"You will pay... With your souls."
Hibari glared Alice down, the fire in his eyes growing more intense. He got into a fighting stance, tonfa at hand. He didn't blink, ready to beat up the four rats that destroyed his precious school.
I'll just have to return the favor. Today, they will know the true meaning of torture. Hibari thought. Tsuna crashed down on his knees in disbelief. "Hibari-san! I can explain-" Tsuna tried to reason with Hibari, but he was cut off with his own loud trademark squeal as Hibari dashed in his direction, holding his tonfa in place.
In the blink of an eye, Alice managed to hold onto Tsuna from the back, pulling him on his collar. Hibari's tonfa came crashing down, easily crushing the floor beneath it in rubbles. Tsuna cringed. Five more seconds, and he would have been the one broken to pieces, not the floor.
"T-thanks..." He looked up at Alice with his big brown eyes, truly apreciating her help. "No problem." Alice replied, her crystal blue orbs scanning the boy before her. Her aura changed. It was clear to see from the way she clenched her fists, and the way she glared Hibari down without blinking her eyes.
It was as if she turned into a different person altogether.
"Let's get one thing clear here." Alice kept her deadly gaze on Hibari as he arched his brow in his amusement. Alice raised her index-finger as Tsuna looked up at her, completely taken aback by her change in attitude.
"You keep your paws off of Tsunami. This is between you and me." She said with a hint of displeasure resonating in her voice. "I see... First, you soil my sanctuary with your dirty hands. And now, you tell me what I can and can't do?" Hibari mocked Alice as he looked down upon her. "It's only fair to go after me alone. Tsunami and the others didn't do anything. They offered to clean up the mess I made, and I wouldn't let them," Alice took a step forward. "So stop making excuses and fight me like a man." She finished off.
"You okay Tsuna?" Yamamoto held onto Tsuna, helping him up on his feet. "Yeah... But what about Pierce-san. I don't want for her to get hurt." He turned to both Yamamoto and Gokudera. "From what I can see, she can handle Hibari. Besides... she wouldn't like for us to interfere, so that's out of the question. That's just the kind of person she is." Gokudera commented, his face expression ever so serious.
"But still..."
"Who cares! This way, nobody important will get hurt, so I'm behind her all the way!" Gokudera interrupted Tsuna. Tsuna face-palmed himself. "You're supporting her for the wrong reasons..." He mumbled under his breath.
"If only she would allow for baseball nut here to join her in the fray..." The gray-haired Italian stared Yamamoto down, causing for him to smile. "Wipe that stupid smile off your face! I was insulting you, ya nut!" Gokudera spat out, hoping that Yamamoto would understand. "Also, I'd like for us to change our current location. Do we have a deal?" Alice took another step in his direction. "Tell me..." Hibari's smirk deepened, still looking down upon the female before him. "Are all Americans as bold and sassy as you are?" He asked her. Alice kept her guard up nonetheless.
"Not really... I'm just the worst of my kind when it comes to being bold and sassy." Alice answered, her confidence rising to a new peak. "They can't even compare to her back in America?" Tsuna yelled out, followed by Alice grinning for the heck of it. Saying something like that will only result in complimenting her. "That idiot! She's grinning like a madwoman! Just look at her!" "What do you know, she really is grinning." Yamamoto commented, grinning himself. Gokudera slapped himself in the face. "It's like a freakin disease for stupid people."
"Seems fair enough... I just hope, you won't disappoint me in battle. I'd hate to sink my teeth into something that isn't worth my time." Hibari commented, earning a small laugh coming from Alice's direction. "As long as you don't hold back just because I'm a girl." "I don't concern myself with the gender of my prey. If the person annoys me, I'll break every bone in their body, depending on how annoying he or she is." Hibari explained as he eyed his prey for the day.
"I see. How annoying am I to you, anyway?" Hibari walked in her direction in a slow pace, causing for Alice to keep a good distance as she stepped aside."You're at the top of my list." He grimaced. In a split second, Hibari was up in her face. Seeing that she couldn't react in time, she felt the metal of Hibari's tonfa connecting with her stomach. The force behind his blow was taking her breath away, crashing through one of the clear windows. That bastard... He's demolishing his own little sanctuary, and he gets mad whenever someone else does it! Alice thought as she tumbled down to meet her end.
"Pierce-san!" Tsuna ran up to the now shattered window, looking down in hopes to see Alice still in one piece. His orbs spotted Alice, lying in the bushes that surrounded the building. She was groaning, feeling rather disoriented at most, but for the rest, she seemed okay. "Thank goodness, she's alright." He sighed in relief. As soon as Tsuna turned his head to confront Hibari, the leader of the Disciplinary Committee jumped out of the window, landing softly on the lush grass.
Alice got up on her feet, moving her head from side to side as her neck cracked. Tsuna winced at the sound. Hibari kept a steady eye on Alice, hating her with his eyes. In a split second he lost sight of her, much to his dismay. Quickly, she reappeared behind Hibari, throwing several projectiles straight at him. He managed to turn around just in the nick of time, blocking the projectiles with his trusty tonfa. Some of the projectiles sunk into the patch of grass beside his feet, while others scattered the field before him. Gokudera, Yamamoto and Tsuna couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"Did she just throw..." Yamamoto stammered out. "She's using school supplies!" Gokudera exclaimed rather loudly in disbelief. Tsuna scanned the grassy area to see several pens, pencils, a pair of scissors and countless rulers spread across the battlefield. Hibari arched a brow at the sight of it all. Again, Alice disappeared from sight. Hibari didn't take any chances and sped up his pace, running near the school wall in a swift manner. "You're not getting away!" Came her booming voice as she released another salvo of pencils in Hibari's direction. The pencils managed to pierce through Hibari's jacket.
Hibari threw it off, allowing for the piece of clothing to dangle on the wall, held up by a row of pencils. "Would you look at that. She's pretty good." Yamamoto commented in complete awe of her technique. "My biggest concern right now is that she'll live to see the next day." Tsuna cringed in fear for her life. Hibari changed direction, dashing straight towards Alice. "I'll bite you to death for your stupidity." Hibari said menacingly, getting in her face for the second time that day. Hibari swung his tonfa out in a wide graceful art, connecting with Alice's jawline. Alice jumped back as she winced from the sheer force behind his blow. But it didn't stop there.
Hibari released a series of forceful jabs, packed with much power. Alice barely recovered from the first hit, but somehow, she managed to dodge the countless jabs Hibari was throwing at her. Okay Alice. Remember your training. I just need to tire him out. She though as she kept dodging. Alice caught Hibari smirking at her, causing for Alice to lose her guard, if only for a split second. A second was more than enough for Hibari. He placed his foot in-between hers, using his foot to hook around her ankle, pulling back in a swift motion.
Not realising what exactly happened just now, Alice found herself flat on her back. As Hibari smirked down upon her pathetic form, she rolled aside and got up in a crouched position. She charged for a final attack, her fingers holding onto a fresh batch of pencils, scissors and pens. Alice cast them upon Hibari with force. He saw this coming and sped up his pace until he was behind her.
"It's over, Babyface." The tip of his tonfa reached her neck. Just as Hibari was about to finish her off, he felt a thin object being placed on his neck. "I don't think so." Alice smirked as she applied more pressure on her pencil. Hibari didn't even wince as the object sunk in his skin, drawing blood. Hibari rolled his eyes, lowering his tonfa and thrusting it upwards, right in her gut. Alice's eyes widened in horror as she stumbled back, holding onto her stomach in pure agony. "It's over." Unfortunately, Hibari's words didn't quite sink in.
"N-not yet." She slurred out. Hibari delivered another blow, sending her flying against the wall. "That's enough, Hibari-san!" Tsuna ran up to the both of them, followed by Gokudera and Yamamoto. The smoke cleared up, showing Alice standing there, finding her balance still. "N-not... Not yet."
"Pierce-san..." Tsuna wanted for her to stop, but it was clear to see she wasn't going to any time soon. "Stay down, Babyface! You've done enough already!" Gokudera yelled out to her. Hibari walked up to Alice, planning on putting her out of her misery.
"Do you want to die that badly?" Alice laughed as she used her hand to steady herself against the wall. "Me, dying by your hands? It ain't gonna happen." She joked. Hibari glared her down, swinging his tonfa upwards. He's not about to let his prey mock him like this. His weapon came crashing down. It made solid contact, with Reborn's upper arm.
"That's enough for today."
"Akanbo..." Hibari removed his tonfa, taking a step back. At the sight of seeing Reborn sitting on Alice's shoulder, Tsuna realized that this was all his doing. He was about to complain to the baby, when Reborn raised his hand, telling him to keep quiet for now. "So you used me again, Akanbo." Hibari spoke calmly. "Sorry about that." Reborn smirked. "But you have been quite helpful... Don't worry. The damage on the school grounds will be fixed by tomorrow." Reborn explained. "I'll take your word for it."
"W-wait! I didnt lose-" "I'm the victor. Get it through your thick skull, Babyface." Hibari spat. Alice frowned deeply upon seeing Hibari walk away. "I can't believe this." She groaned in dismay.
"Pierce-san, are you alright? You took quite the beating at the hands of Hibari-san." Tsuna asked her. "She's fine." Reborn answered in her stead. "But still, all that training under senpai was for nothing. Alice, you're pretty fast, but I guess you weren't fast enough." Yamamoto piped in with a grin to follow. "That's where you're wrong, Yamamoto. Alice trained to strengthen her stamina, not her speed." Reborn corrected the baseball boy. "And I arranged for Hibari and Alice to fight it out, just to test her skills."
"I see! So this was all a game, huh?" Yamamoto exclaimed in joy. "Lucky you Alice! You got the kid's attention." He nudged her with his elbow, causing for Alice to scratch the back of her head while blushing. "I try my best." She mumbled out. "Why are you blushing for something like that! It's not a good thing to be noticed by the likes of him!" Tsuna yelled at her. "And I knew you had something to do with this! You leave Pierce-san alone! She's not gonna join the Family!" He turned to a smirking Reborn. "It's already done. As of today, Alice Pierce is part of the Vongola Family." "You gotta be kidding me Reborn-san! She's not worth it!" Gokudera was clearly against it.
"Afraid she'll take your place as Tsuna's right-hand man? Or should I say right-hand woman." He teased the grey-haired Italian. "I think you mean yes-man..." Alice replied innocently. "Shut it! I won't accept you as a member of our Family!" "I don't think she wants to join anyway. She's a smart girl." "Do you want to join the mafia?" Reborn asked the clueless blonde. "Sure. I've got nothing better to do." She shrugged her shoulders as Tsuna crashed down anime style.
"I give up..."
"Are you ready for your first assignment as a member of the Vongola Family?" Reborn asked Alice, in which she nodded her head in excitement. "Clean the mess you made by tomorrow." He grinned as his beady eyes sparkled for a split second. Alice turned as pale as a sheet.
"Why should I be the one to clean it up?" She complained, completely outraged. "Cause you wrecked the place!" Gokudera smacked her upside the head. She sent him a death-glare, and Gokudera returned the gesture.
"Stop hitting me, yes-man!"
"What did you say!" Gokudera plastered his forehead against hers, the both of them refusing to back down on each other. "You heard me loud and clear, yes-man!" "Put a lid on it, Babyface!" "Only if you stop putting a damper on everything!" They argued back and forth. "Looks like she's already a part of the Family, no matter what you say, Tsuna." Yamamoto smiled, watching Gokudera and Alice grab each other by the throat, attempting to choke one another. "I really, really hope you know what you're doing Reborn."
Reborn held onto the brim of his hat in satisfaction. "Don't worry so much Tsuna. You'll have the perfect Family. I'll make sure of that." The baby retorted as he watched the little quarrel before him unfold into World War III. Looks like the silence of today never lasts for a lifetime.
Alice's POV:
"I'll see you guys on Monday. And thanks again for keeping me company on the way home. "I waved at Tsunami, Takeshi and Hayato. "No problem. But are you sure your gonna be okay?" I smiled warmly at Takeshi, appreciating his concern. "I'll be fine." I replied. "I'm just a little bruised up, is all." "Take it easy, okay?" Yamamoto ruffled up my blond hair as he smiled down at me. "As much as I'd like to see you guys getting all lovey-lovey with one another, I still got some stuff to do." Hayato commented as he was about to gag at the sight of us.
"Jealous much?" Reborn mocked him. "They can get married for all I care... Seriously. It's like killing two birds with one stone." Tsunami shook his head at Hayato's logic. "Well, like you said, we'll see you on Monday." They walked off as I stared at their retreating form. As soon as they were out of sight, I winced in pain, feeling the freshly made bruises burn all over. "I think he broke a rib or sumthin'." I muttered out, still in a lot of pain. Slowly but surely, I opened the door and made my way into the hallway, taking off my shoes with a blank expression gracing my face. "I'm ho-"
"WELCOME HOME ALICE-CHAN!"
I looked up to see a girl whom I've never met before, standing on top of the staircase. She seemed awfully cheery, with the way she flailed her arms around just to get my attention. As she prepared herself to get down, she managed to trip over the carpet, causing for her to come crashing down the stairs.
All the while, I didn't make a move. I can't put up with this... I'm tired and all bruised up, so I'm not really in the mood for any visitors to drop by... Literally. "It hurts... desu." Came the girl's muffled reply. "Haru-chan! Are you alright?" Kyoko walked down the stairs with Hana trailing behind her. What is this, a slumber party? "Kyoko, Hana... What are you guys doing here?" I asked my classmates as I arched my brow.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Alice-chan. We just wanted to drop by, seeing that you didn't show up at school today." Kyoko explained as Hana helped the mystery girl up. "I-I'm f-fine-desu." Her eyes wirled about. "We thought you were sick, so we wanted to keep you company." Kyoko finished off with a warm smile. I sighed deeply as the pain was replaced with the emotion people call guilt. "Right... Thanks for caring, but I'm fine." I was only gone for one day. Why worry? "What's with that get-up? You look like you fought a wild beast." Aaah... I can always count on Hana to inform me of my faults. She's so straightforward in everything she does.
"You might not be too far off, Hana." I replied as I walked up the stairs. Kyoko and Hana glanced at each other with a confused expression gracing their faces. "She's even weirder than usual." Hana commented with a sigh to follow.
Third POV:
Alice made her way down, fully dressed in a pair of loose-fitting shorts and a shirt. Her blond hair flowed freely down her back. Cute panda-like slippers finished off her indoors outfit. Entering the living room with a loud yawn while scratching her partially exposed tummy, she found the girls all huddled together, doing nothing in particular. "Ummm... You guys can turn on the TV if you want." Alice yawned again. "That won't be necessary." Kyoko replied. "Okay... Whatever." Alice parked herself in front of the TV, not about to move for anyone. "Actually, I was thinking. Maybe we should arrange a sleepover. This place has a lot of space, after all." Hana suggested as she turned to Haru and Kyoko.
"Not really interested." Came Alice's answer. "Well that's kind of rude." Hana frowned. "I'm not being rude. This is what I do when I get home from school." Alice opened a bag of potato chips and stuffed her mouth full. "Ah... Ano." Haru began to say as she fiddled with her fingers. "Huh?" Alice stared at her from the corner of her eye. "I'm Miura Haru!" Haru exclaimed as she took a deep bow. Alice kept stuffing her mouth with potato chips. "Kay." She mumbled out as her eyes focused mainly on the TV screen.
"I'm Alice Pierce. Call me Alice." Haru looked up at the blonde before her. "Like Alice in Wonderland-desu!" She beamed. "No, like Alice stuck in Japan-desu. I'd never follow a stupid rabbit around." "Funny, you look exactly like the type of girl to run after a rabbit." Hana commented with a raised brow. "And if you keep eating all that junkfood, you won't even fit in the rabbit-hole anymore!" Alice wasn't really paying attention, focusing her eyes on the screen before her. Hana got up on her feet and stood before the clueless Alice. "Down in front." Hana snatched the remote from Alice's grasp, including the bag of potato chips and turned off the TV. "Hey! I was watching!" Alice blurted out, but as soon as she saw Hana's angry expression, she didn't say a word as she felt herself shrink at Hana's death glare.
"We are going to have a slumber party, and you will like it."Hana cackled maniacally as she crushed the remote into tiny bits. "Okay?" Alice whispered under her breath, inching away from her currently deranged classmate.
Alice's POV:
Haru called her mother, asking her to bring over her sleeping bag and pajamas. Kyoko called her older brother, in which he ran all the way over and knocked down the door, thinking someone was taking her hostage. Luckily, Kyoko managed to calm Ryohei down. He left as soon as his younger sister explained the whole deal. Hana already came prepared, surprising both Haru and Kyoko. I cried my eyes out as soon as I found out about it. Hana knew beforehand that I would break under her pressure!
"Wow! Everything looks so amazing-desu!" Haru exclaimed, her eyes sparkling in joy. "We should be proud of ourselves." Kyoko chipped in as she laughed along with Haru. "Of course. It was my idea to start a slumber party." Hana winked at the two giggling girls. "Hooray..." I rolled my eyes, silently munching on a cookie. I've never been part of a slumber party back in America. But apparently, it's okay for me to do it in a foreign country. As I sank in my own thoughts, I glanced over at the three girls.
Kyoko was messing with Hana's hair, holding it up with a sparkling hairpin. Haru, the girl I've only met today, was focusing on Hana's face. She took out some make-up and got to work. "Don't make me look ugly." Hana commented as she sat still. "We wouldn't dare, Hana." Kyoko replied as she hugged her best friend, causing for Haru to slip up with the lip-stick. A vibrant red stripe was left on Hana's cheek. "Sorry! I'm so sorry-desu!" Haru panicked. But luckily, Hana managed to laugh, and so did Kyoko. Haru followed soon after.
I don't really know what to do in a situation like this. Throw me in the middle of a fight,and I'll know what to do. But this? How to mingle with three giggling girls? I've no clue!
"This sucks." I muttered in my native language. The laughing ceased. "Is there something wrong, Alice-chan." Kyoko asked. The three girls stopped with what they were doing and kept their eyes locked on me. "Nothing. Don't mind me." I grinned, hoping they would resume with their little make-over. "Alice-chan... Aren't you having fun?" Haru pouted. "Yeah! Sure I am!" I exclaimed as I took a hold of... whatever it was! "This is for the lips, right?" I placed the unknown device on my lips. That's when I noticed the odd looks they were giving me. "Ano..." Haru cringed at the sight of me, making a complete fool of myself. "Actually, Alice... That's for the eyelashes. You can tell by the name." Hana retorted.
"Which is?" "An eyelash curler." I just had to ask. "I'm sorry. Look... I'm really no good at this." "You don't say." Hana commented. I hung my shoulders, feeling absolutely out of place. I've been living here for a week and a half now, and that's more than enough. I just want to go home. Kyoko sat down next to me. She removed the eyelash curler from my grasp and lifted my face, allowing for her to look me in the eye. Growing confused at her actions, I looked away, finding an unhealthy interest in the carpet that I've never had before.
"Come on. I'll show you how to use it." She said. "But you have to look at me in order for me to do so." I bit my lower lip, not finding the strength to do so. "I'm fine." Tears were beginning to sting my eyes. My lower lip started to tremble as the sadness overwhelmed me. How pathetic. I didn't cry when I broke my arm. I didn't cry when I experienced my first heartbreak, and I especially didn't cry when my mom and brother departed to Italy, so why in the world am I crying now? I didn't know the answer, and knowing that only expanded my sadness for the worst.
The living room was filled with my pathetic sobs, my shoulders shaking softly. I couldn't find the strength to face Kyoko now. Not when I'm crying like this. "Alice, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Hana placed her hand on my shivering shoulder. I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand, but they just kept coming. "It's okay if you don't know how to apply make-up. We can help you along the way, so there's no need to cry." Hana attempted to comfort me, but she didn't understand. "I gotta go..." I muttered out as I kept wiping away the tears, running out the door in a hurry.
"Wait!" Haru called out to me, but it was no use. The door slammed shut, leaving the three girls shocked in my wake. "We have to go after her. It's late out, not to mention cold! What is she thinking?" Hana got up on her feet and took her coat. "Are you guys coming, or what?" Kyoko and Haru got up as well. Hana threw the two coats towards their owners, in which they slipped it on as fast as they could. As soon as they walked out, the cold was getting the best of them. Walking out while wearing pj's is also somewhat embarrassing, but they endured the torture.
"It's 8:30 o' clock sharp. Let's meet up at Namimori park in an hour or so. Until then, we'll spread out and look for her." Kyoko and Haru nodded their heads, agreeing with Hana. "We'll do our best-desu!" Haru pumped her fist in the air, a determined expression gracing her face.
----------
Sasagawa Ryohei's feet moved in a jolting rhythm. He inhaled the fresh air, followed by a soft exhale as he released all the tension in his body. His heart was beating fast, pumping blood through his blood vessels. Ryohei threw a few straight punches with skill while running. The cold temperature didn't seem to bother him at all. In fact,the heat radiating from his body indicated the exact opposite of him being cold.
"JOGGING WITHOUT TAKING THE RIGHT PRECAUTIONS IS WAY EXTREEEEEME!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, ready to take on the world, it seemed. Nothing could bring his spirit down. He stopped running all of a sudden, having spotted a familiar someone banging her head against a random tree. He arched a brow, growing confused at the moment.
"Idiot. Idiot. Idiot." Ryohei heard her mutter out to herself as she kept banging her head against the tree. "Maybe she's training?" Ryohei questioned himself, his face beaming in all the excitement. "That must be it!" He ran all the way to the clueless American, still muttering insulting words to herself.
"ALICE! YOU'RE WAY MORE EXTREME THAN I THOUGHT!"
Upon hearing Ryohei's booming voice, Alice managed to turn around to see the young man run up to her with a big smile on his face and waving like no tomorrow. "Ryohei..." She began to say, not expecting to see him here. "I was just-" "I know! You were busy training, right? Why else would you be banging your head against a tree!" He laughed. Alice felt relieved. She didn't have to come up with a lie. Ryohei just came up with one for her.
"Yeah... I gotta keep my head as hard as a rock." She replied with a smile of her own, a clearly fake one. Ryohei won't notice. That's just the way he is. Alice felt the burning pain on her forehead, and blood was dripping down her face. "Looks like you've been training a little too hard." Ryohei spoke as he took a hold of her wrist, dragging her to the closest bench in the park and made her sit down. All the while, Alice stared at him, finding nothing else to do at the moment.
She looked like a little kid with the way she was staring. Her blue orbs focused on the boy before her as he managed to remove the bandages on his right hand with ease, planning on using it to fix up her wound as best as he can. Her childishness was totally exposed.
"It's a bit dirty, but it's all I have. You can use it for now." Ryohei wrapped the bandage around her forehead, making sure it covered up her wound nicely. "Is it too tight? I can loosen it up a little, if you want." He asked. "N-no... It's fine."Alice muttered out as she stared down at her feet. Somehow, Ryohei's actions seemed familiar. It filled her mind with faint images of her older brother, before he started giving her the cold shoulder. "Are you sure, cause Kyoko always tells me I put it on too tight. And when I mean too tight, I mean extremely tight." Ryohei commented. "I said it's fine! Stop bugging me about something so trivial!" Alice freaked out. She glared icily at the clueless Ryohei, regretting her harsh outburst as soon as she saw the look on Ryohei's face.
"Stop being so nice to me. I don't deserve it. I'm not a nice person." Alice removed the bandage wrapped around her forehead. "I'm an outcast. I'm unwanted. I don't need any help, and that's the way I like it." "Was the sleepover that bad to the extreme?" Ryohei commented as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah..." Alice muttered out while fiddling with the bandage in her hands. "I have no trouble with my enemies. I can take care of them, no problem. But I'm not used to hanging out with people like Kyoko. I don't know how to act. I'm afraid... I might make a mistake and end up pushing them away." Ryohei nodded his head in understanding.
"I get all that, but being afraid isn't a good thing. Fear of pushing people away must never be a reason not to try something out to the extreme. You know what I mean?" Alice looked up at Ryohei. She was taken aback by his words. "You want to change, right?" Ryohei held onto the bandage in her hands. He applied it around her forehead again with extreme care, being careful not to cut off the blood-circulation to her brain. Alice lifted her hand and touched the bandage over her wound. "Then let go of your fear, and put yourself out there. I'tll be just like the time when you barged in the gym and demolished the door along the way, not to mention punching me in the face." He explained as his lips curled into a wide grin.
"Oh..."
Alice grew embarrassed, scratching the back of her head. "I can't believe I actually did that." She mumbled under her breath. "Don't be ashamed! That's just the way you should act! That's the way you handle things!" Ryohei piped in, his eyes burning in his exited state. "What you have to do is plant your feet, bite down on your mouthpiece and say, 'LET'S GO TO THE EXTREME!'" Ryohei jumped on his feet, pumping his fists in the air as his eyes set ablaze. Alice felt like taking on the world herself after seeing Ryohei all pumped up about it. His happy-go-lucky attitude seemed to rub off on her. He's always so cheerful about everything. He's hardly ever down.
As a result, Alice didn't feel guilty anymore for leaving the house in such a rude manner. She didn't want to go home anymore. She smiled as she got on her feet. "You know... I'm envious of Kyoko." She began to say as she gazed into the darkening sky. "Envious of Kyoko?" Ryohei lowered his fists, his fighting spirit diminishing rapidly. "It's not a bad thing, really!" Alice reassured him. "From the looks of it, you take your responsibilities as an older brother seriously." She stared at her feet again. "She's lucky to have a big brother such as yourself, even though you get a teensy bit too extreme from time to time."
It didn't take long for Ryohei to understand where she was going with this. Her own brother treats her like air.
"Alice..." She looked up at him, a smile seeping through her depressed state. "I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT! I FEEL SO SAD TO THE EXTREME!" He blurted out, feeling the need to cry as he engulved the shocked Alice in a bear hug. Alice felt his wamth spread throughout her shivering frail body, triggering a faint flashback of when her brother never even looked at her, let alone hug her in such an affectionate manner. Her arms were dangling at her sides. She didn't make any effort in embracing him back, but he didn't seem to mind much. Alice's facial expression softened at Ryohei's display of emotion. She lowered her eyelids, the feeling of relief washing over her.
"Thank you." She said in a mere whisper.
"You can let go of me now." After a minute or so, Alice grew tired of his affectionate embrace. "Oh right! I got a little carried away there!" Ryohei grinned, letting go of her. "So uh... You feel like going back home now and to continue the sleepover with the rest of the girls?" I felt the guilt creep up again, shifting my eyes in a nervous state. "Unless you want for me to join in, I'd be happy to make that sacrifice." He spoke up, wanting to help her out as best as he can. Alice laughed as a faint image of him flashed in her head, covered with make-up, playing truth or dare and whatnot. Not even Kyoko will recognize him in such a getup!
"That's quite alright. I think I can… manage." Alice managed to say between fits of laughter. His heart is in the right place for wanting to help her out, nonetheless. "It's cold out here." Alice ceased her laughter as she rubbed the side of her arms. A cold breeze happened to pass through, making the cold practically unbearable. Upon seeing Alice shiver in the cold like that, Ryohei unzipped his red vest and placed it on her shoulders. He readjusted the hood, pulling it up as it covered her head. Alice gave him a look, and he threw up his hands, grinning and said. "Hey, I'm just looking out for you."Ryohei draped his arm over her shoulder, dismissing the way Alice was staring at him.
"Come on. I'll take you home in one piece." He started walking, dragging Alice along with him. "Don't tell anyone what happened here, okay? It's between you and me. No' one else needs to know about this embarrassing ordeal." Alice commented as she removed Ryohei's arm from her shoulders. "Whatever..." Ryohei grinned from ear to ear, already walking ahead of her. "Hey! I'm serious! Don't ruin my image!" Alice ran after him. "What image?" Ryohei laughed as he sped up his pace. "I mean it!" She cried out.
On the way home, Ryohei kept teasing Alice. Whether it was messing up her blond hair, calling her by the accursed nickname Hibari Kyoya bestowed upon her or patting her on the back in a rough manner, Alice couldn't help but laugh at Ryohei's playfulness. He is a good friend, one of the few she has. Suddenly, Ryohei stopped messing around, freezing on the spot. Alice grew concerned of his sudden behavior. "Is there something wrong?" She asked him. "Is that your house?" Flashing police cars filled the once peaceful street, parked in front of her house.
"Oh my God! They must have called the cops, thinking I was kidnapped or sumthin'! I'm in so much trouble!" Alice exclaimed as she pulled on her twin-tails, feeling like crawling under a rock. "EXTREME POLICE CARS!" Ryohei burned up while Alice cried her eyes out.
"I'm dead..."
The roaring of the car engine woke me from my slumber. Still not fully awake yet, I racked my brain, trying to remember why I'm sitting in the front car seat. Realization dawned upon me as I remembered Reborn's message. "Take the next flight to Japan, huh..." I muttered with a yawn to follow. A soft chuckle ringed in my ears. I turned to the current driver beside me, facing my most trusted subordinate. "What's so funny, Romario?" I asked him as I turned to the road. "You probably forgot about Reborn-san's message, did you?" Romario commented as he turned the corner in a smooth motion. "That's not true... I just remembered." I retorted in my defense. "Well, I'm sure you can't wait to meet the new member of the Vongola Family." Upon hearing that, my mind blanked out on me.
"Now that, I forgot."
"Boss..." Romario shook his head in a playful manner. "You'll forget something important when I'm not around." "Must you be so mean? I'm not that forgetful, you know." I piped in with a sly smirk in his direction. "All we have to do is pay my dear little brother a visit, right?" Romario chuckled again. "If you'll remember where his house is located, It'll be a big improvement." "Hey... Japan is a strange country. Don't blame it on me." The rest of the ride was spend in silence. I turned to the window, focusing on the many houses that pass by.
Just what is Reborn up to? A new member for the Vongola Family... I thought the Guardians were already picked out. They just don't know it yet. So what's the deal with involving a poor soul in all the mess? I averted my eyes from the window, feeling sleepy all over again. "Romario... You can stop the car. Pull over on the side." Surprised at my sudden request, Romario arched a brown, not liking my decision. "But Boss... We're not there yet. It's still a little ways ahead." "That's fine. I just want to stretch my legs. I'll fall asleep if I stay here any longer." Romario pulled to a stop. I stepped out of the car, feeling a cold breeze coming up. "Are you sure about this Boss?" That Romario... He has a good reason to be worried about me, but his worrisome habits outreach the limitless sky itself.
"I'll be fine. I think." I muttered the last sentence under my breath, not being sure myself. "What was that?" "Nothing! I'll meet you at Tsuna's place, kay?" Before he had a chance to say anything, I slammed the door shut. I could see Romario sigh in his car seat as the engine roared again. I waved at him as the car drove off. Feeling kind of cold, I put on my furred hood and zipped up my coat. "That's better." I said to myself, feeling content as the coat warmed me up, doing what it was designed for in the first place.
I began walking alongside the road in a slow pace. None of the buildings looked familiar. "Maybe I should have asked for a map or something." I sweat-dropped at my own stupidity. I kept walking, my ears picking up the sound of many sirens... "Police cars?" I spoke in a daze upon seeing several vehicles block the road before me. A police officer passed my way, giving me a weird look. Maybe someone got killed, and the suspect is still wandering the streets? "I'd better get out of here..." I whispered under my breath,shifting my eyes as I zipped up my coat all the way up.
"Hey you!"
"I'm innocent, I swear!" I jumped up in fear. "Calm down." One of the policemen instructed. "We just want to ask you a few questions." "I just got here from Italy, so I didn't do anything!" I cried a waterfall, raising my hands in the air, expecting for them to arrest me right then and there. "From Italy, you say?" Another one questioned me as he eyed me up and down. "A witness spotted a male Italian at the time of the kidnapping. This girl is the victim." He practically shoved the picture in my face. A young blonde girl was displayed on the picture, staring at me with those big blue eyes of hers. I took a hold of the picture, my eyes glued on the young girl.
"You match the description of the witness." I gulped. Me? Kidnapping some kid? When did that happen?
"Where were you at the time the kidnapping occurred?"
"What did you do to the poor girl, bastard!"
"How did you dispose of the body, you sick freak!"
"What is your motive?"
One question after another was thrown in my face. I backed up a few steps, smiling nervously. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?" "I say we cuff him." The cops in this country jump to their conclusions way too quickly... "Look! Another suspicious person!" As soon as they looked away, I dashed out of there, not wanting to spend the rest of my days in jail for a crime I didn't commit!
"He's getting away! Get him!" I just kept running, still with the picture clenched in my hand. "I should have listened to Romario!" I cried out as I ran for dear life.
Reborn's POV:
I sat on a sturdy wall, connected to someone's house. As I sat there, sipping my espresso in peace, a certain clumsy student of mine happened to pass by, running as if the devil himself was on his heels.
"I'm innocent for God's sake!" A pack of police-dogs gave chase after poor Dino, barking their heads off savagely and warningly. And whenever a canine beast came near, it attempted to bite him, their eyes blazing insanely, the hair rising stiffly on the back of their necks. A group of policemen trailed after the dogs, barely keeping up with them.
My lips curved into a smirk, satisfied with the result. "Always getting himself into trouble." Leon yawned, feeling restless at the moment. "Well... Part of it is because of me, but I'll never tell." Dino's faint cries for help could be heard in the distance, followed by a loud crashing sound as he probably had one of his klutzy moments, no doubt.
"Benvenuto al Giappone, Dino..."
