Katekyo Hitman Reborn © Amano Akira and associates

Donna, 4

It was PE, and it was another day of trying to be average. Tsuna was chosen sometime in the middle of the process of making teams, not with the athletes, but also not with the losers.

During the match, she watched the game intently, like always. Being aware of the flow of the game helps a lot when trying not to stand out.

She noticed several things: Kageyuki Akabashi, a boy in my class, and all around promising athlete, was getting steadily better; Takatame Nishio was getting the flu, and baseball starter Yamamoto Takeshi was in a slump and deep in depression about it.

After her team won, in a feat of luck, Tsunahime watched as Yamamoto offered to do the penalty for loosing himself. None of the people denied him. It was obvious that while he was popular, he didn't have anybody close to him.

Sighing she waited for the others to leave, before silently moving to help him with a broom. He looked up surprised. The girl smiled at him, but offered no words.

"Thank you." He finally broke the silence after they finished.

Nodding, she told him: "If you want, I am a good listener"

Yamamoto looked hesitant for a brief second, but was too far into his depression to really care anymore.

"You don't see the forest for the trees. When I am stuck on something, I usually back off and try doing something else. The answer will come sooner rather than later." was her advice.

He looked unsure for about a second, before shaking his head and 'cheerfully' proclaiming: "You think so? In sports I believe it's all about effort. Practice makes the master!"

Not denying him, she got close to him and, smiling softly, asked the baseball starter: "Then, please, be careful and don't overwork yourself."

When walking away, she couldn't help but wonder why he blushed. Tsuna was quite sure her disguise didn't slip.

The next morning Tsuna awoke with a bad feeling. It continued to grow over the next few hours. It reached its peak at lunch hour, with the shouting of a no name classmate, announcing Yamamoto's intention of jumping off the roof because of a broken arm.

She wasn't surprised. Some part of her had known that this would happen. The same part that told her to tell Reborn about her near loss of innocence, the part that told her to become Yoshi, the part that she kept listening to. The part that made her a Donna.

So she did as always, she did as told. Racing up the stairs, it was no surprise to her that she was the first one there, all her years of training were not for naught.

Bursting through the door connecting to the roof, she shouted: "Yamamoto!"

The tall freshman turned around to face her, standing on the edge of the building, the rusty fence behind him and nothing but air in front of him.

"Tsuna, you can't stop me."

"Try me."

"Now that the baseball god threw me away, I have nothing to live for. You should understand, shouldn't you? For someone who has been called no good all her life, you should understand wanting to die rather than failing." The suicidal boy ranted.

"Well, I am here, aren't I?" Tsunahime denied any accusations of self harming urges, "I don't believe in giving up! So what if something bad happened? Try again! You said it yourself, practice makes perfect. What doesn't kill you, can only make you stronger!"

Yamamoto was by now fully turned, and seemed somehow surprised by her force.

"If you can't live for yourself, live for someone else. That would be all you need in order to keep on living, wouldn't it? A task? And if you don't have somebody to pledge your life to, then give it to me!"

Tsuna took the few steps separating and reached up, cupping his cheeks in her dainty hands. "Life is too precious to throw away carelessly."

Abruptly, she turned away, and, while walking away, kept on talking: "But, have it your way, take the cowards way out…"

Hastily, Yamamoto reached out. Not prepared for the extra weight, when Tsuna fell backwards, both fell off the building, taking part of the fence with them.

Acting quickly, the future 10th reached out her hand and held onto the edge of the building, the other hand securely around the waist of Yamamoto.

In a tree not far from there, Reborn was sweating bullets. Having no other options, he did the thing he originally would have: he shot a dying will bullet.

Back to Tsuna, hanging in midair. She felt the bullet enter her forehead, felt the calmness encompass her, and felt her blazer, wrappings, as well as her glasses, burn away.

With her newfound strength, she heaved both herself, as well as Yamamoto, back onto the building.

By now they had gathered quite a crowd. 'Thank god they don't recognize me', thought Tsuna.

Yamamoto, who had regained his calm rather fast, helped her to her feet, before seriously stating: "Hime, you are right. I was foolish."

And, right in front of half the school, he got to his knees and proclaimed: "Milady, I pledge my life to you."