Summary : Sorry we skipped a week of posting. I've been really getting into Code Geass again and got distracted but fear now. I'll be posting everyday until we reach the end of Future arc. Please look forward to it.
This chapter is the beginning of the choice battle and it was so difficult to write. I hope you all like it.
The days flew by and before they all knew it, it was time to meet Byakuran in battle. Hibari was putting on his school uniform while Sakura finished tying her obi. She had settled on an ombre orange with leaves on it for today's battle as her cherry blossom had gotten ruined from the last battle.
Hibari went over to her and adjusted her bow from behind. "Thank you." she said before she turned to face him and tied up her hair. She tied a yellow ribbon in it. "I don't want you being involved in the battle today." he told her honestly. She smiled at him as she took a step closer to him, closing the distance between them. "I'll be okay, you know." she assured him. He leaned down and kissed her in a very brief kiss. She smiled at him. "I know." he assured her then left the room so she could finish getting ready. Sakura was about to walk out when she glanced at what Squalo brought her. She ran over and grabbed the tiara and put it on before joining Hibari in the hall. It was time to go.
Late. That's what the couple was. Late. Hibari and Sakura showed up at the last minute with Yamamoto. "What are you all doing?" Hibari questioned them as to why they weren't ready to go. "Hey. Sorry to keep you waiting." Yamamoto said joining them. "Tenth!" Gokudera yelled. "Sawada!" Ryohei shouted. "Boss!" Chrome cried. "Right. Here goes. Vongola box!" Tsunayoshi said. "OPEN!" All the Vongola guardians called out putting their respective ring flames into their boxes. The light surrounded them all and teleported them to the stage of battle.
"You're late. "Gokudera scolded Yamamoto and Hibari. "Sorry, my bad," Yamamoto laughed it off. "I came here on my own, I have nothing to do with you guys." Hibari lied as he held Sakura's hand, keeping her close to him. She on the other hand giggled and waved at them all. Gokudera scoffed at the couple. "Hey Sawada, you knew they were gonna come!" Ryohei praised him. "No. All I know is that if we're not complete we can't win against Byakuran." Tsuna said honestly.
"That's good. Well done surpassing 5,000,000 FV. You passed." Byakuran praised the family. "Well then. Let's get choice started." he said. Tsuna looked up at him confused. "First, we'll do the field for 'choice'" he commented and several playing cards with different places flew down and surrounded Tsunayoshi. "What could this be?" Kyoko asked. "Playing cards?" Haru asked, confused. "You heard the rules of choice from Sho-chan right?
"'Choice' is a game of choice. If we don't choose the playing field and the players first, we can't start. And it also depends on a person's fate. All right, pick a card, Tsunayoshi-kun. That will be the 'choice' for you." Byakuran explained. "But the cards are created by the enemy..."Geovanni expressed his concern. "It's alright. Choice is the only game where Byakuran won't cheat." Irie assured. "All right, let's choose." Tsunayoshi agreed.
The cards danced around the Vongola leader until he reached over and pulled one. The card began to glow in his hand and a lightning bolt appeared on it. "The field card is, lightning. All right let's go!" Byakuran cheered and the light got brighter around them as they all began to teleport again. Hibari grabbed Sakura's hand a little tighter, refusing to let her go.
The light got so blinding and before they knew it they were all being shot down from the sky. "Gu..." Gokudera yelled. "Kyaa" Chrome, Kyoko, and Haru cried out. Hibari and Sakura both let out soft grunts as they landed in a kneeling position. "Ouch..." Tsuna moaned out. "Is everyone okay?" Gokudera asked, looking around. "Yeah." His sister answered. "We're okay." the girls assured everyone. Hibari looked over at Sakura. "I'm okay." she assured him. He nodded his head at her, assuring her as well.
"Boss...Something's buried here."Chrome pointed out. "Eh?" Tsunayoshi turned around and chuckled. "That's Lambo," he corrected her. "Ah!" she called out surprised. "Uri went right back into the box." Gokudera commented as he held up his storm box. "Ouch, that used up an awful lot of flame." Said behind them. Tsuna quickly turned around. "Welcome to the venue for choice." They all turned to see who it was. "Wh...what's the meaning of this?" Ryohei questioned. "This... is..." the brown haired boy questioned. "In the middle of, a group of super high rise buildings!" Tsuna yelled
"It's the first time we meet, Tsunayoshi-kun? Kinda feels like we've met a couple of times already." Byakuran greeted him. "Byakuran and the real six funeral wreaths!" Tsunayoshi yelled. "That's because this is where we do battle. Don't you think it's a good location?" he asked the Vongola leader. 'There are lots of people here, we can't fight in a place like this!" Tsuna yelled back. "I thought you would say that so I cleared out everything. There's no one here except us." Byakuran assured all of them. "What does that mean?" Gokudera questioned as he doubted Byakuran's words. "Ok, I'll explain," he started but was cut off by a yawn and "What's this, they're just kids." the girl with blue hair said behind them.
"Even without using a box I could kill them." she continued as she turned her hand into a spear of water. "Her hand... what is that!" Tsuna yelled out. "No need to get excited, Bluebell. Wind began to surround her hand, preventing the water from taking shape. "Byakuran-sama has been looking forward to this festival. Let's just enjoy ourselves" the man behind her spoke up.
"Wh...what now?" Tsuna slightly freaked out. "The magma bath... is that guy even human?" Gokudera questioned. Hibari let out a small hmph and lit his cloud ring. "It seems like the cloud guardian, like me, is you in the school uniform. I'm Kikyou, please to make your acquaintance." He introduced himself. "Let's start right away." Hibari said, crossing his arms. Sakura giggled as she leaned slightly forward. "That's why I told you that won't work Hibari-chan." Byakuran interrupted. "The next 'choice' needs to start." He said and held up a new device.
Everyone perked up at this new device. "I'll project it so everyone can see." Byakuran explained as he walked halfway to meet Tsunayoshi. Sure enough what was on the gyro roulette appeared in projection form for everyone to see. "What's this list of symbols... the crest... attributes?" Gokudera questioned. "Place your hand with the ring on the side of the gears, Tsunayoshi-kun. Come on like this." he showed the boy what to do.
Both of them had their hands placed flat against the machine. "When I say 'choice', the gears will spin to the right." he continued to explain. "Eh... wa... wait a min..." but Tsuna was cut off by Byakuran yelling out the word "Choice" the machine began to move until it stopped all locking into the place. "Hm... it stopped. With this, it's decided. The battle participants." he explained with a smug look on his face.
"Wh... what's this? What do the numbers mean?" Ryohei yelled. "Besides the symbols for each element... I see! The number of participants for that element!" Irie understood with only a second to grasp the situation. "Nice intuition you've got there, Sho-chan. The choice made by the Gyro Roulette indicates the number of warriors who will be batting on the field for each given element." Byakuran continued. "You're deciding numbers based on element?" Yamamoto understood a bit. "But the total number for the Vongola and Millefiore is different!" Tsuna pointed out. "It's a special rule~ So you've got one each of sky storm and rain. Pretty nice draw, i'd say, Tsunayoshi-kun!" Byakuran tried to appease him.
"Hold it! What about that square thing at the bottom? I don't know any element like that!" Gokudera pointed out. "Oh that's 'non-elemental'. In other words, it represents the people who don't have any rings. You've drawn 'two' of those... so you have to pick two of your non-ring-bears to participate." Byakuran explained. Sakura looked down at her hands. She had two rings... three if they were to count her sky earring. "So that's why you wanted us to bring everyone." Reborn frowned. Sakura looked up. "Ah that's why. If Tsuna had drawn two storm fighters it could have been me and Gokudera-kun. Or even two cloud guardians." she looked over at Hibari. But she could tell with the look on his face that there was disappointment and a hint of relief.
"Everyone has to participate in the fighting... that's just..." but Tsuna was cut off by a loud scream. Hibari and Sakura both looked over to see where that sound came from. "When did she..." Tsuna turned around. "What on earth are you?" Bianchi yelled out protecting Haru and Kyoko. "My name's... Daisy... This is... for you..." she held out a dead dandelion towards Kyoko. Something wrapped around Daisy's neck pulling her back to Byakuran's group. Haru and Kyoko both screamed again. "Sorry about that. I only took my eye off her for a second... Daisy, you see, just can't get enough of... Things that perish beautifully, like you people." Kikyou explained. Ryohei and Tsuna both got instantly protective of the girls.
"No~w then...How about we both announce which members will be taking part, hm? OH this is the one part that we actually decide ourselves." Byakuran informed them. Irie stepped up, "Byakuran-san... since I don't have any rings... I can count under 'non-elemental' right?" "Hmmm... well, I suppose I'll allow it." He agreed. Irie went up to Tsuna. "Well in that case, Tsunayoshi-kun... I suppose that's our members decided." Tsuna glanced back at him. "The participating Vongola members will be... For the sky, Tsunayoshi-kun. For storm, Gokudera-kun. For rain, Yamamoto-kun. And for the non-elemental, myself... and Spanner." Irie stated.
"Hey! Hold it, Irie! Who the hell put you in charge of us, huh? Our boss is the Tenth!" Gokudera stood up for Tsunayoshi. "But I agree with his choice of members. This way everybody has battle experience." Reborn told the boy to shut it in his own way. "Wha... Reborn-san!" Gokudera tried to protest. "Hold it! What about me? I want to take part as well! What was all my extreme training with Garyuu for!" Ryohei chimed in. "Just sit back and accept it for the moment. The opponent has the same restrictions. This is how choice works. And the results of our Gyro Roulette spin aren't bad at all! Not only do we have more members than they do, Byakuran-san himself isn't taking part! " Irie explained.
HIbari stood up with his tonfa out. "You think that's reason enough to convince me? I'm taking part," He stated. "Ah Kyoya you can't" Sakura said, stepping in front of him trying to distract him but he was battle hungry. "HIbari-san!" Tsuna was shocked. "Wait! It's all very well saying that, but..." Irie was cut off. "Hold it Kyoya. Honestly, I don't know what to do with you sometimes." Dino appeared. "Dino-san! When did you?" Tsuna questioned. "Oh, I snuck in during the transfer. I've been here the whole time. I'm your tutor... how could i miss out on this?" he questioned him.
"Byakuran... who's that?" Bluebell asked. "Bucking horse Dino~"
"Think about it. Once Tsuna and the others beat the Millefiore guys, you can fight anybody you like after that, right? Have a little patience, yeah? Besides, you can now spend more time with Sakura-chan." he pointed out to the cloud guardian. Hibari was quiet as he thought about this. He glanced down at Sakura and pulled her close to him. "Hurry it up." he ordered Tsunayoshi as he glanced down at Sakura who had her ears red with embarrassment. "Tsuna. Make your decision. Are you going with those members?" Dino questioned him. "Huh... Yes!" he agreed.
"A~~~~ Hhhhh... this sucks~~~~" "That's..." Yamamoto commented. "The guy who was whistling..." Tsuna commented. "In the magma bath!" Gokudera finished. "Byakuran-sama. Sorry, but since it looks like I'm not taking part... I'm not sure I can take this much longer..." He slouched on the ground. The next thing they knew, his face was shoved into the ground and Kikyou spoke up, "My apologies, Byakuran-sama. It would appear that Zakuro has lost this spirit its..." But he was cut off when Byakuran looked over at them. "Hm... well, let's hurry this up then." "Hah! Now who's 'nonsense'?" Bluebell stuck her tongue out at him.
"Well, then I'll go ahead and announce... the participating members for the millefiore side. "For cloud, I'll select the lovely leader of the real six wreaths, always reliable to a fault... Kikyou. For sun, the corpse who lives to kill... Daisy. And for mist, the phantom giant who proclaims the truth... Tokikabuto." "But that's not enough members! You're supposed to have two mist participants!" the brown hair boy yelled out.
"Alas!" Bluebell said, surprised. "Oh dear!" Byakuran also expressed shock. "Is what we're not going to say. As I mentioned before, each of the real six wreaths has a hundred a-ranked subordinates. Our second mist participant is already here. Torikabuto's subordinate... Saru!~" "Where did he just appear from?" Gokudera was shocked. "Two illusionists..." Chrome expressed worry. "... I guessed they're not gonna have any issues with numbers." Dino pointed out. "That's not fair..." The brown hair boy wasn't amused.
Byakuran ignored them all. "No~w then, here comes the most important part: How to win the game! There are plenty of rule that choice can be played by, but let's go for the most simple and effective... The target rule." "Target... Rule?" Tsuna questioned. "It's a simple rule." Irie assured the group. Byakuran went on explaining said rule and how it would work for their battle along with who the target was going to be for both sides. For the Millefiore Daisy. For the Vongola Irie.
Then to throw everyone for a loop the target markers used the person's own dying will flames which meant there was now a time limit on the battle. For if someone's flame went out that meant they really would die. To make matters worse, the target marker couldn't be removed until the battle was over.
Finally the price was announced. "As you already know, the prize for winning this ultimate game of choice... is every one of the mare rings... everyone of the Vongola rings... and every one of the arcobaleno pacifiers. The trinisette. It's time for the mafia battle for the genesis of the new world to begin! Ohh, but just before we begin... I ought to introduce the judges who will be fairly and impartially overseeing this contest."
"Leave it to us!" The two creepy twins had arrived. "Y...you?! The Cervello!" Irie yelled, surprised. Sakura on the other hand, still near Hibari, looked over at the creepy twins. "According to Shoichi you just seemed to end up at part of the Millefiore somehow.Who exactly are you people?" Reborn questioned them. The twins looked at him. "We are the Cervello organization, a branch of the Millefiore." One said. "No more and no less." The other finished. "The cervello... of the Millefiore?" Tsuna questioned. "Screw this! Whoever you are, you're blatantly on the enemy's side!" Gokudera disagreed. "Oh no, they will judge fairly. It's their speciality. Indeed, surely it is you who are not following the rules of fair play?" Byakuran pointed out.
"I feel obliged to congratulate the individual in question for his impressive ability to conceal 99.99% of his thirsty presence... but faint though it may be, I can still sense the remaining 0.001%. There is somebody hidden in that base unit of yours." Kikyou pointed out. "Tch" was heard causing everyone to turn around. "Squalo!" Tsuna yelled. "The heck! So you showed up!" Yamamoto commented. "Squalo-san." Sakura said walking a little closer to him but Hibari held her sleeve preventing her from leaving his reach. A terrible habit he had picked up the last couple of days.
"Don't get me wrong, ya piece of trash! I just snuck in, in the hope of causing a bit of madness an' mayhem!" the shark explained. There were a couple of chuckles from the group. "You too, little hologram Reborn. This area is gree of non-trinisette radiation, so the real you can feel free to emerge from within that base unit." Byakuran called him out as well. "You're a sharp one." Reborn commented calmly.
Byakuran made a loud clap. "That's it!" he said, pulling everyone's attention to him. "I'll give Tsunayoshi-kun's family a handicap." He commented smiling. "Handicap?" Tsuna questioned. "What do you mean Byakuran?" Irie questioned his eyes wide with fear. "Since Tsunayoshi's family has a sky, storm and rain user, I'll let them substitute." "Substitute?" Irie questioned. "Mmhmm. If for any reason these ring bearers can't continue to battle, they can call on their substitute." He put up one finger. "But there is a catch: they can only have one substitute and it has to be the same type as them." he smirked looking at all of them.
Tsuna turned to look behind him. Byakuran was putting more of his friends in danger. He was enjoying the idea of watching them struggle. He quickly shook his head. He was confident in his friends. "Okay." he agreed. Then turned his attention to Dino. "Dino-san..." "I agree." Dino said before Tsuna could finish and he stepped forward. "I will be the sky substitute." Tsuna let out a sigh.
Bianchi really thought her brother was going to pick her as they were the same type but instead he went over to Sakura. "Senpai will you be my substitute?" he grumbled out. Sakura blinked surprised and Hibari was about to protest when, "Of course Gokudera-kun." she smiled. Hibari sighed and frowned. She beat him to it.
Yamamoto chuckled. "Well that's easy for me." Yamamoto said looking at the Rain Guardian for the Varia. "Voooi! You don't even have to ask. I'll be the rain substitute." Squalo agreed easily. "Then it's decided!" Byakuran grinned.
The cervello went over the rules and area of battle along with where the substitutes would wait for their turn... if it ever came. "The match will begin in three minutes." One of the twins said. "Please make sure you are ready by this time." the other commented.
The audience was getting comfortable in the viewing section. The Vongola kids stay near the screens waiting for the battle to start. They were excited and worried at the same time. Squalo and Dino were in the middle of the room separating the Vongola kids and the stubborn disciplinary leader and his partner. Sakura on the other hand was leaning against the wall. She was excited for a chance to fight. To finally be useful but at the same time she didn't want something to happen to Gokudera.
Hibari, on the other hand, was annoyed. He couldn't believe she would agree so easily without asking him his thoughts. Sakura looked over at him. "If you keep staring at me I'll end up blushing." she shot at him pouting slightly. He felt his face heat up but only for a second before he went over to her. "You didn't have to agree." he shot at her, leaning towards her. She met his eyes. "I want to fight as much as you do." she retorted. The air around them started to get tense. Hibari was starting to feel annoyed and wanted to put her in her place. He just wasn't sure if he wanted to fight her or see her whimpering below him. Sakura on the other hand stood her ground like a spoiled brat. She wanted to be useful. She wanted to finally show the Vongola that she was of value.
"Hey you two, it's starting!" Dino yelled out. Hibari and Sakura snapped out of it and turned their attention to the screens. As they stood next to each other, Hibari took a step closer to her and held her hand. She glanced at him but he kept his focus on the screen. She smiled to herself. "Let the choice battle begin."