THE RAINBOW FLAME WAR – I AM BACK
Japan Resistance HQ
The members of the Japanese resistance wait patiently as they look at the door before them. It is about this time that Tsuna and his group of legendary mafioso should be arriving. This group contains the likes of Xanxus, Yamamoto, Vongola Bana and of course the world's hope himself, Sawada Tsunayoshi.
You could hear a mouse if it were to squeak, yet no such thing happens. The resistance members have their eyes bolted to the door, ready, for any minute now it could happen, he could arrive. The reason they all wait for the door is not because of his potential arrival however, it's because of the potential for a trap. The Yakuza have limitless potential; it is still possible this is their attempt at squashing the most important resistance base in the country.
The chief five people stood nearest to the door are the elite members of the resistance. The Chiavarone boss Dino and his right-hand-man Romario. The strongest member of the resistance, Vongola's cloud guardian Hibari Kyoya. Two more members of the Vongola family, the storm guardian's sister, Gokudera Bianci and the Vongola family's doctor, Shamal. Truthfully it this is a Yakuza trap they couldn't hope to put up a fight, the best result would be Hibari escaping but regardless they decided earlier that they would try.
There are three knocks at the door, the exact number that Dino specified to Ellen during their organisational conversations. That doesn't mean anything though, it could still be a trap.
The blonde Mafia boss takes a few steps forward and leans his shoulder against the door. "Password" he yells.
'Please be them' Dino begs as if to the real god. 'Please don't let me down now Tsuna'.
"Crib means frozen" comes the reply.
Turning back to Hibari, Dino looks at the strongest amongst them. Everything has fallen in to place, Dino never provided them with a password since they insisted they knew an old one. One more layer of proof that the boss wasn't going to refuse.
Hibari's eyes briefly shift from the door to the face of the man who trained him. He simply nods, open the door.
Dino opens the door. The creaks of the hinges, the gradual invasion of light into the room, they all make his hair stand on end. Who will be on the other side of this door.
Mafia or Yakuza?
The man on the other side of the door jumps into a friendly hug with Dino. There's no doubt in the minds of the others, this is the Vongola boss. This is Sawada Tsunayoshi.
"I'm back" Tsuna yells at the top his voice, a resounding cheer following as his presence is confirmed.
Now they don't need to be afraid, even if one of the Yakuza leaders were to attack Tsuna would have a chance at beating them. The resistance is over, now they are the opposition.
"I'll never get used to people being so happy to see me" Tsuna smiles as he pulls himself back from Dino.
"Hopefully they won't have to be so overjoyed soon but right now I share their elation" Dino begins. "It's damn good to see you Tsuna".
"You too Dino, thanks to your plan all those years ago the resistance is still alive and fighting even now, this is only possible because of all your hard work".
The bucking bronco smiles proudly, "Thank you; boss".
Tsuna then turns to Hibari and takes the sight of him in. It seems like so long ago now that he was helping to keep 'unsavoury characters' away from his wedding. True to his word the Yakuza didn't take Japan until after the wedding.
"I've made you wait a long time for our fight" the 10th offers Hibari, thinking back to the time he protected Mukuro from the cloud guardian.
A smile comes to the disciplinarian's face, "I'm sure I can hold on a little longer".
Dino grabs hold of Aron's shoulders and brings him to the front of the couple. "Tsuna, this is Aron, our son. Aron, this is Sawada Tsunayoshi, the greatest mafioso in history".
Tsuna shakes his head at the compliment and begins introducing himself to Aron. He wonders just what the kid has been through during the war, he wonders how Honda could subject even youngsters like this to suffering.
"You two have a kid" Yamamoto starts, "I didn't even know you were seeing each other".
"WE'RE NOT".
Romario scratches the back of his head, "Well they are".
Dino snorts, "Shut it Romario".
Hibari decides to clarify Aron's parental situation. "We both just happened to adopt him on the same day so we both decided we would be his father… Bronco is more like the mother though".
"Oh you went and said it" Dino brings his whip out, "Want to fight Kyoya".
"I only fight challenging opponents".
Beside the arguing parents, Haru and Bianci embrace one another. Since last seeing each other they have become family, one being Juu's mother and another his aunt. Also since that time they have both lost family, the death of Gokudera Hayato too recent in their minds.
"I'm so sorry" Bianci offers.
"Yeah… I'm sorry too" returns Haru.
"I hear you are a mother now; the baby is back in the Himalayas I take it" the poisonous cook asks.
"Yeah, little Juu, he's your nephew" the storm policewoman nods, "He is back in the Himalayas, I suppose he is the last hope this world has if we all fall here today".
"We won't fail" Shamal declares with a clenched fist, "I can feel it, the rising excitement, the fear from the Yakuza, this is it… this is it".
Tsuna nods to the doctor who once saved his life. He owes it to him, no to so many people to win against Honda.
"That's right, this is it, Dino, take me to your maps, show me what you know".
Dino and Hibari swiftly escort Tsuna and his group to the rear of the warehouse. There is a screen, a great screen on the rear wall. This is the screen that the resistance used when they contacted Sawada Tsunayoshi but right now it is being used for its former purpose, displaying maps.
"Where are the Yakuza chiefly held up" Tsuna asks.
"The vast majority of them are at their largest slave encampment here". Hibari points to a spot on the map just outside of Tokyo, difficult to reach and easy to defend. The Yakuza have clearly thought this through.
"Including Honda" Ellen asks.
"Yes". The one who answers is not Hibari but Dino. "We have produced a profile of the most worrying fighters the Yakuza have".
Hibari runs through the list.
"Honda is the leader of the Yakuza; he uses his fists to a high enough level to defeat the improved ultimate flame".
"Gon is the second-in-command; a wise old man who follows Honda loyally for some reason, he uses darts with enough accuracy to hit from miles away".
"Kara seems to be Honda's assistant, it's also unknown why she follows Honda loyally, she is the sabre user who defeated Yamamoto using Clarent previously".
"Lucy is Honda's pet project, he seems to enjoy watching her turn from sane to insane, using her power to manipulate glass she killed Reborn and Basil last time we fought".
"Lastly is Varon, he is probably the weakest of them all but he is very dangerous. What he is, we assume that is what Lucy will eventually become, an insane monster. He uses weighted balls to attack his opponent".
Dino turns to Tsuna following the explanation. "These five are very dangerous but we still have five of the seven, they are all dangerous too right".
"Right".
"Is our plan a full frontal assault on the slave camp" Ellen asks.
"Unless you have any better ideas" comes Dino's reply.
"It just seems ironic, we've been sneaking around for years and now we are going to show up right in front of them".
"I know how it sounds but the it's the best plan" sighs Hibari as he shrugs his shoulders, "There will be no sneaky attacks, no assassinations, no hit and run".
Dino shakes his head as he looks at his feet, "We've tried everything and failed to kill Honda. They say you can't kill a god".
"I say we prove them wrong" the Vongola Boss snorts at the statement. "Right?",
"Yes".
"Damn right we do" Ellen concurs.
Tsuna turns around, hands in pockets he walks towards the door. "Dino, Hibari, make preparations, tomorrow evening we will carry out the result".
"Where are you going" Dino asks with a panicked expression, "It's dangerous out there, you might get hurt".
The irony of this situation slowly sinks in on him. If their plan is to work they are depending on Sawada Tsunayoshi to be the strongest fighter alive, if the streets of Tokyo could kill him then it would save them the bother of pointlessly attacking the slave encampment.
"I'm going to check somewhere to see if I can find my guardians".
"Hyper intuition" Hibari asks.
"No, just sentimentality".
Kokuyo Junior High
Tsuna slowly walks through the corridors of the school Mukuro gathered his followers at. He recalls how his wife referred to this as a good hiding place before the war. She was right, generally the city has become a desolate area and not a public building could be walked into without seeing the damage first hand. This place hasn't changed though; the only damage a few burn marks on a wall.
'Those burn marks, I wonder what nasty fellow did that' Tsuna smiles to himself, 'Yes, that's where I first used the hyper dying will flame. The true beginning of my journey perhaps'.
Tsuna walks around another corner in the corridor. Slowly raising his head as his smile disappears. Stood before him is a small group of people. If he were to look carefully he would recognise many faces in this group yet his eyes are only drawn to one. The face of a woman with an eye-patch.
It's his wife.
It's Sawada Dokuro.
Tsuna doesn't hear what the others say upon seeing him. Some exclamations, some noises of euphoria and some mention of, 'classroom to give them privacy'. The others disappear into a classroom just at the side of the corridor, leaving the husband and wife duo alone.
Dokuro approaches Tsuna and hugs him tightly, tighter than she has ever hugged anyone before. Years of suffering, hunting for food, watching people die trying to stand up for the Yakuza. Yet after so long, so much time of hardship, her husband has come back. Tsuna is still fighting for her.
"Dokuro" Tsuna sobs, tears flowing from his eyes, "So many people died, Mum and Dad and Gokudera and Reborn and Basil too… the Shimon family and Belphegor and I couldn't save them".
"But I never, I never stopped fighting, I didn't stop trying I promise".
"I know", the first words the mist guardian says to her boss in years. "But you are here now, that's all that matters. I love you Tsuna".
"I love you too Dokuro".
A few minutes pass before the door to the classroom opens. Tsuna decides to compose himself this time, regardless of how happy he is to be reunited with his wife he has to acknowledge the others.
The Vongola Boss is taken back when the one who comes out of the classroom isn't anyone he recognises, it's a young girl with striking white hair.
"Shiro" Dokuro begins, evidently the girl has been named after her hair colour, "This is Tsuna, he's your father".
"Father… my father…" the young girl slowly walks towards the Vongola Boss, not quite knowing how to act in this situation.
Tsuna's tears begin flowing uncontrollably once more. He hugs the girl, he hugs Shiro, he hugs his daughter for the first time.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I've already been gone for so long, I've been a really bad father, I've been a really bad husband and I…".
"Tsuna…".
"Yeah…".
"Just shut up and enjoy the moment will you"
The new-found father chuckles, "Alright, I won't let either of you go again, I promise".
A good few minutes pass but Tsuna doesn't notice, it feels like an instant. To be so close to his wife and his daughter is what he has been fighting so long and so hard for. He has fought so that everyone could enjoy this sensation.
Before long the door opens once again and a familiar face pokes their head around it. "It's a bit less significant than having a daughter I'm sure but you have missed several years of my life too brother".
Of course the one who says that is the thunder guardian, the younger of the Sawada brothers, Sawada Lambo. In the years since they have last seen each other Lambo has changed greatly, for starters the war had evidently restricted his access to cow-print clothing. The greatest change however, is his physical appearance, he has gotten so much taller and boasts the mature face of an adult despite being merely a teenager.
This Lambo might cause Bianci to fly into a rage as he looks just like the future Lambo that used to emerge from the ten-year bazooka. Of course this is not Bianci's ex, Romeo, this is Sawada's younger brother.
Tsuna hugs his brother, he has hugged so many people already yet he feels he will never tire of it. "You have gotten pretty big haven't you, less bad grammar in your sentences". The elder of the brothers does his best to perform his fraternal duty by teasing his junior.
"You seem more of an old man than I do" Tsuna continues.
"Well this war is enough to make you age one hundred years" Lambo notes as he scratches the back of his head, "I-Pin, say hello won't you".
"It's good to see you again Tsuna, I'm so glad that you're back".
"It's good to see you too I-Pin".
"It's been too long brother" comes another voice. This voice does not belong to the thunder guardian Lambo, it doesn't belong to a child of Iemitsu and Nana. This voice has been heard many times around the world, it's the world boxing champion, Sasagawa Ryohei.
"Big brother, it's been too long I know. Don't worry, I never forgot the bond we share, I kept Kyoko safe".
The final two people emerge from the room, the last of the Kokuyo Junior High gang. Ken and Chikusa.
Tsuna immediately bows to the duo on seeing them, "Ken and Chikusa, I asked you to keep Dokuro safe. You've kept her safe for so long, thank you very much".
"Well don't thank us yet, our job isn't complete until Honda's dead" growls Chikusa.
"Yes, follow me, I have something to show all of you".
Japan Resistance HQ
"Ryohei, you're alive, Dokuro too, this is fantastic" Yamamoto exclaims as he shakes hands with his old allies. "Lambo too, you've gotten so tall".
Lambo firmly shakes the hand of the rain guardian, smiling as he recalls the times they spent together in years gone past. There were times when Lambo looked up to him, his strength, his determination and there were times he was terrified of him. The thunder guardian recalls his rain counterpart's audition to become his baby sitter, that put him off baseball for years.
"It's good to see you too Yamamoto" the younger Sawada brother begins, "I offer my condolences though, I'm sure your baseball career must have taken a hit".
The baseball star laughs in return, "Seeing all of your faces again more than makes up for it".
The sun policewoman approaches the sun guardian with her head lowered. Since her more aggressive attitude took hold it has been unlike her to be shy about anything but she is blushing right now.
"I'm sorry it took so long" she comments as she tentatively wraps her arms around her brother's back.
"It doesn't matter how long the journey took" Ryohei smiles, "Sawada brought us back together, that's all that matters now".
Aron's eyes are darting to and fro between the various newcomers. "Dad who are all of these people".
"Well everyone is quite impressed right now because these are the Vongola guardians" Dino explains to his son, "Tsuna, Kyoya, Dokuro, Yamamoto, Lambo, Ryohei, all of the surviving Vongola guardians have gathered in one spot".
"It's just a few more hours now" Hibari comments, the only one not rushing to embrace the returning guardians, "A few more hours until the birth of the rainbow flame".
A Side Room
The room is small and stuffy but is a vast improvement on the ones from the Himalayas HQ. Tsuna has brought Ellen into this room for a brief chat. The conditions don't matter much; what matters is why he has brought his resistance organiser into this room with him.
"It didn't hit me until now but all of the Vongola guardians have gathered, everyone except the storm guardian" the boss sighs.
Ellen shuts her eyes for a moment and nods in agreement, "All of those years we were on the run with Gokudera, it still hasn't sunk in yet. Still, he did not die for nothing".
"The storm guardian" Tsuna begins, "A raging storm who is always at the centre of the attack, the right-hand-man of the boss".
Tsuna takes something out of his jacket pocket and throws it to Ellen.
It is the Vongola Storm ring.
"Congratulations storm guardian".
"Me" Ellen exclaims, "But I am not strong, I don't have the dying will flame or…".
Tsuna interrupts the former soldier. "Gokudera would have hand-picked you if he were still here. Besides it's not about strength or anything like that. It's about your role in the family, you've been the mafia's organiser for years now, at the centre of the attack".
"This is a job you were born for, please accept the ring".
Ellen looks down into her hand. 'This ring, it carries the will of Gokudera within it. This ring must be there to see the downfall of the Yakuza'.
She tightens her grip on the ring, "OK… I accept boss".
"Good, then once more the Vongola Guardians are whole".
"The Vongola Guardians, we will march into battle against Honda together".
"The Vongola Guardians…".
"… We're back".