A/N: So, umm, I know there's already something like this, but the temptation was way too great to resist ;w;
Fic Notes: 1) This is AU. No Vongola rings. No flames.
2) This is based roughly off Ghost Hunt. While the canon interactions and most events, including the characters, of this are completely different from those in the above-mentioned anime, the basic idea is the same. I'm not putting this in the Cross over section since I'm not sure if this counts as a cross over without characters from the other anime - I've seen fanfics of an anime with another one's general plot be published in the normal section, so... yes, to cut a long story short, I'm confused.
3) The Mukuro in this story doesn't know how to use his red eye or what the Hell it is. And his personality is more like that in the Monster Tamer verse. Why? I felt that would be more suitable in this context. And the monster Tamer Mukuro is cute. Because any useless Mukuro is cute. Not that I'm dissing the real Mukuro, but he's too smart and cool to work in this scenario.
4) Even though I say Monster Tamer verse, do not assume everyone will be the same as Mukuro. Hibari, for example, lingers somewhere between the two personalities - he's not as talkative as Hiabrin the vampire, but definitely a little more tolerant than the normal Hibari - kind of like the side of him portrayed in the Drama CD 01. Tsuna has a little more of a backbone, due to the fact that his non-wimpy version - HDW!Tsuna - is absent in here = but he still has his hyper intuition. Gokudera doesn't know Tsuna yet, so he has yet to obsess over him.
5) The Primo Generation might be included somewhere in here. And not just because I like GiottoG. Really!
6) I don't know if Mukuro's first name is Mukuro or Rokudou - I think its Rokudou, since Tsuna and Reborn, who call Gokudera, Yamamoto and Hibari by their last names, call him Mukuro, but isn't in Japanese Rokudou Mukuro supposed to mean Mukuro Rokudou in normal style? However, according to Google, Mukuro means 'corpse' and Rokudou means 'deity' or 'six realms', so I think Rokudu would be less awkward for the people around him. And his full name is Rokudou Estraneo. As for the Mukuro bit, it will be explained later on -stifles laughter-
Overall Pairings: Main: 1869, major 2759, minor Ken96, to be decided later on.
Pairings in this Chapter: minor Ken96.
Also, I'm so creative with my chapter names, eh? /shot/
Word Count:
Please read and review~
Chapter 1: EH? Where the Hell Did You Come From?
"Alright, Roku-chan. Its your turn!" M.M. said, sidling upto the indigo-haired male's side.
I shifted uncomfortably. I could actually feel my smile growing a little bit more strained.
"Are you alright, Rokudou-kun?" Nagi asked from his left, and I shot her a grateful smile. Trust dear, kind Nagi to always notice whenever someone around her was in an uncomfortable position. It wasn't for nothing that I called her my cute Chrome!
(Shut up, that was a perfectly alright alliteration.)
...So maybe I wasn't very creative coming up with nick names. So shoot me.
Wait, on second thoughts, no. Don't. It'd hurt.
Where was I? Ah, Nagi's still expecting an answer.
"Why wouldn't I be? Of course its a little hot here."
That earned poor Nagi a snarl from M.M. Seriously, this girl... she was way too obsessed with me for her own good. Can't she tell I don't like her in that way and leave me alone for once?
The redhead had attached herself to my side the first day school began. At first I hadn't tried to discourage her - she had been pretty, and I'm a sixteen year old boy. What do you expect?
But it quickly got more and more .. intense? Especially after I suddenly discovered I was gay. M.M has been trying to win me back over by something she calls 'Skirt Power' ever since, and its humiliating and leaves me a shade of red that I'm sure is unhealthy.
I took the chance to subtly - or not so subtly, it didn't matter at this point, what with M.M. giving me - and everyone else in the room - a flash of what her skirt didn't hide too well - stalk over to sit between Nagi and Chikusa. Ken let out a small whine - never been too good at dealing with the opposite sex - a fact that was apparent if you looked at how he treated Nagi - with a barrage of 'stupid woman's and 'useless idiot's - who he quite clearly had a crush on.
"Rokudou-san." Chikusa fixed me with a silent glare. Or not. You couldn't honestly tell with him. It always seemed like he was glaring at you. Or assessing you, trying to decide where to start that lobotomy. Either one freaked people in general out - quite understandably so, if I may add,
"Kufufufu, I already know its my turn, Chikusa." I affirmed, trying to buy some time in which I decided which story to tell.
Oh. that's right. We were playing this game which had suddenly become really popular among the schools tudents of Japan. People sat in a circle - or circlish way, really, I have seen people sit in a square too - in a darkened room, carrying a candle = or a flashlight, but if you ask me a candle provides much better ambience than a flashlight. I mean, really? - each. Each of them would then tell the others a ghost story, and as they finished their story, they would put out their lights. After all the lights were put out, a headcount would be done with everyone calling out their own number. At the end of the head count, an extra voice is supposed to answer. And that voice ...
Cue drumroll.
... will belong to a Ghost.
Cue laughter.
I know it sounds really silly, but for your information, it needs a lot of courage! Besides, its the stories that are really the game. The ghost part was added to make it sound scarier.
I think.
I hope.
So that was how we ended up in an abandoned classroom in our school, Nami High, with flashlights in our hands. The candles proved to be too much of a hassle, especially after poor Nagi had managed to somehow drop them out of her trembling hands when M.M. had snapped something very rough at her.
'We' here being Joshima Ken, said boy's crush and my cute little cousin Nagi ( or Chrome, as I had nicknamed her), Chikusa - an upperclassman I had met in the library and who seemed to consider us as friends, though you couldn't be sure with his apathetic glare, M.M. and - of course - me, Rokudou Estraneo,
(Stop laughing at the weird name. Its not my fault I was born Italian! As for why I was in Japan int he first place, and the reason behind my weird - from the Italian perspective, while I was still in Italy - first name was that my parents were unabashed Japanophiles, which was also why they moved here this year. What kind of parents move their children across continents in their High School? Really!
Not that I should be complaining, since my cousin, Nagi, was already living here with her Japanese father. And since I had more friends here than back home. M.M. was an addition I could do without, though.)
I digress.
"It was a dark night, and a woman was walking down the streets alone. The streets she walked were dark and lonely."
It wasn't after I heard myself speaking that I realised I had already started my story. My senses seemed to not like informing my brain of their intentions. How inconvenient.
"She kept turning back and surveying the stretch of dark, silent road behind her, as if fearful of someone following her. After doing this for what seemed like the tenth time in as many minutes, she grew even more afraid, and dashed into a nearby public restroom, barricading herself in a stall to calm her pounding heart.
As she slowly calmed herself down, she suddenly heard a voice and jumped.
'Are you cold?'
She was. It was a cold night, after all, and she was wearing only a sweater. In fact, she had been thinking about how nice it would be to have a warm red mantle just earlier that day, as she worked herself to the bone for her cheap pay. But all thoughts of her earlier wishful thinking was forgotten as she screamed and ran out of the restroom.
Running frantically, she came across a Constable. He asked her to stop and she did, explaining everything to him. Convinced it was the work of a madman or a pervert, he asked her to come with him to the restroom and answer 'yes' to his question the next time it was asked, assuring her that he would be standing just outside the door and would rush in to help her the minute the man showed himself.
Armed with this reassurance, she went in once again, listening for the voice.
All was silent for some moments, before the voice rang out once again.
'Are you cold?'
'Y-yes.' she replied meekly.
'Do you want a red mantle?'
That startled her. How did he know of her wishes? But doing as the Constable had told her, she replied once again, feeling more than a little scared, heart thumping wildly in her chest.
'Yes.'
The next moment, the Constable rushed in, hearing her screams. As he opened the doorm he saw the woman lying on the floor of the stall, her own warm blood covering her shoulders and chest like a warm, red mantle."
Silence reigned.
I smirked. I had managed to pull that off well, hadn't I?
It was a story I had heard before from the Grandmother who lived next door. It was the first time I had come across it and I immediately decided on writing it down, modifying it to be even more scary than it was the first time I had heard it.
Looks like I succeeded.
"S-so. Its time for the count." Nagi's breath hitched a little. Even M.M. looked unsure of herself.
Oh, that's right.
I put out my light quickly.
"Then let's start."
"One." said Chikusa's cold voice.
"Two pyon." the 'pyon' gave it all away. Ken, its not really your turn. That should have been Nagi's. Yours was the third one.
"Three. Ken, you better not fake it this time too!" M.M.'s loud voice came. I sweat dropped. Really, guys. You are all forgetting poor Nagi.
And if you are wondering what did she mean by 'faking' it? The last time we played, a voice had called out "Six, pyon."
We all knew it was Ken, of course. And had kicked his ass.
Well, I just sat back with Nagi fidgeting by my side. M.M. and Chikusa did most of the ass-kicking.
"Four. And what about Nagi's turn?" I mumbled, before realising that oops, I had just taken Nagi's turn, too.
"Err, sorry, Nagi." I apologised, blushing a little. Stupid me.
"I-its fine, Rokudou-kun. Five."
"Six."
GAHWHAT!
"Ken!"
"It wasn't me pyon!"
"Chikusa!"
"Not me, Rokudou-san, M.M.-san."
"..."
"ITS REALLY A GHOST!" M.M. was the first to scream, jumping across the table and latching onto me.
I, in turn, fell over Chikusa, clutching Nagi.
"Don't come near us, you infernal shebang!"
I could hear Chikusa muttering something that seemed suspiciously like "Shebang? Really?"
There's a ghost in here! Why aren't you screaming? You weird ... kappa.
"I'll protect the useless woman and Rokudou-san." Ken screamed, throwing himself at Nagi.
Really, people. Too much weight! Get off!
The light was abruptly turned on to reveal my head on Chikusa's chest, with M.M. half-straddling me and screaming right in my poor right ear, Nagi half-lying on my left leg which was on the sofa, and Ken lying protectively on top of Nagi.
Huh? Wait, ghosts don't turn on lights ...
We stopped screaming and panicking as this epiphany hit us.
Ken rolled off Nagi, red and muttering, mirroring Nagi.
Chikusa pushed me off him, so I landed on the floor.
With M.M. still on top of me.
M.M. didn't bother rolling off, instead just latching onto me with renewed vigour as I sat up rubbing my head.
"YOU!" Ken roared. The subject of his roar was the black-haired man standing in the doorway of the classroom.
"Ano, who are you?" Nagi muttered.
"Are you a ghost?" I blurted out, flushing once I realised what I'd just said.
Way to go, Rokudou. Way to go.
He raised an eyebrow.
"For crowding in my school, I will bite you all to death."
"Eeeek! He's not a ghost, but definitely dangerous!" I shrieked. M.M. shielded me.
"Pervert! Get away from my Roku-chan!" she hissed.
Hey! I'm not yours!
"Who's a pervert? You're the one flashing the world." he pointed out.
He has a good point there.
"W-well! Why are you looking at it if you're not a pervert?"
That's because you give us no choice!
Wait, that wasn't even addressed to me. Why am I getting all defensive on behalf of this stupid guy who sacred us half to death and is now threatening to 'bite' us to death?
What kind of a person 'bites' people to death anyway?
That must be pretty hard, not to mention not entirely hygienic.
And a little perverted.
"... Get out of here before I bite you to death for corrupting public morals."
Also, you do realise you just dodged M.M.'s accusations - to which you obviously had no reply - by changing the topic, black-haired demon?
Wait.
Why was he glaring at me when he ground out the last threat?
Don't tell me ...
Did I just say my thoughts about his 'bite you to death' threat out loud?
"Yes, you did, pineapple herbivore."
Who are you calling a pineapple?
"You, obviously."
"Why you little ..."
"Rokudou-kun! Lets just go!" Nagi grabbed me, motioning at Chikusa to grab Ken, and started dragging us out of the room. "We're really sorry."
"But I'm not!" I protested hotly. Ken, ever so eloquent, made do with a "LEGGO!"
M.M. followed us, screaming at Nagi.
"...wait."
"What, pervert?" M.M snapped without turning back, eyes on Nagi and me.
His eyes narrowed. They were a shade of grey.
Now that I look at it, he's quite handsome.
In a scary, cold kind of way.
Not my type.
"What were you doing here so late?"
"Sharing ghost stories." Chikusa replied quickly.
"... Ghost stories are against the rules of Nami High. Get going before I bite you to death for spreading rumours."
That was what we were trying to do before you stopped us, insufferable prick.
"I have a name. Stop referring to me as an insufferable prick."
Really, thoughts. Stop slipping out loud without my permission!
Thankfully, I had a comeback to that one.
"Oya, its not like you told your name to us!" I snapped.
He observed us for a moment. I felt my life flashing before my eyes.
I wasn't scared! I refuse to be intimidated by a prick like him! I'm Rokudou Estraneo, and while I'm not good at much except smartassery, I wouldn't be intimidated no matter what.
"Its Hibari. Hibari Kyoya."
A/N: The prologue is a bit (or a lot) on the short side.
Yes, they are introduced in the same way as in the Ghost Hunt anime. However, I hope there's enough variety in the scene to make up for it. And yes, Hibari really is still a student of Nami High - the Disciplinary Committee Chairman, no less. As said, this fic won't be a complete copy of Ghost Hunt ^_^
Review, please? Reviews make me feel that someone actually cares about this story. Criticism is most welcome too, especially since I don't have a beta reader TT^TT If nothing else, leave me a smiley so I know this is worth your time.
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