I'm ba~ck! Sorry about the delay. Summer is actually more busier than school believe it or not!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own KHR just Karasu, Alana, Pocky, Jung-won, Nina (new character!), and the rest of the unknown members of the Megumareta.

Enjoy!

Warriors Don't Cry

Chapter 16: The Past Haunts - Alana

Vacation here in Japan is sure short.

I found that those crazy days of having adventures with Tsuna-fish and co. when I was supposed to sleep all day (I blame you, crazy hitman baby!) passed by too quickly for my taste.

Pocky nudged my leg and dropped a note at my feet and wagged his tail.

I gave him a look. "What? Waiting for praise? Good job."

Pocky remained expectant and all chibi-eyed. I snorted. "Dude, you can't use those chibi-eyes on me. I invented the chibi-eyes ages ago and mastered it. They even make cranky old ladies cry."

He began to whimper.

I sighed, finally giving in because his whimpering annoyed the hell out of me. "Okay, fine."

I looked around to make sure that no one was watching and tossed a lollipop at Pocky discreetly. He sucked on it happily like how a baby would suck on its pacifier. "If anyone asks, it wasn't me." I told him seriously.

Pocky nodded, which was something that normal dogs wouldn't do but whatever.

Normal is overrated.

Remembering the note, I opened it up cautiously knowing the sender.

It read:

You still didn't grow, Still-chibi-omnivore. You disappoint me. Meet me after school for Detention.

…Yeah, I sort of forgot about that.

Wait, who gives detention to people who don't GROW over the VACATION? I can't control that! It's not like I did it on purpose!

And did he just call me SHORT?

AGAIN?

I crumpled up the note after a few seconds of calming down. Fine, I guess I'd be staying after school. Gah, that guy never gives his subordinates a break, does he? The pompadour squad once grabbed me from my freaking bed because 'Kaichio' was bored! BORED! He couldn't wait until tomorrow, could he?

I made sure to lock all doors and windows since that night.

Tch, creepy pompadours.

I walked to the class list and caught sight of a panicking Tsuna-fish. "Yo! What's up?" I asked him while walking over to his side. "I'm not on any of the class list! I think I flunked!" He moaned.

I patted his back in sympathy. "C'mon, dude. I think you're overreacting without thinking here. You probably missed your name. I went over and scanned the lists before going right back to Class C. There was a pretty fancy decoration around a name. "Huh, Naito Longchamp. Who's that guy? Wait a second…" I ripped the decoration away and made a triumphant "Ha!"

Tsuna-fish was at my side in an instant, crying a waterfall. "Thank God!"

"Lookie here! Seems that we're going to be in the some class, Tsuna-fish."

Tsuna-fish pointed at the name below his. "Karasu will be with us too!"

"Yes!" I pumped my fist.

"…And Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun."

"NOOO!" I wailed.

Tuna-fish looked at me in a weird way. I giggled sheepishly and cleared my throat. "Eh, sorry about that. Go on."

"Everyone is in the same class." He concluded while still giving me a weird look. I shook it off and wondered aloud, "Huh, I wonder who this Naito Longchamp fellow is."

As if fate heard us, I heard a cheer behind me. "Congratulations, Longchamp for making it to year two!"

"It was nothing! Peace! Peace!"

I sweatdropped and Pocky whimpered at the shamelessness of it all. Dude, who wears bedazzled/ripped up/ chain-covered uniforms in this school? How did this kid even survive? He just broke twenty rules by just setting foot in here!

And despite the creepiness of it all, I sort of respected the fact that he wasn't 'bitten to death' by my boss yet. Yeesh, talk about lots of luck.

"Um…I guess I'll be going to class Tuna-Tsuna. I gotta set a good example for the committee, you know?" I waved. "See ya later!"

"Yeah…"

I scratched my head. Gah, crazy things were already starting to happen and I didn't want to be any part of it. Hmm, should I just ditch class for today and sleep on the roof? Nah, that'd be a death sentence. Hibari would kill me for taking his spot. I already had detention today so…yeah.

Gah, I'm so BORED!

"Hello Alana." Darn. No. Universe, I wasn't THAT bored! I take my statement back!

I pretended that I didn't hear the greeting. I knew who it was but it still didn't mean that I couldn't avoid talking to them. I hummed aloud and began kicking rocks. I rough hand shot out and grabbed the collar of the back of my shirt. I didn't bother to struggle but Pocky growled for me. I glared at the person. "What? Don't you see I'm a little busy here? I need to go to class!"

The person had a cloak on but I already recognized the voice. The person frowned from underneath the cloak. Good, frown all you want. "Is that any way to talk to your senpai, Alana?"

"Get your hands off, senpai. I need to get to class. I have no time for liars." I spat out. The person flinched. Yeah, I hit that nerve. "I had to, Alana. I had to act my way out to save the rest of us. It hurt me to do it too. I did it to save you."

"Save me my ass! You got me into more shit than I was in before! You stabbed me in the back when I needed you the most!"

"And you had any better ideas?" The question wasn't aimed to be harmful or bitter but I turned that into another wood for my fire. I glared at the person again. "I'm not some chess piece that you can use!" I yelled the last part out. I wanted to make it clear that I wasn't going to 'hug and make-up' with her any soon.

There was a moment of silence before the Liar spoke again. "I see."

I barked a bitter laugh at the monotone answer. Did that person ever show a shred of emotion anymore? Laugh or cry after we all made it out alive from the hellhole?

"Didn't you want something? You couldn't have come all the way here for the sake of annoying the hell out of me. What is it?"

"To the point as always."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "Yeah? You're obviously not."

"I came to discuss with you about Sensei."

I snorted again. "You should include Karasu into this. Better yet, why don't you go to her and leave me alone!"

Pocky barked in agreement.

"I'm here."

I looked up in surprise as Karasu quickly trotted over to my side. She smiled at the cloaked person. "Long time no see, Nina. Thank you for going through all that trouble to come over here. Now what was the message that you needed to give?"

"Karasu. Alana. It seems that our beloved Sensei had gone missing."

I rolled my eyes. "We all know that."

"No." This was seriously spoken. Wow! What a miracle! An emotion! "She's actually missing. Her soul…it just disappeared."

Karasu and I shared a look.

"Did they get her?" I asked carefully. I looked around, now anxious of the people who were around me. "Are they here?"

"Possibly."

That wasn't a good.

No.

This situation is the worst.

Karasu nodded calmly. "I see. What of the others?"

"I haven't contacted them yet. You two are the first to hear of this. I'm going to tell Jung won-nim of this afterwards." Nina informed us.

Panic coursed through my veins faster than any sugar rush I ever had. Pocky whimpered pathetically. This is bad. This is really bad. I picked Pocky up and held him protectively. "Well you better go and tell Unni now before anything bad happens."

"Yes. That seems wise." Karasu agreed stiffly. Nina gave us both a curt nod before quickly leaving via rooftops.

Karasu sighed and ran her hand over her face. I knew that she was actually taking this news harder than I was. Not only the threat became a little more threatening, Sensei and her were really close. To hear that Sensei could be dead or worse must be giving her more stress than she already was facing.

I heard her take a shaky breath.

If I didn't know better, I would've thought she was crying.

…

Okay Universe, if you give our Sensei back, I'll be fine with the short comments and Hibari's crazy antics. I'll never complain. Not even once.

So…

Please?

"Omnivore, do you want to get bitten to death?"

I ignored Hibari and continued trying to balance myself at the edge of the roof blindfolded. I sensed Pocky trotting over to Hibari. That little traitor!

No. No. No.

Focus.

If one wants to master this, they need to focus on their inner self, not what's going on around them. It's just me and the earth…um concrete building.

I need to get stronger! Even Karasu is getting better than me! No more slacking off and time to do more training. Sensei can't be here to protect us anymore.

Before anyone else gets hurt…

Thwack!

"Don't ignore me, Omnivore. You really want to die, don't you?"

"Ow…" I whined and took my blindfold off. I rubbed my head and scowled at Hibari. I grudgingly jumped beside him while chucking the blindfold God knows where. "Whaddya want? Can't you see I'm a bit busy?"

Hibari held his tonfa up threateningly. I flinched a little 'cause getting tonfa'd on the head hurt.

"School is over and you're late for detention. Two extra hours of detention tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it."

Huh, it seems that I overdid the focusing. The sun is already setting. I wonder what Nana is going to cook for dinner? If I missed class, does that mean I still have to do homework?

I was suddenly grabbed from behind and placed on something warm. I…think I was on Hibari's back again.

I blinked many times and rubbed my eyes until they hurt, believe me, but I was still on Hibari's back.

"Um…"

"Say another word and I'll hit you again."

I snapped my mouth shut before opening them again. "Well, I have a nunchuck."

Instead of hitting me, I heard Hibari grunt in approval. "Good, you're acting more like a carnivore than a weakling herbivore."

I smirked at his comment. God, what was I doing making others worried about me? Panicking isn't something that I should've done. It's not like the threat is going to come at this moment, is it? And I'm not alone. I have…well, I think I have Hibari to watch my back (maybe). And I have Karasu, Tsuna-fish and co., and even the members of the Megumareta. Including my older sister with her staff of doom.

I have nothing to be afraid of.

"Dude, I'm no carnivore, remember?"

Hibari turned to look at me almost questioningly.

"I'm an omnivore…duh."

I heard him snort. "Of course, Chibi."

"STOP CALLING ME SHORT, DAMMIT!"

It was official.

Naito Longchamp has the worst taste in the whole universe.

And that decision came after seeing how he dressed and acted. The guy was trouble magnet and he doesn't seem to mind at all. Tsuna-fish is way too nice for his own good. If I were him, I would've told that guy to scram ages ago.

"Why did we come bowling again?" Karasu wondered aloud. She gave the girls that Naito brought a hard look. "They shouldn't handle Gokudera-kun like that. He might get hurt."

I shrugged. "Whatever."

"Aren't you concerned even a little, Alana?"

I took a look at a suffocating Gokudera. "…Nah."

It's been a week already and nothing terrible has happened yet so it's safe to say that the threat hadn't picked up on the loss of our Sensei. That still didn't mean that I was going to slack off like a loser. Who knows when the threat will hit?

I snickered when I saw Gokudera run away. "Oh look, he finally gave up."

"I would do the same if I were him." Karasu defended while giving her brother a pitying look. Pocky whimpered when he saw the terrible treatment Tsuna-fish was getting. I was whimpering too…in the inside.

Then, Dino came into the picture.

Yeah, the pretty-boy mafia boss with two left legs came to the rescue. Huh, I wonder how this'll turn out. I inched toward Reborn, who was one of the 'girlfriends', and whispered. "You called him here, didn't you?"

"Don't look down on me." Reborn snarled.

Yeesh.

I inched away from the usually calm hitman baby.

Karasu put a hand on my shoulder. "Don't bother. He's too much into his role to answer you right now."

Before I can say anything else, I was sucker-punched by a bowling ball. A bowling ball! (And guess who was the one behind that!) I think I lost a tooth. I spat a bloody tooth out onto my hand. I tugged on Karasu's sleeve. "Hey Karasu, I lost a tooth! Do you think if I put it under my pillow, the tooth fairy will come tonight?"

"No. The tooth fairy doesn't exist."

"LIES!"

"Alana! Karasu! You two need to come with me. It's an emergency!" Dino caught my attention on 'emergency'. He grabbed both of our hands and dragged us out of the bowling area, leaving Tsuna-fish all alone to take care of all those nuts.

My feet hardly touched the ground as Dino ran to…wherever he was running. Darn my shortness! But it made me feel a little better to see the Karasu was in the same state. Dino shoved us into the same old black car that he used to 'kidnap' Karasu and Tsuna-fish. This is a first. It was usually Pompadour and co. who would kidnap me like this. "What's with the rush, Dino? Did you want to leave that badly?"

"Alana." Dino's serious face (no, not the 'I'm dazzling and awesome' serious expression the 'I'm in Cavallone Boss mode' serious) literally dashed out any other witty comment I was about to make. "…What is it?"

Pain and regret filled the blonde's features. He bit his lip.

The expression on his face scared me. And the fact that he was looking at me that way and not anyone else, freaked me out. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Alana.."

"Just tell me already!"

"It's Jung-won."

I blinked. "What...about my sister? Is she okay? She just got caught pick-pocketing a random person, right?"

Dino shook his head. "It's not that-

"Then WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?" I shouted while standing. Karasu pushed me back down. "Let him speak, Alana."

I'm almost too scared to know now.

Dino swallowed shakily. "Jung-won is-

DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUN!

Yeah, I know. This chapter sucked more than usual but I needed one to introduce Nina. I didn't get to put more depth into this character but don't worry! I'll have more of her in the future! So don't judge her just yet!

I have a question for all of you:

Do you want more Hibari/Alana or Gokudera/Karasu?

I need to know!

Next up will be Mafia Land!