Pinkie's Part: Sorry for the delayed update; I wasn't feeling very good- and my muse dropped off the face of the earth. I'm trying to make due with what ideas I have; and hopefully they work out for you all n.n

Please drop me a review on your way out- they motivate me!

Enough of my rambles,

onward.

xx

Chapter: Farewell Songs

A click signified someone leaving the room, and all was still. It was almost as if the heavy weighted door was a sort of barrier. As if the nightmares were currently put to the back of consciousness, and a wave of relief filled weak lungs. The rhythm of shaken breathing was the only melody in the entirety of the room. There was a tensed peace, and that made the situation feel all the more worrisome.

Silence is something to be envied, however; it is also something to be feared. When silence settled into the room that had previously been filled with manic laughter, a form shivered in tune to the pounding in his head. Chained wrists struggled fruitlessly, until a tinge of pain caused them to halt.

Tired eyes opened, a bleary honey dipped in the glaze of exhaustion- and they strained in order to make out silohuettes in the shadowed atmosphere. The drug in his system had long worn off, and the annoying pulses of pain were like needles and pins all over his body. He lay there, silent, waiting for something to trigger his instincts. When the subconscious tick deemed the room safe enough; the hands made their way upwards. Chapped, pink lips opened and a tongue slid out. When the heavy muscle unrolled, a key was revealed.

Tsuna spit the key into his palms, and shimmied his skin until he found the lock on his wrists. The attempts seemed pathetic, until a hopeful click of the lock becoming unarmed seemed to resonate in the dimly lit room. When both wrists were free, Tsuna strained his ears. He picked up the shallow breathing of someone. He slid off the metal cot soundlessly, and dropped to his knees.

He crawled army style, slowly around the room, until he felt a shallow heat near his elbow. The breathing was beginning to dip more and more, and he reached out. His fingertips were met with something slightly cold and sticky. The smell of antithetic and copper filled his nostirls when he brought his hand to his nose.

Something pulsed deep within the amber eyed male. He felt fire in his veins and his breathing sped up. Someone was hurt. That far off familiar feeling of rage began to rise in his stomach. Tsuna closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. Blood was rushing to his ears, and when he opened them once more, the consciousness was gone.

The panic was gone, and replaced with a deceptive calm. The inner beast that had been sedated by the drug Byakuran had administered was now free. Tsuna's consciousness was overran now by Tsunayoshi; and it was in the nick of time.

The blazed male sat up on his knees and coaxed the injured form to his lap. The blood coated his hands and dingy pants as he removed the tattered shirt from his form. He took part of the fabric in his teeth and tore long strips. He apologized gently as he prodded the person softly, looking for the origin of the wound. A small voice accepted, and a cold hand clasped his blindly in the dark.

A single candle seemed to materialize from nowhere, and Tsuna saw matted purple hair, and the pale hand that clasped his brought their intertwined fingers to her face. Tsuna looked upon the battered form of Chrome, his savior. The small woman had given him the key to his freedom, and ended up hurting herself in order to lessen his pain.

Tsuna pushed matted hair from Chrome's face, and internally winced at the state it was in. Her right eye had been impaled by the table corner when she had been thrown backwards. Her eyelid deeply gashed, and the bodily fluids that had once occupied it- were dried on her skin.

She whimpered quietly as he inspected it, and made no further objection when he bound it with the dirty strips of his mangy shirt. He tied a tight knot behind her head, and cradled her there until she felt well enought to sit up.

"I'm so sorry, Chrome.. if it weren't for me..."

His voice trailed off as he placed his hand over her injured eye. A comforting squeeze was then given, and Tsuna found himself looking down at the small woman in his grasp.

"If it weren't for you, I would be dead right now. Hush up, and let's...let's get out of here."

Tsuna nodded, pulling the small girl up. He placed one arm over his shoulder, and braced her petite waist with his other arm. He pushed their bodies up and leaned Chrome onto his frame.

"I'll get you to safety first...we need to get to the infirmary. That eye- no offense; needs to be taken care of."

She nodded weakly and let herself be brought up. The illusion of the candle disipating as he stood with their combined weight. He shuffled over a few steps, before he finally gave up.

"Forgive me."

He felt her head twist in his direction, tilted slightly to the side. Tsuna pulled Chrome closer, adjusting her weight until his arms were beneath her legs. He lifted her gently, and she gasped slightly. He felt his strained muscles protest- but it was easier this way, it would be better.

(Won'tSayNever)

Darkness. Cloaked in the familiar surroundings, but without the grace of shadows. A game that put him in a predicament. Footsteps thudded- as though there was never an option to stop. The halted breaths the rose from parted lips came in shuddering, pain-laced gasps. A stubborn knee rose, trying to regain a standing position- though the weight of the world was sternly settled on those broad shoulders.

A soft rustle signified a hat dropping. Inky locks fell over a worn face; dull fire blazed in obsidian pools set deep in determination.

Small beads of sweat formed on the usual prisine face. A frustrated growl was released from curled back lips.

"I.. am the strongest, Arcobelano...I don't...have time for this...bullshit.. Tsuna- he's...waiting for me."

A surge of energy pulsed from tan palms, a startling yellow flame sparking before disipating as quickly as it had formed. The immense pain that seared through his body was something of an annoyance. The hitman sat up a little straighter, and leaned forward. His chest supported against his raised knee, and his hand reaching out to hold on to the wall he was braced against. Reborn slowly made his way up, his head spinning from the poison saturated in the air. He coughed harshly, his unoccupied hand going to his face, trying to muffle the sounds of his weakness leaving him.

He grit his teeth in frustration, and- ignored the pain the seared through his chest as he forced his legs to hold his weight. He stood, shakily at first, but confident as always. His hand latched to his chin as he fought another round of agonizing coughs. His head was light, but that did not stop him. He struggled to the door, leaning heavily against it as he searched his holster for his spare gun.

Once equipped, he lay his ear against the door- waiting for the familiar tick, tick of careless footsteps, unknowing of their impending doom.

(GreenWithEnvy)

A gentle sigh lay dorment on a pair of lips. A head of spiky emerald locks was pressed against a wall. The white labcoat was damp, and the pristine colour was masked with dirt and the tell tale signs of struggle.

Verde released another sigh, his glasses sliding down his nose as he let his head sink backwards. His laptop lay locked near his side, the dents that dipped in the edges only frustrated him more. The thought of having to pry it open, and to try and decipher the encripted, damaged coding within that small device-

"To extract all that information..." His voice dipped dangeroulsly; the irritability unmasked. His hand fell over his eyes, and then slid down his jaw in a thoughtful manner.

He pushed his glasses up, a smirk rising on his lips and he shook with coughs. The excitement of new information had his adrenaline pumping, but the poison was seeping into his veins. He sighed once more.

The thought of having to be rescued like some neanderthal princess made his skin crawl- but a small part of him wanted to be released from this ridiculous predicament.

Luckily for him, a certain pair of military agents were just down the hall. Their oxegen masks near their limit- but the determined fire in their eyes was all they needed to continue owards.

(FlameRidden)

Fon and I-Pin stayed closed to the walls. The martial artist tried to his very best to keep his apperance up. The pain that seared through his toned chest was one that refused to be ignored, and his student knew this well. When the coughs tore through the raven haired male, the smaller teen tried her best to remain calm.

"Shishou?"

Fon turned towards her, the wary look in his eyes unable to be contained any longer. He smiled gently and placed his hand on her head.

"Once we have found our companions- all will be well little one."

tick, tick

The soft sound of flat shoes across the marble floors was resonating- replicating the sound of an old clock; and speaking of clocks-

Time was flying past- and as they stole passed a door, it swung open and the smaller girl found her back pulled flush against a broad surface, and a cold peice of metal pushed against her face.

She blinked, before she made haste to exit the hold. When I-Pin twisted from the form who had previously held her captive, a breathy laugh caused her to relax. With wide, dark eyes scanning her teacher, the light had slightly regained itself.

"Reborn- fancy meeting you here."

A grunt was the response as the two men clasped hands. The red clad martial artist took a quick sweep of the fedora clad hitman.

"You look like hell, old friend."

Reborn smirked, shaking his head.

"Something precious to me is hidden here- I'm sure you'd look like shit to."

Fon laughed, and his face turned slowly back into the serious, content mask he usually wore.

"We've got a lot to do, Old Friend- shall we dance together, like old times?"

Reborn's responding smile was toothy- and so very frightening.

"I've got the ballad in my bullets, let's get this show on the road."