RETURN TO THE HOMELAND – A SHOUT TO THE HEAVENS
The Vatican
Gokudera has come to the Vatican to see his boss. Arriving he spends little time admiring the incredible architecture and famous artwork, what happens in the next few days is far more important.
As Gokudera follows the directions he was given towards Tsuna, he looks at the aforementioned artwork as he passes. 'This artwork represents one day in human history' he says to himself, 'the 10th's recovery will determine what happens to our race for the rest of eternity'.
As the storm guardian enters a large room filled with the inhabitants of the Vatican his eyes are not drawn to the world famous religious figures, they're drawn to his unwell friend.
"Mr Gokudera" the pope says rising from his knees as he meets the stand-in leader for the first time, "We have brought Mr Sawada here so that our prayers may best reach him".
Gokudera nods gently to the pope without looking away. As well as the various cardinals dressed in their traditional clothing, Nana, Lambo, Dokuro and Hino are also praying for Tsuna.
Gokudera respects the silence and whispers to Pope Silva, "The Vongola family really appreciates what you've done, though I don't know what help it can be". Gokudera worked for an engineering company at home in Japan, as a man of science he has little time for religion and faith.
The pope smiles despite Gokudera's lack of faith. "Here" he says as he places his hand on the guardian's shoulder, "Come with me".
As the duo walk Gokudera begins to realise where they are heading, somewhere he never thought he would go. The famous balcony. Gokudera feels it is slightly wrong that he was to be allowed to walk here, although he isn't religious he still respects the importance of this place to the Christian people.
As Gokudera walks out onto the balcony, into the damp weather Italy is unaccustomed to he notices something shocking below. The square is filled with thousands of people, more than he had ever seen gathered in one place. The thousands are all silent as they share a unanimous prayer in their hearts, a prayer for Tsuna's recovery.
"They all heard Prime Minister Pinto's broadcast" explains Pope Silva, "They have come here to pray, to pray for his recovery, to pray for the Vongola family, to pray for their salvation".
"It's amazing" Gokudera admits, religion is a force with the power to move millions if not billions of people all over the world. Historically religion has led to many wars, it's not always been a good thing but right now it is what millions are relying upon to save themselves, blind faith in a deity they've never encountered to save a man they've never met.
"Perhaps you would speak to them" suggests the pope.
"Me?" asks the storm guardian with surprise.
"I spoke to Mrs Sawada, the younger one" begins Silva, "She explained that her husband considered you his best friend".
"Boss…" mutters Gokudera, not sure how to respond to such praise, especially from the man he most respected in this world.
"I'm sure you can tell these people about him" the pope justifies, "You can do him the true justice I cannot".
Gokudera nods and the pope explains how a speaker system has been set up for him to talk to his followers. Today was an important day for the church hence why the system was set up.
Speaking into the microphone Gokudera began, "I'm here" he started before realising that he didn't need to speak so loudly into the microphone.
"I'm here to tell you about the 10th Vongola boss, Sawada Tsunayoshi" he said to the people below.
"I've been in the mafia all my life, it's been in my family, we have historically been mobster and enemies of the people" continues Gokudera, getting increasingly nervous as nobody below makes a sound.
"After the 1st Vongola boss, Vongola Primo left for Japan we descended into the realm of being criminals" he says in perfect Italian.
"I also went to Japan a criminal but then I met Sawada Tsunayoshi" Gokudera says with a smile, losing his nervousness when he recalls that Tsuna was the focus of this speech and not himself.
"He taught me that no matter if you are Vongola, Varia, Millefiore, Shimon, Arcobaleno or not mafia at all, you can still be friends" Gokudera explains.
"He stopped us being a criminal organisation, he set us along the righteous path, he saved us".
"He saw so many people set us along the wrong path and he stopped every single one of them, he made the decision to fight evil".
"Evil affects us all, it's an enemy each and every one of us has to face".
"Right now we are all facing the evil that is the Yakuza and we are facing it together, does that make us allies suddenly… no it does not" says Gokudera, causing a lot of heads in the crowd to drop in disappointment.
"It makes us friends" yells Gokudera, raising the heads of the crowd members.
"Yesterday we were, mafia, some of us were criminals, some of us innocent civilians, perhaps Christians, maybe Italians but today we have to cast that all aside, look proudly in the mirror and call yourself an enemy of the Yakuza because you are HUMAN".
As a look of resolve appears on many people's faces Gokudera continues his explanation, "Tsuna has fallen into critical condition fighting our enemies and we don't know when he will wake up, but it has to be soon".
"I want him to be OK, I want to stop the Yakuza, I want to save the world but the reality is I'm not strong enough, I can't do it alone" confesses the storm guardian.
"So please all of you, lend him your prayers, put him in your thoughts, no matter what your religion, no matter what your faith" requests Gokudera.
"No, do more than that, please help me put into words for him… Sawada Tsunayoshi" the storm guardian continues.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi" the people join him in saying.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi" repeats Gokudera.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi" the crowd says following the mafioso.
This mantra continues for several minutes, Gokudera not having the will or heart to stop until he turns to his side where Dokuro stands clearly tearful about the current situation. Dokuro says something to Gokudera, something that none of the crowd is privy to.
Gokudera enlightens the people below on what Dokuro told him. "He's awake" he yells at the top of his voice causing the greatest wave of relief and joy in history.
As Nana helps Tsuna limp out onto the balcony Tsuna is astonished by the sight before him, not quite knowing what to make of several thousand people chanting his name. The Vongola boss turns to his right hand man and hugs him, thanking him for whatever he had done, it had worked.
Pope Silva comes to a realisation. 'It's on this day that the earth has finally seen another miracle'.
The Yakuza Headquarters
As Honda invites Lucy and Yaru into the dining room once again he gestures to the TV. The duo turns their heads to the screen to see the news they least wanted to hear, Sawada Tsunayoshi had made a miraculous recovery while the people of the Rome called his name.
"That was good luck" comments Lucy, refusing to use false deities to justify the 10th's miraculous recovery.
"A pity, their luck is the only thing we have to fear, not these false gods they preach about" sighs Honda as he continues to snack on some bread.
"A real life miracle" notes Yaru, struggling to hold back a smile as a result of his astonishment, "Who would have thought they would be so luck".
Seemingly without justification glass appears behind Lucy's back as the elder sibling violently uses her powers to end the life of another slave.
Yaru removes the hand he used to cover his eyes while his sister went on her tantrum, "Where are you going" he asks urgently.
"To train" Lucy huffs as she storms out of the dining room.
Despite Lucy becoming crueller and increasingly abandoning her morals Honda laughed as she stormed away. Yaru takes his eyes off the bloody corpse on the ground and looks at his master.
"Perhaps it's not such a bad thing after all" decides Honda, "Their good fortune will only serve to make our side stronger".
Yaru nods, "I will go train too" he declares, not wanting to fall behind his sister and the rest of their comrades.
As Yaru leaves Honda speaks to the television as though the person on the screen can hear him. "Good work Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola 10th, your recovery is the signal of Italy's doom".