A/N: Hohohoho. Just few chapters left till the end and everything (yet nothing) would make sense but it would answer questions on why I made this story like this.

January 17, 2017: Betaed by Pure Red Crane

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn so no suing…!

Chapter Four: Part One

"My wish is for Tsuna to…" Reborn paused for dramatics, "Get 100 points on a test." Tsuna turned to look at his tutor, seeing the smile he came to know as Reborn's up to no good with his spartan method gesture. However, his eyes…

Why did Tsuna feel that Reborn wanted to say something else?

A jolt in his bones brought the brunet back to reality, making him groan in pain. "Ow, ow! My bones…"

"Let's study hard tonight!" Reborn declared.

"T-That's terrible!" Tsuna cried out in alarm at the thought of studying all night. Somebody save him from the horror of studying with Reborn!

"Do your best, Tsu-kun." His mother encouraged yet it didn't make Tsuna feel better. Reborn hopped onto his student's head and slowly murmured with a frown.

"It's not like you…" Reborn seemed to stop his words. Tsuna was still moaning in misery about how he didn't want to study and asking for someone to free him from the swords that were making his body sore. Reborn harrumphed and then suddenly patted Tsuna on his head. "Dame-Tsuna." Reborn muttered with a hint of fondness.

Later that night, Tsuna lay on his bed and thought about the event that transpired.

"That was a terrible experience…but it was fun to get rowdy with everyone." Tsuna said as he gazed at the ceiling. His mind replayed the party they just had. The contest and everything else was fun in the end, despite feeling sore from his last stunt at that magic show.

"I wish these days will continue, and scary people will never come out again." He smiled at his hopeful thinking. However, he truly wished for these wonderful and blissfully fun days with everyone to go on forever, just laughing and having fun instead of dealing about the Mafia. He turned to look at Reborn's hammock, "What about you, Reborn?" Reborn turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow, but the tutor didn't deign to answer the brunet's question. The student was taken aback when Reborn jumped from his hammock and landed next to him. "Reborn?" Tsuna hesitantly start after he sat up from lying down.

"What?" Reborn murmured under his breath, a bit annoyed, making Tsuna sweat dropped. An annoyed Reborn was not someone he wanted to deal with since it always end with the brunet sporting bruises that last for several days. Reborn continued to stare at Tsuna, making the brunet tilt his head in confusion, wondering why the hitman was looking at him with those eyes…that told a different story from his words and actions.

Tsuna sighed. Ever since they met, Reborn always looked at him like that, distantly, knowingly, otherworldly. It actually bothered him, but he grew accustomed to such strangeness.

"Reborn?" He hesitantly called out again. Reborn continued looking at Tsuna. The brunet took it as an acquiescence for him to ask anything since the hitman didn't kick nor say anything. It made him think that Reborn was merely sounding annoyed instead of being actually annoyed. He didn't want to sound rude, but despite feeling that he was stepping on a landmine, he braved himself to ask. He was actually very curious what Reborn's answer would be.

"Why…do you always look at me like that?" Tsuna started nervously and unsurely.

Reborn tilted his head sideways, an action Tsuna himself did on frequent occasion when he didn't get what someone meant. When Reborn did that, it was like he was mocking the brunet. "Like what?"

Tsuna felt that he stepped on a landmine that would explode any second.

Tsuna had the urge to sigh in annoyance to diffuse the tension, but he knew it would only serve to make Reborn hit him. Then this conversation would be buried underneath the pain. Instead the brunet opted to look away for a bit to gather himself and force out the question that made him feel unsure. When he felt he could ask the question without stuttering did Tsuna turn to the infant, only to click his mouth shut at what he saw.

'He…fell asleep.' Tsuna thought incredulously. He stared at the infant lying next to him, blowing a bubble through his nose and breathing silently.

Reborn…never wanted to talk about it. That was the feeling that coursed through Tsuna in that instant.

"Ah…" Tsuna shook his head as if to dispel what happened and to live in more denial.

If Reborn didn't want to talk, then Tsuna had no other choice but to accept it.

Tsuna slowly and carefully got up, trying not to rouse the wrath of his sleeping tutor, and then turned off the light.

As he glanced at his sleeping tutor, the brunet decided that he wouldn't ask again another time. It seemed to hurt his tutor after all. And, even if the hitman didn't look like it, maybe someday Reborn would tell him.

'I wish that this blissful life with everyone will continue forever.' was Tsuna's last thought before falling asleep, his tutor tucked in next to him.

During the night, a small chubby hand petted Tsuna's head warmly, affectionately, but he wasn't completely roused from that small action. Later that morning, the brunet had forgotten what had transpired but he couldn't stop feeling that oddly warm tingling on his head. It strangely brought a smile to his face. Only for that same bright smile to vanish when Reborn didn't return home after being shot by the ten year bazooka.

"My wish is for Tsuna to get 100 points on a test."

"Let's study all night!"

"It's not like I can be with you forever."

"You're late." The familiar squeaky voice of his tutor made Tsuna immediately spin to the direction where it was coming from. Upon landing his sight on his fedora-clad tutor, the brunet's mouth parted in a gasp and his eyes widened.

"Ciaossu!" Reborn greeted while sitting on a chair.

In that moment, Tsuna stayed rooted on his feet. He could feel the growing tears on his eyes at the relief of seeing his tutor. When Lal Mirch had said that Reborn and the other strong babies were gone, he couldn't believe what he had heard. It never even occurred to him that Reborn would disappear. When Reborn suddenly vanished yesterday and didn't return home, Tsuna grew alarmed, but he forcefully placated himself to the idea that Reborn was merely somewhere else doing God knows what. It was quite a shock that Lal said that they were gone with a serious and painful look. The brunet thanked Gokudera for convincing him that Reborn is invincible and then hoped that the hitman was well.

Now that Reborn was before him, Tsuna's relief was so overwhelming that he felt like crying right there and then. It was ridiculous, but he didn't care.

"R-Reborn…" Tsuna started. His tears were threatening to fall. He slowly walked forward, hands outstretched to reach for his tutor.

"Hug me~" And the brunet was about to, but the second he moved, he was interrupted by Reborn's same squeaky voice, but it was coming from somewhere else and it had taken him aback.

"I'm over here, Tsuna!" Reborn yelled with a hint of amusement.

Tsuna felt a sudden kick at the back of his head, making him stagger forward comically and fall face first on the Reborn in the chair. Tsuna immediately sat upright and cradled his bruised head, groaning.

"Are you alright, Jyuudaime?" Gokudera crouched down and fussed over the brunet in alarm. Tsuna distinctly heard the silverette, but ignored him, focusing on the pain.

"My toes fit in the back of your head." Reborn commented. Tsuna immediately whipped his head to where Reborn was standing.

"W-What's with this messed up reunion?! I was looking all over for you!" Tsuna cried out, cradling his head as he noted that Reborn was wearing another…ridiculous outfit. "And, you're in a weird outfit again!"

This was just so Reborn-like to greet him with violence that Tsuna was glad for since it meant nothing had changed. It didn't mean he was going to tolerate Reborn's abuse though.

'I'm glad he's safe.' Tsuna looked at Reborn in relief and his eyes shone with overwhelming emotions.

"I know," Reborn answered knowingly. Tsuna knew it had a double meaning, but he felt that the hitman was saying that he knew the brunet was worried about him. "I can't help it. I'll get sick if I don't wear this special suit." Tsuna could detect a hint of dismay in Reborn's voice. "I had that barrier made for me too." Reborn added as he hopped onto the chair. Tsuna looked at his tutor confusedly at those answers.

"What do you mean?" Tsuna said with a frown on his face.

"It means that it's a harsh world out there for me." Reborn answered dismissively. Tsuna looked dubious at that answer.

"There you go again, talking about weird things."

"Oh yeah!" Tsuna snapped his eyes in sudden remembrance. "Something's wrong! We can't get back to the past!"

"I know that much. That's not the only odd thing." Reborn said. "The time is off." That made Tsuna look even more confusedly at his tutor.

"We were shot by the ten year bazooka, but only nine years and ten months have passed." Reborn revealed in a serious tone.

"That means it's two months off?" Tsuna questioned hesitantly.

Reborn immediately agreed, "Yeah. We don't know why that happened."

That made Tsuna look at him with worried expression as the thought that even Reborn didn't know something passed by. "That's terrible!"

"It's a good thing we weren't blown into a strange land." Reborn commented.

'Huh?' Tsuna blinked in confusion.

"Land? Where are we?" the brunet asked and made a gesture to look around. Reborn looked at him with an amused expression. Tsuna immediately saw that Reborn was giving him a look that said, 'Really?' A sudden blush of embarrassment appeared on Tsuna's cheeks as he exclaimed. "We had a lot to deal with!"

"Takeshi, can you put it on a monitor?" Reborn requested. Tsuna was surprised that the hitman referred the ten year older Yamamoto by Takeshi. He filed that fact for later scrutiny as he squashed the jealous thought to the back of his head.

"This is above us." Adult Yamamoto explained after switching the monitor on with the remote controller. They saw a few unfamiliar buildings. Tsuna could say that he didn't see anything familiar. It was dark too.

"You should recognize this." Adult Yamamoto said seriously. With another click on the remote, the image on the monitor changed and Tsuna exclaimed at the obvious image of his school.

"N-Namimori Middle?! This is Namimori?" Tsuna was shocked. He unconsciously took a step back, so did Gokudera. "We were in Japan?"

"That's right." Tsuna wondered how he didn't notice that they were still in Namimori, but he shook it off. They were traveling by the forest, so he really wouldn't be able to recognize where they were.

"As long as you can't return to the past, this is your problem as well." Reborn said seriously. Tsuna turned to look at his tutor. He idly wondered why Reborn was still acting serious.

"Currently, all Vongola strongholds around the world are under simultaneous attack. Even here in Japan, the Vongola hunt is continuing." Adult Yamamoto explained with a grave expression. Tsuna could feel his heart beating quickly at that last sentence, disbelief was written on his face.

"Vongola…hunt?"

"You must have seen the coffin with the Vongola mark." Reborn remarked.

"That's the thing I was in!" Tsuna exclaimed in apprehension, denial diminishing to dust. The next thing Tsuna knew, Gokudera was cursing and punching adult Yamamoto in the face before grabbing Yamamoto's collar in anger.

"You bastard!" Tsuna's eyes widened.

"Gokudera-kun!" He was about to placate his friend, but the silverette wasn't listening.

"What were you doing?!" Gokudera angrily yelled at adult Yamamoto. Tsuna stopped, standing still even though he didn't want to see them fighting. Tsuna felt his heart beat faster than earlier. "Why did that happen to Jyuudaime?!" Adult Yamamoto averted his gaze then murmured lowly, painfully, as if speaking the words for countless of time.

"I'm sorry."

Tsuna gulped at the painful look in adult Yamamoto's eyes. He didn't want to see that on his friend's face and for him to be the cause of that suffering…

"Sorry doesn't cover it!" Gokudera's hand clenched the collar of the older man harder. Tsuna nibbled his bottom lip nervously. The silverette looked so angry with older Yamamoto, who didn't even refute, taking the full brunt of Gokudera's hatred as if to quell his guilt. It made the brunet think that he… But maybe he didn't. Maybe his older self was only injured or something.

"Stop it, Gokudera." Reborn said clearly and loudly, ringing throughout the room. They all turned to the infant.

"You," Reborn started, looking at Gokudera's eyes, but somewhere far beyond the naked eye. It was the same look the hitman always gave Tsuna. "Ten years in the future, you were in that same position."

Reluctantly, Gokudera let go of his hold with gritted teeth and a muttered curse as he averted his gaze. Tsuna looked at them, then down at his feet, biting his lip anxiously. When Reborn began speaking again, he turned to look at his tutor with a worried frown.

"The enemy, the Millefiore family, has an enormous fighting force. They are cold and cruel, especially Byakuran, their leader." Reborn looked at them, but Tsuna noticed that his tutor was actually not seeing him. Where was this thought coming from? Tsuna immediately squashed these thoughts and feelings to focus on the discussion.

"When Vongola Headquarters fell, Millefiore prepared a talk between the two leaders and called on our boss." Adult Yamamoto explained. Tsuna felt curious and a gut feeling told he already knew what happened next.

"And then?" Tsuna asked apprehensively, his heart beat even faster. Adult Yamamoto made a side long glance at him.

"However, they didn't negotiate at all, and took the boss's life." Yamamoto ended with gritted teeth. Tsuna clenched his fist and abruptly looked away.

"That's me, ten years from…" Tsuna had already suspected. However, it had been merely speculation and a gut feeling. He didn't want to believe it, but it had been confirmed and it was…stifling. Tsuna shook his head away from that thought. He didn't want to think about it.

"Since then, the Millefiore have ignored all our summons, and have continued to kill people. Their goal is to wipe out every last person on the Vongola's side." Adult Yamamoto explained further, his arms crossed across his chest.

"M-Meaning we're also in danger, even though we're from the past?" Tsuna asked worriedly and a hint of alarm.

"That's not all. Every person you've been involved with is a target as well." Reborn said in a grave tone. Tsuna gasped in shock. His heart started beating faster to the point of hurting.

"That's…" His throat was dry all of the sudden. 'I…' He started now thinking of the words said to them, but his dwelling on that matter were cut off when Reborn spoke.

"Don't lose your head. All hope isn't lost." The infant looked at Tsuna with sudden determined and intense eyes. The brunet abruptly looked at his tutor because of those eyes. Tsuna marvelled on how Reborn could still remain composed despite all this shocking news.

"Takeshi, the family's guardians haven't been confirmed as dead, right?" Reborn inquired. Adult Yamamoto gave a positive answer. That immediately made the time travelers shot a relieved look at the older man.

"Then there's only one thing to do." Reborn started. Tsuna looked at his tutor with hopeful eyes. "You need to gather the guardians who have been separated." Tsuna gulped nervously. That was a good idea. He couldn't refute that. But how?

"Gather the guardians?" Tsuna asked after a blink.

"There is a connection between our presence here and the fighting in this era." Reborn stated his theory with a sure voice. "To fight back against them, we have no choice but to gather the guardians."

"But what can we do with just seven people?" Tsuna asked, voice full of doubt. There was just no way they could win with seven people. Wait…Reborn said something earlier…something about-

"Don't say such a shameful thing." Reborn scolded. "In the long history of Vongola, there have been many crises, but each time, the bosses had overcome their difficulties with the six guardians who defend the sky."

"Got it, Tsuna?" Reborn asked. Tsuna took a breath, trying to quell down his own panic at his own thoughts, yet still failed when his voice rose.

"You said that the people we know are targets in the Vongola hunt as well. D-Does that include Mom and Kyoko-chan?"

Reborn didn't immediately answer, looking at the brunet with his eyes, as if saying that his suspicions were true. But…But! Adult Yamamoto took a step forward.

"The range of people the Millefiore go after keeps growing." Tsuna turned to look with a frightened look. "I'm afraid that they are targets too." Tsuna felt his heart skip a beat at those words. He let out a gasp, and his panic grew even more.

"T-That's horrible! W-What do we do, Reborn?" Tsuna turned to Reborn. He didn't want his mother and Kyoko to get hurt just because of the Mafia! Reborn jumped towards him and smacked his forehead. That action startled the brunet and he took a step back. "W-Wha-?"

"We've already made a move." Reborn informed helpfully. "When Takeshi went to meet Lal, I-pin and Lambo went looking for Kyoko and Haru." Tsuna's eyes widened in realization. In this time, I-pin and Lambo were not kids. Instead, they were reliable and strong enough to defend themselves. Still…

"And about Mama…" Reborn started. Tsuna detected hesitancy in that tone. "The timing was bad. She went on a vacation to Italy with Iemitsu and we're unable to determine their status."

Tsuna grew pale at that. 'No…'

"I-Italy? Then…" he trailed off, suddenly remembering what Lal Mirch had said to them earlier that evening.

"Jyuudaime, she said that Vongola Headquarters has been annihilated." The brunet's breath hitched at that.

"They couldn't…Mom…" He looked at his tutor with a helpless and fearful expression.

"Our other allies, Bianchi and Fuuta, are out gathering information." Yamamoto added, trying to diffuse the sudden tense atmosphere, but it didn't stop Tsuna from thinking about the cruel information he just heard.

"Are they safe?" Gokudera immediately demanded.

"Most of the people we know in Namimori have been killed in the last two days." Yamamoto said in a morose tone that made Tsuna perk up his attention back to the conversation.

"Including Takeshi's old man." Reborn added gravely. Their eyes widened at that. Tsuna grew even paler by the second.

"That…can't..."

Later that night, as the brunet laid on his futon, he couldn't help but begged to any deity that his mother and Kyoko were safe and sound. He repeated these wishes again and again while stifling the sobs and sniffles that kept getting out as he gripped the charm Kyoko had given him. The brunet clutched on the charm with growing desperation. 'Please…Please…'

"You're late."

"Hug me~"

"I'm over here! My toes fit into the back of your head."

"I can't help it. Unless I wear this special suit, my body gets sick. And I had that barrier made for me too."

"It just means that it's a harsh world out there for me."

"I know that much. That's not the only odd thing."

"The time is off. We were shot by the 10 year bazooka, but only 9 years and 10 months have passed."

"Yeah. Even I have no idea why that happened."

"It's a good thing we weren't blown into a strange land though."

"You don't even know that?"

"Yamamoto, can you put it on a monitor?"

"That's right. And as long as you can't return to the past, this is your problem as well."

"You must have seen it too. The coffin with the Vongola mark."

"Stop it, Gokudera. You, ten years in the future, were in the same position."

"The enemy, the Millefiore Family, has an enormous fighting force and they are cold and cruel."

"That's not all. Every person you've been involved with is a target as well."

"Don't lose your head. All hope isn't lost. Yamamoto, even though they're separated, the family guardians haven't been confirmed as dead, right?"

"Then, there's only one thing to do. You need to gather the six guardians who have been separated."

"I'm certain there is a connection between our presence here and the fighting in this era. To fight against them, we have no choice but to gather the guardians."

"Don't say such a shameful thing. In the long history of Vongola, there have been many crises. But each time, the bosses have overcome these difficulties with the six guardians who defended their sky. Got it? So we're going to decide the order in which to gather the guardians. First-"

"We've already made a move."

"And about Mama…the timing was bad. She went on a vacation to Italy with Iemitsu, and we're unable to determine their status."

"Including Yamamoto's old man."

"I can't do it." Tsuna slowly said after panting for breath as he looked worriedly at the ring on his clenched fist. He was currently kneeling on the floor, his finger wearing the Vongola ring.

"It'll be fine! You can do it, Jyuudaime!" Gokudera dutifully encouraged with a grin on his face. It made Tsuna look at his friend, feeling a bit happy that the silverette believed in him.

"Imagine your resolve," Yamamoto started dramatically with his hand. "Then tighten it up." Yamamoto contracted his hand as if grasping something invisible. "And it'll come out!" Yamamoto raised his hand and blue flames lit up from the rain guardian's ring.

"How is that supposed to make sense?" Gokudera replied heatedly, glaring at Yamamoto. Tsuna looked at his friends worriedly. The brunet still didn't understand how to make his ring light with his own flame. He frowned as Gokudera yelled and Yamamoto chuckled merrily. Tsuna sighed dejectedly. It was so easy for them. But if it was that simple then he needed to light up his ring so that he could grow stronger and everyone could get back to the past.

Tsuna clenched his fist just like what Yamamoto had demonstrated, but even when he thought of his resolve, his ring still wouldn't light up.

"Why?" Tsuna asked, upset. The brunet could feel himself growing frustrated at his failure. "Why am I the only one who can't?" Tsuna asked in a frustrated tone. It almost ended with an outburst as he clenched his fist tightly.

"Sawada." Tsuna heard his name being called out and he perked up. Lal Mirch walked towards them and he stared at her fearfully. "Are you really resolved?"

His eyes widened a bit at her serious question. The brunet looked down to his hand. "I do…" He clenched his fist as he stared at the ring on his hand. 'I really do…I really do want to get everyone to the past.' he thought with a hint of frustration. 'To do that, I need to become stronger than the Millefiore and take care of that Irie Shoichi person.' He continued with his eyes closed in concentration. 'That's why I'll do anything. I'll endure any kind of training…' He clenched his fist tighter, almost drawing blood as he furrowed his brow more. 'No matter what.'

Tsuna opened his eyes again to find his Vongola ring still the same, no flame glowing out it.

"I still couldn't..." Tsuna gulped worriedly, wondering where he went wrong. His inability to light up his flames slowly made him desperate. It made him think that despite it all, he was still Dame-Tsuna.

"I'm all talk. I'm just Dame-Tsuna." Tsuna closed his eyes in frustration. The brunet could feel his heart clenching in pain. "I don't know what real resolve is." He added weakly, his breath hitched in his throat.

"Don't be-"

"Spoiled!" A squeaky voice interrupted Lal Mirch's growl and its owner kicked the brunet's chin. Tsuna gasped at the sudden pain, landing some distance away. His eyes widened and he slowly got up, watching his demon tutor slowly make his way towards him.

"It's my turn now. Stand back." Reborn said in a commanding tone. There was a worried frown on the brunet's face, wondering what his tutor would say to him.

"Reborn…" The hitman hopped onto his kneecap, making Tsuna look at him up close.

"Don't try to act so noble, Tsuna." Reborn looked up at Tsuna in the eyes. The brunet continued to look at his tutor. He felt compelled to continue looking into Reborn's sincere black orbs. They seemed to see everything yet nothing at the same time. "You don't need to be a hero."

'Reborn…' Tsuna made a confused "Huh?"

"Returning everyone to the past? Endure the training to defeat the enemy?" Reborn was still looking at him in the eyes with so many emotions trying to be conveyed. Tsuna could see that determination was very prominent in his tutor's eyes. It actually made him feel exposed. "Such noble ideas don't really suit you." Reborn stated strongly. "Your feelings back then was much simpler."

"Back then…?" At his question Reborn gave a fond smile.

"When you first lit the ring, what did you want to do?"

"That's, I just…" Tsuna started in a low voice. "I just wanted to protect Kyoko-chan!" The brunet had a determined look on his face. Reborn smiled at him proudly.

"That's a good answer. Isn't there someone you want to protect, even now?" Reborn said. Tsuna got the feeling that his tutor already knew the answer. Tsuna's eyes widened a bit. Reborn was correct. There was someone he wanted to protect. The brunet's mind immediately flashed to the face of his tutor, who was looking at him with those eyes.

"Of course there is." He gave his tutor a determined look, his eyes burning with emotion and his voice strong.

Tsuna closed his eyes and his mind flashed to Kyoko. He wanted to protect her. Haru, despite their rocky start, he also wanted to protect her. She came to be his friend. Lambo and I-pin, he wanted to protect the kids. He came to see them as his family. The brunet had grown fond of having breakfast with them along with his mother, despite it being rowdy to the point that the dinner always tended to make Lambo pull out his ten year bazooka and I-pin catching up to the afro child.

"I want to protect everyone." Tsuna said in pure certainty.

Tsuna's eyes flashed orange at that admission. And, as he said his resolve, bright powerful orange flames sprung from the brunet's ring, making him gasp in astonishment and awe. Tsuna stared at the flame with wide eyes and mouth agape. The brunet didn't notice his eyes were bleeding from orange back to caramel-brown. But Reborn did yet didn't point it out.

Tsuna continued staring at the bright flame on his ring. He couldn't help but let out a smile, looking at his tutor brightly. The glow of happiness on his student made Reborn smile back proudly. "I did it, Reborn!"

"That you did." Reborn answered smugly, as if he expected nothing less. There was also a proudness layered on the hitman's voice which made Tsuna feel warm. Reborn expected this from him. The tutor hopped onto Tsuna's head before patting his student's hair affectionately. Tsuna laughed at that action before looking up at his friends in joy.

"I finally did it, Gokudera, Yamamoto!"

In the back of his mind, new information would be stored. Despite looking at Tsuna so proudly and, dare he say it, hopefully, Reborn was still staring at the brunet with those eyes that would later tear his heart apart.

"-Spoiled!"

"It's my turn. Now, stand back."

"Don't try to act so noble, Tsuna. You're not capable of being a hero."

"Returning everyone to the past? Enduring training to defeat the enemy? Such noble ideas don't really suit you."

"Your feelings back then was much simpler."

"When you first lit the ring, what did you want to do?"

"That's a good answer."

"Isn't there someone you want to protect, even now?"

"Of course."

A/N: Please leave a review *insert pleading puppy look here*