Chapter 27: How to Use the Rings
Back at the hideout, Gokudera is in the infirmary sitting next to the laid down Tsuna on the bed who received a shoulder wound while fighting Tazaru as the group who just came to the era go to a room and opens it to find Reborn sitting on one of the couches.
"Good for you to come." Reborn tells them.
"Kozo…" Yamamoto calls.
"Reborn-chan!" Haru calls.
"I bet lots of surprising things happened to you." The hitman says. "I'm not trying to scare you after your ordeal, but I'm going to tell you about the things happening here right now."
"What do you mean by that?" Ruki asks.
"Prepare yourselves and listen."
In the infirmary, Tsuna begins to stir up in pain causing Gokudera to get alert by this. "Hang in there, Juudaime! That damned, bearded bastard!"
Tsuna eyes are shot open and shoot upwards. "Watch out!" He shouts and places his hand on his injured shoulder.
"Juudaime!"
"Itete!"
"You've badly injured. You shouldn't push yourself."
The brunette then looks around in panic and looks at his friend. "Gokudera-kun, w-where am I?"
"The hideout." He replies. "You lost consciousness after defeating the enemy."
"How is everyone?"
"They're fine. They're all safe."
However, that doesn't assure the brunette as he hands his head and clenches the sheet.
"S-She came…" He says. "She came! Kyoko-chan came from the past! She traded places with the Kyoko-chan from ten years in the future!" The silverrette frown at this and looks away. "Ne, Gokudera-kun!"
"About that… It wasn't only Sasagawa."
"Eh?" Tsuna widens.
"Haru, I-Pin, the stupid cow, Yamamoto, and Ruki did too."
"S-Sonna. They all came from ten years in the past… Why?!"
"We still don't know exactly what is going on. They. Seem to have blown into this world by the Ten-Year Bazooka."
"Sonna… T-This is bad." The brunette says and exclaims, "No! They can't stay here! If they stay in a place like this, they'll all be… They'll all be targets!"
"J-Juudaime, please calm down!" Gokudera tells his boss until Tsuna feels the pain again on his shoulder. "Are you all right?"
They hear the door open and they see Haru standing there as she cries. "I don't want this! The world ten years into the future is too bleak!" She cries.
"Haru…" Tsuna calls.
"Haru-chan." Kyoko calls as she holds her friend.
"I'm sorry…"
"It couldn't be helped…" Ruki says as she stands next to Kyoko.
"Kyoko-chan looks pale too." Tsuna thought.
Kyoko then looks into the room and sees him sitting up on the bed. "Tsuna-kun."
"Tsuna-san!" Haru rushes and hugs him. "Haru wants to go back to the peaceful Namimori!"
Tsuna, Gokudera, Kyoko, Ruki, and Yamamoto who just arrive sadden at this since they can't find a way to go back.
"Haru. Kyoko." Reborn calls and carries two cups of tea. "Drink this. It's a special herbal tea. It'll calm you down."
"Thank you, Reborn-kun." Kyoko thanks him.
"It smells nice." Haru comments.
"And what I mentioned earlier, the thing I want to leave in your care." The hitman says and passes a piece of paper to the two girls. "Read this."
"Reborn!" Tsuna shouts, getting everyone their attention as he stands up from the bed.
"So, you can stand up already."
"I…" Tsuna pants and Reborn frowns.
"I know." He says and turns to Kyoko and Haru. "I'm going to talk with Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Ruki. Haru and Kyoko, would you give us some time alone?"
The two turn to each other and nods.
"Let's go, Haru-chan." Kyoko tells her having her hand on Haru's back.
"Okay." She replies as they leave the room.
Once they are gone, Reborn turns to the brunette. "I've only told Haru and Kyoko that we're in a dangerous situation. I haven't told them a thing about the Mafia or Vongola."
"We need to send them back…" Tsuna mutters. "I can't let everyone stay here! We need to somehow send them all back to the past! It's not just a matter of survival anymore! That's not the issue!"
"O-Oi, Tsuna." Yamamoto says.
"Tsuna-san." Ruki says.
"Please calm down, Juudaime." Gokudera tells him.
"You're pretty confused right now." Reborn notes.
"T-That's not it! I'm saying we don't have time to look for the Guardians or anything else!"
"You're wasting time by getting riled up each and every time. And you won't be able to avoid gathering the Guardians."
"W-Why not?! I've had enough of this baseless talk! All you've said is-"
It's not baseless." Reborn cuts in.
"Eh?"
"That's right, Juudaime! We found a way to go back to the past!" Gokudera tells him.
"To go to the past? Is that for real, Gokudera-kun?"
"The clues were written in this." The bomber shows an envelope that holds his code, G-writing.
"This is G-writing."
"Yes. Anyway, I will read it again. Please listen." He opens it and starts reading the papers. "'The Guardians gather. Defeat Byakuran with the Rings. Kill the man in glasses from the photo. All will return to normal.' That's all."
"But what you said… Kill the man in the glasses from the photo?"
"Yes. It matches what my future self told you when you met. That's why I didn't think much of it. I thought they might've been orders for my future self. However, considering the facts I learned this morning, the name of something that doesn't exist in this era appears in the letter."
Reborn smirks at this statement.
"Something that doesn't exist in this world…" Tsuna repeats and realizes as he looks down his Ring. "The Vongola Rings!"
"That's right. Good job noticing."
"Also, nowhere in this letter does it say to kill the man in glasses in our era. Rather, the man we should defeat, Byakuran, is in this era."
"Do you get it?" The Arcobaleno asks. "This letter was written for those holding the Rings in this era. In other words, the ones from the past." Tsuna, Yamamoto, and Ruki look at him as Gokudera closes his eyes. "And if the letter is true, if we gather the Guardians and defeat the man in glasses, everything should go back to normal. You could interpret that as meaning we can return to the past."
"R-Return to the past?" Tsuna asks. "We can go back. Kyoko-chan and Haru… Us too!"
"Fortunately, we have a clue as to where this guy in glasses is." Reborn says, looking at the picture and looks up. "Lal Mirch knows. His name is Irie Shoichi. He's one of the Millefiore's captains."
"Irie Shoichi…"
"This Irie Shoichi must hold the key to getting back to the past."
"B-But should we trust those letters?"
"Juudaime!" Gokudera shouts as he, Yamamoto, and Ruki look at him. "Please believe me!"
Eh?"
"Not in ten years, or even a hundred years, would I ever hang on to letters that would confuse you!"
"G-Gokudera-kun… But just because you said you wouldn't-"
"Come on, Tsuna! Calm down!" Yamamoto cuts in as he hands his arm over Tsuna's shoulders.
"Y-Yamamoto…"
"Don't bear it all by yourself. We'll just solve it together."
"Yamamoto, do you know about your dad?"
"I'm glad I came here." The baseball ace says. "Hey, Tsuna, let's deal with this with our own hands and change our future.
"Yamamoto."
"Kora, teme! Don't show off!" Gokudera yells at Yamamoto. "That's what I'm meant to say!?"
"I'm his right hand, after all!" Yamamoto says.
"Wanna fight about it?! I'm the only one who can call himself Juudaime's right-hand man!"
"Cho- both of you…" Tsuna tries to stop the fight.
"Looks like both of them are back to normal." Ruki says as she smiles.
Then they hear Lambo's voice through the hallway causing them to look at it. "It's mine!" He laughs.
"Hey, stop!" Haru calls out.
"It's mine!" Lambo comes in running with apples in his hand and on his head as I-Pin chases after him.
"Lambo, give apples back!" She tells him.
"Lambo-chan!" Haru calls out and slips on an apple that Lambo dropped Ashe she spills the potatoes what was on the bowl that she carried. "I'm sorry…"
"P-Potatoes?" Tsuna asks.
"I was chasing Lambo-chan, who was up to mischief, and…" She tells them.
"Haru-chan, are you all right?!" Kyoko asks as she also comes in with a bowl full of onions.
"Kyoko-chan!" Tsuna calls and looks at the vegetables she is carrying. "Onions?"
"I asked the two non-combatants to take care of cooking and cleaning." Reborn tells him.
"Eh?"
"We're going to make curry today." Kyoko announces as she helps Haru picking up the potatoes while I-Pin catches Lambo.
"Just you wait!" Haru adds.
"So Lambo, you can't take apples!" I-Pin scolds him.
"That's Lambo-san's!"
The two girls giggles at this.
"You forgot an apple." A voice says.
"Ah." Haru turns to the owner of the voice. "Thank you very much. Hahi?"
"What's wrong, Haru-chan?" Kyoko asks as she too turns around and is shocked who Haru was speaking.
Ah! Y-You're…!" Tsuna screams. In front of them is the TYL Yuuri with her hair now in a long ponytail and wears a suit without a tie and a pencil skirt. "Shizuki-san!"
"It's been a while, Sawada-san." Yuuri greets with a smile.
"Yuuri-chan!" Kyoko and Haru call out and hug her.
"Yuuri." Reborn calls. "Why are you here? Isn't Kouga supposed to be with you?"
"Eh? Onii-sama is?!" Ruki asks.
"About that, Kouga-kun told me to go on ahead since he is waiting for someone." Yuuri replies.
"Naruhodo, but without him, you should be careful walking around in public."
"That's what he told me too."
"Ch-Chotto matte." Tsuna calls. "Shizuki-san, do you know what the situation is?"
"That's right." Yuuri then walks up to him and leans down to his ear. "Including that you guys are part of the Mafia." She whispers.
"Eh!" He shouts. "How do you know that?!"
"According to Lal Mirch, Yuuri joined the Vongola Family for safety because of her power and Kouga as her bodyguard." Reborn states.
"Kouga-san as Shizuki-san's bodyguard? Her power?" Tsuna repeats.
Yuuri places her hand on her chest. "I have the power to foresee the future through dreams and there was an incident that I was almost kidnapped by another Family because of this until Kouga-kun protected me."
"Yuuri-san." Ruki calls. "Is Onii-sama… Is Onii-sama all right?!"
"Ruki-chan…" Tsuna calls.
Yuuri looks at the girl and places her hand on the girl's shoulders before smiling. "Don't worry. You should know him better than anyone, Ruki. During this era, he is called the 'Merciless Griffon' since he cuts down his opponent without hesitation but protects those who are important to him."
"Somehow amazing…" Tsuna trails off.
"Anyway, since we got the apples from Lambo, we should go back and make that curry."
"Curry? All right!" Yamamoto cheers.
"It's been a while since I had curry." Ruki says.
"Huh? You two seem better." Tsuna points out to Kyoko and Haru.
"Of course! We can't be gloomy forever, especially at a time like this!" Haru states.
"We decided that we're going to do our best so we don't fall behind you guys!" Kyoko adds and she and Haru stand back up. "Saa, I-Pin-chan, Lambo-kun."
"Let's go to the kitchen." Haru tells them.
"Hai!" Both children reply and the four walk together to the kitchen.
"Then I'll be going with them to make the curry." Yuuri says and runs after them.
"They got over that quickly." Gokudera says.
"Women are amazing." Yamamoto says.
"But of course!" Ruki exclaims.
That's right… I have such great friends. Panicking on my own won't accomplish anything." Tsuna thought. "I need to do what I can do in this era."
Later, thinking that they need to learn how to fight during this era, Reborn suggests that they should ask Lal Mirch to teach them. Once they get to her room, Tsuna and Gokudera sit on the floor in front of the door with Yamamoto and Ruki standing behind them. The door then opens to reveal that Lal Mirch is about to go outside again and she sees the two who are sitting on the floor.
"P-Please! Teach us how to fight in this era!" Tsuna pleads.
"What's the meaning of this?" Lal Mirch questions.
"W-We need to become stronger. But, um… we don't know how to use the rings. Eto…"
"Reborn must have sent you." Lal closes her eyes.
"Bingo!" Reborn says as he lands on Tsuna's head. "If we're going to find the Guardians, they'll need to be able to fight better. There's no one else who can do it except you."
"I refuse. Ask Yamamoto or Ruki."
"Well, about that." Reborn jumps up to Yamamoto's shoulders. "Yamamoto regressed into a baseball nut and Ruki regressed into child-like personality, as you can see."
"Hahaha. Domo." He greets.
"Hajime mashite." Ruki bows.
"You better lower your head too!" Gokudera yells at the baseball nut. "Geez…"
"Y-Yamamoto…" Tsuna trails off.
"I don't have time to play with you. I'm leaving. Stay here. You'll survive a little longer." Lal states and walks away.
"Please wait! We're serious! It's not just because Reborn told us to!"
"Let's stop this, Juudaime." The bomber tells his boss.
"Eh?"
"We don't have to rely on that woman!"
"But…"
"Besides, I don't believe she's qualified to teach anyone!"
"Actually, she specialized in that." Reborn says. "Lal Mirch was the instructor of COMSUBIN, an elite Italian unit. Even I acknowledge her skills as an instructor. After all, she's the one who raised Colonnello to be a real man before he became as Arcobaleno."
"Colonnello?"
"Raised?" Both Tsuna and Gokudera look at him for a moment and realizes what the hitman said.
"That's Colonnello's instructor?!" Tsuna exclaims.
"S-She brought up an Arcobaleno?!" Gokudera exclaims.
"You mean she's that young, but she was an instructor?"
"And before Colonnello became an Arcobaleno… Wouldn't he have even born by then?"
"A-Anyways! She's the only one who knows how to fight with rings!" Tsuna says as he stands up. "We need to stop her!"
Just as he was about to go after her, they hear Lambo's voice and turns to see him carrying armed weapons with I-Pin chasing after him.
"Tsuna! Look, look! Lots of guns!" He says.
"Lambo, give those back!" I-Pin tells him.
"Lambo! Where did you get those things?!" The brunette questions.
"In a room way, way back there. It's fun, just like a maze!" The cow kid says.
"Please, just stay put! We're asking something really important right now."
"Let's play, Tsuna!"
Just then they hear Kyoko and Haru scream in the kitchen.
"Now what?" Yamamoto asks.
"That was from the kitchen." Ruki says.
"It must be Kyoko-chan and Haru!" Tsuna exclaims and they all run towards where the kitchen is as Lal Mirch sighs at this.
When they reach there, they see both of them are staring at something.
"What's the matter?" Tsuna asks.
"There's something under the counter!" Haru tells them and they are flabbergast at what they are looking at. Under the counter is a huge, shining, black mass there.
"What is this thing?" Gokudera questions as he about to touch it, but then the mass moves back pushing the silverrette back to the floor as the mass is actually a human.
"Phew, I'm free."
"You are?" Tsuna asks.
The person turns around and reveals to be a man with sleek black hair and a shining forehead. "I am Giannini, a businessman for the Vongola family. A weapon tuner and an inventor."
"Ah! The one who makes weapons act weird!" Tsuna remembers.
"That funny old man?" Yamamoto asks.
"Who is he?" Ruki asks.
"That's right, you and Kouga-san never saw him before." Tsuna says.
"So, Giannini, how long are you going to sit on Gokudera-san?" Yuuri asks.
"Oh, excuse me." Giannini apologizes and stands up. "It's been quite some time, ladies and gentlemen. I've become quite accomplished since then. I've grown into a super-elite mecha artist."
"And why are you in the kitchen?" The silverrette questions.
"Hai. I put this sink together last week," he explains and shows many pipes and parts in his arms, "but there were a lot of leftover parts, so I wondered where they belonged."
"Are you sure you've got enough skills?!" Tsuna shouts.
Yamamoto then smells something. "What is that smell?"
"Is there something burning?" Ruki asks.
"Eh?" Kyoko says and remembers about the curry causing the two girls to rush over, finding it burnt black.
"Hahi! It's burnt to a crisp!" Haru shouts.
"I'm so sorry! We forgot to turn the heat off!"
"Kyoko-chan, are you all right?" Tsuna asks.
"Haha! Fire! Fire, fire!" Lambo laughs.
"Kora, stupid cow, shut up!" Gokudera shouts at him
"A fire! Yay!"
"Do you really think these green little babies are going to survive in the times ahead?" Lal asks Reborn as they are standing at the threshold.
"Who knows." Reborn replies.
"I see zero potential in them. Even if they have the Vongola Rings, they won't be able to win. I don't have time to waste training brats with no potential."
"Even if they lit the Vongola Rings during their fight with Millefiore?"
"What are you saying? That's not something they can learn overnight."
"But they both lit their Rings, and Gokudera opened a box. Even though they don't look like it, they are serious."
"Nonsense! They couldn't have done that!"
"You told a younger man that once in the past." The hitman tells her. "'You won't able to do it. You have no potential. Get away from here.'" Lal stares at him and remembers a young man who is strangely similar to Colonnello. "But you saw it for yourself, Lal Mirch. The power of men who fear not even curses when protecting those important to them… We can't repeat that incident again."
The CEDEF officer takes out a familiar bandana and looks at it for a moment before looking up in the room.
Meanwhile, they put the pot of burnt curry into the sink and Tsuna about to put the water in it.
"I'm sorry. I was spaced out!" Kyoko tells him.
"N-Nothing to worry about, Kyoko-chan. I do it all the time." Tsuna assures her.
"That's right! I do it all the time too! No problem desu!" Haru adds.
Just as the brunette presses down on the handle, the faucet falls off causing the water to come out crazy.
"And the faucet came off!" The young boss shouts.
"This is my responsibility!" Giannini says.
Just then, Lal his her fists on the wall and shouts, "Listen up!" Everyone looks behind and sees her there. "I'll beat the basic combat knowledge and skills into you."
This surprises the boss and the three Guardians. "T-Then you'll…" Tsuna asks.
"The ones sent to Japan are the top class among the Millefiore." She says walking into the room towards him. "If the once's you fought, the Black Spell, came at us with their full force, you wouldn't stand a chance. We're going to hurry."
"By the way, who are those Black Somethings?"
"At first, Millefiore was born when two Families joined together."
"Two?"
"The current boss is Byakuran. The elite forces under him are split into black and white sets of uniforms, depending on their Family of origin. The white uniforms belong to White Spell. They are skilled at careful and crafty fighting. They say the ones in black, Black Spell, have many veterans who were forged in battle."
"O-oh, I see."
"VOI! Now, all of a sudden, you start blabbering!?" Gokudera shouts, impersonating a certain long-haired swordsman.
"G-Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna dead-pans.
"Oi, why are you doing a Squalo impression?" Yamamoto asks.
"I think he's just unconsciously doing that." Ruki states.
"Nothing to worry about." Lal continues. "I'm going to abandon you the moment you can't keep up with me."
"Huh?" The baseball ace says.
"She's an oni…" Tsuna cries.
"We're going to start your first training session." Lal says getting the four attention. "I don't care who does it. One of you four, open this box which has never been opened before." She says as she shows a green box at them. "Show me your resolve."
"Open this box? But what does that have to do with training?"
"Don't complain. Are you going to do it or not?"
"W-We'll do it!"
"If Juudaime says so… Let's do it." Gokudera says,
"I don't really understand, but I'll do it too." Yamamoto says.
"I do too." Ruki says.
"Reborn, is there a room where we could freely make a ruckus?" Lal asks the hitman.
"Who knows." He replies.
"In that case, there is a training room below." Giannini suggests.
"That's good. Can you take us there?" Lal asks.
"Of course! This way, please." He says and leads Lal to the room.
"Let's go, guys." Reborn tells the four.
"H-Hold on." Tsuna calls out and they follow along.
"Explore! Lambo-san's going too!" Lambo exclaims and runs after them.
"Wait, Lambo!" I-Pin chases after him.
"Hahi?"
"Ano?"
Kyoko and Haru call out, but once they all leave, the doors close themselves.
"Who is that bitter-sounding, pretty lady who kept going on about stuff I don't understand?" Haru questions.
"We didn't get a chance to introduce ourselves." Kyoko states.
"That person was Lal Mirch." Yuuri tells the two. "Don't worry, she just training those guys."
"But that gorilla head on her shoulder was cute." The younger Sasagawa says.
"Was that really a gorilla? W-Was it really cute?" Haru questions.
"I wonder if that's a costume for a theater troupe."
"Hahi. Then she's a member of a theater troupe?"
"I thought she might be." Kyoko says.
"As much as I want to continue with this, we need to clean up and re-make dinner." Yuuri points out.
"You're right!"
"Hai! We can't just stand here." Haru states. "We need to feed good food to everyone whole they work their hardest at whatever they're doing."
"Un!"
"Now, where could that mop be?" The Miura girl wonders as she, Kyoko, and Yuuri do their work in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Giannini takes the group into an elevator and presses the B8 button. "This hideout has a distorted shape because it was built while avoiding underground public facilities." He says. "Be careful that you don't get lost. Everything is powered by geothermal energy."
"I don't really understand, but it sounds impressive." Tsuna comments.
"It's like a secret hideout." Yamamoto points out.
"Not 'like one'. It is one!" Gokudera shouts.
"Maa, maa, Gokudera-san." Ruki tells him and Tsuna wryly smiles.
They then hear the ding sound as they arrive at their designated floor.
"Here we are." Giannini says and the doors slide open, revealing a very large room as the four from the past are amazed by this.
"You could make a real ruckus here without a problem." Reborn states.
"Excuse me. I'll be returning to my repairs now." The mechanic says.
"Ah, domo." Yamamoto thanks him as Giannini goes back into the elevator.
"By the way, where is the Guardian of Thunder? I heard you found him." Lal asks.
"He's been next to you the entire time." Reborn points as Lal sees Lambo playing around.
"It's wide!" Lambo exclaims and shouts, "YAHOO! DAHOO!"
"Lambo, don't cause a fuss!"
"Shut up!" Gokudera shouts. "Stupid cow!"
"L-Lambo, let's be a little more quiet." Tsuna tells him.
Lal continues to watch Lambo playing around and now playing tag with I-Pin, but how he acts causes her to slowly get anger.
"Lambo, I-Pin! This isn't a playground!" The brunette tells them and goes over to stop the two.
"They're so full of energy." Yamamoto points out.
"Does that stupid cow understand our situation at all?"
"Gomenasai, Lal-san." Ruki apologizes to the woman who has her eyebrow twitching from irritation.
"That's actually the Guardian of Thunder." Reborn says.
"I see nothing." Lal states, ignoring the noisy cow kid.
"She's not acknowledging him at all." Tsuna dead-pans as Lambo and I-Pin finally leave the room.
"I'm going to ask you one more time before we begin training." Lal says getting their attention. "You're not going to keep up with half-assed determination. Do you really want to do this?"
"Yeah." Yamamoto replies.
"Hai." Ruki nods.
"We'll do it!" Tsuna replies.
"Of course we will!" Gokudera exclaims. "Don't you start crying now!"
"Understood. Don't ever let me hear you say 'I can't'. I will mercilessly punish anyone who whines." Lal states.
"Uwa… She really is scary!" Tsuna thought. "But I just need to do it."
Lal then moves her goggles on her eyes. "This world is different from your world of ten years ago. It's not a fight unless you can light your ring with flames and open these boxers. You already seen this."
Tsuna recognizes what she is saying and remembers how he and Lal fought for the first time and the time with Tazaru. "She's right. I've nearly died more than once in this era."
Reborn jumps onto a desk that was there and sits on it. "That's why the fastest way to learn how to fight in this era is to learn the process of opening boxes."
"Something like that. Even if you've managed to open a box, unless you know how it works, it's meaningless." The CEDEF officer states.
Gokudera hears this and makes a face. "She's talking about me." He mutters.
"First, understand the rings. There are two ways to use rings. Either use the power of the ring directly or open a box."
"Using the power of the ring directly?" Tsuna asks.
Lal brings up her weapon that is strapped to her arm. "Like this weapon which takes the flame of the ring," She lights an indigo flame on one of her rings and places it on it, "and fires it directly!" She then fires it towards a wall and destroys it.
"Suge!" Yamamoto exclaims.
"Are you trying to destroy the hideout?!" Gokudera shouts.
"Most rings' uses ended up being for offense. Next, the boxes." Lal takes out one of her boxes. "This of boxes as devices that alter the function of the flame. If we say the flame is like electricity," she lights a flame once more, but this time its purple on a different ring, "the box is like an electric appliance." Lal places the flame into the hole and a long purple centipede with the same purple flame on its head comes out, wrapping its master around. "There are many variations. There are many uses." The centipede flies off in the air. "Normally, a box will work according to how much energy has been channeled into it. It will stop functioning when the flame runs out." As she said this, the flame on its head causes the centipede to collapse to the floor. "However, there are types that can be re-lit with flames after they've been released. Also, we've confirmed types that power up by absorbing the opponent's flames."
As he hears this, Tsuna remembers his opponent was using those weapons against him. "I really have been fighting without knowing a thing. I've been really lucky to survive." He thought.
Is there anything you don't understand so far?" Lal asks as she takes off her goggles.
"A-Ano…" Yamamoto speaks. "I didn't understand a single thing."
"He said it!" Tsuna and Gokudera dead-pans as Ruki facepalms at the baseball ace's dumbness.
Lal comes up to him and hits Yamamoto. "Understand!" She shouts.
"Yamamoto/-san!" Tsuna and Ruki shout and he lands on the ground on his back.
"Repeat and think about what I've said." The former instructor states as Yamamoto sits up in pain.
"She's an oni…"
"She's nuts…"
Tsuna and Gokudera thought and pales at her action.
"But Yamamoto just got here and doesn't know anything yet!" Tsuna states.
"Explain it to him later." Lal says.
"Ah, ite…" Yamamoto groans out as Ruki helps the baseball player up.
"Are you okay, Yamamoto-san?" She asks.
"Yeah. She's a scary lady." He says.
"Y-You're right." Tsuna agrees.
"Now, let's do it." Lal says. "I heard Sawada and Gokudera lit their rings with their flames. That better be true."
"Eto…"
"This is my chance to show off in front of the Tenth." Gokudera thought and faces her. "Damn straight!"
"Show me." The CEDEF officer demands.
"I don't remember what actually happened very well." Tsuna speaks.
"Image turning resolve into flame." The bomber says.
"Gokudera-kun?" Tsuna calls as he, Yamamoto, and Ruki look at him as he has his hand clench with his eyes closed tightly
"Resolve into flame, resolve into flame. Resolve into flame. Resolve into flame… Resolve into flame!" He chants but the flame doesn't come out of the ring. "What's wrong? It worked last time."
"I thought as much." Lal states. "It's possible to light a flame during an emergency. However, you're useless in a real fight if you rely on enormous strength you only use in an emergency."
Just then red flame appears on his ring which shocks her. "Yeah!" Gokudera exclaims.
"Sugoi, Gokudera-kun! It's a bright red Dying Will Flame!" Tsuna cheers.
"I did it!" Gokudera thought.
"He-h. These things make that?" Yamamoto asks as he and Ruki take off their Ring from the chain that hangs around their necks before putting them into their fingers. "I should try too."
"Me too." Ruki says.
"Someone like you won't be able to!" Gokudera states.
"Resolve into flame, right? Like this?" Yamamoto asks and clenches his hand when a blue flame appears on his ring as Ruki has her eyes closed with her hand clenched, a white flame appears on her ring.
This surprises everyone at this as Reborn smirks.
"There it is!" The baseball ace says.
"I did it." Ruki cheers.
"Yamamoto made a blue flame and Ruki-chan made a white flame."
"Y-You two did it so easily." Gokudera growls since he had a hard time turning his resolve into flame on his ring.
"Impossible. I imagined that it would take at least 30 hours to get this far. Is this the power of the Vongola Rings?" Lal questions in her head. "No, the rings are the same. This is their resolve. They really are members of the Tenth Family. If they really have the power that this era's Family did not, if they can wield the Vongola Rings…"
"Are you excited to be an instructor again?" Reborn asks causing the woman to turn to him. "You had a pretty perverted face just now."
"What? You've always talked like you know everyone's thoughts!" She exclaims and marches over to the hitman.
"You're awkward but easy to read. I noticed your change of heart back then better than you did."
"S-Shut up!"
"What is it?" Gokudera questions as he, Yamamoto, Ruki, and Tsuna look at her from hearing her loud voice.
"A fight?" The brunette asks.
"…Sawada," Lal turns to him, "what about your flame?"
"Eh? Um, well… I've been trying but I can't do it at all." He says and Lal comes up to him before hitting him as she did with Yamamoto.
"Don't act spoiled!" She shouts and Tsuna lands back on the ground on his back.
"Juudaime!" Gokudera cries out and turns to Lal. "Why did you do that?! Juudaime is hurt!"
"That was Tsuna's fault." Reborn states.
"Reborn-san!"
"The training is over unless everyone can light a flame and get this box open within an hour." Lal declares. "if not, I will go after Millefiore alone."
~Meanwhile~
With the remade curry done, Kyoko, Haru, and Yuuri are waiting for the others to come back, but they still don't see any signs of them coming into the kitchen.
"Tsuna-san and the others are late." Haru says. "Shall we go ahead and bathe?"
Yuuri notices Kyoko making a face as the girl looks down. "Kyoko-chan?" She calls.
"Eh? What is it, Yuuri-chan?" Kyoko asks.
"Are you all right?" She asks as she and Haru have worried looks.
"You look really pale." Haru adds.
"I'm fine." Kyoko assures them and looks at the potted curry. "Let's cut off the fire under the curry." She gets up and turns off the fire as Haru and Yuuri look at her.
"Kyoko-chan." Haru calls and they hear Lambo and I-Pin's voice coming from the other entrance.
"I smelled something good." Lambo says and sits on the floor. "I'm so hungry."
"I-Pin's stomach is very empty." I-Pin says as she also sits on the floor.
"Lambo-chan, I-Pin-chan!" Haru calls out.
"What's the matter?" Yuuri asks as the brown-haired girl kneels at the two.
"We were playing chase, and we got lost." Lambo replies.
"Hahi! You got lost?"
"We came back by following good smell." I-Pin finishes.
The three who stayed in the kitchen looks at the curry since it helped the two lost kids back to there.
"Oh, I see." Kyoko says. "We'll get you some soon, Just wait."
"I'm hungry!" Lambo exclaims as Haru picks up both his and I-Pin. "Lambo-San will eat curry!"
"I-Pin too!"
"Hai, hai." Haru replies and brings them to the table while Kyoko and Yuuri get the plates of curry for them before placing a plate for each of them.
"Here you are." Kyoko says.
"Enjoy." Yuuri adds.
"Itadakimasu!" The two begins to eat the curry and they cheer out, "It's good!"
"I-Pin so happy!"
"I'm glad." Haru cheers as she places cups of water for them as Lambo and I-Pin continue eating. "It was worth making it. There's still lots more."
Back in the training room, Tsuna tries to bring out his flame many time to the point where he is panting. "I-I can't do it." He says.
"It'll be fine!" Gokudera assures him. "You can do it, Juudaime."
"Tsuna, imagine your resolve, foom! Then tighten up! And it'll come out, whoosh!"
"How is that supposed to make sense?!" Gokudera shouts.
"But shouldn't Tsuna-San figure out what his resolve is?" Ruki points out.
"Hey may not be able to emit it if the ring's not around his neck." Reborn says.
"That's no good. If he's the Vongola Tenth, we need to advance to the point he'd reached in this era." Lal states.
Tsuna tries to bring out the flame once more, but it doesn't come out.
"Why? Why am I the only one who can't?" Tsuna questions.
"Sawada." Lal walks up to him. "Are you really resolved?"
Eh?" The brunette looks at her and down to his ring. "I do… I really do… I really do want to get everyone to the past. To do that, I need to become stronger than Millefiore and take care of that Irie Shoichi person." He thought and closes his eyes. "That's why I'll do anything. I'll endure any kind of training. No matter what."When he opens them up again, he still sees no flame on his ring. "I still couldn't."
"Tsuna."
"Tsuna-san."
"Juudaime."
"I'm all talk. I'm just Dame-Tsuna. I don't know what real resolve is." Tsuna says.
"Don't be so-"
"Spoiled!" Reborn kicks him instead of Lal punching him again, sending flying away from where he was.
"Juudaime!" Gokudera shouts as Reborn lands.
"It's my turn now. Stand back" Reborn tells Lal as he walks up to Tsuna.
"Reborn…" He calls.
"Don't try to act so noble, Tsuna. You're not capable of being a hero."
"Eh?"
"Returning everyone to the past? Enduring training to defeat the enemy? Such noble ideals don't really suit you. You're feeling back then was much more simpler."
"Back then…?"
"When you first lit the ring, what did you want to do?"
"That's, I just… I just wanted to protect Kyoko-chan!"
Reborn smirks. "That's a good answer. Isn't there someone you want to protect, even now?"
"Of course there is." Tsuna replies and thinks about Kyoko, Haru, I-Pin, and Lambo. "I want to protect everyone." With that, an orange flame lights upon his ring, which surprises Lal.
"You did it, Tsuna." Yamamoto cheers.
"Juudaime."
"Tsuna-san."
Tsuna looks at his friends and shows his flame to his tutor. "I did it, Reborn!"
"Of course." Reborn says.
"Impressive. Sawada's resolve and Reborn's understanding of Sawada…" Lal thought. "But what's truly surprising is their unhesitatingly, inherent trust that Sawada could show his inner emotion."
Then Reborn twists Tsuna's arm painfully by his hand. "Don't trouble me, Dame-Tsuna."
"Ite! Itetete!" Tsuna cries out as Gokkudera tries to stop the hitman.
"They must have overcome many trials together." Lal then takes out the green box she showed before the training. "Now, we're finally going to open this box."
"Leave it to me. I'll open it up and end this!" Gokudera declares.
"Then do it." She throws and the bomber catches the box.
"Now, sit and watch, Come on out!" He inserts his flame into the box, but nothing happens. "T-This is…"
"Gokudera-san?" Ruki asks.
"Is something the matter?" Yamamoto asks.
"It's a defect. My experience tells me so." Gokudera sighs.
"Eh?" Tsuna asks.
"Let me try too." Yamamoto grabs the box from the silverrette and lights his ring. "Like this?" He inserts his flame as Gokudera did but nothing comes out. "Nothing is happening."
"Can I try too?" Ruki asks and the baseball nut passes the box to her as she did the same action as the two did, but it doesn't do anything else. "It doesn't respond to my flames as well."
"Hey!" The bomber shouts as he and the others look at Lal. "This really must be broken!"
"It is not broken." Lal replies. "When a box cannot open, there are two reasons. Either the flame is weak or the attribute is mismatched."
"Attribute?" Tsuna asks.
"There are eight types of flames emitted by rings, just like the Vongola Rings. They are categorized as Sky, Storm, Sun, Cloud, Mist, Thunder, Rain, and Snow. The boxes are also categorized into these seven types. If the ring does not match the box's attribute, it will not open."
"Kind of like a key." Yamamoto analogizes.
"Hey, hold on a sec." Gokudera says. "Yamamoto's future self didn't say anything like that. He said something about waves."
"The waves in the human body are the energy which is necessary for the rings to emit a flame. The waves are also categorized into eight types, like the rings and boxes. The power and balance of each person's waves are determined individually at birth." Lal explains.
"E-to… What does that mean?" Yamamoto asks.
"You lost us halfway through." Tsuna says and Ruki nods in agreement.
"Waves, Rings, and boxes; unless all three are the same type, the box won't open." The CEDEF officer summarizes.
"Meaning, since I have Storm waves, I can use Storm rings and Storm boxes." Gokudera states.
"Then I'm Rain." Yamamoto states.
"I'm Snow." Ruki states.
"And I'm Sky." Tsuna states.
"That's right." Lal says.
"Then that box doesn't have a Storm, Rain, or Snow attribute."
"It didn't open with my Mist attribute either. Next is Sawada's turn."
"Eh? But what if it isn't a Sky attribute?"
"Among the attributes, Sky can open any attribute box."
"Eh?"
"That is Sky's advantage. There are only a few who have the Sky attribute."
"You really are special, Juudaime!" Gokudera tells the brunette.
"Way to go, Tsuna." Yamamoto tells him.
"Eh?"
"Now, do it." Lal says as Ruki passes the box to him.
"U-Un…" Tsuna places the box with his other hand and lights his flame before inserting it into the box. "Like this?" Then the box begins to shine and cracks start to appear.
"The storage box is about to break." Lal thought and the box fully breaks.
Tsuna closes his eyes as the pieces fly away and he opens to see a pacifier wrapped in chains which shocks both Lal and Reborn. "I-It's a pacifier." He says.
"It's not a weapon?" Gokudera questions.
Lal stares at it with wide eyes as if she is about to cry.
"This pacifier…" Just as Tsuna about to say another word, Lal quickly grabs it and turns around.
"That's enough for today. Go and eat." She says and walks away.
"Oi!" Gokudera calls out. "What's with her?"
"Reborn," Tsuna calls, "wasn't that an Arcobaleno pacifier?"
"That scar was given in battle." Reborn states.
"Huh?"
Once Lal leaves the room, Reborn walks in front of the four. "Anyway, let's eat. I'm getting hungry.
They all agree to it and they go back to the kitchen where, Kyoko, Haru, Yuuri, Lambo, and I-Pin are. There, the group sits at the table as the girls serve them a plate of curry for each of them.
"It's good! It's really good!" Tsuna exclaims.
"Dana!" Yamamoto agrees.
"Hai!" Yuuri nods.
"I'm so glad!" Haru replies. "Kyoko-chan, Yuuri-chan, and I did our best! Right?" She asks her friends.
"Right." Kyoko replies as Yuuri looks at her.
"Curry tastes the same no matter who cooks it." Gokudera states.
"Then you don't get seconds!" Haru shouts at the bomber which he ignores.
"Still, that oni instructor didn't come after all." Yamamoto says seeing a plate on a table.
"Yeah. I'm sure she'll eat later." Reborn tells them.
~Next morning~
The morning comes on the next day without a problem as Tsuna looks around the hallway, looking for the bathroom.
"E-to. Where's the bathroom?" Tsuna questions and sees an opened room before walking over to there, finding Giannini and Reborn there.
"Good morning, Juudaime." Giannini greets.
"Ciaossu." Reborn greets.
"Good morning, Giannini-san. Reborn too." Tsuna greets and walks into the room.
"I have this morning's first piece of good news."
"What?"
"There's a ton of Millefiore's Black Spell outside. If we go outside, we won't be able to avoid combat."
"Which part of that is good news?" The brunette questions with a dead-panned look.
Just then an alarm rings through the hideout as S7S appears on the screen.
"Eh? What is it?"
"We've caught an emergency signal! It's an SOS from an ally." Giannini reports.
"An ally?"
"It's a secret signal the Vongola chose." Another charm is heard and the mechanic starts typing the keyboard. "We've located the source of the signal. I'm putting it on the monitor."
One the screen shows the same yellow bird that Tsuna saw on the picture, Hibird.
"T-That's Hibari-san's…!" Tsuna exclaims.