Game on

Chapter 19: Inheritance Arc 3

"You've said the words. Now, I must uphold the law, Giotto, Cozarto."
"It's him" Cozarto shouted
"Vindice!" Giotto nodded "Or should I call you Bermuda von Veckenstein?"
The memory ended on that question, and Tsuna and Enma were now looking at Jager and the silent partner on his shoulder with new eyes – because knowing they were powerful, and seeing them in a four hundred year old memory was different...

¤.¤.¤

"So... You were right." Enma admitted "Primo was a good man.. And Cozarto went into hiding from his own will..."
"But there should have been another solution available!"
"Perhaps... But you know, I think I can understand his feeling... " his friend answered in a low voice "Because no matter their friendship, he would have been Giotto's weak-point. And that..." he didn't need to finish his sentence – how much the idea of being Tsuna's own weak point disturbed him was clear enough in his eyes
And if he felt this strongly for a friend he had known only for a few weeks, who knew how it must have felt for his ancestor?

Jager interrupted his thoughts by announcing "The seventh memory is one that is hidden with an item that is still out of reach for now, but we were present. We won't reveal everything, as it is a secret to the Simon's and Vongola's friendship that you must discover by yourselves..."
"But know that when your ancestors learned that shall their promises be broken, and their heir fight, the loser's Famiglia would be imprisoned forever within the Vendicare Prison, they asked for those memories to be shared after each battle. And that, shall your friendship be renewed after viewing those memories, then the pact would be reset, and the losers freed." Bermuda completed

Enma felt weak at hearing the punishment his Famiglia and Tsuna's had nearly encountered, and nearly slipped to the ground, only to be helped by Tsuna.
"Now that the memories have been shared..." Jagger said "Are you ready to deal with the man that has been trying to destroy the friendship between your Famiglia's for centuries?"
"The man... Do you mean..."

"Kozato Enma, your Famiglia's member Katou Julie is currently being possessed by one Daemon Spade, who has stubbornly held onto life for centuries, and still view the alliance, even as hidden as it was, as a weakness in the way of Vongola's greatness." Jager announced "Fortunately, the mind meddling he has done on you and the rest of your Famiglia's is mostly gone by now, the friendship between Simon's and Vongola's stronger than him, once more."

"But what can we do against a man that has kept living for centuries?" the Simon's boss weakly protested, overwhelmed by the idea – yet wanting to free his friends
"Start by telling us what he was plotting with your Famiglia." Tsuna suggested "As much as we Vongola enjoy your company, it is evident came to Namimori with an ulterior motive."
Enma blushed – like the other, taken by the idea that the Vongola were arrogant ponce, he had been so sure they would never guess at their true intentions... But of course, they had been blinded by Julie's – no Daemon Spade's – sweet and poisoned words...

¤.¤.¤

"The Vongola Sin." he finally admitted
Tsuna had to think a few seconds before he remembered – the Sin was an artifact handed down from one boss to the next ever since Primo.
A small phial of blood.
Suddenly, he understood "Cozarto's blood..."

His friend merely nodded meekly. Tsuna didn't even hesitate – the decision could have seemed hasty for any other, but he knew the Vongola X would understand.
"It is yours." he affirmed
Seeing Enma's stunned and disbelieving look, he shrugged "This is your ancestor's blood, probably even kept just for the option of awakening your inheritance powers." he said easily "Besides, what's more important is to free your Famiglia and defeat Daemon Spade."

Enma nodded – then his eyes widened "Daemon Spade is trying to push us to a fight... Why don't we do just that but on our terms! I can explain the situation discreetly to the rest of the Famiglia if they are ready to hear the truth, which shouldn't be that hard, because they have all started to question what we know about the Vongola after meeting the Vongola X..." he rushed "So we stage the fights, with the memories unleashed, so that Daemon Spade has to reveal himself when he understand Giotto tricked him!" he deflated "Well... hopefully..."