THE NEW WORLD – ROUTINE
3 Years Later, Rural Finland
It's snowy in Finland, as it is the majority of the time. The cold weather does little to put off the hard-working men and women of the resistance camp though. The resistance camp is thinly disguised, it couldn't be detected by satellite due to the roofs of the tents being covered in snow and it was deemed highly unlikely that the Yakuza would come to this area and see it in person.
This is the resistance camp that is currently playing host to a group of four people that travel all across Europe together. Sawada Tsunayoshi, Gokudera Hayato, Miura Haru and the woman who goes by Ellen.
"Have you prepared the escape route" Gokudera asks a resistance member in perfect Finnish. In the years they have been on the run it has been of great relief to Tsuna and his followers that the Mafia had insisted on learning foreign languages, learning so many wasn't easy at first but was very worthwhile.
"Yes sir" the man replies as he shivers. Clearly he is not used to working in the cold conditions, "The escape route is ready for the three of you to depart".
Gokudera smiles at the man. Although it is obvious that he is not used to this kind of work, the storm guardian greatly appreciates anyone who is willing to overlook their past in order to work for the future.
"Good work, go and get something warm to drink before we move off" Gokudera says as he places his hand on the man's back.
"Thank you sir". With that he walked off, shivering all the way.
Tsuna is paying little attention to what is going on, amongst all the canvas there is a small opening in the tents where he can look at the sky. It appears that a beam of light is surrounding the boss as he stands in the only spot where sunlight can reach him.
The 10th isn't simply looking at the sky. He is in his standard dying will mode, flickering his flame gently between the plus and zero states as if he is about to do the zero-point breakthrough. Tsuna appears as if he is in a lucid state while he fiddles with his flame, maintaining a lower form so that it would be impossible for Honda to detect him.
One of the people observing Tsuna at this moment is a little girl of 6 years old. At first Tsuna struggled to accept that children were being brought into dangerous resistance camps but what else could be done. There is a valid argument that being nearby to the mafia boss is the safest place in the world for children, certainly safer than being surrounded by low level Yakuza and enforcement officers.
"Mumma" the little girl calls as she looks to one of the resistance members helping to pack away equipment.
The woman walks over to the little girl, presumably her daughter. "What is it Aada?".
Young Aada has a question for her mother, "What is the boss doing" she questions while pointing at Tsuna.
The woman smiles, "He's performing a low level version of the zero-point breakthrough, he is going between the plus and zero states".
"But why is he doing it?" Aada asks.
For the first time Aada's mother realises she doesn't understand this issue. It is said by many that he doesn't improve greatly while in this low-level state so it can't be for the sake of practice. So why does the 10th bother at all. A man approaches the duo to answer that question, that man is of course Tsuna himself.
Tsuna kneels down so that he can look Aada in the eye, "Would you like to know why I do this?".
Aada shows no signs of nervousness, she nods and yells "Yes please" at the top of her voice.
"It's a low-level technique as your mumma said so it is not useful for me to practice" Tsuna begins, "But one day a high-level version of this technique will save everyone from Honda".
"Is that god" the little girl asks, having no living memory prior to Honda taking over the world.
"He is the one you call god yes" Aada's mother answers.
"Right, god if that's what you want to call him, he holds us all hostage, makes us do things we don't want to do" Tsuna continues, "But this technique is how man is going to beat god, so I do it as a symbol of hope".
"A symbol of hope" Aada looks at Tsuna questioningly.
"It's like a good luck charm for everyone around me" Tsuna finishes.
Aada smiles clearly content with that answer as she hugs her mother. The mother mouths a thanks to Tsuna as the boss returns to his spot and begins practicing again.
Gokudera smiles as he watches what is happening, the days are long gone where Tsuna had no hope whatsoever, even if the current plan takes 100 years; things are progressing, that is hope for everyone.
A man runs up to Gokudera, "Mr Gokudera" he yells as he approaches.
Gokudera's expression changes, "Is it…".
"It's happening" the man declares.
Hours Later
Tsuna is standing at the opening with Ellen, the formerly large camp now only a small circle of pitched tents with the same opening at the centre and another small tent nearby. Some equipment remained under the tents, a radio set which they used to try to make contact with any other potential resistance members and the medical tent pitched twenty yards away from the circle.
"Is everything ready" Tsuna asks as he looks away from the sky and to Ellen.
Ellen nods, "When you begin any evidence of the hideout having existed will disappear, 10 minutes from then everyone will be gone, you will have had your practice time and everyone should be safe".
"Thanks, I would begin but…" Tsuna pauses, "My mind isn't in the right place, I have to know that everything went OK".
"Don't worry" smiles Ellen, "I've known you all for three years now, I share your concerns".
Another hour passes before Gokudera emerges from the tent, carrying something in his arms as if it is the most precious thing in the world. To him it is the most previous thing in the world.
"It went perfectly 10th" the storm guardian says with uncharacteristically tearful eyes,
"Is this him" Tsuna asks with a wide smile.
"Yeah, this is my son" Gokudera responds.
"Congratulations Gokudera" Ellen smiles.
"Yes congratulations, I'm really happy for you" offers the 10th.
"Thank you, 10th, Ellen".
"Have you got a name for him yet" Tsuna asks.
"Well" begins Gokudera, "I've always called you Juudaime, so we sort of named him after you, he's called Juu".
"Juu, it's a lovely name, I'm honoured Gokudera" Tsuna replies.
The duo observe Juu for a moment before Tsuna becomes serious once again. "Now then, get ready to take him away from here, is Haru ready to go?".
"She's in the back of a van being driven away as we speak" responds Gokudera. After Tsuna and Ellen give him an odd look he elaborates, "It's the comfiest transport I could find, there's a bed in it".
"Very well, off you go, don't want to keep your son in danger for too long" the boss orders.
Gokudera acknowledges the order before getting in the penultimate snow covered vehicle. Gokudera holds his child as he gets into the passenger seat. In the distance he observes Tsuna ascend through his forms until he begins using the ultimate dying will flame.
"Do you feel that Juu, the warmth of that flame, the hope" Gokudera rhetorically asks his baby, "You can never mistake that feeling, that is Vongola 10th".
"CLEAR OUT NOW" Ellen yells, prompting the radio operators to pack the kit into the back of the one remaining car.
Tsuna ignores all distractions as the tents and electronics around him is packed away. The 10th looks into the sky while practicing the zero-point breakthrough. He attempts to widen the x-axis.
The Yakuza HQ, Japan
Honda is sat in his comfiest chair, feasting on the food his slaves have brought to him as he chuckles to himself, it is a fine day in Japan. The only person with him is Kara, his most loyal servant who stood by him even when she could have run like Yaru and Sakura.
"None of them are poisoned today" the old man notes, referring to the dishes before him "They are starting to learn".
"Of course" Kara comments, "If god stands before you, you have to acknowledge him, regardless of your personal beliefs.".
Honda claps and laughs at the same time, as if he is a kid at a circus. "You always know the right things to say".
Honda narrows his eyes, "Still for someone who knows that I am not an actual deity it is strange that you chose to address me as god or master".
"You will always be my god" Kara blandly answers.
Honda laughs more, "That's very good, remember that or your punishment will be next".
"Punishment, who can be bothered with something like that" Kara mutters under her breath.
Honda's head snaps around suddenly. Looking to the west he sighs, "It's been nearly a month yet there he is again".
Disregarding the presence of a window, Honda flies out straight through the glass and towards Finland, aiming as he has done so many times before, to kill Sawada Tsunayoshi.
Rural Finland
Tsuna continues to practice the breakthrough as he attempts to widen the x-axis on one of Gokudera's old graphs. Of course widening the x-axis is not a good technical term as Gokudera repeatedly insists but it is easy to understand and memorable to Tsuna and Ellen who are less scientifically inclined.
Tsuna can feel Honda approaching, the former sense the latter to be over Siberia as he is practicing. The feeling of the approaching Yakuza isn't what intrigues Tsuna most though, that is the feeling of an elemental flame.
'This is… it's the sun… I can feel it' Tsuna realises, 'A breakthrough, I'm close'.
A minute passes and Tsuna can feel that Honda is approaching North East Europe, normally at this point Tsuna would stop and insist that they leave.
'I can sense you are getting closer Honda, but I can't give up this close to a breakthrough, I won't give up'.
Ellen looks at her watch, she too has become used to timing these things and has become a very good judge of when Honda is going to arrive. She is becoming nervous, Tsuna is taking far longer than usual.
Tsuna senses Honda reach Scandinavia and Ellen explains her alarm to the boss. "Tsuna we have to go NOW".
Tsuna still doesn't react.
"TSUNA".
Suddenly a hollow circle of sky flames appears around Tsuna's joined hands. These flames are an orange colour as Tsuna's flames always have been. What is different is that another colour of flame appears to fill the centre of the hollow circle. Yellow.
Sun flames form in the centre of the sky flame.
"This is…" Ellen begins, not believing that she is finally seeing a breakthrough.
Tsuna immediately stops and drops his ultimate dying will form. "Come on let's go" he says with a sense of urgency.
Tsuna and Ellen run and get into the last car which quickly drives away.
A few minutes later Honda arrives, he just missed him.
"He was here but he got away again" Honda decides, "You will never get anywhere Sawada Tsunayoshi, you will die of old age before you defeat me".
"And then the world will die with you".
Tsuna and Ellen's Car
"What do you mean they didn't get away" Ellen speaks into her radio with despair.
Tsuna is shattered, his breath heavy as he leans against the car window, "Ellen, what, what are you saying".
"I'm sorry boss, some of our scouts didn't arrive back at camp until after we left, Honda killed them".
"How, what went wrong" Tsuna asks, leaning away from the window and right up to Ellen.
"I don't know; they must not have received the evacuation signal" responds the former soldier.
"Dammit" Tsuna curses as he holds his head in his hands, "Everywhere we go, more people die".
"Sir, I have become an expert in organising local resistances, judging people, who is loyal to the old world and who is loyal to the new world" begins Ellen, "When things go wrong we feel responsible; but we are fighting for what we believe in and they are doing the same".
"They knew what they were getting into and will have been honoured to die for you".
"Do you know what scares me most of all?" Tsuna sighs, "I can't remember their faces".
Ellen starts, never thinking of this issue before.
"Everyone who dies trying to help me, I should be able to place a name and face to all of them but I can't. There are so many that after a while they have just started to blend into one".
"Hey" Ellen shows a small smile as she shakes Tsuna by the shoulder, "If I can keep going like this then you can as well, you are their leader, their beacon of hope so don't give up now".
"You're right of course" replies the 10th, "You've been good to us these last few years, I'm very grateful to you and I know that Gokudera and Haru are too. They may not have been able to have a child if it weren't for you taking on so much".
"Are you kidding me" Ellen laughs, "You don't need to be grateful to me, you are the world famous Sawada Tsunayoshi, everyone who lives owes you their gratitude. They will so even more someday because you are the hero who will save us, right?".
"Yeah" smiles Tsuna, raising his head, eyes filled with determination, "You're damn right I am".
Such is the routine of Tsuna and his group. They travel to a new town. Ellen rounds up trustworthy people to join the resistance. They set up a temporary camp and try to contact others. They pack the camp away and Tsuna practices for ten minutes. When Honda approaches they run and begin the process all over again.
It is this painful process full of loss and hurt that has become the groups routine. They have worked towards performing this routine every day for the last three years. Today is the first breakthrough.