AFTER THE RAIN

Author's Notes: Okay, this one was revised by yours truly. I just have to do it since I cannot think of how to continue the story and the first one doesn't make sense to me so I changed it a bit. Hope you'll enjoy this all the same.

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn.

Prologue: The Departure of the Little Sky Melody

She remembered doing her homework as her father said when she heard it. There was an explosion in the mansion. She stood up and ran out of the room, things on her study table forgotten. She ran along the hallway of the mansion towards the big doors that will lead to the ballroom. She couldn't call out for the other people in the mansion, in fear of someone attacking her. Her father had told her to never alert the enemy of her position, anywhere and anytime, even inside their mansion.

Especially now that there were signs of being attacked.

She stopped in front of the big doors, hesitant in opening it. She could hear noises outside. Not just simple noises: screams, explosions, and gunshots could be heard. She wasn't afraid of any of these things anymore, since she was trained by the people around her, but what she was afraid of was her precious people getting hurt and even worse…

…finding them dead.

She bit her lip to stop her thoughts there. She shook her head. There was no way. Her family was strong. They wouldn't lose. Never.

She tensed when she felt a hand on her shoulder suddenly. However, she relaxed, her hyper intuition calming her and feeling the familiar grip, turned behind her to see silver orbs staring at her in relief.

"Thank goodness you're alright! We almost got a heart attack when we tried to contact you and you're not answering." He placed a hand on his hips and pointed at her, "I went to your room and you're not there. What am I supposed to think then?" the man asked her, exasperated.

She couldn't help a little smile that graced her lips. Trust her Zio to lighten up the mood… or he was just a worrywart.

Well, either way, he managed to cheer the little sky up.

"Come on, principessa, your father is searching for you." He called out with haste, taking her hand, and pulling her gently towards the place where she guessed her father was.

"Zio Hayato, where is papa?" she asked as she run with her uncle, a dear friend and the loyal and trusted right hand man of her father.

He answered without looking in her direction, focusing on taking her to safety. "He is in the laboratory. We're going there as well."

She nodded in understanding but realized that her uncle cannot see her so she settled with "I see." as a reply.

There was an explosion behind them, and she bit back a scream as she heard her uncle cursed loudly.

"Damn Clotilde!" he shook his head and pulled the girl in a hurry. "Hurry up, let's go!" he said, trying hard not to shout in fear of having the enemy catch up to them. He knew he had to send the girl to the Tenth immediately, or there were things that will happen that can never be fixed.

Just like five years ago.

It cannot happen again. Not with his daughter. His thoughts ran wild in his head as he ran with the young daughter of his boss. He cannot afford to lose the girl here.

He let himself smile a bit when he saw the doors to the laboratory. They stopped in front of it and Hayato opened it for her, pushing her inside in haste. The girl almost tripped but managed to balance herself. She turned to her uncle to give him a piece of her mind but saw the look of urgency and apology on his face, so she ignored it. She looked around the laboratory and saw her father. The girl smiled brightly after scanning her father and seeing that he was alright. She ran towards him, calling out, "Papa!"

The brown-haired adult turned to the voice and opened his arms to embrace his one and only 14-year-old daughter.

"Ciel! Thank goodness you're alright!" he exclaimed in relief. "You're not answering your phone, so I asked Hayato to get you."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She forgot that her father was also a worrywart. Well, she was also worried for a second of her father since she heard the explosions in the mansion.

She couldn't get mad if her father worries about her even from the smallest of things because she understood.

She understood so well why he became overprotective and worrywart of her. Because she became one as well towards him. Yes, being a mafia boss involved risking their lives always however, that wasn't the only reason.

Her becoming a worrywart exemplified, since three years ago.

When her…

Ooops. She shook her head to stop the thoughts. Stupid, Ciel. It wasn't the right time for this. Her father pulled out of the embrace when he felt the shaking of her head against his chest.

"What's wrong?" he inquired; eyes filled with worry.

She smiled at him, all she could do was to ease his heart and mind that she was fine. "Nothing, I'm okay, papa. I'm sorry for not answering my phone. I left it in my room." She answered. Receiving the questionable look in her father's features, she explained, "I went outside of my room after I heard the explosions."

The Vongola tenth boss sighed heavily. "Ciel, I told you not to leave your room especially if something happens. I'll always go to you or if I can't, your uncles will be getting you."

"Hmm… I got curious so I went outside though Zio Hayato found me and brought me here."

"Never mind then. As long as you're fine." He said with a gentle smile.

She returned it with her own.

A cough interrupted the bond of the father and daughter and both of them stared at the person where they heard the small noise from.

"Everything is ready now, Vongola." A blond-haired man with a lollipop stick stuck on his mouth leaned on the wall of a sliding door, looking at them.

"Hm, thank you Spanner." He smiled towards the technician. "Is Shoichi inside?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." The brunette stared at her daughter with a sad smile. Ciel didn't know what that means, and she had a feeling that she actually didn't want to know. "Papa?"

He patted her head affectionately. "Come with me, Ciel."

She nodded. "Hn."

He looked over at his right-hand man, "Hayato, please take care of everything outside for a while."

The storm guardian nodded, "Understood, Tenth."

He nodded and pulled his daughter towards the inner laboratory. They walked along a hallway Ciel had never seen before. She wasn't allowed in this part of the lab, and it was always closed whenever she visited Spanner-san and Sho-san.

She didn't even know why there were here at the first place.

She glanced at her father. His poker face was on, but he cannot hide that small hint of sadness in his eyes. Not to her.

"Papa?" she touched his hand and enclosed her fingers with his. He turned to her as they stopped at the exit of the hallway. She hesitated, lowered her head, and bit her lip. This action made Tsuna feel nostalgic and smile. She resembled her mother very much it hurts sometimes.

His smile turned soft. He patted her head again. Ciel, his daughter, looked at him and he saw that bright smile again.

She loved being patted on the head by her father because it made her feel safe and loved.

He faced forward and his daughter did the same. They saw a large white circular gear on the wall. Ciel furrowed her eyebrows.

What was… that?

Somehow, she had a bad feeling on what was about to happen here.

"Papa, why are we here?" she asked her father and pointed towards the circular gear. "And what is that?"

Her father turned to Sho-san, who nodded grimly.

He sighed and faced his daughter seriously. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he prepared on his explanation. He knew she would refuse; however, it was for her own protection.

The brunette boss looked over his daughter's eyes. "Ciel, I want you to listen to me and let me finish until the end."

"The attackers that we have right now are our enemy famiglia, the Clotilde. They planned to take down the Vongola by eradicating my weakness. Ciel, I cannot let anything happen to you. I will never let anyone from our family die, not this time."

The girl nodded quietly, listening intently. She knew her father and understood his feelings. After all, if she were in his position, she would have the same resolve. She loved the family as much as her father. Tsuna took this chance to continue. "In order to protect you," at this the girl perked up in surprise, "…we have to send you far away from here."

"But where—" the girl stopped seeing the stern look in her father's face.

"I'll send you to the past, 20 years to be exact."

The girl's eyes widened. She had heard about the 10-year bazooka from one of his uncles. But this… "Eh? Is it possible?"

Tsuna nodded. "Yes, Vongola have the best technicians after all." He glanced at Shoichi with a proud smile. The red-haired man blushed in embarrassment.

"But Papa! What will happen if I leave?" she asked worry laced in her tone.

The father smiled and touched her cheek with his hand and kissed her forehead. "You don't have to worry about your father, Ciel. You know I can take care of myself."

She leaned on his touch and stared at him. "Papa… do I really have to do this, alone?"

He grinned at her and Ciel felt a little bit better seeing her father's grin. It always gave her a sense of security. "Papa…"

"You're not alone, Ciel. Remember that."

Tsuna reached a hand in his pocket and held his daughter's hand, placing the jewelry on her palm. The young girl furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, as she stared at the shining gem on her hand. "What is this?"

A necklace with a diamond pendant that were dancing with orange and yellow flames could be seen in it.

"Ciel, I want you to take care of this dia and never take it off your neck. It is a memento of your mother." Her eyes widened.

The Vongola boss smiled sadly. "I inserted my flames in it. It will be of use to you soon."

"Papa…"

He also brought out his orange Vongola box and fed his flames into it. Natsu appeared, letting out a small growl on top of Ciel's head.

"Natsu, take care of my daughter."

The small sky lion growl with a nod and Ciel bit her lip. What was happening right now sounds so serious. She didn't want to leave but didn't have the heart to refuse her father.

She didn't want to be selfish, especially at times like this. She didn't want to burden her father.

"Papa… I—"

She was interrupted with a sudden explosion from the room that they were just in earlier.

Tsuna covered her head from the impact and looked at Shoichi. "Shoichi, let's start. They're here!"

The red-haired technician nodded. "Yeah, I'll open it now."

"Ciel, prepare yourself for your trip." He told his daughter and pulled out, standing in front of her, facing towards the entrance towards outside. He knew Hayato was doing his best to buy them time that was why they must hurry and send Ciel in the past.

The circular gear machine lighted up and Ciel looked at herself. She and Natsu, who was on her head, were surrounded by a blue light.

Tsuna turned to her with a smile and Ciel knew, that he wouldn't be seeing that smile for a long time.

"P-Papa! I… How will I return here?"

The boss stared at the entrance. He could hear noises and he knew they were coming. He answered his daughter's question without looking at her. "People from the past will help you. Tell them the truth and they will protect you. Trust them." His eyes glanced at her golden ones. "You'll know when it is time to go back. Until then, take care of yourself. I believe in you."

"Papa, please be safe!" Tsuna stared at her before she departed and gave her his gentle, loving smile.

"Be strong, my sky melody."

Ciel gasped as tears in her eyes gathered. She could see the blurred figure of her father as she disappeared.

"Papa!"

Italian to English:

Zio – uncle

Principessa – Princess

Dia – short term for diamond (english)

Ciel – Sky

Author's notes: You will know why Tsuna called Ciel as "My sky melody" in the next chapters. Pardon my mistakes, I'm actually doing this while watching Katekyo Hitman Reborn. From episode 35, I finished this until episode 41. And it's 1:00 in the morning.

R . Thanks for dropping by!

#Mari / 6.19.2022 (revised)