Yo, everyone! Can't believe that I updated so early this time! Well, the chapter is a bit shorter than usual, I guess. xD It probably helped that I had already translated the Drama CD: Haneuma to Same.

Like I mentioned, this will be the last chapter before the Daily Life Arc starts. Someone we all know and love(?) will appear in this chapter. Hope you look forward to it! Also, a big hug and kisses for those who reviewed, read and also for your kind emails. I'm also happy to count more story alerts, author alerts etc! Thanks so much :33

Note: I have a reason for marking some parts with "***" instead of "" Just note that I wanted to show you where the part that includes the Drama CD is marked with "***" and ends with it as well^^ I'll tell you beforehand if that happens in a chapter.

So, let's get on with the story! I apologize for any mistakes, and hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR, I only own my OCs


Lost Before Light 8

~~~Shark-boy with a Kitchen Knife~~~

It knocked on the door to Dino's office. The young mafia boss looked up.

"Yes?"

"Boss? I just wanted to tell you that everything is prepared for tomorrow," Romario told Dino after sticking his head through the door.

"Okay, thanks," Dino answered and shut is laptop. Romario left the room again. Nike, who was sitting on the windowsill in Dino's office, one of her leg hanging out of the window, stuck her nose out of her way too thick book and slid her headphones from her ears.

"What's prepared"? she asked lazily, as if she'd just woken up.

"I have a meeting with the Vongola 9th tomorrow," Dino told her and leaned back in his office chair. Nike stared at him, nodded shortly to make him understand that she'd listened and looked back into her book again.

To tell the truth, she wasn't really interested in the Vongola, and 'visited' Vongola HQ once before, anyway. And that had been more than 6 years ago after a certain incident not many knew about. Nike assumed not even Dino did, and never thought about telling him either. It just seemed unnecessary.

"Why don't you come along?" Dino then asked after Nike continued reading her book that seemed to be older than he himself, longer than thousand pages long and on top of that in Latin.

Nike slowly dropped her book and looked at him rather bored, yet disbelievingly.

"Me? Why should I?"

"Because I want to show you the Vongola HQ. It's an amazing building, you know?"

"And why is that so important?" Nike didn't really get why should go sightseeing again. After all, she had seen the building and also, it wasn't really that amazing compared to Genesis HQ. Way smaller.

"Hmm…" Dino thought about what to say for a while. He really wanted her to come along. It didn't sound all that bad to spend the day with Nike, even though she seemed pretty unenthusiastic about it.

"I wanted to introduce you to the 9th," he finally said. It was true though, not an excuse.

"I see.." Nike paused. She just saw him once, and wasn't really interested in that either. But when she glanced at Dino, Nike gave up.

"Sleeping all day long against spending the day with you… Now that's a hard decision," she remarked a bit caustic and moved her hands like a scale.

"How mean…" Dino slumped his shoulders in mild exasperation. Nike snorted.

"I was joking, stupid. Fine, if you stop nagging, I'll go with you." She picked her book up again, but not without making another sarcastic remark.

"It can't be that boring to look at an old building and an old man after all."

~~~The next day~~~

"Too… early…" Nike huffed grumpily. The night was too short, the car ride too long and it was too early for her anyway, not matter what time it was unless noon had passed, or afternoon… or actually everything.

To make it short: she was sleepy like always.

"If I'd have known that I'd get thrown out of bed 6 in the morning, I wouldn't have agreed to this…" she thought and sighed annoyed.

But Dino just laughed and ruffled her hair until it was an even bigger mess. "You have bed hair, you know that?"

Nike blew some strands of hair irritated out of her face and curled her lips. "And you've picked up quite an attitude…"

But right after that, they already arrived. "It's the 10th Cavallone boss!" some of the safety guards said and let them in. Nike got out of the car a little unenthusiastic, eyeing the blue-roofed, really big Vongola HQ that stood hidden for ages.

"It hasn't changed…" Nike mumbled.

"Did you say something?" Dino asked. Nike just shook her head.

"Nothing."

"Okay… well, let's go." He turned around and they got access to the mansion, Reborn on Dino's shoulder and Romario behind them.

They were lead through a big main hall and through a few corridors. To Nike, this place still seemed like a labyrinth.

"We're there!" Dino suddenly said after stranding in front of a door that seemed slightly different from all the others. Decorated with scrollwork and everything.

The door opened, Reborn jumped from Dino's shoulder and walked inside the room. In the room stood an rather old, but friendly looking man. He had grey hair, a grey beared, wore a brown-greyish suit. In his hand, he held a sceptre.

"Dino! It's been a while!" the 9th, also known as Nono or Timoteo greeted Dino very friendly. Nike was thrown off again.

"Another overfriendly Mafia boss…"

"Yeah, I'm happy to see you again," Dino responded very friendly as well.

"And who is that?" Nono asked and looked past Dino, surprised, but still smiling. Even when his glance fell on her Genesis- scarification and -brandings on her upper arm, his smile faded only slightly.

"Oh that's Nike. I wanted to introduce her to you," Dino asked and rubbed the back of his head while stepping aside, so that Nono could look at her.

"So you are Nike. I've heard quite a bit about you. It's nice to meet you," Nono said.

"Nice to meet you…" Nike responded after hesitating, still not convinced by her own words, or Nono's. "Heard about me?" she then added.

"Reborn told me that you and Dino get along well," Nono responded.

"9th! Please don't say something unnecessary!" Dino tried to stop him a bit embarrassed.

"Hoho~ Don't tell me you're shy~" Reborn smirked.

"Stop it, Reborn…" Dino mumbled a bit annoyed, more at himself that the others, with red cheeks.

"But it's true. You never brought a girl along!" Nono said with a smile. Nike just looked away. This situation was just weird.

"Errr.."

Nono looked at her again. "Oh, I'm sorry! But Nike, it was nice meeting you."

"Yeah… I guess," Nike responded. It was not only weird, it was really weird. She actually thought that she was getting used to nice people. Well, Nike had been wrong. It seemed like Dino was the only one she wasn't uncomfortable to be around.

"Nike?" Dino said her name ad Nike looked at him immediately.

"What?"

"Are you coming?" he asked.

"Eh.. Hah? You want me to attend your meeting?" Nike asked and stepped back, raising her arms and shook her head.

"Hmm? Yeah, why not?" Dino blinked, a bit surprised by her reaction.

"But why? Even if Genesis is Vongola's ally, a Genesis-soldier attending a meeting with the Vongola and Cavallone bosses is weird." Nike crossed her arms and raised one eyebrow. Dino looked at her as if she'd said something like "Hey, I'm an alien!"

"Doesn't matter for me." he shrugged, then leaned down to look at her directly and smiled softly. "I want you to come along, okay?"

Nike twisted her mouth, a bit annoyed, trying to hide her real reason for doing so. Dino however, noticed immediately that she was simply embarrassed.

"If you insist on it…" she finally answered mumbling, though still not facing him.

***Later***

Dino, Nike and Romario went out of the room after the meeting had finished. Reborn still stayed behind after Nono had asked him to do so. Nike had noticed that the Vongola 9th seemed to be bothered by something, assuming that it was probably weird that she had been there, after all, though Nike was reading the whole time.

On their way out, Dino showed her around a bit, and seemed to be more than existed to do so.

"This place is really great, no matter how many times I come here. It's so big and the security is perfect, too. As expected from Italy's greatest mafia, Vongola family's base. I would like to make one like this, too, right Nike?" Dino said and turned around to look at the tiny girl and his right hand man.

"If you say so," Nike responded lazily, though she had to surpass her urge to grin when she saw how exited Dino was.

"Geez, sound a bit more enthusiastic!" Dino protested, then turned to his right-hand man. "What do you think, Romario?"

"Boss, you'd need to work much harder for that. The Cavallone's stance was at stake, but thanks to you, things became better. So if you work harder, you should be able to accomplish it!" Romario said, half-teasingly.

Dino laughed. "You're joking, right? It's all thanks to Reborn's training that I'm able to be a boss now. Doing more is impossible."

"I know. Besides, the boss is doing a great job! Everyone is grateful that you took over the family!" Romario told Dino. Nike glanced at Dino and thought, not knowing if she should be amazed, or happy for Dino:

"They really do love their boss, don't they?"

"Really? Then, that's good," Dino responded slightly sheepish. Then suddenly, he stopped and looked like he had remembered something.

"Nike, Romario, please wait here for a little. I still have something do to here."

"Hmm, what? Your meeting with the Vongola 9th is already over," Romario said wondering. Nike, too, looked a bit confused, but shrugged. However then, she noticed that someone else seemed to be near them, another presence. She looked over her shoulder, while Dino told Romario:

"Ah, I just heard that someone I know is here. I also came here to meet him." And then, Dino suddenly called:

"You're here right, Squalo? Show your face."

"Heh." Someone stepped out from the corner. A tall man, just as tall as Dino, with white, long hair.

"To think that you're able to sense someone's presence. That young master from years ago has grown up a little," he said, though Nike had the feeling it sounded mocking. And somehow, just somehow, even though it may had been just a feeling by then… she didn't like him.

"Yo, it's been a while," Dino greeted him as friendly like he did with everyone. "I heard that you defeated Varia's invisible boss in a sword fight. I knew that you were still becoming stronger, but to think that you would defeat him…."

Nike's eyes widened only for a second, before she narrowed her eyes at the guy Dino had called Squalo.

"So that's Superbi Squalo…. The guy who defeated Varia's boss. So Dino and that guy really went to the same school. I thought Rika was joking when she said it.."

"It's not surprising. It just means my sword is stronger. But I also heard rumours about you. The rumour that you made the family, which was about to go down, rise again. Not only that, but also that the relationship among the allianced families became stronger. Cavallone's young 10th boss, also very well known as Bucking Horse. So you can change if you want to, after all." Squalo retorted. Then his eyes fell on Nike, and she knew that he realized who she was.

"Genesis… so the rumour about the Bucking Horse having connections to Genesis is true after all." Squalo thought, then added smirking, which made Nike realize that his name, that was translated into "shark" really fit him:

"And it seems like you even have a lapdog now. On top of that a Genesis-lapdog."

Nike thought someone had thrown a brick into her face. Okay, it wasn't just a feeling. She really didn't like him.

Her eyebrow twitched irritated and she had to control herself, or she would have started shaking out of anger.

"Lapdog? Did you call me lapdog?"

"Voi! I did, you tiny person!" Squalo shouted, still smirking.

Nike had enough. Not only did he call her a lapdog, no, he also called her tiny! She snapped.

"Listen, you stupid ass! I don't care if you're a member of Varia or granny's little sugar-boy! If you call me like that again, I'm going to chew your head off!"

"Whoa Nike! Stop!" Dino grabbed her and tried to hold her down, making Nike run at one spot.

"Zip it, Dino!" Nike struggled and pointed at Squalo. "I won't allow this thing to breath the same air as me!"

"VOI! You midget! I'm going to pierce you!" Squalo shouted angrily, swinging his sword hysterically around.

"With what? That butter knife? Alright, come at me, shark-boy! I'll make sushi outta you!"

Dino tried to calm her down, but he knew Squalo had hit a point that he rather shouldn't have. Actually, he had hit two.

"Please, Nike, stop it! And you, too, Squalo!" Dino interrupted them. Nike stopped struggling and turned away, huffing.

Squalo still grunted his teeth, but put his sword away. Dino sighed relieved. He almost thought those tow would start chopping each other.

"Anyway, lot's of things happened. I was taught by a really scary home tutor and actually changed against my will," Dino told him lightly amused. Romario laughed while Nike just gawked at him.

"Scary home tutor? True, but don't let him hear that…"

"Boss, Mr. Reborn has very good ears. He can hear you everywhere," Romario said. Nike didn't know why, but what he had said was sending a cold shiver down her spine. Dino seemed to feel the same way.

"Don't say scary things, Romario!" Dino whispered almost horrified. Nike nodded agreeing.

"What are you whispering about?" Squalo glared at them.

"Ah, it's nothing," Dino shook his head quickly, then added with a slight, confident smile: "Anyway, since you entered Varia, we have to work together as allianced families. I look forward to working together."

If Nike would have drunken something, she'd have spat it out. She looked at Dino in horror.

Squalo scoffed. "Heh. We'll see that."

"Squalo?" Dino looked at him.

"I'll stand at the top of Varia. I will continue to fight until everything is subordinate to me," Squalo told them, then glanced at Dino and Nike didn't like it.

"I might even fight against you, so don't say sweet things like working together."

"Hey, you wannabe sushi! Don't talk with Dino like that. Gee, you should be happy that he's even talking to a third-class swordsman like you," Nike scoffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking demonstratively away from him.

Dino looked at her with wide eyes, same as Romario. Did she just defend him?

"Voi! What was that?" Squalo yelled at her.

"Che," Nike simply made an annoyed-provoking sound, still not looking at him.

"You little-!" Squalo was about to scream at her again, but Dino interrupted them yet again, saying:

"This is just like you, Squalo. But I don't want to fight a meaningless fight. I will use my power for the sake of my family. That's what I decided." Nike's eyes shifted to the blond mafia boss.

"And this is just like you…" Nike thought and internally, she smiled. However, somehow, she got a heavy feeling as well when she thought about his words. "His family, huh?"

Meanwhile Squalo started laughing at him. "Hahaha! That's a good one! How is a mafia boss going to protect his subordinates, who follow him, with his own power? You didn't change at all. You're still a weak young master."

"Hey!" Nike took a step forward, and though deadly calm, she narrowed her eyes and that special strange glow appeared in her eyes once again. "I told you to watch what you're saying, didn't I?"

"Heh, I take back the lapdog. Bucking Horse, you have a watchdog." Squalo scoffed once again, simply pretending not to notice the glow, even though he did.

"Ugh! You piss me off!" Nike hissed.

Dino put his hand on Nike's shoulder. She looked at him and calmed down when she saw his sly smile with an hiked up eyebrow, but not before letting out a heavy, irritated sigh. Then Dino looked back at Squalo.

"Squalo, I'm glad to have seen you again."

***Later***

"Man, that day was long," Dino said and stretched himself.

"That's cuz you threw me out of bed so early…" Nike remarked.

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Dino asked.

"It was fine, I guess?" Nike shrugged, pretending to be clueless. She was glad Dino took her along, but still… meeting Squalo after waking up early was something she could have missed out on.

They walked down the floor to the dining room. Nike could smell the dinner already. She noticed only now how hungry she actually was.

When they walked inside the dining room, Reborn was already there.

"How did you get here so fast?" Dino asked him. After getting back to Dino's mansion, Reborn had jumped out of the car as fast as he could.

"I have something to tell you, Dino," Reborn said.

"Huh? What is it?" Dino asked and sat down like Nike.

"The 9th asked me to tutor the future 10th Vongola boss," Reborn told them. Both looked at him.

"The 9th wants to pass on the Vongola boss title?" Nike asked.

"Well, he is an old man…" Nike thought.

"Don't tell me the next boss is gonna be-!" Dino was already thinking about the worst possibilities. He already knew that the 9t was searching for an successor, but the one thing he never hoped for was for one of his sons to become the next boss. He knew it would only end in a disaster.

"It's Iemitsu's son," Reborn added briefly.

"Iemitsu? You mean CEDEF's boss?" Dino asked surprised. Nike listened with open ears.

"Iemitsu Sawada…. Isn't CEDEF Vongola's secret intelligence organisation? They're the external advisors, right?" Nike asked.

"Yes, and Iemitsu is their boss. So he's basically number 2." Reborn smirked.

"And the 9th wants Iemitsu's son to become the next boss? Wow," Dino said. "So… does that mean that you're leaving?" he asked carefully.

"Yes. It can't be avoided," Reborn nodded.

"I see…"

Nike noticed that Dino seemed to be a little dejected. She didn't really understand it though. She knew how hard it was to have a tutor like him, yet Dino seemed like he'd miss Reborn.

Maybe their relation was a whole lot different than Rika's and hers.

"It's sad. I know that I could still learn a lot from you, but I understand you. I'm grateful for all the things you did for me. Without you, I wouldn't be the boss I am now," Dino smiled and sighed.

Reborn looked up. But instead of the lovey-dovey moment one that didn't know the Arcobaleno would had expected, Reborn jumped and…

*WHACK*

…kicked Dino.

"Ouch!"

"The boss you are now? Don't go all confident on me! You're still green behind the ears!" Reborn kicked him once again and then dragged Dino after him. "We're going to have one last trial!"

"Oi, Wait, Reborn!" Dino protested, but was already dragged out of the room. Nike just stared after them, then facepalmed.

"This was to be expected… I guess…"

~~~Somewhere else~~~

Hidden, lonely, dark. Those were the words that described Genesis HQ the best. Nobody besides its members knew where to find the HQ.

And deep behind its walls, a middle-aged scientist, often called old by her student, stood in her libratory, a concerned, but somehow dark look on her face.

"The results… Hades.. What do I do if he knows it! Damn it!"

Meanwhile the young charismatic, yet cold young leader of Genesis, Hades, was somehow more cheerful than usual. That alone wasn't a good sign.

"This is better than I thought it is. I spare time, will have more power.. Everything works just like I planned!"

Then suddenly, a cough got Hades attention, just like that person wanted it. The person was covered by shadows, hiding inside the dark room.

"I mean our plan. I beg my pardon," Hades bowed his head with a creepy smile and a movement of his hand. The person nodded and smirked. A smirk, cold as the winter and a person able to change everything.

The past, the present, and the future…

...

So… what will the future be like?

...

-End of Pre-time Arc-


So, that was it for the Pre-time Arc. Never thought of a better name for it LOL

Now we'll have a time-skip and the Daily Life Arc will start. Hope you guys stick with me. Just be prepared that this story is going to be long! XD My holidays start soon, so I'll hopefully even able to update sooner than usual. Maybe every 3-4 days or something?

Also, You'll probably notice a lot of changes when it comes to Nike's personality, or her relationship with Dino. Or at least I hope that I will be able to write it and get it across^^

So, if you want to, please stick with me and, of course, stay well until next time!

Give me some feedback (or just hug the review button, he likes it a lot! X3) and stay tuned!

See you again-desu!