THE NEW WORLD – GENIUS
The Meeting Room, Himalayas HQ
The officers of the Mafia, combined with Ellen, pour into the meeting room. A few spare members of the resistance have worked hard to extend the room slightly but it is still cramped. The table has been replaced with a slightly larger one and can now seat a total of four people. The four people chosen to sit at the table are Tsuna, Xanxus and their most intelligent subordinates, Gokudera and Belphegor.
The meeting centres around how to establish long range communications, normally both Tsuna and Xanxus would consider this non-essential but this time is different. Tsuna is the only one who needs to be on the move constantly and it would be best if everyone else was huddled together at the base so that they could prepare for a fight together. Regardless, Tsuna is the mafia's leader and needs to be able to communicate with the bulk of his forces even while on the move.
Xanxus looks across the metal table at his leader and realises how much he has come to respect the man. Formally the Varia's leader would consider himself the best person to make the decisions in this kind of war but no longer, now he truly believes in the elder of the Sawada brothers.
"So, how do we set up long distance communication" Xanxus asks, posing a question that the whole meeting centres around.
While Ellen is an expert in communication of all kinds from her time in the army she still has inferior technological knowledge to the engineering supervisor Gokudera Hayato.
The white haired guardian speaks to the leaders, "Things like this are awkward and they depend on satellites and other factors".
Hearing that satellites are involved in this causes the officers to gently nod their heads. While they have all suspected that satellites would be required for long range communication they hoped it wouldn't be true. Using satellites stealthily is no easy matter.
"However" begins Gokudera, refocusing their attentions, "Belphegor and I have been working to sort out this issue and we have produced this".
Gokudera picks up a keyboard like device from the floor. The positioning of the keys suggests it is not a keyboard though that was likely the inspiration for the design. Many members of the mafia question when or how Gokudera and Belphegor were able to produce such technology but quickly discard the thoughts from their minds.
"What is that" Tsuna asks the question on everybody's minds.
Belphegor taps his finger on the table next to the device. "This will allow us to control a satellite remotely under several circumstances, unfortunately the circumstances are difficult to bring about".
Gokudera raises his index finger. "First we need someone to stay here and operate this device, that person would need to be trained in military based communication protocols".
"In other words it has to be me". Ellen rests her chin on her hand and examines the device. "I hope I'm as good at this as I used to be".
"We'll be relying on you Ellen, even though I'm the genius" chuckles the storm officer.
Gokudera raises his second finger, "Secondly, we need to go to the nearest city with a satellite control station".
Xanxus leans forward and cups his hands together, "We can easily move a large number of people a great distance now but you can't seriously expect us to have them charge into the city".
"Why not" Haru asks.
"A city with a control station like that would have a strong Yakuza presence, the boss and I can't risk fighting, if our whereabouts were reported to Honda then he may find the base".
Tsuna finishes Xanxus morbid predictions, "Realistically almost half of the attackers would die if we did this".
"That's why we are taking out as much of the defence system as possible first" explains the storm guardian.
Belphegor puts a small map on the table, seemingly of the underground sewer system of a city. "Gokudera and I will head down beneath the city in the sewer system, we will plant a bomb beneath the power station and blow it up".
"Not only will this take down any automated defence systems but it will disable security systems in the control station" explains Gokudera, "It would run solely on emergency power".
Belphegor takes Squalo's radio, causing the rain officer to shout at his subordinate. The former chuckles as he puts the radio down onto the table before him.
"Using a daisy chain of radio operators we can tell Ellen the control codes she needs to take control of the satellite".
"I get it" the resistance manager shouts, "Once I have control we can move the satellite ourselves and disguise which one they have lost control of. We will be able to set up our own mobile phone network".
Gokudera points his finger at Ellen, "Exactly" he says.
"This plan is still very risky" Tsuna gazes a hole into the table.
His gaze then switches repeatedly between his storm guardian and storm officer. "I will accompany you two in the sewer system, if anything goes wrong before this starts I will go ultimate and run away with the two of you".
Squalo gives the 10th an incredulous look, "Will you really be OK if you do that".
He is answered with a shrug. "The three of us can just go back to the old method as a last resort… before then we need to do everything in our power to make sure this works".
"Yes, yes we have to try this plan" Xanxus concurs, "Everyone make preparations, we move out tomorrow".
The Sewer System
The trio of Tsuna, Gokudera and Belphegor make their way along the sewer system. The 10th is pleasantly surprised about the lack of arguments between Gokudera and Belphegor, not for the latter's lack of trying however. For some reason the new father is reluctant to rise to the blonde's taunts.
While you might think that fate had spared Sawada Tsunayoshi, nothing could be farther from the truth. The lack of an argument is nice for the boss but the smell is not. 'It is a sewer after all' he recalls. Before the war started he spent most of his time with his wife, someone with the ability to manipulate smell to be as delightful as she wanted, now he was walking alongside a stream of flowing excrement.
"We are getting closer aren't we" asks the boss as he waves his hand before his face.
"Yeah, we're getting closer" whispers the storm guardian as he slows to a stop.
"Hmm, Gokudera" Tsuna stops without turning around, "What are you…".
Tsuna is attacked by the person he trusts most in the world, Gokudera Hayato. One swift blow to the back of the head is enough to knock the Vongola boss out. No normal person could take him out in one blow but when he is in his base form, an attack from behind by a guardian is more than enough.
Belphegor spins on his heels and draws his weapons, "What are you doing Gokudera?".
The aforementioned storm guardian props his boss gently up against the wall, "Belphegor" he quietly begins, "I need you to take the 10th back, you see there is something I haven't told him… this bomb needs to be activated in person and I'm not good enough to put a delay on it".
"When I activate this bomb, I will die".
Belphegor starts, "You…".
"He would have never let me do it if he were awake so I need you to take him back, take him back so that I can sacrifice myself for the cause" explains the white haired guardian.
"All those years ago you see… if I had noticed the patterns in the zero-point breakthrough and further pushed the 10th to develop in the x-axis, he might well have beaten Honda".
"I'm going to sacrifice myself to redeem that sin".
Belphegor pauses while he takes in what his ally is saying. "I understand perfectly; I understand what you are staying".
The blonde chuckles, "But still…".
Gokudera's leg is dragged towards the ceiling causing him to lose his balance. He is being suspended by something, after a few seconds he determines that it is a near invisible wire. The same near invisible wire that is only used by Belphegor.
"What is this" the father shouts.
Belphegor ignores the protests of the storm guardian as he takes the bomb from him.
"What are you doing, that's my job" Gokudera continues to yell at the top of his voice as he struggles with the wire.
The storm officer shakes his head, "No, the 10th still needs you at his side and you are a father, you have a child depending on you. Yes, Little Juu is depending on you".
Gokudera grits his teeth as he continues to try and untie the wire.
"I expect Sawada will wake up soon, he can cut you down" suggests Belphegor.
"You… are you really going to do it" Gokudera asks.
"Yeah, the explosion will happen and I will be at the centre of the attack… just as someone with the storm flame should be… right" smiles Belphegor.
The storm guardian begins to shed tears, travelling from his eyes onto his forehead as he is suspended upside down.
"Belphegor… why… why…".
Belphegor chuckles like he always does.
"Because I'm a genius right?".
Gokudera tightly closes his eyes as if to hold back the tears.
"Yeah… you're a genius".
"Farewell, Gokudera Hayato".
A Cliff Above the City
Standing above the city, dressed in a cape, the wind flowing through his short hair is the Varia leader Xanxus. The son of the 9th appears to be gazing over a motionless city. The lights from the city so bright that he can't see the stars but the streets empty with the exception of those titled enforcement officers.
The event he's waiting for happens and it lights up the city even more. An enormous explosion seems to shake the city itself, as car alarms go off and lights go out.
"GO NOW" he yells into his radio.
On the Edge of the City
Here are the remainder of the Varia waiting for the signal from their leader. The only exception to this is Mammon who stays away to oversee the use of the barrier.
"GO, NOW, GO" Squalo yells upon receiving his orders.
Levi is the first to act, striding forward and taking out some of the enforcement officers with his parabolas.
Lussuria nods to Squalo who whispers a plan to the sun officer. Instead of joining the fight he leaps to the rooftop of a nearby building. The jump is impressive; more than any human should be able to jump.
Squalo ignores the attacking guards, deciding that Levi and the resistance members can handle them. The rain officer runs straight towards the satellite control station.
"STOP RIGHT THERE". A couple of Yakuza members block Squalo's path. Clearly they have determined where he is going. Squalo can tell these guys are too strong for the average resistance members to deal with but his plan from before comes to fruition.
Falling from the building above, Lussuria lands on top of one of the guards before beginning to attack the other.
Squalo runs into the control building and quickly finds the console needed to obtain the codes for the satellite.
"Squalo, have you got the codes yet" Xanxus impatiently asks through the radio.
"One moment… got them" replies the rain officer. He then begins reading from the screen before him, two numbers at a time he reads the codes to Xanxus.
Xanxus writes down these codes as they are so lengthy. It is a good thing that Gokudera had insisted they take pen and paper in case this happened. Following writing down the codes Xanxus begins the daisy chain by reading them to the next in line.
A few minutes pass as the codes are passed along before Squalo speaks to Xanxus once again.
"Voi Xanxus, have we got confirmation yet, we are getting a lot of casualties here" he shouts.
"Wait for it, it can't be long Squalo".
A few more minutes pass as the enforcement officers demonstrate their superior organisation. Although the Varia members are slightly stronger than their Yakuza counterparts, they are outnumbered and are unable to help their allies who have never fought before.
"Squalo, they've got it, get everyone out of there" orders Xanxus.
With no order whatsoever, the men and women of the resistance pile out of the city. Running for the hills so fast that the enforcement officers stand no chance of running after them. Tsuna's previous estimates have proven about right, half of them have been lost for the sake of this plan.
The losses don't matter right now though; what matters is getting out of there.
The Himalayas HQ
With the exception of Tsuna and his group, the entire city raid detachment has returned to base. While the remaining members of the Varia check on the men and women, ensuring that they are well hydrated, Xanxus talks to Ellen who has Gokudera's device in hand.
"Ellen, status report".
"Lord Xanxus, the mission was a complete success, our satellite has avoided all attempts at tracking".
Haru picks up her child and holds him close to her face. "We did it Little Juu".
"I always knew we could pull of something like this" boasts Lussuria.
"VOI, LISTEN UP" Squalo shouts.
"Burn the memory of this day into your brain".
"We have been in a constant state of retreat, of fear, we have been fighting a losing fight against the Yakuza".
"But today… today was our first instance of victory".
"This was the first day that we have truly fought back against the Yakuza".
The resistance cheers mightily as they rally to agree with Squalo. Haru joins in but is distracted, she is the only one to realise that the door opens, the only one to realise that Tsuna is helping Gokudera to limp inside.
"What happened" Haru shouts to Tsuna, silencing the cheers.
"We haven't had this day without losses" remarks Tsuna.
"Belphegor isn't with you?" Xanxus walks over to the duo.
"He… he stayed with the bomb… he made sure that it would go off".
Squalo holds his face with his palm. "Belphegor…".
"Listen up" Tsuna takes his turn to shout to the resistance members. "Tonight we will light a fire and sing songs in honour of Belphegor and in honour of all those who died today".
"None of them will be forgotten, understand?".
Nobody speaks a reply and it seems as if many are just remembering for the first time that they have lost family and friends today. Tsuna is met with a universal nod from the entire hall.
Gokudera makes a resolution in his heart. 'You died for me today Belphegor, you died for my son and for the resistance. I will make sure your sacrifice isn't wasted'.