Author's Note: Okay. On a roll, now! Hopefully I can get everything cross-posted and get a new chapter out before the week is out.

Can't think of anything that absolutely needs to be shared/noted/announced aside from the standard disclaimers, so...

Without further a-do, I present "Toddler Days" —the first of the Childhood Arc chapters!

— Twin Skies: Childhood Arc, Part I —

Though it took her awhile, she was eventually able to stay awake for long enough periods of time to ruminate, senses sharpening enough for her to make her surroundings out. She still wasn't quite certain of her situation (seriously, was this a lucid dream? Though she'd had those before, ones that she wasn't sure of reality til she actually woke up, that didn't mean she could tell so easily in this situation).

It probably didn't help that her eyesight, though still 'better', was still a blur (not surprising, considering her sight had never been the best. Honestly, three or four —maybe five— inches was the clearest she got without her glasses, even before).

The only upside was that she could at least somewhat make her current situation out. Or was it more of a premise?

Despite her best efforts, though, she continued to become depressed in her efforts to resolve her uncertainties. Theories aside, though, if there was any truth to the saying that dreams could tell you something about a person… Then what did it say about her, that she would be dreaming of such a realistic (or so she assumed) toddler-hood with a loving family and an -apparently- older twin?

She didn't really want to know. (Though it didn't stop her from thinking about it anyway. Not like there was much better to do during her bouts of consciousness and apparently near endless 'free time'.)

Still, no matter how she tried to escape from it, the truth would always come out. If not to the world, then to someone, whether it ended up being herself or not.

That didn't mean it wasn't embarrassing beyond belief to find out that control of her new toddler's body was almost minimal at best, though. Unable to stop when her body started to cry, startling her new parents when what they'd assumed to be an atypically quiet child suddenly began wailing without cause.

It seemed the stimulation of conflicting and rising emotions really was too much for her now infant body, as she found herself suddenly at a 'disconnect' with her own body, for lack of a better description. Consciousness fading into the distant recesses of her mind, the last thing she'd hear would be the cries of her infant body.

And though it would take her a while, she would eventually realize that no, she wasn't dreaming. That this, all of this, was now her life. And though it'd take a bit longer to for her to connect the dots, she would eventually still end up at the conclusion that, somehow, some way, she had ended up in a situation where she'd been 'reborn' with the memories of (what was probably) her past life.

Or a past life, anyway.

After all, it wasn't like she could guarantee with absolute certainty that there hadn't been anything in between, or that, in fact, they really wereher own memories either.

(And really, she didn't want to think about that, because then it'd bring up even more questions to chew on. Like why her. And why those memories in particular. And since she had nothing to do but ponder in her 'free time', there was no doubt she would touch on it at some point anyway. For now, though? Well, she really didn't want to think about such things. Not only was it too complicated for an infant's mind, but it was too much of a headache as it was to begin with!)

Still, she wasn't one to reject a theory just because there was no proof either. And though it wasn't a completely ridiculous theory, there was neither proof to support or deny it. And though some theories might be sound enough if she really thought about it, that would only continue on with endless possibilities and circular logic going nowhere.

Thankfully, though, if there was one thing she could say she was sufficient with, it was that she'd always been good with simply going with the flow of things (no matter how much of a coward she could be). Whether it was needed or not, and whether it was considered a good thing or not.

(It wasn't like there hadn't been those that would assume it was more of a 'not thinking about it' or even thinking things through, if 'at all'.)

Besides, all she really could do was to accept things as they were at the moment anyway. Regardless of the hows and whys, it didn't change the fact that there was no point thinking too much about it now.

(There were no such things as 'absolute guarantees' in any world, let alone this one, after all…)

And so, regardless of the outcomes, all she could really do, what she finally decided on doing, was to simply take things as they came. Settling into becoming the 'Chi-chan' or 'Hime-chan' that her parents liked to think she was.

Slowly learning (or relearning) one of the few languages she'd tried to teach herself in another life (thank goodness for original Japanese dubbing with subtitles), she did her best to acclimate herself to this brand new world of hers.

And hey, at least she had a bit of an advantage in that she already had minimal understanding of it. Even if it took a while to figure out the newer and more unfamiliar words and terms.

(Seriously, though, the mind of an infant was honestly kind of frightening.)

Compared to her learning speed from 'before', the her of now, as an infant, was already picking things up at a much faster rate mentally if not physically. (Couldn't really do anything about a weak infant's body after all.)

Was it because babies were —typically speaking— blank slates? If so, then what would happen if they were educated from an even younger age. Seriously, wouldn't that make the oncoming generations of youth even smarter?

Or hey, maybe since they learned so much faster, they'd end up outstripping the actual educational systems…?

…

Ah, as she thought, that was scary to think about. Let's just not go there, huh?

It was mostly just a random joke of a theory to begin with, but when one really thought about it… Goodness, please don't take it too seriously, she was just joking about it. Really!

Honestly, she wasn't a conspiracy theorist...at least, not purposely.

(Really, she just just bored. Really, really bored. There was literally very little that a toddler could do aside from think and sleep, after all…)

Baby steps, though. All she could do now was to take things one small step at a time and she'd get where she needed to be...

Eventually...

Somehow.

Although she'd probably have to get to the point she could actually toddle to take those literal baby steps, but that didn't mean she couldn't still try.

(Really though, she wasn't joking when she said that babies had a lot of free time. Sense of passing time and naps aside —she refused to think about certain essential things that all babies went through prior to gaining even a modicum of self sufficiency— she was way too free in the mental department.)

Why did babies have to have such uncoordinated and unsteady little bodies? Even if she knew why, experiencing it was still…

Seriously. (This sort of thing…!)

How troubling.

But really, though. She honest to goodness could not wait to have enough motor function control and strength in her tiny, pudgy little body to do things on her own.

Being an adult stuck in a baby body was all but traumatizing okay? (Even considering that she purposely pushed such things into the back of her mind and tried to blank it out, if total erasure wasn't possible.)

She would be much, much happier when she could finally move about and, y'know, have some actual control of her own body. Properly. On her own.

Infant stages could literally not pass quickly enough. Even with her consciousness fading in and out of her current body at first. There was a lot that she neither needed to know nor needed to feel.

But honestly, when did babies grow out of infanthood and into their toddler years?

(She hadn't been joking in the slightest when she said she couldn't wait. Teething was already a pain to say the least, and...to be honest… that wasn't even the worst part of it all. No matter how painful and miserable it made her.)

Some things… Some things should really just be forgotten.

No joke.

Amber met Ochre, otherwise mirror images in all but expression stood before each other. The only other difference being a matter of styling as long brunette hair was done in either messy twin braids or a seemingly simple half-do, a messy bun pinned in place over a cascade of carefully straightened hair that still stubbornly curled at the edges.

Glee could be seen, very clearly written all over the face of the girl with messily braided hair. All but crowing, she grinned.

"See! I knew it! Nii looks so cute~! " she cooed, apparently heedless or just not minding the mess her own hair seemed to be, crooked and unevenly tied bows at the ends of them (the attempts of her clumsier half to plait her hair into low pigtail braids).

He'd get better with practice, but for now, he'd done his best, and that was already more than good enough for her!

"Hiiiih-! That's not a good thing, Chiyo!" Half horrified, her twin flailed, too upset to stick to the usual nicknames he liked to use for his sibling. "Not to mention… I thought it was just supposed to be hair?! Why am I wearing a skirt! " the child all but screeched.

Chiyohime, best known as either Chiyo, Chi, or Hime for the most part, only giggled. Not quite responding, though it was clearly his own fault for simply agreeing and going along with mother and daughter without actually paying attention to what they were doing.

"Oh come on, Tsu-na-nii...or maybe I should be calling you Tsu-nee instead from now on~?" she mused, ignoring the pout on his face.

(He was sulking, sulking, okay! Boys don't pout! The poor boy insisted, even if only to himself, clearly in denial... And unaware of just how much like his father he was in that moment -girly outfit and wig aside.)

(Somewhere, a certain blonde may have sneezed, hard enough to scatter the paperwork on his desk and incur a certain pint-sized ex-COMBUSIN teacher's wrath at that.)

"Yeah, well… If I'm cute, then...then that means Chi-chan's even cuter! " He exclaimed, pointing at her with a decisive 'so there, ha!' expression on his face. As if that changed anything.

Deadpanning at her twin's antics (and weak retorts — but then, he could never seem to bear to make either his mother or sibling upset, the big softie), she retorted, "We're twins, Tsu-nii…" A beat, and then, "But I suppose that just means we're both cute," she decided, nodding sagely as if all the problems had been solved, too amused to be bothered about being considered cute (then again, that seemed to be a brush painted over all children, so she didn't mind it for now at least).

Tsuna just shrieked, gripping his head.

"That's not what I meant!" He cried out, half torn between exasperation and despair. That hadn't been what he'd meant by it at all, and she knew it, he thought, the giggle in her voice clear to anyone who cared to see it.

"Ah-! Don't do that! Tsu-nii, you'll shift the wig!" This time it was Chiyo's turn to exclaim, not quite upset but still chasing after her twin when he shrieked and started to run.

(He might not have minded playing dress-up, considering the estrogen outnumbered him two to one, but that didn't mean he wanted to spend another hour being -ironically- manhandled into wigs and dresses!)

"Wah-! Don't take it off! You looked so cute~! "

"I'm a boy! I don't want to be called cute, damn it!"

In the background, Nana giggled, folding a skirt from the basket of laundry that had started the impromptu 'dress up' game as she beamed at the thought of all the pictures she'd taken. Still, no matter how amusing the scene was, she'd be a bad parent if she didn't at least try to discipline her children.

"Tsu-kun, language!" She chided, not minding the fact that they were running around so much.

It just meant they had lots of energy, after all! And besides, they were still just kids. They were supposed to be having fun. And as long as they could be so happy and alive (and happy to be alive), that was really all she could ask for.

"Sorry, Mama~!" A yelp quickly following as the brunette tripped on the long skirt he was wearing. Nearly catching himself only to fall as his sister crashed into him, the two falling onto the — thankfully carpeted — ground in a heap.

"Oh, my…" Thankfully the two were uninjured, and since no one was crying (each clearly more concerned about the other than any injuries they, themselves might have had), Nana figured that they would both be okay. Allowing herself to relax and sit back down for the moment so she could finish the laundry that had nearly fallen when she instinctively rose from concern. She'd check over them just in case once she was done folding the last piece of clothing and set it all bad into the basket for easy carrying.

Still, her kids were really just too cute! she thought to herself, a cheerful smile on her face even as she checked on the two before reminding them to be more careful.

The relationship the twins had was really something to behold, she mused, already picking up the camera even without conscious thought. By this point she barely had to think to adjust so that she could take a better quality picture, smiling as they looked over each other before starting to bicker over the wig that had slipped off in the fall.

Really, it was an almost picture perfect scene, she mused, shutter clicking away as the two helped each other up and dusted the other off even despite their heated if friendly bickering.

Now if only Iemitsu was here, she thought wistfully. Then things would really be perfect…

She could already imagine him laughing away, once he'd hurried over to make sure the two were absolutely fine. He was such a doting husband and father, after all...

As it turned out, her new name — or rather, the name she would be referred to as now — was Sawada Chiyohime. Younger twin and sibling to one Sawada Tsunayoshi. She and her new brother being twins and the only children of Sawada Iemitsu and Nana.

She wasn't quite sure exactly what the area they lived in was, but it was definitely in Japan. A small and quaint little suburban town as far as she could tell.

She and Tsuna had been named by what was supposedly their father's family's conventions. Hence more traditional sounding names such as 'Tsunayoshi' and 'Chiyohime'. Which, really, were very unlikely to ever be used by most people due to how much of a mouthful they were, even individually.

More likely, they'd be gaining nicknames in the upcoming future (which, hopefully, would not be 'Tsu-kun' and 'Chi-chan', as those were more like baby names than anything). Probably more along the lines of 'Tsuna' and 'Chiyo' or 'Hime' and 'Yoshi', or something like that.

Of course, she wasn't really complaining about the names. It was a very nice name, even if she really hadn't expected such a...formal(?)...name? Really, it was one of those names you would've expected from some traditionalist clan or high strung bureaucratic or business oriented family.

Again, she wasn't complaining. Their parents had obviously put a lot of thought and care into those names, so why would she? No doubt it'd look good on paper, once she figured out how to write it in kanji...assuming there were kanji. (Something to look into another day, though she'd like to think there was. Their parents had probably put too much thought into it to just go with hiragana or katakana for such names. Well, hopefully, anyway. But again, she wasn't complaining. No, really. She wasn't. Honest to whatever gods were worshiped here.)

Still, Sawada Tsunayoshi. Child of Sawada Iemitsu and Sawada Nana.

She wondered, sometimes, why those names sounded so familiar. The names and surrounding inciting the idea that everything, down to the setting, were familiar. To the point that she was absolutely sure that the town they lived in was called Namimori, despite the fact that it hadnever been mentioned.

Or maybe she just didn't remember it being mentioned.

In the end, she'd put it down to her disorienting 'other' memories, even as she continued to do her best to enjoy her new life. Even when she had to practice to control motor skills that were frustratingly basic so that she could even try to toddle a few steps. (And being careful not to be seen as a child genius, though she was still impatient as heck to get past those toddling years.)

That aside, though. She and Tsu really were pretty much identical aside from gender. And, well, apparently, hair color. (Which would supposedly fade into the same if a slightly paler shade of brown than her brother now sported. It'd be later, but for now, it was weird.) It was strange to see herself as a baby, a small chubby body full of baby fat and auburn eyes a shade lighter than her twin's.

Even more so with her dirty blonde-brown hair, already darkening to a shade of brunette that was similar if not quite the same as her twin's. Especially when she'd spent her entire life (previous life…?) with the firm belief that she could not do blonde. It just… didn't suit her. Unlike her brother who'd apparently been born with a slightly darker shade that had 'faded' more quickly to its current brunette.

It had been both fascinating and disturbing to watch as her own darkening blonde-ish tufts had turned brown, just a few shades, then a tone or two off from his own.

Supposedly, that was normal. Which, okay, she had had a friend who'd shown her pictures of herself as a blonde child to the brunette she was now...er...had been...y'know, before the whole 'reincarnation' thing had occurred…

But she was pretty sure it wasn't supposed to happen so quickly.

Then again, what did she know about the logistics of this world? For all she knew white or even colorful hair was considered a norm here. (She'd regret that later, when a certain white-haired boxing maniac passed by them in later years, or when the red-haired supposedly fully japanesemusic loving technological genius showed up, among others. Seriously, that was a long list that was better put off for another time, considering it didn't really matter now.)

Anyways, being apparently 'normal' did not make it any less strange. But again, who was she to decide these things? For all she knew they lived in a world where superpowers and magical abilities really did exist.

(Ha, like she'd be that lucky...or unlucky. Actually...maybe she would be...that unlucky, that was.)

Still, it was nice to know that her weak eyesight hadn't followed her to this life, at least (or so she hoped, anyway. It could always change, after all, though it was a bit disappointing that she still had brown eyes, even if her hair was 'lighter' now).

Honestly speaking though, she wouldn't be surprised if she still ended up needing glasses somehow later. Though she could only hope it wouldn't be the near finger thick lenses she'd had to wear before. While she hadn't minded having to wear glasses, seeing everything blur outside a certain four or five inch range was really something she didn't need to deal with again.

(Then again, that had been at least partially genetic last time, so maybe she'd get lucky. She'd just have to wait and see.)

Either way, she had to shake herself mentally to push the memories of her past life away, not wanting to start getting depressed or think too much and end up upsetting her twin. (A twin who always just seemed to know when she was sad or upset...and then would proceed to cry his eyes out, which would in turn trigger her to start crying and… while it was something she really couldn't help, considering that she had been and apparently still was a bit of a sympathetic crier, even in this world…)

Well, better to avoid thinking about it all when those thoughts would only lead to pain and heartache (and anxiety). After all, even if they hadn't been the warmest or the most loving of families, the one she remembered had still been her family. And of course, it...hurt...to know that she wouldn't be seeing them again. (Not anytime soon, anyway.)

And of course, the ones she'd miss the most…

(The ones who'd always been there for her, no matter what had happened…or with who.)

The ones she'd loved and trusted the most being no longer in reach still hurt. Thinking that 'they were gone', even if it was technically reallyher being gone...

Well, the only upside was really that they weren't the ones dead. (At least, she didn't think they were.) Though that might not apply to her cats, which, somehow, no matter how hard she tried to think and remember, she still couldn't figure out why. Just the knowledge of certain things without knowing exactly why.

(Something she'd later blame on hyper-intuition, and all that involved, once everything finally settled and her memories were all sorted.)

Of course, not being able to recall all of her memories, she could only assume that it was (probably) due to the fact that her current brain was still developing. (Ironic that psychology knowledge would be helping her now, as the random regurgitation's of information that infant skulls weren't completely grown and formed at birth, let alone brains...)

Why she could recall random facts but not her memories was strange, but at the very least she could be certain of things that may or may not have happened. For whatever reason.

(It was still weird though.)

Regardless of the situation, however, it seemed that both she and her twin would be taking more after their mother than their father (weird hair aside...and later, as they would find out, hyper-intuition among other things), a scruffy-haired blonde who seemed to simply sparkle whenever he looked at any of his family members. (Looked, thought, basically the same thing, here.)

Strange as he was, strange as the entire situation was, even if he was a total dork of a dad — something she'd always, legitimately though had been limited to t.v. or fiction — it was still very, very clear that he loved his family. Even to the point of distraction.

And if there was one thing she could be certain of, it would be that. How could she not, after all, when he was continuously spouting just how much he loved them, after all?

And if she'd cried the few times she'd let herself really think about it. To realize and understand just how much he utterly adored the ones he'd loved — and that she counted as one of them … Well, that was her own little secret. One that would quickly be forgotten and buried under the assumption that it had just been a typical baby's cries.

Still, that was only one of two things that she could be certain of at that point. The other? Well, the other was the fact that she'd never be alone. (Regardless of whether she wanted to be or not.) Even when she was actually alone.

Weird, right? It was… really strange. Especially considering that she rarely even had the chance to even think about being lonely. After all, Tsuna, if not being held by their parents, was more often than not attaching himself to her. Like a guardian protector or cherub.

It was almost as if he'd just somehow known that he was an elder brother. That it was (supposedly) his job to protect his 'younger sister'. Sometimes she'd wonder, staring at the soft, fluffy haired baby that was, apparently, her male counterpart.

Even if she tried to write it off, though. Sometimes...just, sometimes...she'd catch an odd look on her fellow infant's face. A flash of gold-like orange that niggled at something in her memories. Something she could never quite actually touch when she actually reached for the thought.

Dying Will Flames … something would whisper before fading from conscious thought. Leaving only a confused and wide-eyed infant in its wake. After all, what was that even supposed to be? To mean…?

(It would only be later, years later, when Tsuna ended up flaring with flames. When the neighbor's Chihuahua startled her scared but protective twin. Orange flames burning bright on his forehead, and liquid flames in his eyes as they narrowed almost threateningly at the more aggressive canine.

It was also then, that she'd feel the warmth and determination he had to protect her, just as she did to protect him. Unaware when a wash of warmth that hadn't come solely from her brother resonated, flaring within her own eyes.

It would be a little later after that, memories of a series that she had loved so much returning to her in bits and pieces as she slept her nerves away that evening. Whatever bravery she'd had draining away after telling the old man their father had brought back, that had apparently been his boss, 'No'. Something in her at the time having whispered that he would have done something. Something that neither she nor Tsuna would have liked if she hadn't stopped him.)

(She would let no one hurt her precious ones. Not if she could help it. Not on her watch.

And if Ochre flames flared even brighter, lighting brown eyes with molten amber, well... it wouldn't be the first -or the last- time it'd happen. But it'd be the brightest it'd ever be for a while...)

It had been years since the last time he'd been able to visit. Logically, he understood. He knew why it had to be done. Had known that Timoteo had stretched things to the best of his limits to do what he could to help as it was.

It was even why they were heading back to Namimori now, when his next scheduled 'vacation' wouldn't have been for another year or so at least. After all, no matter how you cut it, there was no company that would've been willing to give their workers a full year let alone nearly two, including paternity leave. No matter how much they might've valued a particular employee, there was no way that would have been possible without consequences.

Consequences that should have meant that he wouldn't have been able to come home this year (again), even if he'd done what work he could from home.

A day or two was nowhere near enough time for him to be able to visit.

Not when it took at least a full day round trip just to fly back and forth. And that was only considering the fact that Vongola had their own private jets that could fly nonstop for the 12+ (nearly 13) hour flight just going one way.

Needless to say, Tim was doing him a great favor to let him visit, even if he was technically only able to because he was 'on the clock' as one of Nono's bodyguards while he took his own vacation.

Of course, he hadn't been quite so enthusiastic when two small children that were starting to look more like Nana than himself greeted him at the door, screaming about 'stranger danger' and otherwise refusing to let him into his own house (much to Tim, Ganauche, and even Brow Nie Jr.'s amusement) until Nana finally appeared at the door, alarmed by her children's insistence that there was a 'strange weirdo' or 'bad guy' at the door.

(He would never admit that it hurt, at least a little, that his own precious blood and kin couldn't even recognize their own father outside of the occasional phone calls…)

End Notes: You can all thank the ridiculously kind, and absolutely lovely WantToBeADog for the quick update. Their kindness and comments really made my day, so: thank you so very much. I hope this surprise will convey even a little of my joy and gratitude for your reviews. (Though I think FF ate it, hence why it's not showing up on the site for some reason, or else I would've responded to that one too, sorry.)

Thankfully there wasn't much that had to be fixed for this chapter, so you all are getting this about half a day early, since I was planning to turn in for the night before I saw their review.

—Oh, yeah. That aside, since I end up doing the chapter summaries for AO3, I think I'll post them here, too? Though not til the end, since there are sometimes spoilers...unless anyone would prefer them to at the top?

That aside, the only noteworthy thing I can think of is the Cameo for the next chapter... I wonder if anyone can recognize who and where it's from?

In any case, today's summary:

Chapter 2: "Toddler Days" (The In-Between —or: Childhood Arc, Part I)

The members of the Sawada Family are as close as ever (the often missing Iemitsu notwithstanding).

Chi's continued confusion over her apparent reincarnation, Nana's wishes, and Tsuna's… well, Tsuna mostly just wants his mother (and sister, especially his sister) to stop calling him cute.