AUTHOR'S NOTE: KHR doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Amano-sensei. The original characters, storyline, etc. belong to me.
Next update is due around October 2nd.
Thank you for sticking with me this far, just a little bit more to go.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story (and the review if you've time ^_^)
See you next time!
Target 18-02: The Oncoming Storm
Haru watched Gokudera leave, his school bag held casually over his shoulder as he made his way in the general direction of Namimori Middle School. They'd eaten breakfast in silence for the most part this morning, both of them lost in a little corner of the world only they knew. They'd put their lunches in their bags along with the school books and homework that they'd both worked on the previous evening and left together. Gokudera leaving for a moment to go into one of the coffee shops on the way to Midori Middle School to pick up a cup of coffee for himself and Haru's favorite tea. She sipped the tea as she made her way to the gate of Midori Middle and wondered how in the world she was going to explain this absence away, but right now she had more important things to deal with.
She entered the school, cheerfully greeting her friends and was met in the hall by Akai and the two mafia hitmen exchanged telling looks. "How are we going to pull off this one?" Akai asked idly. "They're already calling us into the office over our absences lately."
"I don't know," Haru said. "I figured I'll go in and turn in my homework before we leave at least. I don't want to stay here too long, who knows what's waiting for them there. I want him to at least think he pulled this off without me finding out and it will take them longer to get there than us."
"I can't believe he lectured you about trying to do things on your own, but he's running off and doing the exact same thing," Akai grumbled.
A wry smile twisted Haru's lips. "Well, he's not alone; Yamamoto and Sasagawa-san are apparently meeting him there. With as often as we're all absent from school, the Vongola influence around here must be huge," she said, "or we all would have flunked out of middle school last year."
"Even if it's all three of them, they may not be a good match for what's there—the Trabuchet have probably increased the security significantly since you and Gokudera were there," Akai said.
"I don't think they intend to go in under the radar," Haru said. "Well…here goes nothing."
They separated at the doors to their classrooms and each entered their respective class. The teacher glanced up at Haru entered and noticed the pile of papers in her hand. "Leaving again, Miura-san?" she frowned.
"It can't be helped," Haru said. "It's a family matter. Please accept these assignments."
"It's not the end of the year yet, Miura-san, you're sure to fall behind if you keep leaving like this," the teacher scowled. "At this rate you won't get into any high school much less Takanamori as you wish."
"Please allow me to worry about that, sensei," Haru said respectfully. "If my assignments are not up to standard, please let me know and I will fix them."
The teacher met her determined gaze and sighed deeply. She accepted the assignments and spoke quietly. "Miura-san please finish up whatever is keeping you from concentrating on school soon or you will wind up attending summer remedial classes instead of properly enjoying your summer vacation."
"Hopefully this will be the end of it," Haru said and bowed. "Thank you for your understanding."
With that, she exited the classroom meeting up with Akai who was leaning on the wall outside of Haru's class. "Are you ready to finish this off?" she asked.
Haru nodded.
"We're going to rendezvous with the others at Dr. Tanpopo's clinic. It will be easiest to change and arm ourselves there than try and do it in the market's bathroom again. From there we'll take a car, it'll get us there faster than transit," Akai said as they made their way to the exit.
"I'll notify Judaime as soon as we reach the clinic, he should be there quickly once he gets the message," Haru said.
The two girls followed the twist and turns of the streets of Namimori and Haru ran smack into a familiar figure in a Namimori Middle uniform with a red band on the sleeve. "Watch where you're going, herbivore, I'll bite you to death."
Haru swallowed and scrambled to her feet as she watched Hibari Kyoya bring his tonfas to bear.
"Now is not the time for that," Akai stated flatly, stepping between Haru and the Vongola Cloud Guardian.
"You'll challenge me?" Hibari snorted.
Akai shook her head. "No, we don't have time for that," she said.
Hibari scowled at her and Haru immediately stepped up and took a deep breath. "We found the place where the guys that attacked you at Namimori Middle are holed up," she said.
Hibari's attention was immediately diverted. "Speak."
Akai gave Haru a shocked look and the girl barreled forward, giving the report of the location in concise terms and Hibari retracted his tonfas. "I will bite the herbivore to death later for not telling me."
He vanished into the crowd and Akai looked at Haru. "Are you sure that's entirely wise?" she asked.
"Probably not, but neither you nor I could take him on even together," Haru said. "It's better to give him a direction for that tendency of his rather than have to spend the next three weeks in recovery."
"Will your Judaime be okay if he goes after him?" Akai wondered.
"Most likely," Haru said.
Akai shook her head. "These Vongola are strange," she murmured. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather just join the Hanatachi?"
Haru chuckled. "They're my Famiglia," she said as the girls ate the distance to the clinic quickly.
They arrived at the clinic and were directed to one of the examining rooms by Dr. Tanpopo to change. Haru sent a notification to Tsuna just before she stripped out of her junior high uniform and pulled on a uniform provided by the Hanatachi Clan for her use. While it wasn't the special material that Leon could form for the Vongola Famiglia, it provided a bit more protection than just the jeans and t-shirt she'd initially planned on wearing. She slipped the cards into the pouch that had been made for them and checked her supply of the conductive white spikes. She slipped a knife into the sheath at the base of her spine and checked over the kanzashi and blowgun darts one more time, making sure each was thoroughly coated in knock-out drug. She stuffed her feet into boots and secured a few more darts in those before pulling her hair back and setting the kanzashi in their place. She attached the box that she still hadn't managed to activate with the new ring onto her belt as well and took a deep breath—it didn't hurt to keep it just in case.
Exiting the room, she met up with Akai, Kashiwa, and Tanpopo and headed for the car.
Her phone vibrated and she pulled it out, nodding at the message from Tsuna.
"Judaime is on his way," she announced.
"Hopefully this will be the last of these particular rats," Tanpopo scowled.
Kashiwa was in charge of driving, skillfully manipulating the car through the streets of Namimori as they headed for their destination. While he drove, Akai and Haru quietly discussed their plans for moving forward with Tanpopo occasionally interjecting suggestions and comments for them to consider.
They pulled up outside of Emri's family holdings and Kashiwa gave both Akai and Haru a steady look. "Don't do anything stupider than you have to," he stated.
Akai chuckled. "I plan to bring my little sister back in one piece—I can't vouch for the same of the Vongola Guardians, their safety is their own responsibility."
Tanpopo nodded approvingly and the girls got out. "Come see me after everything is settled," she ordered. "There will be some formalities that have to be followed through with the rest of the Clan."
Akai nodded. "As you wish," she said and the teenaged girls got out of the car.
They made their way to the rendezvous point just as Tsuna and Reborn landed and Tsuna looked over the large property. "This is the place?" he asked.
"Yes," Haru said. "We have confirmation of Emri's presence as well as that big guy who's threatened Gokudera and me on more than one occasion."
"Hopefully, you don't meet up with him this time," Akai said, "I think the only greeting he'll give you is a bullet."
Haru shifted uncomfortably at the reminder of her mortality and Tsuna scowled and glanced at his tutor then at the two girls. "Shall we?"
They nodded and Tsuna took point, blasting across the open territory of the property to the front doors. The doors were hanging haphazardly from the hinges with large cracks created by a blunt weapon. "That doesn't look like Gokudera's handiwork…" Tsuna murmured.
"Probably Hibari-san," Haru said.
"Hiiieee?" Tsuna's eyes shot to the girl in shock.
"We ran across him on the way to the clinic to meet with our ride," Akai informed the Vongola Decimo. "Rather than wind up in the hospital Haru chose to direct him here."
"Well, that will make things more interesting," Tsuna said, a resigned look crossing his features. "Let's go."
They burst through the doors and found several men in heaps straggled throughout the hall like children's toys. There was the sound of a battle up ahead and the four surged forward. Haru took note of what was ahead and pulled out a collection of the needles and fanned them out in her hand, she concentrated the Dying Will Flame into the pins and flung them out just ahead of Tsuna's attack and lightning crackled over the men in suits. Tsuna dove in, knocking the men out and leaving Akai and Haru to tie them up so they couldn't threaten them any further.
Tsuna pulled ahead, worry for his friends drawing a line between his brows even as he fought and Haru and Akai focused on their own enemies.
"He's rather scary isn't he, your Vongola Decimo?" Akai murmured as they moved past another open door to a room filled with groaning men.
Haru nodded slowly, this was the first time she'd truly seen the Judaime in action, most of what she'd seen of Tsuna's fighting was hearsay or imagination—and those truly didn't prep her for how fearsome the Tenth Generation Vongola Boss could be. "Y-yes…" Haru said. "I have a long way to go to even consider myself worthy of being near his level."
Akai was about to say something else when an explosion rocked the corridor.
Haru found herself driven to the ground by Akai as the debris flew and when the air cleared she saw a mask of pain on Akai's face and she gasped. "Akai…"
The Hanatachi hitman slumped over her and Haru moved aside, her fingers immediately checking for a pulse. "Akai, hang in there!"
A scream of rage bounced off the walls of the corridor and Haru's eyes widened as Emri emerged from the smoke.
"Another one?" Emri screeched. "How many people have you chosen over me, Haru?"
Haru moved swiftly to put herself between the enraged girl and Akai's unconscious form. "What are you talking about Emri?" she asked.