"...LOVE IS A FEELING." Alice was singing, the bellowed words accompanied by Slash-style guitar play with a pair of sunglasses gracing the bridge of her nose.
This situation came forth because of Kyoko's proposal in showing her what kind of music she's in to, since Alice forgot to bring along her iPod. She played an imaginary guitar and roared, "QUENCH MY DESIRE. DAAA, DAAA. TAKING ME HIGHER. DAAA, DAAA." Humming Slash's powerful guitar sounds as she reached the climax of the song, jumping on an occupied desk as she continued with her loud performance.
A group of random students gathered at the sliding door, staring at the bouncing Alice as if... Well, as if she'd just grown a pair of antlers. "I'm never going to the United States, that's for sure." One of them murmured to another. "So disrespectful. I can't blame her, since she gets it from No-Good-Tsuna."
Alice's ears perked up, clearly having heard every word they said. She jumped off the desk, making her way to them by means of a smooth moonwalk, moving like the King of Pop. "What was that? I didn't quite hear you there." She sneered.
"N-nice moves?"
"Is that Hibari over there? I think it is." Yamamoto lied as he peered through the window. The students scattered on the spot in a panicked manner. "Where?" Alice took a look into the hallway, only to be pulled back inside by Gokudera.
"It was obviously a lie, moron." The young Italian slapped her upside the head as Alice muttered out a low ouch in her protest. "Geez Hayato… You keep hitting me on the head." Alice said as she made her way over to her desk.
Kyoko clapped her hands with a smile gracing her face. Hana sighed as she also clapped her hands, although she wasn't as enthusiastic as her best friend. "That was amazing, Alice-chan! I love how you can express yourself without feeling embarrassed afterwards." "I feel embarrassed for knowing you…" Hana muttered under her breath, being her honest and frank self.
"You guys are the bestest groupie I could ever ask for!" Alice surprised her classmates as she engulfed both Hana and Kyoko in a tight bear hug. Hana's facial expression was one of pure irritation. Just the idea of being compared to a groupie pissed her off tremendously.
But eventually, she started laughing.
Kyoko joined in on the laughter as she patted Alice on the back while the American teenager grinned from ear to ear. In the background, Tsuna glared daggers at Alice. How can she be so happy after all that happened yesterday!! He thought to himself, becoming truly envious of the blonde.
Not only that, Alice also has the power to talk to Kyoko whenever she felt like it. Unlike Tsuna, who starts blushing the moment he lays his eyes upon his crush. The boy had bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep. He was up all night, thinking about what might happen tonight at the upcoming battle for the half Vongola Rings.
Flashback
"A one-on-one battle between those who hold the same type of Ring! After that, it just says to wait for directions." Iemitsu turned his attention to Tsuna, who was shocked out of his mind. "And how long is that going to take, because I have better things to do." Alice said with a bored stare as she yawned lightly.
"Be more aware of the tense atmosphere, Pierce-san…" Tsuna cried a river of tears.
"All you ever do is park yourself in front of the TV-set and stuff your face with junk food, which isn't healthy by the way." Gokudera shot her down with a deadly glare in her direction. "I said I had better things to do. I didn't say I was going to do something that benefits my health, Yes-man." Alice retorted with a goofy grin.
"That's not what I meant, you imbecile-" "What would be your choice, Takeshi? Relaxing in front of the TV, or risking your life in an all-out mafia war." Alice totally ignored Gokudera as she averted her attention to Yamamoto, the baseball nut.
Gokudera suppressed the urge to clobber Alice right then and there as his bangs cast a shadow over his eyes. "On second thought, I'll take option number two…" "In the end, you chose for the stupidest option ever!" Tsuna shook Alice back and forth, wanting for her to see the light.
A faint rustle could be heard, alerting the group to stay on guard. "Sorry to keep you waiting." The Cervello made their entrance, landing perfectly on their feet, their agility matching that of a feline cat.
"During this Ring Conflict, we will be the judges." They said, cutting straight to the case. "Twins?" Alice spoke, mostly to herself. "Who are they?"
"We are the Cervello Organization, who serve directly under the Ninth." The one on the right explained briefly. "During the Ring Conflict, our decisions are that of the Ninth's." Lefty said. "The Ninth believes that this measure will please all members of the Family."
"I'm not pleased." Alice retorted under her breath.
"Oh come on! You're easy to please."
"Hayato… Don't talk about that when we're in the presence of a bloodthirsty crowd." Alice whispered to a shocked looking Gokudera. "Your whole sentence doesn't add up, Babyface!!" He scolded her, his face reddening because of Alice's obscene play of words.
The Cervello were fairy uninterested in the weird display that forms Alice and Gokudera's kinship. "Any objections, Xanxus-sama?" Xanxus merely gave them a stern look, in which Tsuna let out his trademark squeal, earning several odd looks from the Vongola's Assassin Squad.
Even Pezzo gazed at Tsuna as if he recognized his own madness in the boy, earning a smug look in his direction. Freaky… Tsuna gulped as he slapped his hands on his mouth in fear of squealing again. "Thank you very much." The Cervello nodded briefly.
"He didn't even say anything…" Came Alice's response to the situation. "I know." Yamamoto piped in. "Now that's what I call power to the extreme." Ryohei exclaimed. "I know, right?" "You shouldn't be impressed by something like that." Gokudera smacked a good one against the back of Alice's head.
"Why'd you hit only me and not Ryo?!"
"I extremely agree!" Judging by the insulted tone Ryohei carried in his voice, it sounds like the boxer wants to be smacked around. But unlike Alice, he's bound to hit back, doubling the strength behind his punch.
"Bunch of idiots…" Gokudera grumbled under his breath.
"Wait, I have an objection." Iemitsu frowned as he gazed at the Cervello females. "Even I, the external advisor, have never heard of the Cervello Organization. How can I allow you to judge when the future of the Vongola Family is at stake?" It was obvious that Iemitsu didn't trust the Cervello pair.
"We cannot recognize your objection. We serve the Ninth and cannot be commanded by the likes of you." Came their slightly insulting response. "What?" This only seemed to infuriate Iemitsu further. "What a shame." Lussuria smirked. Alice shot him a warning look.
"You'd better not be coming on to the external advisor, or I'll-" "You'll do what, honey?" Alice didn't know what to say. She didn't quite think this through, as always. "Alice, visualize a boxing ring around you, and the rest will follow to the extreme!" "Don't encourage her, Turf top!!" Gokudera held back an overexcited Ryohei while Alice sweat-dropped, forgetting about Lussuria instantly.
"Normally, one set of the Half Vongola Rings are held by the Boss, and the other by the external advisor." The Cervello continued. "And during the announcement of the successor, a completed Ring is given to the chosen seven."
"The chosen eight!" Alice pouted. The Cervello took a glance in Alice's direction. "The one who carries the Ring of Wind on his finger-" "Her!" Alice interrupted. The Cervello showed signs of annoyance as Righty sighed, while Lefty shot Alice the glare of death.
"Don't piss them off, Pierce-san." Tsuna whispered to Alice, barely moving his lips. He very much resembled a shivering lamb with his cautious behavior, while he sees the Varia as the hungry pack of wolfs they are.
"I'm just correcting them, is all. I'm still a girl." Alice held onto the sleeping Lambo, poking the cowboy a few times. "Lambo-san's ticklish…" Lambo giggled in his sleep. "As we were saying…" "The one who carries the Ring of Wind on his/her finger, is considered to be an outsider, just like the external advisor. However, he/she provides the balance and support for the ones chosen to be worthy of wearing the Half Vongola Rings, if necessary."
"Oh, alright then." Alice said once they were done explaining. "You didn't understand a word they just said, huh?" Now it was Alice's turn to turn red in the face. "S-shut up Hayato." "This time has become an exception. The sets of seven chosen by the two of them do not match, and each handed out the Half Rings to whomever they chose." Said Lefty.
"Meaning the seven led by Xanxus-sama, chosen by the Ninth, and the seven led by Tsunayoshi, chosen by the external advisor, Iemitsu." Alice showed signs of rebelling against the Cervello again, not liking the fact that they keep saying the chosen seven as if she wasn't important, when Xanxus practically killed her a thousand times over just by the stare of his death-glare alone.
"Now we'll prove which is more worthy of the Rings by having you bet your lives on them." "W-wha?!" Tsuna exclaimed in total shock. "It's not like we didn't know, Tsunami. No need to be so shocked. Or were you keeping your hopes up?" Alice asked the now shivering Tsuna.
"The thing is… I really was keeping my hopes up."
"The location will be Namimori Middle School, late at night. We will explain the details there." Righty said. "We will be waiting for you at 11 o'clock tomorrow evening." Lefty finished off.
"Farewell!"
Just like they made their entrance, the two of them disappeared from sight.
"H-hold on, that's not…" Tsuna tried to reason with them, but it was no use. Last but not least, Xanxus glared in Tsuna's direction before turning his back on him. The others followed afterwards.
"You guys better get out of here." Alice bared her teeth, waving her fist at the retreating bunch as she said what she had to say with a little more venom than absolutely necessary. "I'm gonna die…" Came Tsuna's words, which had a depressed twist to it, unlike Alice's message.
End Flashback
"I want to run away…" Tsuna groaned as he slammed his face on the wooden surface of his desk. "Tsuna-kun, are you alright?" Kyoko stood before Tsuna's desk. "Hmm… A trip to the infirmary will help to get you back on your feet."
Alice began to pull on Tsuna's shirt, and the boy's reaction was to hold onto his desk, hoping to slow her dragging down. "N-no! I don't want to go! What's the use of going if he won't treat me anyway!" Tsuna protested. "I'll force him into treating you." Alice didn't give up. Not by a long shot.
"Rowdy as always." Hana sighed as she looked away, indicating that she didn't really care. The sound of the bench screeching over the floor could be heard while Alice continued to drag Tsuna towards the exit, along with the desk. "Give me a break, Pierce-san…" Tsuna cried his eyes out.
"Leave the Tenth alone, Babyface. Don't make me blow you up." Gokudera meddled once again for the sake of Tsuna's safety. "We're almost there, Tsunami. I'm looking out for you." Alice continued her torturous pulling, ignoring the threat that is the Smokin' Bomb completely.
"Listen to me!!"
"Alice… When Tsuna says he doesn't want to go, you shouldn't pull him along with you. Let him off the hook, kay?" Yamamoto got involved as well. He couldn't stand seeing Tsuna, one of his closest friends, in this unfortunate position.
"Like that'll work. Nothing will get through-" "Kay. Sorry about the mess Tsunami." Alice said as she let go of Tsuna, much to Gokudera's amazement. "To her…" The grey-haired Italian finished off, his unlit dynamite staves dropping to the floor.
"What the hell?! Why does she listen to you?!"
"It's simple, really. I asked her nicely." Yamamoto explained with his index-finger held in the air. "I don't ask. I order people around! It's much more fun, you should try it sometimes." Gokudera suggested to a rather surprised looking Yamamoto.
At that moment, the bell chimed through the hallways, signalizing lunchtime. "I'm gonna go get sumthin' to eat. You guys want anything?" "I'm fine, thank you." Kyoko declined in a polite manner. "What do you mean, you're gonna get us something? You take the food without their consent, which is the same as stealing."
"Ah Hayato… Poor little kitty. I feel sorry for you, really." Alice messed up Gokudera's hair. "Of course I take it without their consent. It wouldn't be called stealing if I asked, now would it?" "At least show a small amount of shame, you moronic imbecile." Gokudera hissed darkly as he smacked her upside the head, only a little harder this time.
"Stop hitting me! It gets annoying…" Gokudera stumbled on his feet at Alice's stupidity. "It's supposed to hurt, dumbass!" "Whatever." Alice was already at the sliding door, making her leave as she shut the door behind her.
Alice's POV:
I made it to the vending machines without, for once, being ambushed by Kyoya. "Where is he, anyway? I haven't seen him in a while." I wondered out loud as I delivered a solid kick against the vending machine.
"He could be sick or something." With a heavy sigh, I gathered several squashed sandwiches in my arms. As I turned around, I came face to face with, "Hey Tetsuya. How's it hanging?" the Elvis brigade.
Tetsuya crossed his arms over his broad chest, keeping his eyes on me. The boys behind him did the same, throwing me a dirty glare. "I'm sure you're aware of Kyo-san's absence." I nodded. "It is much appreciated that you keep yourself preoccupied with something more useful, other than vandalizing the place, Alice Pierce."
"Pfft! don't worry so much dude! What's the point in destroying school property when Kyoya's not around?"
Tetsuya arched his brow at this. Didn't she just damage a vending machine? Does she even know the meaning of the word vandalism? "Chill, kay? I'll take it easy, I promise." Tetsuya buried his face with his large hand. "I'm begging you. Don't cause any havoc. Not until Kyo-san gets back." He muttered under his breath.
Maybe I am pushing him a little too much. He's the one who works the hardest out of the whole bunch, so I should cut him some slack.
"No problem. Shake on it?" I held out my hand, only for Tetsuya to take a step back. Knowing him, he's going to stay on his guard. "Come on." I pressed on. "Alright then. I'll take your word for it." He caved in. What harm could a handshake do, anyway? As soon as we broke the handshake, one of his underlings let out a loud battle cry as he threw a punch at me.
I managed to intercept his attack, holding onto his wrist as I twisted his arm. "I-it hurts! It hurts!" The guy stammered, clearly in pain. I glanced over at Tetsuya. He nodded his head, his pompadour hairstyle moving about. I released the guy, focusing more on the sandwiches I happened to drop because of him.
"He's new." Tetsuya referred to the idiot. I rolled my eyes. "I can tell." Tetsuya let out a partly suppressed laugh. "If only we weren't enemies. I'd hire you on the spot."
"Wow, wow… You know I don't do that. Me and Kyoya just don't side on the same team." I raised my hands, telling him to stop right there. "I'm not a kiss-ass. That's your job." Tetsuya frowned at this. "No offence!" I piped in, not wanting for him to misunderstand. "I don't want to change my hairdo either. Besides… I already have my own group of delinquents." This piqued Tetsuya's interest.
"And who might that be?" "Let's see… First, there's Tsunami. Then there's Hayato, Takeshi, Ryo and Lambo. Two more are on their way to serve me." I lied. "Did you get all that?" Tetsuya turned to his gang of rebels. Much to my surprise, one of them was actually writing it down.
"Meh." I shrugged, not really caring.
"Stay out of trouble." Tetsuya took his leave, his goons following afterwards. "And Elvis has left the building." I smiled to myself, liking the challenge of keeping the promise I made with Tetsuya. "As soon as Kyoya shows up, I'll be back to being my vandalizing self." I smirked.
**********
My foolish hopes of eating together with Tsunami, Takeshi and Hayato were dashed as soon as I opened the door to the classroom. My lower lip trembled as I stood there with an armload of food. "How could they leave…" My heart broke in two.
"Alice-chan! Over here!" I looked up to see Kyoko waving at me from the back of the class, eating her lunch with Hana in peace. "Sweet!" I said, lighting up despite myself. "Thanks for the invitation, Kyoko." I parked myself next to Hana.
"What took you so long? Got yourself into trouble again?" Hana asked as she eyed the squished sandwiches on the desk. "Something like that." I answered with a smile. Hana simply rolled her eyes at me. "You sure eat a lot." Kyoko stated the obvious. Why does everyone insist on saying that?
"I guess you need the nutrients to train, huh?"
"I already finished my training." I took a bite out of a random sandwich, chewing as if my jaw had been motorized. "You seriously into that stupid sumo competition?" I swallowed slowly, being careful not to choke upon hearing what Hana said.
"Sumo competition?" Kyoko and Hana exchanged glances to one another upon seeing the look of confusion that was written all over my face. "Unless… It's a lie. Your brother lied to us, Kyoko." "He wouldn't lie. Not about something so serious." Sumo competition? What the hell! Stupid Ryo… If you're gonna lie anyway, make up a good one!
"N-no! Ryo didn't lie! I mean, we all decided to enter the sumo competition because of Tsunami." Now I have to lie to Kyoko! "He didn't have the courage to do it alone, you see? So he kind of dragged us all into it. The sumo competition, that is." I'm sooo sorry Tsunami! I'll make it up to you somehow!
"Oh… That sure sounds like him, the loser." I sighed, relieved that Hana bought it. "That's so nice of you guys." "It was my idea to enter together." I commented, getting a big head. Don't go too far Alice. You've got them in the bag, so don't ruin it because of your big ego.
"Are girls even allowed to enter a sumo competition?" "I'm going undercover as a dude." Another lie? I'm on a roll! Hana raised her brow at me. "I really don't understand you, Alice. Why can't you just stick with being a girl? Don't you have anything… Girlish going on in that head of yours?" "Is there any ketchup around?" I asked Kyoko as I eyed my dry sandwich.
"Are you even listening to me?!"
"Yeah… Something about being girly?" I said as I squirted a fair amount of ketchup on my sandwich. "That's what I'm talking about! Girls don't squirt ketchup on their food. At least, not like you do." Hana complained. "B-but… I like ketchup." I pouted instantly.
"I'm not telling you to give it up." Hana focused on her meal, taking an elegant and refined bite. I didn't even know it was possible to eat like that. "It's okay for you to start with small things, like letting your hair down for a change, instead of the usual twin tailed version of it." Kyoko smiled genuinely in my direction.
"I already do that… Sometimes." "You don't even comb your hair properly when you do! Add some glamour to it. Like a hairpin, an elegant hair band or a cute ribbon. Boys will see you as more than a friend if you do. Success guaranteed." Came Hana's advice.
I couldn't help but to fiddle with my thumbs as I looked away, averting my gaze from them as I felt my cheeks burning up at the mention of boys. Success guaranteed, she said. So, maybe… "What's the matter Alice-chan?" "N-nuthin'." I could feel Hana's eyes burning a hole in my skull.
"You have a crush on someone…" I could tell she was smirking at her discovery. "I don't…" "You're burning up. I can smell the bacon already." Nuoooh! My lies don't have any effect! "It's about time you started acting like a girl."
"Who is it?" The ever so curious Kyoko asked.
"Just forget it." I hung my head. It's hopeless anyway.
"Is it Onii-chan?"
"I said forget it!" She's so persistent.
"Tsuna-kun?" I arched my brow at this. "Hell no."
"Then, how about-" It's not Takeshi, and it sure as hell isn't Hayato." My mouth twisted into an irritated smile. "It doesn't matter who it is. We're going to help you out anyway." Hana decided, not even caring what my answer is in her decision.
"Success guaranteed, right?" I asked hesitantly. I don't think I have what it takes to impress Dino. He won't look at me that way. "It's just… He's older than me." This seemed to pique Hana's interest even more. "How much older?" I took another bite of my sandwich, a lot less motivated to finish it now. As I chewed ever so slowly, Kyoko and Hana inched closer to me.
"About seven years…" I muttered under my breath.
"He's twenty two?!" Hana's a good listener. Damn those ears. "Like I said, just forget about it-" "Forget about it? Are you crazy?! I'm looking forward to meddle help you out, now that I know you're going after an adult! I thought you had a crush on one of the little brats in school! I can't stand those bloody kids. No, no! This changes everything!" She ranted on and on, making me inch away from her a little.
I gazed lazily at Kyoko, who got her arms propped up on the desk, her small hands supporting her chin as she smiled. "Isn't it great? I'm sure you'll be able to surprise Dino-san, no matter what." Whoosh went my face, faster than a Formula One car. Struggling to look as if I didn't hear her say Dino's name, I raised my eyebrows and said, "Y-yeah…" How embarrassing!
Kyoko chuckled at my behavior, knowing that she hit the nail on the head. This wouldn't have happened if the guys were here!
Third POV:
Ami knocked on Alice's bedroom door before she entered, finding a frustrated teenager glued in front of a mirror, trying to remodel her hair as she pouted playfully. Ami smiled to herself. "Doubting your looks, are we?" The woman said, making Alice jump up in shock. She smiled, a little nervous.
"J-just a little." Alice replied shyly. "I'm trying out some stuff, is all." "And that's why you took all my cosmetics?" Ami continued to interrogate her as she accompanied Alice on the bed. "I dunno how to use it, though." She stuck out her tongue in a childish matter.
"Silly girl." Ami wrapped her arms around Alice in a protective embrace. "You're growing up so fast." "Am not. It's not a big deal." Alice pouted while looking away. "I'm guessing you didn't just barge in my room to tell me that, huh?" Ami concentrated all her attention on Alice.
"Looks like one of your classmates dropped by to see you. He's standing in the hall, waiting for you. He was talking about a date?" Alice cast her eyes on the clock. "It's eleven o'clock?! I'm running late!" Alice panicked as she jumped off her bed, clumsily running towards the door.
"Honey, you still have-" "There's no time! I'll be back as soon as I can!" She slammed the door shut as her heavy footsteps drummed down the stairs. "Time… Gosh, I knew I should have fixed her clock when I had the time." Ami sighed.
"Hey Alice." Yamamoto grinned once he saw her coming down the stairs. Alice grew surprised upon seeing him standing there with that silly grin on his face. "Hey Take-shit!" Currently distracted, she lost her footing and crashed down the stairs in a painful manner. Yamamoto arched his brow playfully as his lips curled into an amusing smile.
"God-dammed stairs!" She cursed, completely outraged as she blamed her fall entirely on the wooden object. "You okay?" Yamamoto smiled down at her as he squats down to her level. "I've never been better." Yamamoto laughed, his chocolate brown orbs lighting up.
"I bet."
**********
"Why am I doing this again?" Alice eyed her classmate curiously. "You kept me waiting," Yamamoto said, "standing in the hallway like an idiot." He gestured briskly. "This is me, getting my own back." "By making me stand in a batting cage? You actually think that's a good punishment?" Alice half smiled.
After Alice figured out that they had two hours to spare, Yamamoto offered to pay a quick visit to the batting cages. "Hey, I'm a nice guy. What'd you expect?" You're too nice for your own good. Alice thought, keeping her eyes on Yamamoto who stood behind the fence.
"Don't worry. You'll do fine." He flashed a bright smile in her direction. "This is so stupid…" Alice muttered to herself, facing the pitching machine with a nasty glare. "I'm telling you, this isn't going to end well. I'm not exactly fond of machines. Plus, I suck at baseball."
"Just try it out. You'll love it." Alice sighed upon hearing Yamamoto's encouraging words. He's really determined to let me try it out. Oh well, here goes nothing. Alice stood in position, holding the bat steady. The pitching machine spit out the first ball. Alice swung the bat blindly in the air, not even looking at the ball properly.
"Stupid machine…" She grumbled, this time, blaming the machine for her unfortunate miss. Yamamoto raised his brow at this. She wasn't kidding... She really sucks. Yamamoto allowed for her to try again before giving her any tips, in which she missed the ball by 40 centimeters.
Yamamoto looked horrified. He has never seen anyone suck this badly. Even Tsuna's swings looks better than hers!
"Alice! Keep your eyes on the ball! Don't look away!" He couldn't bear to see her struggle like this. "Keep my eyes on the ball?" Alice arched her brow. Apparently, she thought she did just that. "Also, swing when the ball comes near your hand!"
"I got it."
She braced herself for the ball. As she swung the bat, a faint clink sound could be heard, surprising Alice. "What do you know… That's the first time I hit the ball, other than using the bat to hit people. Let's call it quits and celebrate." she stated half jokingly, half serious.
"You're just warming up. Keep concentrating on the ball until contact, then tighten your back, and swing!" "But I'm bored…" "Don't tell me you're satisfied with just a faint hit!! You can do better than that!!" Alice backed away from the ever so passionate Yamamoto. Something tells me this is only the beginning. Alice gulped.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"We're friends, aren't we? I mean, I know we haven't known each other for too long, but I like to think we're friends."
"Takeshi, stop babbling and get it over with."
"Right, well, if I asked you a question …a theoretical question. Would you answer truthfully?"
"Of course! I wouldn't lie to you."
"So I can trust you?"
"You can trust me. Now hurry up and ask already!"
Yamamoto sighed as he ran his fingers through his raven-black hair. "What if… I told you I liked you." Alice halted to a stop a little ways ahead of Yamamoto, her back turned to him. "And I don't mean like friends like each other. It's a different kind of like." Alice gazed at him, her crystal blue orbs sending chills down his spine.
"Alice, I really like you." Yamamoto repeated.
This uncomfortable conversation took place as the pair was walking down the street in the afternoon, away from the batting cages, where they'd had a blast for the past hour or so. Yamamoto has been there plenty of times before, but it wasn't until he watched Alice's failed attempts at hitting the ball, and eventually using the bat to destroy the troublesome pitching machine, he became fully aware of his feelings for her.
His fingers brushing against hers as she passed him a carton of milk, placing his hand on hers by accident, only now noticing how small and vulnerable she looked beside him.
She's not very tall. Her eyes are a beautiful color of crystal blue. The way her lips push out whenever she's displeased, it's just so adorable. But he just can't bear to tell her that face to face. Yamamoto found himself idly wondering if he should ask if she feels something too. He wants to find out, no matter what her answer would be.
But now, seeing her look at him with no reaction at all, he wished he didn't. If she at least shouted at the boy, or insulted him, Yamamoto wouldn't feel so bad for asking her in the first place. "Don't look at me like that." Yamamoto broke the silence.
"I said in theory, so don't pay much attention to the question-" "We're going to be late…" Alice interrupted him as she looked away. "Let's get a move on." Yamamoto watched her walk away, increasing the distance between them. He stuffed his hand into his pocket, slapping himself in the face with the other.
"I shouldn't have asked."
**********
"You guys made it! I was worried to the extreme!" Ryohei yelled upon seeing Alice and Yamamoto arrive at the scene. "Sorry we're late." Yamamoto scratched the back of his head as Alice crossed her arms over her chest, grumbling something under her breath. Gokudera and Tsuna exchanged a look of confusion and worry to one another.
"What's the matter with you blockheads?!" Gokudera spat at them. Yamamoto glanced over at Alice, only for her to look away. Yamamoto sighed. "It's just a misunderstanding, really." He explained to the glaring Gokudera.
"Oh, right…" Tsuna laughed, not wanting to meddle in their affairs much.
"You're not getting away that easily. Give me a more detailed explanation, baseball idiot!!" But Gokudera is a different story altogether. "Leave him alone. He doesn't have to explain anything to the likes of you!" Alice held onto Gokudera's collar, her crystal blue orbs fixated on Gokudera's grey ones.
"Thanks Alice." Yamamoto's facial expression softened. "Who said I was doing this for you?! I just hate to hear this guy's nagging voice!" "I don't nag!!" Gokudera plastered his forehead against hers, his grey orbs flashing up in flames.
"Fighting amongst themselves again? How troublesome, ne Squ?" A familiar bubbly voice reached their ears. "Troublesome? I'll save them the trouble by cutting them down myself!!" Squalo roared as the Varia crew assembled before Tsuna and the others.
"Keep your nose out of it, you lazy-assed Hippie!!" Alice was furious at this point, planning on stomping her way up to Squalo when Gokudera held her back. "Let go of me!! I'll kick his sorry ass!!" She kicked and screamed in Gokudera's hold.
"I need a little help here!" He groaned, barely succeeding in holding her back. Once Ryohei gave him a helping hand, they managed to overpower the raging American.
"She's pretty upset." Reborn said once he placed himself on Yamamoto's shoulder. "Like we don't know that, Reborn…" Tsuna sweat-dropped. But still, I've never seen her this mad before. Was it something Yamamoto said? Did he insult her in any way? "That can't be it. Yamamoto's a nice guy." Tsuna concluded.
"Lambo-san's hungry…" Lambo complained in Tsuna's arms. And as always, this guy doesn't have a clue as to what's going on. "After an official conference, the battle order for tonight's Ring Conflict has been decided." The Cervello announced.
"The first battle will be between the Guardians of Sun." "The Sun Guardian? That means…" Tsuna gazed upon the frowning Ryohei. Alice finally calmed down after hearing the announcement. She gazed at Ryohei, feeling a surge of worry run through her very being. What if he injures himself out there. What if he doesn't pull through for the team? What if he gets kill- "It'll be okay, Alice. Don't look at me with such a saddened expression to the extreme." Evidently capable of reading her thoughts, or more likely the panicky God-what-if-he-actually-dies look in her eyes. She simply nodded, still with that same expression gracing her face.
"Make sure you waste him, kay?" She held out her ringed fist. Ryohei tapped his fist with hers, reassuring her of the matter without a word. "So my opponent is that boy. This will be fun." Lussuria smirked, scanning Ryohei from top to bottom. "So that's him." Ryohei took a step forward, also checking out his opponent for the day.
"We will now begin the Ring Conflict over the position of successor." Lefty said. "Please look over there." Righty finished off as she pointed at her right. A boxing ring of some sorts, surrounded with by means of a metal cage could be seen as Tsuna's eyes widened in complete shock. "What is that contraption?!" He said.
"A special ring that we prepared for the Guardians of Sun." Lefty responded. "This time, we have made a ring that benefits the specialties of the Guardians of Sun. Likewise; we will be setting up a unique combat area for each battle." Righty followed with the explanation.
"You think you can handle it, senpai?" Yamamoto asked the boxer, in which he smirked. "I feel right at home in the ring to the extreme!!" "The battle is really about to start. I can't help but to feel nervous." Tsuna's teeth clattered in fear.
"Is the Boss here yet? It's my glorious moment on the stage!" Lussuria complained as he took a look around, searching for his beloved Boss. "There's no way that man would be interested in another's fight. Hell, if I knew I wasn't the one to fight tonight, I wouldn't be here." Squalo grunted, growing utterly disgusted at the sight of seeing Lussuria so exited.
"Now, Guardians of Sun, please come to the center of the ring." The Cervello alerted both groups.
"I'm gonna go play! Wish me luck!" Lussuria blew his teammates a kiss, in which Levi, Squalo and Belphegor each held a look of disgust on their faces.
"Just hurry up and finish him!!" Squalo scolded his teammate, about to skewer him for his show of affection. "Buh-bye darlings!"
"I'm going. Leave it to me!" Ryohei bursted with confidence, pumping his fist in the air. "Good luck Ryo. Don't get hurt." "Onii-san…" "Wouldn't this be the perfect time to form a circle or something?" Yamamoto suggested.
"THAT'S GREAT!" Ryohei roared, his grey eyes lighting up in all the excitement. "I've always wanted to do that, especially since boxing is an individual sport!" "Are you kidding me?! I'm not going to do anything so lame!!" Gokudera was clearly against it. "Come on. It'll be fun." Yamamoto smiled. "Sounds like a plan." Tsuna scratched his cheek, growing a little embarrassed.
"W-well, if the Tenth is okay with it, I guess I am…" Gokudera switched sides in a heartbeat. As the four boys prepared themselves for a group huddle, Tsuna noticed Alice moping about. "Pierce-san, there's still room for one more." Alice eyed the group of boys, her comrades, her friends, her Ring Buddies.
Yamamoto made eye contact with her, refusing to look away. "It won't feel right without you." Yamamoto smiled, though there was a note of tension in his voice. He didn't want to pressure her into joining. She has to decide for herself. "I don't feel like it." Alice spoke without emotion.
"Stop being such a baby and join us! If something happened between you two blockheads," Alice flinched and stuffed her fingers in her ears. Sadly, it didn't block out what Gokudera was now saying. "I wouldn't care less, but this isn't about the two of you. This is about us!" When Gokudera saw that she didn't make a move, he held onto her arm and dragged her along to the others.
"Let go of me." Alice protested silently. She stood in-between Tsuna and Ryohei, rubbing her arm as she looked down. Even though she felt humiliated by Gokudera's actions, secretly, she also felt relieved and somewhat overjoyed at the same time.
"Ryohei!! Fight!!" Just like that, the teenagers broke the huddle as Ryohei made his way to the ring, his opponent waiting for his arrival. The metal cage was raised ever so slowly. Ryohei and Lussuria made their way in the ring, facing each other.
"There is no mistake. We have confirmed that these are the real Half Vongola Rings." Lefty said. "As a rule, the Rings will be hung from your necks." Righty finished off. "The successors of the Wind Ring, take your rightful place on the battlefield."
"What?!" Alice questioned the Cervello.
"What's going on here? What do you need Babyface for?!" Gokudera complained instantly. "Why the confused faces? Didn't they explain the purpose of the Wind Representatives in this mafia conflict? Alice provides the balance and support for the ones chosen to be worthy of wearing the Half Vongola Rings." Reborn piped in as he readjusted his black hat.
"What does that mean, Reborn? I still don't understand!"
"Alice has to stand in the battlefield, in case the Guardian in battle needs her help. She supports the Guardians, remember? Her strength will be tested on a regular basis, which is why her role in all this is very important." "I repeat, the successors of the Wind Ring, take your rightful place on the battlefield." The Cervello pressed on.
"Give her some time to think clearly and stop pushing her!" Gokudera spat at them. In the meantime, Pezzo was led into the large cage that served as a part of the ring with Belphegor by his side. "This is as far as I can go… Make sure you shred them to pieces." The blonde removed Pezzo's collar, leaving him to chew continuously on the collar of his straightjacket.
The Cervello placed their eyes on the silent American. "If you do not participate, the Guardian who is currently in battle will be stripped from his Half Vongola Ring, and his opponent will automatically be declared as the winner." Alice could feel everyone's eyes on her. The pressure was unbearable.
"I still don't understand. Why does she have to stand there for?! That's ludicrous!! It's dangerous in there!" Tsuna panicked. "Tsuna!" The boy gazed at Reborn, his eyes wide in fear. "You might think you're protecting the Wind Representative, but in truth, you're cutting her down with your foolish words."
Alice clenched her hands into fists as she closed her eyes. She exhaled the breath of air she was holding the entire time. She was as steady as a rock. She stood tall as a tree. She was unmovable like a mountain.
"Have faith in her, Tsuna. She's ready for this." Alice opened her eyes. She gazed upon her friends and gave them a slight nod. "I'm off." Just like that, she made her way towards the ring, not knowing if she'll make it out in one piece.
"Alice!"
She turned her head to come face to face with Yamamoto. The boy who sits next to her in class. We're not just friends. We're more than that… Alice thought as she looked into his chocolate brown orbs. I treasure you deeply, and that's exactly the reason why I can't afford to hurt you…
"About today…" Yamamoto began to say, a little hesitant at first.
"I had lots of fun."
Alice grew surprised, to say the least. She was sure he would say something about the awkward conversation they had. But he didn't. It was like he knew what she was feeling. What she wanted to avoid at all costs. Just like I thought. He's waaaay too nice for my own good. Despite of that, Alice found the courage to smile, her eyes sparking in her amusement.
"The same goes for me." She said.
Yamamoto smiled back. She happened to miss the glimmer of hope shining in his eyes as she turned her back on him. "Please hand over the Ring of Wind." Alice felt insulted. She wasn't at all prepared to part with her beloved sparkling accessory.
"W-what do you mean, hand it over?" She inched away from Righty. "Just give us a moment alone." The stubborn American muttered under her breath as she turned around, holding the sparkling object in the palm of her hand. "She's really grown attached to her Ring." Tsuna said.
"Unlike someone I know…"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Reborn?! These Rings will be the death of us! It's only natural to dislike them!" Tsuna protested.
"H-here… Take good care of it. Don't you dare give it to the freak!" Alice handed it over, earning a raised brow coming from Righty. "That will be decided in the near future. Until then, we, the Cervello will be holding onto it." "The freak doesn't even know left from right! He's going to drool all over it…" She pouted as she turned away, looking at Pezzo, who was preoccupied with shredding holes in his straightjacket with his teeth.
"Crazy bastard... Like I'll let you touch the Ring that is destined for my finger." "She's back to her swearing self." Yamamoto laughed, in which Gokudera and Tsuna slapped themselves in the face at the same time. "More like she's back to her stupid self." Gokudera finished off.
"The Wind Representatives have to stand on the sidelines, until their fellow Guardians call for them." Lefty explained. "In other words, if you step into the ring without the Guardian's consent, you will be disqualified on the spot, thus losing the advantage of turning the tide in battle." Righty concluded.
"So, basically… Ryo needs to call my name, and then I jump in?"
"Is your brain working slower than usual today, Babyface?! Just hurry up and start the fight already!!" Gokudera exploded. He couldn't handle anymore of this lollygagging about. "Don't worry, Hayato. I've got this." Alice raised her thumb with her back turned to the grey-haired Italian, turning her head a little as she showed off her sparkling teeth.
What the hell is up with that pose?! Tsuna screamed in his mind.
"That's it… I don't know her. I definitely don't know her. I've never met her." Gokudera crossed his arms over his chest, nodding his head as if agreeing with himself. Gokudera-kun… You can't deny her existence like that!! We're in this mess together!! If I know her, then you do too!!
Ryohei cast away his red jogging vest over his shoulder, forgetting all about Alice who stood behind the ring's ropes. "Sorry about that!" The boxer apologized as Alice struggled to remove the red vest from her face.
"I'm fine. Keep your eyes on your opponent, Ryo." She said, a little flustered at the moment as she cast aside the vest in a proper manner. "Hmm…" He nodded his head briefly.
"Oh dear!" Lussuria piped in, taking Alice and Ryohei by surprise. "From up close, your body looks mighty fine! You're like, totally my type!" The queer clasped his hands together as he practically drooled all over Ryohei. "What did you say?!" Lussuria closed in on Ryohei even more, blowing him a kiss.
"It's decided. I'm -so- taking you home!"
"I don't get what you're saying at all!"
"KICK HIS ASS RYO!!" Alice's eyes flashed dangerously for a split second as she glared daggers at Lussuria. "BEAT HIM UP UNTIL THERE'S NUTHIN' LEFT!!" "She's taking it rather seriously yet again…" Tsuna sweat-dropped.
"At least one of them is." Gokudera commented with a sigh to follow.
"Leave it to me." Ryohei raised his fists, keeping them steady as he got into a boxing stance. "That pose must be for boxing. Not very trendy, I must say." Alice was fuming in Ryohei's place, having heard everything Lussuria said. It took her everything she got to keep herself from entering the ring, gritting her teeth and all.
"I, Lussuria, will play with you using the ultimate standing fighting style, Muay Thai. Compared to the beauty of my Muay Thai, boxing is nothing more than a game." Lussuria discarded his feathered coat, standing in a typical Muay Thai pose.
"The Sun Ring, Lussuria vs. Sasagawa Ryohei, battle start!"
An unexpected flash of several light bulbs blinded Ryohei and Alice, ridding them from their sight. Pezzo hardly reacted to the bright light, resuming his little chewing game of ripping his straightjacket to pieces.
"The ring is shining!" Tsuna exclaimed, finding it hard to open his eyes. "This ring was created for the Guardians of Sun. It is a solar coliseum created by a faux sun." The Cervello explained as Reborn shared his sunglasses with Tsuna and the others.
Alice's POV:
I could feel the brightness of the light burning on my skin. My eyes remained sealed shut, as it revealed to be impossible to take a quick peek at the scene before me. The sickening sound of a solid hit reached my ears, followed by a loud cry that sounds all too familiar.
"Ryo! Damn! I can't see a thing!"
After hearing Tsunami's turned down request of handing Ryo a pair of sunglasses, (in which he forgot about me entirely) I came to realize I can only count on myself at this point. "This feeling… You have a better body than I thought. You're even more my type now." I could practically feel his eyes on Ryo, checking him out with a sickening smirk on his lips, no doubt.
I could hear Ryo wasting his energy, thrusting his fists in the open space around him. "Where are you!?" He yelled out in his agitated state. "Over here!" By the sound of it, Lussuria's fist made a direct impact against Ryo's face. Ryo stumbled on his feet, holding his fists up properly to protect his face, only to receive another powerful blow in the gut by means of a knee strike.
"GAAAH!!" Ryo cried out, clearly suffering from the direct hit his body received. "I'm not done yet, sweetheart." Lussuria said, as if warning Ryo for what is yet to come. Twisting his hips as he swung his leg in Ryo's direction, Lussuria performed a perfect roundhouse kick.
His shin collided against Ryo's ribs with a bone crushing sound to follow. There was no doubt in my mind after hearing the sickening crush of bones… He broke his ribs.
"What the hell are you doing Babyface?!! Do something!! He can't possibly fight back in his condition!!" Hayato yelled out to me, bringing me back to reality. "And what the hell do you want me to do?!! I can't interfere in his fight unless…" I stopped instantly, hearing Ryo struggle against Lussuria.
"Ryo!! Don't push yourself!! Allow for me to help you out!!" I could hear Ryo getting up on his feet, despite the excruciating pain present from his broken ribs. "Sorry Alice." He panted. "I can't allow a girl in the ring. It's too dangerous." He wiped the dirt from his cheek, keeping his eyes closed.
"I knew you'd say that…" I muttered under my breath. This ain't the time to be all macho, Ryo! I yelled in my head. Like it's okay for him to receive a beating and not me, just cause I'm a girl. "Have it your way! I won't enter the ring. I'll leave him up to you." I concluded.
"Just let me be your eyes, that's all I'm asking." I felt Ryo smirk at my words, feeling the adrenaline pumping through his veins. "In that case, I have no complaints! Alice, the Wind Representative!!" The Cervello glanced at each other before confirming Alice's involvement in the fight with a slight nod.
I'll show everyone what I'm capable of, even if I'm standing outside the ring.
Flashback
Alice found herself sitting Indian style on the earthy surface. Her eyes covered by means of a blindfold, she yawned ever so lazily, clearly not enjoying this exercise. A faint rustling sound could be heard. Something emerged from the bushes in a flash, followed with a loud ouch as Alice crashed face-down on the earthy floor.
"What was that for?! You trying to kill me?!" Alice recovered from the blow, removing the blindfold to come face to face with Fon, her crystal blue eyes all teary from the pain. It seems that Fon was the one who emerged from the bushes, afterwards slamming her face in the dirt after seeing the lack of perception and awareness she displayed.
"If I were an enemy, you would be dead. So no back talking and take this exercise seriously." Fon retorted, not at all impressed. "But you're not my enemy, so what's the difference." She shrugged. Again, Alice was struck down with a kick in her face, sending her flying against the trunk of a tree.
"Oww…" She muttered out as she gazed at her Master from afar. Fon took a moment to gather his breath. "I thought I said no backtalk." He said, waiting patiently for Alice to get up on her feet. "I know you said that, but I just don't see the point in covering up my eyes when I need them to see." Alice dusted off her jeans.
"What if you found yourself surrounded by the enemy, and your sight has been compromised. What do you do?" Alice sat back down again, thinking the question through. She tilted her head to the side, pouting as she couldn't find the answer. "Of course!" She slammed her fist into her open palm upon finding the answer.
"I just whip out my ultimate kung-fu moves on them, pounding them with my awesomeness!" Alice showed off her nice footwork, Jeet Kun Do style, with her lips puckered out. Fon sighed.
"Sit back down before you hurt yourself." Alice did what she was told. "In case you lose your eyes," Alice stuck out her tongue in a disgusted manner, visualizing herself with no eyes. Fon sighed again. He seemed to do that a lot around Alice. "You focus on your ears. Let your ears serve as a replacement for your eyes."
"Much like a blind dude does?"
"Like a blind dude…" Fon rolled his eyes.
"Yes. Much like a blind person has to focus on his hearing, smell, touch and taste." "Sooo… You want for me to go blind?" You will be if you keep asking pointless questions. As troubled as Fon was with Alice, he refused to let his frustration show on the surface and kept it hidden.
"When one of your senses has been nullified, you have no choice to focus on another. The result; your senses will be enhanced, in which you will be more prepared for anything that might come your way." The baby explained, hoping that Alice would get it this time around.
"The battlefield is unpredictable. Anything can happen. I just want for you to be prepared," Fon suggested helpfully, "so I hope you will use your common sense, rather than switch your brains to kicking ass mode all the time." Alice nodded her head, having turned serious all of a sudden. "Right… I get it." Alice positioned herself on the ground, resuming her sitting exercise.
"So, this'll give me super senses, right?" She tilted the blindfold upwards a little, her right eye peeking from under it. Fon nodded briefly. "I'll be testing your patience yet again, my pupil."
End Flashback
"Here I come, boy!" Lussuria charged in, determined to finish this match and to take the Sun Ring for his own. Ryohei remained calm and relaxed, ignoring his aching ribs as he placed his trust on Alice. "Sidestep to the right!!" She yelled out, trusting her highly advanced hearing.
Ryohei sidestepped to the left in a fluent motion, dodging Lussuria's fist by a mere inch, feeling it swish past his face. Lussuria grew surprised upon seeing Ryohei actually dodge his attack. "His defenses are down! Nail him, Ryo!"
"Got it!"
Ryohei used his left fist to deliver a bone crushing uppercut, sending Lussuria flying. "He's actually doing it!" Tsuna exclaimed in a fit of happiness. "Way to go Turf Top!!" Gokudera cheered. "They're not out of the woods yet. Lussuria is just warming up, it seems." Reborn retorted, in which Yamamoto frowned, seeming to agree with the baby.
The Varia Sun Guardian landed perfectly on his feet. Alice was sweating bullets, but she didn't allow for it to disturb her focus. She could actually hear Lussuria smirk, which put her more on edge.
"Looks like I shouldn't underestimate your skills, Wind Representative." Lussuria said ever so sweetly. He wiped the dirt off his chin, looking forward for the next round. "He was just testing her. And now that he knows what Alice is capable of, he's more pumped up than before." Reborn readjusted his sunglasses.
"Is that bad, or good?" Tsuna reverted back into worry mode. "Who knows… But Alice better step up soon or this match will be decided before we know it." "You okay, Ryo?" Alice asked the boxer, clearly hearing his ragged breathing.
"It's the heat." He panted, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. He's gonna dry out on me… Hell if I can help it! She thought, taking her supporting role as the Wind Representative seriously.
"You don't look too well, darling. My body is different from yours. It can stand this heat." Lussuria stated matter-of-factly. "Ryo… Do you trust me with your life?" "Of course I do. I thought I already placed my extreme life in your hands." Ryohei chimed in; mere seconds after Alice asked her question.
"Good. I'll need you to trust me a little more, cuz you ain't gonna wanna trust me after this." Ryohei smirked despite the heat. "Hmm? You planning something for me? I feel so special!" Lussuria squealed in utter joy. "I think I'm gonna be sick." Gokudera turned pale. Yamamoto laughed, despite the serious tension hanging in the night air. "You always get sick!" He retorted, earning a low growl coming from Gokudera's direction.
"I just hope Pierce-san knows what she's doing."
"It'll be alright. Her little pep talk with Ryohei is a clear sign she's thinking it through." Tsuna eyed the American with a look of worry gracing his face. "I sure hope so."
A drop of sweat slid down Alice's cheek. Her tongue was plastered against the palate of her desert-dry mouth. Lussuria didn't show any signs of dehydration. Instead, he showed off his speedy footwork, preparing himself for another physical assault. He began his sprint for power, in which Ryohei grew alarmed at the clear sound of him running towards him.
"You're done for, boy!" Lussuria threw a straight punch in Ryohei's direction, determined not to let him dodge this one. His fist connected with Ryohei's face, sending him flying across the ring. "Shit! What the hell is all that about?!" Gokudera clenched his teeth. Reborn's beady eyes sparkled for a split second.
"It's not over yet."
Sure enough, as soon as they placed their hopeful eyes on the ring, a fearless Alice slid onto the battlefield amongst all the action. Ryohei crashed against the hot ropes surrounding the ring, letting out a devastating roar. Despite having the ability not to see, Alice let out a loud battle cry accompanied with Ryohei's protesting roar as she lashed out with her right foot, hitting Lussuria where the sun doesn't shine.
Lussuria hunched over, trying his best to bear the excruciating pains in his lower region, (even though he's wearing a protective cup) hearing Squalo swear under his breath as the others shrunk back, feeling his pain like no other. Even Pezzo widened his eyes at the scene before him.
As for Tsuna, he was at a loss for words. Yamamoto couldn't help but to wince at Alice's performance. "I pity him. I really do." And Gokudera, the American-hater, felt like a proud Father seeing her daughter off at her first day of school.
"She kicked him in the… in the… Only an American can pull that off!! Now I know she has no shame whatsoever!!" But that doesn't mean he'll back her up, seeing that Tsuna struggled to say something, eventually falling into a profound silence.
I should say something… But what do you dare say when a (female no less) classmate kicks an enemy… It's impossible to say something! Tsuna thought to himself.
Just as Lussuria grew accustomed to the pain, a solid kick send him flying upwards, the knife-like pain ripping through his targeted stomach, shattering the lights along the way. Lussuria crashed down with a thundering thud to follow.
The floor was filled with shattered glass. "If you mess with Ryo, you mess with me." Alice opened her eyes, looking down at her burned foe. His skin was cracked and red, his entire body was one mass of swollen weeping wounds.
Ryohei wasn't in such a good shape either. He crashed down on his knees, feeling the patterns of the ropes on his back burn through his skin. Alice was the one who stood victorious, seeming to challenge the Varia with an evil smirk twisting on her lips. Belphegor grew amused, growing exited for his own match. Squalo glared at Alice, growing absolutely annoyed at the blonde.
"She's dead meat." He growled. "Keh…" Mammon piped in. "First, she manages to swipe the fake rings from under your nose, afterwards beating Levi's Lightning Strike Squad, and now this." He smirked.
"Looks like she piqued your interest, Squalo." Squalo send the baby a death glare for mentioning his mistake. Levi merely fixated his gaze on Alice who flipped them off as if it were nothing.
"She got the picture." Reborn said with a grin to follow. "What picture?! She just cheated!" "This is a battle where you might lose your life, so why play according to the rules? Besides, the Cervello don't disagree with her method of fighting, Tsuna. So I would hardly call it cheating." "You always have a way to turn the situation into something positive, don't you…" Tsuna sighed, letting it drop.
"You okay?" Alice turned to the wounded Ryohei. "Yeah… I'll be alright. Don't mind me." "I seriously didn't know the ropes were heated with an electrical metal wire. Lucky I slid under it, huh?" Seeing Alice joke about his misfortune made Ryohei chuckle.
"No hard feelings?"
"No hard feelings to the extreme."
Looking past the relaxed Alice, he spotted a trace of movement. The phoenix has risen from its ashes. There was no trace of his playfulness. It melted away like snow before the sun, making Lussuria look more like a menacing nuclear bomb about to blow up on the two of them. But especially… "That was a nice hit." His eyes were plastered on Alice, not even taking a glance at Ryohei.
"But I'm afraid the fun is over. I will enjoy putting you through the wringer, my girl." "He's snapped." Belphegor said, followed with his trademark hissing. "VOOOII!! You'd better kill her off, Lussuria!!" Squalo swung his blade upwards, growing tempted to enter the ring himself, just to wipe the smirk off of Alice's face. Well, more like cut it off, seeing that this is Squalo we're talking about.
But right now, she's not smirking. She got into a fighting pose, ready to take on everything he throws at her. "I'll be taking the Ring after this!!" Lussuria ran towards a frowning Alice who was too stubborn to move. "MAXIMUM CANNON!!" Ryohei came to the rescue, releasing all the energy in his cells into one punch, his right fist glowing as it connected with Lussuria's jaw line.
Lussuria was blown away into the ropes, the heat radiating from the ropes frying him to cause even more damage. Lussuria cried out as the excruciating pain overwhelmed him completely. "He did it!!" Tsuna shouted his lungs out. "Nice goin' Turf Top!!"
"The match is over." Mammon stated the obvious.
"Nice punch." Alice acknowledged Ryohei's overpowering strength with a slight nod. He nodded back with a grin to follow; still somewhat exhausted as his burning ribs reminded him to take it easy. "Nice kick." Lussuria struggled to get back on his feet, his sweat seeming to evaporate into thin air because of the heat.
"That was a good fight." Ryohei turned to Lussuria. "Now, hand over the Ring." He held out his hand. "No. No! I'm Varia! I'm not defeated yet!" Alice eyed the Varia Sun Guardian in disgust. "What the hell is up with you!? It's only fair that you hand over the Ring! Hurry up and fork it over!" "N-no! I can still fight!" He got up on his feet, forcing his body to work past the limit.
"Pezzo!! I call forth Pezzo!! The fight is still on!!" Lussuria turned to the silent creature behind the ropes. Alice felt sorry for the man before her, and even more sorrier still for herself upon realizing what she felt.
"It's okay with me. If he wants to roll, I'm in." Alice fixated her gaze on Pezzo, telling herself not to look away. "That's right. I can still go on!" Lussuria looked pathetic, to say the least. The desperate tone in his voice didn't improve his image at all.
"H-hey. Calm down. Just take it easy." Alice told him.
"Hey you! Come over here and-HE'S NOT EVEN LOOKING AT ME!!" The blonde roared upon seeing Pezzo becoming engrossed in studying his tattered straightjacket, which he discarded a long time ago. "Hurry up and lets fight!" Lussuria panicked.
"Why are you so nervous?" "Hurry!!" A heavy blow in the back rendered him into a bloody mess, knocking him unconscious before a shocked looking Ryohei and Alice. "You're a fine aide to the Boss, Gola." Mammon smirked. The large humanoid robotic suit's hand hissed as it emitted smoke from his fingertips.
"He shot…" Tsuna said in disbelief. "What's going on here?" Yamamoto asked, his eyed wide. "Kill the weak." Reborn explained. "It's a policy of the Varia, so that they remain strong. Lussuria knew his life was forfeit if he lost the Ring." "Killing their members… Is a policy?!" Tsuna was frozen to the spot. He found it hard to believe his very own eyes, but the damage dealt to their own teammate spoke volumes of what kind of people they truly are.
"They're not human."
"Hang in there!" Ryohei yelled out. Alice's bangs covered her eyes as she stood there, her arms hanging loosely beside her as if she lacked the strength and firmness to keep them steady. "Please stay back." Lefty intervened as Righty examined the victim. Alice walked forward in a zombie-like trance. Ryohei gazed at her, not knowing what she's up to.
"What the hell was all that about?!! Hitting a fellow companion in the back?!! How low can you get?!!" She yelled at the Varia, completely ignoring Squalo's murderous glare. How can she say that after she delivered a low blow herself!! Tsuna screamed in his mind. She's going to make things even worse than it already is! "This is bad. She's losing it." Yamamoto noticed
Alice clenching her hands into fists as she stepped forward. Suddenly, a faint blur and a clean cut later, Alice held onto her arm as she yelled out in pain. Blood was oozing from the wound on her upper arm, her eyes darting from side to side, searching for the perpetrator who was held responsible.
"You okay, Alice?!" "I'm fine!" She spat out, not meaning to be rude to Ryohei. Compared to his wounds, Alice's clean cut was nothing. "It was you, wasn't it?" She placed her eyes on Pezzo. He just sat there, gazing back at her.
"You gotta have something better up your sleeve if you want to obtain my Wind Ring, nutcase." Alice glared at him. As if taking on her challenge, Pezzo placed his hands on the heated ropes of the ring, allowing for the shockwaves to run through his body. At the sight of seeing Pezzo voluntarily placing himself in danger, Alice stepped back in disbelief. The light was blinding her eyes temporarily, until Pezzo cut the ropes to pieces, rendering the electric current useless.
"He's okay… How can that be?!" Tsuna piped in. "Beats me… If that's Baby-face's opponent, she's in a lot of trouble, especially when she has to face him in every match." Gokudera said in awe of Pezzo's freakish display in strength and speed.
"He's someone to look out for, no doubt." The baby finished off.
"We have determined that Lussuria is no longer able to continue the fight." Righty announced. "Therefore, Sasagawa Ryohei is declared the winner of the battle for the Sun Ring." Lefty finished off. Ryohei placed his hand on Alice's shoulder. She looked up at his emotion-filled orbs, feeling the need to look away. But she refused to do so.
"Leave him be. You're meant to wear the Wind Ring." She nodded her head, even though she felt like she lost to Pezzo before the battle even started.
"Yeah…"
"Tonight's battle is over. Starting tonight, we will regularly announce the following night's battle." "We get to find out already?" Tsuna said, eyeing the Cervello carefully. "VOOOII!! Let me fight next!!" Squalo yelled out at the top of his lungs. One battle was over with and he can't bear to become another spectator for the next. He's got his mind set on shredding Alice to pieces once it's his turn.
"Tomorrow night's battle will be…" Everyone braced themselves for the outcome of tomorrow's battle. "Thunder." Alice placed her eyes on Levi, her opponent for the night that is to come, that is, if Lambo calls her in battle. "The battle between the Guardians of Thunder."
"That's Lambo! But can he even fight?!" Tsuna gazed upon the sleeping cowboy. "We shall see you tomorrow night." An explosion occurred above Ryohei and Alice, in which Ryohei instinctively held her close to him. She allowed for him to do so, just for this once. She doesn't want to seem like someone who can't take proper care of herself after all.
The metal cage collapsed around them. As the dust cleared, Gola Mosca retrieved the unconscious form of Lussuria and removed his necklace without a word, throwing it in Ryohei's direction. He caught it, holding onto the half Sun Ring sparkling in his hand.
"You won!" Alice was ecstatic, to say the least, closing him into a bone-crushing embrace. She ignored the pain shooting up her left arm, but remembered Ryohei's injuries and immediately let go. "That extremely hurt." He clutched onto his stomach, being careful not to apply any pressure on his broken ribs.
"S-sorry…"
"Onii-chan!!"
Running footsteps closed in on the group as Tsuna seemed to be having a heart attack. "Kyoko-chan?!!" Kyoko halted to a stop with Hana beside her. "Tsuna-kun! Tell me the truth. What was my big brother doing?" Tsuna was at a loss for words. He couldn't possibly tell her it was a life-or-death battle.
"It was a sumo contest!!" The others backed him up before he could say the truth. "It's a hybrid sumo contest that's held in a ring." Gokudera explained, sounding rather nervous. Yamamoto grinned. "It's actually pretty popular." Alice made her way down the ring, planning on lying for everyone's benefit. She would jump at the chance of lying for that purpose.
"No worries Kyoko. Your bro's as solid as a rock. The sumo match was a breeze for him, the showoff." She joked. "What's up with the fake mustache?" Hana pointed accusingly at Alice, disgusted at the idea of it being real.
"What, this thing?" says Alice, combing her moustache with the tip of her fingers. "I needed a disguise. Girls aren't allowed in the competition, remember? Duh!" Alice slapped her forehead. "And a fake mustache is enough to convince them of the fact that you're a boy?! You're not even at a proper age to be having a mustache!" Hana argued.
Alice shrugged, acting much like a boy as she kicked a stray rock. "You're never pleased with what I do." "You know what? I don't care." Gokudera glared in Alice's direction, ripping off the fake mustache from her upper lip. "You always have to overreact, you dummy!" Gokudera hissed. "Zip it! And that really hurt!" She hissed back.
"Then it really was…" Kyoko was dumbfounded. "I told you it was a sumo contest!" Ryohei got himself involved. "Let's go home, Kyoko." Kyoko's facial expression softened upon hearing those words. "Yeah." She nodded her head.
Alice looked up at them. She envied Kyoko in so many ways, but the way how she interacts with her older brother is the one thing she envies the most. Sadness shadowed Alice's eyes. A warm hand was placed on the top of her head, making her look up. Iemitsu smiled in her direction. She fought the urge to smile back, eventually losing the battle with herself.
"Dad?! What are you doing here?!" Tsuna exclaimed, experiencing the shock of a lifetime. "Don't mind me. I'm just passing by." "Just passing by?! That's somewhat hard to believe!" Ryohei slid the pieces of the Sun Ring together, creating a whole.
"Sawada, I'm giving this to you."
"This is the true Vongola Ring of the Sun." Tsuna placed the Ring in the box, filling one empty space. "We're gonna win them all!" Gokudera raised his fists in the air. "Let's keep it up." Yamamoto messed up Alice's hair, in which she pushed him away in a playful manner.
"That's right!" Ryohei yelled out. As Ryohei and the others turned to leave, Ryohei managed to leave a message to the American girl. "You owe me one for saving you!" Alice eyed him in a curious manner. "It's the other way around, since I saved your ass!!" She threw back at him.
"Awesome fight, Alice!" Ryohei crowed, clenching his fists and punching the air, all the while accompanying his younger sister home. "Looks like the two of you get along extremely well." Reborn surprised Alice, in which Tsuna smiled at her to put her at ease. "You were, great…" The boy scratched the back of his head.
"Don't be so modest, you player!" Iemitsu messed up his son's hair, leading for him to push his Father away. "It's not like that! The two of us are just friends!" "Yeah… Just friends." Alice spoke to herself, gazing at Yamamoto in the distance, seemingly waiting for her to pass his way. She sighed.
"Go ahead. He's waiting for you."
"Isn't he always?" Alice rolled her eyes. She walked up to Yamamoto in a steady pace, occasionally glancing over her shoulder. As predicted, The conversation between them wasn't flowing naturally, which was okay, considering the awkward moment they had mere hours before the Ring battle. But Alice couldn't bear it.
The silences between her attempts at conversation were becoming downright ridiculous. After struggling on for another fifteen minutes, Alice said, "Listen…" her eyes scanning a silent Yamamoto standing before her with his hands deep in his pockets.
"There's no need for you to say anything. I understand, really." The boy grinned, catching her off guard. "Really? You're not going to give me a sermon or anything like that?" "On second thought…" He smiled, seeming to think his decision through. "I figured as much." Alice walked ahead of him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she really wanted to be given a sermon of some kind. A good scolding perhaps, and Alice knew why she felt that way.
He's just too good for me and I'm not worth the hassle. That's all there is to it. "Come on. I'm just joking!" Yamamoto ran up to her side, laughing. His laughter faded after that. "I know you think I'm cramping your style by asking that stupid question…" Alice kept walking, keeping her distance. Just enough to prevent people to say what a cute couple!, or lucky bastards.
Alice was a little paranoid, to say the least, but she was looking out for him. Mostly for myself anyway… She thought, feeling a little ashamed of herself. "So, we'll stop talking about it. Just forget the whole thing happened." His eyes lingered on the clean cut she sustained, but he said nothing about it.
"What are you after?" Alice asked, growing suspicious of the boy. "Nothing… I just figured, you're thinking about it just as much as I do, since you haven't given me a clear answer." Alice rolled her eyes. "What happened to forgetting the whole thing?" She kicked away an empty can. Yamamoto grinned at her words. As much as he said to forget it, he can't stop thinking it.
"I'll give you some space, kay? You don't have to answer straight away." His expression softened as he gazed at the road ahead of him. "Yeah, sure. It'll be fun to see how long you'll wait until you'll eventually pop." She chuckled as if mocking him.
"I don't mind." Yamamoto added in a mere whisper.
This caused for Alice to gaze upon him, the seriousness reflecting clearly in her eyes. "Come on. You gotta be kidding me! You're actually willing to wait?! What if I say no?" She asked, clearly upset. "If I say no, I'll lose you as a friend. That's why I kept my mouth shut! I didn't mean for you to get your hopes up, you know!" She confronted him with the truth, hoping with all her heart that he'll see the light.
"I'll wait, seriously." Yamamoto smiled, his chocolate brown orbs lighting up in the dark night.
"You're worth it."
Those three words made Alice stop in her tracks. She felt her blood rush to her cheeks, her heart seeming to skip a beat as she locked her crystal blue orbs with his chocolate brown ones. She was at a loss for words. Yamamoto slipped his large hand into her small one, sending her a friendly smile despite the clamminess of her hand.
"Come on. I'll get you home." Her facial expression softened after that as she trailed close behind him. "As friends, right?" She asked innocently, secretly hoping he would say the opposite. Why she did so, she didn't know.
"What, you feel like giving me your answer right now?" He teased her, followed by a quick squeeze of his hand. Alice laughed. "Hell no!"
"It's nice to know that I'm like an incurable illness to you."
"Shut up."
As the two of them rounded around the corner of the street, Namimori-middle returned to its peaceful state. A figure clad in Chinese clothes could be seen on the rooftop of Namimori-middle. The sound of flapping wings resonated in the night sky, a blonde baby landing gracefully near the Chinese man.
"Did you teach her that move, maggot?"
Fon shook his head no. "She came up with it herself. Can't say I'm proud of her for pulling it off, but she was there for her Family, and that's what matters." Fon responded.
Collonello grinned. "I have to say, I underestimated her, maggot." "Her training has paid off. I just pray she has the strength to keep her head cool for the next battle that is to come." Fon sighed. "Which she won't…"
Collonello laughed. "I can't wait, maggot!"
