Chapter 16: Estraneo

"What's this for?" The raven asked his young professor. An exaggeratedly young professor that was, known by all scientists' group in Italy and maybe the world; Verde.

"The address is already written on the letter, Mitsu." Verde commented, not glancing up to face his apprentice since he's busy recording his analysis inside his laptop. "Deliver it and come back."

"Uh-Okay!" Mitsu answered. Wearing an orange jacket and black skinny pants, the boy hastily kept the letter inside his jacket's secret pocket. "I'm going!"

"Bring a gun while you're at it." Verde continued on with his monotone voice, pressing one button beside his laptop on the table, "Four days ago, Estraneo have begun tightening their security systems due to some personal problems. And I for one would be deeply affected if you were to end up as their lab rat since you are under my supervision."

'Is that all you worry about? Your reputation?' Mitsu wondered with a sigh. "H-hai..."

Grabbing the slowly emerging gun from the table, Mitsu finds his way outside to finish his 72th errand from the green-haired teacher. When he reached the outside, Mitsu begins to slide, run, twirl and other dodging techniques he learned from the past to avoid Verde's very own 'mini' security protocol.

"Protocol?! He calls this a protocol?!" Mitsu panted slightly, wiping some of his sweat forming on his face. "I think it's a death trap. You hear me?!"

As if someone heard his call, a brick magically comes out from nowhere, hitting the raven on the head.

"Yes. And if this is what you presume 'a death trap', then you should be dead by now."

"Stupid smart teacher." Mitsu crossed his arms, muttering curses in different languages known in Earth. Since the boy was too busy cussing, another brick was projected right at the boy's head. Again.

"My sensory isn't dead yet, studente. Watch your sentences."

"Hmph." Mitsu ran off, enjoying the view of the forest and it's dangerous paths filled with pebbles and unknown twigs that could trip him. Pulling out his cellphone from his secret pocket, Mitsu dialed hastily in case someone was spying on him.

"This is probably the last errand I'll do with him before I join another family." Mitsu murmured to his phone with a sigh. "Don't worry. I haven't forgotten what you said. Okay, I'll call you later. Bye."

Feeling his dyed-black hair with his fingertips, Mitsu reminds himself of his goal at hand. "I am Sawada Tsunayoshi, the supposed-deceased brother of the next-in-line Vongola head. Doing this for the sake of family, I will obtain the trust of most of the famiglia heads a leader might encounter especially that person is crowned head of the Vongola. And why am I saying this aloud again?"

Once he reached a considerably close distance to an out-of-the-ordinary base, Tsuna decides to summon out his trusty companion; Nuts. Placing the lion cub on his head, the raven whispers reassurance to his partner as he prepares to jump up on the roof.

"Tell me when someone is coming alright Nuts?" Tsuna said, jumping up high in the air and grabbing the closest edge of the building. "Whew. That was close."

"Gao~" Nuts wailed softly, not liking the aura of the place at all. Biting his owner's now-tainted hair, the cub wishes him to go back. "Gao~!"

"Come on, Nuts." Tsuna hisses in pain, climbing on the roof before anyone sees him. "You know that hurts me very much."

"Grr!" Nuts mane flamed up, sensing an ill omen about to happen inside the building. Tsuna sensed it as well and grew a little tense, also a bit shaken with the incoming energy.

'I have to give this letter quickly' Tsuna thought, holding the letter tightly, 'before I encounter that man with the terrifying aura.'

"Gao~!" Nuts agreed, gripping the raven's head for the ride. "Gao~"

"Heh. Aren't you excited today?" Tsuna chuckles, running in a quick pace along with avoiding several contraptions that could destroy his presence completely.

"Gao~" Nuts cuddles him affectionately in response, making Tsuna laugh even more.

"Okay, you got me. We're almost there so cloak me up, will you?" Tsuna smiled, moving slower than five seconds ago. 'Man, is this place a dump.'

Looking around in closer detail, the building had the perfect essence for the term old. The plain white wallpaper hasn't been replaced for ten years and is starting to tear apart based from its delicate features, several floor tiles had been chipped off by termites and other insects who decided to settle down in this quiet area, the only furniture that could give a welcoming atmosphere for the entire area would be the moth-eaten sofas placed in each sector of the building, and there was no such thing as ceiling fans or fans in the area just broken light bulbs.

"Gao?" Nuts shivered, looking outside to see the sun setting down.

"Yes, all the switches are useless." Tsuna replied quietly. He really tried every single one of them when he was on his way to the center of the facility. "The scientists here must be thinking that they don't need any lights since they got night vision goggles or something."

"G-Gao?" Nuts scampered down towards the boy's right shoulder, moving very close for comfort.

"..." Tsuna only nodded, sneaking past through a small gap made by a scientist who exited the main door.

_Main Hall of the Research Facility_

"Ciao~" Tsuna whispers behind the head scientist, making every single occupant point his/her destructive device on the raven. "A letter from my Insegnante."

"I-I see..." The head said, regaining his composure after knowing the child's intention. Waving his hand, all the scientists placed their weapons down. "Next time you enter, knock will you?"

"Hai hai." Mitsu answered with a playful shrug, walking over to check the progress of several workers. All of them looked keen on their data, maybe a bit too keen for Tsuna's taste, like they are almost across the borderline to insanity...

Not like he cared anyways.

This isn't part of his plan so the brunet might as well not mingle with these complications at hand. While peeking on the boring and strenuous paperwork piled up beside the largest computer in the room, he was suddenly pulled on the hoodie by some huge mass of orange flames, shaping itself like an animal-like creature that could tear your limbs to pieces.

"!" Tsuna tried removing the creatures grip using his hands, but it proved to be futile as he was dragged to the closest exit. Unfortunately, nobody noticed as the boy was being led away by the mysterious creature.

"Nuts! Let me go!" Tsuna uttered out loud once they both exited the area. His voice was left unheeded as the the flames of the creature only intensified as it began to run full speed with its captive, heading towards the balcony.

"HHHIIIIEEEE!" Tsuna screamed, covering his face on the upcoming probable outcome; falling head first down the building.

- KHR - Wasure rareta Kodomo -

Falling was not pleasant. Especially when you have no equipment or gadgets to use to break your fall. Yes, falling several floors high was extremely dangerous, but a certain partner of his was too afraid of the incoming intruder than the great fall. Sure, his pet is made out of flames added with an in-built cube-like sleeping area kept hidden in his clothing, making it well-protected from any disasters that fall upon it except the destruction of its box. But come on! Why didn't it at least think about its owner's safety. Okay, maybe it thought its owner could survive the fall because he was always seen as strong in the eyes of many, but that's besides the point!

"..." Waking up, Tsuna looks around with a blurry eyesight. 'Oh god. It's night time already? Okaa-san must be worried sick about me right now. Well, at least no one thinks of me as an idiot who got knocked out by being tripped on by a tree vine. I am never going to let Nuts out in a mission ever again.'

As Tsuna scanned his latest location where he landed head first on the ground, he realized that he was at the entrance of the forest. At the same time, the building he was in a while ago was already burning and falling towards the ground.

"Kufufufu" A teenager sniggered - well that was what Tsuna thought was a snigger - beside him much to Tsuna's dismay. "How was your sleep Sky kitty?"

In addition to having a blue-haired teen looking at his entire cool disguise, Tsuna was stunned to see himself bound with his hands on his back (and is also held by the creepy teen) and yoyo strings wrapped around his legs.

"Let me go." Tsuna turned slowly towards his captor, analyzing his situation closely. 'So there is at least four people hidden in plain sight and one weird illusionist of some sort as their leader. This must be the guy Nuts was very afraid of. Just look at him, with that morbid right eye, that sinister grin, that Japanese-like uniform and is his face coming closer at me?!'

"What if I don't want to let you go?" His grin turned wider, displeasing his prisoner once more. "Now tell me... Where is your teacher?"

"Oh. You mean Insegnante? Sure, I'll tell you." Tsuna answered normally, quite happy to let murderers enter his teacher's office. "Untie me and I'll show you the way."

"..." The illusionist blinked, astounded to hear the only student of the green-haired pacifier holder betraying his professor so easily. "No catch?"

"Why should I? He deserves some punishment from all the torture he has done to me." Tsuna looks away from the man, uninterested with the topic. "So you better untie me if you want to see him."

"Will you escape?" The man asked, looking at the bored and relaxed child.

"Nope. Even if I ran, your cronies would still catch me either way, right guys?" Tsuna called out from the distance, summoning out two foreign-looking teenagers, a lady holding a clarinet, and an old man with two eerie mannequins.

"Neh. Mukuro-sama..." The red head female whined, "Why won't you just kill the brat and be done with it?"

"I disagree." The old man who looks strangely like a pervert said, coming closer to Tsuna's location. "I say we torture him until he screams in pain."

"Who said you could come out?" The teen now known as Mukuro questioned, gripping Tsuna's wrists too tightly.

"I told...them...to." Tsuna flinched as he felt someone go near his neck, hearing shallow breathing along the way. "Too close for my liking Mukuro."

"You amuse me as well, Kitty." Mukuro muttered behind his ear, emphasizing the newly-made nickname.

The first thing Tsuna did after he was untied or maybe freed from his binds with a couple of near-death pierce from a trident was stand up, dust his jacket from the accumulated dirt, and did a stretch.

"Ahh! That feels good." Tsuna exclaims, forgetting about his tight situation at hand. "Now, I'm only going to take you to the entrance and nothing more alright? Insegnante and I have some issues so I rather not face him at the moment."

"I see..." Mukuro continues to stare at the brunet, a glint of mischief in his eyes. That unnerved Tsuna greatly, but he didn't linger on those thoughts and started to head out.

While walking, Tsuna noticed that the others followed him in a safe distance except for their leader of course, who still isn't giving him space to breathe in. Tsuna really wanted to run and use his ability to fly off, but his intuition told him not to. And his intuition never ever lied to him before. He could also feel the box squirming about in his jacket, wanting to get out at the same time horrified on what those strangers would do to its master.

"We're here." Tsuna called out, motioning them to look at the place. At first sight, one would suspect the boy to be lying and that he only showed an ideal place for a camp out. But the ones with him are experts in noticing the mistakes. In this case, it was the area being too serene and isolated. "Oh and I suggest you don't step on the flowers that look like grass, they are very sensitive and will trigger the alarms once stepped upon."

After a long silence, the brunet musters enough strength and says what he always wanted to say in front of the supernatural captor. 'You can do this Tsuna. What do you have to lose? Okay, maybe a life, but still!''

"Well. My work here is done so have a nice-" Tsuna halted midway his sentence when he felt a trident touch his hair follicles behind his neck. "What is it this time?"

"Who said you were leaving?" Mukuro questioned, still having that same grin that sent chills up Tsuna's spine.

"I'm screwed ain't I?" Tsuna asked, earning the most bone-chilling chuckle he has ever discerned so far.

"Why do you say that?" Moving the trident closer to the right arm, Mukuro planned on stabbing his now-favorite toy until both of them heard the alarm set off.

"Stupid Ken.." The teen with eye glasses mentioned, "Didn't you hear what the boy said about the alarms?"

"I thought he was joking Kaki-pi!" The wild blond remarked, dodging the darts that came out form the surrounding trees. The rest of the company also got affected because of the sudden change of the area, becoming a full out war zone. There was only one person who was able to benefit from this, this person was Sawada Tsunayoshi.

'Chance!' pushing the trident away with his now-gloved hands, Tsuna rushes directly towards the area and pulled out his gun to destroy several projectiles heading to his area and enters another part of the forest. Before anyone would be able to catch him, Tsuna summons out Nuts, turns him into a cloak to blend in with the surrounding and lifts off with a huge amount of sky flames coming out of his hands.

-Five hours of nonstop turbo-

Tsuna did not stop flying because he is scared of that pineapple-styled stranger. No, the reason why he did not stop flying is because he did not want anyone following him. And once his paranoia had settled down, he was astounded to what his adrenaline could take him to.

"How the heck did I reach the Eiffel tower?" Tsuna tilted his head innocently, landing slowly at the tip of the tower. "Oh well. At least I won't be followed now."

*Kring* *Kring* *Kring*

"Hello?" Tsuna answered playfully, pulling his box out for the lion cub to exercise. "Okaa-san! I was travelling to Paris so I couldn't reach you at the moment."

"You better be." The caller replied back in a very motherly tone. "My mother senses told me otherwise." The guilty brunet gulped in fear. "Now I won't press on that matter anymore. Just be careful alright?"

"Uhh...I will." Tsuna answered, thus ending the call. Sitting at the top, he looked at his pet moving about with ecstasy. "Good thing Okaa-san isn't that pushy huh?"

"Gao~" A bombastic roar was heard, making the brunet laugh. While laughing, he realized a dead weight in his secret pocket. Pulling it out, Tsuna examines the delicate and old design of a gun.

Guys, I have been very very busy so please stop thinking I abandoned my stories here. It kind of irritates me when you send me these PMs. Oh and I know Mukuro sounds very OC here so sorry about that. XD