Reborn and Fon whipped their head in shock at Hibari. Hibari willingly mentioning that Fon was his uncle? (Reborn also noted that Tsuna was not surprised by the word Acrobaleno and that reminded him, where was Ayame getting her information?)
"Hello Fon-san," Tsuna greeted with a polite bow of his head. "I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi, but please call me Tsuna."
"His apprentice, I-pin a five year old girl, is missing," Kyoya continued.
Tsuna's brown eyes narrowed. "Yousei?"
"It fits the pattern."
"Who is Yousei?" Fon asked, growing concern.
"They're a group that has been going around kidnapping children and teenagers," Tsuna said. "We suspect they are harvesting children's organs."
Reborn stared at Tsuna. Harvesting organs?! When had Tsuna found out about that? Before he could interrogate Tsuna, Reborn's cellphone went off. He pulled it out of his pants pocket, frowning at the number. It was Bianchi. Why was she calling so early in the morning?
"Ciaossu Bianchi."
"Reborn."
That was not Bianchi's usual greeting. That was not a good sign. "What's wrong Bianchi?" Reborn asked.
"I just saw some bastards kidnap Hayato!"
Well, those men were dead. Bianchi for all her dysfunctional relationship with her brother, clearly adored him and was always watching out for him since he had run away from home. That someone dared to kidnap Hayato was signing their death warrant.
"It looks like they kidnapped the Bovino heir too. The one that's always following you around," Bianchi continued.
… Lambo Bovino was in Namimori? Wait, no. That was not important. The pattern. "Bianchi by any chance was any of those men wearing a broken fairy wing emblem?" Reborn asked in a serious tone.
"At least one of them was. Why?"
Reborn frowned. Then loudly he said, "A group called Yousei are probably the ones that kidnapped Gokudera."
Tsuna paled at Reborn's words and scrambled for his desk. From his drawer, he pulled out a small orange tablet. "Is she on Senjo Street? You should have just passed Kinga Books."
"Yes, I did. Who is that Reborn?" Bianchi asked, sounding surprised.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi."
"Your student's twin? Shit, I lost them!"
"I still got them," Tsuna said. He stared at the moving red dot on the map displayed on the screen of his tablet.
"Did you tag the bomb herbivore?" Hibari asked, clearly amused.
"I was concerned!" Tsuna defended himself. "Those men were clearly targeting Gokudera-san yesterday and I wanted to make sure whatever happened, I could find him just incase. So I gave him a charm with a tracker in it."
Reborn was a little surprised that Tsuna would do such a thing in the first place. Very sneaky.
Hibari shook his head. "Omnivore's bad habits are rubbing off on you." He tilted his head to the side, looking expectantly at Tsuna.
Reborn was floored at what Hibari was asking in that subtle gesture. The Skylark was asking Tsuna what to do next. Judging from Fon's stunned expression, the idea that his very proud nephew was waiting for an order like a loyal subordinate was… well… Reborn had no idea that Tsuna and Hibari's relationship went this deep. He had known they were friends and that Hibari was protective like all of Tsuna's friends. However, Hibari always came across as the aloof cloud that he was, never one to take orders and, Reborn assumed, the de facto leader of the group just by being the oldest and strongest. But this, this was clear submission and respect for Tsuna as a leader. Hibari was deferring to Tsuna.
… Namimori. Goddamn Namimori. Really, Reborn should be used to waking up to the world not making sense.
Judging by the wide smirk on Hibari's face, the prefect knew exactly what he was showing to Reborn and Fon.
And Tsuna appeared to be oblivious to the subtle cues being tossed around; his attention still on the screen as he typed out messages on his cellphone.
"Okay," Tsuna said. "I got the girls on backup with the Disciplinary Committee and they're picking up extra medical supplies. Neesan is in Minato-ku looking for Kinkan-sensei. Oniisan and Takeshi are swinging by the location that Oniisan and Kyoya-sempai found the other day to check in with the DC guards that were suppose to be guarding it. They haven't checked in yet. I'm worried that they were knocked unconscious. They'll stay there until more members from DC arrive to keep watch on it. Reborn, please tell Bianchi-san said to head straight down the street she's currently on for ten blocks then take a right and continue for another four blocks. She should arrive at the library. We'll pick her up there." Tsuna gave Hibari a small smile. "We'll be the front assault team, Kyoya-sempai. You, me, Reborn, Fon-san, and Bianchi-san."
A bloodthirsty smile crossed Hibari's face. "Let's bite them to death."
Hesitate
They had quickly departed from the Sawada Household with a quick goodbye to Nana. Tsuna carried Reborn on his shoulder, eyes glued to the screen as he followed the blinking dot. Hibari matched his pace; Fon riding on his shoulder.
"Thank you," Fon said quietly.
Tsuna smiled. "It's no problem Fon-san. We've been trying to track this group for weeks. So, while I'm greatly concerned about Gokudera-san, this probably going to be our best lead. Ah…" Tsuna trailed off as he suddenly recognized where he was.
"Tsuna?" Reborn asked as Tsuna came to a stop.
In front of them was a concrete bridge across the ravine. Tsuna felt a sharp stab in his heart at the sight of the bridge. Bittersweet memories were entwined here. While ultimately the good that came from it was brilliant and outweigh of the bad, the bad was… really, really, really bad. He swallowed tightly, holding taut onto his emotions and tried to keep his breathing even.
"Don't force yourself, Tsunayoshi," Kyoya said lightly.
Tsuna ducked his head down and ignored the stinging sensation of tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. 'Focus, Tsuna,' he chided himself. 'Gokudera-san needs you. Don't dwell on the past here.' He gave a quick rub of his eyes, wiping away the tears before they could form and looked back at the down at the tablet.
"They're leaving Namimori," Tsuna said, panicking. "We need to hurry or I'll lose the range of the GPS tracker."
"Carnivore," Kyoya said, addressing Fon. "Go with Tsunayoshi. Take to the skies, Tetsuya will bring my bike to where the scorpion herbivore is."
Fon hopped over to Tsuna's other empty shoulder, looking very bemused to the entire situation.
Kyoya pinned the two Acrobaleno with a glare. "Keep him out of trouble," he ordered.
Tsuna frowned. "It's not like I going looking for trouble."
"No, trouble comes looking for you," Kyoya said, unamused.
"But."
"Kyoto Spring Trip."
Tsuna flushed red, remembering that trip. None of his friends were going to let him live that trip down. It wasn't fair. It wasn't his fault!
Ah. Tsuna blinked, realizing the anxiety had faded. "Thanks Kyoya-sempai," he said with a soft smile.
Kyoya merely huffed. "Go."
Birdsong
Nana sighed softly after Tsuna left. Despite Tsuna's reassurances, she knew he was about to get himself mixed into something dangerous. Still, she had faith that his friends would be there to protect him.
A birdsong filled the room. Nana smiled, feeling calm. "Ara, Meishi is singing today."
Mochida Kensuke & Inmen Hisen
Ienari looked up to hear the door to his hospital room slide open… and nearly fell out of his bed. To his ultimate surprise, Mochida and Inmen were visiting him. He wasn't even aware they knew he was in the hospital.
Inmen Hisen was… Ienari blushed slightly ducking his head as he gestured to the empty visitor seats. Inmen Hisen was… if Sasagawa Kyoko was the idol for Ienari's grade level, then Hisen-chan was the idol for the year above. With long black hair, cut in a hime-style and bright ocean blue eyes, Hisen-chan was beautiful in the way Kyoko was cute, more elegant and refined like a true born lady.
Mochida was captain of the Kendo team, whom Ienari often practiced his bo-staff techniques with was her cousin and just as a protective dog about her.
"Heard you got yourself landed in the hospital," Mochida said gruffly.
"And we came to visit!" Inmen cheerfully chirped, holding up a basket of fruits.
"T-thanks," Ienari sputtered out.
Get Up
Ayame woke up to the feeling of pride, accomplishment and the crushing, numbing depression. Her chest constricted tightly, hollow and empty. She let out a dark and bitter laugh; she was so tired, so exhausted. Perhaps today she would do nothing but stay in bed.
Then her cellphone pinged, a text message from Tsuna. Ayame willed herself to check her phone.
'Gokudera-san kidnapped by Yousei. Check on Kinkan-sensei, please?'
Ayame stared at the message. There was a part of her, the violent and dark part that she kept locked up tight that wanted to nothing more hurl her cellphone at the wall and ignore the world. The rest of her, the part that Tsuna warmed, kept safe and sane, anchored in this world purred at Tsuna's request for help.
"As Tier use to say, if you start something, you see it through the end," Ayame said in a sadistic self-deprecating tone. She was the one who started this investigation into Yousei. She would not abandon it to Tsuna and his friends; she would see it through to the end. With a deep breath, Ayame got out of bed.
"Got it, Tsuna. Off to Tokyo I go."
Flight
Tsuna could fly.
That was all Reborn could think about as orange sky flames were lit and Reborn found himself holding tight to Tsuna's orange hoodie as the ground departed away from them and Tsuna flew. Fon looked seriously off balanced, something Reborn sympathized with. At least the surprises within Namimori were slowly thrown at Reborn, giving him time to acclimatize. As far as Reborn knew, Fon arrived this morning, had seen his very proud, untamable nephew bow to another, said nephew willing addressed Fon as family, his apprentice was missing and now Tsuna just revealed he had Sky Flames and Hyper Dying Will Mode. It had to be very jarring for Fon.
…As much as it pained Reborn, he would have to correct Fon that Tsuna was not (unfortunately) his student.
Actually, having Fon in town might be a boon. Ienari could benefit from some meditation techniques to help unlock his flames.
But Tsuna could fly and somehow that felt very right.
"Are you two alright?" Tsuna asked. The wind blew around them, as Tsuna sped through the skies, leaving behind a trail of orange flames.
"Ah, yes," Fon said. "Thank you for asking."
"Reborn?" Tsuna asked.
Reborn warmed at the concern laced in Tsuna's words. "I'm fine." He paused, wondering if he should ask. It was a bit out of character for him, but Fon could handle another shock. "Are you?" he asked, letting the concern leak into his tone of voice. Tsuna's reaction to that bridge was odd.
"I will be once we get Gokudera-san back," Tsuna said firmly.
Reborn added the bridge the long list of things he had to find out about.
Takeshi and Ryohei
"They're definitely not coming back here, sempai," Takeshi said, eyes sweeping the empty warehouse that Ryohei and Kyoya had been stalking yesterday. It looks like they slipped out during the night (Kyoya was going to bite someone to death for failing to keep an eye on building while he had returned home to rest), knocking the DC guards unconscious. The fact the DC members look like adults was probably the only reason why they weren't taken either.
"That appears to be the case," Ryohei agreed with a nod. "More of Kyoya's DC members just arrived. Let's leave this scene to them and head off to the location Tsuna has sent us."
Takeshi gave a light laugh, swinging Shigure Kintoki to rest on his shoulder. "Yeah, Kyoya-sempai said he had to send Tsuna ahead by himself with only the kid."
Ryohei shared a look with Takeshi, understanding passing between them. "That is extremely not good. The last time Tsuna went by himself the Kyoto Spring Trip happened." He paused. "I do not think Reborn-san knows yet how to keep Tsuna out of trouble."
"World's Greatest Hitman," Takeshi pointed out. "Even if he can't keep Tsuna out of trouble, he'll at least be able to keep Tsuna safe. But agreed. Let's get going."
Kyoko and Hana
Kyoko and Hana landed on the rooftop of a building, 800 meters from the location Tsuna had given them for Yousei's hideout. Hana dumped the first aid kit to the ground and cast a wary look at the warehouse located just beyond the boundaries of Namimori and in the neighboring town.
"Why do our stupid monkey friends keep getting themselves mixed up in these things?" Hana lamented. Honestly. It was like there wasn't a week that didn't go by that the boys didn't get mixed up in some sort of mess that would bring them home covered in bruises. Was it too much to ask that they didn't seek out trouble? (Tsuna, of course, never sought out trouble, trouble merely came to him instead.)
Kyoko laughed brightly. "They're boys?" she offered.
"Stupid monkeys," Hana said. "The stupid monkey better appreciate all the trouble we're going through for him."
"Don't be like that, Hana," Kyoko said. "After all Gokudera-kun appears to be on our side."
"He's still a stupid monkey, still is mafioso, and technically still hasn't picked Tsuna yet," Hana countered.
"Give him time," Kyoko said. "It's barely been a month since Gokudera-kun has been here."
Hana sighed. This better be worth it.
Frontal Assault
Sawada Tsunayoshi was not what Bianchi expected. When she had met the younger twin, she got exactly what she had expected from a civilian brat. But Tsunayoshi… she didn't have a single word to describe him. He was odd, charismatic, calm and why hadn't Nono picked Tsunayoshi as his heir? She had been in Tsuna's presence for all of five minutes and even if she couldn't see the sky flames lit on his head, she could feel it: feel the powerful flames that filled the air, all encompassing and engulfing but so very warm and soft like a mother's touch or a home cook meal. It was humbling, awe inspiring and Bianchi felt as if she was coming home.
This was what a boss was supposed to be. What a boss was.
Ienari had none of this. Tsunayoshi had this in spades.
Before she could dwell on it any longer, Tsuna simply held an ear comm out to her. Bianchi accepted after a quick look at a resigned Reborn and a bemused Fon, both wearing the ear comms too. As she listened to the break down the plans (and some how Tsuna was displaying the layout of the building on the little tablet he had been carrying), Bianchi couldn't help but marvel at the efficiency of the plan. This wasn't some half cock idea thrown together by a teenager who had no idea what they were doing. No, there was intel, communications devices, an estimation of how many men inside (82 apparently), a map, an exit strategy, backup waiting for them some distance away, an approximation of how many victims (50 or so), and two who would be going in the back while they drew attention to the front.
She had missions less sound than this. Why the fuck wasn't Tsuna a Vongola Decimo Candidate?
Chaos
Chaos. That was the only word Reborn had to describe the situation. Beautiful, beautiful chaos. There was a part of him that revelled in chaos. Bullets and shouts rang. Hibari swept through the room, bloodlust thick in the air and tonfas flashing, attacking one after another. Sasagawa sent people flying with a single punch and Yamamoto slashed and cut. Tsuna, flameless but still deadly, slipped between the rain of bullets, knocking people with a punch and a kick; eyes glowing orange. Purple flumes from Bianchi's cooking filled the air and Fon jumped person to person, a single touch more than enough to cripple them.
Reborn? Reborn let Leon transform into a gun and was shooting people in the kneecaps.
There was a small part of Reborn, the logical part that could afford to ponder this, wondered where Tsuna and his friends learned to do all of this. Hibari was explainable with his iron fist rule over Namimori. Sasagawa and Yamamoto's proficiency in their chosen sport (boxing for Sasagawa and the family kendo style passed down to Yamamoto) could explain their fighting ability, but it did not explain their fighting experience. Normal people would freeze when confronted with a gun, or couldn't apply their fighting skills to outside of a ring. Yet all of them, Tsuna especially, Tsuna who used to flinch when Reborn fired bullets at Ienari and cowered at bullies, they took to attacking Yousei as if they had done this before. Had they accompanied Hibari on one of his cleanup of a yakuza group before? That would expose them to bullets and street fighting.
Like everything with Tsuna and his friends, it was another unexplained mystery. But Reborn would have to figure it out later.
Bloodstains
Takeshi felt his blood boil and nausea and disgust grow in the pit of his stomach. With a swift cut, he knocked another man unconscious with the flat of his sword. Moving onto the next room, he slammed open the door, swallowing tight as the stench of blood hit him. Three dead bodies were in this room, thrown into a pile like they were trash to be discarded, their chests cut open and empty of all organs.
"Takeshi," Ryohei said, laying a hand on his shoulder.
Takeshi closed his eyes and compartmentalized. Those kids were dead, but there still more that needed help.
Anger Burn
Flames licked Tsuna's insides, raging and demanding to be let loose to burn and rage and consume and purify. He kept a tight grip on them. Yousei wasn't part of the mafia, there was no need to alert them to the existence of Dying Will Flames. His intuition rang, sending warnings and with practiced ease Tsuna didn't let fear grip him, moving and dodging the bullets and punches thrown at him.
His intuition tugged him to the left. It was not a warning, but something important was in that direction. Tsuna hoped it was Gokudera. Tsuna entered the room, immediately finding two children chained up. A small boy in cow-print, bawling his eyes out and nasty black eye on his face. A small girl in red, weak and unconscious. Reborn and Fon flashed in Tsuna's mind and he called out to them. "Reborn, Fon-san!"
Within seconds, the two Acrobaleno made their way to Tsuna. "Lambo Bovino and I-pin," Reborn confirmed as Fon rushed forward to check his apprentice. A flash of Storm Flames disintegrated the chains holding both children.
"Reborn, your Sun Flames, please," Fon asked, cradling I-pin. She looked terrible.
Reborn nodded, walking over and gathering his flames.
Tsuna on the other hand, picked up the crying Lambo. "Are you okay, Lambo?" Tsuna asked softly.
Lambo's cries abide into sniffles. "Who are you?" Lambo demanded to know.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi, but you can call me Tsuna," Tsuna said warmly. "We're here to rescue you."
"I want to go home," Lambo wailed.
Tsuna bounced him softly. "I know. We'll get you home."
Greedy Pigs
"Disgusting pigs," Bianchi said as another man fell unconscious from her poison cooking. She wanted to do nothing more than to treat these men to her worse poison for taking her brother, but Tsuna had requested that she didn't kill anyone.
"Rage as freely as you like, but do not kill them."
"Hn," Hibari agreed with her.
They entered the room to find rows and rows of children and teenagers lying unconscious on beds. The smell of antiseptic was strong and Bianchi could see the bloodied bandages on at least fifteen of the kids. It looked like some of them had their organs already harvested.
Her lip curled into a sneer. Bianchi grew up in the mafia, knew the darkness that accompanied it. It wasn't uncommon for mafia groups to do this very same thing, but it went against Bianchi's own code of conduct. Human life was more valuable than to be… livestock like this. She swept the room, looking for Hayato hoping that they hadn't taken any organs from him yet.
He was nowhere in sight. "Hayato isn't here," Bianchi said, broadcasting over the ear comm. "We found where all the missing kids are being kept. It looks like some of them had their organs harvested already."
"We found I-pin, Fon's apprentice and Lambo Bovino," Tsuna's voice reported back. "Gokudera-san isn't here."
"We found where they are dumping dead bodies," Yamamoto said in a tight voice. "Gokudera-san wasn't one of the dead bodies."
"Computer is here," Hibari said. He was sitting at the desk in the corner, typing at the keyboard and pulling up files. "I just sent the information to the Omnivore. Organs shipped out already; she can track them."
"I'll keep looking for Gokudera-san," Tsuna said. "Bianchi-san, Kyoya-sempai, please keep watch over the kids incase anyone tries to come in to use them as hostages."
"Got it," Bianchi said. "Find my brother."
"I will," Tsuna promised.
'You better be safe, Hayato.'
Minato Hospital
Ayame smiled as she approached the information desk in the hospital lobby. "Good morning!" the nurse greeted her. "How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Kinkan-sensei?" Ayame asked.
The nurse hummed. "Ah, Kinkan-sensei has today off. I'm afraid you'll have to come back tomorrow."
"Ah, thank you for your help," Ayame said. She wandered back out of the hospital. Glancing up at the white building, she frowned. So Kinkan wasn't home and wasn't at work. Where could he be? She supposed she could check his kid's house. After all, the man was doting grandfather. Perhaps on his day off he went over to spoil his favorite granddaughter.
Her cellphone pinged signaling that she had received a new email. Ayame opened the email and let out a low whistle. It looked like Tsuna and his friends were having better luck than her. She grimaced, noticing that several organs had already been shipped out. It seemed like they were too late to save them all. Still, judging from the list of organs the number of actual deaths shouldn't be that high. On some level, she was impressed that Yousei managed to pull off this many organ sales overnight. This had been building for a while and Kinkan must have had potential buyers lined up and ready to go.
Alright, change of plan, she needed a laptop and to make several phone calls. Every single kid still alive was getting back their organs.
Strength
Ienari laid back on his bed, his mind swimming. Inmen and Mochida had left, leaving him to his thoughts. Ienari thought back to Koujin's words, Hideki-sempai's suggestions and his position as Decimo candidate. He scowled, angry and frustrated that he was stuck in the hospital.
Strength. He needed to get stronger and stronger. So that something as simple as training exercise would never land him in the hospital like this.
His mind wandered to his conversation with Koujin yesterday.
"You know Reborn?" Ienari repeated the question back to Koujin who was looking very interested. That crept Ienari out. Koujin had a slight manic look his crimson red eyes.
"Everyone who's anyone knows the world's greatest hitman. The better question is why do you know him?" Koujin questioned.
"Does it matter?" Like hell was Ienari going to tell Koujin that he was a candidate to Vongola. Ienari trusted Koujin about as far as he could throw him. The bastard was as slippery as a snake.
"Yeah. You're a bloody civilian," Koujin said, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.
What the hell did that mean! "So are you."
"Please," Koujin said, pulling his kunai out of the wall. "I'm a ninja assassin. Reborn is the goal for every assassin in the world. I bet you don't even know what Dying Will Flames are."
"What?" Ienari asked.
"Exactly."
"What are Dying Will Flames?" Ienari asked.
"Ask your tutor."
Dying Will Flames. That sounded promising… and strong. The next time Reborn showed up, Ienari was going to demand to learn them.
Devotion
This was bad.
Hayato woke with a pounding headache. He let out a hiss of pain. Fuck, this was bad. Really bad. He can't believe he let someone get a jump on him. Green eyes opened slowly, searching the room. Panic spiked as he realized that he strapped down to a metal table.
"Ah, you woke up," came a rough voice to his left.
Hayato twisted his head to see a middle-aged man with dressed in scrubs standing to the side. A white medical mask was over his face and a scalpel in his hand.
"Let me go," Hayato shouted.
"I can't do that," the man said. "You're the right blood type for a drug cartel teenage daughter. She needs a new stomach you see."
Hayato thrashed against his bonds, struggling to get free.
"A fighter I see," the man said. "Mai-san please ready the anesthesia."
"Of course Kinkan-sensei," the woman said.
Hayato strained against his bonds. "Let me go!" he howled.
"Don't worry," Kinkan said. "It'll all be over soon."
'Someone help me!'
BOOM!
The doors flew open and a blur flew in, kicking Kinkan squarely in the face. The doctor slammed into the wall, slumping unconscious. The blur moved and with a swift punch, knocked the woman assistant unconscious as well.
"Gokudera-san! Are you alright?"
Hayato stared at unfamiliar orange eyes and very familiar fluffy brown hair. "Tsuna-san?" Gratitude swelled within him. Someone came. Someone actually came to rescue him.
Tsuna nodded. "Let's get you out of here." He quickly pulled off the restraints off of Hayato.
The minute Hayato was free, he dropped to his knees and bowed.
"Gokudera-san! Are you alright?" Tsuna yelped, worried.
"I am fine, Tsuna-sama! Thank you for rescuing me! I am forever in your debt!" Hayato pronounced. No one has ever come to rescue him before. Hayato always had to rely on himself to get himself out of trouble. That alone improved Hayato's already good opinion of Sawada Tsunayoshi. Candidate for Decimo he may not be, but Hayato had made his choice, he would follow Sawada Tsunayoshi to the end of the earth.
"Gokudera-san," Tsuna said, tugging the bomber back to his feet. "Really, it's not trouble. I'm not the only one who came for you. There's no need to bow."
Hayato blinked. More people came to help rescue him? Tsuna pulled him out into a large room where bodies and bodies of people laid unconscious. The baseball idiot and turf top head were busy tying people up, while the skylark was on the phone with someone. Was… that Fon? In the corner with two small children and Reborn.
Amazing. Tsuna-sama managed to bring together this many people to rescue him. Hayato never thought there were would be anyone who would do that for him. He felt his heart warm.
"Hayato."
That sounded like his sister. Hayato turned around to see Bianchi standing behind him, looking worried. Instantly his stomach lurched and he felt a wave of nausea hit him. He fell, clutching his stomach. That was his sister!
"Gokudera-san!" Tsuna called out in worry. "Gokudera-san!"
Hayato meant to reassure Tsuna-sama. But the stress of seeing his sister for the first time in months, coupled with his kidnapping was too much and once more he passed out, unconscious.
"Gokudera-san!"
As Expected
Ayame stared.
Tsuna bit his lip, nervously, but didn't waver in his gaze.
(Ayame was secretly very proud of that.)
Ayame stared, willing Tsuna to back to down. He didn't. No, instead, she felt him strengthen his resolve. Why couldn't his resolve be this strong all the time? Finally, she relented. "Okay," she said, resigning. Really, she should have expected this.
Tsuna immediately brightened and hugged her. "Thanks Neesan!"
Ayame let out a pitiful whine as Tsuna pulled away, turning his attention back to the kids who were beginning to regain consciousness one by one. She stared at the… well carnage that Tsuna and his friends had created while rescuing Gokudera and at all the kids they had saved.
Her head pounded like a sledgehammer drilling in her head. What a headache. She winced at the three dead bodies of the kids that Tsuna had asked her to help find the families for so they knew what happened to their kids. And to help pay for funeral costs. Interpol by now was in route to pick up the organs that were stolen, arresting several people for black market organ dealing. This was going to generate so much paperwork.
She sighed. Tsuna often asked for the moon, and Ayame always gave it to him.
Second Coming
"When I had arrived in Namimori, this was not what I had expected," Fon said softly. I-pin rested on his lap, healing, but still unconscious. "I had expected that maybe Kyoya would have accompanied me in rescuing I-pin, but overall, I had figured I would have done all the searching by myself."
Reborn gave a contemplative survey of their surroundings. Hibari had taken over tying up the criminals, tossing them at his subordinates to haul off to the police station. Yamamoto and Ryohei had taken to keeping the younger children, including Lambo, entertained and suitably distracted from their strange circumstances. Kurokawa and Kyoko had appeared to first aid boxes and food, feeding those who were hungry and bandaging the wounds of everyone they came across. Gokudera was unconscious still, but healthy and lying on a worried Bianchi's lap. Ayame had arrived from somewhere and was typing away on a laptop, looking oddly frustrated and resigned.
Tsuna continued to flit among everyone, reassuring the older teenagers, giving words of comfort to those who needed it and a warm smile. Hugs were given to the younger children, gentle and mindful of those who were injured. He gave orders to the newly arriving DC members, directing them to which of his friends needed additional help or supplies. Blankets were quickly distributed by Tsuna and he went around making sure everyone felt comfortable.
"You're doing a fine job of turning Tsunayoshi into Vongola Decimo," Fon said, admiration coloring his tone.
Reborn tilted his fedora down. "No, unfortunately Tsuna isn't my student."
Fon turned to Reborn, surprised. "Is his twin brother that much more suited?"
Reborn thought about Ienari, thought about Ienari's hatred for Tsuna, his regrets and actions. He thought about Ienari's kindness, his manipulative nature and his twisted words. He thought about Ienari's pale light compared to Tsuna's brilliance. Tsuna's warm heart and accepting smile. Tsuna's pure Sky Flames and strong resolve to live. In many ways, Reborn was no different than Giotto and Nana and between the two twins, Reborn had already made his choice. "No," Reborn said, weary and tired. "Ienari isn't more suited compared to Tsuna. But it is Nono's and Iemitsu's decision and Tsuna has no desire to seek Vongola."
"I see," Fon said.
Reborn knew that, no, the Storm Acrobaleno really didn't see. If Fon stayed, perhaps he would pick up on the strangeness that was Namimori and the Sawada Twins. Then and only then would he understand.
"It's a shame," Fon said. "They would have been radiant."
Privately, Reborn agreed. As he watched Tsuna and his friends, he didn't see a strong Decimo and his guardians.
No.
He saw the second coming of Primo and his guardians.
IT IS DONE! -cheers- This brings an end to the Yousei Arc! Now onward to the rest of the Daily Arc. OTL -looks at the list of canon characters that still need to be introduced- OTL We've got a while until we reach Mukuro's arc.
Bilingual Bonus
Yousei - Bewitching Spirit, Fairy
Kinkan - Fairy Ring, Mushroom Rings
General notes:
Why Fairies? The myth of Changelings is what inspired the theme of Yousei. Changelings are when fairies would steal newborn children and replace them with other fairies or inanimate objects.
Fairy Rings are said to be caused by fairy (or elves dancing). They are dangerous to intruders (accidental or otherwise). There's one legend where stepping into a Fairy Ring will cause the person to die young.
Guest Reviewers Response
HeartofStone
Look no cliffy this time! Also sleep! This story isn't good enough for you to stay up to read! Sleep is more important!
Guest (7/7)
Curbstomping did occur owo b And yup Fon is probably gonna stick around haha.
Huh
Yes? I'm not sure what you're asking here.