Trigger: N/A
Warnings: N/A
Important Stuff:
Small OC Cheat Sheet
Spirits:
Zephyr -The wind spirit that Reborn met in the Spirit World.
Kamikawa - The origami spirit that Reborn exchanged information with.
Engetsu - Silver kitsune that Reborn met in the Spirit World. Knows Ayame.
Meishi - A green falcon that lives in the Sawada Household
Farran - the woman who challenged Fon

Others:
Hibari Koumei - Kyoya's Father. Interpol Agent.
Honjo Tier - Ayame's soulmate, dear friend, deceased
Kazakami Asher - Ayame's soulmate, dear friend, deceased

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Spring the Trap

Tsuna ran through the trees, sensing the approach of multiple enemies. "Takeshi," he murmured softly.

Takeshi nodded, slowing down a fraction before disappearing into the shadows. He would be able to handle the lower leveled enemies without alerting Gamma to their presence. Though Tsuna couldn't feel her, he knew that Kyoko still had them in her scope, watching and waiting from a faraway distance.

"Hibird is up ahead," Hayato said.

"Ah, so is the one Lal called Gamma," Tsuna said. "We need to be careful about him."

"Oh? I'm glad my reputation precedes me."

Tsuna looked up. There, green Lightning Flames crackling, hovered an older blond-haired man. His posture was relaxed, his staff hanging loosely in his hand at his side.

His Flames surged, tinting his world briefly in orange. "I don't suppose I can ask you to retreat," Tsuna asked. If conflict could be avoided, then that was the option he would take.

"Would you surrender yourself to me?" Gamma asked, amused.

"No," Tsuna said.

"You can never have him!" Hayato snarled.

Gamma lifted up a green box. "Then we are at an impasse." Billiard balls materialized from the box. "I'll just have to take you back by force." His staff, no a cue stick, hit the billiard ball, ricocheting them off two more, the balls coming at them from different directions.

Tsuna yanked Hayato backed, narrowing dodging the ball that would have hit Hayato in the head. He jumped over the one that was targeting his feet, throwing out his Flames in a protective dome. But against the sharp edge of the assault, it didn't last long.

"Tell me," Gamma said, steel in his words as he glared down at them. "Which one of you were responsible for killing my men?"

"They attacked first," Tsuna said sullen. He didn't like the idea of killing, but he would not fault Kyoko for defending herself.

Lightning surged, raining down on them. Hayato threw several dynamites, the explosion ringing as they collided against the bolts. Trees fell with a heavy thud, kicking up dirt and obscuring their vision.

Mentally, Tsuna weighed his options. He could summon his swords. They would match Gamma's billiard balls, preventing them from raining down on him and Hayato. But, his Hyper Intuition hummed, warning him against tipping his hand. No, right now everything related to Millefiore was still unknown. His other abilities, the ones that laid beyond Dying Will Flames would be their trump card. But...

He summoned forth a wall of ice through Zero Point Breakthrough, protecting Hayato and him from another onslaught of Lightning Flames. Tsuna grimaced, casting a worried glance at Hayato. His Hyper Intuition might warn him otherwise, but he was uncomfortable with the idea that they were only defending against Gamma's stronger attacks.

"That ice," Gamma said, his attack faltering for a split second. "You look too young, but there's no mistaking these Flames, that attack. Tell me Vongola Decimo, how did you come back from the dead?"

"There is such a thing as ghosts," Tsuna remarked back. "You're not just a strong soldier either."

Gamma looked down at his hand. "Sharp eyes. I'm the holder of the Lightning Mare Ring. The Mare Rings are equivalent in power to your Vongola Rings."

There was a lie in those words. There was a truth as well. The question was Gamma trying to trick them or was Gamma the one being deceived. Tsuna pressed his lips together. Right now, Gamma was too much stronger, more experience. But which one to reveal?

"So," Gamma said. He pulled out another box, inserting his Flames into it. Out sprung two foxes, lightning dancing around their forms. "Will you tell me what I wish to know?"

"As if!" Hayato shouted.

"Never," Tsuna agreed. He dug deep, gathering as much as Hard Flames as he could summon. Giotto had explained to him the concept behind Big Bang Axle attack but Tsuna had never been able to summon enough Hard Flames to use the attack. The Vongola Ring had been part of the issue, but the lack of a proper gauntlet to channel the Flames through was also a problem.

That was when a torrent of Cloud Flames came out of nowhere, ramming straight into Gamma. Purple and green Flames clashed together, roaring.

"I'll give you a hint about what you want to know. They came over from the past."

"How rude," Gamma said. "If you wish to join the fight, the rule is to give a name first."

"There's no need for that. I'm in a very bad mood."

Tsuna looked back, the swell of power had caught him off guard. Like the older Yamamoto, it was both familiar and not. The coppery taste had vanished, instead a dense and heavy feeling of power remained.

So, this was this dimension's Hibari Kyoya.

Hibari stepped into the clearing, power swelling. Sunlight bouncing off his tonfas, gleaming so bright. "So right here, right now, I'll bite you to death."

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Ask the Question

"Reborn, what else is different?" Lal asked.

The two of them were the only ones in the rooms. Giovanni was keeping an eye on the radar and Bianchi and Haru were spotting for Kyoko who was on the roof. Fuuta was keeping I-pin and Lambo entertained.

"Be more specific," Reborn said. "There are more than enough nuances." Ayame alone had caused tidal waves of change in Namimori.

"Twins?" Lal said. "What did that change?"

"Enough," Reborn said. "Tsuna was determined not be Decimo. He aimed for a different place. Ienari on the other hand, simply wanted power."

Lal crossed her arms. "I remember meeting Tsuna when he was fourteen. He was nowhere near comfortable leading his Guardians at that age. Yet this Tsuna gave an order and they followed it, with no arguments and no need for probing Tsuna into action. He's been leading them for a long time."

"Technically, Haru and Hayato are the newest," Reborn said. "Yes, Tsuna was already comfortable leading. Our Namimori was not a nice place, Tsuna and his friends actively defended themselves." He doubted Yousei was the first time that Tsuna and his friends had gone out to defend Namimori. The Triads alone had to have caused issues, not to mention Ayame and Vongola's enemies as well.

"But what makes you side with him?" Lal asked. "In this dimension, you were sent to train Tsuna as Decimo. If Ienari was to be Decimo, did you not tutor him?"

"I did," Reborn said. "I picked Tsuna in the end."

"Why?" Lal asked.

Reborn didn't answer. It was no business of hers to know that it was because Tsuna was his Sky.

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Cloud Guardian

So this was the power of Vongola's strongest Guardian. Tsuna watched as the battleground exploded him. Purple and green Flames clashing against each other as the older Hibari matched blow for blow against Gamma. It was overwhelmingly powerful to watch. This was the type of power that his Kyoya was, would be, capable of in just a few short years. This was the type of power that only came from experience, honed to a razor-sharp edge and gleaming like the deadly weapon it was.

"Amazing," Hayato said.

"That's… Hibari-senpai?" Takeshi asked in equal awe. He had slipped out of the shadows, rejoining Hayato and Tsuna on the sidelines.

"Yes," Tsuna said. This Hibari was impressive, but Tsuna knew his would go farther.

"You can't escape anymore," Hibari said, charging at Gamma.

Gamma took to the air and fell right into Hibari's trap. The three of them watched as the hedgehog that Hibari had summoned grew larger and larger, trapping Gamma's two foxes. Gamma remained blissfully unaware of it as Hibari kept attacking, relentlessly assaulting him, forcing Gamma to defend himself constantly. Until he had impaled himself at the deadly sharp spikes.

Hibari smirked. "Didn't I already say, you cannot escape?"

"I didn't know this possible," Gamma said. "Bravo."

Hibari delivered a sky uppercut, smashing Gamma onto the spikes. The ball exploded in a purple Flames and with that single attack, Gamma fell from the sky.

"Wow," Takeshi said with a low impressed whistle.

Hibari turned to face them. "I expected a better showing from you three," he said. "What have you been up to?"

Tsuna gave him a wry grin. "Oh, just getting use to the fact that we're in the future."

"I'm glad you three are safe."

"Tetsuya!" Takeshi called out. Hibari's right handed man came out from behind the shrine, Hibird resting on his shoulder.

He gave them a warm smile before his expression turned grim. "There's still the rest of Gamma's Black Spell Squad to worry about," Tetsuya said.

"They're all unconscious," Takeshi answered.

Hibari made a questioning noise.

"I took care of it," Takeshi said. It was not a boast, but just one of quiet confidence.

"Then at least one of you herbivores did something right," Kyoya said. "The Vongola Rings?"

"Never been activated," Tsuna said. "They shouldn't show up on anyone's radar." He wasn't sure if they would even if they had been used. Knowing Ayame's paranoia, shielding was probably one of the first things she did. Then again, if they were as powerful as Reborn and Giotto implied them to be, no shield would be able to block their presence when in use. But while they remain inactive? Whatever spells Ayame and Shoichi manage to inlay would probably be more than enough.

"Hm," Hibari said. "This way." He walked straight into the shrine, stepping straight through the wall.

"Mist Flames huh," Hayato said.

"This will lead back to the base," Tetsuya said.

"Let's go back then." Tsuna said.

Maybe the older version of Hibari would have more answers.

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Boxes and a Plan

"Is Hibari-senpai not going to join us?" Tsuna asked, looking at Tetsuya. They had all gathered in one of the small living areas, scattered throughout the room. Tsuna had taken the seat directly across from Tetsuya, Reborn sitting on his arm rest. Kyoko and Haru had the small couch next to him; Hayato and Takeshi hanging from the back.

Next to Tetsuya, Bianchi, Fuuta and Lal sat. A clear dividing line, Tsuna mentally mused. Past and future. It did not answer where the older version of Hibari was though.

Tetsuya blinked at him, surprised. "He has not grown out his dislike of crowds."

That… Tsuna frowned. While it was true, that his Kyoya hated crowds, he would never not attend for something as important as this meeting. They were discussing an enemy, a threat to them all. Not to mention that ultimately, his Kyoya didn't mind the crowd that they would become when they gathered together. With other people, yes, but never with among friends.

Was it his older counterpart's fault? Had he not found a way to make Hibari comfortable enough to be a part of the group yet not? Or a slight personality change in Hibari? Tsuna simmered in both annoyance and frustration. He really didn't like everything he was learning about this version of himself.

"He is intending to stay awhile, so if you have any questions, you will be able to ask him," Tetsuya said, misinterpreting the root of Tsuna's feelings.

"That's good to know," Tsuna said. He made a note to do so. "What can you tell us? It hasn't been a full day since we arrived here."

"We were researching many things, but this was the most important thing we uncovered. Hibari-sama and I confirmed the location of the enemy's base," Tetsuya said. "It's here in Namimori, in the underground shopping mall. In this particular base, is Byakuran's right hand man and the man in charge of Millefiore's Japan territory, Irie Shoichi."

Tsuna must be hearing things. "Impossible," Tsuna said, not believing it. Shoichi? As Byakuran's right hand man? Impossible.

"Not Shoichi-kun!" Haru protested.

"Are you sure it's Shoichi?" Hayato asked. "You can't find a nicer kid."

"We're sure," Lal said. "Irie has been a pain in our side. He made those Flames boots you saw Gamma use. They allow Millefiore's members fly, giving the advantage in the air. That's just one of the many things Irie has produced to help Byakuran in his quest to kill us all. He's not a nice man. Perhaps the Irie you know is. It's probably one of the differences of the parallel dimensions."

"Parallel dimensions?" Tetsuya asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We're not from your past," Reborn said. "There are too many differences for this to be our future. Certain things like a missing sibling, would suggest our dimensions deviated far earlier. Your present is not even an option for us."

"I'm not sure I follow," Tetsuya admitted. "But regardless, you are here now."

"The location of the enemy's base is valuable," Lal said. "While no one knows how you ended up here, will you lend us your power in the meantime? We can strike back and capture Irie and perhaps use him as a hostage against Byakuran."

"Of course," Tsuna said.

"Can't really picture Shoichi being behind this," Takeshi said, cupping his hands behind his head and leaning back. "Just doesn't fit him at all."

"Will it be an issue to fight against him?" Bianchi asked.

"No," they chorused together.

"When do you want to attack?" Tsuna asked. "Tomorrow?"

"No, none of you are strong enough yet," Lal said. She placed a blue box on the table. "Besides, I want you to master these boxes before we attempt anything."

"What are these?" Takeshi asked. "We saw Gamma use them."

"Box Weapons," Lal explained. "Several years ago, three scientists, Koenig, Innocenti and Verde, completed the original plans by inventory Geppetto Lorenzini. The Box Weapons can be opened with Dying Will Flames can do numerous things, storing Flames and weapons, but the most versatile ones, contains animals."

"Like Gamma's foxes and Hibari-senpai's hedgehog," Tsuna said.

"Yes. They take on certain characteristics from their Flame type, aiding in battle," Lal explained.

There was a flash of blue and a swallow took flight. It lapped around the room three times, before coming to a rest on Takeshi's hand. "That wasn't very hard," Takeshi said with a smile.

"How…?" Tetsuya asked. "You didn't even use a ring!"

"Oh, do you have to use a Ring?" Takeshi asked. "Neesan taught us how to use Dying Will Flames without Rings. I mean, rings are basically amplifiers. If you can summon up that much Dying Will Flames naturally, you're not dependent on the Ring. Though having one makes it easier and can converse energy."

"Wait can you all do that?" Bianchi asked with eyes wide.

"Yes, we all can," Kyoko said.

"Hahi, I'm the newest though. I can't summon that much," Haru said.

"But how?" Tetsuya asked. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"Neesan," the kids chorused together.

"You've mentioned a Neesan a couple times," Fuuta asked. "But who is that?"

"Her name is Ayame," Tsuna said. "I take I didn't meet her in this dimension? Brown hair with golden eyes. Around Dino-nii's age?" It was strange to be in a dimension where no one knew Ayame. It felt so odd.

"We know Dino," Bianchi said, sharing a look with the others. "But no, not an Ayame."

Tsuna wasn't really surprised by that. It had been a complete chance that he had met Ayame. She confessed to not paying attention to where she was going, back then. There are many paths, many places she could have ended up that day. He wistfully thought back. It wasn't an uncommon thought to wonder what his life would be like if he had never met her. This was one possible answer really.

"Neesan is well versed in spiritual world. She knows, at the very core, how Dying Will Flames work," Tsuna said. "She's always held all of us to her high standards. We learned how to channel Dying Will Flames through anything, rather than rely on an amplifier to draw it out. A crutch she used to say."

"Can never be disarmed this way," Kyoko said with a self-satisfied smile.

"Sawada! Kyoko-chan!"

Everyone turned to see an older version of Ryohei in the doorway.

"Onii-san!" Kyoko said, jumping to her feet. Sasagawa picked her up, spinning her around.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you this small!" Sasagawa said with cheer.

"Ah." Chrome peeked her head in, tentatively looking in.

"Chrome!" Tsuna said, rushing over to her. "Are you alright?" She looked fine, but he wanted to make sure. Chrome didn't always speak up when she was badly injured.

Chrome smiled, nodding. "Yes. Sasagawa-san found me. He explained this was the future? That someone was targeting us."

"Actually, parallel dimension for us. Ienari doesn't exist in this world," Tsuna explained. "But we're stuck here, for now." To be honest, he wasn't sure how they were going to get back. Ayame had already explained that experimenting with travel with parallel dimensions was something she hadn't done. Had she already noticed that they were gone? Would she even think about parallel dimensions?

"About that…" Chrome said hesitantly. "I remembered pink smoke, like Lambo's Ten-Year Bazooka. But more than five minutes had passed and yet I didn't return. I wasn't sure what was wrong. Then on the way back, I saw this." She pulled out a folded newspaper. "Have you looked at the date? We picked this up at the convenience store. This is today's paper."

What. What. Wait a minute... "That doesn't make any sense…" Tsuna said, taking the paper from her. "The Ten-Year Bazooka transport you exactly ten years to the future for five minutes. This date… this would mean we've been transported nine years and nine months into the future. But why three months in the past? Or well not past, you know what I mean."

"I remember the pink smoke of the Ten-Year Bazooka too. Maybe this is how why we're stuck here beyond the five minutes," Hayato said. "Instead of the full ten years, we've been placed three months in this past of this future's present. When time catches up and the allotted five minutes of the Ten-Year Bazooka past, we'll be sent back. Then it's a closed time loop. No paradox will be created."

"That… makes sense," Fuuta said. "Doesn't explain who sent you here, and we won't know until the three months and five minutes past, but it's a good explanation."

"I guess we'll find out," Takeshi said.

That was all they could do for now. That and survive a madman who wanted them all dead.

"Tomorrow," Lal said. "Let's not put it off longer than that, before they can become aware of what we know. That means you have tonight to master the Box Weapons we have around the base. If you can't, we're leaving you here. But it shouldn't be an issue if all of you are as good as you claim to be."

"I'm going and you can't stop me," Kyoko said.

"Kyoko!" Sasagawa shouted. "It's too dangerous! You could get hurt!"

Kyoko's eyes narrowed, lips pressing into a thin smile as she placed her hands on her hips. "I sincerely hope that isn't some misguided attempt to protect me."

Hayato snorted. "Out of all of us currently here, she's probably the most equip for the wide scale assault on the base. Tyrant task manager. You're as bad as Kyoya."

"It makes you stronger. Don't complain," Kyoko said.

"But," Sasagawa said.

"Hahi! I want to go too!" Haru said.

"It's not a game," Lal snapped.

"But they should be able to handle it," Reborn said. "But if you're worried, put the attack off for a few more days. We can squeeze in as much training and preparation in the meantime."

"A week. Long enough to refine and master any abilities, short enough that we will keep our advantage," Lal said, crossing her arms.

"Let's get started then," Tsuna said.

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Older Brother's Duty

"Kyoko-chan! I think it's too dangerous for you to go," Sasagawa protested.

Kyoko glared at him. "I'm going," she said. Zamza, Lal's Box Animal, was curled at her feet, soaking Kyoko's Flames.

"But-," Sasagawa started. No, wait. Parallel dimensions. They had explained it This was not his sister he was interacting with, not really. He grimaced. He still didn't like the idea. Then again, his sister didn't have any Flames at all.

Plus, he recognized that look in Kyoko's eyes. Somethings were difference, somethings were still the same, and he was sure that look still meant that Kyoko had made up her mind. Nothing he did or say would get her to change her mind. In fact, she would probably just dig her heels into the ground and stubbornly ignore him.

"I don't think Zamza has ever gotten this big," Sasagawa said slowly. He just took a step back as Zamza was now covering majority of the ground.

"Lal said to try and give him as much of Cloud Flames as possible," Kyoko said.

Alright, maybe he didn't like the idea of her going to the base. But all that meant was he had to do an even better job about protecting her. It was his job as her older brother, parallel dimension or not.

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Training

"You were holding back at the shrine," Hibari said without preamble.

"Yes," Tsuna said without hesitation. Hibari had dragged him into an empty training room this morning.

"Why?" Hibari asked, no, demanded to know.

"Because Hyper Intuition told me not to," Tsuna said. "And I didn't want to reveal any of my trump cards too early."

"The new Vongola Rings," Hibari said.

"No, they're not Vongola Rings. They have no attachment to Vongola. Inei Rings," Tsuna said. He blinked, startled by the name that had slipped out. He had been holding off naming them for weeks. Names had power and the right name would shape these new rings into their identity.

"Shadows," Hibari said. "Fitting enough."

More than this Hibari knew it. Tsuna wasn't in a rush to explain the Shadow Court. He wasn't even sure if it was a thing in this universe.

Hibari brandished his tonfas. "I want to see you true potential then. Show me, Sawada Tsunayoshi."

He gave Tsuna no time to prepare, launching straight into an attack. Tsuna quickly guarded against heavy strike. Pain shot down his arms, not quite prepared for such the powerful blow.

His Flames surged in response, unleashing a wall to push Hibari back. Instead, Hibari pushed it forward, breaking through the Flames. Tsuna flicked his wrist, four golden swords materializing in the air.

They spun flew through the air, like arrows. Hibari's eyes widened a fraction, surprised by their appearance. But like Gamma's billiard balls, he easily dodged the attacks. "You're going to need to do better than that," Hibari said.

"Then what about this?" Tsuna let the light gather. "Rasutā Kyanon!"

Light filled the room, blinding bright.

"Not bad," Hibari said. He wiped away the blood from his lip. "But you will need more."

Tsuna smiled. "I have plenty more." Time to show this version of Hibari what exactly he could do.

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Sistema C.A.I.

"Here."

Hayato blinked, looking at the bag of 16 boxes Bianchi had just handed to him. "What is this?"

It hurt to see her brother this young again. It wasn't like their relationship was perfect nowadays, but they had come to far more amiable conversations in these later years. Would he lash out at her? Push away like he always did?

"I'm sure you can figure it out," Bianchi said haughtily, turning to leave. She wouldn't offer help, Hayato was too proud of that, especially at this age.

"Wait, aneki!"

She stopped to look back at him.

Hayato was frowning. "Teach me how to use this?"

Did her ears deceive her? "W-what?" Bianchi sputtered out, shocked. He was… he was asking her for help? Her?

Hayato scowled, looking more like the boy in her memories. "I'm not the brother you remember," he said, to drive the point home. "And I've learned, it's easier to ask for help. I'll learn something I really need before we attack Shoichi's base and I'll learn it faster if I ask for help how to use it."

Bianchi swayed, still stunned. She quickly composed herself, pushing it aside, using all her hitwoman training to focus on the task at hand. She could examine this later. Her brother was asking for her help and she wasn't about to let this opportunity pass her by.

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Morning Attack

"Everyone knows the plan, right?" Lal asked.

"Yes!" everyone chorused.

She looked around at the group of kids, standing before her. It was amazing to see what they could do. Stronger in purity, only inexperience holding them back. But nothing time wouldn't fix. In a week, they had mastered the box weapons, even Hayato who had a particularly difficult weapon system designed by his older counterpart.

Then they went on to reveal even more abilities. It had been mind boggling to watch Tsuna fire off light beams the same way he shot off Sky Flames. Switching between the two so fluidly, like a graceful dance for fire and light.

They were different than the 10th generation of Vongola that she knew. Though young, she was beginning to hope that maybe they would finally be able to bring down Millefiore.

'I'll finally be able to avenge you, Colonnello,' she thought.

"Very well," Lal said. "Let's move out. Operation Attack on Melerone Base begins!"

It's been awhile. Things have been pretty hectic and not in a good way. I'm also not 100% happy with this chapter but, I think it'll be okay. Reminder: TYL!Versions are referred to their last name. when they swap, they swap to their first name.

General Notes

Inei - jisho#.#org#/word/%E9%99%B0%E5%BD%B1

Please leave a review on your out. See you next month.