Kokuyo Arc: 2nd Year of Middle School

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn

Suspicious things were happening in Namimori, Mia thought. She was in her room, staring outside her window. The town was silent tonight but she had a grim inkling that the same thing would happen again.

The other night, she had taken a walk around the neighborhood, her insomnia struck, forcing her to exhaust her mind and body in order to get the rest she deserved. It was something she developed after her mother died and often kept her awake when she felt really worried. This time, she was worrying over inter-Family matters after a lesson with Bianchi. Just from the basic run-down of Vongola 101, the Vongola Family settled their feuds with blood and death. From what Bianchi told her, the Family wasn't as brutal as it used to be after the Eight boss, Daniela, had taken over although the Family still held a fierce reputation.

If there's one thing about this matter that gave hope for the Vongola, is that it needs a woman's head.

Well a good head in general but still, go girl power!

How Tsuna will factor into it – that is if he will be the boss – is the real question. There's a lot to worry about and it all got so much that she left her apartment for a walk. She had almost come to a full circle around the block when she saw the unmistakable pompadour hairstyle of the Disciplinary Committee member lying in a pool of blood.

She called an ambulance immediately then went to see if the member was still alive. He was still breathing, she sighed in relief. But he had a bad head wound. Knowing basic first aid, she did her best to stop the bleeding. Afterwards, she noticed a peculiar object on his chest. It was a broken pocket watch. Mia picked it up. The hour hand had stopped on eleven. Eleven o'clock. She frowned, wondering why something like this was lying around. She placed it back apologetically on the member.

The watch held nothing else of importance. There was no point in taking it, considering the watch was of low quality – there were scratches and dents on it and the gold was fading, showing the brass underneath and it waa broken. The hands were fixed on the number eight. She didn't need it anyway but the police might think it's useful so she put it back. Moments later, the ambulance came.

Hibari was there, watching as they strapped the member on the stretcher. Mia didn't question why Hibari was there. Pretenses aside, Hibari is a good leader and he took care of his people.

"Little cub." Mia turned to him. "Tell me everything you know."

She crossed her arms, feeling a bit chilly and stared at the unconscious member. She told him the basics, why she was out walking, how she found the injured member and the strange watch. When she was done talking, she rubbed her arms. He noticed.

"Go home, tomorrow is a school day," he said.

Mia nodded. "Yeah. I'll leave it to you then." She turned around only to turn back again. "And Hibari, I would really appreciate it if you don't mention I was here…" she gestured at the scene of the crime. "I'll be going now." Not knowing if he'll honor her request or not she was making her way back when she heard Hibari say, "Don't catch a cold little cub."

Mia smirked to herself, feeling a bit pleased that she had been promoted from 'herbivore' to 'little cub'. Apparently, Hibari had caught on to her shenanigan over at the time when Tsuna was hospitalized. He never mentioned it but she liked to believe that he was impressed.

After that, the attacks came one after the other. Probably after the fourth or fifth attack, Mia sought out the disciplinary chairman. The school was tense because only Namimori Middle was being attacked – everybody was afraid who might be next. It was strange, she thought as she went through the hallway. The fearful whispers wafted in the air like a thick mist. Mia caught a few things here and there – like how Mochida had been confined at ICU due to his injuries.

She didn't like arrogant pricks like him but even she wasn't that horrible to wish something on someone like that.

So why Namimori Middle? There was an idea but she had dismissed it due to the fact that she lacked proof. Both her parents were archeologists – they specialized in theorizing of what really happened by using the relics they discover. Figure out the significance of an object, what it was used for, and find the connection between the recorded events and the people affected by it. That's what her Pa and Mama taught her.

Right now she was trying doing exactly that. She knocked on the Committee room and slid the door open. Hibari and Kusakabe stopped speaking the moment she stepped in.

"Little cub, get out." Hibari was sure nice wasn't he? She knew he was in a bad mood but felt compelled to find out the truth.

"In a moment. I need to ask you a few things." She slid the door shut.

There were only two things that she could think of that could be the reason why Namimori Middle was the only school being targeted. One, Hibari Kyoya. She didn't need to explain that. Second, it had to do with the mafia.

The second one occurred to her after the fourth attack, when she realized that it was only Nami-chuu students that were being assaulted. What was the only thing at school that had importance to any outside influence? How about the Prince of the Mafia? Vongola Decimo?

That conclusion just branched out to several more questions. Baby steps, she told herself. Avoiding Hibari's vicious glare, she nervously cleared her throat. Kusakabe was eyeing her at the side.

"Um… did any of the victims happen to have any watches found on them?" she asked. Kusakabe looked on at her in surprise but Hibari wasn't the least perturbed by it.

"There was."

Mia bit her lip. "Were the hour hands going in a clockwise or counter-clockwise manner?"

"Counter-clockwise."

Think. Clock. Tick. Time. Hour. Time as in a countdown? Why clockwise then or maybe the direction wasn't relevant? Counting down on what?

How did this fit with Tsuna?

The victims, think about the victims. What had they all had in common? Nothing. If they were after Hibari, only the Disciplinary Committee should have been targeted but that went out of the window when Mochida became one. Strength? Was it because they were strong?

"Little cub," Hibari growled. "Leave."

"Give me a second." She held a hand up to him, her eyes furrowed in deep concentration while her mind worked furiously. Confused, Hibari was momentarily halted and he stared at her.

Strength. Countdown. Strongest Fighters. Mia felt her jaw drop when it hit her. It was a system to lure Tsuna out! From her lessons, Mafia Famiglias always had bosses who were considered as the strongest of the family. If they were after Tsuna they wouldn't know where to begin because the identity of Vongola Decimo was heavily guarded. How did she know? She asked Reborn about it before why the lack of assassins.

But their system was flawed. There were people here who were stronger than Tsuna. They could have pinned him on the ground unless Tsuna was in Dying Will mode. If they managed to find him, they would definitely have found out for sure he was Vongola Decimo. That flame on his forehead was a dead giveaway. But how? How was she supposed to know when and who will they come after next?

She wished there was some way to rank all the fighters at school.

Wait.

That's it!

Ranking!

"Fuuta!" She exclaimed, startling both men. "Thank you so much for the help Hibari!" She made to leave but Hibari stopped her with a steel tonfa blocking her way.

Oh hell. She panicked. Hibari will not let her out alive!

"Where do you think you're going little cub?" There it was. Mia could just feel her death approaching. She had to be careful on how to move on from here. She chewed on her bottom lip and slowly turned to Hibari. Something came in mind that could either kill her or could get Hibari off her back for a while – assuming that Hibari is a still a guy and not some carnivorous beast dressed in human flesh.

Here goes nothing.

She crossed her legs and shifted uncomfortably from side to side. Looking up into Hibari's steel grey eyes and gathering her mad courage, she tried to give the impression of herself actually acting like a girl.

"I need to go to the bathroom," she told him. The nervousness she was feeling the whole time since she came in here was let loose like an overflowing dam. She knew he knew it was real and she wanted that.

He fell for it.

Kusakabe covered his mouth to hide his amusement. Hibari was unimpressed and had hidden his weapon.

Mia sighed in defeat, her shoulders dropping. She tightened her crossed legs and closed her eyes. "Hibari, please." She pleaded softly with just a hint of urgency.

But no, pleading does not work on Hibari Kyoya. He's an alpha and he does not lower himself to the likes of a small animal like her. He actually snorted at her, almost sounding disappointed.

She was a bit offended. Just a tiny itty bit offended but offended nonetheless. She'll get away from this without a scratch – just watch her.

She froze still and her eyes widened. The two were suddenly alert.

"Matteis-san?" Kusakabe cautiously looked around.

She let out a deep breath. "Kusakabe-san… can I ask you for a small favor?" She didn't look at either of them. The picture of shame, she evilly thought.

"What would it be?"

She paused. "In my bag back in the classroom, the inside pocket has…" she didn't continue it, appearing to be almost afraid of what to say next.

"Yes?" he urged her. The two exchanged glances that Mia most certainly caught. She smirked inside. They might have thought that whatever she was talking about was something related to the incidents.

"My napkin."

There was silence. It was broken by Hibari. "What?" His tone betrayed his expression. He was bewildered.

She impatiently sighed. "I need a napkin. Now."

"Does that mean you're…" Kusakabe trailed off.

"Possibly bleeding right now? Oh yeah," she snapped. PMS. God's perfect weapon for a woman and like any girl, she could sense the discomfort that men emitted when exposed to something so simple as a period. Men. Hibari even took an awkward step away from her like she was some disease. "I know you might kill me but it's not my intention to be bleeding on your floor before you even touch me."

Moments later she was running outside the Committee room smirking so widely that Tsuna was confused at her when she came back to the room. Ha! That will teach them to keep her there. Go girl power!

After classes, Mia was out the door before Tsuna could even call out to her. Hurt feelings aside, she had to make sure Fuuta was alright. When she asked earlier, Tsuna told her that Fuuta often went out and that was very alarming. The last time he'd seen the kid was a day ago. She didn't blame him because Reborn and a bunch of other things kept him busy but she just wished he kept track. If any mafia family kidnapped Fuuta…

She passed the park when a tuft of light brown her caught her eye. Some very familiar hair that belonged to a certain child she was looking for.

"Fuuta!" she called out.

Fuuta turned around. "Mia-nee!" he exclaimed. She hugged him immediately, surprising the boy.

"Oh you know how dangerous it is for you to be out alone!" she scolded him and pulled back, scanning him for any sign of injury. "Especially now. Nami-chuu students are being attacked left and right."

His shoulders sagged. "I know," he said miserably. "My ranking book! It's missing and I have to find it!" Well that's bad. "I also made a ranking list of the strongest students for Namimori Middle." Now that's just worse.

"Fuuta I think it's safe to say that the bad guys have your book." She looked around to see if anybody was listening in to them. "Now let's go back." She stood up and took his hand but he yanked it back.

"No! We have to get it back." Fuuta looked at her, his anxiety causing her to actually listen to him but rationally, they can't.

"Fuuta…" she started but tears welled up in his eyes. She sighed. "Okay, we'll look for your book but only until five alright? I don't wanna be out here when it's dark."

Fuuta wiped his eyes with his sleeve and nodded. "Thank you."

They looked for it everywhere and soon the sun was setting. Mia kept glancing at the sky then back at Fuuta. The boy was adamant to find his book and Mia didn't have the heart to say no to him. If anybody had taken that book… the consequences would be just as bad as if Fuuta had been kidnapped instead.

This had to be a Mafia thing.

Fuuta suddenly pointed behind her but she was too slow to react. Pain exploded at the back of her head and she fell like a sack of bricks. Her last thought being was, 'definitely a mafia thing'.

"Mia-nee? Mia-nee? Please, please be okay!" Fuuta's frantic voice woke her from the dark abyss. The first thing she noticed was the smell of rotten wood and mold. The second thing was the pulsing pain from the back of her head. She groaned and opened her eyes. It was dark but dim enough for her to see.

"Fuuta?" She weakly called out.

"Mia-nee!" He threw his arms around her neck and hugged her in relief. "I'm so glad you're alright."

Her head throbbed but she hugged him back.

"Are you alright?" He nodded. "What happened?" she asked.

"They kidnapped us."

"Who is 'they'?"

"That would be us."

Immediately Mia shielded Fuuta, pushing him behind her. It offered little protection but it was the best she could think of at the moment. With her head aching, it was hard to stay focused. There were several people standing on what looked like a stage. Even with the dim lighting and a possible-concussion, Mia could see that the curtains had been eaten away by moths and the wood was rotten. An abandoned building possibly?

"Haaaaaa? I thought we needed just the kid. Why did you bring the ugly girl?" Certainly a female. Ugh, there just had to be that kind of girl around huh?

"Shut up byon! The kid wouldn't stop screaming so we brought her along!" Male. Mia blinked. She could make out some dirty blonde hair.

"You could have just knocked him out!" The bitchy girl shot back.

A third calm voice joined in. "That's not possible. She knows too much." He sounded smarter than the other two at least. He looked like he was wearing glasses and a beanie.

What am I thinking? She asked herself and blinked again. Get your head straight Mia!

But damn it did make things more complicated. How they even knew she figured out their grand plan she doesn't know and that was frightening. Will they kill her for knowing too much?

There was a cackle. An old man from the sounds of it. "Hehehe…" Correction: a perverted old man from the sounds of it.

"Eh? This super blonde ugly girl?" Miss bitch said disbelievingly. "She looks dumb! Are you sure you're thinking straight Chikusa?"

Mia didn't care who the hell Chikusa was but she was mad. She didn't mind being called ugly – her looks never mattered – but just because she was blonde did not mean she was stereotypically stupid! Damn America for the blonde stereotypes! Without thinking she snapped.

"Are you sure you even have a head? Why else would I be here? To be an extra in some drama flick?"

The blonde boy burst out laughing. "M.M got told off byon!"

"Shut up Ken!" The girl jumped down the stage and started walking towards them. Mia and Fuuta backed away. "I am going to make you eat those words blondie." M.M pulled out something long that Mia couldn't identify. A spear? A big knife? A skewering rod?

Despite the morbid thoughts she managed to say something back. "Maybe later, I'm sort of not hungry right now." Mia desperately thought of something, anything to distract her future-murderer. M.M raised the unidentified weapon and Mia braced herself to shove or shield Fuuta. The pain she was expecting didn't come because a new, more chilling laugh pierced the dark.

"Kufufufu! M.M. let her go." The new voice ordered and M.M begrudgingly did as she was told although she was very vocal about it. Mia didn't care to hear it, her eys fixated at the boy that was sitting on a half-eaten couch, partially hidden by the shadows. Although she couldn't see his face, she could feel that he was the most dangerous of them all.

"I didn't expect someone to figure it out so soon," he said, his voice curling up her spine like ice. "Tell me, which Family are you from?"

A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face. Beside her, she could feel Fuuta tightening his grip on her skirt. She wrapped a comforting arm around him and looked back on the figure sitting on the couch. She chose to stay silent. That was her mistake.

"Hmnn? Going quiet now? Shame, it was fun listening to you." Mia felt her heart stop at the words he spoke next. "It seems we have a 'hit'."

"Blondie is a Vongola?" M.M. smirked.

Oh hell.

"It would appear so," the voice answered. The boy stood up and all of the others jumped down but him. They stalked towards her like hunters and Mia had half a mind to make a run for it with Fuuta but she knew they would never get far. They kept backing up until they hit something solid and moving. Mia slowly turned around and screamed.

Two identical disfigured humans with long razor blades for hands looked down at them through their eyeless round holes. What are they?

"If you don't want to get hurt, I suggest you tell us who Vongola Decimo is so that we can end this little game." The boy – obviously the head honcho – said. He sounded so confident, so sure that he won. She hated it.

He thinks that she would give Tsuna up just like that? Something in her swelled in outrage at that, quelling the fear that held her body in a vice.

"Mia-nee…" she looked down at Fuuta. He was looking at her, terrified but had the same look in his eyes like she did. He understood how important Vongola Decimo's identity was and she was momentarily saddened that someone so young had to go through something like this. She nodded and gave him a small smile. Looking back at the boy, she stood straight with her chin held high.

"Well then I guess you'll have to play that game a little bit longer."

"Kufufufu, best wishes to the winner."

Thanks for reading!