Unplanned Return [Hiatus]

4th

Despite being deep in the southern forest Shinku and Éclair were able to return to Biscotti with little trouble, at least until they got back. When they did get back they had the unfortunate problem of having to go to each and every person in biscotti and apologize to them. This took almost an entire day as Éclair dragged Shinku around to do this, even dragging him all the way to D'arquien and Yukikaze's place and to Gallia as well. Two days later everything had been finished, Palladion returned once again and the return ceremony complete, all that was left was to actually return Shinku to his world, a task easier said than done considering that Éclair had pulled him up onto the castle's battlements where no one else was currently.
"Um, Éclair?"
"Yes?"
"Why are we up here? Shouldn't we be getting down to the gates to head to the altar?" Shinku asked as he looked around to find no one else around.
"Yes, but I wanted to talk to you, alone."
"About what?"
Éclair turned away from Shinku and was obviously uncomfortable from the way she was fidgeting with the low sections of her knight coat. "I- I, I wanted to, to talk about what happened in the-"Éclair whispered.
"Wha?"
"Ugh, I want to talk about what happened in the forest okay!" Éclair nearly screamed in frustration.
Shinku looked to his side. "Oh"
"Yes, well, it's like this, I –"
"Thank you Éclair!" Shinku suddenly said as he bowed to her at the waist, causing Éclair to lose what little composure she had left.
"What?!"
"I would have been sulking in the woods as a mental wreck if you had not come and pulled me out of it, thank you, and I'm sorry for making you do that. Shinku said as he stopped bowing and gave Éclair a friendly smile.
Seeing this Éclair completely lost the words she had been preparing to say. Her face slowly began turning red as she walked past Shinku, grabbing the collar of his shirt and dragging him along as she growled to herself in frustration. "Idiot."
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Standing on the altar before Shinku, everyone was happy that things had been resolved and everyone had given him a few last words and helpful statements except the princess and Éclair.
"I'm sorry things have been so rough for you Shinku, but it will all right okay?" princess Millifiori said helpfully.
Shinku nodded with a big smile on his face. "Right, I'm sorry for everything, and I'll be back when fall vacation starts!"
"When does it start again?"
"In one month"
"Then I'll look forward to it, just step onto the center of the circle to return." Princess Millifiori said as she stepped back to let him return.
Shinku turned to walk onto the center of the circle and then quickly turned around. "Oh, I almost forgot, Éclair?"
"Yes?" Éclair replied as she stepped forward upon hearing her name, and tripped on an uneven stone. Falling forward she was quickly caught by Shinku; unfortunately, her momentum worked against them and pushed them both backwards, onto the center of the circle. In a brilliant flash of light, Shinku was gone and everyone sighed in relief until they realized Éclair was nowhere to be found either.
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"Shinku! Dinner is almost ready, quit sulking and come down to eat something!"
Shinku sat up on his bed and rubbed his eyes upon hearing his voice called. His room was exactly as he had left it, with its pale yellow walls and light blue bed covers he felt at peace here, then felt a vibration in his core. Looking down at his stomach he could almost feel it rumbling with anticipation, after all from when he left for Flonyard to now when he got back he had not eaten anything, which meant he had not eaten anything in two days. As he prepared to jump off his bed the door to his room swung open and his mother came through the doorway.
"Shinku, I called, dinner is almost ready and- . . . oh my, you didn't say you had a friend over?"
Shinku looked at his mother with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean, are Nanami and Becky here already?"
Shinku's mother shook her head causing her blonde locks to sway around her, "No they should be here soon, and I'm talking about your friend on the floor there." Shinku's mother said as she pointed beside his bed.
Shinku, outlook darkened at hearing this and bent over to look on his floor. There in the center of his floor, curled up slightly and wearing her full knight garb except her armor was Éclair.