Hello my fellow fanfiction authors and readers, I am ever so glad that you have decided to click on this story and try it out, it's my first KHR story aside form the Manual fics I made, and I hope you'll enjoy it. ^-^

EDITED 4/9/17

I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn, if I did we'd see much more Fran :D

Cries of the Heart, Echoes of the Night

Chapter one: Life As I Know It

Have you ever had your whole life planned out for you?

To be born for only a specific purpose and you must serve and follow this purpose with your whole heart and soul.

Think of a script, or a story, heck, even a movie or drama, its all planned out, everything is final, you have one reason in life, and that's it, there's no choice, for their was never really a choice to begin with, its just how it is.

One action, after another, it's all expected, it's all leading up, falling in step with whatever was planned.

To be told that that is your life, and that there's nothing you can do to change it, you must go through these trials or hardships, and you have not a word against it.

You can call it destiny if you want.

There are many different ways people refer to our lives. There are those who say God plans our life, he knows what will happen, what we will do, and whatever we got through happens for a purpose.

Some say we make our destiny, we choose, that it doesn't matter what people say, or tell you, you set forth your own destiny, you create your own life, and you make your own choice. That if you don't like your 'destiny' then fight it, fight it with everything you have. You always have a say in what, or how you want your life to be.

And then there are some who choose not to have a say in it at all.

I opened my eyes and then quickly snapped them shut, the bright light of the rising sun burned my sleepy eyes and I gave them a quick moment before opening them and adjusting to the light.

I looked over to my clock and saw the bright blue numbers glaring back at me. I sighed and sat up in bed, and glanced outside my window with a soft groan. The sky was still a darkish blue, lightening up with the upcoming sun. Grudgingly, I sat up and threw off the soft covers of my warm and comforting bed, and let my feet fall to the cold wooden floor.

Shuffling sluggishly across the floor another yawn tore from my lips, messy hair the shade of the night sky at its darkest hours shifted over bare shoulders. Bumping once into a night stand I managed to shuffle my way into the bathroom, hands reaching out somewhat blindly to grip the sink. Simple black eyes gazed quietly back throw the flat mirror propped up against the wall as if asking "Who are you?"

Ketsui Tatsudoshi. A soft voice in my head replied like clockwork. This familiar exchange would've scared Tsuna half to death if he ever learned I had to remind myself every morning who I was, but in all honesty looking at yourself in the mirror and reminding yourself who you were tended to help give you a bit more reason to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I am Ketsui Tatsudoshi.

The gentle silence that echoed throughout the house made its way to my ears and I shut my eyes. Tilting my head softly to the side I listened, not a whisper to be heard or shift of movement. No voices filling the kitchen below as the morning sun began to rise and the day began.

My name is Ketsui Tatsudoshi and I am alone.

Idly fidgeting with the strange set of bangs over my face—an odd clump that fell down the middle with two strands trailing and sticking out in an 'X' like shape—maybe I should finally cut the damn thing—I reached upwards and attempted to pat down the absolute mess that was my hair.

Bags were slightly visible under my eyes and I let out a little puff of air, just another sign of my growing insomnia.

Slipping on my uniform, and taking care of everything else, I put on my trainers and headed out the door of the quiet and empty house that once belonged to three and now belonged to only one. The cool air of the world around me rushed to greet me, the sun that had begun to rise warming the side of my face as I turned, eyes wandering a bit and choosing not to focus on anything as my feet shifted forward into a walk. My house wasn't far from my destination, but still not very close, so I had a relatively long way to walk.

I let my eyes linger a tad bit on the playground I pass every morning, warm memories seeped into me for a second, before flowing away like it always does. My eyes kept their vacant look, and with a sigh, I looked up at my destination.

"Tsuna! Are you up yet?"

I waited a moment, and then heard a loud crash followed by a 'Hieee!', Tsuna was rushing out the door and then promptly tripped over a innocent rock and finally landed in front of me face flat.

Tsunayoshi Sawada, my most precious childhood friend.

"O-ow...Oh! H-hello Ketsui!" He smiled weakly and got up with my help, dusting himself off.

A soft, genuine smile touched my lips as I cocked my head to the side, idly tugging on his uniform sleeve with a soft hum. "Ready?'

Tsuna nodded with a sigh, rubbing the back of his head as he began to mutter to himself about how clumsy he was and once more about how he wasn't good at anything. I matched his pace, trailing only a step behind as I listened, eyes traveling upwards to the endless and vast blue sky streaking out above us, never ending, unbound.

I was envious of it.

It was free, unbounded, free to choose its own path, go where it wishes, and do whatever it wants.

It was free.

I wasn't.

And while my mind was ever so preoccupied with thoughts of my envious feelings towards the big ol' sky, I just happened to trip over a small rock jutting out of a crack and tripped, falling flat onto my face.

...Stupid rock.

"K-Ketsui! Are you okay?" Tsuna shouted, looking down at me with wide eyes.

I stared blankly up at the sky just lying there.

"Um, Ketsui, why aren't you getting up?" There was a brief pause, Tsuna blinking once more before he bent down. "Ketsui? Are you okay?"

"I'm tired."

Sweat drop.

With obviously great difficulty, Tsuna helped pull me up, and we continued on our merry way to school.

You can choose whether or not that was sarcasm.

"Okay everyone; this is our new transfer student. He just returned from studying in Italy. Gokudera Hayato."

I had my head leaning against the window, my eyes were lightly closed, doing whatever I could to bring a little more sleep into my already rest deprived body. Sleep was a debt you could never pay off and I intended to keep my debts at a minimum if possible. Though a transfer student was rare, there honestly really was no reason for me to even care the slightest bit about someone I didn't need to know who didn't involve me in any way.

"Hey...isn't he like, super hot?"

"And he studied abroad!"

Noisy.

They're all noisy.

I pressed my eyes shut harder, wishing people could quiet their hormones for just a few more minutes and let people get some quality sleep.

"W-What is it? Uwah!"

Crash! Clang!

My eyes quickly snapped open, darting around in surprise when I finally noticed Tsuna on the floor. I blinked once, surprised before my eyes quickly narrowed and I turned, taking in the entire scene before me. A boy with silver, shoulder length hair and a delinquent air was glaring down at Tsuna. He had obviously kicked his desk aside and was now glowering at my childhood friend.

Key words.

My. Childhood. Friend.

I felt a small bubble of contempt form in my stomach as I stared at him, a quickly growing sign that he and I would not get along for as long as I could help it—I mean this guy just kicked my friend's chair to the ground, what do you expect me to feel? The teacher quickly scolded him and I scowled, rolling my eyes at the lack of action. The silver haired jerk scoffed, making his way to his seat without a care for anything leaving the teacher's mouth and I grimaced. Classic delinquent, can't we get any more interesting characters?

But before he sat down, our eyes met for what was barely a matter of three seconds, but seemed like all the time in the world.

Green eyes.

He had green eyes, at the moment they were filled with obvious distaste as he stared into my blank and void black ones. There was a fraction of a second where some part of me whispered that his eyes were rather pretty, but it quickly passed as I let my eyes narrow and he arched a brow, scowling.

I brought a finger up and pulled one lid down, tongue sticking out. He blinked once, startled before a look of disgust and contempt colored his features and I scoffed, turning my head as I merely stood and made my way over to where Tsuna was trying to gather his things and quickly helped him up off the floor.

"It's fine, Ketsui, we shouldn't cause a scene," Tsuna mumbled absently and I shook my head.

"Guy has no reason," I said quietly back. "Who said we needed another jackass in class anyway."

"K-Ketsui, language..."

Class had ended, and with a sigh, I took all my things and walked out. Tsuna had already left, with something about a volleyball tournament that he said he had promised Yamamoto Takeshi he would participate in. The name was oddly familiar and I wondered for a moment, trying to put my finger on it before I gave up with a quiet yawn, figuring I had better things to do.

I walked down the hallway then paused.

I smelled coffee.

I looked towards the fire extinguisher.

Coffee.

Fire extinguisher.

I opened it up and stared at the black fedora before me.

"Ciaossu, Ketsui Tatsudoshi."

"You know my name?"

"Of course, the best childhood friend of no-good-Tsuna no?"

"No, I'm afraid I'm the best friend of Tsuna, not no-good-Tsuna."

A small baby sat peacefully in front of me, a smirk curling over his lips. Curly side burns adorned either side of his face and I took this view before me with a quiet grain of salt, idly wondering what a baby with a fedora was doing in a fire extinguisher at school, and idly also contemplating that fact that everything about this kid screamed mafia.

"Do you know about the mafia?"

"I know of the mafia."

"What family are you from?"

"None."

"Hmm, would you like to join Tsuna's family?"

"Excuse me?"

The baby looked up at me. "I thought you were his best friend?"

"From what I believe, I am, but I think I'll think I'll have to turn you down on that offer."

"You think? So does that mean you'll change your mind?"

"Not likely."

He smirked in an evilish way that made me want to run for my life. I finally drew a halt to this conversation and pressed one hand against my temple, making sure I wasn't hallucinating again. "Who are you and why are you bringing the mafia and Tsuna up in the same sentence?"

"My name is Reborn," the baby said calmly. "I'm here to train Tsuna to be the next boss of the Vongola."

There were many different reactions that could have taken place in this very moment. A scream of confusion and running off, a scowl and glare, a more violent approach and screaming, but none of these things would occur today. It would have seemed more reasonable for me not to know a single thing about the mafia, but the sad truth that I did know my own fair share was enough.

The only thing that did happen in that moment was a single flashback flickering behind my eyes of a woman with dark black hair and sad eyes, bright pink and hidden faces, a soft voice, and a deep, deep sense of nostalgia and acceptance. A single, small smile made its way onto my face, eyes lowering to the hitman in front of me with a sad flicker through my eyes.

"It's already starting, isn't it?"

Reborn tipped his hat up, watching me curiously. "You know," he started, titling his fedora up and bit and looking me in the eye. Something akin to curiosity gleaming in his unreadable orbs. "I did some researching on you—"

He did what?

"—And it seems I wasn't able to find much. Any particular reason?"

"Not that I would know of. My mother and father were both in the mafia, I believe they belonged to no respective family of their own that I know of, so I see no reason as to why there would be anything hidden or of such. Though, I would very much appreciate it if you left me out of this mafia business."

He stared for a few moments.

"You know, it seems like you're not lying."

"What reason would I have to?"

Suddenly he smirked. "Yes, you would make a good addition to Tsuna's family."

"See you again."

With that, he closed the door to his secret hideout and I blinked as the bell for the next class rang.

And hopefully none too soon. I thought silently, as I made my way to the next class.

There could have been a thousand different responses to an exchange as crazy and strange as the one that just occurred. But when you'd already seen a meeting like this coming years and years before hand, keeping you up every night with the promise of things to come after, there grows to be only one reasonable response to a fate you can't change.

"Ah! Extinguish like my life depends on it! Extinguish! Extinguish! Extinguish!"

I stared with wide eyes at the scene before me, shock coloring my features, as I watched Tsuna in his underwear run around extinguishing sticks of dynamite that Gokudera had thrown.

Key words.

That Gokudera had thrown.

"Ciaossu."

"Baby, would you mind explaining what's going on?"

"Double bombs!"

"A mafia battle."

"Thank you, now why—"

"Extinguish!" Tsuna shouted, putting out the last stick of dynamite.

A flame that was on his head slowly begun to die out until it was gone completely. Tsuna breathed a sigh of relief and then Gokudera—somewhere along the way today I learned the jackass transfer student's name was Gokudera—kneeled down on his hands and looked at Tsuna with eyes filled with...

Adoration?

"I'm sorry! I was wrong about you! Tenth! I'll follow you to the ends of the earth! Ask whatever you want of me!"

"Huh?"

"It's the rule that the loser serves the winner's family." Reborn stated, walking up to the two.

"Rule?"

"Tsuna, are you okay?" I asked approaching him and looking him over.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Tsuna blushed lightly and looked away. I made a small noise in the back of my throat, ignoring Tsuna's protests as I brushed aside his bangs, examining the bruise above his eye and hoping he wouldn't suddenly start freaking out like he always did and ask why I was acting so calm in this situation.

Gokudera watched the exchange before him quietly and then his eyes blinked with wide amazement.

"Tenth! Why are you so friendly with this boy? Are you two—"

"Boy? I'm a girl." I said flatly and looked at him with blank eyes, "But figures that an idiot like you can't even figure that out."

"What was that!?"

"K-Ketsui..." Tsuna said worriedly but I walked up to Gokudera and stared up at him, and he glared back at me.

"I don't like you."

"Who are you to be so friendly with the Tenth!"

"Who are you to decide who can't be friendly with him?" I shot back and we glared at each other.

Suddenly are foreheads smashed against each other and there was electricity crackling in-between.

"Idiot."

"Man-lady!"

"Man-lady! How am I a man-lady!"

"What kind of woman dresses in a male uniform?"

"Apparently this one! And ever heard of a tomboy dumbass!"

"Rat-hair!"

"Dog!"

"Street-rat!"

"Jerk!"

"Stupid woman!"

"Loud-mouth!"

"Cross-dresser! You're a disgrace as a woman!"

I froze and so did Tsuna while Reborn merely lowered the tip of his fedora.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me-"

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME A CROSS-DRESSER! SO WHAT, I WEAR I MALE UNIFORM, DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT! YOU NO-GOOD-LOUSY-DOG! GO ROT IN HELL!" I shouted lunging at the silver haired teen and wrapping my hands around his neck.

"Get off me woman!"

"After I feel no pulse coming from you Goku-dog!"

"Goku—what? It's Gokudera stupid-woman, Goku-dera!"

"Shut up and die!"

"Ketsui! I don't think he can breathe!"

Suddenly Gokudera threw me off him and kneeled in front of Tsuna, looking towards him with nothing but complete and utter adoration. "I am honored that the Tenth would care for my well being!"

"W-well-"

Gokuedera's head was suddenly whacked with a large black violin case and he looked back with a tick mark on his head.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR STUPID-WOMAN?"

"STAY AWAY FROM TSUNA, GOKU-DOG!"

"How dare you! I'm the Tenth's right hand man!"

"I refuse to accept you as Tsuna's 'right hand man'!"

"To hell with your opinion!"

He lunged at me and a large dust cloud kicked up with random limbs and heads popping out in a typical comical fashion.

"Hey Tsuna!" Yamamoto Takeshi greeted, suddenly appearing with a huge and ever so familiar grin on his face.

"Y-Yamamoto! Why are you—"

"I was on my way home and heard all the commotion!" Yamamoto exclaimed, cheerfully. His eyes caught sight of us fighting and he blinked, "What are Ket-chan and Gokudera doing?"

I paused mid-punch, Gokudera's hair in one of my hands while his hand was pressed roughly against my cheek and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Ket-chan?" My brows furrowed at the baseball star. "Since when did we ever talk so you could call me—"

"Hey! Don't be so friendly with the Tenth!" Gokudera shouted and I glared at him once more.

"Shut up! You can't choose Tsuna's friends!"

"You know, Ketsui would make a good edition to your family." Reborn commented to Tsuna who looked at him in shock.

"W-Wait, Ketsui's involved with the mafia?"

"She knows."

"K-Ketsui is that true?" Tsuna asked, looking at me and I stared back at him, shoving Gokudera away and giving him my full attention. This is kind of fun. A bitter part of me laughed, unable to deny how outrageously out of place this entire interaction was, how all the reactions were completely off what anyone would normally do.

"Yes."

"H-How?" Tsuna cried, looking ready to explode with the sudden onslaught of information. It would've been particularly easy to explain to him a thousand different reasons why I knew about everything happening today, why my reactions were so horribly normal and accepting.

I paused for a moment, thinking of an answer.

"...You could say that my parent's were involved."

"Really?"

I nodded and then looked up at the big blue sky.

"Tsuna," I started slowly, and then looked at the boy whom I considered a much cherished friend, "Are you now apart of this mafia stuff?" You know the answer to that.

"N-No! I don't want to be the next boss!" Tsuna cried and I was about to answer back when Reborn suddenly interrupted.

"Actually, he's the next boss, forget whatever he says—"

"Hey—" Tsuna started until Reborn kicked him in the head.

"—he's still in the mafia. And if you're his best friend like you say you are, you would help him no?"

Reborn's eyes were watching me, gauging. A small smile curled upwards on the corners of my lips, he didn't know what I knew, but he did know that there was something I knew that he didn't.

"Then Tsuna," I said calmly and kneeled in front of him. "If this is the path you choose to follow, I'll follow it with you, though, I'd prefer to stay out of this whole... 'family' business."

I've seen this happen a thousand times before.

"E-eh? B-But Ketsui! I'm not apart of the mafia!"

"Yes you are, Dame-Tsuna."

"The Tenth is so modest!"

"Hahah, this is a really funny game!"

"Shut up baseball-freak!"

"Who are you to talk Goku-dog?"

"Cross-dresser!"

"No-good-over-temperamental—"

"Lousy-street-haired-not-worthy-of-the-tenth—"

"Idiotic-shaggy-haired-insensitive—"

"—stupid woman!"

"—idiot dog!"

We both ended up shouting at the same time, and with a loud battle cry charged once again into a flurry of fists in a dust cloud. I let the memories fade, the images flickering through my head fall back to the far corners of my mind. I'd seen this interaction take place like clockwork, bringing back to the world around me every time I'd tried to go to sleep year after year. This moment before me was the only thing deviating from the original encounter, and I was selfishly making it so.

This was life as I knew it. Predestined. Set out. Every step marked out for me to walk in.

But, no matter how badly I wish for it.

Or how deeply I yearn for it.

I knew I was breaking the laws that were set out for me.

EDITED. HEAVILY EDITED. 4/9/17 I went through and edited a lot of this first chapter because honestly this is complete shit like how did I ever write this. I know the later chapters are a lot better but god damn what was I doing. First chapter must be oddly confusing but things will make more sense as the story progresses and you'll also understand why Ketsui was so accepting of everything that happened! But I'm sure many of you already have your own guesses ;) END OF EDIT NOTES.

Hate it? Love it? The first chapter isn't much I know, but this should follow the story plot, but I hope you all enjoyed it! Hah, I especially love how I made Ketsui hate Gokudera, I might make them rivals of some sort, just for the heck of comedy relief :P. Now all I can ask is that you review and leave your comments! For reviews make me extremely happy!

Marshmellow-

-OUT!