Hitmantale

Prologue: Death

"Master Decimo!  We're surrounded!" An Italian man desperately deflected a bullet surrounded by green flames to the side.  He panted as he staggered, standing back-to-back with a short brunet. "A-And our men...the rest of us have gone down fighting.  I d-do not th-think...!"

The brunet himself whipped his head around to glance over his shoulder at his current companion.

"Don't you dare give up just yet, Alessio." He murmured sharply, orange eyes narrowed. "Just...until backup gets he--!"

"Backup won't be coming, Tsunayoshi Sawada."

The brunet snapped his head forward at his name.  He growled lowly at the figure that stood meters away from the group.

"...Orfeo..."

Black flames surrounded the newcomer as he gazed blankly at Tsuna.  The young man was a better wielder of Night flames than Bermuda had been.  The ravenet raised a hand and tossed something to the Decimo, who caught it quickly and froze.  In his hands....was a bloody fedora.  Tsuna's eyes clouded over with pain and he shut his eyes.  He sighed tiredly before slowly opening his eyes.

'Reborn...' "Quite the cheater, aren't you?  Hiding behind your Night flames instead of fighting him like a real Mafia Boss."

There was a flicker of anger and sadness on Orfeo's face.

"He killed the rest of my Famiglia."

Tsuna couldn't help but quirk a small smile.

"Ah...so he left the boss to me," His eyes grew wistful. "How typical of him."

"M-Master Decimo..."

Tsuna glanced behind himself at his remaining man.  His gaze widened when he saw blood pooling out of the blonde's mouth.

"Dio mio, Alessio." The brunet surged forward and caught the other before he could fall. "If your injuries were this extensive, you could've told m--"

Before the Decimo could activate his Sun flames completely, Alessio lightly grasped the glowing hand, smiling weakly.

"Master Decimo...two bullets have a-already punctured v-vital organs...." Tsuna slowly lowered him, hovering above the ground, expression torn as he watched the light leave navy-blue eyes. "A-Apologies...for not b-being able to help you...any further..."

Tsuna squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.  Slowly, he slid his orange eyes open, and he smiled weakly at the dying blonde.

"I-I see......and you have no need to say sorry." The brunet took a shuddering breath, blinking back tears. "Will you...say hi to...Aria-san and Gamma-san for m-me?"

Alessio blinked sluggishly, eyes closing as he smiled.

"Sure.  I'll say hi to...Ma and...Pa...for yo...u...."

Tsuna blinked, heart hardening as he watched one Alessio Giglio Nero die in his arms.  The brunet swallowed and gently placed the blonde onto the ground.  Tsuna spoke up as he straightened himself.

"...I didn't think you would allow me to speak with my last friend."

"You would've done the same," Came Orfeo's soft reply. "It is...the least I can do."

Tsuna slowly turned around, arms swaying limply by his sides.

"...Orfeo...was my Famiglia not enough for you?  We took you in.  We all became friends." Tsuna felt the heat of the fire burning around him, gray clouds of smoke billowing up into the night sky. "Was your hatred for the Mafia so strong that you chose...this path?"

Tsuna could see pain flicker briefly through the other's eyes before the ravenet's gaze hardened.

"I do not hate you, Tsunayoshi, but the Mafia must be destroyed," Night flames ignited around the ravenet. "And I have the power to do it.  You are the last one standing, but I have made your Famiglia's deaths quick because you had shown me the good side."

Orfeo's gaze darkened.

"But I shall start the Mafia world anew instead.  Vongola has a bloody history, so your Famiglia was doomed to be erased from the start by me."

Tsuna gazed at the other silently for a while before chuckling.  He lowered his head, looking back at the fedora that was still clutched in his hand.  The brunet smiled weakly before raising the fedora up and onto his blood and sweat-matted brown locks.  The Decimo sent a lopsided smile at Orfeo as he winked tiredly at the slightly younger man.

"Well then...I must apologize, I'd rather go out with--" Tsuna whipped out two pistols from his suit, cocking them quickly. "--a 'bang'."

Orfeo's silver eyes were consumed with black as he darted towards Tsuna.  At the same time, Tsuna pulled the trigger of both of his pistols, Sky and Sun flames burning in his eyes.

The Sky clashed with the Night. 

...

However, days do not last, and the Sky slowly darkens to black.

~~

Tsuna let out a gasp, feeling his side burning with pain, propping himself up against a fallen tree.  His injuries were a lost cause.  The Decimo would lose too much blood by the time he sealed the first two gaping holes in his torso.  Tsuna coughed, throat parched as he shakily raised a hand to his stomach, wincing when he jostled his injuries.

Night flames had the power to neutralize the flames of the Sky and Earth.  The Vongola had found out too late; they had no time to find any weaknesses for it before Orfeo decided to bring death to all of the other Mafia Famiglias.

Tsuna lifted his gaze to Orfeo, the young male had his back turned to the brunet.

"Or...feo...?"

The brunet surprised even himself for speaking aloud.  The ravenet himself slowly turned around, hands shaky and bloody.  Orfeo had only suffered minor burns and a bullet to the shoulder and thigh.  Tsuna smiled, more blood dribbling past his lips.

"You...you'll do...alright...okay?" His eyes were already drooping slightly. "...Now...that most of the...Mafia is gone...you'll start a new...better path...won't you...?"

Tsuna's vision was already blurring, but he saw a curt nod from Orfeo.  The brunet chuckled, grimacing mentally when more blood tumbled from his lips like red rose petals.

"Heh...good luck..."

"...Thank you...for everything, Insegnante." (Teacher.)

Orfeo curtly bowed to Tsuna, tears streaming from his silver eyes.

"I won't forget your kindness, nor your Guardians, family and friends.  I will lead a new Mafia; one that protects the innocent from the the shadows of the Night."

Tsuna merely smiled, body going numb.

"Good...."

Smoke was inhaled and exhaled from his body one last time.  Tsuna felt everything become cold and hot at once before...nothing came to him.  There were no sounds of violent winds and crackling fires.  There was no overpowering smell of smoke, blood and sweat.  There was no touch of singed grass and bark.

He was gone...