An undetermined number of weeks had past since our little game, and luckily for me, things were normal and quiet. That is, until one day while Bianchi was busy elsewhere, everyone who needed to be at school was at school, the children were off doing whatever it is that they do at this time, and I was alone, just walking down the street with a girl whom I had befriended in the past week. Chrome Dokuro was her name, and it was very strange how we met.

I was walking down the street one day around sunset. I was just walking with no purpose, but when I heard three screams of terror, my dormant assassin blood started to boil with life and excitement. I ran straight to the source, finding three people under heavy fire. Even though I knew better than to just jump into a fight without the details, my recently under-practiced body barreled into the fray.

"Who the hell is this crazy woman?" One of the assailants shouted to one of his teammates.

He looked at me in horror, "You idiot, it's Ashura of the Chiavorone family,"

I smirked, "Actually, I'm working independently at the moment,"

Two of the three dropped their weapons and ran off with their tails between their legs. The third one, a burly bald man, turned to me and gave me an unimpressed look-over.

"Tch, there's no way you're Ashura. She has such a powerful murderous intent in battle, even my old man fell down powerless," He droned, sure of his victory.

I cracked my knuckles and readied to start this fight. I'm sure that this man would break easily in the fight, so I had to hold back to enjoy this longer. Well, in my mind, being able to successfully hold back made you even better.

"Oh, the little girl wants to fight," He tried to provoke me.

I could this much about myself, while in ordinary circumstances, I can be easily provoked, but in a fight, I am utterly impossible to provoke, "No, this little girl is going to win against the big-bad baldy,"

The moron fell for it and charged me. I took a deep breath, ducked and rolled under his quick succession of jabs, and aimed a combo sweeping roundhouse, back kick, and ax kick at him, delivering a shattering and instant defeat.

"Ashura, I'm sorry for doubting it was you!" He was on his knees, begging for mercy.

Being in a good mood, I'd give him the mercy he was groveling for, "Done,"

He ran away, knowing that I had spared him his unworthy life. I turned back to the three that had drawn me here, but they were gone. I was puzzled to say the least, but I shrugged it off and let.

Two days later, I was walking down the same path, but this time, a girl was waiting for me. I'd say she was a student by the way she was dressed, but nothing else could agree with that. I mean, what kind of school girl is missing an eye? I'll admit it's possible, but you could tell that she was a meek girl just by looking at her.

I expected her to say something to me, because she kept staring at me like she wanted to, but she didn't move or call out or anything. I was tempted to say something to her, but every time I tried, she ran away. It took two times passing her before she finally spoke to me.

"Thank you," She whispered in a naturally small voice.

"For what?" I wasn't sure what she was thanking me for.

"For saving us the other day," She told me hesitantly.

I smiled kindly to show that I was nice, " That's no problem. It just hadn't fought in such a long time, I had to jump in,"

"You're a mafioso, aren't you?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm Ashura. Pleased to meet ya," I held out my hand to her.

She took it after looking at it for several seconds, "Chrome Douro,"

"Nice to meet you Chrome,"

After that, we started to talk because and we became friends. I even made a positive impression on the two guys she was with, Ken Joshima and Chikusa Kakimoto, but I felt like they were hiding something from me. Well, that's understandable, considering the circumstances.

Ok, maybe it wasn't so strange, but whatever, I exaggerate things to make them more interesting.

"Ashura-san, what is it?" Chrome asked me with moderate concern.

I shook my head, "Nothing, I'm sorry,"

She nodded knowingly, "It's guy trouble, isn't it?"

I looked at her in alarm. I was thinking about a guy, but it wasn't like that. Gokudera had just been warning me about Chrome and my friendship with her in a very roundabout way before he left for school and she came to talk.

"It's not like that," I told her, annoyed that that phrase had became my motto because of much I had to say it.

"You say that so much. In fact, I know who you were thinking about because you said that," She smiled at me, "But don't worry, I won't tell you what you already know, what you hear everyday,"

I blushed and looked down, "Stupid, as if I'd ever even consider a child,"

"I never said that you were considering him for anything, just that you were thinking about him," I knew she wasn't the type to gloat or tease, so I knew her intentions were pure enough, "Besides, isn't Lambo only an infant?"

"I don't love child Lambo like that! No, I love adult Lambo," Finally, someone asked me about my relationship with someone other than Gokudera.

"Love?" Chrome asked with a pained expression, like some inner person was trying to surface and take control of her body, or at least make its presence known to me.

"Chrome?" I looked at her fearfully, unsure about what I should do.

She, or rather he, because she was instantly a man in some unexplainable and non-understandable way, stood beside me motionlessly, "Ashura, it certainly has been awhile,"

I froze for several seconds before I could respond, "It's you!"

Yes, I the skilled and accomplished woman that I am, was rendered frightened and on the verge of fainting from that fear. This man was one I had not seen in years and was one I had hoped never to see again. Mukuro Rokudo.

"So you do remember me," He flashed a self-satisfied smile at me,

My knees buckled under me in panic, so I fell to the concrete ground under me, but instead of getting up like I should have, I just stayed down there with my fists clenched to the point of breaking the skin of the palm of my hands with my nails, "I could never forget. It still haunts me in my sleep,"

"I'm touched," He moved toward me to touch me.

I was about to shy away, but everything went grey. At first I thought it was smoke, and that Hayato was saving me, but I knew that was not it. Alright, it wasn't so obvious, but still, I eventually pieced it together. I mean, the grey didn't move or dissipate or anything. It just stayed there. And the timing wasn't right, unless he had left school before lunch.

So what happened to me? Was it an illusion? No, it couldn't have been, because all that was in the greyness was me. So what happened? Wait, I know what happened. The fear and trauma must have overwhelmed me, making me faint. I don't know why what I saw was grey instead of black, but clearly I was out of it.

I jumped from my skin screaming at the top of my lungs. I had just been staring at the face of Mukuro, and he was torturing me just for laughs. I looked around and saw that I was in my bed, in my nightdress. Gokudera had run into my room and was by my side.

"Ashura, what happened?" He demanded urgently.

I was panting heavily, trying to calm myself, but the image of Mukuro had yet to leave my mind's eye, "Mukuro," I was choking on my words, the dry lump in my throat making it impossible, "He's back. I saw him, and he's back,"

Gokudera didn't relax and instead sat on the edge of my bed, "That wasn't a dream,"

"I was hoping you'd tell me it was," I was so scared, I was starting to cry fearfully.

"Hey now, I thought you weren't afraid of anything?" He tried to lift my spirits.

I sniffed, "Mukuro scares me,"

He sighed and hugged me, clearly not wanting to, "Shh, he's not here. You're safe,"

I shook my head, "No, I'm not. Not from him,"

"Why does he scare you so much?" Gokudera asked me.

I wiped my eyes but stayed in his arms, "Remember how you said that I was too stuck up and that I'd have a husband picked out for me?"

He looked at me in terror and disgust, "You were supposed to marry that creep?"

I nodded and started to cry on his shoulder, "The worst time in my life,"

He patted my back stiffly, "Well, don't worry, you'll be safe. He won't try anything,"

"How can you be so sure?" I asked him hopelessly.

"Because the 10th beat him," He spoke fondly of the 10th all the time, and now was no different.

"Tsuna?" I wiped my eyes and stopped crying, "Tell me about it, please,"

He nodded and told me the story. It was a good story, but to me, it was also incredibly scary. But Tsuna really was amazing. I see now why everyone is so willing to follow him.

"Hey, can you please stay here? I wouldn't ask, but seeing him again puts me in a terrible place," I asked Gokudera if he would stay, but I knew that he wouldn't.

He sighed, his displeasure visible, "Alright, but this time only,"

I hugged him, "Thank you,"

He patted my arm, "Sure,"

"Can you tell me some more about the 10th and everyone?" I asked, hopeful that he would.

"Geez, you've got to bet he most annoying woman on the planet," He complained, but launched into the story about how he first met the Vongola 10th.

I fell asleep after he got all the way through to the ring conflict. He really was a good story-teller. I felt like I was really there, watching the events take place.

Ok, I had part of this chapter planed since the beginning, and the other part written since chapter three or four. Some of it is new though, so yay! I would have updated it sooner, but I was having computer troubles. Please, please review!