"And now we're going to learn a lesson about love!" Alana, her nature loving teacher, announced by clapping her hands together.
Noelle's ten year old face was a mixture between incredulous and disbelief. What in the world did love have to do with anything? Wasn't she supposed to be learning more about the Serafin lineage or did Alana just get tired of talking about their 'family' history and wanted a new change of pace? And why love of all things?
"Don't worry," Alana giggled at the expression on the girl's face. Honestly, that sort of expression did not suit a ten year old at all. "We'll return to our regular lessons after I get this important fact out of the way."
"Love is important?" Of course Noelle knew about the whole two people falling in love and eventually making a family, but how was it going to help her with her task?
Besides, that sort of thing was impossible for her now.
"Of course! Love makes the world go round!"
There was complete silence save for the sound of birds singing their morning songs to each other.
Alana rolled her eyes at her student. "Alright, alright." She sighed; honestly, Noelle had no sense of humour. "I'll tell you this right now: whatever you do, don't fall in love."
Noelle had been expecting a long winded speech on how love was the most wonderful thing in the world and that if everyone knew how to embrace it, there would be world peace every where, there would no famine and there would be no pointless wars and unnecessary bloodshed. She certainly did not expect her laid back and easy going teacher to tell her NOT to fall in love.
In fact, wouldn't she have encouraged it?
"Our time in this world is limited." Alana continued, a sad smile on her face and her eyes glazing over as she looked past Noelle into the distance making the girl wonder if that was something that happened to her teacher; she fell in love with someone. "That's why it's usually discouraged to fall in love with someone in this world."
"So there isn't any rule saying you can't?"
"Yes. But you would be much better off if you didn't give your heart to someone as that someone would be better off not giving their own heart to you." She sighed. "In the end, the both of you would only end up being hurt."
Noelle nodded slowly; that made sense. She wanted to ask about the pained expression on her teacher's face but thought better of it and kept her mouth shut.
"Don't worry. I never fell in love when I was still alive so for definite I'm not going to fall in love in this world!"
Alana reached out and ruffled her hair. "I hope so, Noelle. For your sake and theirs'." She smiled sadly. "But we're much more complicated than that. You cannot predict what will happen in the future and you especially can't predict your own heart."
0000
Noelle walked down the silent street, slowly making her way to school. She had grown used to the routine of going to school, going back home and doing the day's homework that had been assigned to her before heading to the bed where she'd repeat the same thing over again the next day. It was pretty tedious, but then again she wasn't exactly trying to get out and have a social life all on her own.
The only thing remotely close to her going out and having fun were the times she went to the sushi bar that Yamamoto's dad owned for dinner or Kyoko and Hana inviting her out to do something with them.
Stretching her arms up into the sky, Noelle could feel something running towards her fast. She glanced over her shoulder before immediately throwing herself to the side fast. She collided into a brick wall and she was sure that her action would leave some bruising that she wouldn't see until later on, but it was a heck of a lot better than getting run over by a blue boxer clad boy running down the street at light speed.
A boxer clad boy with a crazed determined look on his face and a flame on his head.
Noelle could only stare after him in shock, blinking repeatedly as her mind absorbed what she had just seen. Then she broke out into a smile as she ran after him.
It was a definite sign that Reborn had finally arrived.
She ran towards the school as fast as she could, wanting to be there when she witnessed that over confident chauvinist who was the captain of the kendo club getting his ass handed to him.
Oh, and to avoid giving Hibari a reason to 'bite her to death'. Maybe it was just her being paranoid, but the prefect seemed to be keeping his eye out for her if the barely restrained violent aura increasing whenever she was around him was anything to go by.
Please just let that be her paranoia.
Noelle peered over the corner of the school wall just in time to see Mochida punch Tsuna in the face. He then walked into the school grounds, presumably going after Kyoko who had most likely run into the school seconds before Noelle had arrived on the scene.
She was about to go up to Tsuna and question him on his lack of wardrobe (she had to pretend to be oblivious as to why he was in nothing but his underwear but that didn't mean she had to freak out about it) when Reborn had suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of Tsuna, forcing Noelle to press herself against the wall and out of view even though she was about four feet away from where the two of them were. It would be foolish for her to think that Reborn had no idea she was there but he didn't point out her presence as he began explaining the properties and functions of a dying will bullet to the now mortified boy.
Using the side of her fist, she pressed it against her lips to prevent herself from laughing; she was certain that Tsuna didn't want to have her see him in nothing but his boxers and talking to a baby wearing a fedora. But she grimaced when she heard the sound of Tsuna hitting the cement and practically jumped when the bell rang.
When Hibari came to tell Tsuna that classes had started, her heart practically stopped as she realized that there was no way she was going to be able to sneak around him to get to her classes.
Tsuna apologized to Hibari as he gathered his belongings that Reborn had brought for him via parachute and ran into the school to get dressed and face the leers of his classmates.
"You should probably go inside as well." Said a squeaky voice from below her.
Noelle slowly looked down to find a baby in a black suit and fedora looking up at her with dark obsidian eyes that made her flinch. It was definitely Reborn; there was that mischievous look in his eye that seemed a lot scarier now than it ever did in the manga.
"Right! Don't want to be late!" She said quickly, bolting around the corner and into the school as fast as she could. Noelle had seen that look one too many times for her liking; Seria, Heather, Feliciano, and Sarah. And all those looks ended up with her being in pain or mentally scarred for life.
She glanced at Hibari from the corner of her eye and saw that he seemed... amused by her sudden plight. Noelle frowned a bit, but didn't think more on the subject. As fun as it would be to get back at the raven haired Demon Lord, having him hound you and beat you down with his tonfas was not worth it.
"Sawada, wait for me!" Noelle yelled as she caught up with him, slowing down her pace.
"E-eh, Serra-san!" Tsuna jumped. A red blush crept up onto his face that confused her until she realized that the poor boy was still in his underwear. Not that he really had the time to change since it was unlikely he was just going to put on his uniform in the middle of the school grounds.
"You should probably get dressed, hm?" Noelle mused.
The blush on Tsuna's face reddened even more.
"Come on." Noelle said, grabbing the boy by his arm and then shoving him towards the trees and bushes on the school grounds that would allow him some cover from prying eyes. "You better put on your spare clothes before we go inside."
"B-but we're going to be late!" Tsuna stammered.
She shot him an amused look. "Are you telling me you want to go into inside in nothing but your boxers? It's bad enough a bunch of people already saw you; they're probably spreading it around the school as we know it. No need to add credibility to the gossip."
"HIIIEEE!"
Noelle giggled from behind her hand as he screeched. Poor Tsuna; he already thought things were bad? He had no idea that this was only the beginning and Reborn had much worse things in store for him. Her giggles sobered as she thought on ahead to the events of the Kokuyo and Varia Arcs. And then the Future Arc and the events after those.
Of course, Tsuna would struggle with what came at him due to his reluctance to accept the position of mafia don, but his friends would help him through it. Noelle wasn't sure if her presence was necessary at all, but she would do her best because no matter how much Tsuna denied his involvement, he would do his best as well.
"S-serra-san." A timid voice interrupted her and she turned to face the now dressed Tsuna. "I-I'm done."
"Oh good!" Noelle smiled. "Then we better hurry up and get to class."
At the mention of 'class', Tsuna had suddenly looked downcast. No doubt he wasn't looking forward to the relentless taunts his classmates would start heaping on him once they saw him. The blonde smiled at him sympathetically and ruffled his hair; an action that clearly surprised Tsuna as he looked at her with a bewildered expression.
"Don't worry," She said. "I'll be right beside you. You won't be facing them alone."
And without another word, Noelle took his hand and proceeded to drag him effortlessly into the building. She didn't see the pink tinging his cheeks at what had to be the nicest words any one of his classmates (besides Kyoko) had ever said to him.
Despite being trained (more like burned into her brain) to notice what could be hiding in her surroundings, Noelle didn't see the dark eyes that watched the both of them from the sanctuary of the leaves with interest.
0000
As expected by the two of them, the class had let Tsuna have it once they saw him.
"Here comes underwear-man!" Said the boy who first spotted him. "A sudden confession to Sasagawa Kyoko!"
"Please go out with me!" Mocked a second boy.
Noelle growled and rolled her eyes, walking around Tsuna and standing in front of him defensively as if to prevent any more of their taunts from reaching him. With her arms folded in front of her, she glared at the boys as if daring them to say any more. She had put up with them teasing Tsuna for months and decided that it was high time someone stood up for him until he could do it himself.
Actually, she had been standing up for Tsuna on his behalf for a while now. She glared at the classmates who blamed any of their P.E. game losses on him, tapped people on the shoulder who were teasing Tsuna and even got into an argument that lasted thirty minutes with a teacher who found it fit to call Tsuna by the derogatory nickname his peers gave him a long time ago.
People stopped being mean to Tsuna, but that was only when she was around to make sure they didn't call him 'Dame-Tsuna' to his face. Otherwise they pretty much treated him the same.
She couldn't wait till Gokudera and his unlimited supply of dynamite got here.
"He's going to be rejected!" Taunted a boy with hair just as spiky as Tsuna's, but shorter. "That's obvious, right, Sasagawa?" He turned towards Kyoko expectantly.
"The guy is No-good Tsuna after all." Said the black haired boy next to him. Noelle glared at him, but since his head was turned away from her, he couldn't see her blue eyes burning holes into him.
Instead, she did the next best thing.
Quietly walking up to him, she raised her foot...
...and stomped on her classmate's hard.
To her satisfaction he started jumping up and down, howling as he held his sore foot in his hands with tears springing to his eyes.
"Oops. Sorry. I didn't see your foot there."
Everyone stared at her and while she smiled at the boy who was in pain. Good. He deserved that; he was one of the ones who mocked Tsuna every chance he got.
"Hey, Tsuna." Noelle glanced over at the boy who had come up to Tsuna. His name was Yuu Fujimaki and he happened to sit in front of her in class. He was one of the few people she actually liked as he hadn't let their culture differences prevent him from being friendly. Another reason she liked him was because he didn't point out Tsuna's faults on everything he did, always laughing and brushing it off before giving Tsuna a pat on the back as thanks for trying his best. "Captain Mochida says he wants to fight you during afternoon break in the gym."
Noelle made a face. "Really?" Even though she knew perfectly well that it was true. "He didn't have the heart to go up to Tsuna himself and challenge him? My hero." She added the last part as sarcastically as she could.
Fujimaki laughed. "I've never heard you so sarcastic before, Serra-chan. You're pretty funny when you are."
She have him a wry smile. "Thanks."
"Mochida-senpai said he wanted to get revenge on the insult you received, Kyoko." Hana teased her friend. "He said he won't forgive anyone who makes Kyoko cry."
She then proceeded to make kissing noises that Noelle gagged at.
"Good for you Kyoko!" Another classmate with a blue ribbon tying up her hair said. She was an associate of Hana's, but one Noelle didn't talk to as she was also one of the ones who teased Tsuna in a not so nice way.
Again, Noelle gagged before continuing to listen to the conversation.
"N-no, we're just in the same committee." She protested, a paint pink blush on her face at the fact that people were implying she and Mochida-Senpai were a couple.
"Well, whatever. Afternoon break should be fun." The girl who Noelle remembered her name as being Rin Nishimura said, waving aside the protest.
Oh, that was it!
A loud, cracking noise had everyone turning to face the American. She was hunched over a desk that was now splintered right down the middle from the raw force that she had applied to it when her hands had slammed on top of the surface. She was looking down, her eyes hidden by her golden bangs, but they could all tell that Noelle was pissed.
Silence filled the room as everyone waited to see what would happen next.
"Fun?" Noelle hissed, slowly raising her head as up at Nishimura. Her tone was soft and dangerous, just like all her teachers' when they were angry. She briefly mused that she had picked up a lot of things from her teachers; how to make people quake in their shoes being one of them. Nishimura was going to be the first person for Noelle to test that on.
"You think watching someone being picked on, humiliated in front of the whole school and then mocked afterwards is fun?" She spat, disgust and venom lacing her voice.
How many times had she seen that done to Madison? How many times had she seen her friend close to tears at the merciless jeers of the students of Hollywood High?
She had do idea how she looked at the moment, but Noelle hoped it was downright terrifying. In the series, the teasing had seemed merely mean spirited; but in reality it was so much worse.
And it made her furious.
Nishimura squeaked in fear as Noelle slowly vented her restrained anger, hiding behind Hana as if the other girl would be enough to prevent the angry foreigner's wrath coming down on her.
"Oi, Serra, calm down." Hana's voice snapped Noelle out of her angry musing. She glanced at Hana who was glaring back at her. "It's just friendly teasing!"
Behind her, Nishimura was nodding her head.
"I know what friendly teasing is Hana." Noelle said sardonically. "That wasn't it."
Her head snapped back to meet Nishimura's who squeaked again, burying her face into Hana's back to avoid the livid glare.
"But I'll let her off with a warning if she apologizes to Sawada-san... along with the others." Noelle's eyes narrowed as she turned and stared at her peers who had laughed at the future Vongola boss.
Then as if she hadn't been angry in the first place, her face brightened and she turned to Fujimaki and Yamamoto. "I'll leave you two to make sure that they apologize to Sawada-kun, alright?" She glanced into the hall with a grim smile. "I've got some other business to attend to."
The former nodded while the latter grinned and gave her a thumbs up.
Noelle ran out of the classroom, patting Tsuna on the shoulder while she went to care of a few things.
0000
In the long run it hadn't been a good idea to burst into Mochida's classroom and loudly declare that Tsuna was going to kick his ass at break, but no one could deny that the look on her senior's face was completely hysterical.
Apparently, no one had ever spoken to him like that with his good looks and being the captain of the Kendo Club.
But Noelle didn't have time to gloat as she had to run away after that when she spotted a menacing Hibari slowly stalking towards her with his tonfas out.
After returning to class, she was promptly dragged into the faculty office for discussion about the class interruptions as well as the desk surface she had splintered right in half. When they finally released Noelle, it was class break and the fight had already started. Shoving her way through the multitude of students who had gathered to watch Tsuna having his ass handed to him, she finally made it to where Kyoko and Hana were.
As they watched, Tsuna was running around avoiding Mochida's attacks as the senpai tried to strike him. Noelle bit her lip, wondering where Reborn and his magical gun were.
Noelle frowned; in normal circumstances, there would have been no way that Tsuna would win the match. That moron they were supposed to address politely had the match to his advantage, with the referee ordered not to give Tsuna a point. But with Reborn on the scene with Leon, the tides would turn on Mochida and he'd be bald to boot.
Even though it was mean to laugh at someone's misfortune, Noelle couldn't help giggling at the thought. Besides, by the time the Kokuyo Arc came around, Mochida would have his full head of hair back.
"What are you laughing at?" Hana was looking at her with an annoyed expression on her face. "If that guy wins, he takes Kyoko as a prize!"
Noelle grinned. "Don't worry. He won't."
"Really?" Hana's face spoke volumes of her incredulous disbelief at that.
"Yup! Even though the guy's got the match rigged so that the referee won't call out Sawada-san's points, he'll get what's coming to him."
"How do you know that?"
"I just know!" Noelle smirked. "Want to bet on it?"
"Oh?" Now Hana looked amused as she placed her hands on her hips and watched Noelle through half lidded eyes. "How much?"
"Two thousand yen! Or is that too much?"
"I'll take you up on it."
"Hana! Noelle-chan!" Kyoko looked flustered at the fact that the two of them were using her as the subject of their bet.
Noelle shook her head, reminding herself that she had gotten mad at a classmate for teasing Tsuna and she was bordering on being mean herself. So instead, she changed the subject.
"Hey, Kyoko-chan." She and the girl had taken to calling each other by their first names around two weeks ago. "Why don't you cheer Tsuna on?"
"Eh?" Kyoko blinked, looking confused.
"Cheer Tsuna on. After all, he's also fighting for you."
"B-but would it be okay?"
Noelle gave her an amused look. "Trust me. It'll make all the difference to him."
With a determined expression on her face, the School Idol turned back to the match and cupped her hands over her mouth. "Sawada-kun, do your best!" She yelled, shouting out her encouragement.
Mochida had been standing over Tsuna with his shinai (the wooden sword used in Kendo) raised over his head read to smash Tsuna with it when Kyoko said those words. The two of them turned towards her; disbelief on Mochida's face and surprise on Tsuna's.
There was a bang and Noelle glanced up in the direction of where the sound had come from. Standing on the indoor balcony was the same baby she had encountered earlier. He was holding a rifle with a scope and he seemed satisfied with his work as Tsuna toppled over backwards.
As if sensing that someone was watching him, Reborn's pitch black eyes locked onto hers and Noelle looked away. Even though she was fully aware of just how manipulative and sadistic the hitman baby was, he still managed to intimidate her. Possibly even more so than her teachers, and they were pretty scary themselves.
Or maybe it was just the black eyes that gave her the impression that they could see into her soul.
Either way, it was still creepy.
Anyways, Noelle turned back just in time to see Sawada strip out of his clothes. Or to put it more accurately, rip out of them.
The blonde's mouth dropped open and she gaped. She had been expecting this, but it was still... surprising to see this sort of thing happening.
"Reborn! I'll get a point no matter what it takes!" The dying will charged Tsuna declared as he ran head on towards his senpai.
At that, Noelle burst out laughing. She was fully aware of the stares the people around her were giving, but how could they not laugh at that? Okay, maybe it had to do with the fact that he had just suddenly became an exhibitionist, but really...
"Go Tsuna! Show him what you've got!" She yelled, punching her arm into the air.
There were shouts behind her of 'pervert' and 'underwear-man' but Noelle ignored them as she already knew the out come of the match.
Mochida raised his shinai to strike at Tsuna, but as it came down on to the boy's face, the wooden sword broke against the force of the dying will driven brunet.
The older student suddenly went down as Tsuna straddled him and proceeded...
...to rip his hair out.
Noelle winced, watching the scene through one eye. She didn't like Mochida, but she had been in enough fights to know that hair tearing was extremely painful.
Finally, the referee got into his head that perhaps he should raise Tsuna's flag and give him the win but not before the boy had stripped Mochida of all his hair and left him bald.
There was silence and then cheers came from the other students and they voiced their amazement at Tsuna's win.
"So Hana," Noelle smiled at the dark haired girl. "I win. Own up."
Hana sighed. "You got me. But can I pay you tomorrow? I don't have the money today."
"Hey, as long as you pay up eventually."
Noelle looked over to where Tsuna and Kyoko were talking and seeing the slightly depressed look on the former's face, she guessed that Kyoko had told him that she thought he was just joking. Then Kyoko said something and Tsuna's face lit up.
The girl smiled; Tsuna's life was going to get better... or worse, depending on how he looked at it. But for the most part, definitely better as he gains friends and becomes stronger.
"Hey, do you have a crush on Sawada or something?" Hana's voice interrupted her musing.
This was the second time Hana so rudely brought Noelle back to reality when she was trying to get lost in her thoughts.
"No." Noelle answered in a flat tone.
"So why'd you help him in class earlier? Nishimura's still traumatized at you snapping at her like that."
"What's wrong with standing up for someone?" Noelle shot back.
Hana held up her hands in front of her defensively, a smirk on her face.
Noelle rolled her eyes and then turned on her heel to where Tsuna was. "Hey Sawada-san! Want to get an ice cream? My treat for winning the challenge today!"
"E-eh?" Tsuna blinked.
"Can I come too?" Kyoko asked, hearing Noelle's invitation.
"Sure!" Noelle turned to Hana. "Want ice cream to celebrate the defeat of the chauvinistic pig?"
"Definitely." Hana smirked.
As the four of them (she, Tsuna, Kyoko and Hana) discussed where the best place to get ice cream would be, out of the corner of her eye Noelle saw a flash of white and red that turned away from the gym doors.
Noelle smiled to herself.
There was going to be a Storm at Namimori Middle tomorrow.
Oh gawd, this has to be the longest chapter I've ever written on as well as in this story. So you guys better appreciate this because I worked my butt off on it.
And it only took two days!
Anyways, review! Because I am likely never going to write a chapter that's this long ever again! At least... for now.