A/N: Merry late Christmas Minna!

Before all the author's note thingy, thank you Guest ( whoever you are... ) for the pancake. Even though I'm eating one right now... *^_^* Ushishi~

I'm sorry that I wasn't able to post this chpt earlier as a Christmas present to you all, but the reason is that I don't think I can complete it in within a few days time...

I was kindda sad that a promised Christmas present of an XS fic ( which I waited for half a year, which is godamn bloody long to me. ) was not released... But I'm happy that I actually got to read some new XS fics on Christmas ( even if they're not that good... no offence... ), and so was one of my followed stories which I waited for, again, bloody who knows how long, but definitely shorter than half a year.

Did you guys all enjoy your Christmas and Boxing/Boxer Day? ( the day after Christmas, 26th December, where you open up all you Christmas present boxes. No pun involved. ) If not, hope this brings some joy to you! ( Even though it's a bit late... )

Disclaimer: KHR belongs to Amano sensei, and can anyone tell her how I wish that she could draw a picture of all the ukes properly crossdress? / slapped

"Hey, you."

"You calling me?"

"Yes! Who else could I be calling and that will answer this bloody transmitter that is in your ear?"

"Whoops, sorry. Forgotten about that"

"Don't try to act dumb with me, you."

"Now now, don't need to be rude here. I have a name you know?"

"Whatever. Anyway, I didn't call you to talk about that."

"Then what do you want to say?"

"I'm gonna ask you..."

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you get rid of that 'Prince the Ripper' and make things easier?"

"Fu. You're asking me?"

"..."

"Boss ordered it. He got his reasons for doing things. Why don't you go ask him instead?"

"..."

"If you got nothing more to say, then I'm hanging up."

"Wait! Since I'm already asking you, can't you just tell me the reason why?"

"Ummm. Well, it won't bite by telling you. The reason is... "

"So in the end, the holes on the wall is our best clue." Mammon concluded at his seat in front of the dinner table that evening. The Mist Arcobaleno was not counting his money like how he usually did. Instead, he's discussing about the search a few hours ago with Fran and Lussuria.

"We've already got the place blood-analyzed, we should be able to get the result by tomorrow morning." the Sun reported to their 'leader' of the group.

"That's great." Fran commented. Despite his monotone voice, he was actually glad that they could get the result the next day. And the reason is:

Getting result the next day = Getting result soon

Getting result soon = Finding the culprit soon

Finding the culprit soon = Getting 'revenge' for Belphegor/Varia soon + Doing something gory soon ( and by gory, we mean something that *children under the age of 12 should not witness* )

"Buonasera, minna." the group turned their heads towards the door as a familiar feminine voice reached their ears.

"What is it? Gotten kicked out from Boss' office?" Fran asked with boredom as he rested his right cheek on his right palm. "Who's the one? Boss? Or Captain?"

"Well of course not, silly Fran-chan!" Meridionale waved her hand as she shrugged. "Is there any problem regarding I can't come down for dinner without Xanxus's accompany?"

"First," the younger Mist pointed out his index finger for emphasize. "do not call Me 'Fran-chan'. Me had enough of hearing it from Luss." the boy eyed the gayloard at the mention of his name before he pointing out his middle finger too. "And secondly, do not call Me 'silly'. Me is actually more smart than that self-proclaimed 'genius', you know?" another finger pointed out. "And thirdly, no there isn't. Me was just wondering, seeing you usually always stayed by our boss' side and never leaving him alone."

"Fufu. It's nothing to be wondering about. I just wanted to enjoy Lussuria's cooking today, as I missed it yesterday."

"Aww~ Meridionale-chan, so do you really like my cooking?" Lussuria asked. The two Mist holder were sure that they could sence sparkles around the Sun Guardian.

"Of course I do! Why won't I?" the Fiancata Cloud answered without any sign of hesitation as she took her seat.

The illusionists mentally sweat-dropped as they witness the tears of joy behind that shades of the Varia Mama and that puppy dog look on his face.

"Hi" Squalo greeted as he took a seat beside Meridionale.

Everyone stared at the shark with a blank face in awkward silence, as if they just found out that penguins can fly.

"What are you all staring at me like that for?" the Rain asked, feeling uneasy with all the eyes ( including the ones that are being covered ) on him.

"Squalo," Mammon took the speaking role. "that's not your seat."

"That's senpai's." added Fran, who is currently sitting beside Squalo.

"Your seat is over here." Lussuria added as he pointed at the seat beside him.

"So?" the silverette shrugged as if nothing happened. "I feel like sitting here. No big deal."

"O... kay... " the three Varia members spoke in unison, as if they just failed trying to convince to the world that penguins cannot fly.

*PING*

The attention of the people were shifted to the door as they heard the sound of a broken wine glass. Blood comes into their vision first, then the person who is responsible for the blood, Xanxus. Then the owner of the blood, Levi, who had already passed out on the floor.

"Useless trash." Xanxus muttered as he strolled towards his seat before eyeing at his Rain Guardian.

"If it's about the seating arrangement again, I'll say it again that I feel like sitting here and if you don't have a problem with it, stick with it." Squalo answered without even looking at his boss.

Xanxus closed his eyes as he took his seat, trying to stop convincing himself that the shark is avoiding him. Or else why didn't he sit at his usual seat beside him?

"Where's Bel?" the boss asked, trying not to think about that matter now and not seeing the childish, insane prince anywhere.

"Ha?!" the three members of the search group asked in unsion.

"You mean Taichou didn't inform you about it?" Fran asked in astonishment.

"No" Xanxus answered. The truth is that he didn't even see the shark the whole day, except that little moment when he saw him through the window before they left.

"Didn't you go report your mission after we came back?" Mammon asked the Rain Guardian.

"No" the shark answered, not really bothering about the whole thing.

"Then where did you go?" Lussuria asked. "If you're not with us outside the infirmary, and you're also not with Boss, then where were you?"

"I got my own buisness to take care of." Squalo answered. "You got a problem with that?"

The Sun Guardian shot the two Mist a look, as if asking them what to do before finally answering a "no".

"Umm, how about we just get on with the dinner?" Lussuria suggested. The Varia's Mama is not used to all these awkwardness in the room. It's already been a lot quieter without the insane prince around, bothering the hell out of everyone. But now, the usually loud commander of theirs is also being so unusually quiet, thus not giving their boss a reason to throw his wine glass at him. And further more, the said commander isn't reporting on his missions now? What in the world just happened?

"Sure." Mammon answered as he started eating, ignoring the others around him.

Dino Cavallone was sitting in his office, drifting in his own thoughts.

It has been such a long time since Mammon sent the invitation over here. The blonde haired done thought.

I wonder if the Varia are doing well... I did a little research on that 'Fiancata Famiglia' that was mentioned in the letter, they seemed to have just started a few years ago, the current boss is only the first generation. Compared to the Vongola, they should be a lot less experienced, so how is that they could actually put up a fight with them?...

The Cavallone Decimo got up from the sofa that he was lying lazily on and approached his desk. Dino sat down on his seat behind the desk and switched on his laptop to continue with his research which he had been doing for the past few days.

"Repeat what you just said!" Mammon demanded as his face got darker.

"Hai. The result from the blood test is out." Lussuria reported as he reread what was written on the piece of paper in his hand for the Nth time. "But it says that all the blood belongs to Bel-chan! They didn't find any different type of blood other than his."

"You gotta be kidding me!" the Mist Arcobaleno shouted. "The blood is all over the place! And you're telling me that there's no other people's among it? All of them are Bel's?!"

"Let Me see it." Fran said as he took the paper from Lussuria and began reading it.

"There' no need for that." the Sun Guardian sighed. "I reread it for at least 10 times! How could there be any mistake?"

"Maybe this is a fake one! Or perhaps an illusion!..."

"Mammon-san, chill." the teal-haired boy said. "Me isn't sure if this is a fake or not, but it's definitely not an illusion. At least as far as Me know from what Shishou taught Me... And why would they even bother to make a fake one to fool us? What advantage would they get? So that's probably impossible too."

The hood-wearing infant shake slightly, shocked at the news.

"But how is that possible?! The one he's against is Bel! Bel for goodness sake! That insane prince who is godamn sensitive to blood! The genius of battle! 'Prince the Ripper'! How could he not leave a single drop of blood?!"

"This proves how strong the enemy is." Fran replied, finally taking his eyes off the paper which he also read at least 10 times.

"Boss is probably helping us search for that guy too." Lussuria added. "Since we told him about what happened yesterday. And we'll have a higher chance of winning against that guy if we got Boss."

"Speaking of which, don't you think that there's something odd with Squ-Taichou?"

"Of course! Two days ago when I went to Boss' office to give him his dinner, he told me that Squ-chan didn't go report his mission! And yesterday it happened again!"

"We all know that he hates Meridionale more than all of us, but he chose to sit beside her?"

"And not with Boss?"

"Hmmmm" the three Guardians stared at one another, communicating their thoughts without words, and dispersed themselves, headding towards different directions.

Buonasera = Good evening

A/N: I can't believe this is already the 14th chpt, and we're just getting started!

I originally thought that this story will end at around the 15th chpt, but now I guess not... Thanks to my short chpts...

Again, I apologize for the late Christmas present.

Please Read and Review!