Hello~ It's me, with a new chapter! I'm so glad the story has received so much love and support. I want to thank everyone for their patience in my slow updates and for not losing faith in the story. And for anyone that is new, welcome!

You know the drill, I apologise for any spelling or grammar mistakes.

The chapter is long, so take a break~ Enjoy!


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"I talked with Mukuro"

She breathed out, her voice not wavering despite the tight coiling in her abs.

It was a cool morning by the sea, the sun was barely starting to shine in the sky and she was already past the 40th crunch at the moment. Not a single soul was awake when the hitman -oh so gently- disturbed her sleep by a kick in her guts.

Her mind snapped awake before she felt the pain, but her body was sluggish in reaction, so there was now a purple mark on her navel, expanding and contracting every time her upper body moved.

The hitman had taken her towards the deck of the cruise, where he proceeded to make her jog around before moving to the floor exercises. There was no soul outside, so no one was aware of her partial suffering. It was surprising how not even Gokudera was woken up by her startled screech.

Reborn merely blinked back from his place on top of her knees, face showing nor surprise or suspicion. If there was even a little spark of worry, he hid it perfectly well.

"He can't possess me… but I can feel him" She didn't know why she needed to justify something when there was no reason for it. It wasn't like Reborn could stop it from happening. But the tiny little hope that someone close and strong could get worried for her mental state was nice. It just wasn't happening though.

"You bonded with him on your own. Good for you, Tsuna"

"Better the devil you know than the one you don't" She muttered, groaning as her lower back and shoulders burned by the exercise.

"Why tell me?" The hitman patted her knee, silently ordering her to keep going despite the strain in her muscles.

"I'm trying something new called…trust. Mom and Lal made me do it, so be glad I'm sharing"

"Don't expect me to share something in return"

"I'm not" She choked out, her throat closing as the clenching in her abs prevented her from breathing properly. She closed her eyes tight and held her breath as she used her last energy rush to complete the mark of 50. Once the quota was fulfilled, she lay back on the floor, taking a big gulp of air.

She willed her shoulders to sag from their tense posture, and the relaxing of her muscles made it easier to breathe. The cool breeze of the ocean was a great relief against her clammy skin. She wasn't worried about getting sick, for when her eyes had landed on a jacket before going outside her mind didn't protest to grab it.

It was weird, following a voiceless feeling. But so long as it was trying to protect her, then she was going to trust it, whatever it was.

A squirming sensation made her muscles clench again, and her neck stretched enough to see Leon crawling all the way from her tummy towards her neck, where he proceeded to curl down. Living with him for months had gotten her skin used to the scratchy and scaly claws of the little thing as he liked to sometimes perch near her neck to nap.

She just hoped he wasn't planning on falling asleep now because she wanted to have a proper breakfast with her Mom and the others.

Bracing her weight on her elbows, she pushed herself up slowly. Reborn had jumped from her knees and landed next to her when his partner in crime decided to abandon his former place of rest, and he waited until the brunette was sitting properly to nod at her.

"Wash up. We'll have special training later today, so be ready"

"Yes sir" She brought a hand up to her neck to protect Leon from falling as she stood up. When she looked down, she wasn't surprised to see the hitman gone.

She had to swallow her disappointment thought. Seemed like the breach between them was getting further away. She had bared the darkness of her heart and confessed something that could potentially endanger her life even more than it currently was.

Reborn did not expect either of them. And instead of demanding and poking for answers as she had hoped, he was pulling away.

She didn't care if the hitman didn't share his deepest secrets like his killer count or his reason for living. All she wanted was someone who could listen without judging, someone who could answer her questions without taking her naivety and fear for granted.

She needed someone to trust her nightmares to and expect not a dismissal but reliability.

Just that.

Behind her, the sun was starting to rise, painting the skies with orange and bluish hues. It was a marvellous sight, but she went inside before it could even grace her skin.

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"Where did you go this morning? I didn't know you were an early riser" Yamamoto asked as he served himself some waffles. The cruise had inclusive cuisine; there was sushi, onigiris and even some miso soup, but because this was an opportunity to try some international food, everyone was having fun with their food choices.

"Reborn took me for a walk"

She held an amused laugh, as not even a second later the predictable chain of reactions happened.

"What do you mean you went out!?"

"Oh? Can I join you next time?"

"Baka-Tsuna is a dog"

"Lambo! Mean!"

Gokudera was scolding himself while bowing hard, his head almost hitting the table but was mindful because Nana was sitting next to him and he didn't want to disturb his precious Juudaime's mother's breakfast.

Bianchi was mindful too as she was wearing goggles and sitting on the other side of the table so that her brother wouldn't faint or throw up. It was a little sad when you thought about it, but at least no food has been poisoned so far.

They didn't exactly have a plan, after breakfast they were just going to explore the cruise again and see other attractions together. At least, that's what Tsuna intended. With Reborn's promise of doom hovering in her shoulders, she was adamant on not getting separated from her mother. More than anything, she was a little paranoid knowing that they were surrounded by Mafiosi.

Of course, nothing ever goes according to her wishes.

Just as they were finishing eating, people began standing up and rushing outside towards the deck, where loud chatter could be heard.

"What's with all the commotion?"

Being the curious - and paranoid- people they were, they too went along to see what was happening. Reborn jumped on her shoulder, probably to stir her and prevent her from running away.

"We're near land. Once we're there, I expect a proper attitude, Dame-Tsuna" Those ominous words sent a shiver down her spine.

"Land? Land where? We're in the ocean! Reborn?!"

"Could it be a virgin island? Or a scuba spot? I have never been diving, it must be exciting!" Yamamoto smiled, throwing his arms behind his head in a carefree manner.

"We're not diving, baseball idiot. And Juudaime, please rest assured that I won't let you out of my sight"

Tsuna was barely able to nod. She could feel a sinking feeling of dread brewing in her gut as the cruise approached an island that shouldn't be there. People around her started to cheer and her eyes widened as the clouds and fog lifted to reveal mechanical structures rising to the air in colourful attractions.

Her skin bristled as the floating island made itself known, showcasing in all its glory a huge amusement park, topped with a white castle in the middle.

"Oh, it's an amusement park! How thrilling!" Her mother exclaimed, clapping her hands together and looking at the huge floating park happily.

"In the middle of the ocean?!" Tsuna questioned incredulously.

Was this even normal? This wasn't real. It got to be a joke. Why is there an amusement park in the middle of the ocean, on route for a Mafioso cruise?

At her side, Reborn patted her head.

"Welcome to Mafia Land"

Next to her, a little boy opened a huge book.

"Fuuta..."

"Mafia Land. Ranked first of 254 theme parks as a mafia-only resort that welcomes Mafia Famiglias that don't deal with drugs and other illicit activities"

"Let's keep the book hidden, okay?" She closed the book and quickly ushered him to put it away.

"Okay!" He accepted with a smile, apparently not caring if anyone else saw or recognized him.

"Isn't it great, Tsu-chan? We haven't been to an amusement park in years!"

"Yeah… But, is it safe?"

"It is" The Hitman reassured her "For them, at least"

"Figures" she muttered, feeling that sinking feeling clawing inside.

"Let's prepare for landing, everyone!" Her mother exclaimed, and as the little lambs that they are, the kids cheered and started to follow her inside.

Tsuna saw them leave until they got lost within the crowd. Her feet remained frozen in place, eyes started to sting.

"Reborn" She glares at him, arms trembling as she quickly crosses them over her chest. The Hitman jumped from her shoulder over to a table in front of her.

"Your mother will be under heavy Vongola surveillance. This is a vacation for her, so no harm will come to her"

"We are surrounded by Mafiosi" She gritted, half wanting to scream, half wanting to tear at her hair. Maybe both. "How can you guarantee that my mother, a Japanese civilian, will be safe?"

"Can't you feel it?"

"You care how I feel now?" She snapped, feeling anger clashing with dread in a heat fire inside.

"Don't turn your angsty teenager mood on me, Dame-Tsuna. If you felt that your mother might be in danger, you would be in a screaming fit by now. No harm will come to her, you can have my word on that"

And she believed that. She bloody believed it. She scrunched her nose and turned to the side, not wanting to appear as if she was about to throw a tantrum.

She took a moment to clear the dark clouds from her mind. And willed her body to uncurl from its tense posture because, yeah. She could feel it. Or rather, she didn't feel scared or restless when she thought of her mother stepping foot into that land. There was no tingle or warning buzz in her head.

She only felt a cold touch when she thought of herself going there.

"Why am I here?" she asked.

"To train"

"Just train?"

"Just train"

She took his words. Although the level of danger was yet to be decided. There wasn't much she could do, refusal was impossible. She knew, god… she knew Reborn would get her there one way or another, even if it was kicking and screaming or inside a plastic bag.

"Okay…." She breathed out "Okay"

"Gather your gear. And anything you think you might need" He nodded at her, giving her one last look before tugging his fedora down. "When you step out, raise your head, Dame-Tsuna. Show them who's the Boss"

Yeah right, as if she wanted a bright neon sign in her back alerting everyone on who she was. She huffed and munched on her cheek as she watched him disappear through a window. Her anxiety levels were rising, she truly didn't want to go. But her mother and the kids were excited and it's not like she was going to meet her death. Really, she wasn't. And knowing that was what made it scarier.

Might as well pack some an aid-kit, she thought defeated as she ventured inside through the doors that connected the restaurant to the deck where they came from.

She felt stares on her but she ignored them, she got better at that. All she needed to do was walk a straight line across the room without grabbing attention. Simple.

"Juudaime!?"

She winced and hunched slightly, walking faster to the exit without looking like a madman. She could see Gokudera frantically searching for her, having been separated from the crowd when they went inside, but if he spotted her now, as well-intended as it was, he was going to cause a scene and alert everyone of her status.

"They can't see you"

She turned quickly to the source of the voice, seeing a lonely man enjoying a cup of tea by a table. His Hawaiian shirt looked ridiculous on him, it was pink and bright and it clashed horribly with his curly black hair. If he was wearing his real face though, well… she would have burst into hysterical laughter.

"What do you mean?" She walked slowly towards him, eying the people around her that seemed to ignore her serve for the passing glance.

"In your place is a beautiful blonde woman enjoying lunch with her lover"

"Are you stalking me?" She sat down on the chair in front of him and glared. She might have been drugged with painkillers, but she faintly remembers a blue dream and a presence lulling her to sleep.

"You wound me, child. I'm all but enjoying a summer vacation"

"You're a liar. You don't do vacations"

"Guilty" He laughed, and god was it annoying, she thought "I can't do my job if you ship yourself to a mafia polluted land"

"So I'm your job now? What happened to the haunting, Mr. Ghost?" With an invisible protection, she relaxed and served herself a plate of fruit from the table and took a bite from a strawberry.

"Ah, the memories. It's been long since you called me that" He sighed, smiling over the rim of his cup.

"Why are you here, really?" she asked because this couldn't be a coincidence.

"Exactly what I said for. Do you have any idea how many men have tried to kidnap you since you boarded the cruise?"

"A few…?"

"35"

"Oh… Thank you?" She grimaced at that. She felt an annoying sensation and a sour taste on her mouth whenever she walked, and the nagging pull in her mind made her take turns and different exists many times. "To be truthful, I don't feel in danger"

"Then you're a fool" He scolded her, levelling her with a stern glare.

"No, no. Listen, um…" She looked around to make sure no one was listening, which of course they weren't. She bit her lip and considered the man in front of her. He wasn't an ally, he wasn't Reborn, but he might as well be her closest confidant at the present moment. "I… I need to ask you something. And you have to promise on your heart's grave that you won't mock me and will answer with the truth"

"I'm intrigued, whatever would you swear on my heart for?" He set his cup down and popped his arm on the table to rest his chin on his open palm. He gave her his complete attention and that action was enough to make her nervous.

She took a breath and then two, and three and then licked her lips.

"What is the Vongola Intuition?"

"Oh dear, has the curse befallen on you too?" He frowned.

"Please! Just tell me! This, this is driving me crazy. The voices and feelings and… just what is it?" She was close to gripping her hair but opted to stab a strawberry instead. It was that or slamming her hands on the table, and trick or not, the noise would surely grab attention.

"It's not something one could explain so easily" He shook his head, eyes narrowing as if seeing something unpleasant flash behind them.

"Please…" She pleaded weakly because she needed the truth, not half-baked answers and brief tales. The man in front of her sighed heavily before leaning back on his chair.

"It's a bloody power that can see through everything. You feel safe when you shouldn't be because somehow you know that you'll be okay. You'll know when someone has ill intentions and when your luck will make you rich. When danger is lurking and a possible way to counter-attack it."

She gulped and nodded because everything she has experienced so far fell on that.

"You will know things you have no idea about. Of people betraying you before they even think of it or them dying before it even happens. It will lead you and pull you to the golden path. It's a Siren call, silent and haunting. It will never leave you. You can never escape it, although you may fight it, the results will only sink you deeper. It's a curse that belongs to your blood. Only yours"

He took a pause after that, tired of spewing a lot of words with heavy meaning. He looked at her, her face pale and eyes wide and glistening. He couldn't help to smirk at her pitiful look. Of course, he knew what part she played in the underworld game, this curse only added to the price she had to pay.

"Vongola's Intuition lets you know Life; and a way to cheat it"

He concluded, bringing the conversation to an end as he grabbed his cup to enjoy a lukewarm sip of tea, letting her process the information.

Tsuna for her part was silent, her head hurt and her fingers trembled to clench onto something. She knew the grasp of this power, she was only starting to understand it but didn't know how far it could go. Knowing that she will have to live with the knowledge of someone close to her ever thinking of hurting her was sickening. Because it could happen, it will happen.

Because she knows. She just does.

Knowing that she will feel the danger before it was even there was maddening. Knowing that she could cheat and claim whatever she wanted was distressful. Having the upper advantage and solutions for sudden adversities felt dirty.

Many could claim this power the ultimate weapon, could get anything they wanted and monopolize as they wished. But not for her. Even if she wanted to use it, deep down her morale and ethics screamed of how wrong it was.

He was right, it was a curse.

A curse running through her veins, sticking to her skin and pulling on her nerves.

She wanted to use it, take advantage and escape her nightmare. But the call prevented her, even now she could hear the silent whispers singing to her. It was a war of wills waltzing in her mind, pulling and pushing constantly to the point she could feel her head splitting in pain.

One side cheering her, the other was holding her. They were singing for her to use it, but at the same time, screaming at her to stop.

There was something wrong.

Something tainted.

"If it's mine… then why does it hurt?" She asked in a whisper, her eyes flashing and blurring with unshed tears.

The man gazed at her solemnly.

She knew the answer before he whispered back.

"Because you shouldn't have it"

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"Tsuna-nee!" Fuuta collided with her legs, wrapping his arms around her waist the moment she stepped into the room. She gripped into the boy's shoulder as the force of the impact almost made her stumble back.

She patted his hair and pushed him gently to let go so that she could properly walk. Hearing her name being called made a flash of silver appear on her line of vision.

"Ah, I found Gokudera-kun" She drawled as she walked towards Bianchi's room to grab a backpack and start filling it with necessities. Her mother looked up the moment she entered and smiled joyously. Tsuna tried her best to match her emotions but found it hard to pretend. Luckily for her, the bomber rushed after her with a worried expression.

"Juudaime!"

"Please, don't call me that while we're here. There can't be many popular Juudaime's at the moment, I don't want to endanger them" She told him, pointing towards her mother and the kids who were getting some sunscreen rubbed on their arms.

"Yes! But, Juudai- I mean, what shall I- I can't!"

"You can call me Tsuna, you know?" She patted his shoulder and moved towards the common area with her bag. She had a spare change of clothes, her mittens, a cap, some band-aids, pills for migraine and a water bottle. From the table next to her made-up bed, she grabbed her wallet and her phone. She wasn't going to need anything more.

"B-But…"

"Yeah, it's not like it's hard" Yamamoto added as he walked towards them "See? Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna, Tuna- ah?"

"Shut up!" Gokudera growled and threw him a cushion that made the boy laugh as he moved to avoid it "T-Tsuna-sama-

"Denied" Tsuna tugged her hair into a high ponytail and tucked it down under the cap. It was a black one, it could hide her face from the crown and protect her from the sun's glare. Perfect disguise.

She turned towards the bomber and huffed a smile at his struggling face.

"̈Don't think hard, it's not like you will curse her" Yamamoto said while sitting on the couch to tie his shoes.

"Names have power, you know" The bomber grunted and crossed his arms.

"You can add -san if you like. But don't call my surname either. Although Japanese, it could still be recognized"

"T-Tsunayuuki-san please forgive my informality in addressing you. I shall make it up to you" Gokudera rushed his words and bowed.

"Don't beat yourself, Tsuna is fine. Come on" She patted his back as she walked over towards the cabin's door where the others were starting to gather. The sight made her pause.

Mafia Land was supposed to be an uncorrupted place for Mafiosi families to enjoy a joyous day. A free evening away from the horrors that targeted them, the perfect opportunity to spend a relaxing afternoon with their cherished ones and pretend to live a normal outgoing without threats or shadows looming over their shoulders.

It was a joke because at the end of the day, when they boarded back the cruise and sailed to their homes, the Mafia was going to welcome them with open arms and they would fall back to that drug no matter how clean or pacifist they claimed to be.

Yet ironically, she had unintentionally welcomed runaway kids from mafia's famiglias into her home and let them pretend to have a normal life.

Quite the hypocrite, she thought while frowning. She suddenly felt very thankful for the cap hiding her expression.

"All right everyone, let's have some fun!" Her mother said, making the kids cheer.

"Lambo-sama wants to see the penguins!"

"Lambo! not, zoo!" Ipin shook her head, making Lambo stick her tongue at her.

"It's an amusement park, I don't think they have animals" Fuuta pointed, though he wasn't exactly sure. This being his first time at an amusement park too. He was tempted to use his ranking book, but he promised Tsuna he wouldn't. At least, not for today.

"Mama!" The boy stomped his foot, eyes already brimming with tears.

"Alright, alright. We will visit everyone's favourite attractions. Seems fair?" Her mother calmed them all, and they all agreed.

Seeing her mother in such a good mood made all the negative thoughts melt away. It was contagious. Sliding her bag over her shoulders, she gripped the straps tightly to secure them and turned to the boys at her side.

"Let's stick together. And please watch over my mom too, okay?"

"Sure thing, Tsuna! Don't worry. We won't be separated from each other"

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They got separated.

One moment they were screaming their lungs at the highest rollercoaster, the next, Tsuna found herself next to a cotton-candy stand.

Alone.

She sighed in frustration on her hands. She was expecting it, but it still annoyed her how easily it happened. Even more so because Lambo had a tight grip on her shirt through all the ride and Gokudera's bodyguard stance was like an iron wall.

She already sent a message to her mother to let her know her whereabouts, but she was sure they wouldn't meet for a few hours.

In moments like these, she couldn't help but remember her old nanny's Life Rules. They were drilled into her like a religious book and was forced to promise to follow them to the letter. And she tried, she really did but by now she was sure she has broken like 15 rules so far.

Tugging her cap lower, she looked around in search for something familiar. She was sure Reborn was on his way and getting lost will only result in an embarrassing situation with her in the middle of it. And anyway, it was impossible to hide from him.

So Lesson #1 of the day. When alone, stay with food.

It was either that or the toilets. But it was more possible to get kidnapped there so her paranoid heart wouldn't let her legs move from their rooted place. Besides, standing next to the cotton-candy stand and smelling the sweet aroma of sugar was soothing.

Despite dreaming with blizzards on summer nights, she hasn't had any nightmares and her insomnia was reduced greatly thanks to some tea Fon sent to Ipin that was actually meant for her. It had to be that way, otherwise, Reborn would have burnt the package. Really, he would. She can confirm that.

Sleeping and eating well to regain all the energy she lost was doing wonders. Although it felt more like the Hitman was preparing her for something. Her body shivered at that thought.

She couldn't sense danger, but she knew something big was coming.

"Hello, little lady. You lost?"

Lesson #2, don't trust pretty boys.

She didn't even turn to see the guy, the arrogance of his voice was enough to dismiss him. And although her intuition was sending her warning vibes, she couldn't feel any imminent risk.

Though ignoring him seems to do quite the opposite of leaving her be, for she could feel his lecherous eyes on her. She was wearing a striped t-shirt under a short overall and her trusty orange sneakers. Nothing flashy or provocative, but apparently for some people that was enough to try something.

"If you come with me, I can help you"

"I'm waiting for someone, thanks"

Some months ago, she would've been a stuttering wreck. She's still a nervous mess sometimes, but in situations like this you could say she has had enough training by dealing with Moichida and his friends, plus training under the number one Hitman and living with a dangerous hitwoman has hardened her a little.

And not just that, she has learned that she can ignore people and turn them away with a glare just by repeating an inner mantra of 'Channel your inner Hibari-san' over and over in her head.

The cap might be hiding her eyes though because the boy sauntered closer to her with a confident smirk.

"Come on, we can have some fun too, ya know?"

"I said get lost!" She flinched and swatted her hand when he tried to touch her. Of course, this only angered him, seeing as she wasn't going to fall for his charm or whatever act he was trying to pull. He huffed an angry sneer and stalked closer, and immediately just as her hands moved behind her back to grab her bag, her mind shushed her.

"You-

Whatever he was going to say died in his throat as he choked and his wide eyes rolled back. She sidestepped in a jump as he fell down, and it was only then that she was able to see a green dart sticking at the back of his neck.

"Dame-Tsuna"

She crossed her arms over her head in reflex, despite waiting for his arrival his presence and actions still put her on edge. Gulping, she uncurled her tense body and turned to see the little hitman by the stand, eating a pink cotton-candy cone without a care in the world.

"What did you do to him?" She asked warily while kicking the unmoving figure in the ground. People walking by didn't seem to care there was a body lying around, and that only made it creepier.

"Nothing good" The hitman waved it off, finishing his sugary treat in one last bite, before turning to see his student. "Shall we?"

"What's happening?" There was a little tingle going off in her head, signalling that whatever he was planning wasn't going to be good.

"Your training starts now. Your mother and the kids are watching the aquatic show. It will last for 2 hours. Bianchi is with her, and under heavy vigilance" He reassured her with a pointed look and moved his arm to point behind her. "You, on the other hand, will go there"

She turned slowly and blinked up to see the huge white castle towering behind her. Ignoring her nervous stance, the hitman continued.

"Your guardians are looking for you" He said "I want you to evade them"

"That's not like you"

"I want to see them panic and how creative they get on finding you"

She grimaced at that, for she could already see a frantic Gokudera yelling through the microphones around the park looking for her. She also sent them a text message regarding her location, but she wouldn't put it past the hitman to block their signal.

"What happens when I get there?" She asked while fixing her ponytail better. She briefly wondered on what could happen if she screamed bloody murder right now and cried for help. But, no… the embarrassment wasn't going to help her escape. As if reading his thoughts, and she really suspected that he could, the hitman jumped to sit on her shoulder.

"You will find out"

How ominous.

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She walked with tense shoulders through the path towards the castle. Whenever she lowered her head to try and appear as inconspicuous as possible while under a black cap, the hitman would tug on her hair to raise her head.

It was getting ridiculous, really. She was just surprised he didn't make her wear a neon sign with Vongola's name written on it. But that just meant he was planning something else, possibly something worse.

Crossing her arms over her chest to grip her elbows, she took a moment to admire the white marble that constructed the castle. It was white and polished, and the castle in itself looked like it just came out from a fairy-tale book. With huge towers and big crystal windows, she could assume more than an attraction this was like a hotel.

And she was right. Entering the huge doors led to a lobby, to a side there was a half-full restaurant and on the other, crystal elevators were transporting people up.

"Smile, dame-Tsuna"

The devil whispered in her ear and she tried to put a happy face as she walked towards the resection desk where a woman was busy talking on the phone. Tsuna smiled at her when they made eye contact and waited patiently until she was done. She could only catch something about wine stains on a bedsheet, and that was all she really wanted to know.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The lady smiled back at her, her lips curled in a practised move that seemed forceful. Tsuna could feel her own cheeks hurt at that.

"Hi, I'm meant to go inside. People are expecting me"

"Name?"

Shit.

Her mind blanked for a moment, and although her mouth opened to answer no sound came out. She made Gokudera swore not to say her name or reveal her title, and that was all the point for her incognito get-up. It might look like minutes, but her brain was processing in seconds the possible outcomes if she were to give her true identity.

"Name?" The lady insisted, and her eyes narrowed in confusion and mistrust at her lack of an answer.

"Um-

"Security, we got a lost one" the receptionist said through an earpiece, eyes never leaving the panicking brunette in front of her.

"W-Wait-

She tried to placate the situation, but it was too late. Her mind whispered to hold on onto something, but in her panic, she couldn't even move.

"Too slow" Reborn happily scolded her and jumped to stand at the table.

Lesson #3, you need a code name.

She screeched as the floor opened beneath her and swallowed her down. She was in hysterics at that point, yelling and trying to hold onto something as her body glided down what seems to be a long metal slide. The whispers were telling her that it was going to be alright, that she was going to be okay after the fall. But one thing was known, the other was feeling it.

She closed her eyes tight when a light brimmed from below, and before she knew it, her butt hit something soft. She grunted as the impact made her turn and scrap her elbows on the mat she was laying on.

"Oh god, my back. What the hell?! Reborn?!" She screamed in pain and confusion at the same time. Her high-pitched voice resounded around the metal walls in a painful echo. She shuddered as she looked around, trying to find a way out from wherever she was.

Her eyes immediately locked on a door near the wall across from her. It was big and sturdy and seemed very unwelcoming to open. It was like falling down the rabbit hole, only that what she would find behind the door wouldn't be a wonderland. But she had no choice; there was no going back from where she came from unless she could fly.

Her mind tingled at that. Wait, can she fly?

A loud clang made her jump and she scattered closer to a wall with wide eyes as she scanned the area for anything. She could already feel her body trembling and pulse accelerating at being trapped and defenceless.

Lesson #4, you need a weapon.

She didn't have any. Unless you counted the mittens which they actually were, but she didn't know how to use them. Although she had worn them every now and then, she couldn't trigger the function to turn them into leather gloves. Reborn refused to tell her how they worked, all she knew was that Leon and the flames had something to do with it. Other than that, they only functioned as hand warmers.

Taking her cap off quickly to have better visibility, she tied it to one of the bag's straps and stood up while holding onto the wall so she wouldn't fall by how her legs were shaking.

Reborn knew she wouldn't give her name at the front desk, so this place was where she was meant to be.

Stay here or go beyond? The whispers pushed her forward, so into the unknown she went. Walking with careful strides without letting go of the wall, she slid closer to the door while making sure to keep an eye at the ceiling in case another unfortunate soul dropped down.

She couldn't hear anything and the sudden feeling of being trapped somewhere underground was causing her heart to throb out of her throat. Despite knowing at the back of her head that no harm would come her way, it was still nerve-wracking.

Her fingers brushed against the texture of the door and she swallowed. It wasn't locked, her intuition whispered. The door wasn't locked so with a shaky hand, she pushed it open.

Peering inside, she noted immediately the long hallway that lead to a crossroad hall. She bit her lower lip as she slipped out of the room and glued herself to one of the walls. With slow steps, she ventured deeper into the corridor until her body stopped in the middle of two roads.

There were two sides to take, two paths to follow.

Standing in the middle, she could feel the inner war between her mind and body. Each wanting to go in a different direction while she; herself wished to remain in place. But it was impossible, might as well say inevitable. Because she knew, no matter how hard she tried to run from her fate, she was doomed to fall.

The words from that man danced in her head. At this point, she realized she was nothing but a marionette with a heart but no will. Because she could cry, scream and hold on for as long as she tried, but there was no time to dawdle when the decision was already made for her.

She shuddered.

Like icy ants crawling over her skin, there was a pull; a sensation almost forcefully pushing her towards the left side. Like invisible hands or a rope tied around her body, it was luring her with a refreshing feeling of water streams caressing her skin.

It felt inexplicably good and her heart throbbed at that. There was a flare of an ugly sensation gripping her gut but it disappeared before she could even name what it was.

The whispers were telling her to go, softly cheering her in a silent song but her body coiled on itself in fear and defence.

She crossed her arms over her chest tightly and rested heavily on the wall to try and grasp some grip in reality. What the hell was happening, she didn't know. All the nerves and terror she was feeling without knowing the reason why was giving her a massive headache.

"Tsuna? Is that you, kiddo?"

She blinked at the voice and snapped her head up. Her lips parted in a silent gasp at seeing a little baby carrying a rifle on his back marching towards her.

He paused, giving her a good look from head to toe before grinning. One moment she was trying to melt with the wall, the next she was falling on her knees.

"Wow! Look at you! You're so grown up, kora! Has Lal seen you? Damn" He whistled in amazement before quickly levelling her with a serious look "Wait, is Reborn bullying you? Tsuna, if he is, you tell me right now and I will kill him, come on"

"Hello, Colonnello!" She beamed at him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. She couldn't help the happy laugh that escaped her, nor was she aware of the sagging in her muscles as she let herself relax into a warm summer rain.

Seeing Lal after so many years was one thing, but the soldier was a different story. They both suffered first hand Lal's moody swings and her torment. And although Lal was there when she returned to Japan in hysterics, she never got to say goodbye to Colonnello.

She knew they would meet again, but seeing him in person was so much better than just knowing.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm in charge of the training grounds, what are you doing here?" Not even a second after he asked did he answer his own question with a frown "Wait, no. Reborn"

She pursed her lips and nodded. He tsked and jumped from her arms, proceeding to pace around while mouthing curses at the hitman. When she was little and used to talk about Reborn with amazement, the soldier would cry at her for not to be tainted. It was obvious there was a mutual rivalry between the two, and she wondered if she could annoy Reborn with it.

The soldier shook his head, ending his profanities to the Hitman and turned to face her with a grin and a pat on her knee.

"I heard about your title, congratulations, Kora"

"Y-Yeah, no. I-I don't want it"

"But you used to love playing Mafia" He said confused at her reaction.

"But not like this"

Sunny afternoons playing hitmen and robbers seemed like a fever dream now. A lot has changed since then, and maybe not for the better but she was trying.

Remembering that made her feel hollow inside. It reminded her of the ex-baseball ace and what was at stake in their lives.

Seeing her gloomy mood, Colonnello climbed to her shoulders with ease. He grabbed a strand of her long hair with care and unconsciously played with it, still in wonder at seeing her all grown up.

"Come on, I will walk with you there. I have a feeling where you should be going"

"So do I"

She sighed as she stood up and started to walk while talking with the little soldier of trivial things. She l felt at ease and calm, the total opposite of the bundle of nerves she was a couple of minutes ago.

It was weird but soothing so she embraced that feeling wholeheartedly without a doubt.

And yet she couldn't help but feel like she was leaving something behind.

.

.

.

"This is all your fault"

"If I remember correctly, you were the one holding her"

"Shut up, idiot!"

Gokudera was standing over a table, hands placed over his eyes to help him look better around the area in search of his runaway boss. He felt like a failure, his grip on her was tight and secured, but she still managed to slip away.

"Juudai-

"You lose another 10 points" Yamamoto chirped, patting his leg as it was within reach.

"Shut it!" Gokudera growled and tried to kick him but the other boy laughed and dodge it. The presence of the idiot wasn't helping at all, he was aggravating his nerves and making no effort on finding the brunette.

He was more like a little kid, staring at every game in awe and wonder and trembling in excitement at wanting to try them. Gokudera didn't let him, they couldn't have fun while the girl was missing in a land full of Mafiosi. Her boss was right, it was dangerous if people knew about her. Although he was confident in their abilities to fight their way out, he planned on leaving this island with good spirits.

"Stop being dumb and search for her. You go that way, meet me here in 10 minutes" He commanded the other boy roughly before jumping down from the table and stalking some carnival games with stuffed animals as prices.

Yamamoto for his part rubbed the back of his head at the hostile attitude of the Italian and opted to follow his order without any side jokes.

It's not like he was a heartless idiot. Of course, he was worried. His friend was possibly lost, and that was the first thing she asked not to happen.

But he did see Reborn disappearing at the same time the brunette went missing, and despite what people believe on his brightness, he could connect the dots quickly.

He neared some toilets and knocked on the woman's door before opening just slightly so that his voice could be heard without actually peeking inside.

"Tsuna, you in there?" Some women yelled in Italian so he quickly closed the door at not hearing the brunettes response "Guess not… "

He walked around without results and before he knew it, he was back at the table watching Gokudera pace around with heavy steps while messing with his phone.

"She's not answering. Why isn't she answering?"

"Reborn is with her, should we really be worried?"

"Of course I'm worried! It's not like you can understand what's at stake!"

"Then tell me"

He leaned forward and hoped his expression was open and begging to understand. It was no secret people were keeping secrets from him. Both of his friends sometimes talked and had air so different from him, they had a kindred understanding of something he wasn't allowed to know.

At least it seemed that way. Tsuna always censored her thoughts and Gokudera would scoff and dismiss his presence in certain topics.

"You wouldn't understand" Was the same response he always got and he was getting tired of being left behind.

There was an uncomfortable feeling setting in his gut. It wasn't about trust, or maybe it was. Knowing that there was a barrier between them despite his efforts to be better and more supportive was disheartening.

It hurt because the brunette already rejected him, and although they were spending time together and held a friendly relationship, she was still pulling away from him little by little.

And it was breaking him.

Even now.

"Don't look at me like that, idiot. They're just some things you aren't allowed to know" Gokudera crossed his arms and looked away.

"Don't you think I deserve to know?"

"You… can't. Once you're in, there's no going back"

"It's my decision though"

He pushed and the more he did, Gokudera posture became tenser. It was obvious he was containing himself by the way he was gripping his arms, at what he didn't know, but he wanted to.

But he also knew that pushing and demanding for answers wouldn't just work. So he sighed and stood up, willing to change the topic and focus back at finding the brunette. But just as he was going to voice an idea, an unfamiliar voice interrupted.

"Oh, it's that you, smoking bomber? Knew I recognised those shouts"

He turned to see a foreign guy, Italian obviously by the heavy accent. He was older, carried an arrogant stance and dressed like a gangster, just the type of guy the brunette would ignore its existence.

Gokudera remained tense and disregarding the newcomer. That only made the other guy laugh and saunter closer.

"Ignoring me? How arrogant of you, monello"

"Get lost" He finally bite back, throwing him a bored stare from behind his shoulder.

"Rude. After all the fun we had back at Syracuse"

There was a smug smirk, an expression that didn't settle at all in the ex-baseball player. It was mocking with a hint of cruelty, its purpose was to raise a bone for the bomber to bite. If this situation happened a few months ago, Yamamoto was sure the boy would have blasted the other guy in no time. But he was holding back.

"Guess you're still an idiot if you don't know when you aren't needed" Gokudera spat and turned to walk away, obviously done. The guy scoffed but he didn't let that stop him.

Yamamoto's fingers twitched, and it was times like this that he missed the rough texture of his bat. It's not like he intended to bash the guy's head or something. He just spent a lot of time practising with it that whenever he was stressed or feeling down, swinging for some time used to release some tension.

It's also the reason why he broke his arm, but he wasn't going to walk through that rail of thoughts. No, what was important was getting out of this situation without much trouble, just as Gokudera obviously was trying to do.

It was clear the Italian bomber had a past he wasn't proud of, as the cocky guy was oh so bluntly trying to remind him. And although he wanted to know it and somehow be part of it, he didn't want to know it like this.

"There's a rumour going around that someone tied a leash on you, is that right?"

"What is it to you?"

"Did you finally bend to someone? I had a great laugh when I heard the mighty Hayato had become a maid to a wimp"

"Vaffanculo!"

Gokudera snarled angrily and grabbed some dynamite. He promised himself he wouldn't draw attention or get in trouble to help the brunette have an easy day and enjoyable vacation. But he just couldn't contain his fury anymore.

It was bad enough the fear and worry he had over the missing girl, add some nameless bastard he used to associate with dared to mock him and antagonise him. He didn't care what he said about him, jeers and taunts didn't hurt him anymore. But he couldn't let some jackass harass and mock his Boss.

Because as her right-hand man, it was his duty and mission to protect her from any harm. He took one step forward and moved his arm, but before he could blast that bastard to oblivion, Yamamoto stepped in and punched the idiot in the face.

.

.

.

Reborn was at odds with this.

A few hours ago, he would have thrown the brunette to the wolves without a second thought, but knowing what he does now made him pause. And he hated it.

The brunette was a roller-coaster, it was a wild ride with ups and downs. There were some slow curves and some thrilling falls that made his days more enjoyable. But just like any other ride, there were dangerous risks and an imminent end waiting.

Slowly, he was starting to see her for what she really was.

A black hole, silently pulling him towards an edge of destruction.

And it was annoyingly exhilarating, so he acted the only way he knew. By being a spartan tutor and training her to become the very best. Tsuna responded accordingly to his whims, she whined and cried over his ruthless actions but always finished them and soaked every lesson he hit her with.

But this was a different kind of training altogether. One couldn't just train somebody else's flames. It was unnatural and unpredicted, not because their elements weren't the same, but because each flame ran differently in each user. It was their imprint, something raw that belonged to just themselves.

So relying on pure experiences was all they could hope for at the moment. And the brunette just had to be the biggest oddity for him to mould and shape.

It's been 20 minutes since the brunette fell down towards the training grounds of Mafia Land and knowing her, she was probably crying on a corner. It was good though, it gave them time to prepare the machines and let the girl calm down on her own.

If she followed her intuition, it will lead her to a big training area different from the previous one, for this was an underground open space with real landscapes and training necessities.

Giannini was busy with the controls, he wanted to personally monitor the girl in action while her flames were active. Her fight with Mukuro showed pure raw power and although she slept for a day and was almost devoured by her own flames, the outcome could be due to multiple variables of that day, so this test could help them narrow them.

Speaking of Mukuro, he would have to reinforce his training, it wouldn't be wise to let the brunette share her mind so freely. Not while there was a risk of her becoming influenced by external forces.

Lal was at his side, busy typing something on a computer. He was curious if it was Vongola related or not, it seemed serious by the frown on her face. But if it was, then Nono should have contacted him by now. He would leave that for later though, for she suddenly turned towards the window of the control room they were at as a low chiming tune sounded.

"The idiots are here" She announced dryly and he blinked down to see the doors opening to reveal the brunette walking calmly while chatting with an energetic blond soldier on her shoulder.

"Lal! Hey, Lal! Have you seen Tsuna?! Look at her! It's Tsuna! But bigger! Lal!" Colonnello waved wildly.

"We actually met yesterday" Tsuna confessed at which the soldier gasps and glared at the control tower.

"And you didn't tell me!? Kora! The betrayal!"

"Shut up, idiot!" Lal snapped back from the microphone. Her angry voice was enough to shut them despite not being able to see her.

Just then, a black blur landed in front of them. Reborn stood in his impeccable black suit, fedora in head and looking as if jumping from a height of 20 meters was something remarkable. It was, but Tsuna wasn't going to think of that.

"So… What's this about?" She asked instead, still wary of the whole situation.

"You and the idiot are going to fight. I don't want you pulling your punches"

"Just that?"

"If you bullied her instead of training, I will kill you, Kora"

"I want to see how you react in a fight. You know the drill"

He handed her familiar patches and bands. She grabbed them and stretched her neck to see the control room where she was able to distinguish the figure of Giannini waving back at her.

"Don't ignore me, you bastard!" The soldier aimed his rifle at the Hitman and fired, at which Reborn dodge and drew his gun to fire back.

Tsuna stared at them dumbly before snorting. It's a rivalry, all right.

While the two Arcobaleno were busy exchanging bullets, she thought about changing her clothes, and after staring for a minute at the still fighting babies, she decided to do just that.

She walked towards a door that led to the control tower and found a waiting room with lockers. She placed the gadgets over the bench and took off her bag to grab her training clothes.

They were nothing special, just some jogging pants and an old t-shirt. Luckily, she had claimed her closet back so she was wearing a grey sports-bra under her shirt. She then placed the patches on her chest and elbow and the bands around her wrist and ankle.

Once they were secured, she went to take the last item she would need from her bag. The mittens. She stared at them in silence, wondering if they would come alive if she so willed them too. But as she slipped them in, all they did was hide her shaking fingers inside.

The heavy realization of what was about to happen made her sit on the bench to ground herself. Taking advantage that she was alone, she prepared herself for the beating that awaited her, and although she trusted Colonnello not to hurt her, fighting him was going to be gruelling for the simple fact that she was going to light her flames, again.

She hasn't told Reborn, of course she can't tell him. But lighting the sky flames was an arduous feeling; it scared her yet at the same time, she desired it. She felt strong and serene, it was an addictive feeling to have her worries and fears just wash away, which is why it was hard to part with them.

Something inside of her just clung to the flames, refusing to let go despite the burning in her veins. She felt tired and hollow after they were gone, and she wondered if perhaps this was her intuition letting her know that there was something wrong.

She could try talking with Verde behind the Hitman's back because although Shamal meant good, she wasn't sure if she could trust him. These tests were meant for something else, not just simple monitoring. Besides, Verde could have a more insightful view of these flames and how to use them. All she needed now was to buy a new phone so that Reborn couldn't track her movements.

"Sawada, get out if you're done" Lal's sudden voice made her jump from her seat. A quick look around reassured her that it only came from the speakers. Still, she wouldn't wait for the second call in case Lal did decide to come down for her.

She stretched her arms up until her back stretched enough and let her shoulders fall. She walked out towards the door she came from and halted with a sweatdrop as the two Arcobaleno were still fighting. She quickly took the moment to tie her hair back up in a ponytail, just as Lal's annoyed voice rang through the whole area.

"Knock it off, you idiots!" Lal shouted irritated, and although Reborn was all that happy to continue, Colonnello backed down at the angry order immediately. Guess she wasn't the only one still intimidated by Lal, good.

Seeing as there was no danger to step over a crossfire, she walked towards them. They had destroyed part of the training ground, what seemed to be boulders of rocks were now just dust gathering on the ground. What the hell is wrong with these two?

"W-What am I going to do?"

"Fight him, dame-Tsuna. And don't lose"

"You said I should expect hell"

"Nah, that's just the name of my training camp. You're safe with me, kiddo"

It's not you I'm afraid off, she wanted to say but her voice got stuck in the throat by her nerves returning.

"Warm-up. And dame-Tsuna, don't embarrass me"

She grimaced and watched him disappear through a hidden compartment in the wall. Reality sunk and she felt a shiver run down her spine because not only she has to fight with Colonnello while being torched with sky flames, she was going to do that in front of Reborn AND Lal.

"Loosen up, kiddo. It will be fine, just dodge and punch, Kora" The soldier tried to cheer her up at seeing her distressed face.

"O-Okay"

She nodded slightly and stretched her arms and legs for a bit, letting her mind wander to nonsense thoughts so as to not cloud it with pressure. Colonnello seemed to have the same idea because as he was stretching next to her, he kept talking.

"So, anything exciting happened to you?"

"Oh! I learned how to swim" She happily announced but then her shoulders fell at remembering exactly how "Reborn almost drown me, but I can float on my own now"

"That's great! Not the drowning part, that bastard! He's going to pay"

"I also got a 100 on my Math exam!"

"Look at you, acing in school, kora" Colonnello grinned approvingly and it made her smile back with ease.

"Oi, you two. Less talking more fighting" Lal growled from the intercom.

"Sorry, sir!" the soldier saluted before turning towards the brunette and craning his neck in anticipation "Ready, kiddo?"

"Not really…"

"I promise I won't be too hard on you"

"That's not why I'm worried..." She whispered and grounded her feet on the ground to wait for the impact.

"Tsuna, ready?" Reborn's voice came from the hidden speakers and she was allowed to take a deep breath before nodding.

Her body staggered backwards but managed to remain standing as the bullet sank deep and wrapped her in a scorching embrace.

"Merda Santa!" Colonnello exclaimed in astonishment, his body was frozen in a half-way step when the bullet was fired at her head, but once the flickers of orange wisps came to life he was mesmerized and could do nothing but watch with awe as a crown of orange flames bloomed on her forehead, giving her face a glowing shadow that made her sunset eyes gleam.

"Ready?" She asked calmly, monotone voice showing no fear or excitement it previously had.

"Yes…"

"Idiot! Don't just stand there!"

"R-Right" Lal's voice snapped him out of his spell, but even then he still managed to give the brunette a dazed smile "This is going to be fun"

.

Up in the control room, the machines alerted something but Giannini reassured them everything was steady. The brunette's vital points and blood levels were normal as she started to move around, dodging bullets and some kicks while delivering punches of her own.

The flames in her clenched hands created an after echo as she moved, it was like she was painting streaks of orange blurs as she went around in hypnotic patterns. Like a spider web luring its prey in, they were truly a beautiful trap.

"She has sky flames" Lal stated quietly.

"Does the idiot of your boss even know? Everyone keeps getting surprised"

"We knew she was Vongola's blood, but never actually saw…" She shook her head as if dismissing a memory before continuing "It makes you wonder, was Vongola going to make her an heir without knowing the nature of her flames?"

"Seems like it"

"You have my pity, Reborn" She suddenly said, dry humour dancing on her voice as her eyes never once left the sight of the brunette girl dancing with orange flames "She's going to devour you"

.

.

.

"I can't believe you punched him"

"Are you really that surprised?"

"Why did you do it? Idiot, it's not like I needed help!"

"He was being mean to you and Tsuna"

"Ugg, now he's going to cry and babble to his famiglia on how you bullied him and come after you"

"If he does, I'll be ready. Come on, what's the worst that can happen?"

"Stop talking, you're like a jinxing box when you talk" Gokudera growled in his hands.

They were hiding behind some food stands after the encounter with the annoying guy. He was surprised at the action of the other boy, he seemed more like a pacifist than anything so seeing him punching a dude in the face was startling. It wasn't until the guy started cursing and threatening them that his body moved. He grabbed the arm of the baseball idiot and dragged him away as fast as he could.

He didn't know what famiglia the other guy was in league with. It's one of the reasons he didn't want to fight, if they found out he was with Vongola it will lead them to the brunette. Although a big part of him wanted to boast and brag about the pride it brought him, he also knew how dangerous it was.

And of course, the idiot at his side just had to act rashly and pretend to be a knight.

"Let's head to the castle, she might be there" He grumbled and cursed at himself for not bringing a cap to shield his face from view as his smart Juudaime did.

"Right, after you"

"And no more stupid stunts"

Yamamoto laughed in a carefree manner and followed him as they made their way through the crowded sections of the park to hopefully blend in.

It was noon, so the area was packed with people. It was good if you wanted to go unnoticed but not when you were searching for someone. Right now, the best thing they could do was hurry to get to the castle. As the main big attraction, it was possible the brunette had headed that way. And if not, then maybe they could use the park's speakers to call for the brunette.

As the looming towers of the castle made themselves known, they were met with another disturbance in the form of a black parade.

The crowd stopped to watch the people wearing black tracksuits march towards the castle. The funny helmets they wore made them seem like part of the park's attraction display but the white Kraken symbol painted on their chest was enough to flare alarm bells in his head.

"What's that?" Yamamoto asked, feeling his tense reaction at the spectacle.

"Trouble"

.

.

.

They were past the mark of 30 minutes of nonstop fighting. Although it seemed more like a warm-up match than a real fight. Colonnello was obviously pulling his punches, he would let the brunette run around and block her fiery hands, but he in return wasn't using any heavy artillery.

His rifle was locked on his back and the most damage he has done was kick her down from a boulder.

She was either a fast learner or was letting her intuition move her around because just as she was about to hit the ground, her hands flared with flames that pillowed the impact and she rose up to kick him back.

One could even say that they were playing around. The soldier would exclaim gleefully and give remarks here and then, and while the brunette remained silent, she wasn't biting more than she could chew. Or at least, it looked that way. She was panting but it was barely visible, her face showed no strain or fatigue as she kept running and jumping.

In summary, it was a boring match for the ones watching.

"This is stupid, they should be bleeding by now" Lal gruffed, her analytic mind already coming with dozens of counter moves both should have used while their opponent was open but didn't.

"Guess it was a bad idea to send the idiot"

"He has the heart of a puppy" She shook her head, her lips kept in a tight frown as to prevent them from curling as she remembered how happy and energetic the blond was over meeting the brunette again. Oh, how he pestered her day and night for six years to know the whereabouts and wellbeing of the girl, and although she wanted to reassure him and ease his worries, her location and status had to remain a secret.

Another beeping from the machine broke her out from her thoughts. She was curious about what they were searching for. There was no need for a full inner body monitoring if you wanted to beat someone in training.

"What's this all about though? What are you analysing?" she voiced her question.

"Her progress"

"Yeah? Then why are you checking her heart rate?"

"That's confidential"

Reborn was annoying in his secretive answers. And although she knew she had no right to press for information as an external party, she still had the right to know.

Her glare was enough for Reborn to tilt his fedora, and with that action, it told her that he was willing to talk so long as she gave something in return. Just like she told the brunette to do.

"There's something I must know then" he said.

"Well, that's new. You usually don't ask, must be something good if you don't know the answer" Lal crossed her arms in amusement.

"What happened when Tsuna was kidnapped?"

She wasn't expecting that question, at all.

"She told you?"

"Only that. There are no records or information regarding such event, but both Tsuna and Dino confirmed it happened"

"It happened" Lal reassured him in a quiet voice "The brat used to stay at Vongola's summer house, and despite my boss being a lovesick idiot, he placed guards around the area, both inside and out. But one night, she disappeared. No one went in or out of the house that day, and yet she vanished right in front of us"

"What did they do to her?"

"We don't know" She huffed in stress, frustration and tiredness all together. It still haunted her despite her tough demeanour, that memory of losing and getting the girl back was like a stab of ice shooting through her heart over and over.

Her eyes travelled to the window again, watching as the little girl she used to look after suddenly grew up to become a Mafia boss in training without her knowledge.

"She didn't have any wounds or signs of abuse when they rescued her a week later. There was nothing on her, Reborn. But something did happen, and it broke her"

Reborn frowned, taking the information in and compared it with what he had gathered. Showcasing no signs of abuse or injuries discarded the main possibilities of his hypothesis.

But there was trauma and self-isolation, a sky user rejecting its nature relentlessly. And everyone's surprise and awe and gobsmack reactions at seeing the brunette porting the crown of flames led to other possibilities.

Flames.

There was a bitter rage in his throat at that single thought. While it wasn't uncommon for the deranged underground to experiment on humans, dealing with flames seemed almost sacred. But this was the Mafia they were dealing with, anything was possible when given the chance. And who wouldn't want to get their hands on her?

Yet still, for someone to take an unbounded young sky, Vongola's no less and hear no word about it was weird. There were no tracks or records regarding the situation, Vongola was keeping it quiet as if it never existed. But Lal's words rang true, they don't know what happened before or after.

The only one who holds the answer is Tsuna herself.

It could explain everything and more, but what if it's not? What if it's something else?

"Reborn-san, her levels are dropping!" Giannini exclaimed, bringing him back from his thoughts. He quickly snapped one look towards his student where he saw her destroy a boulder with one punch.

The sky flames cracked bright, the leather of the gloves giving her hand the protection needed to shield any external material harming her skin, but they weren't pain-proof. That hit should have hurt and even harmed her fingers if she punched with too much force, but there was no pain on her, just a frown marring her face.

"Any difference from yesterday?"

"It's falling fast"

"Print a chart. Compare both, I'm pulling her out"

Lal stepped aside, her curious stare following Reborn as he jumped towards another table where some papers were being processed. Another beep from the machine had the hitman press for a button from a small microphone near the table.

"We're done for today. Dame-Tsuna, down"

His order surrounded the whole training area through the speakers, Colonnello stopped right away with a huff as he took a breath to uncoil his muscles but a flash of light had him jump quickly to the side when the brunette went to hit him.

Of course, she didn't listen.

"Oi" Lal called, stepping closer to the window to observe the sky flames flare dangerously. The analogy from before had turned backwards, the flames now seem to be the prey trapped in an invisible thread, fighting to survive.

"Tsuna, we're done" The hitman repeated with more force to snap the girl out from her trance.

"Kiddo?" The soldier called, bringing his hands up to be prepared for any movement. He watched confused as the girl came to halt in front of him, chest heaved in silent breaths and hands fisted tightly over dancing flames.

Everyone remained tense for a minute as the brunette remained unmoving and staring ahead, her orange eyes gleaming with an unfamiliar light that wasn't there before. And then suddenly, for the first time since the bullet collided in her head, her face morphed to one of discomfort and pain.

"Woah there, you good? Breathing okay?" Colonnello quickly stepped closer but she flinched back violently.

"Tsuna?" the Hitman called "Tsuna, breathe. Come back, Will it out"

The brunette could hear them, but their voices sounded so far away, like an underwater echo where she was falling deeper and deeper and was barely able to cling to the surface.

With this being the third time entering hyper dying will mode, she came to the sudden realization that there wasn't a button to turn it off. The other times, she had unconsciously triggered the function as her body screamed to be released. But now, she was awake and trapped.

Breathing did nothing but focus on the other matter at hand, her intuition becoming louder.

Her fiery hands clasped over her ears as she shut her eyes in concentration through the pain. It was like a torrent of wind was screeching in her head, voices and whispers mingling together in a cacophony of silent noises.

They were screaming and singing, telling her what to do but begging not to. She could feel her head splitting in two by the intense fight in her head. She knew how to will it down, but she didn't want to.

T̵͈͉u-̶̨̈́͌a̸͍̤͑̇r̷͓͙͒-̶͉̥̑m̴̻̘̎̃e̴͓̽͝

"I think I'm going to puke" She moaned weakly.

"Uh, um. Here, my hands!"

Lal scrunched her nose as the brunette suddenly fell to her knees and proceeded to empty her stomach. The sky flames that once shined brightly became dim and small until they disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Colonnello panicked the moment the brunette fell, but he quickly jumped over to her side and patted her on the back and while making sure no vomit was being splashed his way. He didn't think twice to send a wave of calm rain flames that were greedily consumed by the shivering girl.

"Reborn, what's this about?" Lal demanded, taken aback by the strong reaction.

"She can't control them" the hitman said with a frown of his own while reading the results from the test. He was turned sideways, and just like his chameleon pet, he had an eye on the paper and the other one to his retching student.

Colonnello was doing wonderful at calming her down, and although they didn't know how her body would react to someone else's flames on her, at least she hasn't fainted.

She didn't expect this, at all. She knew the girl must have activated some flames if she was a candidate to become a Mafia boss. But she didn't expect it to be Vongola and she didn't expect the sky flames that came with it.

Though, it was logical the girl was having problems if her nonexistence flames just recently popped-up. At least, that's what she thought but then Reborn confessed something else, something more horrifying than unexpected.

"Her flames are hurting her"

That shocked her. It was almost unheard of, at least she hasn't heard of something like that ever happening. Having trouble manifesting the will of the flame, sure. Having difficulties in using the flames, of course. But not harm, not pain.

The whole situation just seemed so unnatural. Even more so, knowing which blood the brunette carried. In other terms, she was practically a pureblood and yet...

And yet-

There was no time to ponder or question further as a familiar low tremor travelled around her body. She mentally cursed and turned to see Reborn glaring down at his chest, or more specifically, at his lighted up pacifier.

"Well, shit"

.

.

.

Gokudera has done enough reckoning missions to know the drill. As soon as the parade started breaking apart and infiltrating through the crowds while heading to the castle, he was on alert mode.

He had to regretfully drag the idiot around if it was just them he would have left him to his luck. But his boss would be sad about that, so here they were. Hiding behind some ferns, they were monitoring the trespassers by making sure they were following one path and not harming others. He couldn't see guns, but just because they weren't there didn't mean they weren't armed.

"Can you see anything?" Yamamoto asked while peeking through the leaves.

"Shh!" He quickly tugged him down before someone spotted him. Really, he was so bad this whole espionage thing.

Some of the intruders walked past their hiding place, and he was, fortunately, able to hear part of their plan.

"Today is the day!" One of the men exclaimed "The Carcassa Famiglia will reign this land!"

"Fuck" He cursed, recognizing that name and getting an insight into what was probably going to happen.

"What now?" Yamamoto asked him quietly.

"Juudaime's inside for sure. We need to break in" His eyes were fixed on the white castle, where the men in black helmets were marching through. The girl was really precautious as to hide her identity. If someone found out that she was Vongola, all eyes and weapons will be pointed at her.

It would've been so easy to form an alliance with other Mafiosi under Vongola's name, and together they could fight and prevent a war from escalating. But that wasn't what his boss wanted, he understood that. So as her loyal right-hand man, he needed to get her to safety.

The ex-baseball player suddenly tugged at his shirt, and he was ready to scold him but stopped when he saw the boy pointing towards something.

"I see our way in"

It was a stupid simple plan, but it could work. All they needed now was those armoured suits for their disguise to be complete. Nothing that a bomb couldn't fix in knocking those men unconscious and stealing their uniforms.

"Let's go"

He could only hope his boss was okay.

.

.

"You okay there, Sawada?"

"Yeah"

She felt kinda offended that Lal was on watch duty while she was taking a shower. After throwing up in front of Colonnello, her old mentor had come down in a screaming fit and took her away to clean herself. The locker room where she stored her clothes had some showers stands that she missed when she first walked in. It just showed how out of it she really was of the situation.

At least Lal had the decency to face the other way while she waited for the water to stop running. She would call her every few minutes to make sure she hasn't drowned while standing up. The brunette couldn't help but feel that she made a fool out of herself out there. She felt kinda pathetic about that, the tiredness in her muscles and the embarrassment she was feeling were trying to pull her down. She wanted nothing more than to hide underneath a blanket and forget about the whole ordeal.

Although her mind reassured her that no one was going to tease or scold her, she still felt really bad.

After she puked, she felt like all her stress was thrown away and now the sprinkling water of the shower was warming her to the point of dozing her. It was actually a good thing that Lal kept waking her. Though she wished to remain there, the quicker she was out of here the quicker she could go back to the ship and sleep.

Slowly, she turned the water off and wrapped a towel around her body. Her body felt instantly cold at the lack of a warm source, the vapour around her did nothing but cause shivers to appear on her skin.

Drying and changing back to the clothes she came in, she walked back to the locker section where she proceeded to sit on a bench to put on her shoes. Lal moved the moment she walked in and turned her way, but Tsuna immediately hid her face with a towel, keeping it busy drying her hair while avoiding looking at the other.

"I'm sorry"

"For what?" Lal asked with scepticism and a raised eyebrow, not understanding the apology of the brunette.

"I don't know" She murmured, fidgeting with her hands on her hair as she tried to gasp her line of thoughts.

"Don't be an idiot, Sawada. Let's go" Her old mentor said, not pressing on the issue further. Her hair was still wet and probably a tangled mess, but she didn't bring a comb to mat it down. Guess her hyper intuition didn't work for petty things.

Lal waited for her to finish tying her shoes before jumping down and heading to open the door. She grabbed her bag and followed her out of the room, the other two Arcobaleno were already there waiting and they both turned to see them once the door opened. Seeing no sign of the engineer, she dimly wondered what Giannini was actually doing with her records.

"Let's take you back, kiddo. You're probably hungry" Colonnello approached her to pat her on the leg. She would have knelt to pick him up and hold him, but the shame of puking literally on him prevented that, so she gripped the bag's straps and nodded with a weak smile.

Reborn's silence was what made her more nervous, she didn't know what he was thinking or planning, nor what he actually wanted to achieve with this mock battle. It gave her an uncomfortable feeling, knowing that he was searching for something that involved her and telling her.

She exhaled quietly to release the pressure in her chest and started to walk while following the Arcobaleno. Lal and Colonnello kept giving her points of her fight, some good and some bad, and although they were good advice her tired mind wasn't keeping up with them.

Reborn suddenly stopped, making them all follow his sample. The action made her look down at him, noting for the first time his glowing yellow pacifier. She stared at it in wonder, her mind pulsing in a pleasant throb as she thought on what could inflict such a reaction. Her lips parted when Colonnello's own blue pacifier reflected the same action, and her skin bristled in tiny sparks when further in the hallway, where the shadows seemed to loom in front of them, a purple light shone and answered back the call.

Soon, the darkness tendrils made way to reveal a little baby wearing armour and a white helmet advancing towards them, and in his chest, the glowing orb seemed to shine brighter as in greeting; another Arcobaleno.

"R-Reborn! This is the day that I-

Whatever he was going to say died as soon as Reborn kicked him and sent him flying back into the darkness of the hallway.

The fuck just happened? She blinked in confusion. Reborn calmly returned to his previous place as if nothing had happened. Not a few seconds later, the other baby walked back towards them and pointed at the hitman with a shaking finger.

"Today is the day that I shall take my revenge!"

"Great, it's the other idiot" Lal rolled her eyes at the proclamation.

Tsuna confusion quickly melted as her brain triggered with the information and identity of the newcomer.

"Hey! It's Skull!"

"Y-You know me?" He took a step back, startled by her calling him out.

"Dame-Tsuna" Reborn warned her but Tsuna olympically ignored him by walking towards the other Arcobaleno.

"I saw you perform when I was little. You were so cool! The way you flew and crashed but stood up again, it was amazing! I had your autograph for years!" She exclaimed brightly, there was a happy aura around her that had Skull completely entrapped.

"Who is this angel?" He whispered in astonishment.

"She's Tsuna. Pretty girl, right?" Colonnello said with a grin, at which the stuntman dumbly nodded. Lal snorted at the whole display.

"Say, can I have your autograph?"

The stuntman stared at her through his helmet in silence, before he suddenly did a full jump and huddled on into himself as he quickly whispered into whatever mic he had on his helmet.

"Abort mission, abort mission"

"But, Boss. You're the mission"

"Abort!" He whispered harshly before hanging up and turning around as if nothing had happened "I can never refuse my beloved fans. Shall I recite my latest adventure?"

"Die" Reborn shot him in the chest and Tsuna watched in bewilderment as the bullet collided on his chest and sent Skull flying away from her.

"Reborn, don't be mean!"

"He had it coming" Lal said with amusement, and even Colonnello snickered. She gaped at them in indignation at the unfair treatment. Feeling sorry for Skull, she could very well empathize with him due to being on a receiving end of Lal's past torments and Rebron's current ones.

As if feeling her sympathy for him, Skull ran towards her and hugged one of her legs.

"Tsuna, Reborn is bullying me"

"There, there. I know the feeling" She smiled in pity and leaned down to pat him on the helmet. Of course, the hitman had to ruin everything by a green springing boxing glove that came out of nowhere; in other words Leon.

"Stay away from her, you leech"

"Reborn!"

"We better go, anyway. You need to rest too" Colonnello said, pushing her slightly to keep walking.

"I'm tagging along!" Skull raised his hand, the beating apparently not destroying his confidence. She could learn a lot from him.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Lal demanded as the five of them trekked their way out from the training grounds. And as they kept going through the hallway, Tsuna's heart constricted in her gut when they walked through the crossroad she once stood. And with a sense of bitterness she realized that if she had chosen the right path, the one she was walking on, it would have led her to the exit. Yet her intuition selfishly led her to the other side.

"I was hired for a mission"

"So a lackey"

"S-Shut up! If you must know, I was recruited for an important operation. My presence was the game changer!"

"Just a lackey"

Skull fumed by her side and she smiled for a little bit. Suddenly though, before she realized it, her feet stopped walking and the feeling of resentment was soon replaced by one of distress.

"Tsuna?" Colonnello called her when she stopped walking,

"Something's… not right…" She whispered, as her eyes remained fixed ahead. Her cursed intuition was warning her of something, whatever laid ahead was dangerous and risky but whatever it was, no harm would come her way. That she was sure.

She flinched when the hitman suddenly jumped on her shoulder to use her as a ride, but his presence grounded her back to reality.

"Let's go" Reborn said, slightly encouraging her to keep going forwards.

The others were confused by her quiet warning though Lal seemed to guess what was happening. They marched forward in silence, and by every step they neared to the door at the end of the hall, the trained senses of the Arcobaleno alerted them of the unknown scuffle happening outside.

It was Colonnello who took action first, by releasing his rifle and banging the door open. It revealed a battle royal happening at the lobby of the white castle. Some families and people were hiding beneath the tables while others tried to dodge bullets and fists as they made an escape.

"What 's going on, Kora!" The soldier threw himself into battle, heading towards the fallen table to help the people there get out while firing at whoever crossed his path.

"Everyone, stand down. This is Skull, your commander, stand down"

"I thought he was the lackey"

"Stand down!"

Tsuna froze at the sight, people were running and screaming, firing bullets and fighting for whatever reason. The sight of blood splashing around whenever a bullet hit someone made her heart squeeze in terror.

She barely felt Reborn shifting in her shoulder and Leon morphing into a gun as a guy in black helmet approached her in a jog.

"Yo! Tsuna" He called cheerfully and the brunette was confused as hell to see the ex-baseball player beneath the helmet. He was sweaty and tired as if he had run a mile, but his smile was nothing but relieved. She had so many questions and scoldings, nevermind that Reborn almost shot him, what the heck was he even doing at a crossfire?

"Yamamoto?" She weakly asked, still perturbed at the fact that he was on the line of fire. He laughed at seeing her dumbfounded stare and waved at his attire.

"Oh, it's not like that. We use this to sneak out and gather intel on this play, smart huh?"

He was actually proud of the plan, and although it was somehow ingenious, she was mentally begging Colonnello not to shoot this idiot, or the other one.

"Juudaime! You're safe!" Another helmet wearing figure approached her fast, and if it weren't for the way he addressed her, she would still know who it was for the way he was searching her entire body for any wound.

"Gokudera-kun, what the hell?"

"Stay with your boss, kids"

"Reborn!" The hitman left her shoulder to join the fight, and looking around she saw the others tagging along "Wait, Lal?! Oh my god!"

"Juudaime, I'm taking you out of here. The situation is being contained here, no outside forces have attacked the park" He told her, finally removing his helmet to reveal sweaty silver strands glued to his forehead.

"Fuck, my mom" She said before remembering her what the feeling has been telling her all day "She's fine, she's fine. Okay, W-We need to move, um..."

"Take cover!"

Tsuna immediately grabbed both boys and threw them through the door she just came from. She quickly slammed it close, just in time as a loud thud collided with it.

"How do we get out?"

"We can either wait here for the fight to end or we make our way through"

"You can't dodge bullets, he can't dodge bullets and I'm done with flying bullets!" She exclaimed half in hysterics and half in anxiety. Gokudera placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her wide eyes with a reassuring look.

"Juudaime, please listen to me. Nothing it's going to hurt you, I promise. If this idiot survived the break-in, we will survive the break-out. Trust me"

She didn't need her intuition rubbing it on her face to know they were going to make it okay. Perhaps it was the way his eyes held her panicked stare, maybe it was the confidence in his voice or the reassuring comfort on her shoulders. At that moment she could honestly say she believed that.

"Okay"

"That was so manly" Yamamoto said, breaking Gokudera's mood.

"Shut up, idiot!"

Tsuna took a deep breath to calm her nerves before letting it go. There was no time to doubt, this was the moment to pause and listen to every training and advice she has been taught. They didn't have any weapons, they didn't have any shields.

So Lesson #5, when in trouble, run.

"Let's go"

"Right behind you"

Gokudera opened the doors very slightly and peered inside, seeing that the coast was clear, he signalled them to come out. He stepped in front of her as she walked out, the situation had diminished greatly by the Arcobaleno interference, but she didn't wish to stay back and admire their work.

They ran towards the exit, making sure to stay by the wall, which was the safest area at the moment. They seemed to be the only non-fighters in the room, which made them visible target. The men in helmets were confused to see two boys wearing their armour but no helmet guarding a girl. But whenever someone approached them, Gokudera would throw dynamite to scare the attackers out of their path.

Luckily, and by fate's good grace, they made their escape safely with Reborn and Colonnello guarding their backs as they ran from the castle.

They didn't stop running, not until they were very far away, probably on the other side of the park. But once someone slowed down, the other two followed until they came to halt and pant harshly while leaning on something.

"Phew, that was intense" Yamamoto said, almost choking on his own spit as he swallowed mid-sentence.

"S-Shut...up.." Gokudera breathed deeply before turning to see his boss leaning on her knees. "Juudaime, are you alright?"

"You look pale, are you gonna throw up?" Yamamoto walked closer to her with a worried expression.

"'m fine" She panted.

"Go get some juice. And candy" Gokudera ordered the other boy, and he was just going to do that but Tsuna stopped him by grabbing his hand.

"N-No, let's just wait for Reborn. They are almost done" She swallowed before exhaling and looked up at them with a weak smile "I'm fine, just shaken"

"Take a breath and walk around. It helped me relax before a game" Yamamoto advised her and she nodded.

Under their watchful stares, she walked slowly in circles around them, feeling her heart slowing down and muscles uncoiling. She was still on edge, probably will be until she returned home and was safely back at her house, even knowing that the mafia will no doubt follow her back, at least running away from here will let her properly breathe.

On her ninth turn, she felt something at the back of her neck. It was like a pinching sensation, accompanied by a buzzing sensation in her head that she has come to recognize. A warning. When she turned, there was a young man smiling flirtatiously at her a couple of steps away.

"Ciao Bella" He greeted her "Are you Japanese? You're so beautiful, belladonna!"

"Oi, get lost" Gokudera immediately stalked over with a glare, hands grabbing some dynamite to show his hostility towards the newcomer.

"Che scocciatore" The guys sneered at him before flipping a hand through his hair and turned towards the brunette with a charming smile "Have lunch with me, per favore? I can show you a good time"

First the pretty boy, now this guy? Tsuna was getting tired of men just coming at her with ill intentions. It was making her sick and bristled inside.

She has had a crappy day, first waking up at dawn to train, getting lost in a goddamn mafia park, being flirted at as if she was an object, falling down and fighting a panic attack, fighting an Arcobaleno and puking in his shoes, walking through a crossfire and running away has finally drained her. She was just done! She didn't need another lecherous man to lust after her.

Lesson #6, when life annoys you, punch it in the face.

So when the guy tried to touch her arm, she finally snapped and punched him in the face.

And just in time for the other party to arrive and see her knock down a man. Colonnello whistled in awe, even Lal made a pleasant noise of acknowledgement at the action.

"Oh my god, she's been tainted" Skull cried with his hands on his head "She's awesome but scary, Tsuna, no!"

The man grunted and held his jaw as he stood up, rage taking his features as he advanced towards the girl. Gokudera immediately stood in front of her, his protective stance shielding her away. Even Yamamoto walked closer to them but was soon distracted by the babies.

"Why you little-

No one cared what he had to say as he harshly choked and fell once again to the ground, revealing a green dart sticking to the back of his neck. And this time, Tsuna didn't care what that dart meant.

"That was amazing, Juudaime!" Gokudera exclaimed while gently turning her away from the body.

"Why don't you scold Tsuna for punching someone too?" Yamamoto said with a pout.

"You punched someone?"

"Yeah, there was this guy-

"It was no one important, Juudaime"

"It's Tsuna. You lose 30 points"

"He actually lost 50"

"I-... I'm deeply sorry, Boss" The Italian bomber bowed repeatedly, making the brunette feel awkward as people were starting to look over.

"It's fine. Good work today?"

"Yes! Thank you!" That only made him bow even more.

She giggled dryly, having no more strength to use. It was something everyone noticed.

"You look tired" The ex-baseball player pointed and laughed amusedly when her stomach grumbled "And hungry"

"Right, I puked my lunch"

"Juudaime, please, let me escort you to the food stands" He offered his arm to her.

"Call me Tsuna" She insisted on autopilot and looped her arm with his so that she could walk without stumbling.

Yamamoto watched them go in silence, having chosen to remain behind for a little bit. It sure was a crazy day for him, losing control and wanting to protect his friends was turning him into something he didn't know he could become. He didn't know if it was a good thing or not, or if the change was for the better or the worse.

He just wanted to stay with them.

Training with his dad was helping him keep up with whatever game they found themselves in. Whether it was fighting people, training together or running around. He just wished it could become so much more than that.

He wasn't startled when a sudden weight landed on his shoulder, he was becoming familiar with such a move. The little baby with the fedora sure loved to use his shoulders like a transport whenever the brunette wasn't available.

"Any thoughts of today?" Reborn asked.

"I was worried for her safety but knew she was with you so I didn't panic. But, should I have?"

"Would it have made a difference?"

"I don't know. I don't think I would have kept my cool if I was worried, probably wouldn't know what to do. I tried to follow them and we work together just fine, but in the end, they still seem to pull away from me"

He confessed sadly but his eyes soon lighted up as Tsuna turned back to search for him.

"Guess I gotta try harder" He said with a wistful smile. Reborn tilted his fedora in acknowledgement to his resolve and jumped down, though he did have some parting words in return.

"Not too hard or you'll get burn" Yamamoto apparently didn't hear him, or chose not to comment because he ran back to stand on the left side of the brunette. Reborn watched the trio talk among themselves until they became lost in the crowd, people mingling and having fun, not being aware of the bloodshed that occurred a few minutes ago.

"What do we do with the body?" Colonnello asked while kicking the man on the ground.

"Let's throw it to the ocean"

"Have fun, I'm taking this idiot for questioning" Lal snatched Skull and started to drag him away despite his protests.

"B-but Lal! It wasn't my doing! I helped! Wait, Senpai!"

With Leon's help in rope mode, they dragged the man around towards a deserted part on the side of the park, where a metal fence protected the borders with the ocean. With no trouble, they threw the man over the fence and watched him sink down without a trace. Mafia Land was a secure place for people to enjoy a day without worrying about the underground troubles, but that didn't mean there weren't shadows lurking at every corner.

Suddenly, a white hawk suddenly landed on the soldier's head, making him exclaim in happiness.

"Falco, where have you been, boy? Kora!" The hawk cried and pointed its beak towards the horizon, where they could see dozens of ships sailing away at a fast speed.

"Hmm, so the lackey planned to attack after all"

"Great thing Tsuna turned him around with her smile, kora"

"She tends to do that"

"Is that why you're pulling away from her?"

Reborn almost kicked him towards the ocean but refrain from such childish manners. At least, for now. The other didn't have the right to tease or question his actions when the soldier was the one who kept hugging and admiring the girl through all day. And where will that leave them? Torn and used.

They both had responsibilities, they were chained by them. Just like Tsuna was shaping hers, he had no intention of being shackled down by her.

His relationship with the brunette was that of a student and tutor, nothing more, nothing else. He didn't have to gossip with her or sugar-coat her life, so long as he does his job and she excelled at it, that was all he wanted.

Colonnello gave him a knowing smirk as if reading his thoughts and calling them a lie. But no matter, if the idiot wanted to get struck down by the brunette's allure, that was going to be his downfall, not his.

So he simply turned and walked away.

.

.

.

As soon as she walked towards the food stands, they ironically were reunited with the others. Her mother immediately questioned her pale face, at which she confessed to having thrown up due to some intense ride. With her mother's insistence, they all returned to the cruise for a well-deserved meal and rest.

Chicken soup and a bubble bath sat perfectly well for her, Tsuna was ready to end the day. But alas, it was too good to be true. The kids were excitedly telling her of their adventures in the aquarium and the other rides she missed. It was mostly Lambo boasting around while Fuuta made fun of him, which led the kid to scream and Ipin to calm them down.

Then Bianchi came out from her shower wearing a facemask, which scared the kids and led to Gokudera to faint. It was amusing, but the noise was keeping her from falling asleep. She didn't want to disturb her mother, who had fallen asleep without much trouble in her own room, so in a moment of worn-out courage, she grabbed a pillow and stepped out for a moment.

She took advantage that Reborn wasn't in the cabin and that the kids were drawing on Gokudera's face to get out. Yamamoto might have seen her walk out, but he was drowsily watching the kids have fun and she couldn't feel him following her. She couldn't feel anyone, as a matter of fact. So with easy steps, she climbed over to the deck where she proceeded to curl down in a beach chair.

She felt drained from the day, and although a part of her wanted to cry, the other one just wanted to fall asleep. They were staying on the cruise for another two days, and then they were going back to Japan, back to their normal lives. What was normal to her anymore?

Standing Reborn's training, going to school, fighting a crazy weirdo, survive the day… the list could go on and on. Everything just felt tiring to her, and sometimes; at little moments in time, she wondered if perhaps this was worth it. It was a question she had no answer, for her intuition wisely chose to remain silent whenever she pondered on it. And that silence was far scarier than anything else.

She hugged the pillow closer to her chest and curled her legs further when Colonnello approached her by jumping over the chair she was laying on.

"Okay kiddo, let's talk, Kora. What's bothering you?" He finally asked what he wanted to know after the whole training episode.

"It's nothing"

"It's -not- nothing. Come on kid, talk to me. You used to chatter nonstop at our tea parties"

A smile curled on her lips at those memories. Every afternoon was tea-party time, filled with biscuits and blueberries and cake and tea, it was every little girl's dream. Everything seemed perfect and easy when she was a kid, she bitterly wished to return to those days when everything was simple.

Talking to Colonnello was easy, maybe it was because of their past or the mere calming presence he carried with him, but after such a tiring day, she found herself opening up a little.

"It's just… Something's wrong with me… I know, I can feel it, but I don't know why. And it scares me" She closed her eyes and hugged the pillow tighter "Reborn doesn't… I can't talk to him. I feel like I'm going crazy"

"You're not crazy, kid. Just lonely"

"Yeah…"

They stayed in silence after that, not forcing or pressing for the other to talk. It was calming, being there with the cool breeze and cruise rocking her to an almost lull. But she couldn't sleep, not yet. So she opened her eyes and turned to see the sky.

The sight was breathtaking, it was a clear sky with nothing but stars shining brightly. It made her feel small and human while staring at such a vast canvas. Like she was part of something far greater than just a mafia doll. Dark and empty but carrying little lights that lighted their way into the dark, she dimly wondered if perhaps that was going to be her fate.

She knew she wasn't alone. Her mother's unconditional love was a force that made her keep on living every day with a smile and hope to see the tomorrow. Whenever she had trouble with school or trivial things, she knew she could count on her mother for everything. But there was a line she was never going to cross, a line that led to a desolated future.

Some days it felt like she was the only star in the sky, burning brightly to try and not die, but little by little that shine was starting to dim.

She was brought back to earth by Colonnello shifting next to her. He had cosily leaned against the pillow in her chest, he was the one ready to just close his eyes and fall asleep. But even he was still alert, seeing as a new presence was joining them.

She blinked at Lal who was walking towards them. Her cape was gone, and she looked a little tired. She didn't know what would have brought her here, probably to watch over the idiots who apparently were planning to sleep under the stars.

"You'll get sick. Go back to your room" Or to scold her, that worked too.

"Mm" Though Tsuna wanted to move, her body was finally shutting down. She was very comfortable and too tired to get up, the soldier dozing on her seemed to agree by letting out a soft snore. For some reason, her old mentor didn't scream or hit them, she was frowning slightly and seemed to be thinking hard on something. "Lal?"

"There's something you should know, brat" It was costing her, whatever it was that she wanted to say wasn't going to be easy. Knowing Lal, she would have told her whatever horror she wanted without a doubt, but seeing her wait and think on a way to break it to her was a little startling.

"What is it?"

"Iemitsu's coming to Japan"

Her eyes widened and lips parted in a silent gasp at that announcement. Lal was right to be wary of telling her, for she knew her heart wasn't ready for that. She was the only one who knew how things were on both sides, and for that man to suddenly appear back into her life after 6 years with no contact, after everything that happened…

Thoughts of returning home and living normal calming days were burnt as a newfound feeling brew inside of her.

"Fuck"

.

.

.

He wasn't paid enough for this.

As a matter of fact, he wasn't paid at all. All the money he had saved was from his small inheritance and missions he took over the years as a solo-for-hire hitman while officially unemployed. It wasn't easy and he got hurt a lot, but he prevailed until the end if only to reach this day.

Had he known all the savings that were meant to last a year were wasted in a week for wine and meat, he would have opted for another plan. But no matter, everything was done and in motion, soon the fruits of their hardships will bloom and burn everything to the ground.

Just as it was meant to be from the start.

He kicked the door open in frustration, not only had his savings disappeared, but he was also assigned the role of postman as the captain of the assassination squad.

"VOOI! Pack up! We're going to Japan"

He yelled, not caring if someone woke up due to the night-time hour. It was useless to care though because the people inside the room were awake; a grinning kid watching TV and a greedy baby; who refused to share his income, was counting mountains of coins at the table.

The boy turned to face him with a thirsty grin, his shoulders barely trembling in contained excitement at the news he longed to hear.

"Shishishi, Finally!"

.

.

.


Guess who's coming to town?

Thanks for reading guys! Next chapter is already under construction, so expect it soon. And as a bonus, I'm writing some little OMAKES to close up the Daily and Mukuro's Arc. I don't know if I should publish them here or create a separate side-story exclusive to them. What do you guys think?

So, some things to clarify.

The reason why both Gokudera and Tsuna pull away from Yamamoto (and other characters) is because of Omertà. They don't want to drag any civilians into Mafia troubles, but as the title of this chapter states, the Mafia is already in.

As you could probably guess, I cut the whole Carcassa famiglia and Skull situation. The chapter was just getting too long.

Also, I love Fuuta. He deserves better. But Tsuna will properly bond with the other two kids, especially with Lambo as the story progresses.

Anyway, see you guys later!