"Obaa-san? I'm home!"

"Welcome home, Ame-chan!" Her grandmother arrived, a small smile on her lips. It seemed a little wary, though. "How did it go?"

Ame smiled softly at that. Her grandmother had always been worried about her dropping grades, and she really couldn't blame her for it. But now? Now, she had good news to bring back home, and it truly felt great to deliver them.

"It went great," she assured. "I scored first in the grade in both English and P.E., and my overall score is 408, which means in I'm 94th place."

"A- Ame!" gasped the old woman. "This is wonderful! Ooh, I knew you could do it!"

At that, the teen lowered her eyes somewhat. "Obaa-san… I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with. Or at least, not when it comes to school. And yet, you've never given up on me. You've always pushed me to do my best, even if I stubbornly refused to listen. So, thank you. Thank you, for always believing in me."

"Oh, Ame…"

The wrinkled woman brought her into a tight, warm hug. Ame lingered in her hold for a moment, taking comfort in the familiar presence. With her studies, her work for the Zodiac, the target on her back and the assassination, the teen had simply been overwhelmed and hadn't really seen her family that much. Though, now? Now everything was over, or at least for a little while. She could allow herself to relax.

"How about we go out for dinner together, with the children?" then proposed her grandmother, pulling away. "To celebrate!"

"All right, but I'm paying," warned Ame.

"Nonsense!" scoffed her grandmother. "I may be old, but I can still afford to spoil my family from time to time! I'm paying and that's the end of it, understood?"

"Y- yes ma'am," sweatdropped Ame.

Her caretaker instantly found back her smile. "Wonderful! Why don't we go tell the children, then? They're playing outside."

"Let's go, then."

They went to the back of the house before going out into the small courtyard. All of the children were playing with Kiba's ball—well, saved for Leo, he was entertaining himself with a small toy, safely sitting in his chair.

"Ame-nee!" exclaimed Ash, the first to see her. She instantly abandoned the game to run up to her. "I feel like we haven't seen you in- in forever!"

A pang of guilt surged in the teen. She really had pushed her family aside, hadn't she?

"Sorry 'bout that, Ash," apologized the girl, ruffling her hair. "I've been studying hard, is all."

"You? Studying?" scoffed Kiba, cheeky. "As if. I bet you failed your finals!"

"Ah? I actually passed, you brat," she replied, waving her overall grade in his face. "I'm 94th! 94th! And I'm the first in both English and P.E. too!"

"No way!" The boy grabbed the sheet, gaping at it in disbelief. "You cheated, didn't you?"

"I did not!" she huffed, a tad bit offended. "I do a lot of things, Kiba, but I don't cheat. I have worked hard for this result and I'll do even better next time around!"

"It's really good, considering you were in last place at the midterms," mused Rin.

"I know, right?" grinned Ame. "Anyway, guess what? We're all going out to celebrate!"

Their eyes instantly brightened up at that. Since they didn't have that much money to begin with, they couldn't really afford to eat at the restaurant or things like that. So, they were obviously overjoyed with the news.

"Yes!" cheered Ash. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

"Where- where are we going anyway?" wondered Jackie.

"I actually don't know," admitted Ame, turning to her grandmother. "Obaa-san? What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I thought we could all go to this little café I found a while ago," she proposed. "It's a really nice place, and I'm sure you'll like it!"

"Okay, sure thing!" Ame turned back to the children. "Well, what are you guys waiting for? Go grab your jackets and let's get going!"

They all cheered at that, instantly rushing inside. Both Ame and the old woman chuckled at their enthusiasm. Then, the teen walked up to Leo. Quickly getting him out of his chair, she pecked his nose, earning herself a childish giggle.

"Me-nee! Me-nee!" He pulled her cheeks a little, making her laugh. "Me-nee!"

"That's almost it, sweetheart. You're getting better," she replies, gently pulling his hands off her face. She kissed his thumb. "So, you wanna come with us, little guy?"

He giggled some more, and she took that as a yes. She handed him over to her grandmother, who returned inside to get him ready. Once she was gone, Ame bit her lower lip.

I agreed to this without really thinking, but is it really safe? I mean, there hasn't been any attempt since Shiro, but I'm still a target. I don't want to put them in danger…

She then shook her head, chasing those dark thoughts away. She couldn't stop herself from living either, even less stop her family. She'd just go and enjoy her evening, and keep an eye out. If things even turned south, then she'd call for back up and everything would be fine.

She wouldn't let anyone hurt her loved ones.

.

.

Ame gaped for a few seconds at the café they had gone to, surprised. She finally let out a startled laugh.

"What is it, Ame-chan?" wondered her grandmother.

"Oh, nothing," assured the teen. "Let's go!"

So they went in. Instantly, they were greeted by Kanako, who smiled when seeing the girl.

"Hello, Ame-chan! Do you want your usual table?" she proposed kindly.

"Actually, I think a bigger one may be in order," admitted Ame, gesturing to the kids just behind her.

"Oh, I see! Well, follow me!"

They did as told and, a moment later, they were all settled at the biggest table in the small café, next to a window. Kanako handed over the menus, which the kids instantly took a hold of, before smiling once again at the orange-eyed teen.

"I'll send Isogai to take care of you guys, alright?"

"Sure. Thanks, Kanako."

"Of course!"

As the kind girl walked away, Ame's grandmother leaned over the table, apologetic.

"I had no idea you were a regular here, Ame-chan. We can go and find another place—"

"Oh, why bother?" chuckled the girl. "I had actually been planning on bringing everyone here at one time or another, so why not today?"

"Well, if you're sure…"

Ame grabbed her hand and squeezed it in a reassuring gesture. "I'm sure, Obaa-san."

Her grandmother found back her smile at that, before picking up the menu herself. Already knowing what she was taking, Ame didn't bother with it and instead helped the other kids decide. Thankfully, the food wasn't overpriced, so she wasn't all that worried when it came to money. If it really got too much, then she'd pay half of it, simple as that.

"Hi, Ame-san!"

"Oh, Isogai-kun!" she greeted. "I didn't have the time to tell you earlier, but congratulations on your first place in social studies!"

"Ah, thank you. Though, congratulations as well to you! You got two first places, did you not?" he pointed out.

"I guess I was rightly motivated this time around," she simply shrugged. "And I did have a promise to keep."

::

"Ugh, I guess I'll do what I can. I do owe you one. So… yeah. Guess I'll try my best. I can't promise great results, but I can… I can promise that, at least."

::

He laughed a little at that. "Well, I'd say you did a pretty good job at it. Anyhow, it's the first time I see those faces, isn't it?"

"Oh, right!" She gestured to her family, who were staring at them in confusion. "This is my grandmother, and these are my siblings. We've come here to celebrate my not-failing the finals."

"Ah ah, I see." He smiled at the kids. "I'm Isogai Yuma, one of Ame-san's classmates. It's very nice to meet you."

"It's the first time I meet one of your friends since that Rio girl, Ame-chan," pointed out her grandmother. "You never told me you had such a charming classmate!"

"Obaa-san!"

The old woman chuckled at that. "Alright, alright. Well, I think we are all ready to order?"

The rest of the kids mutely nodded, still somewhat stunned. To be honest, they never really thought Ame could have friends, of all things. She rarely went out for anything other than work and she never brought anyone back home. However, seeing her interact with her classmate made them realize she wasn't as… isolated, as they first believed.

They only then realized Ame actually had people other than them in her life.

"What's with the long faces, guys?" mused the teen, lightly tapping Amaya's head. "Come on, let's order. I'm famished!"

They all brightened up at that. They might not be the sole people in Ame's life, but they were still her sole family. That had to count for something, right?

The evening had been going well. Everyone enjoyed themselves, the food was great, and Ame finally felt she could relax. Surrounded by her family, just living in the moment… She missed the days she could be so carefree.

But it'll be fine. Usagi and the others will find a solution—

"And now, the desert!"

Ame blinked, startled, as Isogai placed an entire cake in the middle of the table.

"Err, Isogai-kun…?"

He simply smiled. "It's on the house. A gift from the cooks, to congratulate you."

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. The children were all staring at the treat with stars in their eyes, so who was she to refuse?

"I'll go thank them, then," she announced, rising to her feet. "I'll be back in a few. Leave a piece for me, would you?"

"No promises!" chanted Kiba and Ash, forks already in hands.

She rolled her eyes at that, flicking their noses, before following Isogai into the kitchens. Once there, she was greeted by five grinning cooks.

"So? What'd you think, Ame-chan?"

"It looks amazing, Chichi-san," she assured. She then bowed. "Thank you very much! I'll repay you as soon as I have enough money!"

"Ah! You sure can be dumb, Ame-chan!" chortled another cook. "It's a gift, a gift! You don't repay people for those."

"But—"

"You shouldn't fight it, Ame-san," sighed Isogai with a defeated shrug. "They've done the same for me, and I've spent hours arguing. They're just too stubborn."

"Urgh, fine. I'll take it, but only this once," she warned, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's not like I don't have money either."

"Don't worry about it, Ame-chan," replied Chichi, ruffling her hair. "We're just happy for you."

"Then thanks, I guess. Again. I'll see you guys whenever I drop by again, then. Later!"

"Bye-bye!"

The cooks waved her goodbye, and she turned around to head back to the dining hall. Just as she reached the door, though, she stiffened. Isogai, just behind her, frowned slightly.

"Ame-san…?"

She ignored him and quickly looked through the small window… only to find an unknown man talking with her grandmother. From her point of view, she could easily see the shapes of the different weapons he was hiding under his coat.

"An assassin," she breathed out, her throat drying. She took a step back. "Shit! This- this wasn't supposed to happen, this isn't—"

"Ame-san!" snapped Isogai, though not loud enough to draw attention. "What's going on? You said—"

"It's an assassin," she repeated, breathing in deeply to try and keep calm. "He's after me. Isogai-kun, I- I need to go. If I stay here, they'll be in danger."

"No. If you leave now, you'll be in the open and it'll be dangerous," he protested. "Just let me call Korosensei—"

"We don't have time!" she refused. "He's not here right now, he won't make it back in time, and I can't leave that guy hanging around my family any longer. I'll head out and try to shake him off my trail. I need you to go back to the table and tell everyone that I- that I left for my job because it was an emergency. The guy will leave and everything will be fine."

"Didn't you say you had an escort? Why can't they help you?" he pointed out, running out of ideas.

"Actually…"

He paled a little when understanding what she wasn't saying out loud.

"You didn't tell them you were going out!?"

"I thought it'd be fine!" she replied, losing her patience. "Look, I don't have time for this! Please, just… Please. I need your help."

"… fine. But we're doing it my way."

"What?"

"Oh, Isogai-kun!" greeted Ame's grandmother once he returned to the table. "Where's Ame-chan? This gentleman here says she forgot something at her job, so he's looking for her."

Isogai plastered a smile on his face, turning to the man. He knew for a fact that said man was not Ame's colleague, considering what she had told him.

"She actually got a call from her job," he answered in a kind tone. "She's waiting outside, in the back of the restaurant. Another of her colleagues is bringing back what she forgot for her."

"I see," grunted the man, bowing a little. "My job here's done, then. Have a nice evening, ma'am, kids."

On which he left. Isogai let out a small breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He offered yet another smile to Ame's family, before heading back to the kitchens.

"Where the hell is the brat?" huffed the assassin.

He had found the door in the back of the café, where the other brat had said she was waiting for whatever stuff she had forgotten—which didn't make sense, considering he had made that up on the spot. So, where was she? He had other things to do.

"Oh? Might you be looking for someone?"

I didn't sense him! He spun around, a gun slipping into his hand. "Who're you? Show yourself!"

The tall figure was hidden in the shadows of the alley. Tensed, the assassin watched as the mysterious figure slowly stepped into the light… and almost had a heart attack: it was the monster—the one at the top of every hit list in the world. The ultimate target… and not the one he had been aiming for in the first place.

"W- what do you want with me?" he barked, grip tightening on the weapon. "I ain't done nothin'!"

"No. No, you haven't," agreed the octopus, smiling. "But you were aiming to. You are targeting my precious student, are you not?"

"I- I didn't—"

"Unforgivable."

The man didn't even have the time to scream.

"I don't get it," sighed Ame, running a hand through her hair. "How did Korosensei come here so fast? He was supposed to be in Hawaii tonight."

She had actually been hiding in the kitchens while their teacher handled the threat. She had decided not to question the boy earlier, since she didn't want to risk having the assassin target her family instead, but now that the danger had been averted…

"Karasuma-sensei made him stay at the school to help to prepare the trip," shrugged the boy. "I had to help them out since I'm the Class president."

"So that's how you knew he'd come," understood the teen. She exhaled deeply. "I guess that's one crisis averted, then. Thanks, Isogai-kun."

"No, thank you, Ame-san."

"Uh?" She turned to him, confused. "What for?"

He could only smile at that. "For trusting me. Thank you."

"Oh. Well, it's- it's normal, right?" she replied, averting her gaze. "We're classmates, after all."

"Right." He decided not to linger on it any longer. "You should probably go back to your family, now, else they'll start worrying."

"You're right. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

He nodded in confirmation, and she left to go back to her family. He watched her go, somewhat relieved. He had been extremely worried at first when she said it was an assassin, but everything had been handled smoothly.

And she trusted me without a second thought…

He couldn't deny how happy the thought made him feel.

.

.

Ame groaned a little as her phone buzzed. Rubbing her eyes, she checked the message she had just received.

It's from Kurahashi…

She was asking her if she wanted to go bug-hunting with her. Ame didn't really understand what she meant by it, but thought 'why not?'. After all, it's not like she had better to do. The Zodiac was fairly busy with whatever was going on with the gangs and, now that Ame was a target, she was fairly recognizable to anyone who had access to the damn Dark List. Otherwise said, she wouldn't be able to go on her usual scouting jobs and directly meet with their own targets anymore, since they'd surely recognize her right away.

At least they don't know I'm a member of the Zodiac. That would have really gotten me in trouble.

Smiling a little, Ame texted the orange-haired girl to confirm. She'd join her at the school grounds. Since they'd be "hunting" in the forest of the E-Class campus, she wouldn't need an escort. She did text Hana to warn her, though. She didn't want to repeat yesterday's mistake, after all.

"A- Ame-nee…?"

Startled, the teen straightened up to see none other than Jackie shyly hiding behind her opened door.

"Hey, Jackie," she greeted, somewhat puzzled. "Is everything alright?"

"I just… I wanted to know if- if you wanted to spend the day with me…?" he asked, obviously uncertain. "'Cause Obaa-san is busy taking care of Leo and Kiba-nii has his basketball club and Rin-nee is studying again and Ama-chan is at the library and Ash-chan is cooking so..."

The teen thought about it for a second. On one side, there was the risk of running into another assassin. On the other, though, she couldn't just push her family away in hopes of protecting them. She had seen enough movies and dramas to know that it always turned badly in the end, be it for the supposed heroin or those she tried to protect.

"Sure!" she finally answered, smiling a little. She sat up properly and started stretching. "Though, I'm going out with a friend. Bug-hunting, or something like that. Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Y- yeah!" assured the boy, brightening up instantly.

"Great. Just let me change, and we'll be on our way, 'kay?"

"Okay!"

Ame glanced at the blond boy who's hand she was now holding. It was the first time he was going any further than his own school, so he was a little scared by the new environment. He was holding on tightly to the teen's hand, and she was pretty sure he would have already run away if it wasn't for the fact that he had no idea where to go.

"Jackie, I can bring you back home if you want," she suggested gently.

"No!" he protested instantly, his grip tightening. "I- I wanna go with you!"

"Okay, okay," chuckled the girl. She ruffled his hair. "Stop worrying so much, though, alright? I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."

"I- I know."

They crossed the street and started walking again. The way there was rather long, but Ame hadn't wanted to risk running into those gang members she had angered weeks ago and so she had taken a considerable detour. Thankfully, even if Jackie was an easily scared kid, he wasn't one who complained too much. So, bearing with the heat and the long walk, he didn't utter a word, though he never let go of Ame's hand.

After twenty minutes or so, Kunugigaoka finally appeared in sight. Checking around, but seeing no one suspicious, they both reached the school's premises at last. A little less fearful now that there wasn't as much movement around them, Jackie started looking at the gigantic building with childish curiosity.

"Is that your school, Ame-nee?"

"Yep," she confirmed, checking the time on her phone. "Though that's the main campus. I'm in the E-Class, so I go to school on top of the mountain over there."

"Eh? Really?"

"Yeah—"

"AME-CHAN!"

At the exclamation, the black-haired teen turned around, just in time to catch Kurahashi, who had jumped into her arms. She blinked a few times as the younger girl in her arms beamed brightly.

"I'm so glad you could come!" The ginger jumped back on her feet, apparently excited. "I asked the others but they were all busy, so it's just going to be the two of us. Is that okay?"

"Uh, sure. Though, it's more like three of us…"

"Uh?"

It's only then that Kurahashi noticed the little boy hiding behind Ame's legs. Her sudden appearance had apparently startled him and he didn't even dare to look at her.

"This is my younger brother, Jackie," introduced Ame, gently patting the kid's head. "Jackie, this is the friend I was telling you about, Kurahashi. Come on, say hello."

He slightly lifted his head, mumbling under his breath what seemed to be a greeting.

"Aw, you're so cute!" grinned the ginger. She clasped her hands together. "I'm glad you're with us, Jackie! It's going to be fun, you'll see!"

He seemed to perk up a little at that, nodding slightly. Ame smiled softly, glad he seemed to be coming out of his shell. Kurahashi was a cheerful spirit, he'd surely warm up to her in no time.

"So, Kurahashi, what exactly is bug-hunting?"

.

.

"Oh, look! I got one!"

Ame chuckled as Kurahashi jumped from the tree branch she had climbed on. "You're pretty agile, aren't you? And you're pretty fast at climbing trees too… Good skills to have, really."

"Well, I've always enjoyed going out and roaming in the forest," admitted the ginger, before extending her hand to show off the bug she had caught. "And catching these little guys is fun! Don't you think so, Jackie—uh? Jackie?"

The boy was once again hiding behind Ame. He seemed to like Kurahashi but, as soon as he noticed the bug, he had paled and gone to hide behind his sister.

"Jackie is easily frightened," admitted Ame, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Frightened?" Kurahashi laughed a little. "There's nothing to be afraid of! Here, come closer."

The child bit his lower lip, obviously not all that tempted to get any closer to the bug, but Ame gently pushed him forward. Kurahashi crouched so their eyes could meet and smiled kindly.

"Can I tell you a secret, Jackie?" she asked in a fake hushed tone.

The boy's eyes widened a little at that. "Secret?"

"Hm! You see, when I was your age, I was scared of everything," she admitted.

"Everything…?"

"Yeah! I was scared of the dark, I was scared of heights, I was scared of bugs… I was even scared of crossing the street on my own!" Kurahashi laughed again. "It was a little silly, now that I think back on it, because there really wasn't anything to be scared of."

"B- but you climbed the tree!" he protested, not really believing her. "And- and you think catching bugs is fun!"

"Yeah, but that's because I had some help getting over my fears. Here!" She pulled off one of the many bracelets from her wrist. "Believe it or not, but this is a magic bracelet."

"Magic…?"

"Uh uh! Whenever I felt scared, I used this bracelet to give me courage! Here, try it on."

She quickly tied the bracelet around his wrist. After what, she showed him the bug she was still holding, and he jumped back a little.

"I- it's not working! It's not working!" he protested.

"You have to believe in it first," she replied calmly. "This bracelet will protect you, okay? Here, close your eyes and give me your hand."

"B- but—"

"Jackie, just give it a try, okay?" smiled Ame, kneeling next to him. "I'm right here, so nothing's gonna happen. You know that, right? Plus, you've got Kurahashi's magic bracelet now. What could go wrong?"

He bit his lower lip, still hesitating. After a few seconds, though, he gave in and closed his eyes, extending his hand forward. Kurahashi delicately placed the bug in his open palm and he instantly flinched. Ame placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"So? Does it hurt?" wondered the ginger, a tad amused by the whole situation.

"N- no…" Carefully, the bug opened his eyes. "I- it tickles…"

"They might look scary but, trust me, they're more scared of you," replied Kurahashi, taking back the bug and putting it in a little box. "After all, you're so big and strong!"

That finally earned a little laugh from the boy, who seemed to relax at last. He then glanced at the bracelet, apparently pondering on something.

"C- can I keep it?" he suddenly asked.

Ame cringed a little at that. "Jackie, that's—"

"Of course!" beamed Kurahashi. "As long as you promise to take care of it, okay?"

"I- I promise! I'll be extra careful!" he gasped.

"Great! Now, why don't you go check that tree over there? I think I spotted another bug," suggested the cheery ginger.

"R- right!"

As soon as he ran off, Ame turned to her friend. "Kurahashi, your bracelet—"

"Don't worry about it, Ame-chan," smiled the smaller girl, lightly patting her shoulder. "He's really sweet, and I'm happy to help."

"Well, if you're sure…"

"I am!" laughed her classmate, apparently free of any worries. "Now come on, we can't let him catch all the good ones."

That made Ame laugh, if only at the craziness of the situation. Jackie the scaredy cat catching bugs? Kiba would have a field day when he'd hear about it.

"Kurahashi, I think we found—oh, you guys are here too?"

Sugino, Maehara, and Nagisa blinked a few times, startled by Ame's sudden appearance. She was the last person they expected to meet in the forest during summer vacation.

"Eh? Are you bug-hunting too, Ame?" wondered Maehara.

"Kurahashi invited me," shrugged the girl. "You're here to scrape up some spending money, then?"

"They were after stag beetles," replied Kurahashi. "I explained how it wouldn't work already."

"Well, yeah," snorted Ame. "The market crashed years ago."

To think I learned that from Karasu…

"Ne, how about we all go bug-hunting together?" suggested the ginger. "We're bound to find tons if we all try!"

"Ashi-nee! I got one!"

"Ooh! Good job, Jackie!"

The little boy stumbled out of the bushes, a tad disheveled and covered in dirt, but sporting a gigantic grin on his lips as he proudly showed her the bug he had just caught.

"Uh? Who's this one?" blinked Maehara.

The child stiffened at the voice, only then noticing the other three. He instantly quieted down, stepping closer to Kurahashi.

"That's my brother, Jackie," answered Ame, going to stand next to the kid. "Jackie, those are some of my classmates: Maehara—"

"Yo!"

"Sugino—"

"Hi!"

"And Nagisa."

"Hello."

The kid waved shyly, making Ame laugh. She swiftly picked him up, using her thumb to wipe off some of the dirt he had smeared on his face.

"Gee, what's Obaa-san going to say when we get back home?" she mused.

"That- that you're a bad in- in- in—"

"Influence?" provided Maehara, now amused.

"Yeah!"

Ame sweatdropped at that. "You learned that from Kiba, didn't you? Don't get cheeky!"

She started tickling him. The shyness was instantly forgotten as he started wriggling around, trying to free himself as he yelped and laughed. Ame was laughing too, forgetting for a moment about her classmates. Themselves were a little startled by how open and carefree Ame seemed to act. Not only did they not know she had a brother, to begin with, but it was the first time they saw her interact so… lovingly, with someone.

Like what, everyone has some hidden traits, uh? Mused Nagisa.

Ame and Jackie ended up leaving as soon as they ran into Okajima. Not only did she not want the kid to be corrupted by the pervert, but she also didn't want to risk getting him involved in the assassination attempt that would soon follow. Okajima had apparently been planning it for a while and she couldn't risk Jackie finding out about it. He'd surely tell her grandmother and that would get her in trouble. So, they bid their goodbyes to everyone before heading down the mountain to head back home.

"So, did you enjoy bug-hunting, Jackie?" Ame asked as they left the school grounds.

"Yeah! It was really fun and I wasn't scared anymore and Ashi-nee is really nice too!"

The teen laughed at that. "That she is. You take good care of that bracelet, okay?"

"I know!"

In the end, bringing him along wasn't such a bad idea, she mused internally. With Kurahashi's help, maybe he'll be able to face his fears more easily. She was grateful for that, she really was. She'd find a way to make it up to Kurahashi, that much was certain.

.

.

"Hey, Usagi? Have you seen—BUTA!"

The young girl propelled herself at the man, who easily caught her, laughing all along. Grinning, she tapped his head.

"Still as hairless as ever, uh?"

"I'll let you know that my wife likes my hairless head," huffed the man, putting her down.

"It's so bare she can admire her reflection in it, so of course she'd like it," snorted the girl.

"Aa? Where's all that cheekiness coming from, brat?"

She simply laughed again, this time hugging him properly. "Welcome back, Buta."

"Yeah, I'm back."

Buta was one of the founding members of the Zodiac and also the oldest, what with being forty-two years old. He was a bomber and a certified chemist that was banned from his country after a little lab accident that more or less poisoned the entire city and he had moved to Japan when he was nineteen. The guy was a genius and he was often working closely with Hana on developing new poisons, though he preferred working with explosives. He also had a wife who believed him to be a simple scientist and who knew nothing of his… less than legal, activities.

The man had been gone for many months, now, sent to different cities on a Refresh mission. Those missions were meant to "refresh" their data and general information they had on the city, its people, its economic and political state, new gangs, etc, etc. Since there was a lot of ground to cover, it always took a while for the members accomplishing them, but they had to be thorough. After all, what kind of info-brokers would they be if they did things half-way?

"Anyway, I only just heard about your little situation," then remarked Buta. "You just can't stay still, can you?"

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for attention," she deadpanned. "You know, this morning, I was really tempted to go outside with this gigantic board saying 'Come on, kill me! I'm one of the most wanted people in Japan!' but decided against it since finding a board was too much of a hassle."

"Ah! You haven't changed a bit, Ame," he snorted, ruffling her hair. "Glad to see you're still a cheeky little shit even after all of this."

"It'll take more than a target behind my head to take me down!" she replied, grinning. "Plus, I've got everyone watching my back, so why worry?"

"Maybe you should worry." Ame stiffened at the new voice. "I mean, you're going to that special resort in Okinawa, aren't you?"

"M- Mest!?"

The man in question stepped out of the shadows, his face as expressionless as always. Mest was also one of the founding members of the Zodiac, being thirty-eight of age, and had taken up the codename "Same". He was one of the "shadow members", just like Karasu, Sasori and herself, Kitsune. He possessed a special ability that made him absolutely perfect for infiltration missions: he was a mimicker. He could mimic voices, facial expressions and personality traits to the perfection after only seeing or hearing them once, which allowed him to gather information rather easily in the hardest-to-reach places.

They… didn't really get along, though. Mest was one of the three members who were absolutely against her joining the organization in the first place, after all. However, they kept it civilized, neither of them really up for starting unnecessary hostilities.

"What exactly do you mean?" she asked, calming down. "What's wrong with the resort?"

"The Fukuma Resort Hotel is fine," he replied with a light shrug. "The tower at the top of the island, though? Not so much."

"What? Why?"

At that, though, Buta frowned. "You don't know? The tower is one of the meeting points for most gang leaders and other higher figures of the Underworld. There are many enemy organizations who have an agent twenty-four/seven in there, to keep an eye on the ongoing deals and on their competitors and rivals. That's a live Black Market."

"How quaint," sweatdropped Ame. She then shook her head. "So I'm guessing that stepping foot in this tower would be—"

"Suicide, yes!"

"Sa- Saru!"

Buta waved cheerily at their leader while Mest bowed respectfully. Saru simply grinned, waving back, before coming over to pat her head.

"That tower is known as the Citadel. In it reside many assassins, info-brokers, terrorists, gangsters, dealers, and all of the other kinds of unsavory people that populate the Underworld," he resumed, smiling as always. "You can be certain that most of them, if not all of them, already know of you and your bounty. After all, you're the youngest person to ever have your name on the Japanese Dark List—it's bound to gather some attention."

"Then what do I do?" she frowned. "This trip is meant for Korosensei's assassination and I honestly think this is the best chance we have at killing him. I can't just back out now!"

"You don't have to," he assured, soothing her worries. "The resort you're going to is expressly meant for tourists who have no idea whatsoever of what's happening in the Citadel. There have been a few… incidents, in the past, which lead to innocents getting involved in Underworld business. It got messy, higher authorities intervened, and it's been pretty much awful for anyone who worked above the law at that time. Even the Zodiac was a complete mess for a while!"

"Ah, I remember that," snorted Buta, going to the little fridge to get a beer. "To avoid another incident like that one, the Citadel was created so as to properly separate the two worlds, so to speak. It was a nightmare to deal with, I tell you! I had terrible migraines until this was all swept under the rug."

"That's just because you're old, Buta," replied flatly Ame.

"Oi!"

"Well, she's not wrong," mused Saru, before shaking his head. "Anyway, you're strictly forbidden from entering the Citadel. You'll be safe in the resort but you can be certain that you'll be identified as soon as you put a single foot inside."

"Understood," she nodded, more seriously. "Though, if I do run into some of those people…"

"If worst comes to worst, use your ring," he relented. "We're always careful to erase all traces of our existence, but the Citadel is one of the few places in the world where pretty much everyone knows of us. You can use your ring to get out of trouble if needed, though it'll expose you as one of our members, so be careful with that."

"Will do. Though, to be frank, I doubt I'll even get close to seeing that Citadel," pointed out the teen. "I mean, what could a bunch of high-school kids want with such a place, really?"

"True. Though, one can never be too careful, right?"

She nodded, conceding the point. Maybe she should bring the katana along this time around?

.

.

A week before their departure for Okinawa, the students of the E-Class had agreed to meet up on their campus to get some training done and plan their assassination. The trip was the perfect opportunity to kill their teacher and, with the serious disadvantage he'd suffer from (otherwise said, losing nine tentacles), it was possibly the closest they'd ever get to kill him. They needed to plan things carefully if they wanted this to work.

They were now in the back, working with guns. Well, saved for Ame: she was helping some of the students with their knife training.

"Well, well! I see you little brats are working up a good sweat, summer vacation notwithstanding," mused Irina, laying comfortably on a chair with a fruit punch in her hand.

"You train too, Bitch-sensei," protested Mimura. "Your gun and knife skills aren't that much better than ours."

"Grownups are sneaky," replied the woman, having gotten used to the name since long, now. "I'll hitch a ride on your strategy and only take away the best parts."

"Oh? That's my Irina."

"L- Lovro, sir!?"

Ame snorted at that. "I can't believe you didn't sense him coming up behind you. Slacking off much, Bitch-sensei?"

"Can it, brat!" Irina however quickly reported her attention on the man. "W- what are you doing here!?"

"He's here as a special instructor for the summer," answered Karasuma. "He'll give us tips on our strategy from a pro's perspective."

"Rest one day and your fingers and arms forget about killing," stated darkly Lovro. Utter rage then took over his expression. "If you don't want to flunk out, hurry up and get changed!"

"Yes, sir!"

Irina was up on her feet and gone in the blink of an eye. Ame blinked a few times, genuinely surprised by how fast the woman was. She knew her English teacher was a pro assassin, but it was easy to forget about her skills with how lazy she acted.

Though, then again, I guess I can relate to that.

"Thank you for your cooperation," then said Karasuma, drawing everyone's attention back to the dark man.

"Making matters worse, I couldn't contact the assassins who'd shown the most promise," sighed Lovro.

"Were they scared off, knowing that even the pros had failed?" wondered Karasuma.

"Perhaps. Now, all we can do is leave it up to them." The pro assassin then took a look around, just as Irina came back in gym clothes. "Now, he's not here today, is that correct?"

"Yes. He had a trip to the Everest planned, so he's there now, beating the heat."

"Good. A confidential strategy is essential for an assassination."

"Yes, we—Naoki! Stop eavesdropping!" suddenly barked Karasuma.

The girl in question stiffened, before huffing. "How'd you even know I was eavesdropping? I'm training, if you haven't noticed!"

"As if you couldn't do both," retorted her teacher with a slight roll of his eyes. "And one way or another, you're always eavesdropping. Just get back to work already."

"Whatever."

She shot a pointed look at Lovro before fully reporting her attention on her knife training. Now that she had been caught, there was no point in insisting. To be frank, though, it's not like she really expected anything from listening in on their conversation. She was an info-broker, for God's sake! Eavesdropping was part of the job, is all—

"… what's this first part, though? 'Psych attack'?"

"We're going to blunt his moves by attacking him psychologically first," answered instantly Ame.

"Naoki!" barked Karasuma, annoyed.

"What? He asked!" protested Ame. "And you're talking about the strategy we came up with: there's nothing secret with that!"

"Ugh, fine," grunted the man, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Naoki, explain."

"Well, Korosensei has many weaknesses but they're so ridiculous it's hard to exploit them for an actual assassination attempt," she explained instantly. "For example, he's easily embarrassed by pretty much anything."

"Like porn!" piped in Maehara. "He was scavenging for it the other day!"

"First, we'll corner him with blackmail material and more," joined Nagisa, reading his notebook.

"We'll completely destroy his mind before destroying his body!" cheered Ame.

"Hell yeah!"

She and Karma high-fived.

"A brutal assassination method indeed," sweatdropped Lovro. He then shook his head, gaining back some seriousness. "But the key is that final, killing blow. Pinpoint timing and accurate aim will be crucial."

"Are you worried about this class's firepower?" wondered Karasuma.

"Just the opposite. Those two, in particular, are amazing," admitted the pro, glancing at their best gunners.

"Chiba Ryunosuke. He excels at spatial calculations. As a long-distance sniper, he is second to none," explained the teacher. "Hayami Rinka has a nice balance of dexterous fingers and kinetic visual acuity. She's a soldier who's well equipped to take down a moving target."

"Neither is very assertive—they're the professional type; their results do the talking," understood the assassin. "Hmm. I want them for my own students. The others are at a respectable level as well. Their talents have been identified and nurtured well in such a short time. I see plenty of potential here. Some of it seems quite wasted, though."

Ame stiffened as the assassin shifted his gaze to her. "Are you still on about that? I told you—"

"Why are you not practicing your shooting?" he asked, his eyes firm and unwavering. "Your aim is close to perfect and you could deal a lot more damage with a gun than with knives."

"I don't like guns," she replied, a little less cheerful. "They're bad memories for me. Though, why should it matter, really? As you said yourself, everyone here has reached a respectable level as gunners: I doubt little old me will make much of a difference."

He simply nodded, though if he was agreeing or simply acknowledging her answer, she couldn't say. Shrugging a little, Ame then returned to her knife training with the others.

They couldn't afford to waste more time.

The training was going well. Everyone had quickly warmed up to Lovro as he offered his professional advice, and the students were all progressing fast. Ame was helping Okuda with her aim when she noticed Nagisa talking with Lovro. Unable to help herself, she silently stepped a little closer, just enough to be in reach. After what, she tuned out the rest of the noises around to focus on the conversation. It didn't take her long to understand they were talking about the Reaper. Known as the best assassin in the world, he had gained the name of Death itself after many years of silent rampages. He had killed hundreds without ever getting caught and even the Zodiac was wary of him, careful to stay under his radar as much as they could manage.

After all, he was the only person in the entire world they couldn't even learn the name of.

"—and so I'll teach you a surefire technique."

"Surefire?"

"Yes: an instakill move, from this pro assassin to you."

A surefire technique? That I gotta see—

"If you wish to accompany us, I suggest you do not dawdle behind."

"Gah!" Ame snapped her eyes to Lovro, who was staring at her. "How'd you know?"

He lifted an eyebrow at that. "You may be skilled, but you still have a lot to learn. Saru has yet to teach you many techniques."

Her eyes went wide at the name.

How does he know about Saru!?

She shook her head: now was not the time, not with how many people there were around. So, quickly apologizing to Okuda, she ran to join Lovro and Nagisa. The boy offered her a hesitant smile, which she returned before she turned a colder stare at the assassin.

"I can't wait to learn then." I expect answers.

"This way." Later.

So she followed them. What else could she do, really?

And I'M BACK! It was a wonderful trip, I bought loads of geeky stuff, obviously, and I want to thank all of you for being so patient and understanding. I came back just yesterday (or this morning, considering I got home at exactly 1h34), but I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer. Anyway, not a lot happens in this chapter, but the real fun begins in the next one. Coming up: the Island Arc!

Ja'ne~!