CPR/KM: And here comes chapter one~!
Lilly: ... I give up, you are hopeless!

CPR/KM: Glad you finally noticed it~!

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR or Bleach. Never have and never will, so do not bother to sue me. You won't be getting anything...

Warnings: AU, Gender Bender, Blood and Gore, Swearing, OOCness, Crossover

Summary: Tia Harribel has never thought she would have to reconnect with her past again, ever. But with Aizen wanting to sacrifice her home town, Namimori, along with Karakura Town, she knows that she has to act in order to make sure that her mother was safe. Even, if it means to call in help from her so called father, Iemitsu Sawada.

Pairings: So far, I have none planned and if I do have them, they would be coming into the story very late. But you can make suggestions and send them in via review or pm, the choice is yours.

"Decima?" - Speech

`Tsuna is dead!´ - Thoughts

"That idiot!" - A different Language

"Tasty little morsel!" - Hollow Speech

Shark Empress of Vongola

Chapter 1

The Grieving Mother

More than ten years earlier...

It was a bright and sunny day in Namimori and the sky was a clear blue. No clouds were found in it and a light breeze was going around the town. It was a nice day to be outside and invited you to play outside. But there was an unusual sight to be seen. A little girl was being chased by a group of teenagers. Now, what could be wrong with that picture?

A little five year old girl is seen running down the streets. Her wide brown eyes showing fear and being filled by tears. Her short and messy blond hair was tousled more than ever and had leaves and short little twigs in it. Her once pretty sunflower dress was a little ripped and covered in dirt. The girl let out a screech when she suddenly fell onto the busy streets and was panting hard. You might be wondering why the girl was running in the first place. It was because some teenagers had been chasing her off of the playground because their little siblings had claimed that the girl was taking their toys. Although, this was far from the truth because those children had stolen hers, not that it had mattered to the teenagers.

The little girl looked up with fearful eyes when she saw that her followers had nearly caught her and she didn't really notice how the adults around her suddenly began to panic and shout at her to leave the street. The teenagers in question came to sudden stop and stared with horror filled eyes at the little girl lying on the street which was about to be hit by an incoming and high speeding truck. But that didn't stop the people from speaking in their panic.

"Someone has to get that child of the street, FAST!" an elderly woman yelled.

"Why is she on the street?" a man asked while trying to run to the girl.

"I think I saw her being chased by some teens," the same elderly woman said.

"OH KAMI-SAMA! THAT TRUCK!" a woman yelled out, a young mother with a little girl at her hand.

"Isn't that Tsu-chan? Nana-san's daughter?"

"TSUNAYOSHI!" a woman suddenly yelled out when she saw the truck coming in.

"Mommy...?"

And then it happened.

Before the man could reach Tsu-chan or even reach the street, a loud crash and screeching was heard. Horrified screams followed the sudden crash and then all was silent. The truck had come to a stop with an ashen coloured driver behind the wheel. He was gripping tightly the wheels of his truck. The teenagers that had been chasing the little girl were covered in the blood of Tsunayoshi and staring with wide unseeing eyes at the girl that was lying in pieces on the street. Some of it stuck to the truck and other parts on the street or lamps. It was a sight that would lead to them to have night terrors for the rest of lives, just like for all the other people that had witnesses this.

And then, panic broke out yet again. Mothers were soothing their little children and holding them. The men were actually calling the ambulance, even though it was already too late and the little girl was not in need of it anymore. All through this, no one noticed how one Nana Sawada was walking onto the street and taking a hold of the ripped sundress that was left of her only daughter. Her shock was clearly written all over her face and she began to rock back and forth on the street while whimpering. Some people just stood there and watched with pity the crying woman who had just lost her daughter.

"Tsunayoshi... Tsunayoshi..." the woman whispered brokenly, clutching the sundress tighter to her chest.

"Nana-san, come," one of the man said, trying to get Nana to leave the street. "You can't stay here like this."

But the woman wouldn't budge. She stayed glued to her spot on the street and kept her rocking up while whispering her daughter's name to herself. Quiet sobs and trembles were occasionally raking her body and whimpers left her lips. But she would just not leave her spot. She wanted to be near her daughter and no one could tell her otherwise.

"Nana-chan, come..."

But Nana ignored what was happening all around her. She just wanted her daughter back. The daughter she had just been watching dying in front of her eyes.

"The poor woman..."

"Get out of the way, the police and ambulance have arrived," another voice called out.

Nana heard nothing of this. She was too deep into her own world where she saw her daughter die again and again. To her, the world became a white blur of nothingness. She didn't hear anything, she didn't see anything and she didn't feel anything. Everything that happened around her, she couldn't register it. Not what the police told her or any other people that were around. She was just in a state of a shock and nothing made any sense whatsoever.

The truck driver was staring at the grieving mother on the street while telling the police what happened out of his view. The poor man was having a mental break down much like Nana. To have the blood of an innocent five year old child stick at his truck and on his hands. It was not something that he had ever wanted to happen.

"Sir, we have heard some interesting things from the onlookers. It seemed that the girl was chased out on the-," the police officer began to tell his superior while having brought Nana with him.

Nana had tuned the talking out again; just barely hearing what was being talked about. The bloody sundress was still in her hands. This was the worst day of her life yet.

~ Time skip, a few months later...

It had been a few weeks since the funeral of her daughter and Nana Sawada was a wreck. Not only had her husband not shown up to it but the man hadn't even called once. Yes, Nana Sawada knew that her husband was a busy man and that he was important at his work. But that he was openly ignoring his own daughter's funeral that broke the spirit of the woman completely. Nana may have been able to ignore the times that her husband ignored her all the time, thanks to her adorable little daughter. But with Tsunayoshi gone, she had to face the reality now and could not ignore it any longer. Thus she had issued with a heavy heart a divorce to her once husband Iemitsu Sawada. It had surprised the woman at how fast the divorce had come back to her and that Iemitsu had actually signed it without even once asking her why.

It just proved to the poor grieving mother that her thoughts had been right. Her Iemitsu had never really cared about her or their daughter it seemed. But not only had she to deal with that. No, on top of that she had to deal with the teenagers that were actually at fault for her daughter's death. Nana didn't care if she was acting childishly or not. But she would never be able to forgive those teens for having done this to her, taking her little baby girl from her. The truck driver had it even worse. He had quit his job and was in therapy. It had shaken him up when that accident had happened with his truck. No one could blame the man for this.

But while Nana was grieving her daughter's death and beginning to develop a hatred for Iemitsu, she didn't really know what was going in Italy where her now ex-husband was working. Not that she ever knew that this was where he really worked at.

~ Italy, somewhere on Sicily...

Iemitsu Sawada was standing at the side of his boss and much trusted leader, Timoteo. Just a week before his boss' adopted son had tried to kill Timoteo. It, thankfully, had not been successfully to the great relief of the Vongola. But still, now the whole organization was in an uproar because of it. People were calling for Xanxus' blood but it would be impossible to be done. Not only would Timoteo never agree to this but Xanxus was frozen up. So, it was very hard to even get at him.

While Iemitsu was busy with running the Vongola while Timoteo was regaining his strength. He never saw the letter from his wife and thus never found out that is only daughter had died. The poor man had not even seen the divorce papers either when they had been sent to him. He just signed him, not thinking much of it and had thought they were something silly from Nana. Like a permission slip for her to be still able to use their bank accounts.

It was a shame that the man would only find out ten years later what those papers had really been. But by then, it would be much too late for him to right the things that had happened in the past.

~ Time skip, unknown amount of time, Namimori Graveyard...

Nana was sitting at the grave of her daughter again, just like every week since that accident had happened and was gazing with sad eyes at a picture of a smiling Tsunayoshi. Tears were rolling down her flushed cheeks and her shoulders were shaking with sobs. Yes, it may have been a few years since the death of her daughter. But Nana was far from over it and she doubted that she would ever stop grieving for her daughter. The one person that had been her centre of her universe and had always brought a smile to her face. But it was all gone and she would never get it back.

She would never see her daughter smile again, hear her laugh again, be able to hug her and sooth her if she had any nightmares. It was just nothingness without her baby girl in her life anymore. Letting out a sad sigh and taking deep breathes, Nana closed her chocolate brown eyes, much like Tsuna's, before glancing behind her at the tall standing woman.

"We can go now," Nana whispered softly, afraid of raising her voice near her daughter's grave.

"Very well, Nana-san," the woman replied with a blank voice and turned to leave.

Nana watched the dark skinned woman walk in front of her before following her. She watched the shocking blond hair of the woman and was a little reminded of her little Tsunayoshi. It was exactly the same shade. `How ironic... A woman that seems to be looking like an adult version of my baby helps me to get over her death,´ Nana thought while following the woman. `I wonder... It was such a strange way I met Harribel-san...´

~ Flashback, a few months after Tsunayoshi's funeral...

Nana was sitting quietly in the park where her daughter had loved it to play at. She was sitting at the bench she would normally use to keep an eye out on Tsuna. But this time around there was no Tsuna with her and it would forever be like this. She would never be able to see her Tsunayoshi play in the park with a big smile on her face. The thought brought tears to Nana's eyes. It wasn't an unusual sight to the people in the park anymore. Every parent that was in the park with their child or children knew Nana and they also knew the deep bond that she had had with her daughter. It did not really surprise them to see Nana still grieving over the accident.

Thus, mostly people stayed away from her. Yes, they knew that they should approach Nana and try to cheer her up. But they doubted that they would do any good. Not after the last time that they had tried to do so. Nana had lashed out them and snapped at them, looking even more broken than she did now. It was truly a tragic sight to see Nana in such spirits.

"Tsu-chan," Nana muttered while staring at the swings.

Nana, much too deep into her thoughts, did not notice how a woman had taken a seat next to her. She was still mumbling about her daughter and how she missed her. The woman in question had dark skin and green eyes. Shocking blond hair was short and messy while three locks where in single braids. The woman was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a white blouse while a scarf was hiding the lower half her face beginning at her nose. This actually did not mare anything from this woman's beauty and her voluptuous body.

"Talking with yourself is a sign of insanity or so I have been told," the woman suddenly spoke up and broke Nana out of her muttering. "Tia Harribel."

"O- Oh? R- Right b- but I was not talking to myself," Nana stuttered a little, clearly shocked at being talked when most people had avoided her. "N- Nana Shirosaki."

Nana did not know if she had imagined it but the woman's eyes seemed to have gained a certain gleam at hearing her name. But why?

"It is a pleasure, Shirosaki-san," Harribel murmured. "Now, mind telling this stranger why you were muttering about a Tsunayoshi to yourself?"

Nana stiffed when she heard that question and her eyes darted away from Harribel's green ones. A faraway look adapted into her face and her body began to tremble slightly. Honestly, Nana hadn't really thought that this would be something Harribel would have first asked her. But then again, she did not really know this woman. She was a stranger and this stranger seemed to not have heard of what had happened just a few months ago. ´M- Maybe I should really talk with someone about it... Maybe it would really help me,´ Nana thought uncertainly to herself. `But she is a stranger...A stranger that has not heard about it... Perhaps this is what I need. Not someone that knows about it already but someone that doesn't.´

While Nana was thinking to herself, she didn't notice how Harribel was studying her and her eyes seemed to soften up. A nostalgic air seemed to surround Harribel which no one seemed to notice while she watched Nana and it seemed like the woman already knew Nana. But it was impossible; they had after all just met.

"A- Ah... It is a long story y- you see," Nana choked while fighting with the tears, not wanting to cry in front of this woman.

"I have time," came the reply.

"A- Ah..."

~ End of Flashback...

And the rest was history, like some people are fond of saying. The times that Harribel was around Nana, she felt like she was talking with someone that was really close to her. Not like a friend but more of a family member. It was a bit confusing for the poor woman but she did not dare to question it. She rather let herself enjoy those times that Harribel was around and soothing her restless soul that was still so hung up on her dead daughter. Yes, many years might have passed since that horrible day but Nana could not just so easily forget about it. Because for her it meant that forgetting about Tsunayoshi meant that her daughter was really dead and gone, never coming back.

Nana was holding onto her memories of her daughter and had sworn to herself that she would never forget them or her daughter for that matter. Because forgetting her would mean that she was truly dead. It was something her own mother had always told her. If you forget about a person you truly care for after they have died, they are really dead. Because no one was there to remember them by and Nana went by those words. Thus it was something Nana did not want to happen.

"Harribel-san...?" Nana asked while she watched the silent woman coming to a stop at the park.

"Yes, Nana-san?" Harribel said while glancing down at the woman.

Of course, compared to Harribel, Nana was a midget. It was quite amusing to see the two of them together. They were completely opposites of each other, yet they got along well.

"Why did you help me?" that had been one of the few questions that had Nana bugged for years since meeting Harribel. Why indeed.

"You... reminded me of someone I once knew," Harribel admitted before starting walking again, not looking back to see if Nana would follow.

The brunette woman just tilted her head to the side before trying to follow her friend. It was quite hard to catch up with the woman and her long strides. If Nana was honest with herself, she had never thought that Harribel would actually answer her. But the answer surprised her. Now, who could be reminding Harribel of...?

~ Time skip, unknown amount of time, Shirosaki residence...

It was an early morning and the sun had yet to come out. Tia Harribel was sitting in the living-room of her friend Nana Shirosaki and in deep thought. She had been staying with her friend for a few days now but she knew that she had to leave. She thought a little back to Nana and what had happened in the past few years between them. Nana had greatly improved with her helped but she still was not really back to be the woman that she had once been. Harribel doubted that she would ever be that woman ever again. Too much shit had happened to the woman and that was putting it nicely. `It should be happening today... Let's see how she will react to the mail

Harribel glanced outside of the windows and noticed that the sun was slowly rising in the sky. Humming to herself, she stood up from the couch and slowly made her way into the kitchen. Nana would be up soon and getting ready to make breakfast for them.

"Ah, Kaa-chan, I wonder how you will deal with this," Harribel muttered to herself when she felt a foreign energy near the house.

CPR/KM: And that's a wrap~!
Lilly: Not bad...
CPR/KM: Yep... Anyhow, anyone can guess who Harribel is by now?
Lilly: snorts Read and review people, and do keep sending your pairing suggestions.

CPR/KM: An update after a long time, I know. I should be able to update The way of an Empress today, too. If not today, then a few days later... I hope so at least...