Chapter 34: Staying true to yourself.
I am so glad that you all didn't stone me to death, or set my darling Gokudera on me with what I've done to Kaito. I'm extremely happy that you all see Hunter as character development instead. I'd like to thank the reviewers once again for their opinions of Shinichi and Kaito. As a result, what happens to Shinichi is not totally all my idea, but the result of reading all of your wonderful reviews mixed with what I needed to happen for the plot to advance.
To YumenoKai: I laughed at the idea when it first appeared. It's a perfect reason to keep Kusakabe around too. Shinichi shall meet Hunter now, so I hope you like it. I'm so happy you see it as Character development. Yay, another Wind Storm person! I'm guessing that since the tornado was purple is was cloud, but I agree, it sounds like a storm weapon. Ahh, Hattori. I think everyone is waiting for him to come back and it shall be soon. I think.
Shinichi awakes rather abruptly when he feels the atmosphere in the room go ice cold. In seconds he's rolled out of the bed, grabbed his scalpel-pen and has it pressed against the neck of the intruder before he even really knows what's going on. This is what years of worrying about the Organisation have done to him. Especially with Vermouth knowing who he was, he could never be too careful.
"Kekeke. What good reflexes you have there Partner. At least I don't have to train them up too much. Although wouldn't it be better to be like this?" The laughter echoes in the empty room, totally different to anything he's heard before. And that voice, so familiar yet different. But before he can register who it is before him, the person has grabbed his arm and spun him around, with this… familiar stranger pressed against his back. Shinichi freezes at the feeling of a cold blade against his neck. "You should know better than to go for a full frontal assault. I could have attacked you from that angle a lot easier than you can from this one, or do I need to teach you that too? I thought the Phantom Lessons would have been enough." Despite the knife at his neck, Shinichi didn't feel any malice. This person had no intention to harm him. It reminded him of when KID was teaching him Phantom Lessons and how KID would use the tricks against him. Or how Kaito would practice magic tricks on him without any prior warning.
"Kaito?" Everything had happened too fast for Shinichi's blurry sleep-filled eyes to catch who was 'attacking' him. Taking time to recognise the aura of the magician, which was different from normal, yet so distinctly Kaito, Shinichi relaxes and remembers to breathe once again.
"Not quite Partner." Sings the voice, removing the knife from his neck. And just like Kaito, it disappears into his jacket.
Shinichi splutters and pushes himself away from Kaito, blushing like crazy. "P-partner? What on earth are you talking about? I didn't think you… about me… I…" and that's when Shinichi takes a better look at the person stood before him and remembers what's just happened. Forgetting that he was spluttering and blushing like mad only moments before, Shinichi's eyes narrow and he takes a step towards Kaito. Or whoever Kaito is now. "No, you're not Kaito, nor are you KID or Magician. None of them can produce that ice aura." Shinichi places a foot backwards and rocks on it, taking in the body language of the person infront of him. Open like KID's is, yet always ready to defend, rather reminiscent of Hibari. Someone who walks around freely knowing nothing can harm them but not as arrogantly as Xanxus did. Well with his flame Kaito was certainly better equipped to handle any form of attack.
This persona smiles at him for figuring that much out. But again, it's not one he knows, yet it is at the same time. The grin was KID's, large showing teeth, looking as if it's going to split his face in two. Yet with his eyes half lowered like that it looked more predatory. It was sharp like Belphegor's, promising a fun time, for him at least, not the target. But one thing that was very far from Kaito was his unnatural stillness. Kaito was never still. Ever. Shinichi suspected Kaito even moves constantly in his sleep. If it wasn't pulling a prank then it was juggling, or shuffling cards, or even playing with a pencil. And if nothing else, then it was finger or foot tapping. Even KID was never still, but knew how to hide it better. But this person before him was so quiet that Shinichi couldn't even hear him breathe. For all he knew, it could have been a statue before him.
Rocking forwards on that foot, he comes right up to Kaito's face, looking right into the man's eyes. So much could be told through Kaito's eyes. The first cracks on the famous Poker Face happened there. It was where Kaito's cheekiness, Magician's hyper-ness and KID's slyness lived. But now all he could see was a hardened analytical stare, not flinching from Shinichi's own evaluation. Those blue eyes were so cold especially surrounded by the blackness of the mask he was wearing, nearly as cold and emotionless as Xanxus's own red ones were. But not quite. There was more humanness in this man's eyes. "No you are someone else. Kaito said he did a mission last night and that there was someone I should meet. And that's you. So if you were, for a better word, 'born' at that point then you must be what Kaito created to protect himself from the Mafia."
The aura changed once again, and the pressure in the room lightened. It suddenly became easier to breath. Shinichi looked around the room, checking that Mukuro was not there, for this aura felt slightly like him, just in the background. Just like when Mukuro was happy from something dark and twisted that most people would shy away from, since no one really knew how that man's mind worked. Amused yet deadly, that was the best way to describe it. Shinichi must have hit close to home then.
"You are correct Partner. Although I was 'born' as you say a lot earlier than that, not long after KID was actually. And you are correct, I am his Mafia side and conducted the Squeezing last night. I look forward to working together with you in the Night Partner." And with KID's theatrical bow the man introduces himself. Now Shinichi understood the Partner comment, purely work related. The persona looks up, blue eyes piercing as usual.
"And…" Shinichi prompts. "May I know how to address you?" For it wouldn't be right to call him Kaito or KID.
The man smiles once more, as if laughing at a joke. "You may address me as Partner in return, for that is what we are, are we not." Shinichi rolls his eyes, crosses his arms and taps his foot, giving his new 'Partner' an impatient look. "With you my Partner, I shall hunt out information," and he rose from his bow and starts to walk towards Shinichi's sofa on the other side of the room. "Hunt for answers and blackmail, hunt for the truth, for protection and safety." And he flops down on the sofa, feet hanging off one end. With a KID-like fancy click, the mask was gone and KID's top hat was in his hands. He places it on his head and pulls the brim down over his eyes. "I am known as Hunter." And the aura disappears totally, to be replaced with Kaito's own normal one.
Shinichi blinks. Okay and that wasn't weird. Well it is Kaito, what else can I expect. Next thing I know, all of his cross dressing will have created a woman persona calling herself Katie or something. Shinichi shivered at that thought. He went over to where Kaito was only to find the magician asleep.
"So what do you think of Hunter then? Was his mission anything like what I just experienced?" Asks Shinichi to thin air.
"It was certainly interesting to watch. I'll show you later." Replies Thin Air. "It's like KID and Xanxus rolled into one weird KID-Mukuro hybrid."
"So you noticed that too. Kaito did have some scary people around him to base the character on. But he's still him. Still so cheeky and playful, even if he is more dangerous now. It's about time he got serious."
Thin Air snorts. "Says you who hasn't even gone on a mission yet" Shinichi shrugs his shoulders and walks into the kitchen area, turning the coffee machine on.
"That may be but there must have been a reason you chose Kaito to go first and not me. If you were worried about my ability to do so, then I would have gone first." Reasons Shinichi, focusing on the coffee machine rather than the supposedly empty room infront of him.
" He's not dangerous though. He stated that he wasn't going to kill since Dame-Tsuna doesn't want to. We'll have to see if he still thinks so after today." Shinichi nods, leaning over the counter to look at the sleeping Kaito.
He holds one mug of coffee out to the empty room. "Espresso if you want it" he says before preparing his own mug of coffee. Reborn materialises out of thin air, allowing Leon to transform from his wallpaper state into his normal chameleon form. Shinichi looks up at Reborn. "Does Boss know?" he asks. Tsuna hadn't seemed worried at dinner last night.
Reborn shakes his head. "He'll be informed just after breakfast" states Reborn matter-of-factly.
Shinichi just looks down into his coffee mug. "Well I'm not watching this one. I'm not watching what's basically a murder take place. I couldn't."
"Even if there was a justified reason for it?" questions Reborn, looking up at the detective from his seat on the counter.
"Is there a justified reason for murder?" asks Shinichi right back. He had seen more dead people that he wished for, all because of these black flames of his.
"But you have said that you might have to kill people" reminds Reborn. Both of them had in fact.
Shinichi smiles at the baby before him "Well people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say" Reborn smiles too since it sounds like something he would say to Tsuna just to confuse him.
"And where's my hot chocolate?" yawns Kaito stretching on the sofa. Shinichi sighs and starts to prepare said drink for the magician. Shinichi didn't know when, but a jar of hot chocolate had made its way to sit right next to his coffee powder.
"Like Kaito doesn't actually mean 'where is his hot chocolate'. He actually means 'Reborn stop being so mean to Shinichi'." Shinichi looks towards Kaito, who simply reaches up for his mug of hot chocolate.
"No, I meant where is my hot chocolate" Kaito insists, reaching up like a child for the drink, fingers wiggling. Shinichi passes over the drink before going to get ready for breakfast. Reborn, like usual, had disappeared, a thoughtful look on his face.
"For heaven's sake Gokudera. Sit!"
Said Bomber sits. He doesn't care that it's in the middle of the grand entry way, nor does he care that it's on the floor instead of a chair. All that matters is that Juudaime is frustrated with him and he gave Gokudera a direct order.
He didn't say to stop talking though.
"Juudaime, I understand your reasoning but I want to come with you. I'm not going to let that Varia Bastard get his hands on you again. Just please let me come! I'll sit in the car, I'll go take a walk around the city, I don't care. Just let me be there with you." He says fiercely. This was an important day for Tsuna and Gokudera wanted it to go as smoothly as possible for him.
And with a flare from his intuition, Tsuna knows there are two other people he should be aiming this at too. "Moon, Star, here now!"
Uh-oh, Tsuna must be pissed if he's calling us Moon and Star. So in a cloud of smoke that fills the room- so their secret entrance isn't found out (Reborn's strictest orders)- there are now three people sat on the floor, all wanting to follow and protect their precious Boss.
"Don't get us wrong, Boss. We won't intrude upon your privacy and watch you do the act, we want to be there for what happens… afterwards." Informs Shinichi, looking downwards at the end of his sentence. He knew what happened afterwards. He dealt quite often in the afterwards.
"Heii, afterwards? I didn't think that far ahead. Don't the cleaners some in, or do I have to do that as well? Gya, what if I have to dump the body? What will I do then?" Tsuna paces along the entrance working himself into a very Tsuna-like frenzy. The rest of his speech is punctuated with heeii's, frantic arm movements and an assortment of other sounds, noises, and a variety of girlish screams. Kaito would find it funny if not for the topic matter.
"Um, sorry Boss, you're talking to the wrong people. Me and Kaito haven't done that yet so we wouldn't know. I deal with the bodies that killers leave behind, not in hiding them. Maybe Gokudera knows" suggests Shinichi, getting dizzy from watching Tsuna pace. He actually wanted to know the answer too since he suspects that they'd have to do something like that sooner or later, especially after that conversation with Reborn this morning.
"Juudaime, please calm down. You're right, if you need them to then the cleaners come in and do all that for you. If not, then you'll be informed that you need to be careful and watch how much um… blood… you spill." Gokudera didn't think it was going to be this hard talking about this side of his life with Juudaime. Even now, after he had seen Juudaime covered in blood and broken, Tsuna still seemed innocent. Like a bright white feather with blood red tips. Clean until you took a closer look.
"Anyway, I don't quite think that was what Shin-chan was getting at. We want to be there to deal with the emotional aftermath" Kaito looks up at Tsuna, making sure the man got the message, whilst flicking a coin over his fingers. He didn't even realise he was doing it.
Tsuna stops walking and stares at them blankly. "Emotional aftermath?" he repeats, confused
"Well judging by your past responses, it's not looking too good. I know you are resolved this time, but still..." Shinichi's not quite sure how to finish that sentence. Tsuna hadn't handled seeing a dead body all that well since even Primo had to intervene, which as far as Shinichi could gather, was an extremely rare, almost unheard of situation. So how would the man handle it if he was the cause of the dead body?
"How can you say that when you haven't even done it yet?" asks Tsuna, slightly annoyed and angry. Did they have no faith in him at all? He has resolve now, he has a reason for what he's going to do. He was going to force himself to get used to the pain he will cause, the wounds, the cuts, the bruises… the death. He was going to force his body and mind to follow him this time. No more snapping into a pathetic trance. He was going to grow up and face it like a man. He couldn't let this slow him down on the path to becoming Boss, so he could hurry up and change the stupid system.
Shinichi shrugs, "I can't. I can just base my words on what I've seen from you and from others."
"Yare, Yare, what are you all doing?" asks a childish voice from the corridor. Lambo wonders in and over to the three on the floor, confusion clear on his face.
"We're having a conversation with Boss, Lambo" replies Shinichi, looking up at the boy.
"Play with me!" the young boy demands, pulling on Kaito's sleeve.
"Lambo, this is important. I will if you can sit and be quiet." Kaito looks slyly up at the boy, a challenge sparkling in his eyes. "Although I doubt that someone like you could do that. Only really great people can be totally still and quiet. It's a skill all Phantoms master at a young age; You couldn't be KID's apprentice without it."
The combination of the challenge, the insinuation and the hint at being an apprentice twisted Lambo's pride in the exact way Kaito assumed it would. Lambo immediately sat down next to him and didn't say a word, instead looking up at Tsuna. Shinichi had said it was a talk with the Boss, so it must be something important.
"Ohh! Is this some new EXTREME form of training? I'll join in too." Ryohei had come to find a training partner to change the day up a bit. Instead, he had found them all sitting on the floor, with Tsuna looking more serious than usual without being in Boss mode. Jogging over, he sits down next to the rest and looks up at Tsuna.
So when the Ninth came through the corridor and stood at the top of the stairs, it was to a rather funny sight. He really hoped that the security cameras had caught this moment since it was too funny not to look at again. It looked like a Teacher lecturing a class of students. None of the Guardians on the floor made any attempt to stand up, a show that they knew Tsuna was more powerful than them. Even if some of them were shouting at Tsuna, they still remained sitting on the floor, not caring about their appearance or the state of their clothes.
"Really Decimo. This is certainly a new way to discipline them. I might try that with my own Guardians one day" The Ninth wasn't serious. It would be a joke among them if he tried. His guardians might even play a long before they complained of old bones and sore joints.
Tsuna looks up at him sheepishly. "hehe, It started off with me making Gokudera stop following me and then the rest joined in too." For that was the truth. His friends were just weird like that.
"And what is this argument about that you resorted to such drastic tactics?" he inquires. It took a lot to make Tsuna snap and retaliate back, so Gokudera really must have been annoying the poor boy.
"What we are really here for" says Shinichi, turning to face the man by propping himself on one arm behind himself.
"family" says Gokudera, the Ninth noticing the intended difference.
"Faith" replies Tsuna, glaring lightly at Gokudera's turned back.
"Um, what are you all talking about?" asks Lambo. He didn't get what they were talking about. The Ninth smiles at Lambo as he slowly descends the stairs, mindful of his legs.
"We are talking about the changing relationships between Decimo and you all." Replies Nono, staring Tsuna straight in the eyes even though he's talking to Lambo.
"He will always be my big brother" says Lambo, wondering if he's done something to make Tsuna dislike him. He didn't want their relationship to change, especially now during this hard time. Lambo liked where he was, even if he couldn't do all of the things the others did.
"We are family not Family and Juudaime needs to realise that even though we are turning into more of a Family, it doesn't change anything about our family" Lambo takes a moment to figure out the different uses of Family and family in that sentence before he thinks about what Gokudera is actually saying.
Lambo understood this better than Ryohei did due to his closer connection to the Mafia. Even though he was young, he had still kept in contact with the Bovino Family. Shinichi and Kaito decide to keep quiet since they aren't sure what category they come under. At this point, they expected it was still under the other type of Family rather than the one Gokudera and the others were worried about. That didn't mean that they weren't worried about Tsuna on a personal level. They did consider Tsuna a friend, especially after all the time they had spent together, but they suspected that they weren't quite family yet.
"Decimo, you can think that over while in the car. Gino is here to take you to your next mission." Nono walked around the procession still on the floor and grabbed Decimo's arm to guide him outside. There was something Tsuna needed to see. Seeing the others making a move to follow, Nono smiles at them and says in a rather demeaning tone "Stay". He had to smile at the dog like obedience of Gokudera, which caused the others to stay put as well.
"Shinichi" comes a voice from behind them. Reborn was stood on the railing at the top of the stairs, staring down at the guardians on the floor. He had smirked at that. "Come here, I have a mission for you" Doing as he was told, Shinichi stands and walks up the stairs, but not before taking a look through the doors Tsuna had just left through. "No, you won't be following Dame-Tsuna, this one is totally separate" Reborn informs, seeing the look all the others gave. Gokudera calmed down and stopped glaring at Shinichi, having thought that Reborn was going to send the detective after Juudaime. But apparently that was not the case. Shinichi frowns at Reborn's use of Dame-Tsuna once more. Whenever it came to missions, Reborn had been using Dame-Decimo recently. So why the change? Did Reborn think Tsuna would fail this mission? Although Shinichi wasn't sure if Tsuna would be able to go through with it or not. When Shinichi reached the top of the stairs, Reborn jumped off the railing and walked off down the hall, Shinichi trailing behind him.
Nono and Decimo stand by the black car and watch as a different black car pulls alongside to drop someone off. Even before the car had stopped totally, the car became a flurry of movement as suited men jump out of the car and start helping others out of it. Tsuna's eyes grow wide as he counts the scratches, wounds and splotches of blood each man has on them. He is even more shocked as he recognises one very distinctive person get carried out of the car.
"Yamamoto!" Tsuna shouts, about to run over and check on his friend. Yet Nono's firm grip stops him from doing so. "Ryohei get out here!" he yells instead before turning to the Ninth. "What happened? The agreement is that I'm the only one who goes on dangerous missions. Why is Yamamoto bleeding?" He notices from the corner of his eye that the boxer runs out of the doors at his command and helps the rest of the team carry the wounded into the medical wing of the house.
Instead of answering directly, Nono hands over a brown folder filled with today's assignment brief. "We were betrayed." Tsuna notices the hurt in Nono's eyes. Gino opens the door for Tsuna to step into. "Your mission today is to kill the man who betrayed us" With one final look at the team entering the medical wing, Tsuna steps inside the car.
Kill the man? Tsuna had known this day was coming. He wasn't a fool, nor as naive as he used to be. Killers were all around him. Reborn was a Hitman, Lambo an assassin and I-pin too. Even Bianchi and Dr. Shamal were. Mukuro had killed and he had a sneaking suspicion that Gokudera had too. The Varia had, that was clear. It was a sad fact of Mafia life that killing was involved, expected even. However, he was balking inside, wanting to run and hide under the covers of his bed and forget all about it. He would have done so earlier when he'd been informed of a different execution mission he was going to do. If not for Gokudera waiting outside, he would have already been a crying mess. But that wasn't possible. Tsuna didn't know whether he could go through with this, but he had a plan in mind in case he could not. He was sure that Nono and Reborn would object to his plan, but it was the only alternative that Tsuna could think of. He just hoped that the other party would agree with him. He hadn't figured out yet how to make them agree. Not that you could 'make' these people do anything.
But there was a small part of him that was angry. Someone had made Yamamoto bleed, and from the look of the wounds, they were aiming to kill. Yamamoto hadn't taken his sword since this was a peaceful mission talking over a negotiation that both sides were determined to have. There had been no hint of malice last time Tsuna had met with them. But Vongola was betrayed by one of its own. Tsuna could guess how much that had hurt Nono. For Nono saw everyone as one of his children, Vongola was that important to him. Vongola was supposed to be a Family with tighter ties than blood. There should have been no reason for the betrayal.
Tsuna could feel that feeling bubbling up inside of him. It was similar to when he was facing Byakuran off. Both Byakuran and the target had harmed those close to him, both had betrayed people, used them as pawns and Tsuna could see no reason for this injustice. He could feel his flame pulse under his skin, his fierce protectiveness working away. He had promised to protect them and they'd only just gotten hurt again. It was only Yamamoto this time, along with a few Vongola men, but what about next time? How many people would the target harm next time he tried to take revenge?
As soon as the car stops, Tsuna bursts out and runs up the stairs, his intuition leading him into the correct room.
"How dare you!" Tsuna shouts, slamming the door open. The man just stares back at Tsuna, not caring at all.
Tsuna runs up to him and stares him in the eyes, trying to find the answers he needs. "Why would you do that? Is Vongola not enough for you?"
The target sneers back and spits at Tsuna. "Fuck Vongola, they can hardly be even called a mafia Family anymore. They are just a load of self-serving pussies. "
In his anger, Tsuna punches the man across the face. "Don't say that. Self-serving? Vongola is anything but."
Xanxus is surprised that the Brat has gotten down to business already. Although if one of the brat's guardians was harmed, then it was to be expected. Xanxus hoped that Tsuna's violent streak would continue. So leaning against the wall behind Tsuna, Xanxus continues to watch.
The captive surges against his binds trying to get in Tsuna's face. "I can say what I fucking want about Vongola. Where has the strong and proud Vongola gone? I will not stay with a weak Family"
"Vongola is still strong and proud or are you blind? Vongola is strong enough to keep everyone else in line. I don't call that weak."
"You are weak and Vongola under you shall become even weaker than it is now. I and many others think this way. Other Families will not be led by some weak baby who doesn't understand what the word Mafia means." The target has gone slightly red from all of the shouting. His eyes are filled with hate and disgust as if he can't even bare to look at Tsuna.
Tsuna gasps before ice cold rage settles in his stomach. "You convinced the other Family to betray us." He deduces. The man grins in return.
"Hell yeah I did. They decided that they would like to continue living the life they have now rather than a life under your pathetic rule. Nono has gotten softer ever since you became heir." The man admits proudly.
"You betrayed Vongola and got one of my Guardians hurt" growls Tsuna quietly, fists clenching.
"I know that and I don't give a damn. I was the one who shot him after all" The man grins, thoroughly proud of the feat. Internally he braces for impact, knowing full well the result his words would produce. It was the reaction he wanted to produce.
A flaming fist punches him in the head followed by a knife in his hand. The target grins and bears it, giving out nothing more than a hiss. If this is what it took to bring Vongola back to its former glory then this is what he would endure.
Panting, the man continues to aggravate Tsuna. "haa, you should have seen… haa their faces when they realised… haa that I had betrayed them. When the other Family open-fired, Your Rain Guardian was right there to defend them… even though he was defenceless himself. So I shot him, to teach him that's not what the Mafia is about." A punch lands on his stomach, knocking the wind out of the target. He coughs, blood landing on Tsuna's jeans. "All of his ideas about both Families protecting the people of their area is such a load of bullshit. He's just like you- no idea what the term Mafia actually means. I hope he learnt his lesson."
Tsuna wrenches the knife out of the man's hand and places it against his throat. I shall protect those important to me. "And what, pray tell, was the lesson you are trying to teach?" asks Tsuna, orange eyes glaring into the target's own blue ones.
"I'm teaching you all what the Mafia is really like. And I'm not going to stop until you are as dirty as the rest of us. If I have to kill a few of your men to make that happen, then they are disposable."
Tsuna is taken aback by the assurance in the man's voice. "You wouldn't" he whispers, but looking in the man's eyes Tsuna isn't so sure. This man is a threat to him and his Family.
And threats are usually removed.
Orders are orders and Nono has a good reason for the orders he gives. A very good reason in this case. I am going to change Vongola, no matter who stops me. It won't become the kind of place this man wants it to be. So I need to stop him now before he turns anyone else against us. Come on Tsuna, follow your orders!
The knife in Tsuna's hand presses harder, a thin line of blood running down the target's neck.
Just a bit harder and he'd be dead.
"Go on then brat, do it" growls Xanxus, not moving from his spot.
Tsuna pushes harder, determined not to seem weak infront of Xanxus.
Just a little bit more…
… and he'd be dead. Tsuna would have killed someone.
No what was he doing? This wasn't like him. He's never wanted to kill anyone in his life.
But the target wouldn't stop otherwise.
"You won't stop otherwise" replies Tsuna.
Tsuna clenches his eyes shut, knife trembling in his hand as he remembers that nightmare.
"Will it ever stop?" asks a different voice "With the way things are, will it ever stop?"
"I'm… I'm… I'm going to stop it… when I become Boss!" he shouts back in defence. He was, he really was. Honest. Did they think he liked doing this?
"Oh really?" asks the same voice, his tone indicating disbelief. "And how will you do that when you already have our screams in your head and our blood on your hands?"
That was it. That was the answer he had been looking for. How could he change Vongola when he was doing the same acts he was going to stop when he became Boss? That would make him a hypocrite. He wouldn't have anything to back up his argument with. He'd be just as bad as the people he's condemning. If he was going to change Vongola, then the change needed to start right here right now.
No more killing.
There was no reason to take a life. He was going to show the Mafia that. Primo wanted a Vigilante group, and that was done with no bloodshed. Protection didn't involve killing or he was just as bad as those he was killing. He sighs an internal sigh of relief.
They are right. How can I change anything when I've already sinned. I can't do this. I'm not going to kill. There are other alternatives
So with that decided Tsuna no longer needed to be here. But there was a problem- the Varia Leader behind him. If he could just get a head start, get to the mansion before Xanxus got him, then everything would be alright.
"Vongola is mine to do as I wish with" he shouts, faking anger and raising the knife up high into the air. He hears Xanxus's smirk and humph of approval. Tsuna raises his flame, higher and higher, preparing for what he's about to do. With a whoosh, flames bloom on the knife. Xanxus smiles, ready to watch the act, looking forward to what he was sure was going to happen. The target would die, the brat would drop the knife, stare at his hands in disbelief and start to cry. He'd break down into tears and Xanxus would be there to stand over him and laugh, emphasising how pathetic the brat was. And he would keep on laughing and tormenting the brat until he either gave up the ring and ran away or the brat finally grew a backbone and accepted his fate, turning into a man that Xanxus could respect. It took a lot for him to willingly follow someone.
So when the knife came down, Xanxus was sure it was going to end up in the target's heart not flying towards him. He automatically catches the flame covered knife through reflex. But for a moment he just stares at it. And in that moment of shock, the brat runs out of the room and bursts into flight. Xanxus growls at both his own stupidity and that of the brat who was supposed to be his next boss. Flinging the knife away he runs towards the exit the brat used and pulls out his X-Guns. He curses when he finds that they are not charged. It's just more time wasted. His anger and rage at himself and Tsuna causes the feelings he needs to thrust a charge into the Guns. And with another pulse, he pushes off from the balcony taking flight too.
Xanxus starts his game of chase, determined to drag the brat back and force him to kill that pathetic trash like he should have done. He'd force the brat to do it even if it meant holding the brat's hand around the man's throat.
As the chase through the sky draws to a close, Tsuna sighs in relief when the mansion comes into view. Feeling Xanxus closing in he takes a dive, determined to reach it before Xanxus got to him.
Reaching out Xanxus grabs the brat's trouser leg and pulls the brat towards him. However that means losing the use of one X-Gun and they start to fall out of the sky. However Tsuna is determined to reach his destination, so with a boost of flames he directs their fall towards the steps leading to the entrance.
"Let go of me!" Tsuna shouts at the top of his voice, trying to be heard over the roar of the flames and the wind rushing past them. "I'm going to destroy Vongola!"
Xanxus is shocked by this confession and is secretly quite proud. It took guts to admit something like that and in those fierce eyes staring back at him, he was sure that the brat was 100% serious. In fact he is so shocked that his grip loosens ever so slightly.
The falling men collide with the ground at an angle causing then to skid across the stone steps and through the wooden door of the Mansion. During the impact the two separate and kept on rolling over the carpet and into any furniture that was in their way. Xanxus stops himself from rolling any further whereas Tsuna keeps on rolling until he slams into a wall.
"Juudaime!"
"Tsuna"
"Tsuna-nii!
"Boss!"
Come shouts as people rush in to see what had just burst into the mansion.
Ignoring all of the noise and useless trash around him, Xanxus shakes his head to clear it as he walks over to the brat. Tsuna had taken the fall harder than Xanxus had and was highly disorientated. Picking the dizzy eirH Heir up, Xanxus growls as he feels weapons being aimed at him. Or more specifically, some dynamite, a sword and a weird gun. Chucking the boy over his shoulder, he turns around and heads for the doorway. "It's my job Trash. If you have a fucking problem then sort it out with the Old Man. I'm just following orders for once." He smirked as he left the weapons falter.
However the fight doesn't end there. The brat's Dynamite freak stands between him and the door, daring to stare him down. He is soon joined by the stupid sword idiot, that brat and the boxer who rivalled Squalo's loudness. One piece of trash he recognises from TV still aims the weird gun at him, standing in Xanxus's blind stop.
"What's going on here?" asks a voice. Everyone all looks towards the voice only to find out that it's Nono with Reborn on his shoulder. Both come up to stand next to the stand-off, less than a meter separating all three sides.
Just as Xanxus is considering just blasting the trash with his gun, the brat on his shoulder stirs.
And says the last thing Xanxus expected anyone to say.
Far away from Tsuna there is a similar scene happening. The air in the room is stagnant, dead, the atmosphere similarly so. And at the exact same time as Tsuna, the Play is repeating itself, the cast of characters changing slightly.
"Reborn says that you need to be killed" says Shinichi in a rather monotone voice. "But I don't see the point. I don't see why people should die." Shinichi is pacing the room infront of the target, taking his time to think logically about the scene before him "There are so many other options. Death truly is the end. And what right do I have to end your life?" he looks at the target as if he could provide the answer "I'm not some sort of God who thinks that I have the right."
He starts to pace once more, one arm folded across the other with the other hand resting on his chin "There are other ways we could do this. If you were sentenced for killing someone else, then I could just stop you killing. I'm sure removing a hand or two could do that. You couldn't hold a gun or a knife or poison that way. If you spilt a secret then all I'd have to do is remove your tongue so you couldn't talk anymore. Or maybe you witnessed something you shouldn't have, or this could stop you killing, if I made you blind. People live with blindness every day, people live dumb every day, people live with natural disfigurements and still lead a life. You wouldn't be in the mafia anymore I suspect, but you'd still be living. And being alive is better than being dead." Shinichi nods to himself, agreeing with his last statement.
He turns once more to the target, grabs a chair and sits infront of him. He still had a lot more thoughts running through his head and talking out loud often helped him sort them out. "But it's a fact that people die every day. Lots of people die every day. It's a fact that in some countries, Criminals are killed by the Law. And the Law is supposed to be right and just. Do they think they are being merciful by killing the criminals? Do they think that death is better than the possible alternative life? That death is better than a life in captivity." Here Shinichi pauses. Criminals were kept in prisons and, if not killed, then a life sentence was given. A life sentence was just a polite way of saying life in captivity. But what made Shinichi pause was the way he had phrased himself. Phrasing it as life in captivity really put it into perspective. He knew from his many hospital trips that staying in bed for three days or a week was torture. So imagine not having any freedom at all. Ever. Shinichi knew he couldn't tolerate it. So maybe…
"Maybe you'd prefer it if I killed you?"
Shinichi didn't like what he had just said so he quickly changes topic.
"The fact is that Reborn said you need to die. Reborn generally cares for the Vongola and for Boss. It's most likely that he gave the order so that Boss didn't have too. And that means that you are a threat to Vongola. And if you are a threat to Vongola, then down the line, you could be a threat to me and Kaito and our precious people. So if I kill you, am I protecting them? But surely locking you up would stop that. But then we're back to my last point; would you like a life in captivity?"
The target just stares at his supposed killer, eyes wide. He would have dropped his jaw if he was able to. What on earth was he doing? Was this mental torture before the actual event? But is seemed more like torture for him rather than for the target. He'd heard that the latest generation of Vongola were weird, but this was… He didn't know how to describe it.
"So maybe killing you is better for everyone." How Shinichi had talked himself into that statement he didn't know. Nor did he like the fact that he was talking in circles either. "Vongola loses a threat and you don't have to deal with a life in captivity that would most likely drive you insane, which is as good as dead anyway. Judging by your body language and your eyes, you were scared when I was talking about the alternatives I could do to you. It also tells me that you are ready to die, that you knew this was coming. So take your pick do you want to die?"
Shinichi walks over and removes the gag stopping the man from speaking. The target was very confused by now. Shinichi had been talking in the same tone for a very long time now. His voice sounded dead, his eyes looked dead as if he no longer had any emotions. Maybe that was the cause of the conversation they were having now? No one asked if their captive wished to die. Nor did they talk about the philosophy of killing.
"I'd rather die here and now. If you did any of those things to me, like blinding me, then my Family would see me as worthless and kill me anyway. They will kill me for getting captured in the first place. So I'd rather die straight away than deal with the pain you inflict, only to die afterwards. And you are right, most people wouldn't stand a life in eternal captivity, they would slowly waste away, lose their will to live. You're just being cruel and prolonging the inevitable. Both roads end in death, there's just a differing length of time between the two. And since the time between them is not worth living anyway… death is the better option. So kill me, Mr Masked Man."
The target was surprised when Shinichi had entered wearing a white Star mask. He couldn't link it to any Family he knew. However after hearing Shinichi talk about Vongola and Reborn, he remembered a rumour that had been circulating around the Mafia. It was really more of an Old Wives' tale, a scary joke that was passed around. Vongola had never had Star and Moon Guardians; they had never openly been introduced. But the rumour was that they were the last people one wished to meet. That they were even scarier than the Cloud. Their track record was supposed to be 100%, doing the jobs that others refused to do. But they were just legend. Surely this man before him was not the Star Guardian since there isn't such a position. Isn't there? But looking at the white mask, he vaguely wondered if he was going to be the first person to die that mask red? It was rather pristine.
"So it is a fact that you wish to die?" asks Shinichi, totally lost and looking for answers.
"Yes it is" answers the captive, staring Shinichi in the eyes. Shinichi blinks and there is a flash of emotion before his eyes become even more dead and lost than before. As if the resolution was killing him.
"I'm not going to be mean, I'm going to kill you as quickly as possible. Like you said, there is no difference between the end results, so why be harsh and torture you? I don't get any thrills from that." Shinichi takes the holstered gun and places it against the man's head "One shot and it'll all be over. Is it still a fact that you wish to die?" he asks one more time. The man nods his confirmation.
Shinichi places his finger on the trigger and applies the tiniest bit of pressure. And that's when his flame flares into life. As usual it was warning him of the death. But this time there was more. His flame sparked to life infront of his eyes, turning everything around him a shade of sparling grey. He knew for a fact what this was going to look like, he'd witnessed it before. He could practically picture it. He knew exactly how the person would turn cold, how the shine would leave their eyes. He could make a guess at how much it would hurt before the brain stopped registering pain. It was a fact this this person's heart would never beat again, that he'd never take in another breath.
It was a fact that he was about to become the type of person he despised.
It was a fact that he was working very hard to keep his normal life of a detective, yet how could he do that and convict others, when he himself is no different. His normal life was too important to drop. What would Ran and Heiji and Haibara and Agasa and even his parents think if he went back on his beliefs and killed someone?
But it's a fact this man wants to die. So is it classed as murder if he wants to die? Isn't that assisted suicide, which is still convictable?
Should he? Shouldn't he? Why didn't his flame provide the answer for once?
"It is troubled one" Shinichi didn't hear the person walk in, he didn't even feel their presence until they were stood pressed against his back with one hand on his gun, lowering it, and another hand over his eyes. "You've been feeling how this person would die, or as well as you can based on your own experience. You flame uses that as its own way to tell you not to kill. This has caused you great trouble, so sleep and forget all about it, if even only for a moment." Shinichi didn't have a clue who this person was, but as soon as the chain wrapped around his neck, he immediately fell asleep.
"Deal with that one." The voice orders, anger clear in their voice. "Let's go. I need to have a word with Vongola and their pet Arcobaleno. This is unacceptable"
There we go. Neither are killers, but what's going to happen next? Will Tsuna's shocking back up plan work? Who has taken Shinichi?
Find out next time!
Phantom Hitman 1412
First Published 23 May 2012