A/N: Sorry about the delay. I was hoping to upload this before the new year but that didn't work out. This chapter went off the rails as soon as Kyoya was hurt. Hope those Cervello wanted to be cremated because I honestly don't see a way for them to survive this.
As always, hope you all enjoy and feel free to review!
Consumed by Rage
The next morning Vongola Nono was revealed to be in stable condition. Timoteo had requested to see both Sawada siblings but Shizuka already had plans to see how Violet was adjusting without her sisters. Considering that Masahiro had personally came to their house to pick her up and looked seconds away from killing someone, Tsuna figured it was best to let his sister go.
"Ah, Tsunayoshi. It's good to see you." Timoteo says with warmth. "And where is your Mist?" He asks, Tsunayoshi sighed. "Hibari-san picked her up today. I have a few questions i-if that's okay." He says nervously. Reborn looked at Tsuna in approval, he was making some progress when it came to the teen's confidence. Not having Shizuka as a crutch since she'd gotten her own guardians and having proper support helped a lot.
Timoteo sighed. "Yes, I suppose you have many. I should start with an apology, one of my sons had died recently when I visited your family. It made your father and I make a rather... rash decision." He admits.
There was no sign of deception, not even a twinge of doubt from Tsuna's intuition. Instead of Vongola's proud leader, all the teen saw was an old man full of regret. "Why would Xanxus go so far to become the next leader? If he wants the title and is already involved in the mafia, shouldn't he have been your first choice?" Tsuna asks.
Timoteo tried repositioning himself but failed, not having the strength to sit up. "Xanxus was not in the line of succession because he is not my son by blood. The ring will only accept a blood descendant of Giotto. Those without it won't be able to access its full potential. I would not have forced this position on you if there was another choice."
If he really wanted to, he could have found a replacement for Dad's job and had him as the next boss. Tsuna thought, wondering when his thoughts started sounding as cynical as his sister. "Is there at least some sort of plan to make sure Xanxus doesn't just kill me before the match starts?" Tsuna asks, Reborn nodded.
"Necessary precautions have been taken." Reborn states.
XoXoXoXoXo
"Is everyone here always this busy?" Violet asks, watching Masahiro bark orders at several of his subordinates. The men paid the girls no mind and were retrieving weapons from what could only be described as an armory. Unless a person was familiar enough with Mist flames the room looked like a regular sanitation closet.
"Not really. Gramps told me it's been years since someone was foolish enough to cause trouble in Baku territory. The only reason they hadn't interfered before was because Namimori is under Kyoya's protection. By targeting me, someone under Baku protection, retaliation will be seen as them defending their honor against gaijin." Shizuka explains.
"And Vongola Nono is okay with this?" Violet asks, Shizuka deadpanned. "Seeing as that old man is the reason for this entire thing, his opinion doesn't factor into this. The sooner he's out of our lives the better."
She really has no interest in being one of Vongola's heirs, a position any mafioso would kill for. Violet thought. From what she'd seen with her short time with Baku, the yakuza group was like a family. "Is it a culture thing?" Violet asks, Shizuka shrugged. "My brother and I were raised to be family oriented, not famiglia oriented. And Baku is like family at this point. Vongola has done nothing but put my brother in danger and give Iemitsu an excuse to abandon us."
An alarm started to blare as two Cervello walked into the building, looking unfazed by the amount of killing intent and blades pointed at them. "All guardians are required to participate in the Sky battle." Their message received; the women used their Mist flames to retreat.
"Such disrespect." Satoshi growled, the old man still holding onto one of his knives. Shizuka deadpanned. "Those gaijin know nothing of honor or respect if those mafioso are any indication. But won't the Varia be at a disadvantage since they'll be down two guardians?"
"Shizuka, the Varia are assassins. Don't underestimate them." Violet advises. "The only thing good coming from this is possibly getting a rematch."
XoXoXoXoXo
Shizuka arrived at the school last, a content Kuro relaxing in her arms. "Sorry, one of the cats fell asleep on my lap." She says sheepishly, her arms covered in scratches. Violet just shook her head in exasperation, sticking close to the Sky. Yamamoto looked between their new addition and the Cervello in confusion. "Did one of you switch teams late in the game?" Shizuka face palmed and Gokudera was already yelling at the teen for being a baseball otaku.
"In the Sky battle, all elements are required to participate no matter their condition. All guardians' lives will be at stake." The Cervello informs them. So we all get a rematch huh? Must be my lucky day. Shizuka thought, still upset about her earlier loss. There was a light brush against her leg as Kuro walked between her legs, looking ruffled from his rude awakening. "Aw, will letting you claw someone's eyes out make it up to you?" Shizuka asks, still wary of picking up the cat.
Kuro sneezed, barely tolerating the annoying high-pitched squeal his human just made and being cradled in her arms. He licked one of the scratches in apology. Everyone just sweat dropped at the shift in personality Shizuka had when around her pets. One of the Cervello cleared their throat. "We will be collecting the rings."
"No! Lambo-sama doesn't wanna!" Lambo whines. "You can get it back later Lambo." Tsuna says, trying to grab the ring from Lambo. The toddler evaded Tsuna easily, jumping on top of his head and sticking out his tongue. "Just hand over the ring you stupid brat!" Gokudera yells, joining Tsuna in an awkward dance of trying to catch the toddler. "Nuh-uh! I won it fair and square!"
"Is it possible to die of secondhand embarrassment?" Shizuka asks Violet. "It makes you feel like dying I guess." The Sun says with a shrug. "Huh." Reborn kicked Lambo in the forehead, stunning the child long enough to grab his ring.
"One of the conditions to win the Sky battle is for all guardians to join both halves of their respective rings. The battlefield will be the entire school." The Cervello state. "What do you know, they take constructive criticism after all!"
Ignoring the quip from Shizuka, the Cervello also handed the guardians wrist watches. "These wrist watches will allow you all to monitor the Sky match. You will all be led to your respective battle fields." Tsuna felt a shiver run down his spine, the Cervello were definitely planning something that he wouldn't like. "Everyone be careful and help each other out if you get the chance!"
Yamamoto grinned. "Don't worry, we're a team!"
"Extremely right!" Ryohei exclaims.
Gokudera sighed. "If that's what Jyuudaime wants."
Lambo cackled. "Lambo's gonna win again!"
Shizuka sighed. "How about you have some bad luck rub off on our opponents Kuro? And no interfering with my match, I will reanimate my corpse if I have to."
XoXoXoXoXo
"I'm surprised that you hadn't arrived earlier Shamal." Reborn states, Shamal sighed. "Of all her opponents, it had to be an Arcobalenco. Baku has been brutally effective in wiping out any Varia subordinates wandering the town."
"Varia wasn't expecting another heir, much less the wild card that Shizuka turned out to be. I've never been so thankful for incompetence in all my years." Reborn admits. That and the fact that the girl somehow endeared herself to a family of territorial Clouds.
A large screen was divided into several panels, the guardians led to their original match rooms. Long poles held a platform with their respective rings.
Without warning, all the guardians felt a painful sting in their arm. Shizuka looked at one of the screens in confusion as the other guardians collapsed to the ground. "Guys?!" The Mist looked at the screen in horror as even Kyoya collapsed. Her opponent had collapsed as well but that wasn't important at the moment.
"The poison doesn't seem to affect one of you. How strange. For the rest of the guardians, the poison you've just been injected with a poison that paralyzes the nerves instantly. A burning pain will spread and increase gradually before the victim dies thirty minutes."
The rest of the explanation became white noise as Shizuka stared at Kyoya's pained grimace. It was an expression that she never wanted to see again yet the mafia had been responsible for it. Twice. Her small frame shook with rage as her Mist and Sky flames overtook her body and gave an animalistic snarl. If the Mafia wanted to turn the teens into ruthless weapons, they were going to be on the receiving end. Her guardians all felt an echo of her strong emotions and feared for the worst. A Sky raging was never a good sign.
The sentient mass of flames easily snatched the Mist ring and went headed straight for the Cloud arena.
"I-I don't think I've ever seen her so angry before." Tsuna rasps, his own flames ready to escape and hurt whatever and whoever caused this reaction.
XoXoXoXoXo
Shizuka's transformation was a sudden wake up call to anyone that wasn't aware of her non-human status. "Damn it! We're dealing with a vengeful spirit now aren't we?" Shamal swore. Not much research was done on dying will ghosts but Shamal knew that something was wrong.
Tsuna nodded faintly. His face was pale, and he was worried he'd spontaneously combust as well. No, I need to be level-headed. Tsuna thought, taking his eyes off the large screen. He was still angry, but he needed to rein in that anger and channel it towards the person that started all of this.
Xanxus looked at the small teen and laughed. "This is the first time you've felt an element rage, isn't it? In a quaint town like this I doubt you trash have dealt with it before. This place will be a crater in the ground when we're finished, one way or another."
Tsuna clenched his fists. He couldn't let himself be pushed around; he didn't want to think of what would happen if he were severely injured with his sister in her current mental state. And Kyoya would be pissed if anything happened to his precious school.