[Fic] Windshear [Part 32/?]
Got another project winding down this week, which is great! It'll give me some time to make sure I'm completely well from that bout of fever and flu and what on earth was I sick with 'cause I still don't know. And more or less some time to reply comments in the next few days... *crosses fingers and hopes for good luck* Haha, I've been so ?! lately I didn't even notice I missed my friday babble posts until a few days ago *Bah~ Yamamoto moment* =D
Enjoy~ ♥
Windshear Part [32/?]
Authors: kagayachou and evocates
Characters/Pairings: Mukuro, Hibari, Byakuran, Tsuna, Gokudera, Chrome, Chikusa, Ken, Yamamoto, Kyoko. Implied Mukuro/Byakuran. Yamamoto/Hibari.
Rating: PG-13
Words: 4436
Summary: Hibari's fight with Byakuran drags on until...
Rokudo Mukuro really had the best seat in the house. In the Gesso don's body, he was free to explore his playmate's mind and watch Hibari Kyouya fight at the same time. They were such lovely and fascinating creatures, Hibari and Byakuran - the first for his grace and economy of movement, and the second for the subtle intricacies of his mind.
Oftentimes, when Mukuro possessed someone, the target had no say in how he might use their body, or how long he stayed. But of all the people who could actively try to fight him back, Byakuran was the strongest. He made the most progress, regaining partial control of his limbs and his flame - oh yes, his dying will was impressive.
Granted, Byakuran was really fighting for his life this time, and Hibari was nothing if not thorough.
It was a testament of Byakuran's strength that he could still defend himself from the Vongola's Cloud and Mist guardians. Despite his stumbling, the odd shivers here and there, and the sweat gathering over his creased brows, he was holding his ground against the physical onslaught.
But the mental one drew hot flashes through his body as Mukuro dredged up old memories with a vicious, almost-childishly curious glee. It made Byakuran's life literally replay before his eyes, like a semi-translucent projection over the reality of his battle.
And that hurt more than the cold steel of Hibari's tonfas.
It hurt like hell.
The scene changes, but not by much: Mukuro now sits not in a meadow, but in a beautiful garden, with well-trimmed lawns and well-kept beds of flowers. He looks around, and lifts a hand - it's a small, pale hand, belonging to a child.
Mukuro smiles with Byakuran's lips and looks through Byakuran's eyes as a butterfly flutters around the gardens. He holds his hand out a little more, feeling the creature land on his finger before he slowly, gently brings it closer. The wings are beautiful, coloured black and orange and blue. He traced his fingers over the edges, watching as the butterfly open and close its wings. They are so pretty, he muses.
Then, he closes his hands over the wings and pulls them off.
But he regrets that when he holds them to the sunlight. The wings look incomplete without the ugly, frail creature that binds them together, and a broken body, unlike a puzzle game, cannot be pieced back together.
Hibari Kyouya is amazing. Byakuran can't help but think that. The man's been broken down by a terrible illness designed to clip his wings away, and instead of dying like that helpless butterfly, he clung to life and became whole again.
But though he moved deftly, beautifully, around Byakuran and around the arena, Hibari was no butterfly. Far from it.
Butterflies steal life from flowers, true, but not with tonfas.
Hibari narrowed his eyes slightly at the change in the light in Byakuran's eyes. The man was clearly distracted - most likely by Mukuro's games within his mind - but he was still managing to dodge almost every single one of Hibari's strikes. It was becoming extremely frustrating, like trying to catch a slippery eel with oiled hands.
Pressing his lips into a thin line, Hibari closed his eyes and forced his dying will flames to flare outwards even brighter and hotter. The violet fire licked around his body, appearing to be almost like wings as they framed him. He knew what Byakuran could do with the dying will flames - absorb them, and mold them as his own to use just like Sawada Tsunayoshi could - but Hibari had won against him through the sheer strength of his will and flames before, and he knew he could again.
Running forward, he stepped hard on the ground and using it as a stepping board to jump into the air, somersaulting until he landed behind Byakuran.
And aimed a hard strike to the back of his neck.
In a normal situation, Byakuran would, of course, have taken advantage of that flame so close to his body, changing it from violet to orange, cloud to sky, and thus shield himself from the coming blow.
But Mukuro chose that moment to bring up his dead parents.
Father's betrayed face, frozen in shock, as his own right hand man pulls the trigger, and lodges a bullet between the old don's eyes.
And mother, stupid woman, who dirties her hands to avenge her husband, and kill her lover, and then herself in grief.
How angry Byakuran had been, at himself, for leaving her out of his calculations. He only needed father dead; once he became the Gesso don, it wouldn't have mattered whether mother lived or died, and yet... the woman did make his ascension all the easier.
And like holy retribution, Hibari's tonfa met the back of his neck.
So cruel, Byakuran-san, Mukuro's voice tutted at the back of his head as pain and white stars explode behind his eyes. So very, very cruel.
Byakuran could only smile, tasting blood and metal at the back of his throat as he stumble away from Hibari, turning quickly to face the dark-haired man. Dying will flames - bright orange and glowing - gathered in his hands as he reached out to grab onto Hibari's tonfas, aiming to absorb those flames again.
But the same tricks wouldn't work with Hibari Kyouya twice. In a split second, he sidestepped away from Byakuran's hands, violet flames barely touching the other's skin. Immediately, he sent out a roundhouse kick towards Byakuran's side, aiming to take him off guard and bring him down.
Blood splattered to the ground and Byakuran fell with it, doubling over with a wet, winded gasp.
You are too kind, Mukuro-kun. 'Cruel' was an understatement, and Byakuran was perfectly aware of that. Especially when his true wreathes, without even knowing the full extent of his past, had so readily called him their demon lord.
Barely, he managed to roll away from Hibari with an explosive blast of sky flame. He abandoned Mukuro's trident as he did so, for his own will was the more malleable weapon, and with it, he forced himself back upon his feet while the world swirled and his past collided with the present.
Byakuran grit his teeth, and began to draw upon Mukuro's power. Haven't been offered a taste of it several times before, he knew just what to look for. The sooner he depleted the source of Mukuro's strength, the faster he could fight back against Hibari.
Mukuro narrowed his eyes inside Byakuran's mind, holding on tightly to his own power, coiling indigo flames around himself to tie it down so it wouldn't yield to Byakuran's pull. He wrapped his power around him tightly, almost mummifying himself with it.
Only as kind as you are, he replied, his tone singsong. He was terribly amused by all of this - him in Byakuran's body, Byakuran's battle with Hibari, and their ongoing banter as if none of it was happening and they were simply sitting in Byakuran's gardens, admiring the flowers. It was all so terribly ironic.
Refocusing back to the situation, Mukuro shaped his power in his hands and started to use it to break down Byakuran's defences, trying to gain control of his body again.
No... How you looked at me when I hid away your precious kittens. Byakuran sighed mentally, as he physically coughed out blood. I think I knew then...
He thought of Chrome and Ken and Chikusa meeting his wreaths, and briefly, felt Mukuro's control waver. In that moment, he grasped the intruding spirit and pulled it close, latching onto him like a vampire. He siphoned Mukuro's dying will into his own as if it was his life's blood.
...this is all you can give me.
Mukurro instinctively, immediately tried to pull away from Byakuran's grasp. But his Mist flames were tied inexplicably to Byakuran's Sky now. His eyes narrowed as he tried to stamp down on his own dying will, so that Byakuran wouldn't have enough to feed upon.
Are you a vampire now, Byakuran-san? Mukuro sounded almost amused, even though he was anything but. He tore even harder at their connection, trying to break it. That wasn't very fair.
You came to me, was Byakuran's reply, a bitter accusation laced with disappointment. What you did when I let you in... that wasn't very fair either.
Byakuran gave a cry as he wrenched away from Hibari, putting some distance between them before he cast his arms wide. Indigo, orange petals - some thousands of shade in between - materialized as a multitude of shimmering knives.
They dove at Hibari as homing missiles would, and Tsuna clutched his chest then. Who's pain was he feeling? Mukuro?
Hibari ignored it all - Tsuna's cry, the flickering light in Byakuran-Mukuro-Byakuran's eyes, and even the knives aimed at him. He knew enough of illusions to not be fazed at them - he just needed to believe in the reality that he accepted and discard the illusions.
Conviction. And Hibari had plenty of it.
He spun towards the left and slammed his tonfa in front of him, catching Byakuran - hidden within the illusion of the petals and knives - by the ribs. The knives sank into his flesh, and pain exploded everywhere around his body. But he was used to that, wasn't he? He refused to acknowledge any of these trivial things, concentrating on the Byakuran he could see behind everything Byakuran was using to hide himself.
He drew a tonfa back and struck again, this time aiming straight for the throat.
But Byakuran knew what Hibari had done to Iris. He knew how Hibari had killed the rest of his men, and he'd be damned if he was going to let history repeat itself.
Mukuro did his best to deter Byakuran's movements while simultaneously resisting his mental pull. He had known, always known, that he was no match for Byakuran in the long run, but Hibari Kyouya could do it.
However, Mukuro had to step in when he felt the shift in strength, when Byakuran returned with a fire he had leeched from his loyal, dying men. It was only fair, he smiled to himself, that Byakuran could have a taste of being the disadvantaged one in another fight with Hibari.
Byakuran smirked wryly at that, and at the sight of Hibari, blood darkening even his purple shirt. Finally, we can be honest with each other, Mukuro-kun...
I wonder about that, Byakuran-san, Mukuro murmured quietly as he tried his best to slow Byakuran's movements so Hibari would have a greater chance to - in the man's own words - 'bite Byakuran to death'. Will you be honest with me, now?
All of the sudden, Mukuro stopped trying to pull away from Byakuran. Instead, he tied himself even closer to him, woving his dying flames with Byakuran's. Then- he pulled them both back, trying his hardest to stop the Gesso don from using his powers on Hibari.
Who was narrowing his eyes as he watched as Byakuran's movements became a little jerkier, a little slower. He could feel blood colouring his clothes red and dripping onto the ground from his wounds, but he barely felt the pain - it was all shoved to the very back of his mind as he concentrated on his anger and hatred and sheer determination to kill Byakuran. Drawing back his tonfa, he suddenly shut off his violet flames-
And used the bare, cold metal to slam into Byakuran's chest.
***
"Mukuro-sama!"
Chrome screamed as she made to clutch her burning chest - and found that her arms had been tied behind her back.
But her ribs were aching to the bone, not unlike the time when her organs all began to fail. In fact, she felt as though her bones had been broken, and her heart pierced open... though when she looked down, she found that she was only bound by thick rope, and there was no chest wound at all, which meant...
"M-Mukuro-sama..." Her eyes watered, and it was the pure panic in her voice that stirred the others awake.
"Snap out of it, woman, and just say what happened!"
Ken was snarling the moment he woke up, struggling against the ropes as he tried to reach Chrome - whether to make sure she was safe, or to shake her, he wasn't sure himself. His lips were drawn back, baring teeth as he growled again. "Hey! Tell us all ready!"
"Don't make such a racket, Ken," Chikusa's calm voice cut through the other man's growling. He toyed with the knots of the rope, as if testing if they could be opened, but his eyes remained on Chrome the whole time. Telling her without words to speak up.
"Mukuro-sama..." Chrome gasped softly, curling up as much as she could to try to alleviate the burning sensations. "He- he's injured. I- I don't know. I can't really feel him- he's not saying anything but it hurts." She stared at Chikusa and Ken, eyes wet and worried. "It really hurts..."
Chrome made a strangled sound like she was choking - she could barely breathe. The more she struggled against the pain, the more the ropes seemed to tighten around her body.
"Chrome," Chikusa tried to tell her.
Something heavy crashed down outside, briefly illuminating their room from a glass panel. Ken fell silent in mid-curse as they heard another woman scream. When the young men looked, a redheaded woman was pinned against the glass by Gokudera Hayato, who had a foot planted firmly on her back and a thick, metal chain wrapped around her neck.
"Vongola Storm," Chikusa greeted, raising his voice a little so the man would be able to hear him through the glass. "Hurry up and release her."
"Yea!" Ken barked out, clearly agitated as he stared at Chrome, trying hard to squirm out of his bindings. He was slowly inching towards her as she continued to writhe, apparently consumed by the pain. "Hurry the fuck up, damnit!"
Gokudera was about to tell them to kindly shut up because it wasn't as easy as it looked, fighting Storm for Storm against - what did she call herself, sand- desert rose?
Storm flame melted the panel around the woman and liquid glass slid down her chest like it was only plain water. As she slid down, Gokudera gave a yelp - the metal had gone red hot in his hands; they weren't his weapons after all, but hers.
When he let go, the woman whipped around and sent those heavy chains against his side.
Meanwhile, Chrome jerked once more and let out a high pitched whimper before she slumped down like her strings had been cut.
"Chrome!" Ken shouted, lurching forward and falling facedown onto the floor in his efforts to get to her. His teeth were gritted and bared as he pushed himself forward using his knees and feet. "Goddamnit, woman! Don't die yet! Tell us what happened to Mukuro-sama!"
Outside, Gokudera rolled away from the chains for the second time, skidding on the floor. His flames were raw and glowing in his hands, and his smirk vicious as he sent it towards the woman - no, not red flames, but green. Lightening flames that strengthened where her red flames deconstruct, completely neutralizing her powers before he switched over to Rain, slamming a fistful of glowing blue fire against her chest.
The woman dropped to her knees, eyes rolling back as she went into shock from the double onslaught of flames that were directly opposed to her own dying will. Gokudera's lips pursed into a thin line before he turned away from her, running into the room where Mukuro's three lackeys were.
"You're slow," Chikusa informed him, shaking himself free of the ropes as he strode over to Ken, holding the other man down as he worked on his knots.
"It'd have helped if you got out of those a little earlier, too," Gokudera spat back. He knelt down quickly beside Chrome, and stared at the criss-crossing pattern that they ran around her torso. "That sick bitch," he uttered beneath his breath before he tested his flames - as he thought, the ropes were flame resistant.
Out came a trusty pocket knife. There was no time to waste on stupidly trying to unravel those ropes with his own fingers. It was a wonder, really, that Chikusa could manage them, but then again... Gokudera shook his head. "Oi!" He threw Chikusa the knife when he was done with it and turned back to Chrome, laying the young woman flat on the floor as he checked her pulse, slapping her face lightly.
"Dokuro..."
Chrome didn't respond, breathing shallowly in and out, her face pale and lips almost blue. She was trembling periodically, wincing as if in pain despite her unconscious state. She didn't look as if she was going to wake up any time soon.
Loud, echoing footsteps sounded throughout the room as Ken ran forward and fell on his knees in front of her. He pushed Gokudera away, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her rather roughly, "Woman! Wake up! What happened, damnit?!"
"What is he, stupid?" Gokudera pushed himself back up, throwing a dirty glance towards Chikusa. Wasn't that man supposed to reign in his idiot partner when beast boy was going nuts?
Chikusa nodded, ever so slightly, and moved around to drag Ken away by the back of his neck. The action didn't work to well on its own, so he leaned down mechanically, folding his hands over Ken's to pry his fingers away from Chrome's shoulders. As he did so, he sank his teeth into the back of Ken's neck as well, tugging him back the way a large cat might pick up one of its kittens.
Gokudera stared for a solid second, then squeezed his eyes shut. And lawn head and the baseball idiot says these guys are part of the family?
But that tactic seemed to have work - Ken had calmed down considerably, no longer snarling and growling. Chikusa dumped him on the ground before dropping down next to him, pulling Chrome somewhat-gently into his arms as he placed a hand over her eyes, then her neck.
"She's fine," he pronounced after a few moments in his usual flat, impassive tone. Pulling her arm over his shoulder, he hoisted her up with one hand while the other grabbed hold of Ken's collar, dragging him out of the room without a word.
Behind them, Gokudera twitched, then called out in an angry, authoritative voice. "And where do you guys think you're going?" He stalked over, bypassing Chikusa so he could stop in front of the man. "I mean, look, I know you're going after Mukuro, but you can't just keep going blind like this. With her out, you can't tell where he is, can you?"
"Mukuro-sama is at the arena," Chikusa carefully sidestepped Gokudera, and continued moving. He had no time to stand still and entertain this man, no matter how helpful he had been. The very fact that Chikusa was answering his questions was gratitude enough, really. "We were headed there before, and we're going there now."
"Yeah? And how are you going up? Part of those stairs are flooded right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if parts of it's broken too." Gokudera turned, but refrained from following this time. He had done his duty. He'd found them, they were more or less okay now, if not entirely - but since when were they ever entirely all right?
The more pressing matter was that of the wreathes. He had to finish the job with that Mare Storm Ring wielder, and report back. To Spanner of all people.
Gokudera grit his teeth as he thought of Yamamoto back at the base, with Lambo and all their other subordinates, mostly the non-combative ones to look after, and... there was Sasagawa Kyoko.
In a way, it was a good thing that Ryohei lost his earpiece earlier; the idiot was going to flip.
He shook his head. "At least wait for her to wake up. See if she can lift you two across," he finally suggested.
Chikusa's eyes slid back to look at him for a long moment, a considering look in those usually lidded, empty eyes. He shrugged slightly before turning around and continuing to move as if he didn't hear a single word from Gokudera at all.
For one thing, he knew that no matter how powerful Chrome had grown, Mist flames weren't made for combat - they were made for illusions, and therefore they wouldn't be strong enough to carry even just one of them up the flight of seemingly endless stairs. He turned back to look Gokudera in the eyes.
"We don't need your help," he stated calmly.
"Not offering," Gokudera shot back. He turned then, and walked back towards the rose lady. The Tenth would want to know her story rather than to find her dead, he thought. He frowned hard, then contacted Spanner.
***
Yamamoto breathed a sigh of relief when Giannini informed him that Gokudera found Chrome - and took out the Mare Storm guardian with what his best friend had insisted were minimal injuries.
However, information on the Mecacci family in relation to the mafia... came scarce. Yamamoto breathed silently as he led Kyoko down the corridor, careful to go slow and quiet. He had briefed her very quickly on what to do if they ran into enemies. It wouldn't do to underestimate them just because they didn't sound as powerful as the current leading families in the mafia world after all.
Kyoko followed behind him, shoulder hunched as she tried to make herself as small as possible. Her footsteps were deliberate and careful, making sure to make no unnecessary sounds. It was a good thing that the mansion was so well made - none of the floorboards creaked. Though, she thought, smiling wryly, there was probably a good reason for this too.
She held Tsuna's gun by her side, the metal cold against her skin. The safety was turned off, and she hoped - hoped deeply - that she wouldn't have to cock it.
Yamamoto hoped she wouldn't either. It was one thing to have violence-prone people gunning after him for an explanation, but quite another when it was someone as peace-loving as Tsuna. Then again, there was Ryohei, who fit into both categories. And least of all, himself.
Sasagawa Kyoko was someone he truly admired, not in terms of fighting, certainly, but there was an inner strength about her that was rarely found in others.
If he allowed something to happen to her...
He pushed the thought out of his head, pushed everything out of his head when he felt it - the presence of others.
Without looking back, he raised a palm up, gesturing for Kyoko to stop as they neared a corner.
Kyoko froze in her tracks immediately, then backed up and ducked behind in the shadows, leaning against the wall. She bit down on her lower lip, breath hitching as her nervousness crept back into her, nearly stifling her with fear as she thought about actually having to fire a gun.
She breathed out shakily, silently, and swallowed a breath. Her hands were trembling.
Yamamoto glanced back at her over his shoulder, concern and understanding in his eyes. After a moment, he grinned boyishly and gestured for her to stay put. I'll be okay, said the thumbs up.
Then, he slipped around the corner. A few seconds later, there was a grunt. Someone fell to the ground. Another man yelled out in surprise, but the sound was quickly silenced.
Splatter.
After what seemed like hours, even though it could only be a matter of minutes, Yamamoto sighed as he returned to her. "All right, let's keep going."
He had killed someone.
...More than one.
That thought appeared immediately in Kyoko's mind, bright and sharp and she winced at the reminder, squeezing her eyes shut. But then Yamamoto's eyes - dark and ruthless - appeared behind her lids and she shuddered slightly, turning away to open her eyes once more. Just to remind herself that everything was all right, that Yamamoto was not- not a vicious, homicidal maniac.
He was simply doing what needed to be done.
Straightening her spine once more, she turned her head up to look him in the eyes before she nodded slowly.
It was unnerving to see herself reflected back in his eyes, to know that he was calm and sane. And assessing her carefully, as if waiting for her to pass some sort of judgement. Or freak out.
But she wasn't about to do either.
Back straight, she placed one foot in front and then another, until she was there, around the corner. While there hadn't been a speck of blood on Yamamoto, there were splashes of it on the floor, and a thin arc of red on one wall... Kyoko couldn't bring herself to look at the faces just yet, but the bodies in the corridor told her what happened.
And Kyoko couldn't help but flinch at the smell of the blood - the red on the walls and floor she might not mind, because it was so easy to pretend that it was all just paint, and she was very good at pretending. But the smell... she couldn't deny that it was blood at all.
Closing her eyes, she breathed out and steeled herself, trying to shove away her fear with moderate success. Enough to open her eyes again and continue following him. But her hand around the gun had started to shake to the point of nearly rattling the metal inside.
Yamamoto wanted to reach out and say something to reassure her... but he stayed his hand and held his tongue. Even though Kyoko was putting up a brave front, she was scared, of him, among other things. She knew him as an old classmate, as a friend... and apparently as one of Tsuna's - one of the Vongola's guardians.
But as a professional hitman?
He paused in mid stride, but it had nothing to do with worry, and everything to do with those natural born instincts Reborn oft lauded him for. In a second, while Kyoko just managed to register running footsteps nearby, Yamamoto sprung into action, turning quickly to drag her backwards and down.
"Duck," he cried, but his voice fell to deaf ears when the wall that they had been standing next to a moment ago went BOOM, and sent them flying.
Back: Part 31
Next: Part 33
Enjoy~ ♥
Windshear Part [32/?]
Authors: kagayachou and evocates
Characters/Pairings: Mukuro, Hibari, Byakuran, Tsuna, Gokudera, Chrome, Chikusa, Ken, Yamamoto, Kyoko. Implied Mukuro/Byakuran. Yamamoto/Hibari.
Rating: PG-13
Words: 4436
Summary: Hibari's fight with Byakuran drags on until...
Rokudo Mukuro really had the best seat in the house. In the Gesso don's body, he was free to explore his playmate's mind and watch Hibari Kyouya fight at the same time. They were such lovely and fascinating creatures, Hibari and Byakuran - the first for his grace and economy of movement, and the second for the subtle intricacies of his mind.
Oftentimes, when Mukuro possessed someone, the target had no say in how he might use their body, or how long he stayed. But of all the people who could actively try to fight him back, Byakuran was the strongest. He made the most progress, regaining partial control of his limbs and his flame - oh yes, his dying will was impressive.
Granted, Byakuran was really fighting for his life this time, and Hibari was nothing if not thorough.
It was a testament of Byakuran's strength that he could still defend himself from the Vongola's Cloud and Mist guardians. Despite his stumbling, the odd shivers here and there, and the sweat gathering over his creased brows, he was holding his ground against the physical onslaught.
But the mental one drew hot flashes through his body as Mukuro dredged up old memories with a vicious, almost-childishly curious glee. It made Byakuran's life literally replay before his eyes, like a semi-translucent projection over the reality of his battle.
And that hurt more than the cold steel of Hibari's tonfas.
It hurt like hell.
The scene changes, but not by much: Mukuro now sits not in a meadow, but in a beautiful garden, with well-trimmed lawns and well-kept beds of flowers. He looks around, and lifts a hand - it's a small, pale hand, belonging to a child.
Mukuro smiles with Byakuran's lips and looks through Byakuran's eyes as a butterfly flutters around the gardens. He holds his hand out a little more, feeling the creature land on his finger before he slowly, gently brings it closer. The wings are beautiful, coloured black and orange and blue. He traced his fingers over the edges, watching as the butterfly open and close its wings. They are so pretty, he muses.
Then, he closes his hands over the wings and pulls them off.
But he regrets that when he holds them to the sunlight. The wings look incomplete without the ugly, frail creature that binds them together, and a broken body, unlike a puzzle game, cannot be pieced back together.
Hibari Kyouya is amazing. Byakuran can't help but think that. The man's been broken down by a terrible illness designed to clip his wings away, and instead of dying like that helpless butterfly, he clung to life and became whole again.
But though he moved deftly, beautifully, around Byakuran and around the arena, Hibari was no butterfly. Far from it.
Butterflies steal life from flowers, true, but not with tonfas.
Hibari narrowed his eyes slightly at the change in the light in Byakuran's eyes. The man was clearly distracted - most likely by Mukuro's games within his mind - but he was still managing to dodge almost every single one of Hibari's strikes. It was becoming extremely frustrating, like trying to catch a slippery eel with oiled hands.
Pressing his lips into a thin line, Hibari closed his eyes and forced his dying will flames to flare outwards even brighter and hotter. The violet fire licked around his body, appearing to be almost like wings as they framed him. He knew what Byakuran could do with the dying will flames - absorb them, and mold them as his own to use just like Sawada Tsunayoshi could - but Hibari had won against him through the sheer strength of his will and flames before, and he knew he could again.
Running forward, he stepped hard on the ground and using it as a stepping board to jump into the air, somersaulting until he landed behind Byakuran.
And aimed a hard strike to the back of his neck.
In a normal situation, Byakuran would, of course, have taken advantage of that flame so close to his body, changing it from violet to orange, cloud to sky, and thus shield himself from the coming blow.
But Mukuro chose that moment to bring up his dead parents.
Father's betrayed face, frozen in shock, as his own right hand man pulls the trigger, and lodges a bullet between the old don's eyes.
And mother, stupid woman, who dirties her hands to avenge her husband, and kill her lover, and then herself in grief.
How angry Byakuran had been, at himself, for leaving her out of his calculations. He only needed father dead; once he became the Gesso don, it wouldn't have mattered whether mother lived or died, and yet... the woman did make his ascension all the easier.
And like holy retribution, Hibari's tonfa met the back of his neck.
So cruel, Byakuran-san, Mukuro's voice tutted at the back of his head as pain and white stars explode behind his eyes. So very, very cruel.
Byakuran could only smile, tasting blood and metal at the back of his throat as he stumble away from Hibari, turning quickly to face the dark-haired man. Dying will flames - bright orange and glowing - gathered in his hands as he reached out to grab onto Hibari's tonfas, aiming to absorb those flames again.
But the same tricks wouldn't work with Hibari Kyouya twice. In a split second, he sidestepped away from Byakuran's hands, violet flames barely touching the other's skin. Immediately, he sent out a roundhouse kick towards Byakuran's side, aiming to take him off guard and bring him down.
Blood splattered to the ground and Byakuran fell with it, doubling over with a wet, winded gasp.
You are too kind, Mukuro-kun. 'Cruel' was an understatement, and Byakuran was perfectly aware of that. Especially when his true wreathes, without even knowing the full extent of his past, had so readily called him their demon lord.
Barely, he managed to roll away from Hibari with an explosive blast of sky flame. He abandoned Mukuro's trident as he did so, for his own will was the more malleable weapon, and with it, he forced himself back upon his feet while the world swirled and his past collided with the present.
Byakuran grit his teeth, and began to draw upon Mukuro's power. Haven't been offered a taste of it several times before, he knew just what to look for. The sooner he depleted the source of Mukuro's strength, the faster he could fight back against Hibari.
Mukuro narrowed his eyes inside Byakuran's mind, holding on tightly to his own power, coiling indigo flames around himself to tie it down so it wouldn't yield to Byakuran's pull. He wrapped his power around him tightly, almost mummifying himself with it.
Only as kind as you are, he replied, his tone singsong. He was terribly amused by all of this - him in Byakuran's body, Byakuran's battle with Hibari, and their ongoing banter as if none of it was happening and they were simply sitting in Byakuran's gardens, admiring the flowers. It was all so terribly ironic.
Refocusing back to the situation, Mukuro shaped his power in his hands and started to use it to break down Byakuran's defences, trying to gain control of his body again.
No... How you looked at me when I hid away your precious kittens. Byakuran sighed mentally, as he physically coughed out blood. I think I knew then...
He thought of Chrome and Ken and Chikusa meeting his wreaths, and briefly, felt Mukuro's control waver. In that moment, he grasped the intruding spirit and pulled it close, latching onto him like a vampire. He siphoned Mukuro's dying will into his own as if it was his life's blood.
...this is all you can give me.
Mukurro instinctively, immediately tried to pull away from Byakuran's grasp. But his Mist flames were tied inexplicably to Byakuran's Sky now. His eyes narrowed as he tried to stamp down on his own dying will, so that Byakuran wouldn't have enough to feed upon.
Are you a vampire now, Byakuran-san? Mukuro sounded almost amused, even though he was anything but. He tore even harder at their connection, trying to break it. That wasn't very fair.
You came to me, was Byakuran's reply, a bitter accusation laced with disappointment. What you did when I let you in... that wasn't very fair either.
Byakuran gave a cry as he wrenched away from Hibari, putting some distance between them before he cast his arms wide. Indigo, orange petals - some thousands of shade in between - materialized as a multitude of shimmering knives.
They dove at Hibari as homing missiles would, and Tsuna clutched his chest then. Who's pain was he feeling? Mukuro?
Hibari ignored it all - Tsuna's cry, the flickering light in Byakuran-Mukuro-Byakuran's eyes, and even the knives aimed at him. He knew enough of illusions to not be fazed at them - he just needed to believe in the reality that he accepted and discard the illusions.
Conviction. And Hibari had plenty of it.
He spun towards the left and slammed his tonfa in front of him, catching Byakuran - hidden within the illusion of the petals and knives - by the ribs. The knives sank into his flesh, and pain exploded everywhere around his body. But he was used to that, wasn't he? He refused to acknowledge any of these trivial things, concentrating on the Byakuran he could see behind everything Byakuran was using to hide himself.
He drew a tonfa back and struck again, this time aiming straight for the throat.
But Byakuran knew what Hibari had done to Iris. He knew how Hibari had killed the rest of his men, and he'd be damned if he was going to let history repeat itself.
Mukuro did his best to deter Byakuran's movements while simultaneously resisting his mental pull. He had known, always known, that he was no match for Byakuran in the long run, but Hibari Kyouya could do it.
However, Mukuro had to step in when he felt the shift in strength, when Byakuran returned with a fire he had leeched from his loyal, dying men. It was only fair, he smiled to himself, that Byakuran could have a taste of being the disadvantaged one in another fight with Hibari.
Byakuran smirked wryly at that, and at the sight of Hibari, blood darkening even his purple shirt. Finally, we can be honest with each other, Mukuro-kun...
I wonder about that, Byakuran-san, Mukuro murmured quietly as he tried his best to slow Byakuran's movements so Hibari would have a greater chance to - in the man's own words - 'bite Byakuran to death'. Will you be honest with me, now?
All of the sudden, Mukuro stopped trying to pull away from Byakuran. Instead, he tied himself even closer to him, woving his dying flames with Byakuran's. Then- he pulled them both back, trying his hardest to stop the Gesso don from using his powers on Hibari.
Who was narrowing his eyes as he watched as Byakuran's movements became a little jerkier, a little slower. He could feel blood colouring his clothes red and dripping onto the ground from his wounds, but he barely felt the pain - it was all shoved to the very back of his mind as he concentrated on his anger and hatred and sheer determination to kill Byakuran. Drawing back his tonfa, he suddenly shut off his violet flames-
And used the bare, cold metal to slam into Byakuran's chest.
***
"Mukuro-sama!"
Chrome screamed as she made to clutch her burning chest - and found that her arms had been tied behind her back.
But her ribs were aching to the bone, not unlike the time when her organs all began to fail. In fact, she felt as though her bones had been broken, and her heart pierced open... though when she looked down, she found that she was only bound by thick rope, and there was no chest wound at all, which meant...
"M-Mukuro-sama..." Her eyes watered, and it was the pure panic in her voice that stirred the others awake.
"Snap out of it, woman, and just say what happened!"
Ken was snarling the moment he woke up, struggling against the ropes as he tried to reach Chrome - whether to make sure she was safe, or to shake her, he wasn't sure himself. His lips were drawn back, baring teeth as he growled again. "Hey! Tell us all ready!"
"Don't make such a racket, Ken," Chikusa's calm voice cut through the other man's growling. He toyed with the knots of the rope, as if testing if they could be opened, but his eyes remained on Chrome the whole time. Telling her without words to speak up.
"Mukuro-sama..." Chrome gasped softly, curling up as much as she could to try to alleviate the burning sensations. "He- he's injured. I- I don't know. I can't really feel him- he's not saying anything but it hurts." She stared at Chikusa and Ken, eyes wet and worried. "It really hurts..."
Chrome made a strangled sound like she was choking - she could barely breathe. The more she struggled against the pain, the more the ropes seemed to tighten around her body.
"Chrome," Chikusa tried to tell her.
Something heavy crashed down outside, briefly illuminating their room from a glass panel. Ken fell silent in mid-curse as they heard another woman scream. When the young men looked, a redheaded woman was pinned against the glass by Gokudera Hayato, who had a foot planted firmly on her back and a thick, metal chain wrapped around her neck.
"Vongola Storm," Chikusa greeted, raising his voice a little so the man would be able to hear him through the glass. "Hurry up and release her."
"Yea!" Ken barked out, clearly agitated as he stared at Chrome, trying hard to squirm out of his bindings. He was slowly inching towards her as she continued to writhe, apparently consumed by the pain. "Hurry the fuck up, damnit!"
Gokudera was about to tell them to kindly shut up because it wasn't as easy as it looked, fighting Storm for Storm against - what did she call herself, sand- desert rose?
Storm flame melted the panel around the woman and liquid glass slid down her chest like it was only plain water. As she slid down, Gokudera gave a yelp - the metal had gone red hot in his hands; they weren't his weapons after all, but hers.
When he let go, the woman whipped around and sent those heavy chains against his side.
Meanwhile, Chrome jerked once more and let out a high pitched whimper before she slumped down like her strings had been cut.
"Chrome!" Ken shouted, lurching forward and falling facedown onto the floor in his efforts to get to her. His teeth were gritted and bared as he pushed himself forward using his knees and feet. "Goddamnit, woman! Don't die yet! Tell us what happened to Mukuro-sama!"
Outside, Gokudera rolled away from the chains for the second time, skidding on the floor. His flames were raw and glowing in his hands, and his smirk vicious as he sent it towards the woman - no, not red flames, but green. Lightening flames that strengthened where her red flames deconstruct, completely neutralizing her powers before he switched over to Rain, slamming a fistful of glowing blue fire against her chest.
The woman dropped to her knees, eyes rolling back as she went into shock from the double onslaught of flames that were directly opposed to her own dying will. Gokudera's lips pursed into a thin line before he turned away from her, running into the room where Mukuro's three lackeys were.
"You're slow," Chikusa informed him, shaking himself free of the ropes as he strode over to Ken, holding the other man down as he worked on his knots.
"It'd have helped if you got out of those a little earlier, too," Gokudera spat back. He knelt down quickly beside Chrome, and stared at the criss-crossing pattern that they ran around her torso. "That sick bitch," he uttered beneath his breath before he tested his flames - as he thought, the ropes were flame resistant.
Out came a trusty pocket knife. There was no time to waste on stupidly trying to unravel those ropes with his own fingers. It was a wonder, really, that Chikusa could manage them, but then again... Gokudera shook his head. "Oi!" He threw Chikusa the knife when he was done with it and turned back to Chrome, laying the young woman flat on the floor as he checked her pulse, slapping her face lightly.
"Dokuro..."
Chrome didn't respond, breathing shallowly in and out, her face pale and lips almost blue. She was trembling periodically, wincing as if in pain despite her unconscious state. She didn't look as if she was going to wake up any time soon.
Loud, echoing footsteps sounded throughout the room as Ken ran forward and fell on his knees in front of her. He pushed Gokudera away, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her rather roughly, "Woman! Wake up! What happened, damnit?!"
"What is he, stupid?" Gokudera pushed himself back up, throwing a dirty glance towards Chikusa. Wasn't that man supposed to reign in his idiot partner when beast boy was going nuts?
Chikusa nodded, ever so slightly, and moved around to drag Ken away by the back of his neck. The action didn't work to well on its own, so he leaned down mechanically, folding his hands over Ken's to pry his fingers away from Chrome's shoulders. As he did so, he sank his teeth into the back of Ken's neck as well, tugging him back the way a large cat might pick up one of its kittens.
Gokudera stared for a solid second, then squeezed his eyes shut. And lawn head and the baseball idiot says these guys are part of the family?
But that tactic seemed to have work - Ken had calmed down considerably, no longer snarling and growling. Chikusa dumped him on the ground before dropping down next to him, pulling Chrome somewhat-gently into his arms as he placed a hand over her eyes, then her neck.
"She's fine," he pronounced after a few moments in his usual flat, impassive tone. Pulling her arm over his shoulder, he hoisted her up with one hand while the other grabbed hold of Ken's collar, dragging him out of the room without a word.
Behind them, Gokudera twitched, then called out in an angry, authoritative voice. "And where do you guys think you're going?" He stalked over, bypassing Chikusa so he could stop in front of the man. "I mean, look, I know you're going after Mukuro, but you can't just keep going blind like this. With her out, you can't tell where he is, can you?"
"Mukuro-sama is at the arena," Chikusa carefully sidestepped Gokudera, and continued moving. He had no time to stand still and entertain this man, no matter how helpful he had been. The very fact that Chikusa was answering his questions was gratitude enough, really. "We were headed there before, and we're going there now."
"Yeah? And how are you going up? Part of those stairs are flooded right now, and I wouldn't be surprised if parts of it's broken too." Gokudera turned, but refrained from following this time. He had done his duty. He'd found them, they were more or less okay now, if not entirely - but since when were they ever entirely all right?
The more pressing matter was that of the wreathes. He had to finish the job with that Mare Storm Ring wielder, and report back. To Spanner of all people.
Gokudera grit his teeth as he thought of Yamamoto back at the base, with Lambo and all their other subordinates, mostly the non-combative ones to look after, and... there was Sasagawa Kyoko.
In a way, it was a good thing that Ryohei lost his earpiece earlier; the idiot was going to flip.
He shook his head. "At least wait for her to wake up. See if she can lift you two across," he finally suggested.
Chikusa's eyes slid back to look at him for a long moment, a considering look in those usually lidded, empty eyes. He shrugged slightly before turning around and continuing to move as if he didn't hear a single word from Gokudera at all.
For one thing, he knew that no matter how powerful Chrome had grown, Mist flames weren't made for combat - they were made for illusions, and therefore they wouldn't be strong enough to carry even just one of them up the flight of seemingly endless stairs. He turned back to look Gokudera in the eyes.
"We don't need your help," he stated calmly.
"Not offering," Gokudera shot back. He turned then, and walked back towards the rose lady. The Tenth would want to know her story rather than to find her dead, he thought. He frowned hard, then contacted Spanner.
***
Yamamoto breathed a sigh of relief when Giannini informed him that Gokudera found Chrome - and took out the Mare Storm guardian with what his best friend had insisted were minimal injuries.
However, information on the Mecacci family in relation to the mafia... came scarce. Yamamoto breathed silently as he led Kyoko down the corridor, careful to go slow and quiet. He had briefed her very quickly on what to do if they ran into enemies. It wouldn't do to underestimate them just because they didn't sound as powerful as the current leading families in the mafia world after all.
Kyoko followed behind him, shoulder hunched as she tried to make herself as small as possible. Her footsteps were deliberate and careful, making sure to make no unnecessary sounds. It was a good thing that the mansion was so well made - none of the floorboards creaked. Though, she thought, smiling wryly, there was probably a good reason for this too.
She held Tsuna's gun by her side, the metal cold against her skin. The safety was turned off, and she hoped - hoped deeply - that she wouldn't have to cock it.
Yamamoto hoped she wouldn't either. It was one thing to have violence-prone people gunning after him for an explanation, but quite another when it was someone as peace-loving as Tsuna. Then again, there was Ryohei, who fit into both categories. And least of all, himself.
Sasagawa Kyoko was someone he truly admired, not in terms of fighting, certainly, but there was an inner strength about her that was rarely found in others.
If he allowed something to happen to her...
He pushed the thought out of his head, pushed everything out of his head when he felt it - the presence of others.
Without looking back, he raised a palm up, gesturing for Kyoko to stop as they neared a corner.
Kyoko froze in her tracks immediately, then backed up and ducked behind in the shadows, leaning against the wall. She bit down on her lower lip, breath hitching as her nervousness crept back into her, nearly stifling her with fear as she thought about actually having to fire a gun.
She breathed out shakily, silently, and swallowed a breath. Her hands were trembling.
Yamamoto glanced back at her over his shoulder, concern and understanding in his eyes. After a moment, he grinned boyishly and gestured for her to stay put. I'll be okay, said the thumbs up.
Then, he slipped around the corner. A few seconds later, there was a grunt. Someone fell to the ground. Another man yelled out in surprise, but the sound was quickly silenced.
Splatter.
After what seemed like hours, even though it could only be a matter of minutes, Yamamoto sighed as he returned to her. "All right, let's keep going."
He had killed someone.
...More than one.
That thought appeared immediately in Kyoko's mind, bright and sharp and she winced at the reminder, squeezing her eyes shut. But then Yamamoto's eyes - dark and ruthless - appeared behind her lids and she shuddered slightly, turning away to open her eyes once more. Just to remind herself that everything was all right, that Yamamoto was not- not a vicious, homicidal maniac.
He was simply doing what needed to be done.
Straightening her spine once more, she turned her head up to look him in the eyes before she nodded slowly.
It was unnerving to see herself reflected back in his eyes, to know that he was calm and sane. And assessing her carefully, as if waiting for her to pass some sort of judgement. Or freak out.
But she wasn't about to do either.
Back straight, she placed one foot in front and then another, until she was there, around the corner. While there hadn't been a speck of blood on Yamamoto, there were splashes of it on the floor, and a thin arc of red on one wall... Kyoko couldn't bring herself to look at the faces just yet, but the bodies in the corridor told her what happened.
And Kyoko couldn't help but flinch at the smell of the blood - the red on the walls and floor she might not mind, because it was so easy to pretend that it was all just paint, and she was very good at pretending. But the smell... she couldn't deny that it was blood at all.
Closing her eyes, she breathed out and steeled herself, trying to shove away her fear with moderate success. Enough to open her eyes again and continue following him. But her hand around the gun had started to shake to the point of nearly rattling the metal inside.
Yamamoto wanted to reach out and say something to reassure her... but he stayed his hand and held his tongue. Even though Kyoko was putting up a brave front, she was scared, of him, among other things. She knew him as an old classmate, as a friend... and apparently as one of Tsuna's - one of the Vongola's guardians.
But as a professional hitman?
He paused in mid stride, but it had nothing to do with worry, and everything to do with those natural born instincts Reborn oft lauded him for. In a second, while Kyoko just managed to register running footsteps nearby, Yamamoto sprung into action, turning quickly to drag her backwards and down.
"Duck," he cried, but his voice fell to deaf ears when the wall that they had been standing next to a moment ago went BOOM, and sent them flying.
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Next: Part 33