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I was just thinking, questioning myself. Wondering why I didn't pack this thing (suitcase) five years ago, six years, ten years ago, instead of hanging around here, and suffering every indignity and humiliation. Well, I'll tell you why, because I made a promise and that meant everything to me. Oh yes, it's all very noble to keep your word. Well, do you know what they call someone who sticks by their word no matter what, at the cost of everything else? An idiot. Well from now on I'm going to be the kind of idiot I wanna be. An idiot with a modicum of pride. – Death Becomes Her
“Next.”
The Being sitting on a leather chair behind a mahogany desk waited patiently for the next person to be judged. In this darkened room, two doorways lead to two different places depending on how a person lives their life. On the right is a Blue door labeled ‘Nirvana’ in gold letters. It’s for when someone has made it through all the reincarnations, obtaining the lessons needed to have a fulfilled life. On the left is an Orange door labeled ‘Rebirth’ in red letters. It’s for when someone needed another reincarnation to get the message. It can be frustrating for most who came here, thinking they had achieved enlightenment, but if they took the time to learn…
The Being looks ahead at the front double doors, which should open for a newcomer to judge. “I said, ‘Next’. Please don’t dawdle.” It swung open wide and in entered… oh them. ‘Them’ being the group from the 10th Generation of Vongola and company… or rather the incomplete set of them. They are all young adult versions and were wearing a plain white blouse and long pants. They noticed the Sun boy was no longer with the group. So far, it’d be him, the Mist Twins, and the leader who are missing.
“We wish to know what happened to Tsuna-kun. Please.” Kyoko implores. The others eagerly nod.
The Being stares at them for a few minutes. Then, materializing a creamed folder containing Tsuna’s life files, it spoke: “It took you lot this long to finally think to ask? No wonder Tsunayoshi gave up on you.”
“WHAT WAS THAT!!”
The Being coolly looks at the group. “Put down your weapon, or I can assure you the next cycle will be the longest and most agonizing lifetime you’d experience.” Gokudera slowly calms down, evaporating his dynamites in red flames.
“I’ll start with this: Tsunayoshi achieved Nirvana. He’s been there for thousands of years.” The group stares in shock as the Being continues.
“I suppose it’s too harsh to say your Sky gave up on you. The more accurate term would be that he has grown up and moved on. He came to realize the same company he keeps will never give him what he wants or needs, no matter how cooperative he is. So, for his final life cycle, he decides to seize happiness into his hands. There was the matter of his sky flames and harmonization. Luckily, thanks to an outsider, he has found Guardians he could trust and call friends at once. But said Guardians are outside of Namimori, living far from Japan, and obviously, he didn’t want to interfere with their lives. Not so long as he was kept prisoner in your town with his father his jailer, and his grandfather his executioner. Thus, his determination to leave Namimori and later Vongola is born.
“He starts comparing his friendship with this person to the people he met with all of you. I must say, even I can’t help but agree with his civil treatment towards you. Half of you didn’t give a second glance whenever he was bullied before the Vongola mess started. A polite greeting is good, but not enough to make a difference. Meanwhile, the other half constantly tries to kill him; sometimes, 'for his own good'. I wonder, given your history with him: if Tsunayoshi was handed the option of choosing his own guardians …will you be the ones to receive it?”
The group was grim in silence. The Being continues, “The reason he went along with some of the events forced upon him is that it would affect the people he truly cares for somewhere out in the world. That includes the person he was close to. Everything else is pure rebellion: from employing Xanxus to be his tutor and then Decimo's replacement to changing his fighting style away from Giotto’s- “
“Who is this person?” The Being looks up from the report to Hibari’s furious expression. “Who is the one who invaded my territory?”
The Being answers drily, “Don’t bother, Genghis Khan. They are in Nirvana as well.” Hibari glowers and Lambo snickers as the Being continues. “Tsunayoshi made it very clear that he doesn’t want to become a mafia boss, done everything he can to show it, and as an award for his patience and tenacity, has gained enough knowledge to break free of Vongola forever. That’s the life in which he had successfully gained Nirvana.”
“It doesn’t tell us what lesson helped him get there.” Hana protests; familiar with how to reach Nirvana within the cycles of Reincarnation.
“Oh, but that’s where you're wrong, madam. Tell me, had any of you remembered in that particular cycle, only Tsuna left Vongola behind?”
With the Being’s help, they thought back on their history and realized that yes, Tsuna got out of Vongola alone. …Tsuna left without them…
The Being sensed those revelations and nods, “What came to reach that decision, simply being you lot wanted to join Vongola. Seeing all of you at peace made him realize no words will ever sway you from them. Who was he to deprive you of something which you fully believe brings happiness? So, after making sure you will be safe under its ruling, all he had to do was wait for an opportune moment to escape on his own. A friend outside of Italy made sure Tsunayoshi would not run for the rest of his life.
In short, his lesson was this: to accept what he can’t change, have the courage to control what he can, and the wisdom to distinguish the two. The wisdom part is the final lesson in his last reincarnation.”
“…That sounds like something from a prayer,” Gokudera faintly remarks.
“Nevertheless, that’s the lesson he had learned to obtain his reward.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Yamamoto asks in confusion.
The Being shrugs. “You asked, and I can’t see any harm in explaining. The moment you leave, this conversation will be forgotten the moment you’re reborn. You might remember the feelings from this, though. It all depends on whether or not you’re willing to start learning this time.”
Haru sniffles, depressed, “Can you at least tell us if Tsuna’s lesson is the same as ours?”
The Being solemnly shakes its head. “Each of you has different teachings to gain. Even if yours are the same as Tsuna’s, chances are there will be additional things to learn, and as I told you before, you will forget this talk.”
Kyoko bit her lip, “…Can you tell us what we need to learn?”
“That would defeat the purpose of earning entrance. You must find out on your own.”
“HOW CAN WE IF WE’LL FORGET?” Kyoko screams in tears.
“If you truly wish to, your feelings from this meeting will reach out as I told you.” The Being gently informs. “Depending on how strong they are.”
“We learned now! We learned now!” Lambo jumps up and down, chanting in desperation.
“Being dead doesn’t count. You must obtain it while you’re in the living.”
“I don’t recall the Herb- Sawada being a practitioner of another religion in past cycles,” Kyoya states. “He was christened to become a Catholic like the rest of us.”
The Being tilts its head. “Who’s to say he wasn’t pacifying the Underworld to survive? Anyway, you lot had done the same. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”
Silence once again descends upon the group. Quiet sniffles and downtrodden eyes staring at space or on the floor. The Being looks at them, clearing their throat. “I’m afraid you’re holding up the line now. If you would be so kind as to enter the passage to Reincarnation. Please don’t resist otherwise, the rebirth cycle will bring more misfortune into your new lives than necessary.”
Without a word, the group drags itself to the orange doorway marked ‘Rebirth’. Gokudera is still standing in front of the Being, clenching his fists. He then asks, “Will we be able to see him again? If we succeed this time?” The Being regards him, then answers, “You will.” Gokudera nods stiffly and then goes with the others. The orange door closes after Gokudera enters. The Being looks at the closed entry for a while. They would indeed see Tsuna again if successful, but whether he wants to associate with them remains to be seen. Too many years had passed, and Tsuna had gained great company at his final reincarnation. He also became more cautious of certain types of people, including those not keen to listen. The Being wonders if that lesson will become clearer this time around for them. Obviously, knowing won’t be enough to move on.
There is another reason Tsuna left the cycle, which they kept hidden. On his earliest loops, he found the source of Dying Will Flames. The flames that activate reincarnation for the cycles were stolen by Giotto from his near-death experience. It was recovered back when Giotto died the first time, but the punishment for him is to return to Earth as Tsunayoshi repeatedly until he fully learns the lesson in modesty and then later accepts the abnormality of his life healthily. His 1st Generation descendants had to go through the same penalty.
Will the rest of the ‘10th Generation’ break the cycle? Who knows? The best thing to do is wish them luck. The Being vaporized the files and turned towards the double doors.
“Next.”