I.

Over the remaining course of Tsuna's first year in elementary school, his grades drastically improve much to the amazement and delight of his mother and to the 'satisfaction' of his teachers and peers.

"Bunch of hypocrite, the lot of them… Only treating you nicely now that you're on the same 'level' as everyone else… Disgusting…"

As the brunet's grades improve, so does his social standing amongst his fellow classmates. Whereas he used to be ostracized and bullied daily, now people go to him for help with math, history, and other difficult subjects.

"You should mock and ridicule them for not knowing the answers, Kid. Give them a taste of their own medicine… or better yet, give them all the wrong answers and watch them suffer and complain!"

'I w-won't do something l-like that, Zero! I-It's not nice!'

"They didn't care whether or not they were being 'nice' to you, you know… Don't you want to get even a little bit of revenge on them?"

'No, I don't.'

"… Bah! You're no fun, Kid… Of all the people I'd get stuck in, it had to be the most forgiving and kind person of all… Will you at least talk trash about them with me then?! You might be able to forgive them so easily but I can't!"

'… Maybe…'

"I'll take it!"

II.

At Zero's urging – and whining – Tsuna decides to join a club – a sport to be more specific, in his second year in elementary school.

"Academics and grades can be easily improved, Kid. Hell, you don't even need to study anything as long as I'm in your head! However, physical strength, flexibility, and simple coordination cannot be obtained so easily. While your grades might have improved over the past year, you still suck at sports and are one of the most – if not the most – clumsiest person I have ever met."

'I k-know… what c-club should I j-join then?'

"Hmm… you aren't the physically aggressive type – and you are way too small and feminine to join any contact sport - which basically rules out almost everything… and I know you won't like getting hit or injured by anything so… how about dance?"

'B-But isn't d-dancing fo-for girl?'

"Pah! Don' let gender stereotypes limit your way of thinking, Kid! A lot of guys dance too, you know. Beside it's really the only activity you'll probably like since you won't get hit by a ball or a bat or tackled to the ground like in other sports… plus you get to dance with girls and you'll learn how to be graceful and strong at the same time!"

'I… I don't know…'

"Well, at least think about it okay? It doesn't have to be dance but something like it would suit you the best compared to other sports."

'Okay.'

"Perhaps you could learn how to ice skate? It's like dancing but you can do it on your own and it would help increase your balance."

III.

"Zero, I w-want to l-learn b-ballet!" Tsuna announces one day, after school.

"Muh… huh? Wassit? … S-Sorry, Kid, I was sleeping."

"… I didn't know you could s-sleep, Zero…"

"Me neither… Anyways, what were you saying?"

"I w-want to l-learn b-ballet!"

"Ballet, huh? Any particular reason?"

"W-Well…," Tsuna trails off and fidgets nervously, "I h-heard that K-Kyoko-chan w-wants to be a b-ballerina when she g-grows up a-and i-if I l-learn ballet then I-I'll be able to da-dance with h-her o-one day!"

"Ah, young love… Well, if you wanna learn ballet, who am I to stop you, Kid? But, is there even a ballet studio or someone who teaches ballet in Namimori?"

"I-I don't know… b-but I can f-find out!"

IV.

Tsuna learns that there is no ballet studio or teacher in Namimori. In fact, the closest ballet studio is in the next two towns over and without a car, it'd be impossible for Tsuna to take lessons there.

"I… I really w-wanted t-to l-learn too…," the brunet sniffs from under a pile of blankets in his bedroom.

"… I can teach you."

"R-Really?!" Tsuna sits up in excitement at Zero's nonchalant comment.

"Sure, I already know a lot of stuff – ballet and other dances included – so I can tell you what to do."

"O-Okay! Wh-What do I have t-to do f-first?!"

"Well… it'd be best to begin building up your stamina and flexibility, first. Going running everyday and doing light yoga and stretching would be a good way to start."

"Okay! I-I'm going to start r-running right now," Tsuna exclaims before rushing downstairs and out the front door.

"H-Hold on a minute, Kid! You can't go running now! You don't have the right shoes or clothes on to run! Plus it's like seven at night! You still have to finish up your homework and eat dinner and get ready for bed! Kid?! KID!"

VI.

Tsuna regrets going running the next day when at school.

'Ughhh… my legs hurt…'

"Yeah well, that's what you get for not listening to me and for not stopping when I told you to! Don't you know that you can't just start running or doing anything strenuous without getting ready first?! … Well, I guess you can but your muscles will be sore afterwards. But the next time you decide to go running so suddenly, at least take a few minutes to stretch and get your body ready, okay?!"

'O-Okay.'

"Hmph, good… you know, Kid, you're actually kinda reckless and stubborn sometimes, you know? While holding your ground and sticking to your guns can be a good thing, you also need to learn to listen to what other people tell you… but! That doesn't mean to just blindly follow whatever it is someone says, okay? You end up doing that and we'll both end up in a bad situation, yeah?"

'… Wh-What about y-you?'

"Huh? What about me?"

'D-Does that m-mean I should o-only listen to y-you, Zero?'

"… If I were someone else, anyone else, I'd tell you to only listen to me. But! Since I'm me, I say… fuck no! While I won't do or tell you to do anything that would end up putting the both of us in danger, you still can disagree or tell me that you don't want to do something. I mean, I'm just a passenger in your body, Kid. In the end, this body and mind is all yours, meaning you actually don't have to listen to a damn thing I'm saying. What can I do if you don't listen to me? Yell at you mentally all day long? … Well, I guess I could do that but I'd get tired of being ignored and then I'd probably not say anything after that in retaliation until you really needed my help but… by then would I still be around in your head? … Actually, I don't even know how long I'll be here. You could wake up tomorrow and I'd be gone, you know."

"WH-WHAT?!" Tsuna's eyes grow wide as he stands suddenly, sending his chair clattering to the ground and drawing the attention of his classmates.

"Mental voice, Kid! Use your mental voice!"

"S-Sorry…" the brunet quickly murmurs to his classmates and to Zero before righting his chair and sitting back down.

'Wh-What do you mean that you w-won't be h-here anymore?!'

"I meant what I said, Kid. Since I don't know what caused me to be in your head, I can't say for certain how long I'll be hanging around here. We could be stuck together for the next five minutes or the next fifteen years."

'I-I don't w-want you t-t-to leave!'

"… Sometimes life makes decisions for you that you don't like, but that you'll have to accept, Kid… Though if we're being completely honest with one another… I wouldn't want to leave you either…"

'Z-Zero…!'

"Now, enough of this emotional stuff – we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, but for now, I'll make sure to part every piece of important – and fuck ton of unimportant – information I have on you! Are you ready?!"

'Y-Yes!'

"Great! First things first, we get your name to the top of the academic charts and make your body into something that everyone will want! Then we'll get revenge on all of the people that bullied you!"

'Ye-! … W-What? N-No!'

"Tch… thought I could get you to agree to that last one…"

'Zero!'

"Aw… c'mon, Kid! Just a little bit of revenge then? How about spiking their drinks and getting them drunk?!"

'N-No!'

"Gluing their books to their desks?!"

'No!'

"Writing and sending them fake love letters and then laughing at them when no one shows up?!"

'NO!'

"… Fine then! I guess we'll just stick to the plan of making you the best person in the whole goddamn world then… no fun at all, really…"