Target 26: Kita's Trial

Kamiko frowned, pushing Emiko into the hug and joining it herself. "So what happened?" Emiko asked, after they broke the hug and everyone was wiping their tears, except Emiko, who had already wiped hers. "I mean how did you get… fucked up like this?"

"Well, I think I could tell you… It's all starting to come back…" Kita said, "Sit down, cause this is gonna take a while…"

Kita cleared her throat, looking around the room at the occupants. She chuckled breathlessly as Emiko plopped herself onto the bed and Hitomi sat down on the floor. Katsumi actually pulled up a chair and Kamiko sat on the windowsill next to Reborn. "Alright, everybody comfy?" asked Kita, smiling a little. "Well here's my story."

"Kita!" Kusakabe yelled from the kitchen. The curly-haired girl's loud footfalls were heard and suddenly, she was standing in the threshold separating the kitchen from the hallway.

"Hai, hai?" She replied, giving him a mock salute, "Whaddya need, pops?" Kusakabe gave a half-smile, rubbing the back of his head in distaste for the words Kita just spoke. However he quickly brushed them off, instead stirring the stew a few more times before he turned off the stove, turning around to face Kita.

He was quiet for another minute, surveying the kitchen as they heard a large crash from outside. He stopped, peering out of the small kitchen window in time to see Lolo and Miyu run into the house. "Lolo stop all that runnin' around! Bring me back my sake!" They heard Miyu yelling, but the crashing never stopped as Miyu and Lolo ran by and out the front door.

"I'll drop it if you don't stop chasing me!" They heard him yell and Kusakabe sighed, shaking his head and leaning against the counter. He just couldn't get a moment of quiet with this family around.

The tall man then surveyed his daughter. She was dressed in a purple and black striped off-shoulder sweater a size too big for her, denim shorts and long purple socks with stars and purple and black sneakers. From where he stood, he could see the straps to a backpack that hung lowly on her back. Kita smiled brightly at him and he hummed in response.

"You're going out?" He simply asked and Kita nodded, "Well don't be gone too long, okay? I made dinner and I don't want you to have to heat it up."

"Well I'm just goin' out to train a little." Kita responded. "If I don't come home tonight that's where I am, but don't worry." Kita gave him a small smile and a thumbs-up, "I've got my school uniform in here, so I'll go to school. And I've got some money, so I'll get a bento or something."

"Alright…" Kusakabe said, patting Kita's shoulder. "I trust you… just don't get into any trouble okay?"

"Okay!" Kita gave him a mock salute and hurried towards the door, grabbing her keys, "Bye, dad! I love you or something!"

"You too!" He called as the door slammed. Outside, Kita took a deep breath and smiled widely, raising her arms to the sky.

"Today is a great day!" She yelled, causing the birds to fly away. "Time to do some things!"

Kita hadn't made it very far, only to the park when she felt it. A strange breeze blew across her neck as she walked and the girl shivered, though she paid no mind to it, instead carrying on as she hummed a small tune. Then there was a crack of a branch and she jumped, looking around. "It's gotten really dark..." Kita mumbled, looking around. It was only early afternoon; there was no reason for it to be this dark. She shook the thought off, "Maybe it'll rain soon..."

This didn't deter her; instead she continued on, slapping herself in the face a few times, "You're just imagining things, everything's cool, Kita. You're just thinkin' a little crazy..." She continued on, her hand tapping repeatedly against her leg as she heard snaps of branches and the wind howling louder. She quickened her pace when the sounds seemed to be coming straight after her, every snap made her move a little quicker and suddenly, she was running, not yet screaming, but almost thoroughly scared out of her mind as she ran through the forest-like area deeper in the park.

She screeched as she tripped over a tree root, falling flat on her face and turning around just in time to see the culprit. Kita stared with wide eyes as she saw... "A fox?!" She yelped but was definitely relieved by the appearance of the fox and not a person. "And not just any fox either, Lulu!" The fox came closer, nuzzling against Kita's leg as it did so. "It's been a while, huh? You don't come around much anymore, do you?"

The fox only hummed lowly in its throat in reply and Kita scratched her behind the ears, smiling. "Well, how about you come with me, hm? I'm goin' to do a few things, and I could use the company!" The fox seemingly nodded a Kita and she smiled even wider. "Great! Let's get going, then!"

They walked and walked, Kita with no real destination and soon enough, Kita was just following Lulu. The fox seemed eager to lead Kita somewhere, and the girl couldn't refuse, after all, Lulu was a good friend of Kita's, so of course she would trust the fox.

"Lulu?" Kita questioned after the city was far behind them while grassy fields and unused roads stretched in front of and to the sides of them. The fox turned slightly. "Where are we going? You've never lead me outside of Namimori before..."

The fox only turned back around, continuing to walk. Kita shook her head; nothing bad was going to happen to her. She had everything she needed in her backpack, plus she was a member of a mafia group! She was trained—well, as trained as she could be—and ready for anything!—except she wasn't ready for what happened next.

It came out of nowhere—sort of like Lulu did, but it wasn't friendly or something Kita had known.

It was loud. Kita covered her ears. The cawing of the crows seemed to be almost unbearable and Kita looked around as her eyes widened, fear coursing through her body but unwilling to let loose a scream. She was pretty sure even if she did, she wouldn't even be able to hear it over the sound of the crows.

She quickly turned her head fast enough to get whiplash, but that didn't stop her from looking around, even in pain. A cut here, a cut there, Kita's arms and legs and clothes were being cut from the sharp beaks of the crows flying around and she lost sight of Lulu.

Then she was on the ground, a flock of the crows having blindsided her, knocking her down, or maybe it was her losing her footing because of the suddenness of it all, either way it was still painful. Her right side—specifically her right arm—was throbbing from hitting the ground so quickly and so hard. And all she could see was black before she covered her face, closing her eyes.

The flock of crows faded into dust as a lone figure walked up, staring down at Kita's limp form. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he picked her up. "Might as well get this over with, huh, Lulu?" He looked to the fox sitting beside Kita. It nodded as the two disappeared.

The loud sound of wood crashing to the ground woke Kita up later that day. Her eyes opened and her head exploded—a headache coming on and Kita groaned loudly, clutching at her head and pulling at her hair, shutting her eyes closed tightly. Once the splitting pain passed, or lessened, she deemed it safe enough to open her eyes and looked around.

A run down park of some sort was what she saw first. It looked to be an abandoned amusement park and Kita looked around, searching for any indication as to where she was, but all the signs were old and faded from years of no use. And none of them were even standing anymore. Kita rubbed her arms as the wind blew. "Hello?! Anyone here?!" She called out receiving no answer.

Kita looks around again before picking a random direction and heading that way. She can't see any way out of this weird place from where she stands, so she might as well start walking. She stops for a moment, checking her backpack only to find it's not there. "Well there goes any chance of me having food... or a cellphone..." She felt stupid, why didn't she put her cellphone in her pocket? Kita shook the thought off and continued walking; there was no point in dwelling on the past.

The creaking of objects being blown around in the wind was nearly enough for her to feel scared, but Kita kept on, hoping that she was heading in the right direction.

"Help!" A familiar voice called, "Help us!" Kita looked around, eyes wide.

"Hey! Who's there? Where are you?" She yelled, whipping her head around in every direction as the screams got louder. Kita began running, the voices getting louder the faster she ran until she was standing inside of a building. The door shut behind her, making her yelp in surprise as she turned to look at it. She pulled at the door but it didn't budge at all. Kita cursed quietly, turning away from the door. "Locked in." She murmured.

She didn't have time to think of a way out because it was then that she heard the screaming again. "H-Hold on!" She then yelled, taking off down the hallway and skidding before turning and running again.

She ran and ran and ran, even when she wanted to stop. It felt like she wasn't getting anywhere-everything looked the same and she swore that she passed that water fountain at least six times. The screams were still faraway sounding and Kita stopped, realization suddenly hitting her. "I know what this is...! Rompere!" She yelled, slicing the air in front of her and suddenly, the hallway that she'd been running around in circles in faded away to make way to a large door.

The screams were even louder now.

Kita gulped and pushed the door open. The room was large, as if it was some kind of stadium. On the far side was a large cage suspended in the air by a chain hanging from the ceiling. Kita's eyes widened as she took a step closer, gasping. "Guys!" She yelled, "Wha—What's going on?"

"Kita! Get out of here!" Hitomi yelled, waving her hands wildly, "He'll get you too!"

"He?" Kita questioned, running across the room, "Guys, don't worry, I'll get you out of there, okay? Just… I have to think…"

"Kita, look out!" Emiko screamed and Kita turned around just in time to see a man come charging at her with a rusted pipe. She ducked, punching him in the gut and spinning around, backing up.

"That was close." Kita looked back up at them, "Don't worry, I'll get you out of there as soon as I deal with this guy!" Kita looked back at the guy, surprised to see he wasn't lying on the ground anymore. The hairs on the back of Kita's neck stood up as she grabbed him by the collar, flipping him over her body and onto the ground. "Oooh. Chilly…" Kita's face hardens as she looks at the man. "What do you want with my friends?"

"What do you think I want?" He questions, chuckling. Before long, his chuckles turn into harsh laughter and it fills the area. "If the newest boss of the Vongola is killed then… well it'll be easier to take over, won't it?" He smirked, and Kita growled.

"Well you missed one! I'm still here, aren't I?" Kita said, "And if I beat you, you let them go."

"Hm, the hero comes to save the day, doesn't she?" He shook his head, standing up. "Alright, have it your way." He waves his hand, and a scepter appears in it. "But I won't hold back."

"Good." Kita smirks, "I wanted a real fight." Without warning or saying anything, he waves his scepter at Kita, a large blast of energy hitting her and sending her flying into the far side wall. She busts through it and slams into the wall in the hallway behind it groaning as she slumps to the ground. "Okay… Ow…"

Kita stands up, dusting herself off as much as she can. She walks back to into the large room through the hole in the wall, climbing over the debris as she goes and with a slight limp, she stands in front of the man, "Hey! You never said when we were starting!"

"Does it matter? C'mon, you wanted a fight and that's what I'm going to give you!" He then jumps at Kita, she barely has time to react, managing to dive to the side, but he doesn't stop there, his scepter turns into a hammer and he begins slamming it down on the ground. Kita continually dodges, but she isn't able to dodge all of them, getting sideswiped hard as she falls back onto the ground, her cheek bleeding.

'Shit, how am I supposed to fight him…?' She questions herself, rolling along the wall and away from the knives he's tossing. She grunts as she rolls on something hard and screams, there's a knife in her arm. Getting up, Kita narrowly dodges the hammer being thrown at her and looks around. She yanks the knife from her arm, blood staining it and soaking her arm. She looks to the man whose gathering his weapons and quickly, she tears her shirt and wraps it around her arm in a makeshift bandage.

She then looks down at herself; she's got blood on her legs from open cuts. Kita shakes her head; she's just a bloody, dirty mess.

"Kita! Get out of here! Stop getting yourself hurt!" Hitomi yells, waving her arms wildly.

"I can't!" Kita say as she ducks underneath and runs, circling around the room, "You guys are my first real friends—there's no way I'm gonna let you get kidnapped by some weirdo!"

"Kita, you're so fucking stupid!" Emiko screams, "We can handle ourselves! Get out of here!"

"Not a chance, Emiko! If you could handle yourself—!" Kita picks up a knife, tossing it at the man as she trips over a broken pipe, "Wh-Why are you here…?" She doesn't have much time to argue before she has to get back on her feet, not leaving much time to regain her breath.

'What can I use?' She she can think of something, she's hit into the wall again. The man is right in front of her, his fist lodged firmly in her stomach. Hitomi screams and Kamiko yells out for Kita.

She coughs, hacking up blood as the girls call her. "Give up, girl. You're useless." Kita coughs again, looking to the girls. "You've already lost." In that moment, everything seems hopeless and in the man's favor. But Kita won't give up that easily. Her resolve hardens.

"No…" Kita looks from the girls to the man again as her glare hardens, "You lost." Kita pushes him back, sending him flying into the far side wall. She watches him. "Rompere!" The illusion fades away, showing the cage is empty. "While you were 'kicking' my ass, I managed to get them out of there."

His eyes widen as he curses, wiping his mouth from the blood. Kita looks down at the necklace she's wearing, "So I guess it's time to end this now…" Purple flames engulf her being as she pulls from the necklace a weapon, in her hands is a trident. The trident has three prongs with two prongs on each and a gem in the middle as well as rings hanging from the loops.

"I will protect my friends! As the Mist guardian, I will cover them while they escape! Stance of Crowns!" She yells, slamming the trident down onto the ground. A large shockwave shakes the ground, making the building shake as she points the trident at the man.

"Wha-What's that gonna do?" He asked, after the shockwave is over. "Nothing is-!" He's cut off from talking, being entrapped in a large dome. "Let me out! Hey!"

"St-Stance of Crowns…" Kita pants, leaning heavily on her trident, "I-Is something I made up… myself… It…. It's barrier that…" Before Kita can explain, blood loss gets to her and she falls foreword onto the ground, unconscious.

"…And that's how I ended up… well, wherever I ended up. But I guess it must've been somewhere near the hospital, huh?" Kita laughs a little, but the room is quiet. "Guys…? Uh, guys…"

"That's…" Emiko speaks up first. "Kita…"

"If that really happened," Kamiko says, frowning and crossing her arms, "Then someone is after us."

"Then what do we do? How do we know who is next?" Katsumi asks, "We can't wait around for someone to attack us next."

"But it sounds like that's what we'll have to do." Hitomi then spoke, all eyes turning to her, "I mean, how can we tell who is coming after us if we don't really know what they look like and why they went after Kita first."

The room went silent, nobody being able to protest what Hitomi just said. "So then what will you do, Hitomi?" Reborn breaks the silence, "You are, after all, the boss."

"Yeah, Hitomi." Emiko said, "Tell us what to do." Hitomi frowned, crossing her arms.

"I didn't want to be the boss, but I guess I'll have to." Hitomi shook her head. "We'll just have to be cautious for now. And I'll tell my dad, maybe he can tell us something."

"And what about you?" Katsumi said, "Kita's already been attacked and if anything, the rest of us will be able to protect ourselves, unlike you. You don't have any weapons or anyway to protect yourself… and we can't always be with you… what're you going to do?"

"That's right…" Emiko said, "Well we'll just have to find a way-!"

"That won't be necessary." Reborn spoke, cutting Hitomi off. "Because soon it will be break, correct?" With a collective nod from the girls, Reborn continued, "Well Hitomi is going to train. If she wants to protect you—and I'm more than certain she does—then she'll have to come and train with me during break. What do you say, Hitomi?"

All eyes are on Hitomi once more and she turns to look at Reborn. "I say alright. Let's get training."

Reborn smirks, "I was hoping you would say that."

Well that's the chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. And that little bit of action. Oooh, Hitomi's accepting being a boss, maybe just a little? Well let's see how the training goes in the next chapter! Until then, here's a little preview! See ya!

"Reborn! This is hard!" Hitomi whines. Reborn only looks at her, eyes dull and full of boredom.

"I never said it would be easy. Now stop whining and hurry up, don't you want to help your friends?"