Tsuna blinked his eyes open. Everything was unexpectedly green. Lush grass right in front of his eyes, tickling his nose. Leaves dancing in the wind just a few metres away.
Birds were singing. Warm sunshine was warming his skin.
His skin?
Sitting upright, he swayed for a moment. A sense of vertigo causing him to hold onto the ground for support. Though misjudging the distance, he fell back.
"Omph!"
What was with his voice? It was high and musical. So unlike its usual more moderate pitch. For it to be like this after it had finally gone deeper after years of being teased.
Tsuna shook his head and slowly sat up again. Careful to keep his balance this time. Looking down at himself he gasped.
Porcelain coloured skin glowed with an inner light. As he let his fingers glide over it in wonder, he realised how smooth and unblemished it was.
Though not only that: Everything was so tiny! His toes were way closer than he remembered. Even his hand, which had always been quite delicate, was now less than half its previous size.
Carefully reaching for his face, he touched his soft chubby cheeks. His fingers trembled as he took in the changes.
What was going on?
At least his messy hair felt the same. A sigh escaped his lips as he fondly patted his own fluffy hair. It was nice to know that at least one constant remained.
Brushing against something pointy in his hair, he froze.
Swiftly deciding to take a page out of his mothers book, he resolutely nodded to himself. Ignorance was bliss. He would deal with it later. If he had to. Otherwise he was just going to pretend, he had not felt that. Nothing wrong there. Nope. Just the normal fluffy mess.
Standing up carefully, he looked around.
Trees to the left. Trees to the right. Turning around, he found even more.
So, no clue there. Too bad.
"Hm."
What would Reborn do in this situation? Well, probably beat him up- ah, show him the ways of life by means of violence, for standing around in the open like that. Not that Reborn had ever truly needed a reason to hit or kick him into understanding.
"So, seeking shelter it is."
Walking around on wobbly legs, he scanned his surroundings carefully. The tree branches were too high up in the nearby trees. The bushes had nasty looking torns.
Wondering around for a while, he kept his eyes open. Enjoying the warm sun light filtering through the leaves. At the thought of the sun he twitched slightly. His heart aching for an Element he has always yearned for.
Ryohei had never been his. Not in the way that mattered. They had been friends, sure, but his loyalty had been to his sister first and Tsuna second. He was also too extreme for Tsuna.
While he saw the boxer as a good friend and sometimes even a brother, Ryohei had never understood Tsuna. Too buddy with his own overactive self to see the kind of healing Tsuna needed.
Seeing a huge tree ahead, he approached. Its tree system was more intricate than most others around. Some of them sticking out of the forest floor.
Inspecting it from up close, he saw there were gaps, he could fit in. So, going on all four, he squeezed through. The space was tiny and not much light filtered in, but it fit Tsuna's purpose.
A loud yawn escaped him and he quickly slapped his fingers over his mouth.
It could not have been all that long since he woke up, could it? Peaking out, he saw that the light from the sun was already weakening as evening approached. Huh.
Making himself comfortable as best as possible, he curled up. Putting his arms beneath his cheek, he used it as a pillow.
"Alright." He whispered quietly to himself. "Out of the open. And now?"
Again his thoughts drifted to Reborn. The tutor and later friend that had been with him for the most challenging experiences in his life. Despite the harsh treatment he sometimes, read: often, showed Tsuna, Tsuna wished for him at his side.
Reborn always knew what to do. He had been Tsunas rock. The most reliable person in his life. If things had been different…
Closing his eyes, he imagined how beautiful the Sun could have illuminated his Sky. How far they could have gone together. How different their relationship could have developed.
A smile graced his lips. As it always did when he thought about the what ifs in his life. There was so much he would change, but could not. All the times he would have reacted differently, if he had known details beforehand. If someone had told him instead of assuming he knew or keeping it back unless necessary.
Maybe if things had been different. If someone had told him about the Arcobaleno curse beforehand. Maybe his death would not have been quite as painful.
Tsuna sighed. If he was honest with himself, it did not matter. It had not even been a question for him if he would sacrifice himself for the Arcobaleno. Of course, he would. And he did.
Hopefully they would forgive him for it.
Which begged the question: Why was he alive now? His heart beating? His chest rising with each breath?
Was the curse the reason for his new size? Did his sacrifice cause him to be stuck in a toddlers body instead?
But where was he then? And why were his Flames curled up so tightly in his chest?
Suppressing another yawn, he decided to sleep first and think later. Soaking in the warmth coming from the few rays of sunlight still reaching him, he drifted off into dreams of cheerful Clouds and determined Suns.