OpalescentGold: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.
Tsuna
This is how light brightens the night sky.
Hurt
When the girl with the pretty pale hair approaches Tsuna for the first time, she asks him if he is someone he is not. Tsuna denies it, but immediately feels guilty later when he knows she is hurting even though no pain shows visibly.
Friendship
Noriko is Tsuna's first and only friend. He thinks she is weird and a little crazy, because she's fearless, not even shying away from the really scary chihuahua that growls at them one day.
Still, he wouldn't trade her for the world, because she is warm and sweet, with hugs that smell of cool moonlight and laughter like silver chimes.
Bullies
Tsuna is bullied. It doesn't surprise him because he knows he is clumsy and weak, not really good at his homework or sports. The older kids like teasing him, but Tsuna just ducks his head and hurries away whenever he can.
But Noriko looks furious the first time she finds Tsuna cornered by three of the meanies in first grade. Her eyes flash and she stomps forward, pushing past them so she stands in front of Tsuna, back ramrod straight.
Tsuna worries because he does not want Noriko hurt, even as his chest grows warm because he's never had anyone stand up for him. She just puts her hands on her hips and stares down the older kids even though she's smaller.
"What do you think you're doing?" she demands and her normally bright voice is hard like diamond.
"Hah, another shorty?" Eiji, a big fourth grader, says, smiling in a way that makes Tsuna shift uneasily. It's a very not-nice smile. "Go away, won't ya? We haven't got our lunch money yet."
Noriko merely sniffs and raises an eyebrow. "No," she says simply and grabs Tsuna's hand. Before anyone can move, she trips Eiji - how did she do that!? - and bolts, dragging Tsuna along with her as she breaks into a run.
"Hiiiieeee!" he shrieks, almost falling over his own feet before catching up to her rhythm. The tell-tale sounds of boots against tiles makes him look back and shriek even louder. "Nori-chan, they're following us!"
His crazy friend only laughs and speeds up.
Tsuna doesn't have bully problems after that though.
Tutor
Noriko is really smart. The day Tsuna gets a bad, bad grade on his test - like, how-am-I-going-to-tell-Mom-about this?!-sorta grade - she blinks and smiles and pulls out her notes.
Then, she drills Tsuna on the material until he gets a better score on the next test.
Incident
There's that one time Noriko convinces Tsuna to climb into his neighbor's yard and pick her pomegranates. Tsuna goes along with it hesitantly, but Noriko is very persuasive.
They get chased out with stones and sticks raining down upon their heads.
Noriko, the insane girl, laughs the entire time.
That is officially the day that Tsuna decides his friend's ideas should not be followed.
He still ends up being dragged along on most of her adventures anyway.
Like that time with the snake...
Rain
This is how she learns about the Rain.
Third
Noriko doesn't meet him until third grade. It is the first day of school - she is growing annoyed of going through these simple concepts, but Tsuna needs this so she endures it - and she is bored.
She glances around the room, absently braiding her growing hair, and goes very, very still when she spots the laughing boy in the corner with black hair and brown eyes and a calm friendliness she has missed.
Oh. Oh. Noriko looks at the Sky, then the Rain. If Ugetsu's descendant is here too...does that mean everyone else is as well?
Introductions
Noriko wastes no time in dragging Tsuna over to the boy's desk the second class ends. Tsuna, used to her antics, lets her, but furrows his brow in confusion. The boy looks up when they approach and smiles, unfazed by her actions.
Some part of Noriko, the part who was Cynthia, almost breaks down crying at the familiarity in that dear smile.
"Hey!" he says cheerfully. "We haven't met yet, huh? I'm Yamamoto Takeshi."
She laughs, nearly bewildered by how easy this is. "Hi! I'm Reiki Noriko and this is Sawada Tsunayoshi. You can just call him Tsuna. Oh, and call me Nori."
"I-It's nice to meet you," Tsuna stutters out, bowing politely.
Takeshi only grins warmly and bows back. "Nice to meet you, too!"
Noriko stands off to the side and smiles fondly, thoughts on times bygone.
Baseball
Noriko laughs and laughs when she learns Takeshi is obsessed with baseball. Perhaps she should start looking into genetic research? She's half-tempted to throw a flute at him and see how he reacts.
She refrains because Tsuna is already eyeballing her like he's contemplating whether or not he needs to send her to a therapist.
Mountain
Noriko has always been somewhat reckless and sporadic since she has been reunited with Tsuna. It is partly because she wants Tsuna to be familiar with the unexpected and partly because it is in her nature to be ever changing.
Ever changing, but always there.
However, Takeshi is almost always on board with practically anything she suggests so long as it sounds fun.
Between Noriko's urging and Takeshi's enthusiasm, Tsuna doesn't stand a chance. They get lost within five minutes and only get back to Namimori at sunset.
Katana
Noriko stares at Takeshi. "So your family's sword style - "
"Shigure Soen Style," he supplies.
"Right. That." She pauses, quirks a smile. "It was passed down from your ancestor."
"Yeah! I don't remember his name...Asa something."
Takeshi seems somewhat concerned when Noriko falls on the floor laughing hysterically.