Sakura x Hibari

Simon : You're Mine

"There's still some hope left. I can see there is light, even with these blind eyes." A strangely dressed man showed up. "You are..." The Ninth was surprised to see him while everyone else looked at him confused. "Ninth. You have certainly grown old." "Grandfather Talbot! You came to the ceremony?" Nono was surprised and greeted him. "Yes, though I was a bit late as I was taking care of my sheep." he apologized.

"Who the heck is that geezer?" Gokudera questioned. "An acquaintance of Ninths?" Tsuna suggested. "He's Talbot ; the oldest metal craftsman that has worked alongside Vongola." Reborn explained. "Metal craftsman?" Ryohei questioned. "A man who works with metal to make tools and accessories. It's rare for him to show himself and a mystery as to when he started working for Vongola. Rumors say that he's been working for Vongola since Primo's time." Reborn shared.

"Show me the Vongola rings, will you?" he asked the tenth's guardian. "Hand them to him." The Ninth ordered. "Ouch... They've taken quite the beating..." he examined the rings. "What's that geezer doing?" Gokudera asked. "He's talking to himself..."Tsuna commented. "Is he sane to the extreme?" Ryohei questioned. Hibari glanced at Sakura who was watching Talbot. He took a step closer to her and pulled her back to him. She glanced up at him and he frowned seeing her eyes still red from tears he caused.

"Ho ho ho, so the opponent was the Simon rings aided by the 'sin', eh? No wonder you were defeated!" Talbot concluded. "What?" Nono yelled. "How did you know?" Tsuna questioned. Sakura turned her attention back to the metal craftsman. "Good boy, I'll fix you right up. Ninth." He looked at the Vongola leader. "Yes?" "What say you? The Vongola rings are writhing to be reborn." Talbot shared. "Reborn?" Tsuna questioned. "Grandfather Talbot, that means... that the Vongola rings are still..." Nono questined. "They're still alive. Their shell has merely been destroyed." Talbot explained.

"OH..." Talbot went over to Tsuna. "So you're Vongola the tenth. Ho ho ho, you're exactly the man the ring says you are." He commented as he poked Tsuna with his cane. "That hurts sir." Tsuna protested. "Hey Geezer, what do you think you're doing?" Gokudera defended his boss. "Um.. excuse me but, what do you mean when you say the rings tell you things?" Tsuna asked him. "You wore these rings, and yet you don't even know? Within powerful rings dwell spirits. With spirits they are able to feel. And to hear those voices is my job. The Vongola rings are telling me of new possibilities." Talbot explained to them all. "New possibilities? You don't mean to say that the Vongola rings can be fixed?" Nono questioned. "More or less, yes." Talbot agreed.

"Fixed?" Gokudera asked, surprised. "Even in this state of destruction?" Ryohei questioned. "They can be fixed?" Tsuna asked, excited. "However... even if they are fixed to their original state, they will only meet the same fate if they face Simon again. It can't be helped, as the levels of the rings are much too different. The Simon rings are bathed in the first generation of Simon's blood, and its powers have multiplied." Talbot warned them. "So there is no way to win?" Gokudera asked. "N-no way..." Tsuna looked dejected.

"There's no way to win unless... they're upgraded as well." Talbot teased. "Upgraded?" Tsuna asked. "You seem to bear rings of the beasts as well. Will you show them to me?" Talbot asked. "Beasts?" Do you mean the animal rings?" Tsuna asked him. "Yes, show them to me." Talbot ordered.

The man went over to Yakuza Princess and Hibari. Even blindfolded, the two of them could feel his eyes looking directly into hers. "So the two of you finally became one. How very interesting." he commented. Sakura looked confused. "Who do you mean Talbot-san?" she asked him. He smirked at her. "I'm talking about Ryu and Tsuba of course. Twins. Interesting too that two became one." he chuckled. Sakura and Hibari exchanged glances, not sure what he was talking about. "If you'd allow it, Yakuza Princess, let me see your dinosaur and sky stone as well." he asked her. She took off her earring and showed him along with Tsuna and his friends animal rings.