A Saniwa's Duty

First School Day

"Looks like my summer vacation... is over."

Chiaki did not bother fighting off her assailant, willingly letting the sword fly out of her hands as she flew backwards onto her backside, hearing the wooden sword thump a ways away as it hit the tatami mat.

Shishiou held her at swordpoint for a moment, before relaxing his stance and extending a hand to help her up, which the young girl took gratefully.

"Boo," they heard someone jeer unenthusiastically, and Chiaki turned to the source of the noise, which came from her brother who watched among the sidelines with several other toudans. His forest green eyes seemed to gaze her with contempt.

"What? You know it's true." She replied with a cheeky grin, lifting the practice weapon witb her foot and tossing it into the air, catching it and striking a victory pose. The onlookers, mostly the tantous and a handful of the bigger sword types, clapped in amazement. He continued to cast her that look for a few more seconds before shaking his head dismissively.

"You know exactly what I mean," Tetsuo replied, getting up to leave. His sister, meanwhile, was half-listening to her opposing tachi's remarks about her fighting style, while the rest of the onlookers glanced back and forth between the siblings, confused.

The remaining week before the new school year passed by uneventfully, something that both relieved the young saniwa but at the same time saddened her. Sure, there wouldn't be any serious injuries that she had to oversee along with Yagen, the resident medical expert, but it definitely felt off. Her mother, unsurprisingly, was a no-show, so discussions about the citadel going forward

"You're lucky," Chiaki said to the toudans that accompanied her, as they headed to the kitchens for a snack.

"With what?" Aizen said quizzically.

"Well, young as you may look, you don't have to do the things I do." She handed each of them a steamed bun from a platter that had been left on the counter, amounting to four, herself included.

"I thought you were excited to go back?" Imanotsurugi questioned before biting into the food, silently noting the savory beef flavor.

"I am," she said, leading the way out to her favorite spot on the porch, sitting down and leaning against the support pillar as she bit into her own steamed bun. "It's just that..."

She trailed off, silently regarding the currently serene state of the citadel. Or as serene as can be, watching Namazuo chase around his brothers in a rousing game of tag. He tripped over an unusually quiet Jiroutachi, who seemed to have dozed off, stumbling and nearly planting face-first into the grass, all the while his younger siblings screamed, some laughing.

"You said you weren't worried about missing us, as you'd only be one doorway away?"

I know I did, but at the same time I can't help myself...

★★★

The first day of school passed by pretty quickly, Chiaki using up her charisma in the best ways possible, impressing her classmates with her amazing feats. Someone had attempted to trip her at the cafeteria during recess that morning, which she quickly and gracefully turned into a cartwheel, catching the food she'd previously thrown into the air with ease.

The subjects after that passed by uneventfully, as to be expected on the first day, filled mostly with introductions for students old and new, as well as tbe staff.

Lunch arrived and as Chiaki and her friendgroup seated themselves, the redhead opened her bag, rummaging around only to realize that she had not brought lunch with her.