Orange Crane

Today was the day Tsuna will be meeting her Otou-san's boss, Timoteo. Her father Iemitsu said the man is one of the nicest people she will ever meet, and the man had wanted to meet her and Oka-san Nana for a long time now. Tsuna was still nervous since she still had trouble talking to other people, but hearing her father's words made it less jarring.

Tsuna walked beside her mother, looking around the crowd of people exiting or boarding their terminals. Everyone was so much taller than her, and it made her feel like a mouse. Sometimes, she wished she could be much bigger, but at the same time, she didn't want to be so big that her mother and father can't hold her anymore.

Her father suddenly called out and waved to someone in the crowd, and this made her want to hide behind her mother. Tsuna didn't know what to do or say, and she only hoped that she wouldn't embarrass anyone with her shyness. She heard the man and her father start to talk.

"Iemitsu, it's been a long time" the man greeted Iemitsu.

'Welcome to Japan, boss" her father replied familiarly and gestured to her mother "I'd like to meet my wife, Nana."

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Nana greeted respectfully "Thank you for being such a good boss to him."

Tsuna saw the man smile warmly, "You needn't thank me. Iemitsu's the one helping me." Only for him to sound slightly teasing "You know, you really are stunning" the man said, causing her mother to sound surprised, "Iemitsu doesn't deserve such a beauty."

Her mother sounded flattered, with her father childishly defending, "We're a perfect couple!"

Tsuna thought so too, her parents always looked to each other with so much love and sweetness, she felt like glowing.

"Anyway, this here is my daughter, Setsuna." At her mention, she tried to hide her face from view.

"Tsu-chan, say hello to the nice man." She heard her mother ask, but Tsuna only wanted to hide herself further.

The man only kept his warm gaze and smile, he crouched down to her level to greet her personally, "It's nice to meet you, Setsuna."

The man's words were warm as the sun. For a moment, Tsuna peaked to see the man properly; like her father, he looked at her with pride and even a familial love. Tsuna couldn't help but smile back.

The ride back home was much less worrisome for Tsuna. She watched the clear, late afternoon sky outside and sooth her to the muffled sound of the wind, with the clouds drifting time to time against the sun. The sky is where she looks to feel comfort, as it connects her to her father wherever he's away. Although, there were times the sky can be the scariest. When the rain pelts hard, it crashes against her windows and threaten to submerge everything. Thunder would rumble through her home and lightning to creep in the distance and strike. Afterwards, a mist to follow in the morning, thickening as fog and leave anyone lost. She hopes weather like that won't come too often.

Soon enough, she arrived back home with her parents and the kind older man staying with them for some time. Tsuna stayed close and watched her mother make supper, while her father helped their guest carry some luggage to one of the spare rooms. About half an hour, the home settled down.

"It'll just be a little longer, Tsu-chan. Dinner's almost ready, so play over there, okay?" Her mother asks her.

"Okay, Oka-san!" she replied. She took her purple ball and headed out to the porch.

oOoOo

Just inside, far from her earshot, the distant sound of her father and his boss were exchanged.

"My little girl's cute, right?" Iemitsu praised his daughter cheerfully.

"Oh yes, she's the spitting image of her mother." Timoteo agrees with him.

"I know right? But she sort of resembles me too sometimes!" Iemitsu says and smiled with pride.

Timoteo nodded to this, "Ah, family is a wonderful thing. I know that, having sons myself. But…" There was grave tone to his last word.

At this, Iemitsu knew it was important, "Boss, for you to have come to Japan…What happened?"

Timoteo's features became more grim, "Nothing yet, but something might soon, very soon. I can sense it…"

"Boss…" Iemitsu said sadly.

"He refuses to let me see him smile, Iemitsu. I feel I failed as his father to have not seen it once, and he became more distant from me the last half year." Timoteo tells in plight and shakes his head of this failure.

Iemitsu knew the incident roughly six months ago. Timoteo's personal archive had been broken into with the lock melted with an investigation to reveal that Xanxus was responsible for the room to be trashed and documents burned. There had been speculation that he wanted to eliminate the evidence that he's an illegitimate son of the Ninth. That was the story that was commonly circulated, however, even if Xanxus was an illegitimate child, Iemitsu knew his boss never discriminates bloodline "purity" over potential, and Iemitsu knew first-hand that Xanxus has immense potential. There was something more to the incident Iemitsu suspects. "Boss…is there something about Xanxus I may need to know?"

The Ninth Vongola Boss felt it was time that his advisor needed to know, "Hmm, yes, Xanxus-" But Timoteo's word were interrupted from a girl's cry outside.

"Waaa! Otou-san!" she cried desperately.

"Tsuna!" Iemitsu immediately stood and rushed outside, with Timoteo following him. They saw the young girl with a small dog wagging its tail while standing on her as she cried in utter fear.

"Ahh, come here." Iemitsu said in relief knowing his daughter is in no serious danger and went to get her.

When Iemitsu did, Timoteo saw a spark that turned to a powerful but beautiful flare of Sky energy in the girl's state of distress. That state of energy was very abnormal for many of his subordinates, nonetheless a young girl so it was no surprise for Timoteo to consider. It was too idealistic but…could this descendant of Vongola Primo be the one to finally inherit the throne of the Vongola? And possibly even save 'him' from his internal despair?

"See, you're okay now. So no more tears, okay?" Iemitsu assured his daughter.

"*sniff*, h-hai Otou-san," Tsuna managed to say.

"…She has power." Timoteo said simply, causing Iemitsu to look confused, "but it's still immature."

A small supernatural flame emitted from the older man's finger and hovered it before the girl's temple.

'Calm now little one, for you have a future with so much promise.' Timoteo's voice echoes in Tsuna's mind. The feeling of the older man's assurance and a 'click' of an unlocked door of power washed over her. The aura was a gentle warmth, making her drift to a sound sleep.

"This will do for now. When she really needs it, her power will be released." Timoteo explained to his external adviser.

"Boss…" Iemitsu said, a clear protest to what he's implying of doing.

"I want to let you two live a peaceful life as soon as possible, but…" Timoteo has this idea kept with him, and another sin he needed to bear.

"Dear, is something wrong? Nana called out to them.

"Oi Nana, Tsuna just tuckered herself out playing and fell asleep!" Iemitsu looked at his boss for a moment before he headed inside. "Boy, am I ever hungry." He said a bit too loudly with his wife hushing him down and taking their daughter in her arms.

The Ninth Vongola Boss looked on to the beautiful family. Feeling he is a demon in an angel's guise.

oOoOo

Tsuna understood that the man needed to go back home, but before he boards his plane, she presented the older man an orange paper crane she folded to wish him a safe trip.

"Goodbye Oji-san, I'll miss you." She said to him then, smiling sadly.

Timoteo nodded, he gave a grandfatherly smile and accepted the gift in his hands, "Goodbye, Setsuna. Stay well and watch out for your mother and father." Timoteo requests of her.

"Hai, I will." Tsuna said earnestly.

Timoteo waved back to his hosts before he boards his private plane. His Storm Guardian, Coyote Nougat, and Lightning Guardian, Ganauche the Third were present to greet him.

"Vongola Nono, how was your trip capo?" Coyote asks him formally.

Timoteo smiled, "It was a long needed rest, Coyote. Iemitsu's family have all been excellent hosts."

Ganauche tilted his head to the item in his boss's possession, "And I see you have a souvenir with you, boss. Who's it from?" Ganauche asked more informally, making Coyote look at him disdainfully.

Timoteo held it for them to see, "Do you both see the resonance of Flame energy from it?"

It was faint, but the two Guardians sense it, they nodded.

"This paper crane is made by Iemitsu's six year old daughter, Sawada Setsuna." Timoteo announced to them, causing the two to look incredulously. Timoteo only continued to feel more pride for the girl's behalf.

"She is my grandniece and potential heir to be the Tenth Vongola."

AN: The crane is a symbol of good fortune, happiness, and longevity in Japan, China, and Korea. And the practice of senbazuru (or the folding of a thousand paper cranes) is done at times of conflict to heal or made as tokens in good will. It's believed the person who made all one thousand within a year will be granted a wish.

So unbeknownst Tsuna in this story, not only did she give Timoteo a symbol of his safety, but also a symbol of hope that the dying Vongola can live strongly again.