"Ummm Ryuuichi...?" The said teen turned his head towards the one who called him, Yuuichi copying his movement. Tsuna sweated when Ryuuichi stared at him without a word, before turning away, burying his face on Yuuichi's neck. 'What the-'

Yuuichi sighed at his brother's behavior. He looked at Tsuna with an apologetic smile. "Sorry 'bout that. He's in one of his mood." He tried to loosen Ryuuichi's hold on his waist, and gained a protesting whine, and he had promptly gave up. He sighed again. "Is there anything you need, Tsunayoshi?" He asked the brunette

Tsuna was in a dilemma, not knowing whether he should say it in front of Yuuichi. He remembered that Ryuuichi had told them to not mention a single thing about the mafia in front of his brother. The teen must be trying to protect his brother from the dark world of mafia. 'Should I..?'

Ryuuichi was observing the brunette who was having a turmoil. He figured that he wanted to say something regarding yesterday's match and all but Yuuichi was present. He wasn't really in the mood and he didn't wanted to let go of his body pillow. He let out a peculiar loud sigh before letting go of his brother. He faced the brunette without a word and pulled him away from the court yard where he and Yuuichi was having a break. 

Yuuichi could only blink in surprise. Whenever his brother was in that condition, he never really respond to anyone nor care about anything even if it's important. It was like Ryuuichi was hiding something from him that even Tsuna knew what it was. He felt a little left out because of that. Now that he think about it, Ryuuichi had been doing something recently. He almost out every night. Yuuichi wondered if it's something that he shouldn't, couldn't know.

------------------------------------------------------

Tsuna was pulled towards the back of the school ground, where there weren't anyone. Ryuuichi let go of his wrist and leaned against the wall, arm cross. His expression made him flinched. He felt that he had made a bad choice just now. 

Ryuuichi saw the flinch. He sighed, ruffling his hair a little. "Sorry. I'm a bit snappy whenever I'm like this.." He didn't want to scare the brunette, nor made him felt that he had annoyed him. He tried to lessen the tension and asked. "Is something wrong?" 

Tsuna didn't know how to start. He had quite a lot of question, a few that he knew the other teen wouldn't answer. "Well... Did you knew about Kyuudaime was in the mosca?" He slowly said. He had been wondering about it since last night after Ryuuichi had shouted for him to not use his full power. He couldn't ask Reborn seeing that the hitman would probably hit him. When Ryuuichi nodded, he didn't know what to say anymore. He would have been shouting at him, demanding why he hadn't say anything til the match was over. 

But he couldn't. The look in Ryuuichi's eyes had him shut up, words ended at the back of his throat. "..Are you alright, Ryuuichi?" He was as surprised at the question as Ryuuichi was. It just suddenly blurted out of his mouth for no reason. "I-I mean... Umm... You looked a bit depressed... And I didn't mean you have depression or anything!!" He quickly added, not wanting to offend the teen.

Ryuuichi stared at him with wide eyes. He had thought that the brunette would lash out at him, not ask about his well being. When Tsuna said that he looked depressed, he was taken away. He chuckled at the brunette who was cussing himself for saying that, bringing his attention to him. "I won't get offended that easily, Tsunayoshi" He laughed a little at the confused 'eh' the said teen emitted. 

"It'll take you a thousand years to offend me" He smiled. Perhaps it was the Hyper Intuition the teen had, that he was able to read him. "... To be honest..." He started, pausing a little. "... I don't know"

"... Hah?"

It's true. He didn't know why was he so depress. He just suddenly felt like not wanting to deal with anything anymore. "Well, all in all, I'm ok."

Tsuna was relieved. Ryuuichi looked more cheerful than before. He was worried for him. Ryuuichi is his friend after all, a first friend if you counted the meeting years ago. He smiled back at him. "That's good"

Ryuuichi smirked at him, suddenly remembering something. "Hey, shouldn't you be at the roof top right now?" He hurriedly ushered the brunette to his destination. He shook his head fondly as he watched the brunette ran away, smiling the whole time. 'Thank you, Tsuna..'

----------------------------------------------------------

Ryuuichi had dragged Yuuichi to the hospital, where Bianchi, Haru, Kyoko, Fuuta and I-Pin was. He had forced Yuuichi into helping with preparation for the party Haru and Kyoko had planned. It's the Sky Ring Battle tonight, and he will be there, only, a little later. If he remembered correctly, all of those that are involved with Tsuna and the others would be targeted. He wasn't going to let them hurt his brother, so he had brought him to where Bianchi was, who would be able to protect them. As for his parents, he had forced them to go on a two days date at Osaka and had promptly joked that they have to bring back a sibling or two for them. (Which practically all of them blushed as he laughed til his stomach hurts)

Even though Yuuichi can fight, and his strength aren't a joke, but he didn't want his brother to get involved. He won't stand a chance against the members of Varia weaponless. Ryuuichi too.

'Now that I think about it... Should I get a weapon or two?'

"Hahi! Yuuichi-san! That's croaked!" Haru's voice brought him back to earth as he saw her trying to help Yuuichi with the colour papers. They were making all sorts of decorative stuffs for the party. He laughed at his brother's attempts which earned him a pout from the latter. "Shut up!"

He looked out the window of the hospital room, and towards the direction of the school. It was very quiet and all. Silently, he prayed for their safety. 

He turned towards Bianchi, who was busy with her part. She didn't realized that he was staring at her. He felt a little nostalgia. It's been a while since he last felt the feeling of having an older sister after all. And Bianchi herself is an older sister to Gokudera. He smiled. At least with Bianchi here protecting the others, he could be at ease. (Although, it would be a tad bit unfair to leave everything to her)

He stood up from the chair he was sitting and went away, towards the school. "There's something I need to do. I'll be back later so wait here, ok?" He told Yuuichi, who nodded. He could see the questions in his brother's eyes but he didn't asked, which Ryuuichi was very grateful for. He gave him an apologetic smile and went out, whispering to Bianchi when he passed by her. "Please be careful"

Yuuichi was observing his brother the whole time. It was quite surprising when Ryuuichi had told dragged him to the hospital, knowing the girls' plan even when they hadn't announced it. He could see the nostalgic look his brother gave when he was staring at Bianchi. Also, he saw him whispering something to Bianchi when he went out.

Recently, his brother was really being strange. His moments were acting up more than usual and he was staring into spaces a lot more. Not to mention he seemed to be always writing something in the notebook he always had with him more. The same notebook that he never could understand since it was written in English and some other language. Once he had managed to peeked on a page that was written in English before Ryuuichi had promptly slammed the book closed, a little shaken at his sudden appearance behind him.

He saw something about curses or whatever he didn't managed to make out. His brother tend to write things more in English, rather than Japanese. And he would sometimes slipped into speaking English or the other two language whenever he wasn't paying attention. He had always wanted to understand whatever his brother was writing but most of the English written context were mostly poems while the rest was either in Italian or French or some other language that Yuuichi doesn't knows. (Sometimes, he regretted not taking Italian and French classes with his brother.)

Ryuuichi was always the odd one in their family. Despite the fact that they are all Japanese, and perhaps with a little French blood as their parents had said before, Ryuuichi seemed to be very English influenced. If he remembered correctly, there wasn't anyone in their family tree that was that influenced than Ryuuichi. 

He decided that he would one day get the answer from his brother, so he kept quiet. 

"Yuuichi-kun" The said teen looked towards Kyoko, who called them. She was writing something down in a memo. "When is your and your brother's birthday?" He blinking in surprise, wondering how should he explain. "6, 7 October" Yuuichi said.

"Hahi?" 

Yuuichi chuckled at their confused expression and enlightened them. "Ryuu was born before the midnight on 6 while I was born after midnight, which was already 7" 

Kyoko brighten up. "So you two are October babies as well!" He raised an eyebrow. "As well?"

She nodded, smiling brightly. "Tsuna-kun and Reborn-kun are October babies! Tsuna-kun's 14 while Reborn-kun's 13. Basically a week after both of you!" 

Yuuichi blinked again. He did not expect that.

----------------------------------------------------------------

On the way out of the hospital to the school, Ryuuichi bumped into a certain blonde boss. "Ryuuichi? What are you doing here?" Dino asked. He didn't know that Ryuuichi was in the hospital. He wondered if the teen was injured as he scanned him from head to toe. He flushed a little when Ryuuichi chuckled at his action. 

"Don't worry, I'm not hurt or anything. I was just bringing Yuuichi here to help the girls. Is Dino-san going to Namimori Middle?" He briefly wondered what was the girls doing that needed the younger twin's help but had pushed that back. He raised an eyebrow and nodded. "In a few more moments"

Ryuuichi debated a little. Should he rush Dino? But the Cavallone boss will be bringing the swordman who was terribly injured. Though, he wanted to watch Hibari's match with Belphegor. 'Ummm..............' He frowned, before sighing in resignation. He can't trouble Dino and his subordinates after all when he was going to hitch a ride from them. He wondered would there be any recordings on the match. "Well, can I follow you?" 

"Hah?"

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Voi!! Why is this brat here?" Squalo said with a weak voice. Ryuuichi smiled at the long haired man. "Hitching a ride, duh" He smirked in amusement at the slightly pissed of face of the man. He somehow liked messing with Squalo for some reasons. It was really hilarious seeing his reactions when he had sassed him. Not to mention Squalo was injured so he couldn't, and wouldn't cut him into pieces unless he wanted to make his condition even worse.

Dino sighed as the two bickered, more like Squalo's weak attempts on shouting when he was tired and Ryuuichi's replied with witty remarks. He quickly intervened the two by calling out for the youngest. "Ryuuichi-"("Voi!! Don't interrupt us!") "-Are you planning something?" 

Ryuuichi blinked at the question and frowned. Was Dino suspecting him from doing something? "How mean. Are you accusing me?" He almost lost it when Dino panicked as the Cavallone boss quickly replied. "- No! Of course not!" He fake pouted, tried and probably failed. (Nope. He succeed. He just didn't see the blush on Dino's face because it was too dark) 

He huffed and turned away from Dino, acting as if he was sulking. "Hmph! I'm not going to talk to meanie-Dino!" Really, he was going to burst out laughing if he continue this act any longer. He could literally imagine the bewildered face of the blonde's. "Wha- Ryuuichi! I'm not- I- Ugh!!!" 

Yep, he ended up laughing out loud. His whole body shook in as he hiccupped the laughters out. Dino gasped when he realized that he was played on. "Ryuuichi!" Squalo, who was seating in between them, had a disgusted face on. "Stop bloody flirting with me in the center dammit!!" 

Ryuuichi smirked at Squalo. "Arara~? Is Sharky jealous~?" The man gagged before shouting at him. "Voi!! Stop calling me sharky!! And like hell I would be jealous of this blonde idiota!!" Ryuuichi continued to , as Romario and the other two laughed. 

Dino groaned tiredly. He never knew that the usually matured and mysterious teen, the same exact teen that had yelled at him a day ago, was this playful. He's practically a tease! He wondered if he was possessed or had to much sugar.

"Boss, we're here" Romario suddenly said, breaking the said boss out of his thoughts. He got out of the car and let his subordinates help the long haired man out, carefully not to injure him any further. He saw Ryuuichi stepping out of the car too, but his playful demeanor had disappeared as the usual facade of the teen's was seen.

They walked to where Reborn and the others were held at, and was forced to get into the infrared surroundings. Ryuuichi stepped stood close to where Dino was, his left hand slipped into his pocket and eyes on the large screen in front of them. It was currently showing the fight between Yamamoto and Gokudera with Mammon and Belphegor, Chrome chained and in the custody of the latter two. 

Ryuuichi could feel the tension from Chikusa and Ken as they watched the match, but said nothing. He wasn't worried much about them, they would be ok for all he knows. And then, the screen switched to the match between Xanxus and Tsuna. Tsuna was in his Hyper Dying Will Mode as he punched Xanxus, whose scar had appeared. The brunette had flew further away from the man when he had promptly stopped his punch and had tried to perform Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised when Xanxus shot him with his guns, but had to dodge the attack.

"If Tsuna took on Xanxus's flame, he wouldn't be able to absorb it all, and he would blow up." Reborn explained. Basically, Xanxus's flame had overpowered Tsuna's at the moment. Xanxus shot the ground with his gun and had flew up towards Tsuna, who merely closed his eyes.

He opened them and grabbed Xanxus hands when the man threw away his gun, his flame on his forehead flickering. Ryuuichi smiled. Tsuna wasn't trying to take on Xanxus's flame, nor trying to perform Zero Point Breakthrough: Revised. He was doing something else. The two gritted their teeth and had hard grips on each other's hand. Their hand suddenly glowed in orange before it got brighter, temporary blinding everything.

Ryuuichi winced at the bright light from the screen, squinting his eyes a little. When the light faded, smoke surrounded the whole area. Colonello had noticed a person from the smoke, which was Xanxus. All of them gasped a little too soon. Reborn told them not to panic and take a look at his hands, which was frozen.

"This phenomenon..... It couldn't be... It's the same as that time!" Squalo said, disbelieved at what he saw.

Tsuna was looking at his own hands that was smoking, a little surprised at what had happened. Reborn smiled, finally getting on what had happened. "I see. This is probably the Zero Point Breakthrough created by Vongola the first" A move made by Vongola Primo.

"The opposite state of the Dying Will is also the opposite of the Dying Will Flame" Reborn explained. In another words, the opposite of flame, frost. Though, a special one that managed to seal Xanxus's flame. It's a technique existed to seal away the Dying Will Flame.

Xanxus didn't believe it. He didn't want to. He would not accept it. He would never!

And then, the screen just had to switch to Gokudera and Yamamoto's. Ryuuichi groaned inwardly and slumped a little. He already knew that Ryohei would appear, in a very, very flashy way, and helped them. 

True to it, the gymnasium where Gokudera, Yamamoto, Chrome and their opponent was, had promptly being blown up, blasted and crumpled into dust, literally, by a punch. One, single punch. And he had also destroyed the cameras in the process. How amazing is that?

The screen than switched back to Tsuna and Xanxus. (Ryuuichi couldn't understand what was with all the switching here and there)

The technique Tsuna had used was undoubtedly useful, but it was the opposite of the symbol of Vongola, which was Dying Will Flame. The one who created it was really a wise one, to have predicted the dark future of Vongola. As expected of the Vongola Intuition.

Ryuuichi scoffed. Xanxus was in denial. He himself had experienced Zero Point Breakthrough firsthand, yet he didn't wanted to admit the move Tsuna had done on him wasn't it. Man, the scars he had were the solid proof. He watched with deadpanned expression when Xanxus literally broke the frost by slamming it onto his knee and managed to unseal his flames from the frost, not fully though. 

'I so did not want to hear Xanxus exclamation on his name, and his rightful liberties to be the Tenth of Vongola.....' 

Xanxus had ran forward towards the brunette, whose flame flickered again. Tsuna rushed towards the man and punched him in the stomach, bringing him to his knees, and froze Xanxus fully. "Zero Point Breakthrough: First Edition" Squalo shouted for him to stop, but it was a futile attempt.

Tsuna was confounded, why did Xanxus did all these? What had happened to make him do such things? He never knew.

Xanxus's half Sky ring had broke off from the chain and dropped onto Tsuna's hand. 

Ryuuichi peered at Squalo, who demanded for them to release him, shouting cusses. "It's not over yet" He said, making everyone turn to him, confused. Reborn frowned. Would there be anything more? It was over, Xanxus had lost. What did Ryuuichi meant?

He questions were answered when Lussuria and Leviathan had appeared. Ryuuichi was unfazed when the two attacked Tsuna while the other's shouted for the brunette who was kneeling, tired after all that fighting, to stand up. Tsuna knew that the two was illusions cast by Mammon, seeing that he paid no heed to them.

"Good work seeing through that. But you don't even have the strength left to crawl" Mammon appeared. Ryuuichi was right. It wasn't over yet.

Mammon took out the six Vongola rings. The Guardians' rings. "Do you know why they store the rings split apart, and why they're only given to proper successors of Vongola? That's because the rings themselves have a hidden power." Mammon said. "They say when the Ninth's Zero Point Breakthrough was defrosted, there were seven small burn marks on the floor. No one knows for sure who did it, but it's enough to come up with a theory"

The rings glowed, along with the sky ring and flames of red, blue, yellow, purple, indigo, green and orange emitted. Mammon brought those flaming rings towards the frozen Xanxus, and the ice slowly defrosted. 

"That's not all. When the seven complete Vongola Rings are handed down, they say a great power is granted to the new blood of Vongola" 

'Though, that new blood of Vongola aren't you guys, Varia'

Belphegor had snatched the Sky Ring out of Tsuna's hand with his knife, walked towards Xanxus. Mammon placed the rest of the rings onto the chain that holds the rings. "Vongola's greatest treasure, passed down through time. Give the young blood of Vongola a great power!" Belphegor slid the Sky Ring onto the man's right, middle finger. 

The ring immediately glowed brightly along with the other rings on the chain. Tsuna no longer have the strength to stop Xanxus, or the other Varia. A bright light surrounded Xanxus, as he felt the power surged through his being. "Power! An unending power is overflowing! This is the proof of being the successor to Vongola! Finally, finally! It's coming true! Now I can become Vongola Tenth!"

'Don't celebrate it so early, Xanxus...'

Suddenly, he felt something, the bright orange light slowly faded away as he fell onto his knees again. The power was too much for him that he collapsed again. "The rings.." Tsuna clenched his hands. "Xanxus... They rejected Xanxus.."

Finally, everything was as clear as the sky to him. He finally knew what Ninth was trying to tell him. 'Ninth... Xanxus..' Mammon turned to him. "You know something. What do you mean, 'The rings rejected him'?" 

Xanxus gritted his teeth as he tried to push himself up, shaking at the process of doing so. "I bet you feel good about yourself. That's right. Ninth and I aren't real family!"

Ryuuichi frowned. 'Even though you and Ninth aren't family by blood, but anyone can see he treats you like his own biological son, like his own family, Xanxus...' He glanced side way at Squalo, who spoke, before looking back at the screen. The Cervello switched on the microphone, letting almost everyone there listened to what the sword man said.

"The regret, and the grudge cause by the betrayal. I know" Xanxus was a stubborn man for sure. He kept thinking that no ones understand him when there are people who understands him. Squalo is one of them. '.... I'm a hypocrite, aren't I?' Ryuuichi mentally scoffed at himself. Xanxus demanded for Squalo to tell him, what does he understand about him.

"That day, when you were frozen by the Ninth, I was still conscious. I heard. That time, you.. After that, I did research on you. You were born into a working-class neighborhood in Italy and had power over flames since birth. It was all made possible by poverty. Your mother was entrapped by the delusion that you were born from Vongola Ninth. And your mother brought you, who knew nothing about it, to the Ninth. 

"You believed the Ninth's words and never doubted them. And soon, you were adopted by the Ninth and made it big as the Ninth's son. You grew up to be a man who had the dignity and skill to become worthy to succeed the Ninth. However, you must have found out the truth at some point"

Ryuuichi remembered that Xanxus had found it out when he looked through Timoteo's diary, or journal for all he knew. He immediately felt the betrayal from the old man. Ryuuichi wondered if it really was a betrayal. It's true that Ninth was at fault to not tell Xanxus about it in the first place, but was it betrayal? He couldn't understand. He hadn't really been through these kinds of situation personally, and he basically doesn't care nor feel about anything. 

"Wasn't the reason that the Ninth didn't kill you, even after being betrayed, was that he wanted to accept you to the very end? The Ninth acknowledged you more than anyone else ever had." What Tsuna had said hit Xanxus. "Ninth thought of you as his real child." So true, yet Xanxus didn't want it. He doesn't what that kind voluntary love. He wanted the position as a Vongola boss.

'Is that really what you wanted?'

Ryuuichi frowned again when he saw Hibari. The said prefect was definitely injured alright, seeing that he was limping. He took out his phone and called Yuuichi as Mammon revealed that their team was out to kill those who have relations with Tsuna and the others. 

After the third ring, Yuuichi finally received it. "Hello?"

"Yuu? How's everything over there?" 

"Everything's fine over here. What's going on there? Sounded a bit noisy"

"Nothing much. It'll be over soon so see you later. Oh and be careful" Yuuichi said yes before he hung up. The Cervello had disqualified the Varia for outside inferences and proceed to release the ones from the spectator area, but the infrared lasers weren't taken down as Mammon had tempered with it earlier. They couldn't do anything from the inside either as it will blast it back to them. 

Ryuuichi wasn't that concerned though. After all, it would still be Varia's lost. "How confident..." He said nonchalantly. He could feel Reborn's gaze along with the Cavallone boss's, but he paid no heed to it. "We shall see who will be the one who wins" He crossed his arms and leaned against a foot.

Three members of the Varia came. The one in the middle gave his report as the other two collapsed. "Reporting: The entire Varia squad except us, has been defeated. He was too strong! A man with the strength of a demon has headed this way"

A shout of "Violent Snake Fierce Domination!" was heard before the three was hit by a giant, chained metal ball, creating a wind whirl. Ryuuichi smirked at the sudden appearance of a certain man. 

"Don't get me wrong, Vongola. I didn't come to save you. I came to thank you" How flashy, Lanchia, the strongest man in the Northern Italy. Ryuuichi rolled his eyes at Ken. Seriously, that teen was so slow that he didn't realized that Lanchia was very strong. Now, Lanchia doesn't have any hesitation and can fight with his own will.

He smiled, feeling a little envy towards Tsuna as Yamamoto and the others came together as one and surrounded Varia, and protecting Tsuna. A wonderful team, indeed. 

All in all, Tsuna won. They all did. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N = Hahahaha *nervous laughters* 3 to 4 days was it? School started... Anyway, this is the last chapter for Varia Arc. The next arc will begin on chapter 17. The next chapter is a normal one.. But a bit related to the Future Arc. In another words, the next chapter is the prologue for the Future Arc.

I got very VERY lazy at the last part. There were so many talking here and there I just.. 

Fun Fact = Ryuuichi ate something very sweet before he went to watch the Sky Ring Battle. 

[I apologize for any grammars, spellings, etc.etc. mistakes]