(I saw way too many errors in this chapter that bothered me lol. Edited 10/15/2023)
Right after school, I went straight home, telling Kyoya that I would meet him tomorrow at the ceremony and he sent me off with a kiss on the cheek. When I arrived home the babysitter, Rika, was there talking to Dad. Yuujin was not home yet so we had about an hour before he came home.
"Satsu, come here," Dad waved me over. "I haven't told you yet but Rika is one of our undercover agents; it's one of the main reasons she was trusted to look after you and Yuujin when I wasn't around."
"Ahh..." I slowly nod, seeing Rika's sheepish smile. "I guess that makes sense..."
"I told her about the ceremony and that both of us would be gone for a few days," he explained, "We'll tell Yuujin that I'll be on another business trip in Tokyo and you will be at a friend's house for a study sleepover. I can tell him that I'll be dropping you off on my way."
I nod in understanding. Dad mentioned that I should pack my things, so I went upstairs, grabbed a duffel, and started putting in clothes and necessities for three days. I realized that my hands were trembling and shook my head, lightly slapping my cheeks.
"Pull yourself together..." I mumble. "It'll all work out... All you have to do is support them..."
I heard the front door slam, signaling that Yuu was home and I took a deep breath, leaving the duffel on my bed to walk back downstairs and greet my little brother. He was excitedly talking to Rika, saying things he wanted to do during the extended weekend.
"Sorry for leaving you here all alone, bud," I said, ruffling his hair once I was close enough.
He shook his head. "It's okay, nee-chan! Rika-san and I will have lots of fun!"
"And thank you so much as always for doing this," I say to Rika.
She turned to me and shook her head. "It really is no big deal, Satsuki-chan. I always have a lot of fun with Yuujin-kun. You stay safe at your friend's place, okay?"
"It's just a study session," I say, glancing at Yuu. "I'll be inside the whole time, so we'll be safe."
We exchange a few more pleasantries before I go back upstairs to change from my school uniform to casual wear. I sat on my bed, starting to think about the upcoming days...
Yamamoto.
I froze, my heart beating. He'll be attacked by Kaoru after baseball practice tonight. I clenched my hands, bunching them up in my bedsheets. I can't believe I forgot. I wondered if there was anything I could've done to avoid this... but with my fading memories, interfering seemed impossible now. It looks like destiny was going to play its part after all.
Dad knocked on my door and peeked in. "Are you ready... What's wrong?"
"My past memories are slowly fading..." I confess, looking up at him. "I just remembered something that will happen tonight and I question what importance I have if I can't protect the people I care about. It hurts to realize it..."
Dad came in, closing the door behind him. He kneeled in front of me, taking my hands into his and looking into my eyes.
"You just become stronger," he simply stated. "Gain the strength to protect the ones you care about."
I took a deep breath, nodding. "I will. Who knows, maybe I'll become even stronger than you."
Dad chuckled, patting my hands. "I'd love to see that!"
We left the house soon after, saying bye to Yuujin and Rika. I sat in the car, silent. Dad understood and reached over to rub my shoulder a couple of times when I sighed. When we were almost at the hotel, my cell rang. I tensed up, flipping it open. It was Gokudera. I pressed the answer button and brought my phone up to my ear.
"Hello?"
"Satsu?!" Gokudera shouted from the other side. "Are you okay!?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why? What happened?"
"It's Yamamoto...!" His voice was shaking. "He was attacked... Turf Top found him in the boys' baseball team locker rooms... He's in central hospital right now..."
"I..." I felt my throat go dry; I tried to swallow but couldn't. Dad put a hand on my shoulder and gave me a firm nod. I take a deep breath, preparing my next words. "I'm sorry to hear that, Gokudera-kun... I'm sorry but... I actually can't be with you guys right now... Tell Tsuna that I'm sorry."
"Wai-!"
I hung up, shaking. "Sometimes I wish I could just cut off my emotions," I mutter, looking out the window at the evening sky.
"Emotions make us human; cut them off and it all builds up anyway," Dad simply replied.
I nodded, staying silent until we made it to the hotel. Right before we got out of the car, Dad turned to me, a worried expression on his face.
"I'll be okay," I tell him. "Just give me a second."
"Alright; I'll be outside for a quick smoke."
I blink, tilting my head in surprise. "Since when did you smoke? I've never seen you do that - nor smelled it."
He gave me a wry smile. "It's an old habit that helps me get into character, and I only do it when I really need to. I recommend you find a small habit or short ritual to get you into work mode; especially for a career like this."
I nod, giving him a small smile back. He nodded and his smile disappeared as he reached into his blazer and pulled out the cigarettes and lighter and closed the car door behind him. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, repeating the action a few times and clearing my mind of everything that was unnecessary for my current duties. In the back of my mind, I felt a small sense of guilt but I ignored it.
I opened my eyes, hoping my expression was blank. I grabbed my bag and got out of the car, turning to Dad. He looked at me, a similar expression on his face. He took a last inhale of his cigarette before dropping it to the ground and extinguishing it with the bottom of his shoe, reaching into the trunk of the car and pulling his duffel bag out.
"We can unwind after meeting with Iemitsu," he explained as we walked into the hotel. "We'll check into our room first and change, then meet with Boss and the others. We might not get much sleep tonight, depending on how everything goes."
"Understood."
-
Dad was right, I got at least four hours of sleep, before waking up way too early in the morning. We had a complimentary breakfast buffet and got ready.
From our hotel, we drove to the castle where the ceremony was being held. As we were waiting for guests, I was fumbling with my outfit; black blazer, dress pants, tie, and white button-up shirt. My nagamaki was attached to my waist by my weapons belt and my hair was tied in a high ponytail. An earpiece was fitted into my right ear for communication with the other members of the CEDEF.
Guests slowly arrived, gathering in the backyard and socializing at the tables set up. I stood close to Dad and he introduced me to close acquaintances and too many names to remember right away. A hand landed on my shoulder and I turned, being greeted by a familiar blond.
"Dino-san!" I say, relieved by the sight of a familiar face. "How was your trip here?"
"It was pleasant," he smiled, glancing at Dad who was looking at us. "Nice to meet you, Fujimiya Naoki-dono; you have a lovely, hardworking daughter. It's nice to see that she's finally joined in on the family business."
"Dino-sama," Dad bowed. "Nice to meet you as well; thank you for taking care of my daughter when my occupation was being kept a secret from her."
"Of course," Dino chuckled warmly. "She's one of the only people that can calm down Kyoya; it's a fun sight to see. She's also like a little sister to me, so of course I'll do my best to take care of her." We held a short conversation before Romario leaned over and whispered into Dino's ear. He turned to us with a short bow. "I'll be back later, I have to continue my greetings to other families."
"I'll see you later, then." I raised a hand to say bye. Dino walked away, stopping by a few other people.
Dad ruffled my hair and I looked up at him with a confused expression. "It's nice to see you talking to your friends. I'm glad that you have some other than Decimo and his guardians."
"Ah... well, more of them will be here soon." I turn to the right. "See?"
Tsuna and the others were talking to Naito Longbottom from a distance. Naito walked away and Dino made his way to them. He pointed at me and the group turned their heads. Tsuna's eyes went wide and Gokudera's narrowed.
"I guess Gokudera-kun still doesn't trust me..." I muttered, raising a hand. "Tsuna scolded him about it before, but I can tell from that expression that he still harbors suspicion about me."
Dad placed a hand on my back, pushing me forward. "Go to them; I'll be watching from a distance."
"Thank you." I smile, jogging over to the group.
"Satsuki-chan!" Tsuna smiled, walking up to me. "It's nice to see you, how are you doing? Is everything okay?"
"Yeah..." I give him a small smile. "It's nice to see you guys. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you when Yamamoto..."
"It's okay," Tsuna reached over and grabbed my hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "I trust you."
I squeeze his hand back. "You trusting me is enough. Oh, you should probably cover your ears."
"Eh?"
"VOIIII!" Everyone jumped at the volume and heads turned to see the Vaira making their way toward us. "It's been a while! You scum!!"
Guests panicked, shuffling away from the group. I saw Dad walk over and stand close by, keeping an eye on the Varia.
"Squalo... You really don't change... Where's Xanxus?"
Squalo's eyes narrowed. "Our boss is absent! Like hell he would come!"
He moved to talk to the Yamamoto illusion, immediately noticing something wrong. Someone tapped my shoulder and I turned to see Dad. He nodded his head in the opposite direction to where a few other CEDEF members were waiting and I turned to Tsuna as Dino and the Varia walked away.
"I have to go... I..." I swallow, feeling a lump in my throat. "I'll see you guys after the ceremony."
"Satsuki-chan...?" I turn to Tsuna. He had a worried expression on his face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I give him a reassuring smile. "I didn't have enough sleep last night."
"Get some rest after this, then."
"Don't worry about me. Congrats, by the way; sorry I forgot to mention it."
I turned, about to follow Dad. A few feet away, a voice stopped me.
"Satsu," Reborn stood there with an unreadable expression on his face. "Something is bothering you, isn't it?"
I smile. "Other than worrying for you guys all the time, not really. Like I told, Tsuna, it's just lack of sleep... Trust me."
He stayed silent as I bowed and walked away. When turned away my smile dropped and I closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths. I heard more commotion in the background which disrupted my focus. It was the Shimon.
Dad saw me stop and came up to me. "Satsu-"
"Satsuki."
My head snapped up and I turned, seeing Kyoya. He saw my expression and turned to Dad.
"Can I speak to her?"
I turn to Dad, and his eyes widen at my expression. He silently nodded and Kyoya grabbed my hand, pulling me into the trees. We made quite a distance away from the crowd before Kyoya stopped, leaning back on a tree and pulling me in for a hug. My arms immediately wrapped around him and I inhaled his scent, letting it calm me down. After a minute, he bent down, kissing my forehead. I relaxed, leaning into the touch.
"You look nice," he complimented, intertwining our fingers.
"You, too," I smile, looking up at him. "Ahh... you came at the perfect time; my act was crumbling."
"Stay strong," he mumbled, kissing me on the lips.
-
I stood among the crowd with the CEDEF as Tsuna and his guardians walked down the aisle.
Ninth opened the box containing 'Sin'. "I pass this on to you, Decimo."
A high-pitched screech filled the hall; I winced and covered my ears, crouching down right as multiple explosions rocked the ground. I tried to hold my breath but the dust was in the air longer than I could hold my breath. I started to wheeze and reached into my pocket for my inhaler. I took a few deep breaths before standing up and helping Dad up.
"The vault," I tell him. Iemitsu nodded but turned to Ninth, making sure that he was okay. "God damn it..."
Ninth's guardians were attacked and the Shimon walked out of the vault. I could feel my heart beating hard as I watched, clutching the handle of my sword with shaking hands.
"We're taking back the 'Sin'," Enma stated, holding the small vial up. "This blood belongs to the Shimon family."
Exclamations from the tenth generation rose. I could see the pain on Tsuna's face and grit my teeth.
"It... it couldn't be... The ones who attacked Yamamoto..."
"Yes, that would be us," Enma confessed. He poured a few drops of the 'Sin' onto his ring and its power was released.
"No... way... I don't understand... Why..." His flames lit up fiercely. "WHY?!"
I watched.
I watched as words were said and false beliefs were thrown out. The Shimon believed that Vongola Primo betrayed Shimon Primo and they stuck to that belief.
"There is one thing I can swear on my grave," Tsuna stated. "Vongola Primo is a man who would never do such a thing!"
I couldn't help but close my eyes with a small smile. Yes, Tsuna. Stick to your own beliefs; please don't get swayed by another's words.
"Are you mocking us?!" Koyo shouted. "You speak as if you've met him before!!"
"We have no intention of lending an ear to your excuses," Adelheid added. "The ones who have the right to speak are us."
"The Shimon family will make a declaration here," Enma stated. "Kozato Enma will inherit the title of tenth Shimon boss and take his revenge on Vongola. I will gather mafia from all over the world and stand above them as leader.
"This war will be a war to regain the pride of Shimon."
Even through his speech, I could tell that Enma was a little hesitant to make that declaration. But with how Tsuna betrayed him by not meeting him... I would probably feel the same way as Enma.
"It is time to have a glimpse of our real power." Adelheid poured a few drops of the 'Sin' on her ring, as did the rest of the Shimon.
Their power was immense, the pressure felt like a blast of air that could've pushed me back if I wasn't holding onto my dad. He saw that they were about to launch their attack and moved forward to protect the Ninth but I kept my hold on his arm. He looked down at me with wide eyes and we were pushed back from the attack aimed at Nono, Decimo, and their guardians. As the smoke cleared, Gokudera's Sistema C.A.I was revealed; he had shielded everyone from the attack.
"Do you know why Vongola Primo eliminated us, Shimon, from the world? It is because our ancestors had a power that could rival Vongola's, and it scared him. A power neck and neck with the Seven Flames of the Sky. The Seven Flames of the Earth!"
All of the Shimon's flames were lit and their presence was astounding. Even though I was worried for Tsuna and the others, I couldn't help but be impressed at the pressure all seven of them were emitting.
"Because of this power, Shimon is brother to the Vongola Family. And because of this power, we were betrayed by Vongola." Enma held his fist up. "This flame exists to regain Shimon's pride."
"You're wrong," Tsuna stated. "We understand your painful past and the reason for your anger, but hurting people won't help you regain your pride!"
Enma was silent for a second and I knew he was thinking about how Tsuna left him and didn't come to save him. I clutched my father's sleeve and he looked at me. I really wanted to say something, something to just make them think but...
"I don't want to make any major changes..." I mutter. "Dad, go and pull Nono and his guardians from there. I'll stay here. If I find an opening, I'll try and protect them."
He stared at me for a few seconds before nodding and running to the Ninth with Iemitsu. The fight between the tenth generation of Vongola and Shimon commenced. I felt a light warmth come from my bracelets holding Silvine and Koko, calling them out. Enma used his gravity to throw Tsuna's guardians to the ceiling and walls and I watched as they dropped to the floor, bruises already forming on their bodies. The Yamamoto illusion faded once Chrome's concentration broke and Enma pulled the guardians together-
"Go!" I shout.
Silvine and Koko ran to the center, intercepting the Vongola guardians from smacking into each other and causing more injury. I sighed in relief. They weren't heavily injured but were still weak from getting slammed into the walls. Eyes were turned to me. Tsuna was relieved. Enma looked conflicted but shook it off.
"Don't interrupt us," he ordered me, turning back to Tsuna. "This is between the Vongola and Shimon. Do you know why I haven't attacked you yet? I want you to taste the pain the first boss of Shimon was dealt by Primo."
The twin foxes came back to my side, crouched down at high alert. Ryohei, Chrome, Gokudera, and Kyoya slowly got up, their injuries evident. My interference did nothing; Enma's gravity sent them through the floor, breaking their rings. Tsuna flew to Enma, flames colliding in deep emotion. Their rings shone and I felt warmth from the light and a slight pull from my own flames but it was washed away by Tsuna's shout.
"Why Enma?! Why would someone like you do this?!"
"It's your own fault," he answered. "I watched you. Until I met you, I thought that Vongola the Tenth was someone scary and hateful, but he turned out to be someone unexpected and a bit like me. So, I thought you would be different from the past Vongola bosses... that we just might be able to understand one another. But you...!!"
Enma used his gravity to send Tsuna to the ceiling in his outburst. Ninth shouted his concern from a distance. I glanced over and saw Dad, Iemitsu and Ninth's guardians on high alert. But they couldn't move; the Shimon was too strong and their power unknown.
"The Shimon ring and the blood of the first Shimon's boss merge together in seven days. In other words, his power right now is only a seventh of what it will truly become at the completion."
"Only... a seventh?!"
"What's wrong? This is your only chance to defeat me. In a week, you won't even be able to lay a finger on me."
Enma threw Tsuna back on the ceiling and I winced, seeing the impact. The Varia and Dino suddenly appeared, ready to fight but Adelheid attacked, and ice spears grew in the area around them to stop them from coming closer.
"Cambio Forma!" I shouted. Silvine and Koko dashed to them, howling and transforming into a dome shield, protecting them from the ice. Adel glared at me and I looked back in defiance, not bringing the shield down.
"Let's leave, Adelheid," said Enma, looking at me. "It's too easy to kill them. If we killed them instantaneously, they won't taste the pain the Shimon has gone through."
"You're right. We can kill them anytime. What we need to show them is a living hell," Adel agreed.
"I'll take you along too, Chrome. We have date plans~" Julie grinned, picking the unconscious Chrome up.
Moved, unsheathing my nagamaki and dashing to Julie, swinging down. He blocked it with his gauntlet-looking weapon, glaring at me.
"A Daemon is an evil spirit that is closely related to a demon that can represent death. And among all the cards, the Spade is a symbol that also represents death. Nice riddle, don't you think?"
His eyes narrowed. The corner of my mouth turned up into a small smile and I jumped back right as Adel swung one of her metal fans at me.
"I said don't interfere," Adel frowned. They turned and started walking away and I didn't try to go after them.
"Chrome!" Tsuna shouted.
"Tsuna-kun, you'd better worry about yourself." Enma pushed Tsuna against the ceiling one more time. Tsuna coughed out blood; his ring broke and he fell unconscious, dropping to the ground.
"Today is the start of Vongola's end and the beginning of the new Shimon. Let us leave, to our holy home."
The Shimon left. Right as they went out of view, I took down the shield and ran to Kyoya, helping him up.
"Kyoya!" Dino ran towards us. "Are you okay?!"
"No one else touch me," Kyoya ordered, slightly leaning on me. "I'm fine; excluding my pride."
The rest of Tsuna's guardians slowly got up, battered and bleeding. I connected gazes at my dad through the crowd. He looked worried but I gave him a small smile. The foxes came to me and circled us.
I gave them a small smile. "Thank you." They nuzzled my hands and returned to the bracelets. Tsuna regained consciousness and I glanced at him.
"Enma..." he muttered. "I couldn't even fight back..."
"Shit! They've been fooling us all along..."
"And... Chrome's been kidnapped!!"
I tightened my hold on Kyoya a little. "I... I tried to stop Julie... But I didn't want to hurt Chrome in the process..."
"It's okay, Satsuki-chan," Tsuna reassured. "I know you would've stopped them if you could've."
"Ninth!" Ganauche ran into the room. "Bad news! Coyote Nougat was following Shimon, but they discovered and attacked him!"
I closed my eyes and lowered my head, my grip tightening even more. Squalo offered to go after them but Nono refused, not allowing any more victims. They didn't know the extent of the Shimon's power, so they couldn't recklessly go after them. And... the Vongola rings were destroyed. Timoteo blamed himself for not researching the Shimon and finding out the truth about the 'Sin'.
"What have I done? Even my life would not be enough to compensate for this..."
Everyone was silent. Kyoya pulled me closer and I turned my head to Nono.
"Don't blame yourself, Ninth," I say, giving him a firm nod when he looks at me.
"There's still some hope left." Everyone turned to the new presence in the building. It was Talbot. "I can see that there is light, even with these blind eyes... Ninth; you have certainly grown old."
"Grandfather Talbot! You came to the ceremony?!" Timoteo approached him.
"Yes; though I was a bit late as I was taking care of my sheep."
Nono briefly explained Talbot's identity; Talbot was a mysterious man who had been working for Vongola since Primo's time. I was a little curious about him... He didn't show up much in the story and really showed up only to improve gear; his actual history was unknown. Talbot looked at the rings, telling us that they were "writhing" to be reborn.
Kyoya let me go, kissing my head before walking away. I guess he couldn't handle the crowd any longer. I watched him walk away from the crowd and turn back to the others, jumping when I saw Talbot in front of me.
"Yes...?" He reached out and touched my face.
"You... Liliana?" Talbot said a little breathlessly.
My eyes widen and I shake my head. "Sorry... I don't know who you're talking about... My name is Fujimiya Satsuki..."
"Ah... yes... You're right; I apologize."
"It... It's fine..."
Liliana?
Talbot turned to the others, lightly clearing his throat. "The levels of the rings are much too different. The Shimon rings are bathed in the first generation Shimon's blood, and its powers have multiplied."
"So... is there no way to win...?"
"There is no way to win unless... they're upgraded as well. You seem to bear rings of the beasts as well. Will you show them to me?"
I wondered if I was going to get an upgrade as well, but doubted it when Talbot continued, revealing Primo's blood in a similar bottle 'Sin' was in.
"The blood of Vongola Primo, 'Penalty'."
"Why do you have Primo's blood?!" Timoteo asked, shocked.
"Hm. I've forgotten details of the past." He dismissed. "Now then, we have all the materials. If all goes well, the Vongola rings will obtain a power like never before. But if we fail, the Vongola rings will lose their spirits, and they will never shine again.
"The possibility is half and half. What will you do, tenth?" He asked Tsuna.
"What will I do...? I don't-"
"You must do what you think is best, Tsunayoshi-kun." Nono told Tsuna.
"We all agree, Jyuudaime!"
"I..." Tsuna looked at me.
"What do you want to do, Tsuna?" I ask.
He stared for a few more seconds before turning to Talbot. "Please upgrade the rings!!"
-----
(Reminder that I updated this on 10/15/2023)
*Daemon: variant spelling of demon. A source or agent of evil, harm, distress, or ruin.
AHHHHH!! I'm sorryyyy I'm like an hour and fiftyish minutes late. I wanted to update at least before midnight but... I was lazy all day and when I finally got to my computer, I played osu, totally forgetting to finish the chapter. I really wanted to hit five thousand words just to make up for my hiatus but I found a good stop around here (~4,000 words, just a thousand short ;-;).
I'm planning on updating the side story soon! I was working on a chapter when I was working on this chapter, so keep an eye out for that! Hopefully I have enough time in during the week to work on it though...
I hope you guys enjoyed, and thank you all for waiting so patiently for this update!! Please tell me if there were any grammar/spelling mistakes anywhere!
vote/comment/follow!!
Thank you all so much,
arcane.
P.S. This story has grown so much during my hiatus so welcome all new readers! I'm glad you have all been enjoying the story so far!