CPR/KM: Meh...
Lilly: I have a bad feeling about this... Why am I having a bad feeling about this?
CPR/KM: That's just you, my dear~!
Lilly: I knew it... I knew it!

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR or Bleach. Never have and never will, so do not bother to sue me. You won't be getting anything...

Warnings: AU, Gender Bender, Blood and Gore, Swearing, OOCness, Crossover

Summary: Tia Harribel has never thought she would have to reconnect with her past again, ever. But with Aizen wanting to sacrifice her home town, Namimori, along with Karakura Town, she knows that she has to act in order to make sure that her mother was safe. Even, if it means to call in help from her so called father, Iemitsu Sawada.

Pairings: So far, I have none planned and if I do have them, they would be coming into the story very late. But you can make suggestions and send them in via review or pm, the choice is yours.

"Decima?" - Speech

`Tsuna is dead!´ - Thoughts

"That idiot!" - A different Language

"Tasty little morsel!" - Hollow Speech

Shark Empress of Vongola

Chapter 4

Making Friends and Allies

Several weeks later...

Harribel was walking down the stairs in the Shirosaki household. She could hear Nana humming in the kitchen as she was cooking lunch and smiled behind her scarf. It was such a nice feeling to be home again with her mother. She had missed her dearly in all the years she had been separated from the one person that she had always been around. Of course, she did like it in Hueco Mundo, too, with Mila Rose, Apache and Sung Sun, yet it was not the same as it was with her mother. She silently made her way into the kitchen and took a seat at the kitchen table; her eyes were trained on her mother who was busy with cooking lunch while humming a little under breath. Her eyes softened up when she saw her mother move fluently through the kitchen.

It felt to Harribel like a long time, hundreds of years, since she had last seen her mother like this, although it had just been a week for her without seen her mother because of her busy schedule with the Vongola. `They are such annoyances, it is a wonder that Aizen-sama has not found out about them, yet,´ she thought to herself, her eyes not once leaving her mother's figure. `It is a blessing that he doesn't know about Kaa-chan, that man would use her against me. I am sure of it.´

While Harribel was busy with her thoughts, Nana had finished cooking their lunch and was watching Harribel. She didn't know why but something was so very familiar about the woman in front of her. Nana couldn't explain it but the moment that she had first met Harribel, she had felt like someone that she had known for years. It felt like Harribel had gone missing for a few years from her life and was now finally home. It was such a strange thought, yet somehow it felt right to think that. `Ara, I wonder if I have met Harribel-san somewhere before...?´

"Nana-san?" Nana blinked when she heard her name being called. "Nana-san, are you alright?"

"Oh, I am fine, Harribel-san, hahaha~!" Nana laughed sheepishly at her friend, embarrassed at being caught staring.

Raising an eyebrow, Harribel shook her head at Nana's antics. It was not like the woman would change anything in her behaviour towards to her. Harribel knew what her mother was like and if she was truthful with herself, she would not want her mother to change. It had already been hard on her when she had seen how her mother had suffered because of her when she had died. It had not been fair to her mother who had never done anything wrong. `At least, I am now around for her, even if she doesn't know it,´ Harribel let out a silent sigh, she doubted she could ever tell her mother that she was still around. Heck, how was she even supposed to tell her mother this?

`I doubt that it would go over well with her,´ feeling a headache coming, Harribel tried to shake those thoughts off. `I can't tell her this, ever. If I have to leave her again, I doubt that she will ever get over this. I just can't to do this to her, never to her. She is all I have left, she has only me... Iemitsu is no one that she can count on. Kaa-chan, I wish I could tell, I really do.´

"Say, Nana-san," Harribel started, trying to get rid of those depressing thoughts. "Have you heard about this new park that is supposed to have opened?"

"Ara? There is?" Nana titled her head to the side, making Harribel chuckle.

"Yes, there is," amusement was lacing her voice. "I thought you could use a day off, you have been a bit on edge lately."

Nana blinked at her friends words. It was true, the past few days she had been feeling on edge, she did not why herself, though. It was like she was being watched and her very movements were being judged. It was a bit frightening if Nana was to admit it. She did not know why she was getting that feeling, either. Maybe she was really in need of a break?

"Maybe you are right, Harribel-san," a smile was playing on Nana's lips. "I do think I am need of that break. Let's go this park!"

"That's what I wanted to hear."

~ Time skip, a few days later...

Harribel raised a brow at the silver haired teen in front of her. On the boy's shoulder was a little boy with an afro and both of them were staring at her. The young boy was picking his nose while the silver head was scowling at her. Great, that was just something that Harribel needed. She had to babysit some useless boys. `As if I have the time for this, the cursed baby knows that I have no time whatsoever for this,´ Harribel thought irate. She had this day already planned out for her mother and herself to have some time to themselves but no. That damn baby had to get between them and push some boys onto her, declaring to her that they would be her future Guardians when she becomes the Vongola Decimo.

As if! Harribel had no such time to become some Mafia Boss. She was more concerned about her mother being safe and that Aizen was being stopped from his schemes. She'd rather have her mother alive and kicking, then to see her die. Although, Harribel knew what would await her mother after death, it did not mean that she wanted her mother have this kind life. She knew that it would only break her mother's heart should she keep her memories of her human life and yet cannot find her daughter in this supposed heaven of Soul Society. `Yes, that will go over well with her,´ Harribel thought sourly. Sighing, she jerked her head to the left, showing those boys to follow her.

If she already has to babysit those boys, then she would do it her way. There were already some other boys with her who were waiting in some hotel room, prepared for her according to Reborn. She knew that this baby was up to no good the first time he had mentioned about this, though she was prepared. Mila-Rose, Apache and Sung Sun had been informed of what was going on and Harribel knew that those girls would love to babysit. `As much as I do, I bet. I already have the girls to look after a bunch of boys is something not needed for me,´ Harribel loved her girls, she really did but sometimes it was even too much for her to deal with them.

The way they always fought with each other was amusing, alright. Yet, it even annoyed Harribel at times when it was too much.

"I can't believe this!" Harribel heard the silver head mutter. "This woman is supposed to be next boss of Vongola?"

"Lambo-sama wants candy, Baka-dera!" the little boy dressed as a cow declared loudly.

"Shut up, idiot cow!" the silver head snarled.

"Children these days," Harribel muttered to herself, keeping going. "Reborn-san needs to learn not to try and mess with my life."

~ Scenery change, in some hotel room...

Harribel was staring down at the boys and babies that were in front of her, raising an eyebrow at Reborn who was sitting on the table and sipping his espresso. She was not really impressed with what Reborn had been planning to do with her, especially today of all days. That baby knew what she had planned today for Nana and that she would make sure that everyone would regret getting between her and her mother's alone time. It would seem that someone had yet to tell this to Reborn. `Not that it would be needed anymore after I am through with him,´ she thought icily.

She flared her reiatsu up for a few seconds; feeling a bit delighted at the fact how the people in the room winced at feeling the heavy pressure in the room. Yes, payback was a bitch and best served ice cold, wasn't it?

"Reborn-san," Harribel's voice cut through the silence that had settled over them. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Is something the matter?" Reborn asked innocently, not a little bit worried with the way Harribel was staring at him.

"Indeed, there is something the matter," Harribel's voice was ice cold and could have cut through steal; it made the other occupants in the room shudder.

Reborn just hummed in answer to Harribel, taking a content sip from his espresso. He tilted his fedora down to hide his eyes from the pissed off female in front of him. Reborn knew what he had done to anger the female in front of him and if he was honest with himself, he was not one bit ashamed of his doings nor was he regretting them. He had a mission to accomplish and as the greatest Hitman out there, he would not go and fail this mission. His pride was not letting him!

Meanwhile, the others of the room were slowly edging away from the very pissed off woman in front of them. They could feel the murderous death vibes coming off of her and began to fear for their lives. Whatever Reborn had done, they certainly were not part of this scheme. They'd be damned. They all valued their lives and right now, it looked like they were all doomed to die.

"Reborn," Fon sighed while shaking his head. "When will he ever learn? Viper, what are you doing?"

"Mou, I lose valuable time to collect money," a hooded baby said, a pout clearly seen on his lips. "And it is Mammon, Fon!"

"Reborn-san?" the silver headed boy asked in barely a whisper.

"Lambo-sama is bored; Lambo-sama wants grape candy!"

"Ahahaha, this Mafia Game is awesome!" another boy said with a smile playing on his lips.

`This isn't a game!´ was the collective thought, safe for Reborn and Harribel. They both were busy with other thoughts occupying their minds, one was thinking of possible murders and accidents while the other was thinking of ways to get a stubborn female to accept her role. It was safe to say that one of them was doomed to fail.

"Let me tell you this, Reborn-san," Harribel hissed out. "It is you that needs my help to keep the Vongola strong. It is I who has given you the means to keep your act up in front of the other Families, until the other candidate is ready to inheritance the Family. I am NOT your toy and I am certainly NOT going to take this family over. You people are just a means to me to keep my mother safe. So, I suggest you keep yourself out of this matter and let me handle it or you will have to find someone other. Do I make myself clear?"

There was a heavy silence in the room and everyone was staring with wide eyes at the woman in front of them. The way that Harribel's voice had sounded, it made them shiver in fright and that was saying something. Fon and Mammon were surprised to say the least; they had never seen someone stand up like this to Reborn. It was for them a first and very surprising to see that someone had actually the guts to say those words to Reborn. They knew Reborn and how he always made sure that everyone agreed with his opinion, be it right or not. It was just the way Reborn was.

There was no one that wanted to opposite Reborn, really. Everyone in the mafia knew of Reborn and his sadistic ways. They also knew that it was never good to be on Reborn's bad side and that he should always be kept happy, espresso mostly helped with that matter. Still, the few that had dared to go against Reborn, they had never heard of them again. They were all very sure of this, Harribel had insulted Reborn and that she would pay for this very soon.

"I am here to accomplish a mission," Reborn's voice brought them all back to the matter at hand. "I tend to accomplish it, without failing it. You know that the other candidate is not fit to be the next leader of the Vongola. You are the only one heir we have left."

Harribel gave Reborn a cold stare, "I do not care about this, and my only reason to be here is my mother. It is for her protection and no one else matters to me. If you even think about using my mother against me, Reborn-san, you shall feel my wrath."

"I have my standards," Reborn's lip curled up in disgust. "I would not use your mother, who has no idea that you are still under the living, against you. I may be a Hitman, the greatest of them all, but I do not lower myself to such low standards."

"That's the biggest lie that I have ever been told," Harribel's voice was hard as steal and had a cutting edge to it. "Reborn-san, I know people like you, I know them well. People like you will do everything to accomplish their goals, it does not matter to them what it takes."

"Tch."

The baby and Espada were staring each other down and letting their killer intent leak out. It was making the other occupants in the room feeling uncomfortable, even the loud Lambo was silent and shivering at the strange feeling that had overcome him.

"I shall be saying this only once," Harribel said while turning to walk out of the room. "Keep to yourself and out of my matters. If you want something from me, then come to me and not do anything behind my back, do I make myself clear?"

Harribel did not wait for answer and just walked to the door and opened it. Walking outside, she made sure to slam the door close. There was a silence in the room that not even Yamamoto wanted to try to lift the spirits of the people around him up. `Ah, this is getting weirder and weirder, Pops, your warnings had not been enough for me.´

"So, those are the brats we are supposed to babysit?"

"My, Harribel-sama was right! That baby does need to learn to not meddle with other people's affairs."

"No use, no use, she will teach him his place soon enough."

~ Change of scenery, a few minutes later...

Nana was standing in front of the ticket booth of the new amusement park that Harribel had told her about but there was no sign of Harribel yet. Even though, her friend had told her to meet her there at 9 o'clock sharp, Harribel was running late by ten minutes already. Nana knew her friend, she knew her very well. Harribel was one to never miss an appointment, especially when she was the one to plan them, or be late to one without informing anyone of that matter. It was a very amusing quirk of Harribel, Nana had to say and it reminded her of her Tsu-chan. `She always had been on time to any appointments, no matter what. She hated to wait or make people wait for her, being punctual was her thing,´ Nana thought sadly.

It was strange to Nana how Harribel's mannerism sometimes reminded her of her daughter. She was every time strongly reminded of Tsunayoshi in the mornings when she saw Harribel. The older woman, at least Nana thought she was older than her she had never really asked, was already up and watching her how she was making their breakfast for the day. It was something that even her Tsunayoshi had always done, claiming that she wanted to spent the first few hours of the day with her mother. There are also the times when Harribel went to go shopping with her, she always insisted on pushing the card and carry the bags back home. Sometimes, Harribel would even get that longing look when they passed the sweets and she noticed how the elder woman's eyes focused on some strawberry poky.

Nana knew for a fact that this was the very same things that Tsunayoshi had insisted on doing, even though her daughter was barely tall enough to reach the counter, she let her do as pleased. If it made her daughter happy, then she was happy, too. It was the same with the poky, Nana knew for a fact that Tsunayoshi adored strawberry poky and if her daughter could, she would have eaten it to every meal. It amused Nana greatly when she saw Harribel acting like this; it was like the woman was her daughter in an adult version. There many such times when she thought that it was not Harribel with her but her daughter but that was impossible, wasn't it?

Her daughter was dead, Nana knew that fact. A fact she still found so very hard to accept, yet with Harribel around. It was like her Tsunayoshi was still alive. Why, why did she feel like this? Could be it that maybe...?

`But maybe, I am just reading too much into this,´ Nana shook her head at that thought. It was absurd to think that Harribel was her daughter, it was impossible for Harribel to be her. `I just wish...´

"Nana-san, I apologize for my tardiness," Harribel's voice snapped Nana out of her thoughts.

Blinking, Nana gave Harribel a smile, "Ah, it is alright, Harribel-san. I haven't been waiting long for you."

"Nonsense, Nana-san," Harribel's voice was firm and it made Nana smile even wider, this was so typical of her friend. "I should have at least called you to tell you that I would be late."

"Ara, are, it is fine. You are here, now, that is all that matters," the smile on Nana's face made Harribel smile under her scarf.

"Very well," Harribel shook her head at her mother's reasoning. "Shall we go, then?"

"Hai~, let's go~!"

Harribel shook her head at the enthusiasm that Nana showed right now. It was so child-like, yet it was so very Nana, too. Her mother had always been a child at heart in some matters. Of course, her mother had other sides, too. Yet, only to those she truly trusted she was herself. `I just wish she had more people in her life than me,´ Harribel pushed that thought immediately away. As much as she wanted her mother have more friends with whom she could truly be herself, something inside of her was being selfish and greedy. It wanted her mother all for herself; after all she had always been there for her mother. It doesn't matter if it was good or bad times, she was there when her mother needed someone and there was no one other.

Yes, Harribel knew that it was wrong of her to think link this. She just couldn't help herself; she was a very selfish person, especially when it came to her mother. Then, there was no one good enough out there but herself. `They have to go through me first before they can even think of being together with Kaa-chan. I will make sure of that.´

~ Karakura Town, two weeks later...

Kisuke Urahara was hiding his smile behind his fan. It was too amusing for him to watch the way a certain orange haired teenager was acting right now. `He reminds me of a wet kitten with that expression,´ he thought with a snicker, yet he was careful enough to not be loud enough to be heard by said person. Of course, he did not care if that boy did hear him or not. Whatever the boy would try to dish out to him, he could easily avoid it but there were some times that even he knew that it was not wise to piss the boy off. This was those of the times.

Harribel, who had decided to visit the blond ex-captain, had the pleasure of walking in on this sight on front of her. She was staring with a blank face at the ranting orange haired boy in front of her. `After finally finding that Shinigami's hiding place, I am walking in on this and see that?´ sighing, Harribel asked herself if she should leave and come back at a later time but she was beaten to that decision.

"Ignore them," the black cat on her shoulder said. "I told you I would bring you here to hear you out that is what I shall do. If those two join us or not, that is not our problem."

"Be as it may," Harribel was slowly making her way into the shop, being mindful of the still raving orange head and not to be seen by him. "It would make things certainly easier for me to not repeat them over and over again."

"They are men," the black cat said in a mocking voice. "I doubt they will understand this plan of yours the first time around."

Chuckling, Harribel decided to not comment on this one. She knew that it did not matter what she said to this Yoruichi, the woman would not listen to it either way. `She seems set on her point of view, it doesn't matter what I try to say.´

"The left door, go in there," Yoruichi instructed her. "I'll be with you shortly, no funny business."

"Hn, as if I have time for that," Harribel said while entering the room.

Harribel, not really interested in her surroundings, took a seat at the table that was in the middle of the room. Leaning with her elbows on it, she laced her fingers together to rest her chin on them. Taking a deep breath, she let her eyes slid close and concentrated on the area around her. She let her reiatsu slowly leek out, letting it brush against just about everything that was close to it. `Mhmm, there is nothing unusual around here... Safe for whatever is underground this shop. I am surprised Aizen has not found any of this.´

While Harribel was busy with studying her surroundings, Yoruichi had taken the time to transform back into her human form and had decided to drag Urahara and our favourite sword wielding strawberry to this 'meeting'. Not that the two knew who it was that is waiting for them, Yoruichi rather liked to see their reaction to that. `Knowing Ichigo, he will try to attack her. She is his enemy in his books,´ she snickered at that thought and what could possible lead to this.

"What's it that you want to show us?" Ichigo asked, a little bit peeved at being interrupted by Yoruichi. "I had important business to discuss with Blondie over there!"

Urahara faked a hurt face when he heard his students words, "Oh Ichigo, you wound my heart so with your words."

"As if, you perverted shopkeeper!" Ichigo replied hotly, a blush making his way onto his face.

`Perverted shopkeeper? Now, that is a new one... I am getting the feeling I am missing something out here, but what could that be?´ Yoruichi asked herself, watching Ichigo stomp into the room she told them their guest was waiting in. The way Urahara was smiling at the back of Ichigo was not helping matters. `Maybe I should be more around, I would certainly not miss anything important, then.´ Shrugging, Yoruichi followed Ichigo in the room. Well, that matter could wait for now. They had something more serious to discuss right now.

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Ah, he found my guest!" the smirk on Yoruichi's face was something from another world.

"Oho? Who could have made Ichigo react this strongly?" Urahara spoke curious.

"Kurosaki," Harribel said greeted calmly, quirking an eyebrow at the sword pointed at her.

"Don't you 'Kurosaki' me!" the death berry snarled at the calm female in front of him. "And who the hell are you anyways?"

"I am not here to fight, Kurosaki Ichigo," Harribel's eyes flashed dangerously up. "I am merely here to talk about an alliance with you. My name is Tia Harribel."

"My, my, what do we have here?" Urahara's voice broke the tense atmosphere he walked in.

"Now, that is a sight you don't see every day, do you?" Yoruichi commented offhand.

Right in front of the two ex- captains was the sight of Ichigo in his Shinigami appearance and pointing his sword at Harribel who was not even batting an eyelash at him. In fact, the woman had her eyes calmly trained on the fiery orange haired teenage boy and was sitting relaxed at the table. Ichigo's human body was lying on the ground behind and let it seem like it was dead to the world. Well, it was true in a way, was it not?

"Alliance? With you, Arrancer?" Ichigo cocked an eyebrow at the woman in front of him. "Why should I believe you?"

"You can't but you have no other choice if you want to hear what Aizen has planned for this town," Harribel's voice was still calm and her expression was not giving anything away from her.

Now, that got Ichigo's attention. He knew that this Arrancer in front of him could have gone to anyone to ask for an alliance but she went to him. `Considering her choices, I don't blame her. Soul Society is not exactly where I would go to ask for help either. Those bastards are way too stuck up and prude in their ways,´ Ichigo thought with scowl while slowly lowering Zangetsu. His brown eyes were trained on the woman in front of him, daring her to make one wrong move.

"Ya can say dat again, King," the watery and echoing voice of his hollow rang through his head. "Ya shoulda jus' finish 'em off! Ya know, a missin' head 'ere, a cut off limb there!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes at his inner hollow's words. He was far too used to those words by now to react to them anymore. `Shut up, Whitey! No one asked for your opinion. Where is the Old man? I thought he was supposed to babysit you?´

"Wouldn't ya like ta 'now~!" the way his inner hollow sung the words, it made Ichigo wonder if Zangetsu had decided to leave. He would certainly not blame him. "Hey, who are ya callin' 'Whitey', Kingy?"

`Congratulations, it took you only a few minutes to notice that I called you Whitey. Now, hush. I get the feeling that I should pay more attention to the outside,´ Ichigo cut of all connections to his soul room after he thought this. He blinked a few times and raised an eyebrow at the stares he was given by the three others in the room.

"What?" he snapped at them.

"Yep, he is back to normal," Urahara said while hiding his face behind his trademark fan. "Now, that we have your attention, Berry-chan, we-!"

"Don't call me that!" Ichigo had brained Urahara with the table in the room. "How many times do I have to tell you that, Ero-jiji?"

Yoruichi snickered at the way that those acted right now while Harribel wondered if that was really the same kid that Aizen had problems with. `The way he acts, it reminds me of a five year old child,´ she mused while her lips twitched upwards at the scene in front of her. Urahara was sitting next to Ichigo with the table still on his head and a blank look on his face. Said boy was looking away from the shopkeeper and staring angrily at the wall while a blush was on his cheeks. `My, this is livelier than back home.´

"Now, that those two are finished," Yoruichi spoke in a serious voice. "What is it that you have to tell us? Why did you not go to Soul Society with what you are about to tell us?"

"Soul Society? If I had gone to Soul Society, I doubt that they would have even tried to listen to me before attacking me," Harribel said in a dry voice. "I know of the way of the Soul Society, they are stuck in their ways and accept no other opinion but theirs. I have seen how Soul Society treats his own Shinigami and the souls that have gone to Heaven."

There was a silence going through the room as Harribel spoke, each of the three Shinigami listening to what the Arrancer had to tell them. They had to admit, she was making good points, especially Yoruichi and Urahara had to admit that. Ichigo had known all along that Soul Society was one messed up place from the very first time he had been there, especially when he had seen that so called heaven for the dead.

"It is because of this that I cannot ask for their help. They are biased," Harribel gave them all a levelled stare. "This is why I am here. You, Kurosaki Ichigo, are the one I want to make an alliance with. Aizen wants to make a Kings-Key with the help of the souls from Karakura Town and Namimori, this is something I cannot let happen."

Ichigo, a bit stunt with what Harribel had just told him, found this a bit unexpected and weird. Why would an Arrancer, his enemy at that, want to help him when those two towns are in danger? As far as he knew, most of them could careless as to what happens to the humans as long as they could feast on their souls.

"That's nice and all," Ichigo started. "But why would you want help, my help at that? What has that to do with you?"

"Now, that is something I would like to know, too," Urahara snapped his fan shut, levelling his eyes on the female on in front of him. "You hollows are not very known for helping humans."

"That's right, what is in it for you if we do help you?" Yoruichi asked, her eyes narrowing in on Harribel. "Why are you going against Aizen?"

The three Shinigami leaned in close to the woman in front of them. They were expecting to hear just about anything that was selfish and had to do with power to come from this woman's mouth. After all, if she could get rid of Aizen, what is to say that she would keep her end of the deal they would make with her? Yet, they would find a way to deal with that, too, if it comes down to it.

"What is in it for me?" Harribel parroted, amused at their reaction but it was expected. "For me is nothing in it, the only thing I want is that my mother is safe from this madman clutches. I want no harm to come to her and if it means to make an alliance with you, Kurosaki Ichigo, I shall do it."

Now, that was something that they had not expected to her

CPR/KM: FAA, FII, FOO, FUM, ich rieche das Blut einer Menschenperson!

Lilly: SHUT UP WITH THAT STUPID FAIRY TALE!

CPR/KM: B- But the fairy tales from the Brother Grimm are awesome, I love their stories!

Lilly: shakes her head Please, read and review!