Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

"The Vongola Famiglia is always the ally of the weak." -Elena

"It's all my fault." Tsuna whispered.

Hayato rounded on him. "No, it's not! Don't blame yourself for my…my helplessness! I-I should have done something sooner." Then he sighed dejectedly, "I'm a terrible son."

Suddenly, Tsuna was fueled with rage. "Don't think that way Hayato! Your mother— even though I have never met her— I know she'd be proud of you. Your mother wants to say 'thank you' for trying your best to save her, I can feel it with my intuition."

Tsuna's eyes were so full on honesty that Hayato had to look away. "But she died!" He sobbed, "She died and I did nothing to help."

"But you did." Tsuna said softly, "You gathered money to support her, to buy her medicine. But I-I was the one who did nothing." He stared at the motionless body that lay just beyond Hayato. If only he hadn't been so selfish. He should have just given away all his money on the spot. If he had, maybe it wouldn't have been too late.

Hayato looked like he might object but Tsuna silenced him with a look that told him to just listen.

The brunet lifted his head to stare at the ceiling. "Say, Hayato, if you were a king, would you make sure your kingdom was lively and thriving? Or would you leave it tattered in pieces, and wasting away?"

"I'd help it of course!" Hayato growled, his green eyes regaining a little bit of its spark. "What kind of king would I be if I killed all my citizens?"

Tsuna smiled when an idea hit him, "Then come with me, Hayato. We'll protect this kingdom and make sure it never falls. We'll protect those in need and destroy those who seek bloodshed." Tsuna paused to think.

"We can call ourselves the Vongola. We are the clam, the pure white shell that protects its precious pearl."

Hayato was speechless. His mouth was slightly agape and his eyes were stretched wide in either excitement, wonder, or disbelief. When he regained his composure, he closed his eyes and said in a voice barely below a whisper.

"I'll join under a few conditions."

Tsuna nodded his head to show he was listening.

"I want to have a purpose in life. I don't want to be a somebody who is looked down upon by others. I want to be someone who people can trust, to depend on in times of hardship."

He opened his eyes and glared fiercely at Tsuna.

"And last, trust me that no one will end up like…like my mother." He choked on the last word from raw emotion but he cleared his throat and forged ahead. "We will always be there for families, they should never und up torn apart by grief."

Tsuna felt a genuine smile light up his face. He had never smiled like this before, not even when he lived in the palace grounds, it seemed.

"Then it's a promise, the Vongola will never go back on their word." Tsuna extended his hand to Hayato. "Let's forget about our pasts and differences and bury them deep within our hearts. No longer are we friends…"

With a teary grin, Hayato accepted Tsuna's hand. He wasn't alone anymore.

"…We are family."

That night, a legend was born.

Mini-omake: Titles

"Hey, Capo*, how did you come up with the name 'Vongola'?"

"Hmm? Oh, I don't know, I think I had some fresh clam the other day. I guess some sort of thoughts about it were somehow in my mind."

"Oh, I see."

"By the way, what's with the 'Capo' title?"

"Well, since you're the one who created the Vongola, you should be the boss!"

"No, no, Hayato. I'm just 'Tsuna,' just plain old Tsuna."

"No! It would be disrespectful to call you anything other that Capo!"

"Please?"

"I'm sorry, but no!"

"Fine."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Say, Hayato. This is an order, my very first command as your boss. Ready?"

A vigorous nod was his answer.

"Good. Now, call me 'Tsuna' from here on out."

"N-no! I mustn't, I'll have to disobey your order. I'm just your subordinate, I can't possibly!"

"Remember Hayato, we're family now. No objections."

"Y-you're wish is my command, Tsu-Tsuna."

"Hayato."

"O-of c-course, T-Tuna." Immediately, Hayato clapped a hand over his mouth. He flushed red in embarrassment. "I-I mean Tsuna… It was a slip of the tongue, I swear!"

Tsuna sighed. "That'll do."

Capo: Boss in Italian

A/N: So yeah, this chapter will be the first of the 'Rise of the Vongola' Arc. I know it was short but I tried my best to lengthen it. I promise the next chapter will be longer.

I must say, after I wrote this whole scene down then typed it up; I found it very similar to the exchange between Daemon and Tsuna during the end of the Shimon Arc. So I went back and looked at it and I picked out some quotes. Can anyone find them?

Oh yeah! I was looking at all the reviews then I noticed that there were 27. Familiar, anyone?

Leave a review on your way out!

Ciao Ciao!