{Namimori, Japan}

"Of course, your package will be sent to mister Yamamoto's room within the briefest delay," the short female receptionist said, a kind smile on her face as she took the bag from the woman's hand.

The raven-haired lady, a small elegant smile on her face nodded. "I see, thank you very much," she replied, gently pushing her glasses up before giving a small bow. "Have a nice day."

With these parting words, the short-haired lady made her way out, the sound of her black high heels being the only sound resonating in the quiet hall. Although not far from her, lurking in the shadow, a small silhouette observed her every move, restless.

"Follow her, Dame-Tsuna," a voice ordered, in a whisper, loud enough for only Tsunayoshi to hear it.

The automatic doors slide open, letting the tall woman out of the healing facility. The lady only took a few steps before stopping her course, next to the round flower bed, sitting on one of the wooden bench surrounding it she waited. Her purple iris gazed at the sky in an attempt to remember something, to anticipate what was to come.

Not even a minute after she had exited the facility and sat on the bench did a teen emerged from the hospital, a small baby in a suit calmly sitting on his shoulder.

"E-excuse me!" Tsunayoshi shouted, as soon as he saw the black haired lady sitting on the bench.

The purple-eyed woman turned to him, her gaze familiar and foreign at the same time. A sense of déjà vu settled into Tsunayoshi's mind. Did they know each other?

"Ah," the girl only said in mild surprise at the sight of the teen, "Good afternoon Tsunayoshi, Reborn," she greeted, her voice mellow, making her seem like the cliché sheltered lady. Good background, good education, charismatic, the kind of people Tsunayoshi found intimidating.

But wait, did she call me by my name? Tsuna thought, his eyes widening at the realization.

"Ciaossu, it's been a while since we last talked to each other," Reborn greeted, jumping down from his pupil's shoulder and settling down in the raven's lap, disregarding his student's surprise.

"It has," she murmured, her voice soft although her eyes didn't contain their previous gentleness but a sense of mischief instead. "Don't you think so too, Tsunayoshi?" she asked, her voice going an octave lower, making it seem more masculine.

"A-ah," Tsunayoshi stuttered his brain processing all the received information, "w-wait, this voice... Could be, Y-yucca!" he exclaimed flustered by the sudden revelation.

Yucca grinned, his smile wide and showing his teeth as he nodded, "The one and only," he confirmed, "so what did you want with me?" he asked, his voice taking a higher pitch as to fit his disguise more and seem more feminine.

"B-but, wait, why would you- no, t-this is," Tsunayoshi started to panic, his brain overheating at the realization that one of the Varia members crossdressed, their group was, so intimidating and here Yucca was, seeming all charming, and ladylike, not a trace of the original killer in sight. It was troubling how good he looked with these women's clothes, and Tsunayoshi found himself wondering if other than Yucca other members of the Varia crossdressed. No, this question is better left unanswered he thought.

Suddenly pain, Reborn kicked him, straight in the face. "Don't get distracted Dame-Tsuna," he lectured, making Yucca who was looking at the scene let a small laugh out. "Stop your useless thoughts."

Whimpering, Tsuna rubbed his head, trying to sooth the pain of his tutor's kick. "Ah, yes," he whispered in realization. "Uhm, a-are you, are you the one who brought and sent gifts to everyone," he inquired, voice getting quieter and quieter as he squirmed under Yucca's blank stare.

"Yes," Yucca confirmed humming, "did they like the gifts?"

Tsunayoshi nodded, thanking the older male before taking a deep breath. Eyes glinting orange for a second before focusing on the Varia member, unwavering. "What do you want? Why did you do that?"

Yucca didn't answer immediately, taking his time to admire the cloud floating in the sky before turning to meet the teen's eyes, a small smile made its way to his lips at the sight of Tsuna's seriousness.

"I don't want anything," he began, his voice closer to his original one, the smile never leaving his face. "I mean if I did I would have killed you," he declared, his eyes getting sharper for a second, sending a shiver down Tsuna's spine. "But as you can see, you and your friends are still alive," he continued, eyes softening, releasing part of the tension.

Tsunayoshi nodded slowly, taking in the information before sitting down on the other side of the bench.

"Now, for my reasons..." Yucca mused, an amused smile on his lips although a flicker of guilt flashed through his eyes before disappearing. "I guess I felt somewhat responsible for their... situation?"

"You felt sorry for them?" Reborn asked, tilting his fedora.

Yucca nodded, "Yes, that's precisely it. I was sorry for them," he stated, "I mean you guys are only kids, I'm not completely heartless you know," he joked.

"T-then-"

"But I'm not passive either," he interrupted eyes narrowed. "Although it is true that I don't caution targeting children, you do not belong to this category anymore as you joined the mafia. I have no reasons not to fight you."

"B-but, don't you think Xanxus is too tyrannical?" Tsunayoshi asked, his voice confident, "How would the Vongola envolved under him?"

Yucca's answer wasn't immediate as his purple orbs stared intently into Tsuna's brown ones. "You have a good look right now," he whispered before straitening a bit and standing up. "About the boss being 'tyrannical,' I won't deny it," Yucca started "I mean, to lead a group like ours this quality is required," he justified. "As for the Vongola's future..." he mused, "It's not what I care about the most, honest."

Both Tsunayoshi and Reborn stiffened at the raven's words.

"The only reason I'm here is to protect those close to me" he stated, dusting off the non-existent dust from his pants. "For them, I'll fight," he declared, "and if worst has to come, I won't hesitate to go for the kill. Don't forget that, Tsunayoshi," he warned.

Giving them a small nod, Yucca smiled a bright fake grin "Until next time," he said his voice mellow as he waved them goodbye.

Reborn and Tsunayoshi were left to ponder Yucca's words as his unusually feminine figure got smaller and smaller.

::

"Ushishi, I didn't know you were into cross-dressing," Bel stated, leaning on Yucca's door frame.

Yucca who was taking off his bra, in which were silicone prosthesis, didn't spare the youngest a glace as he put on a plain white t-shirt. Making his way to the bathroom, he answered: "Why do you think I'm so proficient in hair, face and body care in general?"

Belphegor merely laughed his usual creepy laugh before going back to the living room. Since the beginning of the ring battle, the Varia had become quieter. First Lussuria, the most talkative was gone, then Squalo the loudest had lost. The only remaining members, Bel excluded weren't exactly known for their loudness.

::

As promised by the Cervello, tonight was the battle of the mist.

Usually, before all of these fights, Yucca felt anxious, concerned for his comrades, afraid to lose them to see them get hurt. But for this specific battle, his intuition, curiosity as the God of Death was stronger than any other emotion.

Only by watching, without even having to lift a finger, the mystery around Mammon would unravel. It excited and disappointed him at the same time.

It was exhilarating because he was going to, finally, unravel one of his small companion's many secrets. His guts told him so, and they were rarely wrong. Whatsmore, the prospect of discovering something he had never seen, as an assassin, one of the best, made his blood boil in anticipation.

On the other side, the teens were feeling extremely agitated. Their mist had yet to appear they didn't know if they had one for all it mattered. Reborn didn't tell them a thing, only to believe in him, to trust him in finding one.

On both sides of the gym, the apprehension of the duel grew. Both for entirely unrelated purposes, the contrast between the two groups couldn't have been higher.

Finally, it began.

Myriads of illusions appeared and disappeared, met, clashed and fused with one another until only the strongest were left.

To Yucca who observed it was a beautiful picture, a tantalizingly dangerous landscape which kept changing at its master's will. To Koro, the God of Death it was a marvelous discovery, the unraveling of a treasure, the knowledge of something new pouring into him, it was exhilarating.

The way Mammon would calculate each one of his blows, never letting Chrome the opportunity to retaliate as she wished. The way the two silhouettes waltzed together in this dance of death, displaying their skills for all to see, delighting their audience's eyes with every move.

However, no matter how incredible this fight seemed to Yucca, to the teens belonging to Chrome's team it only resembled a one-sided massacre. The way Mammon or Viper as Reborn had called them effortlessly countered her every move, sent her flying from one side of the court to another, the phlegm and disinterest they seemed to portray while never letting their guard down. Viper's power was just too overwhelming for them to grasp it.

At last, this delightfully chilling dance ended. To the teens, it lasted hours. To Yucca, it wasn't merely enough to satiate him.

"I'm not like Squalo," Mammon or Viper as the Arcobanelo had called them began, voice as calm as ever. "I don't play around when I know the way to an easy victory," he continued, focused on Chrome's motionless body.

The Vongola stared at Viper, completely still. They had lost, their mist had. Not even a second after the fight began, Mammon struck, not a probing blow but a fatal one. One which aimed to kill, to win in one strike.

Chrome dodged, tried to counter as best as she could, in vain. In the end, she couldn't even call for her trump card, for the mist's other half. Mammon hadn't let her, after seeing the other duel, how could he?

Lussuria, Leviathan, Squalo the three of them, although one won, had let their guards down and the results were enough for one to know what it would cost him to do the same. On the other hand, Belphegor who went all out from the start got out of his fight without a single scratch.

Mammon was smart they knew how to take advantage of situations. So of course, they knew what the royal road to victory was, they only needed to strike while the iron was hot and the ring would fall in their hand.

But if they made one mistake, it was to let their guard down after seeing her motionless body. An eerie laugh reverberated throughout the entire gymnasium. Rokudo Mukuro had arrived, it was time for the mist's other half to fight. 

::

"You're going out again Yu?" Belphegor asked, sitting on the couch as he let out a big yawn.

"Yeah, I have some business to attend."

"Ushishi, where's your disguise this time though? Shouldn't you get your dress back?"

"Don't need one anymore," Yucca answered, giving a small glance in the storm's direction before going up to the front door. "I'll be back before the cloud battle, tell that to the others if they ask anything," he informed.

"Sure, sure."

"Ah," Yucca added, as he stood in the doorway, one hand on the doorknob as the other held his wallet. "Don't forget to take Mosca."

"Why?" Bel asked his grin wide. "You don't need it to win."

Yucca didn't answer, looking at Bel's figure for few seconds before sighing. "I don't," he agreed, "but Mosca's vital for the plot to unravel as it should."

"Ushishi, it sure is..." Bel agreed before sending him a mocking smile. "Isn't it sad, a robot is more useful than you to the boss, Yu," he mocked.

Yucca merely smiled, "I'm off."

So Yucca/Koro was the blond lady from before. From my point of view, it seemed pretty obvious, but was it evident to you guys too?

Anyway, the next chapter will most probably be about the cloud battle.

Thanks for reading, until next time^^

P.S.: thanks for the 2k reads