"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Tsuna apologized as he dashed into the foyer. Riko was standing stiffly in between two large guards, her jaw set like a fist ready to jab.

"It's nothing." She said, waving his apology aside despite the clear message her body language was setting. The girl despised being trapped between two suited men every morning. "Let's just get going."

"I'm right behind you," He nodded politely at the guards as they greeted him, opening up the front doors.

Once they passed through the front gate, Tsuna loosened the knot of his tie and handed it over to Riko, who began to carefully roll it up as he took off his coat. Over the past month, he had begun adjusting to life in Italy surprisingly well. He grew closer to the various help, learning their names slowly while also convincing them to refer to him by his name. Many of them still refused to call him anything less formal than "Tenth", but it was a vast improvement from "Young Master" in his eyes. He grew familiar enough with the labyrinthine expanse of halls and corridors to be able to find the kitchen and foyer on his own, which were the only places he really needed access to.

On the other hand, as Tsuna's personal servant, Arlo had begun to grow bolder in their daily interactions. While Tsuna appreciated the ability to converse freely with the man, he was less fond of Arlo's insistence upon wearing formal clothing. It had gotten to the point where Tsuna would wake to find him hovering over the bed with clothes hanging over his arm, simply waiting for the chance to force the heir into his suit. Eventually, Tsuna gave in and agreed to wear them, more than a little put off by the thought of someone else dressing him. Having shared his woes with Riko, she agreed to help him lose the attire during their time out. They developed a ritual where she would bring a fresh set of casual clothes for him to change into while the suit remained hidden in the trunk of a car or behind a bush. She never told a soul, and she never chastised him.

After spending nearly every day with her for a whole month, Tsuna felt he had actually grown somewhat close to her. Her personality was still a difficult force to be reckoned with, but he began to gradually realize that this was only one facet of her character. Ninety percent of the time, she was brusque and unreadable, almost aggressive in her passivity and neutrality. There were points during the day, though, when she was talking to a friendly shopkeeper or watching an old couple, that he could see her soften up and show a glimmer of kindness.

This perplexed him for days. He was completely unable to understand what it was that made her tick – until it dawned on him that she was wearing a mask. While her cold attitude and harsh comments could make it difficult to believe at times, he had grown certain that she was an entirely different person on the inside. Over time, he even grew to like her more than he feared her. She could actually be quite conscientious, often going out of her way to assist him whenever he truly needed it. She was just the kind of person that wouldn't take someone's nonsense – if he was whining, she didn't hesitate to either chastise him or simply leave him behind. She was similar to Reborn in this way, finding a way to facilitate his growth without explicitly doting on him.

"There are people waiting on us today. If you don't hurry and get your damn pants on, I swear I will leave you here in your boxers."

"Wah, w-wait!" Tsuna exclaimed from where he was hiding behind the car. Riko always grew exasperated when he demanded that she give him privacy to change, muttering comments about him being too juvenile. She tossed his jeans over the hood without warning, and he yelped once more as they smacked him in the face.

"It's rude to keep your friend waiting." She scolded as he rushed to pull on the rest of his clothes. Since Colonello hadn't been able to stay the entirety of their vacation, Ryohei had been getting passed around between guides, few of which were able to keep up with his lively personality. In the end, they had decided he would tag along with either Yamamoto or Tsuna during their daily tours of the city.

It seemed Bianchi was doing something different with Gokudera, since he already knew the area. While the bomber stalwartly refused to elaborate on it, Tsuna was able to gather bits and pieces from his agitated grumblings, involving words like "training", "poison cooking", and "endurance". It was easy to put a picture together based off of that, especially with the boy often looking queasy if not passed out on the ground. Tsuna felt bad for him, but the silver haired bomber seemed determined to pass this test of willpower.

"I'm ready, I'm ready!" Tsuna stumbled out from behind the car in his haste, not eager to cause the girl any further irritation. "Where are we meeting him?"

"We'll be taking the car today," She explained as she opened up the door and threw his suit in the back. "We're picking him up in the outskirts of the nearest town before heading into the city. We'll go on foot from there, as usual."

As they climbed into the back of the limousine, Tsuna suppressed an urge to shudder. It was still difficult for him to swallow the luxurious lifestyle that he had been thrown into, and treating a limo as a casual part of his life was something he was having difficulty with. The chauffeur glanced at them in the rearview mirror, giving them a respectful nod before pulling out onto the street.

These drives were always difficult to sit through. Riko severely disliked making small talk, so it was often unbearably silent. Soft classical music drifted through the cab, but it almost made things worse in a way, reminding Tsuna of elevator music. It was difficult to decide whether or not Ryohei's addition to their small party was an improvement or not.

"SAWADA!" The boxer yelled loudly in greeting as soon as they pulled up to him on the curb. Riko had spent some time with him already, so she knew what to expect, but Tsuna noticed she still cringed slightly at the boy's exuberance.

"Good morning," Tsuna greeted, his smile sincere but slightly strained. "How was your run?"

"Extremely refreshing!" Ryohei replied almost before Tsuna had so much as finished phrasing the question. The boxer was the only one that willingly got up before sunrise each morning, and had already mapped out and memorized an extensive route to run. Even when they were in Italy – especially when they were in Italy – he insisted there was nothing more important than keeping himself in shape. "You should join me, Sawada, it would be extremely good for you! And Riko too!" He turned to their guide with an intense look. "Everyone should keep their strength up, even if they're a girl!"

She glanced up at the two of them from where she had been stoically staring out her window and shot him a slightly dirty look, murmuring, "You don't need to bother worrying about me."

"It's extremely important, though!" Ryohei insisted, making Tsuna cringe a little. "Come running with me!"

"Sure, sure," She agreed with a resigned sigh, turning her attention back out the window.

"Eh?" Tsuna was admittedly surprised by her lack of resistance. "Really?"

"I don't see why not," She replied with a shrug.

"That's an EXTREMELY good attitude!" Ryohei cheered, causing her to drop her forehead into her hand with an irritated sigh. "Sawada! You need to-!"

"Ah, no no no, I'm fine, really!" Tsuna cut him off quickly, waving his hands in an effort to ward off the boxer's attempts. There was no way he was subjecting himself to morning runs with Ryohei, experience alone had taught him that much. He could only hope that Riko would be able to handle the young man's…extremeness. He would have to try talking her out of it later.

The boxer was far from being easily swayed, however, and he spent the rest of the drive trying to convince Tsuna to at least go on one extreme morning run, or what about half of one, an evening one maybe, how about a midafternoon sprint, or just a late morning jog – right up until Riko snapped at them to shut up and get out once they had arrived in the city.

Though his involvement in the mafia had always been against his will, Tsuna couldn't help but appreciate that it had brought him to this place. Italy was breathtakingly beautiful, and there was no way he could argue against that. The water in the oceans and canals were vibrant shades of blue, the ebb and flow of the liquid both calming and relaxing. The architecture was simple and sturdy, every corner of the city subtly hinting towards a long history of upheld traditions and solid communities. Italy was literally the epitome of tranquility, while still bursting with life. Men and women smiled at each other on the streets, waving at one another and laughing with each other. You could be complete strangers, and still act as though you were old friends. Stepping out of the car, all of this hit Tsuna again, as it always did. He couldn't help smiling as he took a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of sea salt and the more immediate aroma of freshly baked bread.

"Let's get going," Riko gestured for them to start moving as the car pulled away. She took note of the content expression on Tsuna's face and the corner of her mouth quirked upwards ever so slightly, quietly displaying her amusement. "There's still plenty to see."

"Oh!" Ryohei exclaimed as they began walking towards the main street. "Let's run right now!"

"Sasagawa, I already agreed to running with you in the morning," Riko said with exasperation. "What else do you want from me?"

"To run right now!" He replied dynamically. "TO THE EXTREME!"

"Oh for the love of-!" Riko's expression twisted with a mixture of shock and anger as she watched the energetic boxer literally take off down the street with his fists raised in the air. "Sasagawa!"

"W-wait!" Tsuna cried out after her as she broke into a run herself, chasing the boxer down. Letting out a small defeated sound, he followed her, struggling to keep up. Ryohei was really going all out, sprinting as quickly as he could, yelling at the top of his lungs the whole time. "It's no use! He won't stop, Riko!" Tsuna puffed out as he finally began to match her pace. "You're better off just letting him go and come back on his own!"

"Like hell I will!" She growled back, pouring on even more speed. "I'm your guide! If that idiot gets lost, it's on my head!" Both Ryohei and Riko were only gaining speed, and Tsuna could do little more than let out a little wheeze of indignation.

When Ryohei realized he had found a way to rope them into following him, he decided to turn it into a game. He began dashing down side alleys, heading one way just to turn around at the last minute and taunt them as he remained just outside of their reach, and he even started leaping over walls and fences. When that nonsense began, though, Riko surprised them both by being incredibly adept at freerunning.

Tsuna had been impressed enough when Ryohei had effortlessly launched himself over a brick wall in lieu of running around it, but it was Riko's ability to use her momentum that stunned him into brief immobility. While the boxer was getting ready to land, she literally ran up the side of the wall, lifted herself onto a roof, and dropped back down directly in front of him. Though the individual feats were rough and riddled with curses, the fluidity of her action betrayed the fact that this was something she had practiced before – extensively.

She might have caught the boxer then and there if she hadn't needed to roll out of the landing, which gave him just enough time to dodge out of her grasp. In her frustration, she threw a wild punch, which he blocked effortlessly. Judging by the look on his face, he hadn't even registered the attack, his body simply acting reflexively. Realizing she had the freedom to attack him, she dropped all of her reservations and turned it into an all-out fight, no holds barred.

The two of them were running wildly through the city, disregarding obstacles as little more than a mild nuisance, clashing violently whenever they got too close. Riko began making tactical maneuvers, attempting to outsmart the boxer by cutting though different routes and struggling to ambush him, more often than not from above. Each time she managed to catch him, they would fly into a flurry of punches and dodges, duking it out physically. No matter how many times Riko got the drop on him, though, he was always strong enough to simply brush her aside or wrench himself out of her grip once he decided it was about time they resumed running again.

Meanwhile, Tsuna was only barely managing to keep up enough to watch the action. It had begun to draw the attention of others as well, and the braver ones had actually begun running after them with Tsuna in an effort to watch the whole show. It was a ridiculous scene, Riko growling and snapping out obscenities as she ruthlessly hunted the boxer down, who was clearly enjoying himself as he kept yelling "EXTREME!" at the top of his lungs – all while a small crowd of civilians chased after them, cheering and shouting at all the excitement.

"Tsuna?" A familiar voice suddenly broke through the fray, and he nearly began crying tears of joy as he found an excuse to stop running. "What's going on?"

"Yamamoto!" Tsuna's voice was filled with both agitation and relief. "Reborn!"

"What mess did you make, dame-Tsuna?" Reborn immediately scolded, making Tsuna flinch.

"It's not me!" He panted out defensively. "Riko and Onii-san! They're out of control!"

"I don't really understand," Yamamoto said with a confused smile, rubbing the back of his head as he stared at the commotion. "But it sounds fun!"

"Hurry!" Tsuna gulped for air as he reluctantly began running after the two and their fans once more. True to his nature, the baseball player followed along without needing any sort of explanation.

"So those two are causing this?" Reborn asked, clearly disgruntled. "What's happened?"

"Riko is chasing Onii-san," Tsuna panted out, trying to explain with as few words as possible. "He's having too much fun."

"Tch," Reborn nudged Yamamoto, urging him to take action. "They're making too big of a commotion. It needs to stop." Tsuna was surprised to see Reborn taking the situation so seriously, as he was usually the first one to instigate chaos like this.

"I'll see what I can do!" Yamamoto replied cheerily, pouring on extra speed as he set his sights on the two dueling forms. Being both athletic and not currently sapped of energy, he had very little difficulty weaving through the crowd as he caught up to the pair. Tsuna simply followed in his wake, inadvertently using him as a human shield as they drew closer. Running ahead blindly, he almost didn't hear Yamamoto's warning, "Careful!"

The boy had to lean back all of a sudden in order to narrowly miss being hit by Riko as she tumbled by. Pivoting, she flipped herself along the nearest wall and used the momentum to throw a strong kick at Ryohei, her shin connecting solidly with his forearms as he blocked the attack once more. Taking the opportunity, he gripped her ankle firmly and tugged hard, swinging her around as she lost her balance. Tsuna winced as he watched her wrists absorb the brunt of the impact when she hit the ground, but she didn't miss a beat. With Ryohei's fingers still wrapped around her leg, she jerked her knee into her stomach, shifting his balance as well. Before he had the chance to regain his footing, she flipped over and sent another kick straight into the back of his knee. It was all one fluid motion, using the attack as a simultaneous opportunity to get back onto hands and knees. While they were both scrambling to get up onto their feet, Yamamoto took advantage of the small break and stepped between them.

"Ahh, now now," He spoke in his most soothing voice, which he usually reserved for Gokudera's temper. While he had been impressed by the brief display of action that he had just witnessed, it had also made him a bit nervous. Coming into it, he assumed it had been something playful, and he was certain that it had started out that way. Even now, he could see Ryohei grinning excitedly, putting Yamamoto slightly more at ease. But there had been a certain air of danger while they were fighting…not any kind of malice or animosity, so much as an acute focus. Both of them were fully immersed in the action, determined to come out on top, and neither of them were willing to hold back. Though he was sure that neither of them meant to do any real harm, there also wasn't a doubt in his mind that this pair was a dangerous one. "Let's not get too carried away."

"…" Riko stared at him blankly from where she was crouching on the ground, still poised as though she were about to attack at any given second. Looking at her more closely, Yamamoto could see she had entered a heightened state of freneticism, her eyes betraying the fact that her mind was still in combat mode. Her gaze hadn't moved from him, identifying him as an opponent. He stood rigidly in anticipation, unsure of whether or not she might actually try to attack him as well. She blinked once, twice, and suddenly her pupils constricted and she seemed to fully register his face. As her breathing evened out and she calmed down, Yamamoto could almost see her regain a state of lucidity.

"…Yamamoto…right…?" She asked, almost casually, as if she hadn't been about to tackle him to the ground. From where he was standing, Tsuna hadn't missed a second of the exchange, nor had Reborn, and the two of them shared a concerned glance. Her behavior had been perturbing to everyone but the boxer himself.

"Ah, that's me!" Yamamoto affirmed with a bright grin, offering a hand to help her off the ground. "We haven't really met properly before now, have we? Interesting circumstances!"

"You don't say," Riko muttered as she patted herself off, glancing at Reborn. "So our routes have begun to intersect, then."

"It seems that way." The hitman agreed. "We'll have to start adjusting them."

"You call that a route?!" Tsuna exclaimed in frustration, comfortable with raising his voice now that the crowd had finally dispersed and the action had ceased. "You two have been running all over the place ever since we got here!" Riko looked irritated for a moment, opening her mouth to retort, but no sound came out. Shutting her jaw, she dipped her head apologetically.

"You're right," She conceded. "I apologize, Tenth. That was…unprofessional of me."

"What do you mean? That was extreme!" Ryohei cut in before Tsuna could say anything, causing multiple eyes to roll towards the sky.

"Well, since we're all in one place now, we may as well finish up the day together!" Yamamoto suggested. "Maybe we'll even run into Gokudera and his sister!"

"Let's just go," Riko muttered, her head still hanging slightly. "I need to at least attempt making up for lost time."

"Don't worry about that," Reborn told her. "We'll just play it by ear today. There's nothing that says we need to adhere to a strict schedule." Nodding, Riko gave them a small tightlipped smile, her expression a mixture of apology and appreciation.

With all of the excitement finally over, the rest of the day was spent in a very relaxed manner. The five of them ate together and casually explored the city, allowing themselves to follow whatever whims struck them, their activities ranging from renting out bikes to riding a gondola. As the sun was setting, Yamamoto and Ryohei saw a group of children playing soccer and leapt into the game, eventually dragging Tsuna, and even Riko, in as well. By the time the game had ended, day had turned into night.

Tsuna wiped the sweat from his brow, waving with a smile as the children ran off with the ball, their excited yells following them closely.

"That was…fun." He commented with mild surprise. He had never enjoyed soccer during his PE classes, but even though he was still as clumsy as ever, the dynamic of the game changed when he played with the children. It was filled with laughter and encouragement, rather than jeers and insults.

"It was!" Yamamoto agreed with a laugh. "I wonder if we'll see them again."

"I'm sure you will," Riko replied. "It's about time for you to return, though. I didn't notice it getting so late."

"Ah," Tsuna nodded. "I'm more than ready to get some rest."

"You'll need it for our extreme run, Sawada!"

"I already said no!" Yamamoto continued to laugh as Ryohei stubbornly revived the topic, unwilling to give up. While they were walking, they passed by a small street adorned with bright neon lights and a steady flow of traffic.

"That looks fun," Yamamoto commented. "Did we stop there earlier?"

"No." Riko answered tersely after casting a quick glance in that direction.

"Is it some kind of festival?" Tsuna wondered.

"No." She answered again, failing to elaborate.

"Maybe we could stop through?" Yamamoto suggested.

"No." Riko rejected the idea, enunciating the word with a bit more force.

"It wouldn't take that long," Tsuna started, entranced by the lights as well. "Why don't we-?"

"I said NO." Riko's words hit the air like a solid punch to the gut, shocking them into silence as she whirled around to face them. "…No." She repeated once more for emphasis, anger written across her face.

"W-what…" Tsuna stared at her with wide eyes, trying not to cower underneath the intensity of her sudden rage. "What's the matter? Is something wrong with it?" She stayed silent, her lips pressed into a tight line as she tried to steady her breathing. "I don't think we have a curfew or anything…right Reborn?"

"…we should go, Tsuna." The hitman replied, his expression stony. "The Ninth is planning to debrief you all today, and we wouldn't want to keep him waiting. We'll be back tomorrow. It's nothing of interest anyways."

"…I should be getting back as well," Riko finally said, looking slightly calmer. "I trust you all can get back without me?" They nodded hesitantly, still wary after her outburst. "I'll be parting ways here, then." With a quick dip of her head, she brushed by them, walking briskly back down the street in the opposite direction.

"…R-reborn?" Tsuna turned to look at his 'tutor'. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure," He replied, looking mildly troubled. "I think it would be best not to ask her directly, though."

"So," The Ninth rested his chin upon his interlaced fingers as he smiled at the boys. "How has your visit been so far?"

"Good," Tsuna answered, his friends nodding in agreement. "It's been very enjoyable."

"Ah, I'm glad to hear that." The Ninth grinned. "If you don't mind, I'd like to hear about your experiences thus far – all four of you."

The boys took turns sharing various stories from the past month, pausing now and then to unanimously agree that the food and social life was amazing.

"Aneki's been rigorous with my training," Gokudera briefed. "I'm certain that I'm improving, though!"

"Good, good," The Ninth nodded in approval.

"The kid showed me the closest batting cages yesterday," Yamamoto jumped in. "Would it be alright for me to get some practice in sometime?"

"Of course," The elderly man chuckled. "This is still a vacation, technically."

"I had an extreme fight today!" Ryohei forced his way into the conversation, making the Ninth lift an eyebrow.

"Did you?"

"This might be a good place to say this," Reborn spoke up from where he was perched on the desk. "I've been meaning to ask you about Tsuna's guide."

"Paolo?"

"…No. His replacement." Tsuna could see that the Ninth's lack of recognition had instantly made Reborn suspicious. "We were told he had grown ill. A girl named Riko was sent to replace him."

"Ah, I see. I don't directly handle these affairs, so it's possible I simply missed the memo. What did you want to ask?"

"I'm just curious about her profile. She displayed impressive combat abilities earlier today, but also seems to be a bit…unstable." Gokudera made a strangled sound at the suggestion that his boss was in danger, and Yamamoto had to act quickly in order to calm him down.

"Hmm…" The Ninth's brow furrowed as he listened to Reborn. "Do you think she's a danger?"

"I can't say for sure." The hitman answered honestly.

"What do you think, Tsunayoshi-kun, being the one that's spent the most time with her?"

"Eh?" Tsuna tilted his head in thought. "Well…well, I…I think she is dangerous. I've had that feeling for a while, now."

"Would you like to be assigned to someone else?" The Ninth showed genuine concern. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize-"

"N-no!" Tsuna interrupted quickly. "I mean, being dangerous isn't the same as being a bad person! I don't think she has any intention to hurt me. She was…acting odd today, and it was a bit frightening, but I wouldn't want to…fire her."

"I see," The Ninth looked relieved as he sat back in his seat. "I trust in your intuition – if you feel safe with her, then I'll be sure to keep her as your guide. I'll pull her file and glance over it tonight, though, just to be safe. For now, you four get some rest. I can brief you on what I find in the morning."

"Th-thank you." Tsuna blushed slightly at the display of faith as they stood to leave. "I appreciate that."

"Of course, Tsunayoshi-kun," The Ninth smiled in that grandfatherly way of his as they exited his office. "Sleep well, all of you."

Once the door shut behind them, he ran a hand over his face briefly before pressing a button on the phone beside him.

"Yes, Ninth?" Someone answered on the other end.

"Find who is acting as my heir's current guide, and bring me their file if you can."

"Right away, Ninth." It only took a few moments before his door was opening again, admitting a young man with a manila folder. "Here you are," He presented the file with a deep bow. "This should be what you're looking for."

"Thank you," The Ninth said, dismissing him with a smile. He waited until the man had bowed once more and left his office before opening the file on his desk.

As he scanned over the contents, his eyes began to grow wide, and he lifted a hand to his mouth. "Th-this is…" After scanning the document over once more, he pressed the button on his phone once more.

"Yes, Ninth?"

"Please tell Arlo to wake Tsunayoshi-kun up early tomorrow, and send him to my office. I need to discuss something with him."

A/N: I'm sorry to leave you with another cliffhanger! I just couldn't resist, it was the perfect place to cut off the chapter! This was a bit of a filler chapter, but I'm hoping to start incorporating some major plot points in the next chapter. I hope this was still an enjoyable read. Thank you guys so much for giving this your attention, and I appreciate all your reviews!

Keep yourselves happy, healthy, and safe lovelies - I hope you're all having a wonderful day :)