Sehnsucht
by OpalescentGold is a Reborn! (2004) Fan Fic.
Official summary on FanFiction.Net: In an unidentifiable location of Japan, a woman named Cynthia, the founder of the Cervello and the former Vongola Adviser, dies. Some few hundred years later, in a location of Japan now known as Namimori, a baby named Noriko is born.
Tropes:
- Affectionate Nickname: Tsuna calls Noriko "Nori-chan".
- All Love Is Unrequited: Chapter 46 reveals that the true reason why Cynthia spared Daemon after he betrayed the First Generation was because she was in love with him. Chapter 52 implies that it wasn't entirely unrequited — however, their chance to be together came as the result of Elena's death, and Daemon was already too far gone by that point.
- Believing Their Own Lies: Daemon Spade has been lying to himself for so long that he's in straight up denial of the truth. Cynthia (and later Noriko) however, sees through him easily, and sadly remarks that he never learns.
- Broken Bird: Nori having retained all her memories from her past life and then there's the matter with Elena and Daemon Spade which is why she is so detached from living her current life.
- Celibate Hero: Justified for Noriko, but she has a hard time moving past her feelings for Daemon Spade, and the immense regret to even consider romance. See The First Cut Is the Deepest below.
- Chekhov's Gun: The Gestione Accord. It's an agreement that was made between Cervello Cynthia and the Vindice: in exchange for allowing certain individuals under her control, the Arbiter would never overturn any of the Vindice's penalties. Hundreds of years later, the agreement still holds, and Noriko invoked the Accord to keep Mukuro out of the Vendicare. It's later on revealed that she also invoked the Accord when she spared Daemon, and as a result the Vindice cannot interfere with the ongoing conflict when he resurfaces.
- Childhood Friends: Nori and Tsuna. May or may not be a Childhood Friend Romance.
- Chosen Conception Partner: The only reason why Cynthia got married was so she could have a child to inherit the Cervello, and the guy in question offered. It didn't help that the only man she had eyes for was already with her sister.
- Cynicism Catalyst: Elena's death. What it did to Daemon Spade is long established, and Talbot speculates that Cynthia/Noriko never quite got over it either.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Daemon is just as horrified as everyone else when his scythe pierces Noriko's chest. He tries to play it off as something she "deserved" later on, but the narrative makes it clear that he's lying to not only everyone else but himself as well.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Daemon's love for Elena is well-established, but as the story goes on, it becomes very clear that in spite of everything that has happened between them, he still cares for Cynthia/Noriko.
- The First Cut Is the Deepest: Elena's death broke Daemon hard. Chapter 52 hints that he was aware of Cynthia's feelings for him, and that the only reason why they didn't end up together was because Daemon had already given in to his grief and was too loyal to Elena's memory. Cynthia herself is rather adverse to romance because of this complicated relationship, and, aside from some possible feelings for Tsuna, has no interest in romance.
- Five Stages of Grief: Oh, Noriko/Cynthia... about her identity crisis, and also handling the deaths of the First generation guardians as well as her descendants.
- Daemon Spade's overall handling of Elena's death resembles this.
- Flashback: Many. The Simon arc goes into overdrive with this due to the presence of Daemon Spade.
- Foreshadowing: The audience is initially led to believe that Cynthia spared Daemon out of respect for her adoptive sister, Elena, Daemon's lover. The flashbacks during the Simon arc, however, do not focus on her relationship with Elena, but rather her relationship with Daemon, hinting the real reason she did not kill him for the betrayal.
- Generation Xerox: Much to Cynthia's delight and dismay. Mukuro's numerous similarities to Daemon are painful enough that it takes a while for her to warm up to him.
- Implied Love Interest: A lot of the things that Nori and Tsuna say about each other heavily suggests something. Ultimately though, it's left up to the readers' interpretation.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Cynthia was supportive of the relationship between Daemon Spade and her adoptive sister Elena, even though she was in love with Daemon herself.
- Judge, Jury, and Executioner: Cynthia/Noriko's role as the Vongola Moon and as the first, true Arbiter is to serve as this in any major conflict involving the Vongola. In exchange, she cannot interfere in any way and must always remain impartial to the situation. That being said, that has not stopped her from bending the rules once in a while.
- Magnetic Hero: Played With: While Noriko is the one who brings people into their group, the ultimate reason they all stay is for Tsuna.
- Maybe Ever After: The story ends in an open-ended note about Tsuna and Nori's relationship with each other and whether or not they are romantically involved is up to interpretation.
- Meaningful Name: Cynthia is a name referred to be one of the names of the Greek moon goddess, Artemis and refers to her moon flame. Noriko meant "Child of ceremony,law and order". Referring to her status as the Judge, Jury, and Executioner and also creator of the Cervello. And the title itself means Nostalgia in German. Fitting that Cynthia/Noriko's struggles comes from her seeing the first generation's ghost through Tsuna and everyone and often wished to return to the old days.
- Mystical White Hair: Noriko's hair is platinum blonde but is mentioned to look almost silver. There's also the fact that she's reincarnated with her memories intact, and she has a special flame and role to boot!
- Platonic Life-Partners: Nori is shown be very close to all of the 10th generation Vongola guardians but with extra emphasis on Tsuna's friendship since they are childhood friends.
- Additionally, Cynthia was shown to be very close to Giotto to the point that it's almost surprising that no Love Epiphany ever happened.
- Reincarnation: Reiki Noriko is the reincarnation of Cervello Cynthia. There is some discussion over whether or not everyone from her time was reincarnated and she's just the only one that remembers. If one believes the hints that Mukuro is Daemon's reincarnation, this might actually be true.
- Regretful Traitor: Daemon has always regretted betraying the First Generation. Problem is, he's been lying to himself for so long that he's succumbed to his own lies. Cynthia/Noriko, however, sees right through him, and sadly notes that he never learns.
- Selective Obliviousness: Chapter 52 reveals that Daemon was aware of Cynthia's feelings for him, at least to some extent, but consciously chose not to acknowledge them because he was already with Elena.
- Stations of the Canon: Starts out like this, but there are some changes, the most major one being that Mukuro isn't taken back to the Vendicare. It isn't until the Inheritance Ceremony arc that things go completely off the rails.
- Stepford Smiler: Downplayed for Noriko. Since she gets better.
- Taking the Bullet: Chapter 46 ends with Noriko jumping in front of Tsuna to protect him from a stab from Daemon's scythe, much to the horror of everyone, including Daemon himself. She survives, but barely.
- Team Mom: Noriko is this to the 10th generation Vongola family, being the most responsible and mature of the group, it's justified considering her unique case however.
- Unbroken Vigil: After Noriko takes the stab from Daemon's scythe for Tsuna, he stays by her side watching over her injured body.
- Unrequited Love Lasts Forever: Noriko's lack of a romantic life stems from her lingering feelings for Daemon Spade.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: Despite already being in a relationship with Elena, the story hints that there was something between Daemon and Cynthia (who is confirmed to have been in love with him). It remained unresolved even after Elena's death, much to both their regrets.
- There is some tension between Noriko and Tsuna, however it's mostly left up to interpretation.
- Wham Line: Chapter 46 ends in one, one that makes everything leading up to that point much more clear and much more sense.Once upon a time, Cervello Cynthia spared Daemon Spade's life because she loved him. It seems only right that Reiki Noriko will save Sawada Tsunayoshi's life because she loves him.
