Sawada Hotaru is a strange child.

She is a prodigy. She is an inventor. She has a heart of gold.

She is also lazy. She is indifferent to many things and sometimes cold. She has no patience for naive people (other than her mother).

She is also stubborn, which can be seen in a positive and negative light.

Hotaru is also the heir to the Vongola Family. However, before she can claim the title of the Vongola Decimo she must be tutored by the world's greatest hitman.

….

Hotaru glanced at the clock and pulled off her welding mask. She had just enough time to eat breakfast before heading off to school, hopefully her new invention would work soon and she could avoid walking everywhere. Because walking is tiresome.

"Ru-chan!" Her mom called from the kitchen as she walked down the stairs. "What are you making? I heard an awful ruckus."

Hotaru slid into her chair, "A scooter."

Nana nodded her head happily, "You are such a smart girl… but your grades are low-"

That was an understatement. On her last test she got a 37; it's not that she didn't know the material. It's because she got bored with the test 2 minutes into it and decided that a nap would be worth more of her time.

"- so I called this Home tutor!"

"...huh?"

Despite her low test scores she scores 100s on the things that do matter, like entrance exams and on some tests to keep her grades average. She didn't need a home tutor and she told her mom that. However, her mother was no longer listening.

"Look Ru-chan, it says 'I will make your child the leader of the next generation' and all he wants in return is a place to stay and food."

"It is a scam mother," Hotaru sighed before yawning. She didn't get a very good night's sleep because her intuition was screaming at her that something was going to happen. Her intuition was never wrong. However, she didn't think the huge storm that was brewing would turn out to be a troublesome home tutor.

Nana looked at her genius daughter before glancing back over the flier, "I don't know…...If you think so then-"

"Ciaossu"

There stood a baby in a suit. A suit. That alone should have raised a red flag, however the voice in the back of Hotaru's head that always warned of danger was strangely quiet. Did that mean that it wasn't a threat?

Nana moved to the child, "How did you get here? Are you lost?"

"No, I am the home tutor, Reborn."

Hotaru raised an eyebrow the child, Reborn, before glancing at the clock. "Kaa-san, I need to go to school."

Nana glance at the clock as Hotaru started moving up the stairs, "Maa, you better hurry! I hope that scooter of yours can get you there in time!"

"It's not done yet."

Nana gasped, "Then you are late. You better hurry!"

The usually stone face child have her mom a small smile before walked to the door. She took her hair out of the messy ponytail that was meant to keep her hair from her eyes while she was welding and put her long hair into two pigtails. Hotaru did it so that the two fluffy pigtails emphasized her cute, child-like appearance that she had maintained through the first year of middle school.

Where others might be embarrassed to be mistaken as a child when they were in middle school, Hotaru thought of it as a blessing. Her cute, fluffy appearance was the only thing keeping the disciplinary committee from actually punishing her for being late all the time. Although even when she matured she anticipated to still being able weasel out of punishment.

She was half- Italian with a handsome father and pretty mother. She has auburn hair and wide wide amber colored eyes were unnaturally bright and attracts a lot of attention. Her facial features were sharp and her cheeks were thinning out, revealing high cheekbones. Hotaru was bold enough to say that she will be beautiful when she grows up.

"Bye-bye."

Hotaru strolled school. However, after a block she felt a foreign pressure on her shoulder. "Why are you following me?"

"I am going to observe you and your work and study habits."

"Why?"

"Because I am a mafia hitman from the Vongola and I was sent by the ninth boss to tutor you to become his successor. You are the last heir, as well as a descendent of the first boss."

Hotaru was used to strange things.

One would be the absence of her father and his 'construction jobs' all around the world, including Antarctica.

Another would be her mother's unnatural naivety.

However, she drew the line at genius babies that work for the mafia. Especially when they claim that she is the last surviving heir to the world's biggest and strongest mafia organization. The term 'last surviving' implies that their were others, so what happened to the rest of the heirs?

They were probably eliminated.

Now Hotaru isn't an expert when it comes to emotions and interacting with others, but she is familiar with the feeling of fear. Yet, the logical part of her reasoned that if she was last then there was nothing she could do.

Additionally, if she was the last heir people will and probably have come after her before. If she trained with Reborn then she has a chance of defending herself.

The Vongola also have power. They have resources. They have money. With all that she could possibly further develop her inventions and possibly manufacture them. She could further research how to convert biodegradable materials into fuel.

Hotaru's process of thinking lead her to the conclusion that unless she died or she did unspeakable things she would remain the heir of the Vongola Famiglia and eventually become the 10th boss. Since she rather not die or lose her morals, she decided to go along with training to become a Mafia Boss, even if she was skeptical of the Baby Tutor.

She knew that it was a no normal baby. Not only because of its claim as the "world's greatest hitman" but also its unnatural adult mind. However, that's not what bothered her. The voice in the back of her head did. Whenever he was near it started to whisper 'sadist'. That alone was enough to question his teaching methods, after all the voice in her head had never led her astray before.

…..

The rest of the walk to the gate was uneventful, and by uneventful Hotaru means Reborn was both lecturing her on motivation while whacking her over the head with Leon to get her to move faster. She discovered that Leon could somehow turn into different objects. The most common object was a Riding crop.

However, the lazy girl refused to move faster than her leisurely pace. She didn't see the need to rush when she was going to make it to school with at least 4 minutes to spare. So, Hotaru ignored the obvious abuse from her new tutor and endured the sting of the riding crop.

When Hotaru arrived at the school she ran into one of the school idols, Sasagawa Kyoko. Literally.

Sasagawa giggled, "Sorry, Ice Queen."

"...It's fine."

Hotaru never liked Sasagawa very much. She was to oblivious. Hotaru doesn't like oblivious people because they were tiring and stressful. She would know because her mom is the queen of obliviousness.

She also tended to be very bubbly. And bubbly people were very energetic. Hotaru doesn't like energetic. It was tiresome.

Hotaru likes peace and calmness and silence. Although, the voice in her head whispered that her days of peace and quiet that she once enjoyed every day were now going to be few and far in-between.

"Ice Queen! Apologize to Kyoko-chan!"

Hotaru may have never been fond of oblivious people, but she hated arrogant ones like Mochida. So instead of apologizing like she planned to do, she chose to ignore Mochida in favor of talking to Sasagawa in class and walked away with her hand stuffed in the homemade pockets she added to her skirt. Normally, she had the patience of a Saint, but with her short night's sleep, crazy babies, and the feeling of her eminent doom closing in on her she snapped when her senior threw an empty can at her. Hotaru stopped.

"-THE SWEET, PRECIOUS, AND DELICATE FLOWER THAT KYOKO-CHAN IS," the loud mouth senpai was gathering quite a crowd. "NOT TO MENTION THE RESPECT THAT YOU SHOULD SHOW TOWARDS ME AS CAPTAIN-"

"Shut up."

The idiot stopped mid rant and many people in the crowd gasped at the audacity of the usually quiet girl. Mochida soon recovered from his shock, "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

Hotaru turned around slowly and gave Mochida her meanest glare, "I am sorry. I tried to use easy words so that a simpleton such as you would understand. I said shut up, you cretin. Every time you speak you make my ears bleed."

Some the people within the crowd were muttering words of agreement.

Mochida turned bright red with anger, "You can't say that to me I'm your superior!"

Hotaru snorted, "I doubt that you are superior to anyone….Actually, I take that back. You have and ego unlike anyone I have ever seen. If I wanted to kill myself, I would climb up your ego and jump down to your IQ level."

Mochida was now flustered by the open mocking of the crowd, "you...you...you...BITCH!"

"...It's sad watching you fit your entire vocabulary into one sentence."

Finally, the older boy seemed to get a clue and walked away… dragging Sasagawa with him. I wouldn't have care, but she looked to be really uncomfortable. "Hey, leave her alone."

Mochida stopped and realization dawned on his face. Hotaru just sat back and hoped that whatever he was about to say wouldn't make her IQ drop. "I know why you aren't respecting me, IT'S BECAUSE YOU LIKE KYOKO-CHAN! YOU SEE ME AS A THREAT!"

"Is your ass jealous of the amount of shit that just came out of your mouth?"

"I'm right! I know I'm right! I challenge you to a battle after school and the winner get's Kyoko - chan!"

"Why would I do that?"

"For Kyoko-chan's love!"

"No. I have better things to do than humor pompous, sexist assholes."

With that Hotaru turned on her heel and walked away from the dumbfound student population. That was the most that they had heard Hotaru talk. She wouldn't even talk when teachers called on her.

"Stop crowding or I will bite you to death."

They scattered. The disciplinary committee head remained, looking off in the direction that Hotaru disappeared to. Kitten has claws.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the distance a baby smirked, "This one will be entertaining."

…

When Hotaru got to class, she immediately plopped down in her seat and reclined her feet in the empty chair next to her.

Ugh, I hate walking, Hotaru thought. I wish my scooter was finished.

"Hey, Ice Queen."

Hotaru turned to the baseball star standing next to her, "...yes."

"Hahahaha, so cold. I just wanted to say that what you did earlier today was pretty cool. Mochida-sempai needed to put in his place."

Hotaru nodded once before getting in a comfortable position so she could catch up on her sleep. She felt exhausted from dealing with the idiot. However, she felt the baseball star's gaze on her and it was annoying her.

He wants you to say something, her intuition supplied. He wants to know what made you act out.

I don't know what to say…

Just try.

"I did what I did for many reasons." Hotaru started hesitantly. She always has trouble communicating with people her age. "I haven't gotten a lot of sleep this past week. I have a feeling that something big is going to happen and it is going to change my life.

Hotaru began to gain confidence and went into rant mode, "I don't like arrogant people. I don't like Mochida. My absent father was supposed to call last week and didn't; my mother cried. I've been building a motorized scooter that will use biodegradable materials as fuel, however I have hit a wall and I don't know how to climb over it."

The girl slid back into her previous position, "I have…. been really stressed."

Yamamoto was speechless as he watched Hotaru's eyelids start to drop, he didn't know that the lazy Ice Queen had any other interest other than sleeping. He didn't know that she had issues with her dad. He didn't know that she had trouble sleeping.

He didn't know that she was holding all of that in; he didn't know that she was like him.

"I...understand."

Hotaru's eyes snapped open, "What?"

"I understand. Can I call you Hotaru-chan?"

Yamamoto surprised her, she thought that he would write her off like the rest of her classmates and walk away. But he was energetic and Hotaru doesn't like energetic people. She opened her mouth with the intention of sending the tiresome boy away.

"I prefer Hotaru, but I don't mind if you call me Hotaru-chan."

I didn't mean to say that! I want him to leave me alone.

Liar, Hotaru's intuition accused.

The baseball gave a real smile, probably the first he has given in a long while, "Okay, Hotaru."

The door of the classroom opened, but it wasn't sensei. It was a member of the Kendo club. "Um… Ice Queen, Mochida wants the battle to take place after school in the gym."

The peaceful atmosphere of the room shifted, "Can't that ninny take a hint?"

The member looked deeply uncomfortable, "he...is very insistent."

Hotaru snorted, before waving the member off, "I'll be there."

With that whispers erupted from the students and Hotaru saw some run out of the room to spread the news. Many were wondering what would happen in the match between the runt of the school and the idiot Kendo club captain. Others were thinking that it was ridiculous for a little girl to go up against a person twice her height and weight.

"...Hotaru, you do know that you don't have to fight Mochida, right?"

"Yes, Yamamoto, but I started this altercation by losing my control. Now I have to finish it."

"Call me Takeshi."

Hotaru had a miniature heart attack. Don't friends call each other by their personal name? Does he want to be friends? What do friend do? What do friends talk about?

"Okay, Takeshi."

….

Hotaru and Takeshi walked to the gym after school and were intercepted by Reborn, "You are already better than my last student. Your earned the loyalty of your Rain Gardian and won't run away from your problems. I am impressed."

"Hey, Hotaru is this baby your little brother?"

"No, he is my pet."

Leon promptly transformed into a mallet and Hotaru was soon on the ground with Takeshi by her side immediately. "Are you okay?"

Hoatru looked uncomfortable with her personal space being invaded. She shifted then nodded. "Yes."

"Ciaossu, Yamamoto Takeshi."

The baseball star helped a redundant Hotaru off the floor, "How do you know my name?"

"I am from the mafia. Do you want to be Hotaru's subordinate?"

Takeshi's eyes told of awareness, but he then hid it behind a bright smile. "Sure! I would love to play this game with you and Hotaru."

Hotaru deadpanned, "... It's not a game. This is the real mafia."

"A mafia with a baby hitman?"

"Apparently."

"Oh...I still want to join you."

"Why?"

"Because you are my friend."

How can he hold such loyalty towards me when we just became friends, Hotaru thought. Why have I not pushed him away by now?

You like him. You want to be his friend.

….

After leaving Reborn to his own devices, which Hotaru suspected consisted of schemes to get Hotaru more friends. The pair continued on their walk to the gym. When they arrived the gym was packed, with the entire school spectating.

"YOU HAVE FINALLY ARRIVED TO ANSWER MY CHALLENGE, ICE QUEEN! I WILL BEAT YOU AND WIN KYOKO-CHAN!"

Hotaru yawned in response.

"THE RULES ARE-"

"Don't bother," Hotaru's quiet words seemed louder than the foolish senpai's. She commanded the attention of the entire room. "I know that you somehow rigged the match in your favor because you are that desperate for Sasagawa's affection. So I will make the rules."

"Rule one: any weapon is allowed. Rule two: the first person knocked unconscious wins."

Mochida smiled a wicked smile, confident in his ability to beat a little girl to the ground.

"Rule three: Sasagawa is not the prize, I want something else."

Mochida's smile dropped, "But Kyoko-chan is a wonderful prize and we both want her."

"She is a person, not a prize. I also do not want her. However, we can make a wager. If you win than I will take over your cleaning duties for the rest of the year-"

It was a good prize.

"If I win, then for the next two weeks you will deliver me to and from school on a rickshaw and call me 'hime'."

Figures. Hotaru only wants to use him so she can be lazier.

Mochida agreed immediately, no way this tiny little girl will be able to defeat me even if we are no longer using my referee.

The captain sank into a fighting stance while Hotaru stood silently where she was. With a battle cry, the upperclassman charged. However, Hotaru didn't move.

SMACK!

A body hit the floor, but it wasn't Hotaru's.

She waited until he was in range and used her punching gun, which shot a red boxing glove attached to a spring at high speeds. When it was at its strongest setting it could knock out a full grown muscle man on steroids. The lowest setting could definitely take care of Mochida.

The gym was as silent as a graveyard until applause broke out and some students rushed toward the young girl.

"Wow, you beat him within 5 seconds!"

"That was so cool."

"I can't believe Ice Queen did that."

When the crowd started calming down Takeshi made his way over. "Hahahahaha," Takeshi laughed, "Where did you get that gun?"

"I made it."

That statement through the crowd into a frenzy.

"Really, wow!"

"Can you made me one?"

"That's even cooler."

Hotaru was starting to get uncomfortable with the crowd closing in and backed behind the baseball star, who was better with people, "Calm down… you can ask Hotaru questions later. We need to head home."

There were a lot of protest until, "move or I will bite you to death."

They scattered leaving Takeshi and Hotaru. Hotaru smiled thankfully at the scary prefect, "Thanks, Hibari!"

"Hn."

Takeshi and Hotaru walked home together and were surprised to discover that they live a block away from each other. With Takeshi's insistence a promise was made to eat lunch together tomorrow, and then they went home.

"Ru-chan! How was school?"

The Ice Queen gave her mom a small smile, "fun."

….

Rain guardian acquired. Storm guardian arrived and interested. Potential Cloud guardian.

Student is very interesting and many desirable qualities for a mafia boss. Many undesirable ones.

Her No-good father's report on her was wrong. Do not listen to anything he has to say about Hotaru, he doesn't know his own child.

The report was sent to Nono.