Date Released: Friday, October 07, 2010
Title: Transcending Dreams
Author: Gin Nanashi
Creation Type: FanFiction, "Crossover"
Main Rating: M
Disclaimer: The Lyrical Life © Gin Nanashi; Katekyou Hitman REBORN! © Amano Akira
Summary: What is reality? No one knows for sure. And, when Tsuna accidentally finds himself in a world where he exists as a form of entertainment, what is he to think? Not only that, but he meets the characters of a manga that's famous in his world! Just, what is reality?
Transcending Dreams
Dream 04: Half-Truths Mean Half-Lies
Golden eyes watched the fidgeting light brunette, alert and unwavering.
"Why…" Their owner whispered softly, "Why do you know about him…?"
Tsuna swallowed nervously, playing with the hem of his t-shirt as he kept his gaze on his lap, panicking inwardly, 'W-What should I say? I can't tell her that she's supposed to be from a manga!'
His grip tightened on the fabric as his eyes darkened, 'But… I'm supposed to be from one too…'
Kadin continued to watch the boy with a faint frown. The furrowing of his brows… the gnawing of his lower lip… the shaking of his hands. Her eyes closed before reopening to reveal dark-brown orbs. She sighed softly before crossing her legs and leaning backwards, sinking into the couch.
"Before…" Kadin whispered softly, making the boy look up in surprise, "You knew my name."
The light brunette hesitated before nodding. Her eyes darkened until they were an inky blackness. She rubbed her upper arms as a forboding chill ran through her body before she forced out the question, "How?"
Tsuna hesitated before his eyes met with hers.
The loneliness.
The guilt.
The pain.
Everything swirled around in those seemingly blank eyes.
The boy couldn't turn his gaze away as his mouth moved against his will, "Because you're not real."
Eyes widened as black sharpened to a pale gold.
The shock.
The disbelief.
The hurt.
"W-What do you mean: I'm not real…?" She whispered, voice barely audible, before her lips curled up in a snarl, "How can I not be real?"
Tsuna flinched at the harshness and backed away as Kadin gripped onto her cargos tightly. Her hands shook as they clenched the fabric tightly. Knuckles paled as the girl hunched over, bangs shadowing her face, as she growled, "I'm living, aren't I? I breathe, I eat, I sleep-!"
She took a shuddering breath before locking eyes with the boy and rasping painfully, "I'm here, aren't I?"
Light-brown eyes wavered as their owner looked away (his heart clenched tightly) before looking back and responding hoarsely, "In my world…"
Her eyes widened before narrowing, "Your... world…?"
Tsuna cleared his throat and started again, voice now clear, "In my world, you're the main character of a manga called The Lyrical Life."
Her face lost all color as their owner's grip slackened on the fabric, "I'm… what?"
The light brunette closed his eyes, breathing shakily, before reciting, "Freed from authority, chained by guilt…"
The girl froze at the words as the boy continued, "Body moving for the world, voice singing silently…"
She tried to swallow but her throat felt dry as he pressed on, "The one who lives, but cannot live…"
Light-brown eyes opened and locked with forlorn ones, "As the companion is… abandoned."
Her lips opened and closed before opening again as she whispered shakily, "No one…"
She bit her lower lip as slumped back onto the couch, murmuring, "No one but she and I knew that poem."
"So…" Black met with brown again, "I really am… a character?"
Tsuna closed his eyes as he bowed his head, 'That's right…'
His mind traced that memory.
"W-What's with this?" Tsuna shouted as he shook the manga book.
"What's wrong, Tsu-kun?" Nana poked her head into his room, holding a basket of laundry.
The light brunette froze before hiding the object and shaking his head, "N-Nothing!"
She blinked and tilted her head before smiling, "Are you confused about the poem?"
Tsuna nearly fell over before straightening up, baffled, "How did you know?"
Nana laughed softly and set the basket down, stepping into the room, "I'm your mother, Tsu-kun! I would hope to know you."
The boy sighed a bit and slumped forward, mumbling, "Still, you've been so accurate lately..."
The woman smoothed out the ruffled bed and sat down before admitting, "It's because your reactions are like mine."
'My reactions…?' Tsuna blinked and tilted his head, confused, "They are?"
Nana smiled and motioned for the manga book. Her son complied and placed it in her hands before sitting next to her. She brushed her fingers against the page as her eyes roamed over the image.
The androgynous girl had a shocked expression on her face - raised thin brows, wide pale eyes, thin gaping lips. She was faced by another. An unknown woman clad in dark robes with everything covered save for her narrowed eyes. Held in her long gnarly fingers was a book, leather-bound and encrusted with gems and metal. No one else was around as wispy texts spelled out:
"Free from authority, chained by guilt…
Body moving for the world, voice singing silently…
The one who lives, but cannot live…
As the companion is… abandoned."
'That's right...' Tsuna thought as his eyes reopened dully.
'No one else was to know…' He reminisced sadly, 'About the poem that described her life.'
A soft sigh was released by the woman as she started, "You already know about Kadin-san's family, right?"
Tsuna blinked before nodding slowly, summarizing, "Her parents disowned her after she quit college to become a breaker."
"That's right." Nana smiled sadly, "They didn't want an entertainer."
'Which didn't make sense!' Tsuna frowned with furrowed brows, 'Kadin-san's really good at b-boying!'
His thoughts were interrupted as his mother spoke up again, "And, you also know what happened to Evan-san, right?"
The image of the fallen boy flashed across his memories as he nodded before a cold chill ran through him.
"Yeah," The boy responded, shivering, "He was killed."
She nodded and pointed to the writing, "Based on those two information, that's what the first line means: Kadin-san became free to make her own decisions, but the guilt over his death shut down her will."
The light brunette bit his lower lip before musing aloud, "Then… the second line refers to her current situation, right?"
Nana smiled when her son began to piece things together and nodded, "Yes. Kadin-san made a living through dancing though her real talent lied in singing."
"But, she doesn't sing anymore." Tsuna pointed out with wide eyes, "Because she only promised to sing for Evan-san."
"Yes." The woman nodded again before moving on, "And, as a result, she lived while not really living."
"Because she's not happy." Tsuna stated slowly as his brain clicked the rest together, "And she's abandoned because no one's helping her…!"
Suddenly, he jumped to his feet, scowling.
"WHY?" The boy shouted, irritated, "Why aren't her friends doing anything?"
Nana smiled sadly, "The book doesn't go into depth with that."
A pained look crossed in Tsuna's face as he clutched the hem of his shirt, 'The book was wrong…'
The memory of the pained blue eyes flashed across his mind's eye.
Light-brown eyes shimmered with frustrated tears, 'Her friends did-no-are trying to help.'
They closed tightly before reopening to reveal firm resolve, 'And I want to help too.'
"Kadin-san." He called out. Dazed eyes gazed at him, seeing but not really seeing. He breathed shakily before clenching his hands into fists and stating, "That was wrong."
They blinked slowly as Tsuna tried to gather his thoughts into coherent words, "In my world, you're considered fake."
Black lightened to dark-brown as they slowly came to focus.
The light brunette pressed on, "But, you're not fake! You're real!"
Her hand pressed against her trembling lips.
A shaky breath before light-brown eyes shined with fire as Tsuna continued on, "Because-! You exist!"
Tears began to build in wide eyes.
"You are here!"
They coursed down her cheeks.
"You're here with me!"
Her eyes closed as she nodded, shoulders shaking.
"So…" The light brunette approached her and whispered, "You are real."
His thin arms wrapped around the shaking tomboy before the fire died down.
'But…' Came the wavering thoughts as his lips quirked down.
Light-brown eyes stared at nothing and dulled, 'Am I…?'
(Extended Ending)
Breaths were visible against the cold air as Tsuna and Kadin walked side by side. The latter's eyes were rimmed red though it was hard to tell as it was quickly fading. Light-brown eyes glanced up at the other to see the expressionless face before dropping to the paved sidewalk nervously.
'She hasn't said anything.' Tsuna thought as he huddled into the black jacket that the girl had lent him, 'Is she mad…?'
He pursed his lips together and furrowed his brows, 'Well, she does have a reason to be…'
His heart thumped painfully as he thought back to her pained face.
The furrowing of her brows… The darkening of her eyes… The scrunching of her face…
Quickly, he shook his head to get rid of the memory and thought sadly, 'I really hurt her…'
He bumped into softness and blinked before-
"HIIIIIIIII?"
-jumping away with a scream and a red face.
Kadin raised a brow, dark-brown eyes lightening, before she shook her head.
Tsuna flushed deeper before bowing his head and squeaking, "Sorry…!"
A weight landed on his head as Kadin ruffled his hair gently. He blinked and looked up to see a small smile gracing her lips. Light-brown eyes widened a bit before softening as their owner quirked a small grin back. Red dusted lightly across her cheeks before-
"Gack!"
-the boy squeaked when the ruffling became more energetic as Tsuna waved his arms around, trying to not fall over.
"Well?" The girl grunted at long last as she eased up on the gesture and looked away, blush still prominent.
The light brunette blinked and gave a confused look, "Huh?"
Kadin couldn't help but deadpan, "Your name."
Dot. Dot. Dot.
A cold wind blew pass the two before-
Thump!
-Tsuna fell over and onto the snow.
Kadin raised a brow before bluntly stating, "You forgot."
The light brunette twitched before pushing himself up, face flushed, and rubbing his head, "U-Um…"
She tilted her head, silently prodding him to continue.
He poked his fingers together before murmuring quickly, "Tsunayoshi Sawada!"
She blinked before staring blankly.
Tsuna waved his arms rapidly and stammered, "I-It's true! I was named after the Tokugawa shoguns and Sawada-!"
"Okay." Came the interruption.
The boy blinked before echoing slowly, "Okay…?"
Confusion was evident on his face as he furrowed his brows, "You're not gonna ask…?"
Kadin shrugged lightly, "When it begins to bother me, then I'll ask."
Tsuna nearly fell over again but composed himself and sighed, 'Well, I guess that takes care of that-!'
His thoughts were cut off as he squeaked and was tugged forward.
"K-Kadin-san?" Tsuna started, confused, as his cheeks flushed darker.
Her calloused hand easily warmed his chilled ones.
"Come on," The girl grumbled with pursed lips, "I got a promise to keep."
The image of the blue-eyed girl flash across his mind.
His head bowed as tears flowed, 'But, what am I gonna do about this?'
Author's Note:
Kadin is an Arabic name meaning "companion" so that should clear up part of the... poem, as I'm calling it.
The main reason for Kadin's name being "Kadin" (other than my liking the name and finding it really pretty) is that she's Tsuna's companion.
Should you read into my above comment?
Perhaps, perhaps not.
I'll keep you guessing.
Anyway, the next one should be less dramatic.
Maybe.