It's a Mafia Life (13-14)--KHR Fanfic
Title: It's a Mafia Life
Author: Reidluver
Pairing/Characters: Um...pretty much all of them (characters I mean)
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Spoilers for Future Arc
Summary: As Christmas draws near, TYL!Tsuna starts thinking his Guardians would have been better off without him. But would they? Tsuna's about to find out when his Guardian Angel takes him for a ride, but why does he look so much like Reborn?
[1-2] [3-4] [5-6] [7-8] [9-10] [11-12] [13-14] [15]
Chapter 13: The Lost Rebellion
"We're in Koukyo land, aren't we?"
"Correct."
"Now could you please explain to me how this is possible?" Tsuna exclaimed, gesturing to the very familiar run-down hallway, covered in a layer of dirt and debris.
"They've only recently moved here," the angel explained. "Mukuro first traveled the world, causing trouble for as many mafia families as he could. Once Byakuran got into power though, he started making counterattack plans and moved here because of the Millefiore base stationed in Namimori. This way he can keep tabs on major Millefiore movement."
Tsuna had to admit it made sense. "Fine. Whatever. Is Mukuro behind this door?"
The angel nodded. "And once again, you are going to have to follow what I say. You can't be seen at all so-"
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Tsuna exclaimed, throwing an arm up in disbelief.
"This is for your own good, Dame-Tsuna!" the angel replied. "Mukuro's base is protected by many of his loyal dogs. Don't you think they'll attack first rather than let you explain yourself? Besides, you'll be able to see-"
"-how they act without me there," Tsuna sighed as they walked through the door. "I know, I know." Despite how much sense it made, this staying invisible was really grating on his nerves. But no matter. He had to focus all his attention on what was happening in front of him.
The lighting was poor, but thankfully it was bright enough outside so the open windows made it easier to see. Tsuna experienced a slight sense of nostalgia (though not the pleasant kind) as he realized they were in the same room that he met and fought Mukuro in. Yet instead of the single couch there was now a large table with chairs placed around it. There were also quite a handful of people and other objects and furniture that made the whole place seem a bit more hospitable.
Mukuro was sitting at the head of the table, with Ken and Chikusa flanking him on either side, glaring at the group of people before them, who were somewhat familiar to Tsuna.
What drew his attention first though was how . . . different Mukuro was. To the casual observer they would notice nothing wrong, but to Tsuna the differences were quite apparent. For one thing, that ever present smirk Mukuro seemed to wear was gone. It was replaced by a frustrated and hateful scowl that looked quite out of place on the man's fair features, though it do match the burn mark that covered the area around his red eye. Tsuna had the sickening feeling that an enemy tried to take out that eye, but thankfully it seemed as if they didn't succeed.
When Mukuro spoke it was harsh and spiteful, no longer calm and arrogant. "The attack will begin next week at mid-day. I've planted false rumors that there will be an attack at night, so they won't be expecting it. I've also gained control of one of his personal assistants," Mukuro spat, as if the white-haired man's name was too vile to bother with, "as well as one of the Cervello bitches. I will distract him with the assistant while simultaneously making it easier for all my soldiers to enter and engage the enemy through the access the Cervello will give me."
"This is all fine and dandy," a man with gelled blond hair interrupted, "but why the hell are you telling us this?" He slammed a fist onto the table, displacing a few pens. "We were at your damn planning meeting with everyone else!"
"Hold your tongue, Lightning Gamma," Mukuro hissed. "You and your comrades have a special part to play because you're responsible for the safety of your precious Uni. You four will stay with me the entire time, since I will be unable to focus on her properly while controlling two other people."
"Mukuro-sama has a plan for everything, bastard!" Ken yelled, leaning forward to glare at Gamma. "Don't you dare-"
"What have I told you about speaking out of turn?" Mukuro growled, jabbing his trident at Ken's face, which he avoided at the last minute. "Your only purpose is to protect me, you animal."
Ken looked devastated. "Yes, Mukuro-sama," he mumbled. Tsuna watched as Chikusa sent the normally overactive blond a reassuring smile, which Ken smiled back to halfheartedly.
Mukuro brushed off the top of his trident as if it got dirtied just being close to Ken and re-focused his attention to the small party in front of him. "Now what I need you to do is-"
Tsuna belatedly realized his mouth was wide open in shock. Even though the illusionist never said it outright, it was obvious to Tsuna that he cared deeply for the two who could be considered his closest friends, Ken and Chikusa. Their friendship was an odd one, but seeing as how Tsuna had never been cruelly experimented on when he was young, he didn't really know how that would affect one's ability to express care and love for one another. All he did know was that Mukuro looked after and was genuinely concerned for two of his most loyal followers, as they did for him.
To see Mukuro dismiss them so callously was rather startling. Tsuna couldn't find any warmth in Mukuro's eyes for them or anything else for that matter. The illusionist that Tsuna knew would never admit it, but Tsuna understood that Mukuro cared about quite a lot more things than he let on. It was just that his hatred (which Tsuna felt was rather justifiable) for the mafia would get in the way sometimes.
If Tsuna were perfectly honest, he would have to say that he agreed with Mukuro's resentment towards the mafia, though the brunette rather viewed it as the mafia as a whole. There were exceptions to the general populace of mafia, such as the Chiavarone and Vongola (Tsuna was doing his best as Boss to bring the Family back to what it was during Primo's time) as well as a few others.
On a whole though, he wasn't so naive and optimistic to overlook the fact that the mafia did bad things, and it produced people like Mukuro. The only problem with the illusionist though was that he went about his revenge the wrong way. When meeting Tsuna for the first time, Mukuro went after people who weren't responsible; who were innocent. Mukuro's problem was that he was prepared to do anything and everything to get what he wanted. The persistence and dedication was commendable, but there were more important things.
And it seemed like the Mukuro of this time never learned that lesson. He may have felt that way in the beginning after escaping the Vendice, but with the passage of time he lost himself in his quest for revenge. The man sitting before Tsuna had sacrificed everything to revenge, and that made Tsuna's heart ache.
"-never leave my sight. Uni is too important in this battle and I will not let him take her or the Pacifiers-"
"That's just a load of shit!" Gamma yelled. "You're just helping us because it's in your own damn interest! The moment you lay your hands on the Mare and Vongola rings you'll take the Pacifiers from Uni-sama for yourself!"
Here Mukuro finally let out a small smirk. "Then if that happens I suppose your precious Uni is lucky to have you to protect her, am I correct?"
Gamma growled but was stopped by Uni's slender fingers on his arm. "Uni-sama . . ?"
The young girl smiled. "Don't worry, Gamma. Mukuro-san is here to help us, and he's the reason we're safe. Shouichi-san sent us to him for a reason."
Gamma looked like he wanted to protest some more, but he sighed and nodded. "Whatever you say, Uni-sama."
"Thank you, Gamma," Uni replied.
Tsuna frowned at the hidden look in her eyes and expression, but it seemed like no one else did. He turned to the angel. "Reborn . . . what is Uni planning? And why is she here in the first place?"
"For protection," the angel said. "Since you weren't born, Shouichi had no other alternative to fight back, other than freeing Uni and sending her somewhere safe. Mukuro leads the strongest resistance force against the Millefiore, so it's the best place for her. And the reason he took her in is because she and her Family members have inner secrets to the Namimori base.
"As for what she's doing, Uni's already begun the process of feeding her flame to the Pacifiers," the angel said, giving the girl a sad look. "Since Mukuro is planning a full-scale attack on the Namimori base soon, Uni hopes to revive the Arcobaleno before then. With their combined power as well as those currently in Mukuro's employ, they have a slim chance of defeating Byakuran."
At the mention of defeat, Tsuna's expression brightened somewhat, then it fell. "So Uni is doomed to die no matter what," he said softly. He never really knew too much about the girl, but judging by the memories the Arcobaleno gave to him of the fight his younger self was involved in, she was a girl truly deserving of the Sky Pacifier. She was just like her mother.
Before all the problems with the Millefiore began, Tsuna had met with the previous Arcobaleno Boss a number of times. She was a very strong, level-headed woman and Tsuna respected her. He actually regretted not being able to know Uni better, but was pleased that his younger self was able to protect her until the end.
"Now go and get out of my sight," Mukuro sighed. "I have to prepare for my part."
"You can't just dismiss us like this!" a purple-haired young boy protested. "I've never liked the way you talked down to Uni-sama-"
"Nosaru!" The boy flinched at the harsh tone and looked at a dark-skinned man hesitantly. "Uni-sama trusts him, so we must do the same." Nosaru turned to look at Uni and she gave him an encouraging smile.
"Fine," Nosaru muttered. "Whatever you say, bro."
"Didn't I tell all of you to leave?" Mukuro wondered aloud.
"Please excuse us, Mukuro-san," Uni said with a slight bow. Then she turned away and was closely followed by Gamma, Nosaru, and Tazaru. Once they left, Mukuro sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"Rokudo!" At his command, another man stepped forth from behind the old drapery that was previously closed shut. Tsuna gasped at the sight of him.
"What is it you desire, Mukuro-sama?" He knelt to the ground in from of Mukuro.
Tsuna swallowed against the lump in his throat. "Lancia?"
"I've kept this quiet from everyone else," Mukuro began, "but you will be my other possession. With your abilities, I'll also lead the initial attack on the base."
"As you wish, Mukuro-sama." The dark-haired man bowed deeply and Tsuna's heart clenched at the sight of him. When Tsuna first met Lancia, the man had completely resigned himself to being controlled by Mukuro, and now . . . now it looked like it was all he lived for. Perhaps it was a coping mechanism, perhaps it just became second nature to him after all those years; Tsuna didn't know what the reason was, but the point of the matter was that Lancia was still trapped in the hell Mukuro had created for him. And Tsuna realized with guilt that it was all because he wasn't born.
The brunette was blown away by the knowledge that he was able to make such an impact on someone after something that seemed so simple. Suddenly it became too much.
"Take me out of here, Reborn," Tsuna whispered. He was starting to feel sick. The angel nodded and within seconds they were outside, presumably in the forest a little ways away. Tsuna walked over to the nearest tree and sat down against it. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to stop the bile from rising up in his throat.
He pulled his knees in close and laid his forehead against them. Tsuna felt like crying but he was just too exhausted to do so. All the energy in his body had escaped him. It was just too much. All the pain and suffering he had seen . . .
"Hurry up, Tsuna. It's time to meet another Family member."
Tsuna rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head. "I can't do it, Reborn. I can't. I can't take watching my Family be like this anymore!"
The angel knelt down beside him and put a hand on Tsuna's shoulder. "I know it's difficult," the angel said softly, "but we have just one more person to meet."
"Oh yeah?" Tsuna sighed, trying to steel himself. "Who's that?"
"Irie Shouichi."
Chapter 14: Fall Apart, Come Together
"Wait, before we go," Tsuna said, "can you please explain to me just how Byakuran got his power? If I wasn't born there was no way for Lambo to have met Shouichi!"
The angel sighed and sat down beside Tsuna. He leaned his back against the tree as well and began. "Shouichi met Lambo about a year after the little boy was abandoned in Namimori. Shouichi got lost trying to deliver something to his mother and stumbled upon Lambo in an alleyway. Frightened, Lambo used one of his remaining grenades and Shouichi misunderstood what happened, thinking that someone was targeting him and Lambo. He brought the little Bovino to his house and treated their small injuries. He gave Lambo a place to sleep for the night, but when he helped his mother give the little boy a bath, they discovered all the grenades and weapons Lambo had stuffed in his hair.
"They removed all his weapons and placed them aside for later, unsure of what to do with them. Early the next morning, Lambo was frighted by a loud noise and left their house in a hurry, leaving all his weapons in Shouichi's room. It wasn't too long after that, that Lambo was taken in by the Momokyokai. Then similar to how Shouichi of your time discovered the use of the bazooka bullets, it happened all over again. He was trying to put the weapons away when he accidentally dropped a bullet on his foot."
Tsuna shook his head. "That's just too convenient! I guess I can see how he would take care of Lambo, but why would he do the exact same thing? Why-"
"Use your head, Dame-Tsuna," the angel said. "Shouichi was the same person. You really haven't had much interaction with him. You merely provided the means for him to meet up with Lambo, but seeing as how he met up with him anyway, there was nothing stopping him from following through with the same thing."
Tsuna felt a little downhearted, but then a sudden thought struck him.
"Oh, but . . . this is just a parallel world then, right? You just brought me over to a place where I wasn't born? These aren't really the people I know!" His expression grew brighter. "So that means my Family is-"
"No."
Tsuna's eyes widened in shock. "Wha . . . what do you mean?"
The angel gave him a look that was difficult to decipher. "I mean that this is your world. I said that you were never born. These are the very same people you know and love. I changed the past so you were never born, and this is what resulted. The Nana you met was the exact same woman who gave birth to you. She's not a version from another parallel world.
"The past you know no longer exists."
Seconds ticked by as Tsuna merely stared at the angel, unable and unwilling to believe this new piece of information. When minutes had passed and Tsuna still didn't move, the angel gently pulled the former Decimo into a standing position. "It's time to go."
Tsuna nodded slowly, his mind still in shock. "But . . . but what about the Vongola rings?" he asked in a choked voice, still clutching at a false hope. "If Xanxus . . . if Xanxus-"
Reborn sighed. "Yes, Xanxus got rid of them, but he didn't destroy them. It took a lot of work, but once Shouichi invented a way to detect powerful rings they were Byakuran's soon enough. Now let's go."
In the amount of time it took to blink, the scenery changed once again. Tsuna found himself in what he assumed to be Shouichi's office, though it was certainly larger than most offices. He blinked against the fluorescent lighting and smiled brightly when he noticed the redhead pacing before him. At least he's not dead, Tsuna thought to himself.
"Shouichi!" Tsuna started forward but was once again stopped by Reborn's arm. "WHAT?"
"You can't-"
"To hell with what I can and can't do!" Tsuna shrieked. "He's my Family and I'm going to talk to him!" He just couldn't take this anymore! The angel's grip tightened on him but Tsuna pushed him away with an extra burst of strength.
"Shouichi!"
"-can't be true. I'm running out of time here! Sooner or later he's going to find her! Then what can I do? He already understands how important she is! Maybe we could destroy the Pacifiers? That might work. If he doesn't have them then the Trinisette shouldn't work, right? But perhaps-Ah! My stomach!"
Tsuna merely stood there, a hand outstretched to the red-haired man who was bent forward in front of him. Shouichi had been muttering to himself as he paced around the room, clutching at his hair and sweating up a storm. He didn't even seem to notice Tsuna there beside him. The man bit his lip and straightened up again.
"Gah! If only I could find him there could be a chance!" Shouichi kicked out and overturned a chair. "But I've looked everywhere! It doesn't make sense! He was there in all the other worlds! This is the only one that Byakuran hasn't destroyed so this is our last hope! But where could he be?"
Tsuna cleared his throat. "Uh . . . Shouichi?"
This time he did hear Tsuna, and he shrieked. Shouichi spun around and his eyes widened once they settled on Tsuna. The brunette gave a small, hesitant wave. Shouichi took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put them back on.
"Damn it! Now I've really gone mad," Shouichi said with a helpless laugh. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and gestured to Tsuna. "Now I'm starting to hallucinate that Sawada Tsunayoshi is actually in the same room as me!"
"Wait-what?" Tsuna was beyond confused. This was the first time anyone knew his name before, and how did Shouichi know who he was anyway? Didn't Reborn say that this was supposed to be a place where he was never born? "It's really me, Shouichi!"
The man laughed again, the kind he always used when he got too overworked. "Right. Of course it is. The man I've been searching for years just suddenly happens to poof in front of me at the last second. HAHAHA!"
Tsuna suddenly became very concerned for his friend's sanity. Shouichi was shaking so badly it was like he was having a seizure, and his voice wavered like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry or both.
"Shouichi . . . it's really me!" Tsuna stepped forward and reached out to touch the man's shoulder. "I guess it might be hard to believe, but it really is-"
"That's Sawada Tsunayoshi in the flesh."
The two men froze and snapped their attention to the newly opened door in horrified shock.
"I truly have no idea how he got here or what his purpose is, but the fact remains that it's him, Shou-chan." Byakuran stepped into the room, closely followed by Gokudera, who took a glance at Tsuna then looked around the room as if searching for something.
"Where's the other guy?" Gokudera asked.
"Ts-Tsunayoshi . . . " Shouichi turned back around and stared at Tsuna with a strange sense of awe. "You're really . . . you're not a hallucination?" He stepped forward and tentatively touched Tsuna's jacket, as if he were afraid doing so would cause the man to shatter into a million pieces.
"I would like to know how and why you have suddenly made yourself known after all these years, Tsunayoshi-kun," Byakuran began, "but if you would excuse me, I have to deal with my dear Shou-chan." He smiled darkly as Shouichi whipped around in fear.
"What . . . what do you mean, Byakuran-sama?"
Byakuran sighed as if he were about to explain something to a very small child. "You're a traitor, Shou-chan. Have been for quite a few years now. Oh, I always knew," he said when Shouichi started protesting, "because you never approved of anything I did. I knew you were trying to search for a way to stop me. That you set my dear Uni-chan free with all the Arcobaleno Pacifiers. That Tsunayoshi-kun was your last hope to protect the Trinesette."
Shouichi hastily shook his head. "N-no! No! Byakuran-sama, I could . . . I never did . . . it wasn't-"
"It seems you are no longer fit to be a White Spell Captain," Byakuran said with mock sadness.
"NO!" Shouichi rushed forward and grasped Byakuran's uniform. "No, you're wrong! I would never betray you! Please believe me!"
Byakuran puffed out his bottom lip into a pout. "I wish I could Shou-chan." A gun was pressed to Shouichi's forehead.
"Goodbye."
The white-haired man pulled the trigger and Tsuna could only watch as Shouichi fell backwards, the blood spurting from the gaping hole in the back of his head. Shouichi crashed onto the floor with a frozen look of terror that would be forever etched on his face.
"NO!"
Tsuna rushed forward and dropped to his knees at the redhead's side. "No . . . you can't! Shouichi, you can't! Speak to me!" But of course he didn't answer. Tsuna wiped his steadily flowing tears against the back of his sleeve. "SHOUICHI!"
"Well, now that's taken care of," Byakuran muttered. He pocketed the smoldering gun as if nothing had happened and tilted his head towards Gokudera, who was staring at Shouichi's body with slight shock and disgust. "It seems I'm in need of a new right hand man. Would you like the job, Goku-chan?"
Gokudera snapped his attention to Byakuran, his mouth open in shock. "R-really . . . Byakuran-sama? You . . . you mean it?"
Byakuran laughed. "Of course I do! Who else could I trust besides you?"
Tears of joy came to Gokudera's eyes and Tsuna watched in revulsion as the silver-haired man knelt in front of Byakuran and kissed the Mare Ring, all the while sputtering words of gratitude. As Gokudera did this, Byakuran made eye contact with Tsuna and smirked knowingly. It was then that Tsuna knew the Millefiore Boss was perfectly aware of just how much this was hurting Tsuna. The man's eyes twinkled with laughter at the pain in Tsuna's expression and he winked.
"Now Goku-chan-as your first act as my right hand man I order you to kill him," Byakuran said, pointing to Tsuna.
To Tsuna's horror, Gokudera leapt to his feet and glared at Tsuna with new found determination. "I won't disappoint you, Byakuran-sama! I'll be the best right hand man you've ever had!" Then he sprinted forward and drew his arm back. All Tsuna could do was merely stand there. Having to witness both Shouichi's death and Byakuran's deliberate corruption of one of his closest friends left him unable to defend himself. His entire body was numb from the shock.
Gokudera's punch sent Tsuna flying quite a few feet away from Shouichi's dead body onto the hard floor. Tsuna just pushed himself into a sitting position and stared at Gokudera blankly.
"Che. Why aren't you fighting back? This won't be a satisfying fight if you chicken out!" Gokudera yelled. "Fight me! You must be powerful if Byakuran-sama wants you gone, so at least do me the honor of fighting you!" He then started rushing forward once more.
Gokudera came closer and closer, but Tsuna couldn't do anything. He just couldn't fight Gokudera like this. Tsuna had never raised a fist against him and despite everything that had happened Tsuna knew he couldn't do it now. Gokudera's emotions and mind may have been warped by Byakuran, but he was still Gokudera (not a Gokudera from a parallel world but his Gokudera) and Tsuna found himself helpless to Gokudera's attacks. He just couldn't do it.
With a yell, Gokudera drew his fist back once more and aimed for Tsuna, though this time his hand was blocked. Both Tsuna and Gokudera glanced up at the man who interfered and their mouths nearly dropped to the floor in surprise.
"Now that's not very nice," Yamamoto said. "You're going to fight someone who's not even defending himself?" The swordsman tightened his grip on Gokudera's fist and twisted it slightly.
Gokudera didn't even register the pain. "You . . . you're that swordsman aren't you? Yamamoto Takeshi?"
"Haha! The one and only."
Gokudera smirked. "Well, this day just gets better and better. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to kill this Tsunayoshi for Byakuran-sama and then I'll get rid of you."
Yamamoto frowned and turned his head around to look at Tsuna. "Do you think you can handle him for a moment? I don't really want all my effort to find this place to go to waste. Once I'm done killing Byakuran I'll come and help you."
"Hell no!" Gokudera yelled. "If you think you're going to lay one finger on Byakuran-sama you'd better think again."
"What, you gonna stop me?" Yamamoto quickly twisted Gokudera's arm painfully and took off towards Byakuran. He withdrew his sword and released his box weapon. Before he could do much else however, he sensed the incoming danger from behind his back. The swordsman swung around and effortlessly sliced the tips off the dynamite that had been expertly charging towards him.
"Ouch," Yamamoto said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I think I've just been insulted. You really think mere dynamite is enough to stop me?"
Gokudera stepped forward, tossing a stick of explosives in his hand. "Stopped you just now, didn't I?" he said with a smirk. There was a flash of light and he was surrounded by his shields. "Let's see how long you last in battle," Gokudera said, his voice low and dangerous.
Yamamoto smirked back and adjusted his sword. "I'll make you regret ever working for that monster."
Then as if prompted by a silent signal, the two rushed forward and blade met shield.
Tsuna lifted his hands up to protect his eyes from the bright flames that were emitted and the rush of power. He was then pulled backwards and he looked up gratefully, but instantly regretted it when he realized it was not Reborn, but Byakuran. Tsuna slapped the white-haired man's hand away.
"Get the hell away from me, you bastard!"
"My, my! That's some very strong language, Tsunayoshi-kun," Byakuran said. He pointed a finger to himself and looked hurt. "Not exactly the nicest thing to say to someone who just saved your life, huh?"
"I don't care!" Tsuna yelled, calling forth his Dying Will Flames. "I'm going to kill you right here and now!"
Byakuran merely laughed, throwing his head back. "Bold words for someone who's been missing for the past twenty-four years." He sidestepped as Tsuna rushed towards him, mad with rage. "I really am quite curious as to where you've been all this time."
"Who cares!" Tsuna yelled. He redirected himself and held out his hands for X-Burner. "All that matters is you're going to die! Operation X!"
"Roger Boss." He still had to get used to them, but these contacts Spanner made for him were really something else. Tsuna was ever so grateful that his younger self had been equipped with them when fighting Byakuran.
"Hmm?" Byakuran laid a delicate finger against his lips. "I don't know what you're doing, but based off what I know about you from the other worlds, I shouldn't wait to find out." In the blink of an eye he disappeared, then reappeared at Tsuna's side, Mare Ring shining with energy.
Tsuna blasted away just in time as a beam of pure Sky Flames destroyed the ground he had been standing on moments before.
"Do you think we could change the location of our fight?" Byakuran yelled, cupping a hand around his mouth. Tsuna levitated in the air a little ways away from Byakuran and raised an eyebrow.
"What for?"
Byakuran smirked and gestured towards the door. "Why, so my dear Shou-chan's body doesn't get ruined! Goku-chan and Yamamoto seem to have avoided it so far, but I feel our fight might destroy what's left."
Tsuna unwittingly glanced back to Shouichi and there was a prickling in the back of his eyes. He clenched his eyes shut against the pain then glared at Byakuran. "You bastard!" As he charged forward, Byakuran smirked. The purity and size of Tsuna's flames were decreasing.
"So sad he had to die," Byakuran sighed as he once again sidestepped Tsuna's attack. "If it weren't for you coming when you did he might still be alive."
"SHUT UP!"
Byakuran waited until Tsuna was close enough, and the Millefiore Boss reached out and caught the brunette's arm. "If we want to save his body, then I suppose you do it quick. The two fighting over there are going to destroy this whole room by the time they finish each other off."
A little voice in the back of Tsuna's head warned him of what Byakuran was trying to do, but he was unable to stop himself from glancing over at Gokudera and Yamamoto. They were fighting with an intensity that Tsuna had come to almost admire in their fights, but this was all wrong.
This time they were directing their fighting power towards each other, and with each new wound their movements became slower. Tsuna's flame grew weaker and weaker as he watched his two friends exchange deadly blows. Gokudera was slashed across his entire torso and Yamamoto was shot with Gokudera's Storm/Lightning bullets.
Byakuran followed Tsuna's gaze and laughed. "You enjoying the view, Tsunayoshi-kun? It must be horrible, seeing the people you care about fight to the death like that." Tsuna snapped his attention back to the white-haired man with a guarded, confused expression. "Oh, I know all about your friends. In all the other parallel worlds I've encountered, you and your friends were always causing trouble for me. Be you in official government positions, a resistance group, or some other form of law enforcement-it was always you three. Your bond was rather adorable if I must say so, but of course you all died by my orders.
"Though I must admit I'm confused as to why that's not the case in this world. When I ran across Goku-chan and discovered he had never met up with his two faithful companions, I was quite intrigued. I decided to keep him near me and was curious to see if I could use that infallible loyalty in my favor. It worked, so I tried to find Yamamoto and do the same with him. Unfortunately, he was no longer of any use because of his powerful humanitarianism ideals, and you . . . you were nowhere to be seen."
Byakuran cocked his head to the side like a child who had come across something new. "Despite my vast resources, I could never find you. I ordered an annihilation of all those who could have been related to you, but nothing ever showed up. Shou-chan told me to give up, explaining that there was a possibility that you would be born at a much later date or perhaps you died due to a failed pregnancy in this world.
"But I knew better. You are to always be my rival in this game of life, don't you agree?" Byakuran smiled, let go of Tsuna's hand, and instead grasped his throat. "Our fates are to be forever bounded," he whispered into the brunette's ear, "and they will forever end with you dying at my hands." He held up his other hand and a powerful, concentrated ball of Sky Flames appeared.
"Any last words?"
Tsuna spent a few seconds just examining Byakuran's expression, then turned his head to watch Gokudera and Yamamoto once more. The two of them were barely standing, their bodies riddled with wounds. Gokudera had quite a few slashes across his body that were bleeding freely, causing his sweaty skin to turn deathly pale. Yamamoto was sporting numerous flame burns all over his body, some so severe the skin was turned black.
Seeing them in such a fatal condition brought tears to Tsuna's eyes and he was reminded of how messed up the rest of his Family was. How their lives were so screwed up one could argue they weren't really living. It was then that Tsuna truly realized that no matter how bad things got in the mafia world, the ones he held dear to his heart would always stand by him with wide, grinning smiles. They were happiest being together and being with him.
He wasn't the cause of their suffering, and they weren't better without him! Tsuna was a fool to have ever thought otherwise!
Only that didn't matter now. Now he was going to be killed by Byakuran (for real this time). His Flame completely flickered out. Tsuna didn't have the strength to fight.
. . . But he did have a wish.
"Any last words?" Byakuran repeated. Tsuna re-focused his attention on the man before him, stared at him through his tear-filled eyes, and said simply-
"I want to live again."
Byakuran frowned. "Odd choice of words," he muttered. "But no matter. Time to die, Tsunayoshi-kun." Byakuran drew his hand back and moved in for the kill.
Suddenly there was an even brighter light, and to the amazement of all present, Reborn stood between Byakuran and Tsuna, his entire body enveloped in a blinding glow. One hand was holding back the condensed Sky Flame while the other was tightly grasping the hand that was previously choking Tsuna. As Byakuran struggled against the inhuman grip, Reborn turned his head to look at Tsuna with a warm smile on his face.
"It's about time, Tsunayoshi," the angel said with a warm, proud tone. "Let's bring you home." Then the glow surrounding Reborn grew brighter and brighter until Tsuna could see no longer.
When he could finally see again, Tsuna was surprised to find himself back in his office, with everything so perfectly arranged it was like he never left. The brunette spent a few moments gazing at the office in a daze, hardly daring to believe what he had just been through. But one look at the Reborn lookalike let him know that everything did happen.
"So . . . so I'm back?" Tsuna croaked. "In my real timeline?"
The angel smiled widely. "Yep! You're back home, with everything as it should be."
Tsuna wiped his eyes and couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, it's really strange to see Reborn smiling like that."
". . . Then I suppose it's time to show you my true form."
Oh my gosh killing Shouichi like that nearly killed me! :( So what do you think? Tsuna's suffering has finally ended! (Not to mention everyone else's) Now I shall overload you with fluff to make up for the last fourteen chapters. ONE CHAPTER LEFT!!
ALSO-I know there are a few people that probably wanted me to have Tsuna kick Byakuran's butt once again, but I really felt like it had to go this way. (SPOILERS!) As you've seen in the most recent manga chapters, Tsuna is not like your typical shounen hero who gets boiling mad all the time. Yes, he did get furious at Byakuran for having Uni killed, but I feel that after seeing all of his Family living such horrible lives and then having to watch a precious Family member get his brains blown out and then see two of his Guardians killing each other . . . he just couldn't take it. The recent chapters show that when Tsuna can't take it he doesn't blow up but rather turn into himself.
Previous | Next
Author: Reidluver
Pairing/Characters: Um...pretty much all of them (characters I mean)
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Spoilers for Future Arc
Summary: As Christmas draws near, TYL!Tsuna starts thinking his Guardians would have been better off without him. But would they? Tsuna's about to find out when his Guardian Angel takes him for a ride, but why does he look so much like Reborn?
[1-2] [3-4] [5-6] [7-8] [9-10] [11-12] [13-14] [15]
Chapter 13: The Lost Rebellion
"We're in Koukyo land, aren't we?"
"Correct."
"Now could you please explain to me how this is possible?" Tsuna exclaimed, gesturing to the very familiar run-down hallway, covered in a layer of dirt and debris.
"They've only recently moved here," the angel explained. "Mukuro first traveled the world, causing trouble for as many mafia families as he could. Once Byakuran got into power though, he started making counterattack plans and moved here because of the Millefiore base stationed in Namimori. This way he can keep tabs on major Millefiore movement."
Tsuna had to admit it made sense. "Fine. Whatever. Is Mukuro behind this door?"
The angel nodded. "And once again, you are going to have to follow what I say. You can't be seen at all so-"
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Tsuna exclaimed, throwing an arm up in disbelief.
"This is for your own good, Dame-Tsuna!" the angel replied. "Mukuro's base is protected by many of his loyal dogs. Don't you think they'll attack first rather than let you explain yourself? Besides, you'll be able to see-"
"-how they act without me there," Tsuna sighed as they walked through the door. "I know, I know." Despite how much sense it made, this staying invisible was really grating on his nerves. But no matter. He had to focus all his attention on what was happening in front of him.
The lighting was poor, but thankfully it was bright enough outside so the open windows made it easier to see. Tsuna experienced a slight sense of nostalgia (though not the pleasant kind) as he realized they were in the same room that he met and fought Mukuro in. Yet instead of the single couch there was now a large table with chairs placed around it. There were also quite a handful of people and other objects and furniture that made the whole place seem a bit more hospitable.
Mukuro was sitting at the head of the table, with Ken and Chikusa flanking him on either side, glaring at the group of people before them, who were somewhat familiar to Tsuna.
What drew his attention first though was how . . . different Mukuro was. To the casual observer they would notice nothing wrong, but to Tsuna the differences were quite apparent. For one thing, that ever present smirk Mukuro seemed to wear was gone. It was replaced by a frustrated and hateful scowl that looked quite out of place on the man's fair features, though it do match the burn mark that covered the area around his red eye. Tsuna had the sickening feeling that an enemy tried to take out that eye, but thankfully it seemed as if they didn't succeed.
When Mukuro spoke it was harsh and spiteful, no longer calm and arrogant. "The attack will begin next week at mid-day. I've planted false rumors that there will be an attack at night, so they won't be expecting it. I've also gained control of one of his personal assistants," Mukuro spat, as if the white-haired man's name was too vile to bother with, "as well as one of the Cervello bitches. I will distract him with the assistant while simultaneously making it easier for all my soldiers to enter and engage the enemy through the access the Cervello will give me."
"This is all fine and dandy," a man with gelled blond hair interrupted, "but why the hell are you telling us this?" He slammed a fist onto the table, displacing a few pens. "We were at your damn planning meeting with everyone else!"
"Hold your tongue, Lightning Gamma," Mukuro hissed. "You and your comrades have a special part to play because you're responsible for the safety of your precious Uni. You four will stay with me the entire time, since I will be unable to focus on her properly while controlling two other people."
"Mukuro-sama has a plan for everything, bastard!" Ken yelled, leaning forward to glare at Gamma. "Don't you dare-"
"What have I told you about speaking out of turn?" Mukuro growled, jabbing his trident at Ken's face, which he avoided at the last minute. "Your only purpose is to protect me, you animal."
Ken looked devastated. "Yes, Mukuro-sama," he mumbled. Tsuna watched as Chikusa sent the normally overactive blond a reassuring smile, which Ken smiled back to halfheartedly.
Mukuro brushed off the top of his trident as if it got dirtied just being close to Ken and re-focused his attention to the small party in front of him. "Now what I need you to do is-"
Tsuna belatedly realized his mouth was wide open in shock. Even though the illusionist never said it outright, it was obvious to Tsuna that he cared deeply for the two who could be considered his closest friends, Ken and Chikusa. Their friendship was an odd one, but seeing as how Tsuna had never been cruelly experimented on when he was young, he didn't really know how that would affect one's ability to express care and love for one another. All he did know was that Mukuro looked after and was genuinely concerned for two of his most loyal followers, as they did for him.
To see Mukuro dismiss them so callously was rather startling. Tsuna couldn't find any warmth in Mukuro's eyes for them or anything else for that matter. The illusionist that Tsuna knew would never admit it, but Tsuna understood that Mukuro cared about quite a lot more things than he let on. It was just that his hatred (which Tsuna felt was rather justifiable) for the mafia would get in the way sometimes.
If Tsuna were perfectly honest, he would have to say that he agreed with Mukuro's resentment towards the mafia, though the brunette rather viewed it as the mafia as a whole. There were exceptions to the general populace of mafia, such as the Chiavarone and Vongola (Tsuna was doing his best as Boss to bring the Family back to what it was during Primo's time) as well as a few others.
On a whole though, he wasn't so naive and optimistic to overlook the fact that the mafia did bad things, and it produced people like Mukuro. The only problem with the illusionist though was that he went about his revenge the wrong way. When meeting Tsuna for the first time, Mukuro went after people who weren't responsible; who were innocent. Mukuro's problem was that he was prepared to do anything and everything to get what he wanted. The persistence and dedication was commendable, but there were more important things.
And it seemed like the Mukuro of this time never learned that lesson. He may have felt that way in the beginning after escaping the Vendice, but with the passage of time he lost himself in his quest for revenge. The man sitting before Tsuna had sacrificed everything to revenge, and that made Tsuna's heart ache.
"-never leave my sight. Uni is too important in this battle and I will not let him take her or the Pacifiers-"
"That's just a load of shit!" Gamma yelled. "You're just helping us because it's in your own damn interest! The moment you lay your hands on the Mare and Vongola rings you'll take the Pacifiers from Uni-sama for yourself!"
Here Mukuro finally let out a small smirk. "Then if that happens I suppose your precious Uni is lucky to have you to protect her, am I correct?"
Gamma growled but was stopped by Uni's slender fingers on his arm. "Uni-sama . . ?"
The young girl smiled. "Don't worry, Gamma. Mukuro-san is here to help us, and he's the reason we're safe. Shouichi-san sent us to him for a reason."
Gamma looked like he wanted to protest some more, but he sighed and nodded. "Whatever you say, Uni-sama."
"Thank you, Gamma," Uni replied.
Tsuna frowned at the hidden look in her eyes and expression, but it seemed like no one else did. He turned to the angel. "Reborn . . . what is Uni planning? And why is she here in the first place?"
"For protection," the angel said. "Since you weren't born, Shouichi had no other alternative to fight back, other than freeing Uni and sending her somewhere safe. Mukuro leads the strongest resistance force against the Millefiore, so it's the best place for her. And the reason he took her in is because she and her Family members have inner secrets to the Namimori base.
"As for what she's doing, Uni's already begun the process of feeding her flame to the Pacifiers," the angel said, giving the girl a sad look. "Since Mukuro is planning a full-scale attack on the Namimori base soon, Uni hopes to revive the Arcobaleno before then. With their combined power as well as those currently in Mukuro's employ, they have a slim chance of defeating Byakuran."
At the mention of defeat, Tsuna's expression brightened somewhat, then it fell. "So Uni is doomed to die no matter what," he said softly. He never really knew too much about the girl, but judging by the memories the Arcobaleno gave to him of the fight his younger self was involved in, she was a girl truly deserving of the Sky Pacifier. She was just like her mother.
Before all the problems with the Millefiore began, Tsuna had met with the previous Arcobaleno Boss a number of times. She was a very strong, level-headed woman and Tsuna respected her. He actually regretted not being able to know Uni better, but was pleased that his younger self was able to protect her until the end.
"Now go and get out of my sight," Mukuro sighed. "I have to prepare for my part."
"You can't just dismiss us like this!" a purple-haired young boy protested. "I've never liked the way you talked down to Uni-sama-"
"Nosaru!" The boy flinched at the harsh tone and looked at a dark-skinned man hesitantly. "Uni-sama trusts him, so we must do the same." Nosaru turned to look at Uni and she gave him an encouraging smile.
"Fine," Nosaru muttered. "Whatever you say, bro."
"Didn't I tell all of you to leave?" Mukuro wondered aloud.
"Please excuse us, Mukuro-san," Uni said with a slight bow. Then she turned away and was closely followed by Gamma, Nosaru, and Tazaru. Once they left, Mukuro sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"Rokudo!" At his command, another man stepped forth from behind the old drapery that was previously closed shut. Tsuna gasped at the sight of him.
"What is it you desire, Mukuro-sama?" He knelt to the ground in from of Mukuro.
Tsuna swallowed against the lump in his throat. "Lancia?"
"I've kept this quiet from everyone else," Mukuro began, "but you will be my other possession. With your abilities, I'll also lead the initial attack on the base."
"As you wish, Mukuro-sama." The dark-haired man bowed deeply and Tsuna's heart clenched at the sight of him. When Tsuna first met Lancia, the man had completely resigned himself to being controlled by Mukuro, and now . . . now it looked like it was all he lived for. Perhaps it was a coping mechanism, perhaps it just became second nature to him after all those years; Tsuna didn't know what the reason was, but the point of the matter was that Lancia was still trapped in the hell Mukuro had created for him. And Tsuna realized with guilt that it was all because he wasn't born.
The brunette was blown away by the knowledge that he was able to make such an impact on someone after something that seemed so simple. Suddenly it became too much.
"Take me out of here, Reborn," Tsuna whispered. He was starting to feel sick. The angel nodded and within seconds they were outside, presumably in the forest a little ways away. Tsuna walked over to the nearest tree and sat down against it. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to stop the bile from rising up in his throat.
He pulled his knees in close and laid his forehead against them. Tsuna felt like crying but he was just too exhausted to do so. All the energy in his body had escaped him. It was just too much. All the pain and suffering he had seen . . .
"Hurry up, Tsuna. It's time to meet another Family member."
Tsuna rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head. "I can't do it, Reborn. I can't. I can't take watching my Family be like this anymore!"
The angel knelt down beside him and put a hand on Tsuna's shoulder. "I know it's difficult," the angel said softly, "but we have just one more person to meet."
"Oh yeah?" Tsuna sighed, trying to steel himself. "Who's that?"
"Irie Shouichi."
Chapter 14: Fall Apart, Come Together
"Wait, before we go," Tsuna said, "can you please explain to me just how Byakuran got his power? If I wasn't born there was no way for Lambo to have met Shouichi!"
The angel sighed and sat down beside Tsuna. He leaned his back against the tree as well and began. "Shouichi met Lambo about a year after the little boy was abandoned in Namimori. Shouichi got lost trying to deliver something to his mother and stumbled upon Lambo in an alleyway. Frightened, Lambo used one of his remaining grenades and Shouichi misunderstood what happened, thinking that someone was targeting him and Lambo. He brought the little Bovino to his house and treated their small injuries. He gave Lambo a place to sleep for the night, but when he helped his mother give the little boy a bath, they discovered all the grenades and weapons Lambo had stuffed in his hair.
"They removed all his weapons and placed them aside for later, unsure of what to do with them. Early the next morning, Lambo was frighted by a loud noise and left their house in a hurry, leaving all his weapons in Shouichi's room. It wasn't too long after that, that Lambo was taken in by the Momokyokai. Then similar to how Shouichi of your time discovered the use of the bazooka bullets, it happened all over again. He was trying to put the weapons away when he accidentally dropped a bullet on his foot."
Tsuna shook his head. "That's just too convenient! I guess I can see how he would take care of Lambo, but why would he do the exact same thing? Why-"
"Use your head, Dame-Tsuna," the angel said. "Shouichi was the same person. You really haven't had much interaction with him. You merely provided the means for him to meet up with Lambo, but seeing as how he met up with him anyway, there was nothing stopping him from following through with the same thing."
Tsuna felt a little downhearted, but then a sudden thought struck him.
"Oh, but . . . this is just a parallel world then, right? You just brought me over to a place where I wasn't born? These aren't really the people I know!" His expression grew brighter. "So that means my Family is-"
"No."
Tsuna's eyes widened in shock. "Wha . . . what do you mean?"
The angel gave him a look that was difficult to decipher. "I mean that this is your world. I said that you were never born. These are the very same people you know and love. I changed the past so you were never born, and this is what resulted. The Nana you met was the exact same woman who gave birth to you. She's not a version from another parallel world.
"The past you know no longer exists."
Seconds ticked by as Tsuna merely stared at the angel, unable and unwilling to believe this new piece of information. When minutes had passed and Tsuna still didn't move, the angel gently pulled the former Decimo into a standing position. "It's time to go."
Tsuna nodded slowly, his mind still in shock. "But . . . but what about the Vongola rings?" he asked in a choked voice, still clutching at a false hope. "If Xanxus . . . if Xanxus-"
Reborn sighed. "Yes, Xanxus got rid of them, but he didn't destroy them. It took a lot of work, but once Shouichi invented a way to detect powerful rings they were Byakuran's soon enough. Now let's go."
In the amount of time it took to blink, the scenery changed once again. Tsuna found himself in what he assumed to be Shouichi's office, though it was certainly larger than most offices. He blinked against the fluorescent lighting and smiled brightly when he noticed the redhead pacing before him. At least he's not dead, Tsuna thought to himself.
"Shouichi!" Tsuna started forward but was once again stopped by Reborn's arm. "WHAT?"
"You can't-"
"To hell with what I can and can't do!" Tsuna shrieked. "He's my Family and I'm going to talk to him!" He just couldn't take this anymore! The angel's grip tightened on him but Tsuna pushed him away with an extra burst of strength.
"Shouichi!"
"-can't be true. I'm running out of time here! Sooner or later he's going to find her! Then what can I do? He already understands how important she is! Maybe we could destroy the Pacifiers? That might work. If he doesn't have them then the Trinisette shouldn't work, right? But perhaps-Ah! My stomach!"
Tsuna merely stood there, a hand outstretched to the red-haired man who was bent forward in front of him. Shouichi had been muttering to himself as he paced around the room, clutching at his hair and sweating up a storm. He didn't even seem to notice Tsuna there beside him. The man bit his lip and straightened up again.
"Gah! If only I could find him there could be a chance!" Shouichi kicked out and overturned a chair. "But I've looked everywhere! It doesn't make sense! He was there in all the other worlds! This is the only one that Byakuran hasn't destroyed so this is our last hope! But where could he be?"
Tsuna cleared his throat. "Uh . . . Shouichi?"
This time he did hear Tsuna, and he shrieked. Shouichi spun around and his eyes widened once they settled on Tsuna. The brunette gave a small, hesitant wave. Shouichi took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put them back on.
"Damn it! Now I've really gone mad," Shouichi said with a helpless laugh. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and gestured to Tsuna. "Now I'm starting to hallucinate that Sawada Tsunayoshi is actually in the same room as me!"
"Wait-what?" Tsuna was beyond confused. This was the first time anyone knew his name before, and how did Shouichi know who he was anyway? Didn't Reborn say that this was supposed to be a place where he was never born? "It's really me, Shouichi!"
The man laughed again, the kind he always used when he got too overworked. "Right. Of course it is. The man I've been searching for years just suddenly happens to poof in front of me at the last second. HAHAHA!"
Tsuna suddenly became very concerned for his friend's sanity. Shouichi was shaking so badly it was like he was having a seizure, and his voice wavered like he wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry or both.
"Shouichi . . . it's really me!" Tsuna stepped forward and reached out to touch the man's shoulder. "I guess it might be hard to believe, but it really is-"
"That's Sawada Tsunayoshi in the flesh."
The two men froze and snapped their attention to the newly opened door in horrified shock.
"I truly have no idea how he got here or what his purpose is, but the fact remains that it's him, Shou-chan." Byakuran stepped into the room, closely followed by Gokudera, who took a glance at Tsuna then looked around the room as if searching for something.
"Where's the other guy?" Gokudera asked.
"Ts-Tsunayoshi . . . " Shouichi turned back around and stared at Tsuna with a strange sense of awe. "You're really . . . you're not a hallucination?" He stepped forward and tentatively touched Tsuna's jacket, as if he were afraid doing so would cause the man to shatter into a million pieces.
"I would like to know how and why you have suddenly made yourself known after all these years, Tsunayoshi-kun," Byakuran began, "but if you would excuse me, I have to deal with my dear Shou-chan." He smiled darkly as Shouichi whipped around in fear.
"What . . . what do you mean, Byakuran-sama?"
Byakuran sighed as if he were about to explain something to a very small child. "You're a traitor, Shou-chan. Have been for quite a few years now. Oh, I always knew," he said when Shouichi started protesting, "because you never approved of anything I did. I knew you were trying to search for a way to stop me. That you set my dear Uni-chan free with all the Arcobaleno Pacifiers. That Tsunayoshi-kun was your last hope to protect the Trinesette."
Shouichi hastily shook his head. "N-no! No! Byakuran-sama, I could . . . I never did . . . it wasn't-"
"It seems you are no longer fit to be a White Spell Captain," Byakuran said with mock sadness.
"NO!" Shouichi rushed forward and grasped Byakuran's uniform. "No, you're wrong! I would never betray you! Please believe me!"
Byakuran puffed out his bottom lip into a pout. "I wish I could Shou-chan." A gun was pressed to Shouichi's forehead.
"Goodbye."
The white-haired man pulled the trigger and Tsuna could only watch as Shouichi fell backwards, the blood spurting from the gaping hole in the back of his head. Shouichi crashed onto the floor with a frozen look of terror that would be forever etched on his face.
"NO!"
Tsuna rushed forward and dropped to his knees at the redhead's side. "No . . . you can't! Shouichi, you can't! Speak to me!" But of course he didn't answer. Tsuna wiped his steadily flowing tears against the back of his sleeve. "SHOUICHI!"
"Well, now that's taken care of," Byakuran muttered. He pocketed the smoldering gun as if nothing had happened and tilted his head towards Gokudera, who was staring at Shouichi's body with slight shock and disgust. "It seems I'm in need of a new right hand man. Would you like the job, Goku-chan?"
Gokudera snapped his attention to Byakuran, his mouth open in shock. "R-really . . . Byakuran-sama? You . . . you mean it?"
Byakuran laughed. "Of course I do! Who else could I trust besides you?"
Tears of joy came to Gokudera's eyes and Tsuna watched in revulsion as the silver-haired man knelt in front of Byakuran and kissed the Mare Ring, all the while sputtering words of gratitude. As Gokudera did this, Byakuran made eye contact with Tsuna and smirked knowingly. It was then that Tsuna knew the Millefiore Boss was perfectly aware of just how much this was hurting Tsuna. The man's eyes twinkled with laughter at the pain in Tsuna's expression and he winked.
"Now Goku-chan-as your first act as my right hand man I order you to kill him," Byakuran said, pointing to Tsuna.
To Tsuna's horror, Gokudera leapt to his feet and glared at Tsuna with new found determination. "I won't disappoint you, Byakuran-sama! I'll be the best right hand man you've ever had!" Then he sprinted forward and drew his arm back. All Tsuna could do was merely stand there. Having to witness both Shouichi's death and Byakuran's deliberate corruption of one of his closest friends left him unable to defend himself. His entire body was numb from the shock.
Gokudera's punch sent Tsuna flying quite a few feet away from Shouichi's dead body onto the hard floor. Tsuna just pushed himself into a sitting position and stared at Gokudera blankly.
"Che. Why aren't you fighting back? This won't be a satisfying fight if you chicken out!" Gokudera yelled. "Fight me! You must be powerful if Byakuran-sama wants you gone, so at least do me the honor of fighting you!" He then started rushing forward once more.
Gokudera came closer and closer, but Tsuna couldn't do anything. He just couldn't fight Gokudera like this. Tsuna had never raised a fist against him and despite everything that had happened Tsuna knew he couldn't do it now. Gokudera's emotions and mind may have been warped by Byakuran, but he was still Gokudera (not a Gokudera from a parallel world but his Gokudera) and Tsuna found himself helpless to Gokudera's attacks. He just couldn't do it.
With a yell, Gokudera drew his fist back once more and aimed for Tsuna, though this time his hand was blocked. Both Tsuna and Gokudera glanced up at the man who interfered and their mouths nearly dropped to the floor in surprise.
"Now that's not very nice," Yamamoto said. "You're going to fight someone who's not even defending himself?" The swordsman tightened his grip on Gokudera's fist and twisted it slightly.
Gokudera didn't even register the pain. "You . . . you're that swordsman aren't you? Yamamoto Takeshi?"
"Haha! The one and only."
Gokudera smirked. "Well, this day just gets better and better. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to kill this Tsunayoshi for Byakuran-sama and then I'll get rid of you."
Yamamoto frowned and turned his head around to look at Tsuna. "Do you think you can handle him for a moment? I don't really want all my effort to find this place to go to waste. Once I'm done killing Byakuran I'll come and help you."
"Hell no!" Gokudera yelled. "If you think you're going to lay one finger on Byakuran-sama you'd better think again."
"What, you gonna stop me?" Yamamoto quickly twisted Gokudera's arm painfully and took off towards Byakuran. He withdrew his sword and released his box weapon. Before he could do much else however, he sensed the incoming danger from behind his back. The swordsman swung around and effortlessly sliced the tips off the dynamite that had been expertly charging towards him.
"Ouch," Yamamoto said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I think I've just been insulted. You really think mere dynamite is enough to stop me?"
Gokudera stepped forward, tossing a stick of explosives in his hand. "Stopped you just now, didn't I?" he said with a smirk. There was a flash of light and he was surrounded by his shields. "Let's see how long you last in battle," Gokudera said, his voice low and dangerous.
Yamamoto smirked back and adjusted his sword. "I'll make you regret ever working for that monster."
Then as if prompted by a silent signal, the two rushed forward and blade met shield.
Tsuna lifted his hands up to protect his eyes from the bright flames that were emitted and the rush of power. He was then pulled backwards and he looked up gratefully, but instantly regretted it when he realized it was not Reborn, but Byakuran. Tsuna slapped the white-haired man's hand away.
"Get the hell away from me, you bastard!"
"My, my! That's some very strong language, Tsunayoshi-kun," Byakuran said. He pointed a finger to himself and looked hurt. "Not exactly the nicest thing to say to someone who just saved your life, huh?"
"I don't care!" Tsuna yelled, calling forth his Dying Will Flames. "I'm going to kill you right here and now!"
Byakuran merely laughed, throwing his head back. "Bold words for someone who's been missing for the past twenty-four years." He sidestepped as Tsuna rushed towards him, mad with rage. "I really am quite curious as to where you've been all this time."
"Who cares!" Tsuna yelled. He redirected himself and held out his hands for X-Burner. "All that matters is you're going to die! Operation X!"
"Roger Boss." He still had to get used to them, but these contacts Spanner made for him were really something else. Tsuna was ever so grateful that his younger self had been equipped with them when fighting Byakuran.
"Hmm?" Byakuran laid a delicate finger against his lips. "I don't know what you're doing, but based off what I know about you from the other worlds, I shouldn't wait to find out." In the blink of an eye he disappeared, then reappeared at Tsuna's side, Mare Ring shining with energy.
Tsuna blasted away just in time as a beam of pure Sky Flames destroyed the ground he had been standing on moments before.
"Do you think we could change the location of our fight?" Byakuran yelled, cupping a hand around his mouth. Tsuna levitated in the air a little ways away from Byakuran and raised an eyebrow.
"What for?"
Byakuran smirked and gestured towards the door. "Why, so my dear Shou-chan's body doesn't get ruined! Goku-chan and Yamamoto seem to have avoided it so far, but I feel our fight might destroy what's left."
Tsuna unwittingly glanced back to Shouichi and there was a prickling in the back of his eyes. He clenched his eyes shut against the pain then glared at Byakuran. "You bastard!" As he charged forward, Byakuran smirked. The purity and size of Tsuna's flames were decreasing.
"So sad he had to die," Byakuran sighed as he once again sidestepped Tsuna's attack. "If it weren't for you coming when you did he might still be alive."
"SHUT UP!"
Byakuran waited until Tsuna was close enough, and the Millefiore Boss reached out and caught the brunette's arm. "If we want to save his body, then I suppose you do it quick. The two fighting over there are going to destroy this whole room by the time they finish each other off."
A little voice in the back of Tsuna's head warned him of what Byakuran was trying to do, but he was unable to stop himself from glancing over at Gokudera and Yamamoto. They were fighting with an intensity that Tsuna had come to almost admire in their fights, but this was all wrong.
This time they were directing their fighting power towards each other, and with each new wound their movements became slower. Tsuna's flame grew weaker and weaker as he watched his two friends exchange deadly blows. Gokudera was slashed across his entire torso and Yamamoto was shot with Gokudera's Storm/Lightning bullets.
Byakuran followed Tsuna's gaze and laughed. "You enjoying the view, Tsunayoshi-kun? It must be horrible, seeing the people you care about fight to the death like that." Tsuna snapped his attention back to the white-haired man with a guarded, confused expression. "Oh, I know all about your friends. In all the other parallel worlds I've encountered, you and your friends were always causing trouble for me. Be you in official government positions, a resistance group, or some other form of law enforcement-it was always you three. Your bond was rather adorable if I must say so, but of course you all died by my orders.
"Though I must admit I'm confused as to why that's not the case in this world. When I ran across Goku-chan and discovered he had never met up with his two faithful companions, I was quite intrigued. I decided to keep him near me and was curious to see if I could use that infallible loyalty in my favor. It worked, so I tried to find Yamamoto and do the same with him. Unfortunately, he was no longer of any use because of his powerful humanitarianism ideals, and you . . . you were nowhere to be seen."
Byakuran cocked his head to the side like a child who had come across something new. "Despite my vast resources, I could never find you. I ordered an annihilation of all those who could have been related to you, but nothing ever showed up. Shou-chan told me to give up, explaining that there was a possibility that you would be born at a much later date or perhaps you died due to a failed pregnancy in this world.
"But I knew better. You are to always be my rival in this game of life, don't you agree?" Byakuran smiled, let go of Tsuna's hand, and instead grasped his throat. "Our fates are to be forever bounded," he whispered into the brunette's ear, "and they will forever end with you dying at my hands." He held up his other hand and a powerful, concentrated ball of Sky Flames appeared.
"Any last words?"
Tsuna spent a few seconds just examining Byakuran's expression, then turned his head to watch Gokudera and Yamamoto once more. The two of them were barely standing, their bodies riddled with wounds. Gokudera had quite a few slashes across his body that were bleeding freely, causing his sweaty skin to turn deathly pale. Yamamoto was sporting numerous flame burns all over his body, some so severe the skin was turned black.
Seeing them in such a fatal condition brought tears to Tsuna's eyes and he was reminded of how messed up the rest of his Family was. How their lives were so screwed up one could argue they weren't really living. It was then that Tsuna truly realized that no matter how bad things got in the mafia world, the ones he held dear to his heart would always stand by him with wide, grinning smiles. They were happiest being together and being with him.
He wasn't the cause of their suffering, and they weren't better without him! Tsuna was a fool to have ever thought otherwise!
Only that didn't matter now. Now he was going to be killed by Byakuran (for real this time). His Flame completely flickered out. Tsuna didn't have the strength to fight.
. . . But he did have a wish.
"Any last words?" Byakuran repeated. Tsuna re-focused his attention on the man before him, stared at him through his tear-filled eyes, and said simply-
"I want to live again."
Byakuran frowned. "Odd choice of words," he muttered. "But no matter. Time to die, Tsunayoshi-kun." Byakuran drew his hand back and moved in for the kill.
Suddenly there was an even brighter light, and to the amazement of all present, Reborn stood between Byakuran and Tsuna, his entire body enveloped in a blinding glow. One hand was holding back the condensed Sky Flame while the other was tightly grasping the hand that was previously choking Tsuna. As Byakuran struggled against the inhuman grip, Reborn turned his head to look at Tsuna with a warm smile on his face.
"It's about time, Tsunayoshi," the angel said with a warm, proud tone. "Let's bring you home." Then the glow surrounding Reborn grew brighter and brighter until Tsuna could see no longer.
When he could finally see again, Tsuna was surprised to find himself back in his office, with everything so perfectly arranged it was like he never left. The brunette spent a few moments gazing at the office in a daze, hardly daring to believe what he had just been through. But one look at the Reborn lookalike let him know that everything did happen.
"So . . . so I'm back?" Tsuna croaked. "In my real timeline?"
The angel smiled widely. "Yep! You're back home, with everything as it should be."
Tsuna wiped his eyes and couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, it's really strange to see Reborn smiling like that."
". . . Then I suppose it's time to show you my true form."
Oh my gosh killing Shouichi like that nearly killed me! :( So what do you think? Tsuna's suffering has finally ended! (Not to mention everyone else's) Now I shall overload you with fluff to make up for the last fourteen chapters. ONE CHAPTER LEFT!!
ALSO-I know there are a few people that probably wanted me to have Tsuna kick Byakuran's butt once again, but I really felt like it had to go this way. (SPOILERS!) As you've seen in the most recent manga chapters, Tsuna is not like your typical shounen hero who gets boiling mad all the time. Yes, he did get furious at Byakuran for having Uni killed, but I feel that after seeing all of his Family living such horrible lives and then having to watch a precious Family member get his brains blown out and then see two of his Guardians killing each other . . . he just couldn't take it. The recent chapters show that when Tsuna can't take it he doesn't blow up but rather turn into himself.
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