Unplanned Return [Hiatus]

6th

Shinku flopped down onto his chair and sighed as Rebecca sat down beside him.
"Something wrong, Shinku?"
"No, I just feel bad."
"Like a cold?"
"No, like how Éclair is crashing at my place with nothing to occupy herself with for the past week."
"What do you mean?"
"My mom doesn't want her having her daggers with her in public for obvious reasons and she doesn't seem like she want to go anyplace around town."
"Oh, I could come over if you'd like?"
"That might be an idea." Shinku said as their homeroom teacher came into the class, dropped some pares on his desk then looked out at the class.
"Good morning everyone. Today we have a new student joining us for a little while, I'd like you all to make her feel welcome."
As the teacher said this the door to the classroom slid open and the new student walked in. She wore the school's uniform very well, and everyone could tell at a glance she was athletic as her green hair swayed slightly as a light breeze crept in from the window. "M, my name is E- Éclair Matinozzi. I- it's a pleasure to meet you all and I, I hope we can get along well."+  -           
"You want me . . . to go to school?" Éclair asked slowly in shock as she looked at Sherry who sat beside her in the driver's seat of her car. Sherry had not said much during the drive.
Sherry nodded.
"I haven't had schooling in over a year. Why should I start again now? Besides, I wouldn't know anything about Earth's schooling!"
Sherry stifled a giggle. "True. But you would not do so badly, you would have Rebecca and Shinku's help after all."
Éclair looked away from Sherry and at the massive buildings in front of her. "Wait, you mean-?"
"Yep, this is the Kinokawa International School. Both Shinku and Rebecca go here, in the same class even."
"But I can't-. "
"And why not? I don't deny you won't be perfect at any specific class, but it would keep you out of trouble would it not?"
"Well I suppose. But-,"
"And besides, you did want to learn more about Earth, did you not?" Sherry said with a warm but devious smile.
"But-,"
"And it will keep you close to them both while keeping you fit and out of trouble."
"Well, I . . . oh fine!" Éclair gave up immediately. Despite her appearance, Shinku's mother was extremely good at logic, she just could not win an argument with her!
"Good, then let's go speak to the principal!" Sherry said as she hopped out of the car and entered the school building with Éclair in tow.
As they walked through the buildings large hallways, Éclair could not help but feel worried. "No one else can see my ears or tail, right?"
"Unless they've been to Flonyard, no. There's only four people in the school currently who can see them."
"Okay that-, four?"
"You'll see," Sherry said as she opened a door and walked in with Éclair behind her. The room they entered was not large, a desk took up almost half of the room. It was covered in piles of paper so high it reminded Éclair of when Rico would get into serious research. Behind the desk, a tall and muscular man in a grey suit talked on a cellphone while simultaneously typing on the computer with his free hand. He glanced up at them, waved and continued talking on the cellphone so fast Éclair could not understand what he was saying, then it hit her why, he was speaking a different language.
The man closed the phone and got up from the desk, walked around it, and gave Sherry a big hug which she returned.
"It is good to see you Sherry, have you been well?" The man asked in a low deep voice.
Sherry smiled and tilted her head as she spoke. "Yes I have. I assume from the sound of it work is as busy as always?"
"Yes well, I knew it would be when I was given the position. Running an international school is not easy. I assume that there is a reason for this visit? It can't possibly be to just come and see me."
"Actually yes, I was wondering if you could help me with something." Sherry said as she stepped to the side allowing Éclair to be seen.
He stepped forward and knelt down so he could look in her eyes. "A Biscottian, eh? How'd it happen?" he asked as he stood up and walked around to the rear of his desk.
"To put it simply, she kind of came back with my son, unintentionally of course."
"I see. I would assume the same class then?"
"That would be nice."
Éclair stood there completely confused as the two of them spoke until she could stand it no longer. "Okay what's going on!"
Sherry looked at her. "What do you mean?"
"How did this man know I was from Biscotti?"
". . . Because he has been there."
"How! I thought you said you only went the one time!"
Sherry snickered. "You misunderstood. I said I only went to Biscotti. I never said how many times. I went a few more times but with friends and-"
"Ahem." The man coughed. "I hate to interrupt but can you tell her later, Sherry?"
"I suppose, but why?"
The man smirked. "Oh, so only you can take center stage now, is it?"
Sherry shook her head with a laugh. "All right, I get it!" Sherry said as she sat down on a chair by the door.
The man cleared his throat as he pushed the piles of paper to the side of his desk, allowing Éclair full sight of him from where she stood. "I'm sorry for ignoring you, miss. My name is Robert Arnos, Principal of this International School. May I ask your name?"
"E- Éclair." Éclair stuttered.
"Full name please."
"Um, Éclair Martinozzi."
"A good name." Robert said as he began typing on his computer. "Okay. You're female, obviously. . . From Biscotti, so for argument, hmmm."
"What is it?" Éclair asked quietly as the man typed on the computer.
"Oh sorry. I was just deciding whether to put you as from France or the Republic of Congo. I guess we'll go with France and use the argument that you moved to Japan while young."
Éclair was obviously confused, luckily Robert noticed.
"I'm having to create a false history for you, so that no one takes more notice in you than they should.
"Oh, I see. Is that really necessary?"
"Yes . . . we'll go with you lived in the country, under a now dead duchy, I think. That could explain any martial or physical skill you'd have over some others. And hmm, are you a dependent of anyone?"
"Huh?"
"Parents? Older sibling?"
"Oh, um, an older brother."
"Okay, good. . . we'll have him being a . . .hmmmm. . . . second or third cousin would work I guess, and, let's see. Yep, I think that about does it!"
Does what?"
"Your induction. You're now in the system as a transfer student starting tomorrow. You are staying with Sherry's family and are related only by a very long line of cousins, who have been removed many, many times. So many that it's hard to figure, just for safety's sake. You're from a small county inside of France called Biscotti where your brother lives, having sent you here for the schooling that you missed because of political interference. I can send you the complete information if necessary, Sherry?" Robert suddenly asked.
Sherry shook her head as she stood up. "That won't be necessary."
"Good, I'll have the storeroom unlocked so you can grab a uniform or six."
"Alright." Sherry said as she opened the door to leave the office, but stopped suddenly and turned to Éclair. "Éclair, could you wait outside, please. I have to speak to Robert a bit more.
"Um, okay." Éclair said as she stepped outside, Sherry closing the door behind her.
"I can guess what this is about, but I'll refrain from doing so." Robert said as Sherry stepped up to the desk, placed her palms on it and leaned forward.
"Thank you for that. I have the granite base and we've started the etching. Do you think we should inform Xavier?"
Robert shook his head. "No. Xavier won't listen unless it's ready. Better to tell him once it's done and the young lady sent back. Then we can inform Xavier and have him decide how he and his team should act."
"Hmmm, I suppose you're right. I wanted to worry about her first anyway; I just hope all goes well."
"It will. Now go get the young lady her uniform and get out before your son sees you. You're wanting her enrolment to be an initial surprise, right?"
"You know me too well," Sherry said as she walked over to the door and left the room.
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Éclair stood in the room she had been using (her room?) and could only wonder what the day would bring. The day before had been highly confusing, what with the questions and her being enrolled in Rebecca and Shinku's school.
Shinku's school. When did she stop thinking of him by the name, "hero?
She shook her head as a knock came on the door.
"Éclair? May I come in?" asked Sherry happily.
"Oh, um of course."
Sherry opened up the door and walked into the guest room, currently Éclairs room, and looked around. The room was still mostly bare, but Éclairs knight coat and daggers were hung from a hanger on the window sill, and her new Kinokawa International School uniform lay on the bed, still in the plastic. "You know you have to take it out to wear it, right?" Sherry teased.
Éclair blushed slightly as she turned and looked at the uniform in its bag. "I just, I don't know if red will look good on me, I guess?"
Sherry smiled as she held up a bag and threw it to Éclair. "Here."
Catching the bag, Éclair opened it to find two more bags inside, much to her dismay. "What's in these?"
"Shinku told me how he had a pair of shorts and a shirt modified for you to train in, so I did something similar with some new ones I bought for you. You will need a gym strip after all. The other is something I think you will like. When you told me how what you normally wore was a tight skirt, I worried you might not be accustomed to a loose one, so I got you a few pairs of spats to wear under them."
Éclair opened up the bags to find exactly what Sherry had described, not that she did not believe her, but it was good to check. "I- I see. Thank you."
"You don't need to worry about it. Shinku left with Rebecca already, so I'll be driving you, but you still need to get ready, so hurry up." Sherry chimed as she left the room leaving Éclair alone with the unfamiliar clothing on her bed.
"Alright, time to do this, I guess."
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