Summary : Finally the cloud chapter. I know you have all been waiting for this as we get closer and closer to the end of our Varia arc. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Hibari was not happy, that was for sure. He had spent the whole day dealing with nothing but stress and the cherry blossom who recently restored his energy was nowhere to be found. He had gotten a phone call with her from her saying she needed to take care of some business but other than that, he hasn't heard from her at all. His battle was today and he honestly wanted her there.
He had told the bucking horse that he wasn't worried about the battle that night. In reality he wanted to just get it over with so he could fight the Monkey King. He didn't like the way Sakura seemed to be pulled by him. This man with his feather earring had somehow pulled the cherry blossom's attention away from him and he resented. Dino had mentioned that it could be jealousy but Hibari didn't believe in such emotion.
He spent his day in the committee room trying to finish up work before his battle that night when his phone rang again. "Yes?" he asked, not even bothering to look at the caller ID. "Ah Kyoya you answered." Hibari paused and turned to look at his phone. It was Sakura's name on the screen. "Of course I answered." he said annoyed but there was a smile on his face. "Well I thought you might be busy preparing for your fight tonight." she asked him honestly. He scoffed. "Why are you calling?" He could hear the Princess sighing on the other end. "I wanted to know where you were so I could meet up with you." She commented, smiling. "I'm in the committee room. I'll wait for you here." he said and hung up.
Sakura had called Hibari earlier letting him know she wouldn't be there that day because she was taking care of business. It was also the same business she was dealing with the night before and the reason why she showed up late to the Mist battle.
Dino and Sakura were at a small underground hospital. There was a man on a table surrounded by several doctors and they were both looking at the whole situation behind the plexiglass. "Do you think he'll make it?" She asked Dino. He sighed. "I'm not sure." The princess narrowed her eyes at the patient. "If he does survive then we can interrogate him." She turned her back to Dino and headed for the exit. "I'll keep you updated Princess." The bucking horse bowed to her. She stopped right before the door. "I'll take care of the bill for this. Bai keep me updated as well." A man dressed in a suit and wearing glasses deeply bowed to her. "Of course your highness." he responded. Dino watched the Princess's exit.
Her loyal guard, Miki, was sitting on his motorcycle waiting for her. "Your highness" he bowed to her. "I'm going to call Hibari and then I'll be ready to go." she explained to Miki. He nodded and waited for her to get off the phone. Once she got off the phone she climbed onto the motorcycle and said, "Namichu." "Yes my lady." he said and they took off down the streets of Namimori.
Sakura got off the motorcycle when Miki stopped outside of the school. "Will I be picking you up later tonight?" he asked her. "I'm not sure yet Miki, but I will keep you and Kai updated." she said as she fixed her hair. He nodded his head and took off. Sakura was excited to be back at school. She would get to see Hibari before his fight. Sakura knocked on the committee room door before she opened it.
"Good evening Kyoya." she greeted him as she entered then shut the door. He glanced up at her before going to his work. "Shouldn't you be preparing for your fight?" she asked him as she approached his desk. "I'm finishing some reports for the headmaster." he answered her simply. "Sit on the couch I'll be done soon." he promised. The truth was he wanted to spend some time with her before his fight especially because he didn't like not being at school with her.
Sakura took a seat on the couch and waited for Hibari to finish. She saw his latest novel on the coffee table, picked it up, and began reading it. She got through about two chapters before the book was taken from her. She looked up to see Hibari behind her and the couch. "This is mine," he told her. She frowned at him. "I was reading that." He frowned at her. "I'm done with my reports. The fight is going to start soon." Sakura nodded and got up.
They made their way out of the committee room and headed down the stairs of the school building. Hibari held Sakura's hand down the hallways but was forced to let her go when they had to descend the stairs. Sakura was used to Hibari dragging her around now so she didn't blush anymore when he held her hand but then he stopped at the doors to exit the building. "Kyoya?" she asked him confused. He turned and looked at her. "I will finish this fight quickly so stay out of the way." he told her firmly. She smiled at him. "I won't cause trouble." she promised him. He nodded his head satisfied with that answer and then let her hand go as he opened the door to the school building.
They rounded the corner only to hear Yamamoto's voice. "Well, here's the main star of today." he said looking at Hibari. Sakura walked behind him and waved at the group. Hibari caught up to them and frowned, "Why have you all gathered here?" "What the you..."Gokudera said, getting pissed off with Hibari's attitude. "Now, now... well...we're..."Yamamoto tripped over his words. "Here to support you." Ryohei answered the question. Hibari hummed. "You're an eyesore. If you're not gone in the next second, I'll bite you all to death." he warned them. "What the hell did you say?! You just pissed me off something fierce!" Ryohei yelled. "Now, now let's all calm down." Yamamoto tried to appease the prefect. "We're just coincidentally passing by, see? Don't mind us Hibari. Okay?"
Sakura sighed, Hibari really didn't want anyone else there other than her it seemed. A loud thumping sound was heard causing both Hibari and Sakura to turn around. Hibari stepped up so he was now in front of Sakura. His own way of protecting her and keeping her away from danger. "So, that's the one," Hibari said with a smirk on his face. He pulled out his tonfa. "All I have to do is bite you to death."
The group was led to the battlegrounds. "Here?" Ryohei asked, surprised. "This is it..." Gokudera said, amazed. Sakura wasn't too close to the group but she could hear what they were saying. Her eyes were on Hibari who was standing in a large gated field, the Vaira member on the opposite side of him. "Yes, This is the field for the cloud guardian's battle. The Cloud Ground." The twins explained.
The field was not only fenced off but there was barbed wire winded in loops at the top. "What did you do to the sports field?" Ryohei asked, shocked. There were also a couple automatic guns in the field facing the guardians. "Gatling guns?" Gokudera said, shocked. "The mission of the cloud guardian is to be the aloof drifting cloud who protects the family from an independent standpoint, and whom nothing can ever bind." One of the creepy twins explained. They explained the field in a little more detail to prepare the guardians for their battle.
"Isn't that totally a battlefield?" Ryohei asked, scared for his classmate. "If you're scared, run away." Levi from the Varia said. Sakura glanced over at the weird facial hair man. Gokudera, Ryohei, and Yamamoto turned to look at them. "Just like your boss did." he taunted the Vongola children. Belphegor let out his signature laugh. "Fuck you. The boss didn't run away, asshole" Gokudera countered. Yamamoto laughed it off. "It's just, there's no need for Tsuna to be here." his face got serious. "Because, Hibari is our ace. He won't lose."
"What?" Levi asked, confused. Xanxus on the other hand left out a scoff. "Ace..." he started cackling. "I'm definitely looking forward to this." Hibari turned and looked at the odd man. He glanced at Sakura and once again he saw that blush on her cheeks as she stared at Xanxus. He would need to finish this fight quickly. The cackling startled Ryohei and Yamamoto. "That crazy bastard." Gokudera said his temper, getting the best of him.
Hibari looked up at the Gola Mosca. On the other side of the field, was Chrome and Mukuro's other two friends who looked like they were avoiding the girl. The Vongola kids did their cheer before turning their full attention to Hibari's fight. Sakura too pulled her attention away from Xanxus. She still couldn't explain it. Something about this man attracted her and it was the same attraction she had towards Hibari. Xanxus was a good looking man like Hibari but there was something else and she couldn't tell what it was. "Then we shall begin." the twin said. "The cloud ring Gola Mosca vs Hibari Kyoya. Begin the battle!" the other twin said.
Gola Mosca released the rockets in its legs and charged right at Hibari. The prefect held his tonfas, his stance steady. "Wha?" Ryohei asked, confused. A confused look appeared on Yamamoto's face. "It's flying?" Gokudera said, shocked. Sakura stared at Hibari watching his moments wondering what his move was going to be.
"The preparations are ready." Romano updated the Yakuza twins. "In that case, we'll proceed," Dino said to them all. "Boss. It's almost time for the battle, isn't it?" Dino's second hand asked. "No matter how much stronger Kyoya has gotten, his opponent is the aide to the Varia boss... He's no chicken feed." He expressed his concern. The twins exchanged looks then looked back at Dino and Romano. "Are you sure you don't want to watch it?" "If you want Dino-sama we can stay here and update you." Kai said. "You guys know something?" the bucking horse asked them. "Where Kyoya is concerned that Gola Mosca apparently is not even worth his time." Dino answered all of them with a smile on his face, proud of the kid.
Gola Mosca raised its hand to launch an attack at the boy. Hibari's eyes narrowed already reading the movement of the machine and broke off the arm of the machine, shocking everyone there. The machine twitched then exploded. Hibari collected the ring and put it together before putting it in his pocket. He could give it to Sakura to hold on when he faced the Monkey King.
"Wah?" The Vongola kids had their mouths gaped open in shock. "Eh?" The Varia asked, confused. Sakura had her hand over his mouth in shock at how quickly that ended. The creepy twins were left speechless. Hibari walked past them and turned his attention towards the person who had been annoying him for three days now. "Now, you, the one sitting over there. Come down here." he demanded. "Until I bite you to death, monkey boss of the mountain of monkeys, I can't go home." He told him excited to bite him to death.
"What!?" Levi continued to be shocked. "Don't just 'what' you octopus or haven't you noticed? We've lost the ring contest battles. What now boss?" Belphegor asked. Xanxus was looking past Hibari and towards his Gola Mosca. A smirk appeared on his face.
Xanxus launched himself and landed with one foot on Hibari's tonfa. Hibari had braced himself expecting the attack but also was used to this position due to his spars with Sakura. The group seemed surprised that Xanxus decided to "attack" the kid like that. He did flip though and landed saying, "My foot slipped." taunting the boy. "Right." Hibari said not believing him for one second. "No really." the Varia leader insisted.
One of the land mines went off where Xanxus had been standing because he dodged it and continued, "I came down only to retrieve that piece of junk." he explained himself. "We have lost." Hibari hummed unamused, "Your face...tells a different story." he yelled at him and rushed the Monkey King. Xanxus continued to taunt the boy by dodging his attack. "What the heck is Hibari doing? He'd already beaten that mechanical monster!" Ryohei yelled. The pair had gotten into range of one of the gaulting guns and it began to fire at them. "Kyoya!" Sakura yelled for him but no one could hear it over the sound of the machine. "Don't worry. I won't raise an arm." Xanxus continued to taunt the boy.
"As you wish. Anyway I'm going to bite you to death." Hibari announced. "That brat... How dare he mock the boss." Levi yelled. "Hold it, sulky face." Belphegor said. "What?" Levi looked at the Prince. "We've already lost the battle. If we get into the fight, it'll be seen as mutiny against the incumbent 10th boss. They'll have our heads, along with the boss's" The ripper prince explained. Sakura on the other hand had seen where Xanxus launched himself. If he could leap from his chair and make it over that fence why couldn't she too, to calm down Hibari.
"You're saying we should just let that Impudent brat do as he pleases?" Levi questioned. "Well, he seems to be scheming something, our boss," the prince commented. That comment caught Levi's attention. "What could it be?" Belphegor shrugged, "No idea." "What!" "Marmon or Squalo would probably know though," he explained. No one else seemed to notice it but Gola Mosca wasn't down for the count just yet.
Hibari's attacks were relentless. He was feeling anger and something else and all he wanted to do was bite Xanxus to death. It was then that the monkey king lifted his arm and defended himself. "You've raised an arm?" Hibari taunted the man. "That boy was able to force the Boss's hand?" Levi couldn't believe it. "Unbelievable." Belphegor said shocked as well. Xanxus scoffed.
"Cervello." he summoned the creepy twins. "Yes, Master Xanxus" They responded in unison. "Don't get the story wrong, now. I didn't attack him at all." He stated. Hibari wasn't paying attention though. The only thought going through his head though was to bite the monkey king to death so Sakura could stop paying attention to him. That was until said monkey king took a step back and a sharp pain went up Hibari's leg. "Kyoya!" He thought he heard her call for him. He fell to his knees. "What?" Ryohei yelled. "Hibari!" Yamamoto yelled out. Just then projectile missiles went after the group.
Sakura was quick though. Swift from being on the track team she made her way over to Belphegor and Levi. She did exactly like she planned using Xanxus's chair she was able to get enough air to launch herself over the fence and over to Hibari. Sakura ran right past Xanxus but heard him say, "I've been obstructed by their cloud guardian all this while, now Mosca's restraining system has been broken."
Sure enough the machine was launching endless attacks with no particular target in mind. It was like Xanxus said, the machine had gone berserk. "Kyoya." Sakura said his name as she kneeled next to him. He gave her a look that reminded her that she promised not to put herself in danger. Xanxus started cackling. "This is a terrible disaster." Both of them looked over at the Varia leader. Sakura stood up with only a hand on his shoulder now. Hibari gripped her hand that was on his shoulder as she stood next to him leaning down slightly.
Tsunayoshi appeared saving Chrome in his new gloves and power. Even Sakura could tell the boy had changed. His family, The Yakuza Princess, and Xanxus all turned their attention to Sawada Tsunayoshi. "So you're here. But...eliminate everything, starting with scum. That has not changed." Xanxus taunted the boy. Tsunayoshi took in the situation. Looked over at his friends and his upperclassman before launching himself into the sky, surprising everyone with his new ability to fly before he ripped off Gola Mosca's other arm. He then taunted Gola Mosca.
Tsunayoshi then began to engage in battle with Gola Mosca attacking him and using his new powers against the machine. All his friends cheered him and were impressed with his new powers. The fight didn't take much time before Tsunayoshi practically torched the machine hoping that would end the fight. "Xanxus... what is all this about..." He tried to ask the Varia leader but in one last attempt Gola Mosca tried to attack the boy one more time. Tsunayoshi was done though and using the flames in hand sliced the machine in half. It was over and the machine fell to its knees before opening up and revealing an old man. Tsunayoshi and Reborn were both shocked by this development.
Sakura wanted to run over and help Tsunayoshi treat this person but Hibari held her hand there, keeping her by him. She looked down at him but he kept his focus on Xanxus. The girl looked up at the Varia leader and she saw the pleased look on his face. So this was his plan all along. She concluded. Hibari didn't want her to get involved in the drama. She already had put herself in danger and he wouldn't allow anything else to happen to her.
"I will kill you as Vengeance!" Tsunayoshi yelled. Sakura looked up at Xanxus again. He not only planned this, he had every intention of killing Tsunayoshi and his friends. Hibari turned and looked at Xanxus as well. He knew this Monkey king wanted to kill him but he wouldn't allow any herbivore to do that to him. "Xanxus. I will take that ring back. You will not follow in the 9th's boss's footsteps." Tsunayoshi took his stand.
"Well said, Tsuna." Reborn praised him. "I'll carve your name into Vongola's history books as the foolish runt who dared to defy Xanxus all by his little self." The Varia leader was amused. "He's not alone! The boss's will is our will!" Gokudera said getting ready for battle, Chrome, Ryohei and Yamamoto all got into their own battle stances as well. "My will is my own." Hibari said standing up. Sakura stood behind him now still worried about him but she knew she had to stay out of this fight. Her loyalties were to the next Vongola leader... No. She stepped forward standing next to Hibari. She would selfishly stand with him. "You want some of this, you brats?" Levi asked, getting ready to pull out his umbrella. "How about it?" Belphegor pulled out some of his knives. "Exterminate the traitors." Xanxus gave his order.
"Hold it right there please." The creepy twins intervened. "We will be in charge of..." one of them started out, "the battle for the 9th's boss's revenge." the other twin finished. "What?" Ryohei yelled. "We have a duty to oversee the whereabouts of the Vongola rings." The twins explained. "What the hell are you talking about? You're all Xanxus's bitches!" Gokudera reminded them. "You've got some nerve! You forced the 9th boss to give you that dying-will flame seal against his will!" the other short brown hair boy yelled. "The winner of this battle will become the next Vongola boss. So... We declare this The Sky Ring Battle. In other words, this will be the last of the seven ring contest battles held over the past week. How does that sound Master Xanxus?" The twins tried to appease the Varia leader. "Not a bad idea," he agreed. "Then tomorrow night, will everyone please assemble at Namichu?" they asked.
The Varia left in a flash bang thanks to Xanxus as Reborn seemed grateful that Tsunayoshi would have time to recover before tomorrow night. Sakura on the other hand fully turned her attention to Hibari but he was watching Tsunayoshi. "Kyoya." She called his name but he didn't even bother to look at her. He was upset that she put herself in danger because of him again. And what made it worse was he was currently unable to protect her at that moment.
"Are we too late?" Dino asked. His familia has arrived to help out along with Sakura's guardians. "Kai, Bai!" she yelled the twins' names as she turned towards them. "Your highness!" they yelled at her and went over to her along with Dino's men. Dino's men offered to help Hibari but he chose to be stubborn and limped his way over to Sakura pulling her away from her guardian's. He used her shoulder as a cane to walk. "You okay Hibari?" Yamamoto asked him. "How unusual for you to be so restrained." Gokudera pointed out to him. "If this situation can draw out that herbivore's true strength, I won't interfere just yet." he told the two of them as he started to pull the Princess away from the crowd.
Sakura followed him towards the school gates. Her guardians not far behind her. "Stay at my place tonight and help me address this wound," he asked of her. Her eyes widened and she turned to look at her guards. A single nod told them that they were to back off. "Okay." she agreed.