Hey people! Guess what? I'm not dead!

I want to say sorry about not updating for so long. Reality caught up with me and it gave me a terrible writer's block. That, and the sudden end of our beloved manga series left me in a state of depression.

The ending also messed up how this story was supposed to end, so I had to make a few changes.

But I'm back and I have a wonderful, new chapter for all of you to read. So, READ to your heart's content!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own KHR. Just Karasu, Alana, Nina, and Pocky.

Warriors Don't Cry

Chapter 20: Hesitation – Karasu

I stood stock-still while staring at the small piece of paper that was probably ripped from a notebook. The handwriting was terrible, but the message scribbled on it was as clear as day to me.

Tsuna is in trouble

I barely felt Kyoko's hand on my shoulder. It took me a few seconds for me to realize that she was trying to get my attention. "Sorry Kyoko! Lets talk some other time? I just remembered that I had to do something really urgent! See you later!"

I rushed out of the classroom with papers flowing out of my bag. I obviously didn't think that notes were that big of a deal.

I was about to pump some wind at the back of my feet when a hand landed on my shoulder. I jumped a little but relaxed when I realized it was only Takeshi with a sort of determined expression on his face. "I'm a little busy right now Takeshi-kun. Can we save whatever conversation you have in mind for later? Tsuna is in trouble!"

Takeshi's expression changed a little and his grip on my shoulder relaxed a little before he squeezed it again. "I'll help."

I nodded thankfully and took his other hand. He blinked in surprise at my gesture. "Hold on tight. I'm going to call some wind."

I ignored Takeshi's puzzled expression and silently called my fastest winds. Immediately, they surrounded Takeshi and me. Usually, they would be gentle but the winds sensed my haste so they rushed me over.

My senses were improved tenfold. It was a bit overwhelming but I was also used to this feeling. I used it many times before. Every conversation was being relayed to me as if they were being said in front of me. I tried singling out some of the voices, but there was just too much.

Sensing my irritation, the wind began comforting me.

Where? They asked me.

Tsuna, take Takeshi-kun and me to Tsuna as fast as you can. I ordered them firmly. They obeyed and they let out a huge, powerful gust of wind that blew both of us to a random direction. I ran with the wind and dragged Takeshi with me.

"Wow! You're really fast Karasu-chan!" Takeshi commented, obviously impressed and oblivious as always. "How do you know where Tsuna is?"

"I just do!" I shouted back while shrugging. "It's a…twin thing?"

He laughed. "Oh I see!"

I tried not to shake my head and slap my forehead. Takeshi might not be the smartest tool in the shed, but really? I'm a terrible liar! Even Mom knows when I'm lying!

That gullible fool, when was he going to realize this situation wasn't a game?

I guess that's what I like about him.

I mentally slapped myself. No, liked, past tense. I don't like him anymore. It's all in the past. I gave all of that up. I already told him that I wasn't interested. I wasn't interested. Not anymore. Not that way. He's my friend.

Just my friend

Takeshi glanced at me with a curious expression before widening his eyes and pointing ahead. "Over there!"

The wind suddenly stopped.

There was a slightly burned student standing in front of Tsuna. It took me a few seconds to process that the expression on my brother's face was horror and that the yo-yo's that the boy had weren't just toys.

I hesitated.

A couple of seconds later, I would scold myself for doing such a thing. In the battlefield, hesitating would only create mistakes and death. The rule of never hesitating was drilled into my mind since day 1 of my training in America. But I hesitated anyways.

When I saw the crumpled up body on the ground, I hesitated.

Takeshi didn't hesitate. He just tackled and slid like the baseball-nut he was.

The attacker was apparently displeased enough to attack Takeshi for being in the way. I snapped out of it and sent a sharp air slash at the yo-yo string before it came three feet close to them.

Surprised eyes focused on me.

"Hey, you there! Beanie-boy!" The boy raised his eyebrow at the nickname I gave him but didn't make any other move than that. "Yeah, I'm talking to you, Yo-yo Freak. If you that again to my brother, I'll do more than cut toy strings."

The boy took a defensive stance. "What's stopping you? Attack me."

He sounded…flat. Emotionless. There wasn't a trace of regret or guilt in his voice. His eyes gave off an empty feeling. It both unnerved me and scared me. This wasn't the first time I've seen those eyes.

…Kami, I hated those eyes.

I took a shaky breath, reminding myself that Tsuna was right there behind me. "Unfortunately, the police are coming this way so I think it's best for you to leave."

There was a long pause after I said that followed by an intense staring contest. I wasn't really good at reading faces like his, but I knew the emotion flashing across his eyes were doubt and mockery. He was probably thinking that I was bluffing.

My finger twitched.

The yo-yo boy reacted quickly by jumping back but he was a second too slow. A small cut appeared on his right cheek. It didn't look too serious, but it was deeper than I intended it to be.

The boy wiped his cheek and looked at the blood. He then abruptly turned and limped away muttering about taking a shower.

I muttered under my breath darkly while making my way over to Tsuna. I took him by the shoulders and looked him over to make sure there weren't any serious wounds. "He didn't do anything serious to you before I came, did he?"

Tsuna shook his head. "No, Gokudera blocked all of it."

Gokudera

I released Tsuna and quickly made my way over to Gokudera. For a brief moment, another crumbled up body seemed to replace Gokudera's. I blinked the scene away and knelt down. I turned his body and inspected his wounds.

"I-Is he going to be alright?" Tsuna stuttered from the side.

I bit my lip. The wounds looked serious. The tiny needles imbedded all over his chest might be poisoned so I couldn't take them out. I knew a little first aid but I didn't know enough to treat poison.

Conclusion: I can't help him.

I picked Gokudera up and turned to Tsuna. "I'm going to get him to Shamal. Takeshi-kun, can you watch over Tsuna for me while I'm gone? Just in case?"

Takeshi nodded. "Of course."

I closed my eyes. To Shamal.

The winds didn't waste a second. Neither did I.

Guilt

It's a really annoying thing that eats away at your stomach no matter how many times you tell yourself that it wasn't your fault.

Shamal managed to get Gokudera into stable condition. It was a relief when he told me that Gokudera was going to be fine.

But it was my fault

I wordlessly walked to the bed. Gokudera's burns and cuts were visible. He was probably careless with his dynamites again. I sat down and took his hand. I flinched when I realized it was also covered in burns. Was his skin always that pale? He looked like he was sleeping.

He looks dead.

No, no, no, that's no way to think. He's fine, he's fine, he's fine. Shamal said that he was. And Shamal was always-

He could be lying.

-right when it came to those kinds of things. He's a great doctor. One of the best.

You could've been faster. You could've been with Tsuna. You could've saved them. You could've-

Enough. Weak thoughts should be banished from that mind. Aren't you a Megumareta, hatchling? Toughen up. It's not your fault and you know that.

That wasn't me thinking that.

I jerked from my guilt-ridden thoughts in shock just in time to feel something on my shoulder, a hand. I turned and saw Takeshi. How long was he there?

His eyes calmly met my own. He knew that I was beating myself up. He'd know that more than anyone else. The knowledge that he could read me so easily made me cringe a little.

"Tsuna is safe." He assured me. I nodded and smiled a little. "Thank you, Takeshi-kun."

"…Maa, maa, shouldn't you be going home, Karasu-chan?" Takeshi asked quietly.

"I think I'll stay here. Shamal already called her." I told him quietly while glancing back at Gokudera.

I looked back up and, for the first time since my rejection, I looked at Takeshi. I mean I actually looked at him. I was too scared in the past months to look at him in the eye but all I could feel right now is numbness. I needed Takeshi's comfort. No, I depended on his comfort because he understood me almost as well as Tsuna did. He was my pillar and stability. He was that safe haven that I always ran to. He was my closest and dearest friend.

But I ruined all of that.

Well, Takeshi sort of ruined all of that too but I didn't feel like pinning any blame on others at the moment.

Looking at his eyes, I saw all the confusion and pain I was afraid of seeing. I saw that he was attempting to cope, attempting to understand why? I saw all of this because I knew Takeshi just as well as he knew me.

And he knew that just as well as I did.

I ripped my eyes away from his and that connection was broken just like that.

Takeshi began scratching the back of his neck and looking over to a random corner while my eyes flickered over to my hands.

"Why?"

It was a simple question that rang in between them. I was a little surprised that he actually vocalized the question I knew he was asking this whole time.

But just because I knew his question didn't mean I had his answer, I didn't even know myself.

I opened my mouth. "Takeshi-kun…it's-

The door slammed open to reveal an upset Bianchi. Tsuna paddled behind her with a freaked-out expression. I couldn't help but feel sorry for my brother. There was nothing worse than a pissed-off woman. It was understandable why she was in such a foul mood. It was her little brother who was seriously injured after all. Takeshi scrambled out of his chair for some strange reason but I just stayed where I was. Shock from her sudden entrance maybe?

I caught sight of the gift basket in her arms and smiled. It was easy to tell that Bianchi cared for her brother. She had really weird ways of showing it, but it showed. I could sympathize in how she was feeling at the moment. If it were Tsuna in the hospital bed, I would have reacted the same way.

"Why is Hayato here instead of the hospital?" She demanded angrily. She swiftly dealt with Shamal's 'surprise' hug-attack as if it was second nature. It wouldn't surprise me if it were. As much as I respected Shamal, he was a pervert.

And that was a fact, not an opinion.

"I will attend to Hayato's recuperation! If you're going to get in my way, step outside!" Bianchi claimed suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Miss Bianchi…" Takeshi

"Bianchi…" Tsuna

"If you say so…" Shamal

Me? I just…stared. Here Bianchi was, standing like the powerful, strong woman and sister I always strove to become. I thought I was close to being one but looking at her…

I could already tell I could never compare to that.

"He'll recover from one thing and die from the other." Shamal muttered, completely shattering the moving moment like a professional.

Tsuna nodded. "Indeed."

Takeshi laughed under his breath with his cheesy smile slapped back onto his face.

Why were the touching moments always ruined in my life? I wondered as I watched Bianchi threatening Takeshi with her poison food. But I couldn't help but see the mental image of Gokudera waking up only to collapse back into bed after seeing his sister's face.

I couldn't help it. Despite how serious the situation was before, I laughed.

"I'm going with you."

Tsuna stared at me with a gaping expression when he saw the weapons strapped all over me. Most of them were throwing projectiles. I noticed his stare and held out a knife. "Want one?"

"NO WAY!" He screeched.

I shrugged and put it away. "Your loss."

Tsuna calmed down somewhat but he gave me a concerned look. "You don't have to do this, Karasu. You're going to get hurt!"

"I know. It's called a 'battle' for a reason, Tsuna. People get hurt, maimed, or even die. I'm coming to heighten the chances of you coming out of this alive." I frowned. "I never really got to train you at all since I came here, did I?"

Tsuna saw my mournful look and patted my shoulder. "We were really busy, that's all."

I shrugged his hand off my shoulder. "And that was no excuse. It was my mistake for not taking this training seriously. I keep forgetting half the time you're going to be the Tenth Boss of the Vongola." I glanced at him. "It's pretty hard, seeing my brother in this situation. The least I can do right now would be staying by your side and supporting you."

"Karasu…you don't-

"-And I also received an order from the Ninth to accompany you so I have absolutely no choice in this matter." I added quickly. "My role in this is inevitable.

"…Oh."

I coughed awkwardly as I stood between Takeshi and Gokudera. The rest of the group walked ahead of us so no one could see the predicament I was in. The silver haired bomber hadn't stopped glaring at Takeshi since we left. "Gokudera-kun, you're feeling fine, right? No discomforts?"

Gokudera stopped glaring at Takeshi to nod vigorously at me. "Of course!"

I stared dubiously at him. "You were bedridden just a couple of hours ago…"

He flexed his arm with an assuring smile. "I'm pretty strong! Stupid yo-yo needles can't defeat me so easily. I have to protect Juudaime, after all!"

"Takeshi-kun? Make sure you don't let the other person win in your fights, alright?" I told my friend when I turned my attention to him. Kami, I was acting like some worrying mother. But this was a serious situation so I couldn't help it. "It'll be bad for us if our best baseball player gets seriously injured."

"If I ever get injured, I'll just focus on my studies!" Takeshi said cheerfully. My eyes narrowed at his statement. I knew Takeshi didn't really like studying. What was he planning…?

"But you suck." I stated bluntly. "And if you try denying it, I have a whole list of your grades to prove it to you."

Takeshi laughed. "But I'll just have you tutor me, won't I? It'll be like the old times! Karasu-chan is the best of the best after all!"

I couldn't help but melt at that statement. Dammit, why did that idiot have to know the exact things to say to make me feel nice? But for appearances' sake, I shook my head. "As an ex-tutor, I'll say with utmost honesty that you should just stick to baseball playing. You're hopeless with or without me as your tutor."

"Aw, c'mon!"

"Fine! Fine! Just pay attention this time, okay? I hate repeating myself."

Takeshi cheered.

When I glanced at Gokudera, I caught the sour expression on his face and felt a little guilty for leaving him out of the conversation. I shuffled into my mind on what I should say to make him feel better. I got an idea. "Gokudera-kun, when this is all over…can you teach me Italian?"

"Italian? But Juuhime, you already know how to speak Italian."

"Not perfectly." I corrected him. "It's hard for me to grasp the language's grammar and I sometimes stumble over the pronunciation of some of the words. If I want to help Tsuna in his career as the Vongola Boss, I would have to learn to speak Italian fluently, no?"

I felt Takeshi's eyes on me, but I simply focused my attention on Gokudera as he stumbled over the right words to say. To my disappointment, I could tell that he was trying to find a way to say no. For some reason, his eyes were darting between Takeshi and me. I glanced at my friend but he seemed just as confused as I was. "But-

Why was he so insistent in saying no?

"Please?"

It was mean of me to do that when I knew he would say yes immediately, but I asked anyways. Yes I wanted to make him feel better, but was it a crime that I also wanted to spend more time with him?

"Please?"

A defeated sigh and a small smile.

"…If Juuhime wants me to, how can I refuse?"

It wasn't how I wanted him to word it, but it was the best that I would get. I beamed. "That's great! I help Takeshi-kun while you help me. We'll be a great study group. Though I don't know how Takeshi-kun could help in this. Give baseball tips, maybe?" I joked.

Takeshi laughed. "Yeah! I have lots of tips!"

I sweatdropped at how he was taking my joke seriously but I brushed it off. Takeshi would always be oblivious Takeshi.

Wait. Did he still think this whole mafia business was a game?

I glanced at my laughing friend. What was I even thinking? This was Takeshi we were talking about. Of course he wouldn't realize that this whole thing wasn't a game.

I shook my head. Typical Takeshi. Alana would've said "typical baseball-nut" if she were here.

Wait.

…Where was Alana anyways?

Alana sneezed and shivered at the same time. Hibird jumped a little at the sudden sound. She apologized to the bird softly while glancing back and forth. She looked around in panic but realized that there weren't any pollen-spurting plants nearby. She pouted childishly in realization.

"I feel like I was just forgotten."

How did everything end up the way they did?

"TSUNA! STOP!" I yelled at my brother's retreating figure and I bolted after him without hesitation. "Don't be so reckless!"

Since our first step into the closed zoo, we've been attacked by dead animals (Alana would be overjoyed that her zombie theory was true), attacked by a human-animal hybrid thing, attacked by a money-loving girl (who, apparently, was a fangirl of Mukuro's or something like that), and attacked (?) by a (surprisingly weak) bird man.

And the boy still didn't get that going off alone like that was dangerous! Where was my coward brother?

I scowled when my brother didn't make any indication that he heard me when I knew he did. Why did he have to act all brave and heroic now of all times?

Currently we, well Tsuna, were chasing after Futa, who just magically appeared out of nowhere to say sorry and goodbye before running off. Yes, the child looked and felt real, but there was something off about him that told me that we shouldn't follow him.

Already, my twin was far ahead of me. When did he get so fast? I pumped more wind to the back of my feet to increase my speed. Tsuna suddenly stopped in front of me (why?!), which resulted a very painful collision. I groaned while picking myself up. "Warning next time?"

"Sorry." Tsuna whimpered as I helped him up. "I lost Futa."

I looked around in the unfamiliar forest. "I think I'm lost too. Do you know how to get back?"

Tsuna's expression told me everything.

"Fine." I sighed. "I'll just ask the wind."

Where is the way back to my friends?

The winds rushed to my side at the sound of my 'voice'. Danger, danger, not safe. Leave. We lead.

"What danger?"

Beware! Beware! Alana-girl says beware! Pineapple! Beware! Betrayal! Beware!

My brow rose at the strange warning. "Alana said what now?"

Tsuna looked at me as if I was crazy. "Sis…you're not actually talking to the wind…right?"

"Tsuna. You're being tutored by an infant hitman and you've been killed about a million times only to be revived because of your 'dying will' and you're looking at me as if talking winds are crazy?" I snorted. "Just because the winds can't speak like we do doesn't mean they don't."

"Oh. What did they say?"

"They told me-

The sound of a branch snapping snatched away my attention. The two of us stiffened and I readied myself to attack. This was the enemy. This was the danger the wind was speaking of. This was-

"Karasu?"

I blinked. "Nina?"

I immediately relaxed. Nina wasn't an enemy. She was on our side. I knew her. I glanced at my brother and silently snickered at the blush on his face. Nina was beautiful. It wasn't a surprise that my brother thought she looked attractive.

"Nina?" A voice I didn't recognize sounded from behind the pretty blonde. "Who are these people?"

Beware

Nina turned to the person behind her. "They're friends."

A black haired, mismatched eyed, boy wearing a Kokuyo uniform walked out of the bushes. The expression on his face looked tranquil and aloof. Immediately at first glance, I knew I wouldn't trust this person. But, then again, he knew Nina so he shouldn't be threatening. He caught sight of Tsuna and me and his face crumbled into a look of relief.

"Are you the people who came to save us? Thank goodness!"

I didn't trust him.

I stepped in. "Have you seen Hibari and a Korean girl about…I don't know, yay big? She yells really loudly and she's a bit rude."

The boy nodded. "Yes! Hibari and your friend are being confined in one of the buildings here."

"Do you know which building they are in?" Tsuna asked eagerly.

"I'm asking the questions here."

Red flags immediately started to signal in my brain. I glared at the boy as he started to do something strange with his red eye. Instinctively, I stepped up and shoved him back, breaking him out of his concentration. "Back off. For someone who's about to get saved, you sure act high and mighty."

"Ah, my apologies." The boy said calmly. I didn't miss the flash of irritation that crossed his eyes.

He's not a friend. He's bad, really bad. I glanced at his head. If I were Alana, I would've compared the peculiar hairstyle to a pineapple.

Pineapple. Beware.

"Nina. Who is he?" I asked casually. "Can we trust him?"

The blonde smiled. "Of course. He's a very old friend of mine. I've known him since childhood."

Dammit.

I was afraid she would say that.

"Tsuna, you should go. Everyone must be worried." I suddenly suggested to my brother. He looked more than happy to do that but he stopped to ask about me. "Don't worry. Nina is a comrade of mine. She's one of us. I'm just going to catch up with her. Go on ahead of me, okay?"

Tsuna hesitated for a moment before obeying.

When he was far enough, I turned to Nina. "Remember the time when I couldn't control my powers yet and accidently cut my arm with a sharp wind?"

"Yes."

"And then you did something funny with your powers?"

"Yes? I sealed your wounds by freezing your gash. Why? Is that fact important?"

"Very. You used my blood to seal my wounds." I stated.

Nina was now confused. "Yes. I control all forms of water, remember?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I closed my eyes as a storm began to rage in my mind. Everything was so clear now. The strange warning the winds gave me, the zombie dogs, Nina's random appearance, they were all connected.

Why? Why? Why?

"Karasu?"

"Nina." I slowly turned to her, the disappointment that I felt showing on my face. "By the name of the Megumareta, I, Karasu, will have to punish you for your crimes of being a traitor to both the Vongola Family and the Megumareta itself by being an accomplice of Rokudo Mukuro, himself."

Betrayal. Beware.

Nina's face became stony, confirming my suspicions. A part of me had hoped that I was wrong, that I was just being paranoid but I wasn't. The boy next to her began to smile in a way that made me want to strangle him.

"Oh dear. It seems that we've been caught."

DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUN!

Yeah, this is about all I have for your guys so far. Hopefully, this chapter was okay.

In the next chapter, I'll be bringing more depth into the curse of the Megumareta and Karasu's past. I might be able to add in more fluff between the love triangle. Yup, sorry. I just made it into a love triangle again. Takeshi really doesn't know when to give up, does he?

Thank you for your patience and REVIEW!