2023 note: Cleaned some things up for plot's sake.

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR. -cries in a corner-

Chapter 10: Your Eyes

Sawada Residence: - About two years ago-

It was a dark place. There were no windows, no outside light from the sun but artificial glows coming from the flickering ceiling lamps above her. The room, was completely destroyed in the sense that something had occurred, a possible rebellion or a shock wave reaction.

Tsuri sat on a leather chair that could be found in a dentists' office, only it had full body straps and there were scratch marks on the sides. She was bound to these straps and could not, and did not utter a sound.

Tsuri wondered why she couldn't free herself but the minute she looked down, she saw that her hands and feet were miniature and filled with cuts and bruises. What raised her curiosity even more was that there were people, dressed in white lab coats, taking notes of what they were observing or more likely, testing.

"Project NERO is ready," a female lab coat said to the older looking one beside something.

Before Tsuri could ask what the hell was going on, the scene was warped into that of a study office. She was in her regular sized body now and felt relief but it didn't last long. She gaped around the scene in horror.

The walls and the windows were completely destroyed. Tsuri not only recorded details in her head of how ruined the very elegant room looked but of people as well, very unfamiliar people that she knew on the floor with pools of blood running under them. They weren't moving.

The office shelves that were supposed to be filled with books were either torn on one corner and papers, once white now stained crimson,were scattered around the dead bodies.

Tsuri felt horror at the sight. A silver head person and a black haired teen had traces of bullets on their chests.

Another silver head's body was twisted and shot on his back.

Unfamiliar cow prints and Chinese garments that belonged to two young teens were spotted face down on the wooden floor bleeding profusely.

More people that Tsuri didn't know were either slashed on their throats by a blade or were shot to death. There was a girl with long dark indigo hair, a man with dark blue hair and another separated from the rest with raven black hair that seemed awfully familiar to the brunette.

Tsuri backed away from the scene. What occurred here?! Who were these people?

Were they...dead?

She felt traces of tears starting to come out of her caramel eyes and moved her little hands to cover her mouth from erupting a cry as she saw the sight behind the study desk. Her own brother, a grown up version of Tsuna, was on the ground with his eyes closed. There were tatters on his white button shirt, telling her he had been either stabbed or cut deeply. He had bruises in his face and a line of blood on the corner of his mouth.

'You did this you know,' a mysterious voice spoke shaking Tsuri who crouched down and mourned for the deceased people.

'Who are you? Are you the one who did this?' Tsuri roared in anger, examining the room to see where the voice was coming from.

'I did. I had to.' The voice laughed darkly sending goosebumps on Tsuri's skin.

'You did too you know.'

'You think I would do something like this? I don't kill!'

'You would think so. You're young, too soft and kind like your pitiful twin brother. But why become like him? Why become weak, when your future can be filled with power?'

'The future me?'

'It is… a demonstration of where it could lead. Would you hold on to weak feelings such as love and thrive, or let it take over your life and become nothing?' The voice chucked again. 'Your fear of killing your loved ones… embrace it.'

Tsuri held her arms tightly. 'No. NO! I won't believe any of this!'

The voice snorted. 'Bad people will always lurk in the darkest places. Including your own kind. Why don't I show you?'

Tsuri stood in place, unmoving and letting tears burn her eyes. This seemed so real. Was this reality or simply a mere illusion? It scared her very much to think that this wasn't just a nightmare but reality as well. Her heart felt emotionally attached to these people and and it tore her apart, more than ever.

'Obey me. Go to the mirror.'

Tsuri shook in fear at the dark isolated voice and walked to the rectangular mirror hanging on the study's exit. Her eyes widened at the sight.

She was seeing an exact replica of herself but grown; long jet black hair and the most deepest red crimson eyes she had ever seen. Her skin was pale sheet white. The reflection smirked. 'Surprised? Believe me now, Sawada Tsukairi? I am the dark parts that lurk within you. And sooner or later, you'll have to let me out.'

"N-NO! LET ME GO! TSUNA! ANYONE! HELP ME!"

"Tsuri! Tsuri! Wake up!" Tsuna shook his sister in her bed wanting her to stop screaming and yelling. Caramel eyes shot open with fear. She was shaking uncontrollably and she started bawling.

Tsuna got off his bed and sat in her own bringing her close to his arms. "Tsuri its alright! I'm here!" he rubbed her back and tried to calm her down. "It was only a nightmare!"

"There was blood... You died... I-I... was going I be next..."

"Shh...It's okay. Try to calm down you may wake up Kaasan" Tsuna was about to let go but Tsuri kept her grip on him.

"P-Please stay with me... I-I'm scared. I'm scared she'll come after me."

Tsuna had never seen such terror in her eyes since she had been rescued. Him and his parents thought the nightmare phase disappeared. It seems that he needed to be on night patrol again. "Un. Okay, I'll stay for a little bit until you fall asleep."

Present time:

Reborn watched as Tsuna began to fight with Mukuro without a deathperation flame. Sadly, he was failing. Tsuna couldn't do it alone. He needed help. His friends were being used like puppets to attack him, so there was no one. He couldn't help either because he wasn't allowed to interfere with the battle.

The hitman then looked over to his other student, Tsukairi. Huh, that was strange. Her wound had been a horror show and now… it had sealed itself up with no treatment. It was open still, but an ugly scab was beginning to form. He'd never seen this before.

The stages of a body healing took days, weeks or months. He himself saw deep wounds take a month or two get stitched up and form the scab after a few weeks. So why was he seeing a body with a wound that would clearly need more than a few stitches, heal itself rapidly?

Did she emit sun flames? It was too early, way too soon to be seeing any other type of flame activity becoming active at her state.

Reborn also noted that Tsuri dwelled an excellent level of stamina than Tsuna's did at the start. This was observed when they had gone to Death Mountain. It was a little mysterious and suspicious. Iemitsu's information about his kids were severely outdated.

Then again the failure of a father hadn't seen his kids in a long time so it was possible that Tsuna and Tsuri developed over the years. How was Tsuri's stamina at a passing level already when Tsuna's just barely caught up to her? Did she unlock her hyper intuition earlier than her brother? It could explain her good reflexes.

Reborn ended his questioning by just observing Tsuna and Mukuro battle with whip and trident. It may be the wrong time to question why his student was acting weak and yet, being strong at the same time…. And then Reborn remembered reading the top secret file on Tsuri's record. One he received from Nono himself.

There were two counts of Tsuri getting kidnapped. The first time had been a long time ago and the records had been redacted and blurred so much that it didn't hold an ounce of importance. The second had happened a fee years ago when Iemitsu had taken emergency leave because his daughter had been taken by a rival group.

Was Tsuri playing it safe because she held trauma? She claimed she didn't remember much of the incident at the hospital. Maybe she did, and maybe she held so much anxiety buried in the depths of her mind that she hesitated getting involved.

Reborn didn't have time to administer any bandages because as he grew closer to check on her breathing, Tsuri shot up like a living corpse, looking around frantically.

The first thing she felt was muscle aches. On her arms, legs. It felt like she had been wet paper crumpled into a ball, and leftover pieces were sticking out sorely from her whole self. "Reborn! What'd happened?"

"You passed out after Mukuro's mind control wore off on you." There was a huge ripping sound. The arcobaleno had tied her tattered shirt to put pressure on her abdomen. Great, she had to come up with a new excuse as to why one of her favorite shirts resembled a dragged out rag.

"You don't have much time."

Tsuna was a few feet away, and Tsuri had to blink out some floaters within her vision a couple of times to get a better look.

Their comrades, when had they arrived? Some others she knew by the similar uniform the blue haired guy wore and their friends.

They were attacking Tsuna. And a sinister aura she knew so well. She looked around frantically.

"M-Mukuro. Did they beat him?"

Reborn pointed at the collapsed body in the middle of the bowling alley. Sure enough, his body was sprawled, unmoving and lifeless. A trace of a white gun was inches away from his hands.

'He's dead?' her itch was pricking at her heavy head. 'He's not gone. How?'

"He used a possession shot and is controlling more than one person."

"No…"

"Playing it safe is no longer an option, Tsuri." No warning, the next motion the hitman did was kick her over and far towards the middle of the fight.

"Go. Your job is to give Tsuna what you lack."

"Lack? Are you talking about courage?!" Tsuri rubbed her bottom, drawing her eyes away to see Mukuro's possession. Clear enough, everyone's eyes had the kanji symbol on the right eye. The rage she held onto came back when she eyed just how Bianchi's and Gokudera's bodies were forced to move beyond the extent of their wounds.

She tried to raise herself up and stand tall but she was in far too much pain to do it. She mentally thanked Reborn for taking care of her, even though he did carelessly just kick her. Tough love, it was tough love.

"Ah, the weak twin is awake once more. It doesn't make much of a difference. I'll just take over her too and make you much more miserable, Décimo."

Mukuro tried to use the ability the posesión shot gave and allow him to take over her senses again; He was met with a barrier this time, one that went deeper than his six paths of rebirth and stop him for the first time in his life. The more he pushed, the stronger the walls were made. The female Sawada was not and could not sense him. And she blinked at him, as if she were still waiting to see it coming. Why?

Mukuro retracted when he took a glimpse of the soul he was trying to take over.

A girl… red hair and green eyes… that unknown entity…she was hugging a figment of the younger Sawada's consciousness protectively, pushing him back out.

"What just happened?" Tsuri shuddered as if something ghastly had been expelled from her body.

"You are no longer controllable."

'Another dormant soul already holds this body…?'

"Why do you need us anyways!" Tsuri yelled, shielding Tsuna as she faced the silver spear once more. "What's your aim, Mukuro Rokudo? Revenge against the mafia? We're just kids!"

"Who ever said I needed you both?" Possessed Chikusa smirked. "You may have ties to the mafia, but there is only one Vongola Decimo, and you are not it."

'He doesn't know… he doesn't know of Vongola Mezza's existence does he?'

"The mafia would never allow to have a female take charge at this day and age. Neither would your pitiful brother. A boy like you won't survive in this world. You're not suited to be Vongola X," Ken held the weapon this time. "Now, will you surrender your body?"

'Oi, a little sexist are we?' She could feel Tsuna's back tremble, plagued. She turned to him. "Tsuna, you have to get up. You need to fight."

"H-Hes holding them as leverage against us. If I don't do as he says, he'll hurt them!" His eyes had lost their usual light. His shoulders shook more violently, and it took all of her self control not to tear up and cry.

"Reborn! what do we do!"

"I cant help, you already know that. figure it out yourself."

"How is that fine!? you always save me! don't abandon me now!"

Reborn did what she couldn't. He leaped over again, this time giving Tsuna a swift kick that knocked him back.

"Quit whining."

"B-but what can I do?"

"You two have gone through a ton of shit to get here. You're both suited to lead the Vongola Family and no one else."

"Huh?"

"Shout out what you feel. That is the Vongola answer.

If Tsuri had been weak, she would have let Mukuro consume her whole being when she was captured. Instead she found the will to fight him off and keep him away.

If Tsuna had been useless, he wouldn't have been brave enough to make the decision to come here. He wouldn't have willingly offered go stab himself for Kyoko or Haru in order go keep them safe.

If the twins were truly weak, they would have perished the minute Reborn arrived at their doorstep.

She knew exactly what it felt like. To be powerless. And she didn't want this for either of them. They shouldn't have to go through that ever again. Not if she could stop it. Not without Tsuna's help. Even if it meant putting up with all the horrible things that came with that particular trait. It might not be fair for her, but she couldn't let him suffer alone.

"Tsunayoshi…" she began, carefully choosing the right words to convey. 'It's okay, Tsuna. It will be okay. I'm right here with you. Breathe.'

Tsuri closed her eyes again and tried to relax herself. To focus. What did she have to work toward? She couldn't let Tsuna fall into despair. He could handle it. Tsuna was stronger than everyone thought, better than he gave himself credit for. She believed in him, she always saw the hidden potential he had and he needed to see it, feel it. And if she could help him get back into fighting shape, then that was exactly what she'd do. Even if it meant she died trying.

She focused harder, willing herself to find those emotions deep inside herself and to let them fuel her energy. She felt herself slowly growing lighter and lighter, like some part of her was getting carried away in the clouds above. In her head. Or maybe her soul, or spirit. Tsuri intertwined her hands with Tsuna's, a burning fire igniting in the pit of her stomach. Reborn once again saw the sky flames he saw earlier burst and pulse… they weren't a blinding orange but a pure honey color. They were resonating around them, as if responding and communicating to one another in another plane of existence. Where was this color coming from? He'd never seen this one before. She could hear all his negative energy that was rendering him still.

'I can't do this.'

' I'm useless.'

I've always been this way.'

'I'm no-good Tsuna and will always be.'

'Tsuna… Remember what you told me? About me being afraid? You were right.'

Tsuna stared at the matching caramel eyes.

'You've always been the braver one out of the two of us.'

'Its a disguise I hide behind. Appear strong when I'm weak to escape everything.' She looked toward Reborn. 'But I'm done running.'

'Running is better isn't it?'

'Not when our loved ones are in danger.'

'They've kept us safe. I haven't done anything for them.'

'Yes you have. You're just blinding yourself by every shot of negative energy you've received since forever. The fear we both share; its exactly the same.'

'What is that?'

'Lack of strength to protect those we love' Tsuna watched a smile over Tsuri's up bruised lips. 'But guess what I learned? People can label us as they see fit. We can choose to label ourselves as we see fit. But it will never define us. We are stronger together.' She let go of his hands. 'So? What do you want to do?'

"What does the Sawada Tsuna I know want to do?"

Mukuro halted. That was something he hadn't sensed earlier. Resolve. A most fervent, burning resolve that both hadn't had since the moment they stepped foot in this room. This was dangerous. He'd thought the female twin was just a side piece, a meaningless weakling who hid behind everyone and lacked the courage to fight.

She was the cause of hope in the Vongola's eyes. One that was spreading and consuming. How had she taken control of the atmosphere?

What abilities had he missed?

"I… want to win."

He needed to cut this off. Panic was settling in and Mukuro had no clue as to why. He needed to kill her. If he couldn't bury himself in the corners of her mind anymore then perhaps delivering her corpse to her beloved brother was the better outcome to break his spirit.

"I can't hear you! Speak up so Reborn can hear!"

"I want to win! I want to beat Mukuro…I don't want to lose to such a terrible person. I want to win against this person and protect everyone!"

There was a smile. A winning smile on Tsuri that drove Mukuro forward to her first in absolute revulsion.

"That's right. And we're going to kick this pineapple heads ass and set things right!"

When Reborn had told them Leon was spitting out weapons for them to use, they thought it'd be a cool thing like a gun, a giant turtle like Enzio or a taser to use against all the possessed bodies so they could get that obstacle out of the way.

Mukuro did them a favor by tearing Leon up after Tsuri dodged an attack. It sped up the process.

So pray tell why, out of all items did she get something useless?

Why did she get a two set of cotton scrunchies?

"Am I supposed to tie my hair with them?!" Tsuri screamed at Reborn. She didn't care that he could land a hit anywhere in her body and render her motionless. But she had just given a passionate speech about her finally feeling brave enough to put her life on the line and having her brother take charge in defending and protecting and this is what they end up with?

Wool gloves and some cotton hair ties?!

"Good circulation isn't going to help me here!" Tsuna also reclaimed.

"I am not going waste anymore time." Mukuro/Ken said as he used his trident to strike for Tsuna once more. Tsuna put on his gloves like Reborn ordered him and blocked the attack. It worked.

"He deflected it?" Mukuro yelled surprised.

"Eh? There's something inside." Tsuna said as he took out the thing inside his mitten. It was a silver bullet. A set of two.

"A Special Bullet!"

"Give it to me, Tsuna!" yelled Reborn.

"I won't let you shoot it!" yelled Mukuro as he tried to attack Reborn. Reborn jumped over to Tsuna and took the bullet from him, thus escaping the attack from Mukuro.

"Hm…never seen it before…let's try it then." Reborn said as he put it into his Leon gun.

"TRY? I'M A GUINEA PIG NOW, REBORN?"

"Tsuri, are you willing to try it this time?"

The young girl sighed and pulled the two hair accessories on either wrist, and positioned herself in a fighting stance. "I have my resolve. Let's do this!"

Tsuna wailed, freaked out that Tsuri could lose her clothes and reveal her whole self to everyone in the room, including Mukuro.

Reborn aimed for the twins, but no one could tell if the shots made it to them as Gokudera's possessed bodies launched dynamite straight toward them.

The smoke cleared, revealing two burning dying will flames. Dual sky flames that burned brighter than any star in the sky.

The blood of Vongola was flowing.

Tsuri didn't know how either of them lost no clothes as they got shot. It felt kind of like a needle pricking the skin, and then an adrenaline rush inside the body. She could tell that the silver bullet was different that the common red one Reborn used though.

She could feel her resolve enveloping her, fierce as wind and yet as calm as a wave. She didn't know if Tsuna was experiencing it too, all she knew was that all their five senses weee on high alert; sensitive and awakened.

Reborn called it their Hyper Intuition. Meaning that this power only appears when one is succeeding the Vongola bloodline; "The power to see through all that the first Vongola was said to have."

She didn't know how she could tell that Mukuro was behind her, or hiding in the shadows as she threw punches to his face to get the silver spear away from Tsuna's skin. Maybe she was experiencing that power.

She didn't know how her scrunchies ended up turning into sai swords either but hey, as long as they were useful for defending it didn't matter.

Tsuri left Tsuna in charge of going one on one with Mukuro while she busied herself with his omnipresent self in their friends' and his ally's bodies. She was able to spot their nerve points well enough with the sai's blunt edges to shut them down.

'Did you knock them out safely?'

Hell, even tsuna's voice sounded differently, mature and manly even. What the hell did these bullets have inside them?

'I did.' Tsuri laid them next to Futa's form. 'Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone.'

"Reborn, treat them alright?"

"Don't get cocky now Tsuna."

'His body. Where is his body?' Tsuri scanned the room to see if she could sense any body heat, any motions her ears could detect. 'He's still alive.'

"Come out Mukuro," Tsuna. "We know you're alive."

"Kufufu." The pineapple haired boy emerged from the shadows, his silver spear laying top and shiny on his new staff.

One minute she was holding Mukuro back with the sai as Tsuna floated mid air and aimed to hit him on the back. She was kicked back by the force of gravity, almost hitting a wall when she landed on her hands and knees and crawled backwards. Her legs wobbled, but not from lack of trying. She had been thrown down the floor and had to crawl away fast. Now she just needed to find a way to make sure they both survived this mess.

There was also the fact that these new weapons allowed the twins to float in mid air. Any logic behind them was Reborn's explanations as they moved like flies to different locations. She'd ask about it again later, she had more important things to tend to right now.

Tsuna was able to hold him off when he melted the trident's staff, Mukuro watching in pure resentment before he got punched back down in one swoop from Tsuna's burning gloves.

"Are you done warming up yet?"

Mukuro wore this disturbing glare, an expression of someone who was going to kill the world in their next breath, with eyes that screamed murder in the dead of night, when all the other people were sleeping. Until he laughed. Putting on a brave front instead of showing defeat. This man had lost all his sanity.

"Kufufu….Kuahahaha! This was a fortunate miscalculation on my part. Once I get my hands on your body, an elaborate scheme will be unnecessary. I can attack the families directly and cause a war within the mafia."

"So that's your goal…" muttered Reborn.

"No…I'm not so simple-minded. I plan on possessing the body of every single important person in the world. By controlling the, I will paint this world in a pure and beautiful darkness. But first, I will eradicate the mafia."

'No…. There's something more. World domination doesn't sound right. He has a small motive behind all this.' Tsuri felt her sai swords rattling as she floated. They were responding to her thoughts. As if they had a conscious within.

"Why are you obsessed with the mafia?" Reborn asked.

"Do you have a grudge against them?" Tsuna asked.

"Kufufu…I have no need to tell you further than what I have."

"He does."

Everyone turned to Tsuri whose weapon had shapeshifted into chains, ignited with the dying will flame around. "And with these I'll find out what it is." Okay. So her scrunchies could change form? Shapeshifting? Tsuri didn't have time to question it.

'These things are telling me to get close. To his body. I need to go inside his mind,' Tsuri told Tsuna in their mind.

'Why?'

'I don't know. Just a hyper intuition thing?'

"Tsuna, let me warm these up. Knock him out."

"Roger."

"Are you going to chain me as your pet? No thank you." Mukuro used an illusion of himself to charge at Tsuna. "An illusion…that won't hurt me…ARH!" Tsuna tumbled backwards after a hit.

"Mukuro hid a real rock in the illusion." Reborn explained. "Stupid Tsuna. Don't let your guard down."

"This is the end!" Mukuro said as he jumped towards Tsuna, but Tsuna disappeared and reappeared behind him again, throwing him to the floor again. Tsuna, thinking everything was over, was being challenged to finish him off, but got taken advantage of, and Mukuro was right back up, holding his arms in place.

"That softness is what will kill you in the end." Mukuro said.

"You…" Tsuna growled.

"I know that your odd abilities came from the flames on your hands. If I can take hold of your hands, then you aren't scary!" Mukuro said as he head butted Tsuna from behind.

"Why do you think I sent so many assassins after you? It was to take over your body after you've drawn out all of your powers." Mukuro said as he kicked Tsuna in the stomach and sent him flying towards the trident on the wall, stuck in between the broken cracks of it.

"Don't forget there's another one you have to deal with," Tsuri said, her chains rattling with her movement from above the roof. "Tsuna, knock him back!" The Vongola don did as he was told, leaving an opening for Tsuri to take over whilst also avoiding a nick from the weapon.

Tsuri immediately gained momentum and flicked her wrists, the chains extending and moving towards Mukuro's body like a whipped snake. Tsuri then took the second pair of chains, shapeshifting them again into a gloved hand, similar to Tsuna's own. She ignited that same honey colored flame Reborn grew curious about from earlier, her fingers drawing closer to come into contact with Mukuro's forehead.

"D-Don't touch me—!" He struggled within the chains she held with her other hand. They only grew tighter. What was this warmth? This disgusting, weak sensation that crawled through his body, up and down like ants, and freezing his alerted nerves? Where is it coming from… It's burning, and stinging him everywhere. He had seen enough suffering in his years as a human to last several lifetimes, but this...

"Lets see what your soul's desire is, Rokudo Mukuro. And whether judgement will be set upon you for it."

There was a circular wave after her touch, and Tsuna watched as Mukuro's eyes shut just as hers did, floating in that honey colored flame; in a state of frozen time.

Tsuri had yet another ability granted to her by the Vongola Blood.

She was able to go into the conscious soul of others. She could sense feelings through them, their anger, their fears, and their sorrows. Their love, their regrets, their joys. She heard their voices through their own thoughts and could touch their minds and hear all their hopes and aspirations for the future. It wasn't as if she was a real ghost or anything. She was just an observer of their lives. Almost like a wishing star in hopes of weighing their wishes within.

Only the first Vongola Mezza had this ability. And it helped her soothe and heal, possibly change many individuals in Primo's lifetime. It secured generational long lasting trust in the Vongola, and absolute loyalty for the Mezza as well.

The Vongola's Hyper Introspection.

What a day, Reborn thought. That would be a record for the books. Vongola Twins that dwelled all trace of the first generation; possibly more.

..

Meanwhile...

Tsuri felt cold and alone. She felt guilt, anger and melancholy at the same time. Those weren't her feelings, she could never feel these emotions with the life she'd led up to know. She could however, miss how she had entered the dark dim place she was in now. Wasn't she just battling Mukuro?

'Am I dead?', she asked somewhat saddened that she would never be able to see the light of day with the people she loved. "If I'm dead, shouldn't I be in a white bright lit room? What is this place?"

It was a mid lit corridor, like the kind you might expect one to have in a doctor's office or hospital, but more… empty. She couldn't see where any doors or corridors lead. There were no lights in the hallways either. She saw a small window on each side of the hall that had no glass. Tsuri couldn't even tell if there was anything on the other side of it.

She didn't think there was, so it seemed to be a blank wall, and that was probably it too. Tsuri was pretty sure she couldn't have ended up in a hallway without opening her eyes. The feeling around her felt different though, like she wasn't the only one here.

Why did her body feel so weird and cold? Why was it so uncomfortable to try walking? How was it possible for a person to feel like she was freezing from the inside out? The air around her felt thick and heavy, weighing down on her, almost suffocating.

Something moved behind the door she'd come through. She heard a low growl and looked behind her.

"What are you doing here?" There was a boy in the middle of the darkness that she could not recognize at first. She squinted her eyes to be able to see and she almost choked on her saliva.

She knew him.

The only difference he had from the person she knew were the eyes. These eyes were both dark blue.

"Mu...kuro?"

The boy in front of her a few feet flinched at the name. His face was hidden by darkness but the look on his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He was angry. Angry and scared.

"How did you get here?" he asked.

Tsuri rubbed her eyes hard, thinking this was just an illusion but when her vision cleared out he was still there. "Um..."

"Whatever. I don't care as long as you don't stop me from looking."

Tsuri stared at him confused. "Looking? What are you looking for?"

The boy gave her another glare, but this time it was more subdued, and instead of saying anything he turned to leave.

"Wait!" She hurried on after him. He didn't stop or acknowledge that she had followed him but continued on down the hall. Tsuri caught up to him in the doorway and he stopped again, turning his head so that she could see his profile.

There were traces of scars on his whole persona, in and out. On his body.. on his heart. He'd gone through terrifying things physically and in his mind and soul. Something ached in her to see him this way.

"Why are you small?"

"Why are you an idiot?"

She opened her mouth to retort with something else and then realized how dumb it'd be to argue with a child. So instead she crossed her arms, digging holes into his back until he answered.

He glanced back over at her again in vexation before answering. "You've entered my soul. The deepest part where I hold my desires and wishes."

"That doesn't make any sense," she said blankly. "It's a literal shit show in here, out from a scary movie."

He snorted and turned away again, taking a few steps toward the door. "This is why no one comes here. It's the only place I can hide." Tsuri took a hesitant step behind him. She wasn't quite sure what to do now, other than follow along and hope the strange boy didn't decide to try anything funny. After a minute she heard a soft sigh from the boy and saw him shift his weight slightly, like he couldn't quite sit still anymore.

"Do you want to know?"

"Know what?"

He put a hand to his face. "You came here to see what my wish is behind my grudge, and here you are acting like an idiot."

"Its not my fault, you're supposed to open up first," Tsuri said defensively. She took a step closer, trying to get a better look at his expression. "You're searching for something?"

He shook his head.

"Someone?"

His shoulders slumped even further and he sighed softly. "Yes."

"Oh... Ohhh I get it. It's a girl isn't it?~".

His face snapped up then, and began to blush. "I-it's not like that!"

Tsuri thought this sounded more ridiculous by the second, but the kid was cute so maybe her judgement could be clouded by how flustered he seemed to get. She held up her hands, "Okay, okay! Calm down. I won't tell anyone, promise. What's her name?"

"I don't know. I never really asked. She was always scared, resembling a cowering mouse. So I called her Little Mouse."

"You used past tense."

"Some people took her away from me. That's why I've been searching for her."

Tsuri tilted her head, studying him carefully. "Was that… the mafia?"

His gaze drifted out the dark space continuing from the door once more, and this time he hesitated longer, until he nodded, his eyes darkening.

"How long have you been looking?" She asked gently. He definitely had more contrast with the older version of himself. His child self was more... human-like. Mukuro still retained some human feelings in him, but he had them so buried within himself that he grew twisted and insane due to the ugliness of the world. His world.

"Six years."

"And you still haven't given up?! That's a long time to search for someone!"

Mukuro growled a little, annoyed by all this woman's pitiful words . "It may be long, but I won't give up. The mafia needs to pay for hurting me and taking her away from me. Once I control the Vongola, a world of possibility will be granted for me. To find her."

"Was she that special to you?"

The little boy nodded. "She brought light into my deep dark world. She was all I had." He balled up his fists. "When they took her, I had no other option other than to forget her and succumb myself into the darkness. Even now, I just want to see her. I want to know if she's still alive."

Tsuri began to see tears forming in his eyes. Little Mukuro looked so broken and fragile. It made her feel bad. So she stepped forward again, closer to him, until their bare toes touched. She placed a hand under his chin, tilting his head so they could make eye contact again.

That honey colored flame appeared on her palm again, and Mukuro nuzzled into it like a cat does. He closed his eyes, relaxing, like she'd brought him peace and calmness. His eyelashes fluttered lightly against his cheeks. The tears slowly fell from his eyes to drop onto the floor like little raindrops. He leaned against her touch, and when his breathing evened out she pulled away.

She knelt down to his level and grabbed his hands into hers. "You know, when I was little my mom showed me this. She said that to make the pain in our hearts go away, we can hold another person's hand tightly, like a lifeline. Then, like this flame, the heart's fire will fill you up with so much warmness that the pain will just have no other choice than to leave." Tsuri smiled.

"Pain shows we're human Mukuro. But innocent lives are in danger if you succumb to the dark. Don't let yourself. Your Little Mouse would think so. And I know you'll find her one day."

Little Mukuro's eyes widened so huge that he looked like an owl. His gaze locked onto hers with an intensity that almost burned. There was an unspoken understanding between them, something more than words

"Your eyes..."

"Hm?" Tsuri turned to him questioningly. Then, a bright light began to shine and Tsuri disappeared. It was quick, but Mukuro remained in his place, and his hand could still feel the teen's grip, the honey flame. He felt tears of joy coming.

"Your eyes... They're just like hers."

...

A long time ago

It was a regular thing everyday. The usual events of being inserted with needles and tubes for testing, it was the same routine one day after the other.

It was normal. Hearing many children whine or cry uncontrollably out of pain was something to get used to as well. For Mukuro Rokudo, age 7, it was normal but bothersome. However what could he do about it?

If he caused an uproar he could get severely punished. Not that he would do it anyways. He was still planning, still waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He would go along with the same routines everyday just to be able to grab more ideas to break free.

Until the arrival of a new child began to completely turn the cycle around.

It wasn't a really big change. The only alteration that was made were the scheduled times of the experiments the Estraneo Family set up for each family child. In all honesty, he didn't like it. Mukuro didn't like the way they were prioritizing that child from the rest. He was young, but also old enough to understand that this new kid had some important and special properties they could use, but if that was so it would mean big trouble. If they found a good strength or idea in this one, it could cause misery for the others, including himself.

So many children that had been a part of the Estraneo Family had died, and Mukuro was tired of seeing death. This kid would be the spark of chaos. The boy decided that it was a burden and if needed to be, he'd kill it.

In the days where he would remain in his room, it was said that he would be sharing it with the burden, who had been a small little petite girl who looked no older than 3 or 4. Every hour or so, she would cry. Cry for her rescue, her parents, and cry out of the unbearable pain she felt. It did a good job in agitating the blue haired boy.

Mukuro tried to abstain from communicating with it too. She looked too vulnerable and weak. Associating himself with the weak, he thought, would bring him more of it and he had no need of it in his space and mind.

The crying irritated him more than he could handle. Her silent states and stares after she was done added more to it and he would either give her a good deserving glare to make her stop (with a side of visible stress marks on his face) or he would yell at her, earning some frightful squeaks and nods.

Days had turned to weeks.

The little mouse's cries minimized into that of small, loudless tears. Her pain tolerance was just kicking in, thoigh he knew she still felt the intensity of it. She had also begun to demonstrate inner strength to fight off her weakness, to which caught Mukuro's interest. He, whom appeared with just as much plenty of bruises and scrapes as she did, had slowly gotten accustomed to her presence.

There was a day when the kid had gotten sick and yet, the scientists said it was time for her third round. Mukuro bit his lip and mentally cursed at the girl who was on the floor with a fever, irritated at the injustice and inhumanity of no compassion for a child and found himself jumping to her aid. He somehow was able to convince them to leave her be for a few days until she recovered. And since there was a woman in the bunch of adults, she let it slide. When they left, Mukuro observed the petite body rise slowly from the ground and gave him a tired smile.

"Thank you."

Mukuro blushed instantly at the unexpected voice. This was the first time she had ever said a word to him. It looked like she spoke Japanese. Learning different languages when he was younger certainly had been worth it. He shied away from her and sat down on one of the beds from the two bunk. The little girl approached her savior.

"...Don't get used to this," Mukuro's blue eyes looked away from making eye contact with her. He was still blushing much to his dismay.

"I won't. Don't worry," she replied and giggled. "You remind me of my brother. He also gets shy and embarrased when I thank him."

Mukuro's embarrassment faded and glanced at the little mouse who looked sad but then turned angry which made him chuckle. "These people are very mean. Why do they hurt us so much?"

He snorted. "They're greedy adults who think nothing but themselves and not what we want. They want power and won't stop until they obtain it. Us, who were born in this family have to pay the price for what was done, and we have to endure these painful tests no matter how much we wish it would stop. I don't know why you're here, but you're probably a part of their new plan."

Mukuro pretended to study her and flicked her on the forehead. "I don't think you'll understand me anyways since you're a naïve little twerp."

"Hey! I'm very smart!" The little girl yelled softly. She could see that the boy in front of her was furious and badmouthing her to bring down the tension. She gently grabbed Mukuro's left hand with her own and gripped it tightly, so much that Mukuro had to bite his lip to hold in the pain that shot from the small squeeze.

"What are you doing? Let go of me. I never said you could touch me."

The Little Mouse sighed. " Everything hurts right? If you hold my hand, maybe the pain that you're feeling will go away. My mama always says that we can make it better by warming up the heart."

Mukuro stared at the small hand, it's skin color still a healthy shade even after all the horrible tests it had gone through.

"Ne Mukuro? Can we be friends?"

"Are you in another world? Why would I need a friend like you? You're a crybaby."

"Mou. I'm just trying to be nice!"

Mukuro glanced at the intertwined hands again. There was a strange warmness coming from it and it made him feel weird inside. It felt a little bothersome, but welcoming as well. That's why he didn't pull nor push it away.

'Friends huh?'

He pulled at her hand towards his bed so she could sit down. His grip tightened on her own. She turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Do friends hold hands like this all the time?" He asked.

The little mouse felt a huge grin appearing. She nodded excitedly.

Weeks turned to about 3 months.

There had been a break in the main Estraneo Lab and the people who infiltrated rescued many children, and one in particular that damaged Mukuro greatly. His little mouse was taken and not even with a goodbye.

Mukuro had stood in the broken hallway where some dead bodies of scientists were, staring off into space and gripping the left side of his shirt so tightly it would've ripped both fabric and skin. Why did it hurt his heart so much? His other hand touched his face, and strangely it felt wet. They were tears.

He was crying.

Mukuro remembered not crying for anything since he was much younger. He tried to make it stop but the salt water just kept overflowing and resounding with the beating of his bleeding heart. As he kept staring at the now empty destroyed room, he came to a realization that he was hurting because he felt weak for the first time in forever; he wanted his beloved mouse.

He had come to love her in a way he never thought it was possible for him to do. He liked her pleasant warmness whenever he grabbed her petite hand, the way her smiles and gentle laughs made him feel fuzzy, and even though he sometimes gave her the cold shoulder, she never stopped trying to make him show her a smile. He loved his little mouse so dearly that not even a million severe experiments could erase it.

But now she was gone.

The little light that shone so brightly into his dark world had been taken away from him.

As the remaining Estraneo coats gathered the children they had left, Mukuro dared not to resist this time. He couldn't escape this torture anymore. Not with his light gone now.

Mukuro didn't know that soon, he would begin to lose the knowledge of love that he felt for the little girl inside. In just a few more years, he would start to earn an even greater emotion; hate. And to him, it was the best emotion one could ever happen to hold. Who needed such a weak and easily stolen feeling like love? Mukuro instantly went back to square one.

He had pushed down that boy who believed in his light way inside his head, heart and soul. That little boy he thought was too naïve and stupid wished for her the more years passed. And the only remaining image that his mind retained forever to remember her, were the shade of caramel eyes his little mouse owned.

...

Tsuna had taken over the moment Tsur's conscious came back. Mukuro was laying down in a hole on the ground, his evil aura cleansed by her flame. "To be defeated... by you two..."

"You weren't defeated. You were stopped by plunging in deeper to that darkness of yours," said Tsuri, who was now back to normal. Tsuna's dying will had also gone out, dashing to support her before she crashed into the ground.

"Will you let yourself heal?" Tsuri nudged Tsuna to help her get closer. Before he could object, they were interrupted by the other kokuyo partners. Mukuro's allies, Ken and Chikusa. They were dragging their broken and rugged bodies just to get closer to their leader.

"Don't you mafia jerks touch him!"

"Why…why do you go so far for him? You were possessed and used by Mukuro you know!" Tsuna yelled.

"Don't talk to us like you understand…" Chikusa retorted.

"This is nothing…compared to the suffering we endured back then…"

"Back then?" Tsuna said.

"Figures…Why do you hate the mafia so much?" Reborn asked.

"We were used as guinea pigs for human experimentation by our own family."

Guinea pigs?

The office/doctor looking lab in Mukuro's soul… that was why it was so gloomy and dark in there. Because of all he suffered through.

"I knew it…you're members of the Estraneo Family creators of the forbidden Possession Shot." Reborn muttered.

"You guys made it forbidden out of your own convenience. Thanks to that, our family was completely crushed. Our family was cornered and forced to develop special weapons just to survive. And for those experiments, all of the Family's children were gathered…. We went through day after day of cruel tests…we had no way to escape. But he…singlehandedly destroyed that place! He was quiet.. never the type of person who stood out. And I think that was the first time I'd even heard his voice." Ken lowered his head to stop the tears in his eyes

'She brought light into my deep dark world. She was all I had. When they took her, I had no other option other than to forget her and succumb myself into the darkness.'

Mukuro's light. Had he been suffering so much from its absence..?

"That moment, for the first time in our lives, we had a place we belonged. I won't let you destroy that!"

"But I…also…can't just sit and watch my friends get hurt! Because…that's the place I belong in too." Tsuna confessed in honesty. It seemed to get into the two's head because Ken froze stiff, and Chikusa understood well. That they didn't come to or would ever harm them like their past had. They came to halt it, to break that cycle.

"Tsuna… get me close. Please."

"But Tsuri—!"

She smiled weakly. "He won't harm me. Not anymore."Tsuri took all of her strength left to approach Mukuro's body and bent down. "It's over Mukuro."

The boy still had that infamous smirk planted on his lips. "I know it is. My search is over. I already found her."

Mukuro's gaze had softened, so unlike him at all. It was strange to see a stranger staring into her eyes like that, so full of emotion and longing. And the way they shone with such sincerity… it almost scared her. She didn't want him to look at her like that, she wanted his gaze to be different –more guarded.

She'd never expected this sort of thing.

He smiled at her, warmly. Something in her chest stirred at seeing him smile like that, as though he were finally free from his worries after all these years. His lips quirked up ever so slightly as if amused by whatever it is that had just passed over her face.

"Your eyes..."

Her body felt like it was swimming in hot water, overheating her attention span. She wanted to say something else but her lips were no longer moving and her eyes were forcibly shutting closed. Tsuri's body went forward, and Tsuna had to catch her or else she'd fall in the pit with the other teen. "Tsuri..? Oi."

"Reborn? Please tell me these two aren't dead."

Reborn pulled on his fedora to hide the annoyance he had for Tsuna. "Geez, you're pretty new to this."

...

...

It was hard to erase Mukuro from her mind after that day. After being able to touch his soul and purify it to the extent that her flame allowed her, Tsuri dreamt for two days in deep sleep. Her dreams had been hazy to remember and when she came to, she was surrounded by the kids, Futa, Bianchi, Tsuna, Reborn and their mom. An IV bag was in the corner of the room, and Shamal had to pop in to make sure she didn't freak out about being poked in her sleep.

Her wounds were taken care of, but Shamal did tell her the one in her abdomen would scar. It was okay. It was one that she was sure would remind her that she had been brave enough to protect her loved ones, as long as they needed her.

Reborn said that their task from the Ninth was fulfilled and thanked them for their help. Tsuri asked what happened to the Kokuyo students but was met with a glum shake of his head. Tsuna had to confess that they were taken by some weird people, the Vindice and that he wanted to stop them but Reborn wouldn't let him. That they were the law in the mafia world or something.

She didn't want to think about them anymore. Mukuro had been weird to her, saying something about her eyes, and that his search had stopped. She mentally shrugged. Good for him. Maybe now he'd give up on world domination and leave her and her family the hell alone.

By the third day, she was sent home. Her request had finally been granted. Nana had set up the room next to Tsuna, into her own bedroom now. She didn't know if it was a twin thing or something, being separated from Tsuna even at sleeping quarters now. It felt like a small disconnect but she'd take that any day than seeing his underpants on the ground everyday. Maybe it was a reward from Reborn for helping. She'd take what she could get. Own personal space was finally here, even though she was sure she'd crash into Tsuna's room more often for hanging out and whatnot.

It was the fourth day, and she was in more shape than before. She could move on her own now without help, dress her own wounds and help Nana around the house while she recovered. They had told her mom that Tsuri had hurt herself at school with a glass piece of a shattered window. If she believed it or not it didn't seem to matter to her. She was happy that her daughter was okay.

Tsuri watched as Lambo and I-pin ran in the yard playing tag as she sat on the porch with Futa. The sun was at its warmest today, toasty like a cup of tea. She never realized what it was like to enjoy time resting without having the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Tsuna needed this morning that she did though.

"Tsuri-nee, everything alright?" Futa drew closer, laying his head on her lap as she pet his head tenderly.

"Hmm, just thinking about Tsuna's stress level. He hasn't rested well since then. Reborn should give him some time off."

"Tsuna-nii made a deal with him the other day," the little boy fiddled with the hoodie strings on his sweater. "He said if you recover quicker, then he'll let him rest."

She scrunched her eyes in displeasure. Sadistic baby. She was probably squeezing him dry for training after they nearly fumbled the bag. "So we're tag teaming. Goodness gracious."

"Want to hear a random ranking fact about you Tsuri-nee?"

"Oooh! I never get to hear a ranking about me," Tsuri clapped her hands happily. "Sure!"

"Did you know that you're rated 37 out of 976 people in the mafia world whose wounds heal faster than the average human?"

Tsuri blinked, unsure how to react. "….37?" Was she a superhuman or a monster? That was a close and high number. She wanted to dig more into it but before she could ask Futa to show her in his book, three voices popped by from their hole gate.

"Kaasan, Tsuri! I'm home!"

"Tsuri! I came with some sushi from my dad's place!"

"Oi don't go taking credit for Juudaime's idea!"

It was Gokudera and Yamamoto.

"Hahi! Tsuna-san, you almost dropped the cake! Let me carry it for you!"

It was Haru as well.

"Welcome home…?" Tsuri greeted smally at the gathering of her friend group. She removed Futa from her lap gently and walked over to greet everyone inside.

"Tsuri-san! You look much better than you did yesterday!" Haru made a circle all around her, scanning her all over like a barcode for any sign of distress.

Hell yeah she was distressed. Everyone was coming over repetitively and acting like nothing has happened. They haven't even given her the chance to assimilate that them, middle school kids, had almost been murdered by some mafia convicts around their same age. Or even bring up the conversation.

Yamamoto had come to her hospital room on the second day to show her how his arm was holding up. There were still traces of the puncture wound that Ken left, but it was healing up quite nicely. Yamamoto made sure to let her know that he didn't blame her for anything, and it was a shame that he missed her whole mafia act with Tsuna in the end. She really needed to talk to Reborn about his visual state with assimilating the whole mafia dynamic or Yamamoto would never get a clue.

Gokudera came next, forcibly by Tsuna and Yamamoto. He also explained that his wounds were doing fine, and that he was going to be taking it easy for a few days since Tsuna asked him to. Tsuri lost all trace of her apologies when the insults and arguing began but it made her feel like everything was back to normal. He was dragged out by Shamal and a few nurses after Tsuri almost kicked him out a window after the twentieth insult so there was that.

She let everyone in the house, as another cake part commenced. A hyper household, with crazy mafia hitman tutors, assassins, kids, mother and friends. Everyday life like this. Well, at least she was alive. Everyone was doing fine. Despite all the nonsensical things around, Tsuri was grateful for a family like this, and for being alive to enjoy it well.

Would it last? Only time would tell.