Note: This story was influenced by, and uses ideas from, Mrs. Strata's "Cherry Blossoms" stories. (Thus the 'Cherry Blossom' in the title.) This takes place after the 39 eps we know, and everything has gone back to .. er.. 'normal'. (Depending on your definition of the word. *grin*) This also utilizes some events that take place in Mrs. Strata's stories. So some characters are my creation, few belong to Mrs. Strata and the rest are, of course, copyrighted by their respective creator(s). This, as the rest of my stories, are intended for enjoyment for fans of the series.
Here's a bit of translation of the Japanese I use. "Sakura No Han`a" means cherry blossoms, "Ohayo" means hello, and "gaijin" means a barbarian or outsider. The rest, I hope, is able to be figured out by the context. So here we go without further ado.
Cherry Blossom Seasons
Part 1 - First Impressions
by
Archdruid Unacera
The girl walked up the steps of the school wearing a black backpack. She sighed as she looked at the drab school uniform. Her blue eyes gazed to the name of the school again. "Sakura No Han`a High." She sighed softly as she looked at the paper in her hand again. Her footsteps sounded like pounds on the silent hallway floor and she dreaded the noise of each one. Eventually she made her way to the principal's office and knocked politely.
"Come in." The girl opened the door and shut it softly. She turned to the man and bowed in respect. "Are you the new student?"
"Hai."
"We've had a rash of those lately." The man almost seemed to smile. "Let's see here. Ah yes Miss Archdruid. I apologize to you once again for losing your application forms. I don't remember the last time this happened. In fact I don't think it ever happened before. All your current standings have been transferred. I hope that you won't have a hard time adjusting since it still is early in the year."
"Domo Arigato." Secretly she smiled inwardly, knowing the real reason the papers were missing. Have I really thanked Dais enough for that?
"Well I see you have your schedule and map of the school. Do you have any more questions?"
"Not that I can think of."
"All right then. Welcome to Sakura No Han`a High." The girl bowed and started to leave the room. As she was about to shut the door, he added, "I hope to never see you again until graduation Unacera-San."
"Sir?" Unacera looked puzzled at him, the door a crack open as she looked back in.
"I only see the bad students." He finally managed a smile. The girl bowed again as she left.
Unacera brushed a stubborn piece of orange red hair back in place as she opened the door to the classroom. She bowed to the teacher in respect.
"My. On time too." The teacher mused and motioned her to stand in front next to him. He waited for the bell to ring and for the usual late arrivals. The students looked forward as the teacher cleared his throat.
"Good morning class."
"Good morning Kaga Sensei."
"We have yet another new student to add to our ranks." He turned to her. "Perhaps you would like to introduce yourself?"
"I would be honored." She bowed and spoke up. "My name is Unacera Archdruid. I've come here from the United States of America to Japan to learn of your country."
More than a few heads peaked up more. Not only was the girl an American, but her Japanese was perfect! The teacher spoke again. "Thank you very much Miss Archdruid. Would you please sit in the empty desk over there?" He indicated a seat at the right of the room near the windows in the middle of the row. "Now. Let's continue on with yesterday's lesson shall we. Please turn to page 28 of your text. Miss Archdruid? Do you have the text yet?"
"Hai Sensei." She reached in her backpack and pulled out a book and notepad. Unacera tried not to flush for the attention back on her, and for the fact that she carried her backpack to class. It's only because they haven't assigned me a locker yet. Her soft fingers opened it to the correct page as the teacher turned back to the board and began writing.
A boy in the class smirked. Another girl! The student sitting next to him almost groaned, understanding the meaning behind the look.
Damn it Kento you better not get me in trouble again! Not another note! Let it wait till lunch! Cye pleaded in his thoughts as he hid the rolling of his eyes behind his notes.
"Now who knows the answer to the problem I just wrote?" Unacera hand shot up as fast as another student with short blue hair. "Miss Archdruid? You know the answer?" The teacher sounded surprised.
"Hai Sensei. It's x equals plus or minus the square root of 48. It can also be plus or minus 4 times the square root of 3 if you factor out a 16."
"Very good Miss Archdruid. I'm impressed." The teacher turned back to the board. The other boy who raised his hand looked back to the new student, his curiosity burning inside. That was an amazing display of knowledge!
The class went on that way with its normal 'drab' as some students would say. The girl started to walk to her next class when someone made a noise next to her. She looked up from the paper and saw the same short haired student from Calculus.
"Hi there Miss Archdruid."
"Ohayo," she returned politely.
"I.. I was impressed by your answer in class today to that problem."
"Why? You raised your hand too. I assume that means you also knew the answer."
Rowen stumbled for a moment. "Well.. What I mean is that I'm usually the only one who gets those. It's nice to see someone else who participates."
The girl flushed slightly. "Thank you. That's very nice to say." She glanced at the map on her paper again and furrowed her brow. It isn't a good map is it?
"May I help you find your next class Miss Archdruid?"
"Oh that would be great! Please call me Unacera." She smiled as she handed him her schedule.
"Unacera." He repeated. "Interesting list of courses here. Hmmm. Oh you're going to Chemistry next? So am I!"
She smiled. "Well it's comforting thought that I'll know someone in the class already. That is if you'll tell me your name?"
"Oh sorry." He flushed slightly in embarrassment. "My name is Rowen." The walked together silently for a moment. "Look. I have a friend in the next class. Maybe I'll introduce you to him.. if he doesn't introduce himself first."
"Hmm?" Unacera didn't understand what he was trying to say. How could see know that Mr. Popular of the girls of the school, Sage, was there.
They entered the class and Unacera stood up front again. Rowen almost seemed regretful to leave her alone in the spotlight. She merely sighed. This time the teacher introduced her, but still a few heads perked up. The one that stood out the most was a blonde haired boy. She's an American? Sage thought to himself.
The teacher finally started to finish. "Well since we are already paired up, we shall have a group of three." There were mixed reactions. Some liked their partners, some would relish having another. The rest just weren't sure if a gaijin would know what to do. "Since our .. er.. problem last time and grateful switching of classrooms.." More than a few groans popped up. Sage had saved them from a week, but the school wouldn't hear of any more time missed. "I'm assigning Miss Archdruid to Mr. Date's group." A girl in the class looked uneasy and gave slight dirty looks to the new student. "Now let's get back to work." The students got up and went to their lab sections. Sage got up and walked to the new student. "Ohayo Miss Archdruid, I'm Sage Date."
"Ohayo I'm Unacera." She bowed and then followed the boy to their setup. The other girl who was making dirty looks was already there. Sage looked at his equipment. He purposely placed himself in a position where Venus and Rowen wouldn't distract him this time. Wouldn't do to blow up another classroom. He already had a reputation, and didn't need to add this to it. Somehow I doubt school Casanova and chemistry class pyromaniac would mix well. He shook his head. Now that was a stupid way to put it.
"We didn't get the hose line for the gas for the Bunsen burner." Unacera drew Sage's thoughts to the present where they should have been. He cursed himself for drifting again. Hadn't his father taught him to keep his attention? She returned with a hose that was in great shape. "Here we go. They connected one end to the gas outlet and the other to the burner.
"All right let's light this thing." He made sure the flame level wasn't set to high. Then he grabbed the 'clicker', as they called the mechanical lighter they used. He pressed the button a couple of times and the sparks finally worked. "Now let's get started. Could you hand me the vile we need to heat Ayako?" Sage looked up to the other girl who had her face in her notebook, still making side dirty looks to the new student. Sage raised his voice as he repeated her name. Ayako shot up and looked at him, seemingly shocked at his angry face. "The vile," he motioned.
"Oh I'm sooo sorrwy Say-geee." The man rolled his blue eyes for a second. He began to really hate when she spoke like that, especially with others around to hear it. His ears even picked up a few snickers from groups nearby. She handed it to him delicately as he placed it in the container of water they were heating up. He glanced to the new student and his eyes opened wide. "You're working on the equations for the chemicals already? That's supposed to be done after the lab."
"It is?" The blue eyes matched his look of surprise. Ayako made another face.
"Well you don't have to do it after the lab. You can work on it now. It's just that.. well.. we usually do that at home." He watched her shrug and return to her problems. She's starting to act like Rowen. "You don't happen to be a super genius do you?"
"Uh. No. Why?" Unacera looked back up from her notebook.
"Just wondering." Ayako almost pouted for the fact that the new girl was getting the attention.
"Say-geee," she began. He looked at her with a hard look as the snickers started again. Ayako backed down and looked back to her notebook, wondering what a gaijin would have over her.
Finally, the girl thought. Two men stood around her talking. They gave her a slip of paper.
"Sorry for the delay. This will be your locker for the rest of the school year. That's the combination to the lock. Don't lose it or else you'll have to pay for a new one. Either that or buy your own or leave it unlocked. The lock gets returned when you graduate."
"I understand." The combination was simple to her. 7,49,14. So that's 7, then 7 times 7, then 7 times 2, in other words the two digits that proceed it. She mentally said that over and over so to remember it. The men walked away and she proceeded to finally get rid of the backpack. She pulled out a bag and closed and locked the locker. Then she walked as fast as she dared to the lunch room before the bell rang. She entered it as it buzzed off.
The lines were already long and tables were getting full. Unacera luckily had a packed lunch for this first day. Her eyes searched for someplace to sit. She found a small table in a corner that was unoccupied and sat there. Her fingers opened the bag and she tilted it to look inside. She pulled out a thermos and a couple of plastic containers and chopsticks. Also in the bag was a note. Unacera sat back and read it to herself.
"Unacera,
Knowing how difficult this all must be for you, I decided to make you something. I know you'll love it. Hope everything is going well and be sure to keep an eye out for those Ronins!
Take Care,
Sekhmet
P.S. Don't tell Cale I fixed you this. He may get jealous, and I've learned once already to not get him mad."
She chuckled softly as she opened one of the containers. The smell of the food immediately made her mouth water. She opened the thermos and began to eat.
"Pssst." The boy jabbed at the student sitting next to him.
"What?"
"That's the new girl of the school Ryo."
"Another one?"
"Yeah she's an American."
"Really?" Ryo's eyes opened a bit wide. He was so interested in their history and such and here was someone from the states right in their school!
"She was in my math class."
Another boy at the table cleared his throat from behind a book.
"Sorry Mr. Genius, our math class."
"That's better Kento."
"She was in our Chemistry class too. In fact she got assigned to my group."
"Awww. I was hoping to get a hold of her. Damn Gurn Sensei. How come you're so lucky Sage?"
He shrugged. "She's OK. Very bright. She really helped out with our lab we had to do today. Ayako was somewhere else I think."
"That's normal."
"Rowen!" Sage hissed.
"Well I think it's sad." The final boy in the group spoke up.
"What is Cye?" Kento asked.
"She's sitting there all alone."
"Yeah. Why haven't you gone up and invited her here Sage? Huh? Huh?"
"All in good time Kento."
"Maybe I'll just do it myself."
"Hah! You?! Thanks for the laugh." Sage chuckled as he ate some of his food.
"I'll go ask her over." All eyes turned to the voice. "What? You don't think I can do it? We spoke on the way to Chemistry."
"Ooops. Rowen got to her first. There goes your reputation Mr. Casanova." Kento teased lightly as he gobbled down more food. Sage hid his reaction in a mumble through his food. Rowen stood and walked over to the small table. "Ahem. Sorry to bother you."
"Oh. Ohayo again. Rowen is it?"
"Yes. Did you want to sit with my friends and I? It's better than eating alone. Besides it may bring you some popularity."
"That sounds nice." She repacked her food and carried her thermos as she followed Rowen. Secretly she accepted because she already knew who they really were.
When they reached the table, he introduced everyone. "All right. You already know Sage, that's Kento and Cye, and finally the last of our group Ryo. Everyone this is Unacera Archdruid."
She bowed, partly in respect, partly to hide the blush of having so many men stare at her. "Pleased to meet you."
"Please sit." Sage motioned the chair next to him. The orange red haired girl blushed slightly and sat on the vacant seat. She started to pull out her food again. "You always pack your own lunch?"
"Just for today I think. I didn't know how the school day would go or how the food is like."
"I'd say to ask Kento's advice but I think he eats everything." Sage laughed.
"I do not!" Kento said with his mouth stuffed with food.
"I prove my point." Unacera laughed a little as she pulled out the last container, but the note also flew out.
"Mmmm? What's this." Kento snatched the note while in midair. The girl's face went suddenly ghost white, and her eyes widened. "A note from your boyfriend?"
"Kento!" Ryo and Rowen chirped in as they grabbed him. Cye reached in as Kento struggled, snatched the note, and gave it back.
"Here." He said shyly. "I'm sorry about his behavior. He's usually not like this."
"Yeah right." Sage mumbled.
"That was mean Kento!" Ryo said sternly. "It was probably a note from her parents."
"Actually it's from a friend." She stuffed the note away and looked sadly as she began to eat again.
"What's wrong?" Cye noticed the reaction right away.
"I.. I don't have any parents."
"None?" Ryo asked.
"None. They died years ago."
"Ooo. Good going Kento." Sage mumbled lowly. The boy just went back to eating his food to avoid the glances from everyone. The group, for once, fell silent as they ate. They didn't want to raise the issue anymore.
Another couple of girls sat down at the table. One sat next to Cye and the other by Rowen. "Hey what's going on huh?" The red haired girl next to Cye asked.
"Oh this is a new student Miss Unacera Archdruid." Rowen introduced. "Unacera this is Venus and Selena."
"Hi."
"Hello." Venus replied to Unacera nicely.
"Cool. Glad we're not the only new students around here." Selena said happily. "You guys should have been in one of my classes today. It was hilarious..."
Unacera shut her locker as she reflected. After lunch she had a History class that Ryo was in, and even her Stress Management class had Sage and Kento in it. Kento apparently seemed the more in need of the course to her. The crafty three. They placed me in their classes as much as possible. She sighed and then noticed someone standing next to her. "Oh I'm sorry. Sage right?"
"Right." He leaned against the lockers. "I was wondering if you were walking home, and if so could I accompany you? Maybe talk about class?"
"Uh." She shrank back a little. "I'd love to but.." Sage almost flinched on the 'but' part ".. but uh.. well.. I live with some people and I would have to break you in so to speak." How else could she explain without saying that she lived with the 3 Warlords? He would freak out, and the whole purpose of her being here to watch them secretly would be gone. "How about I walk with you to your home?" Unacera smiled and offered.
"Uh." Hey this isn't supposed to go the other way. He shrugged. It was a decent offer anyway. "Sure."
"Say-geee!" A familiar high and giddy voice rang out. The blonde hair boy mumbled something like 'Oh Gawd.' before she came up. "Oh." She spotted Unacera. "Sage? I was wondering if we could meet up later. Our Chemistry homework is tough."
"All right. Later tonight I'll come over your house OK?" The girl almost seemed to hop in joy. Inwardly he sighed. He knew the definition of 'chemistry' she was apparently thinking of.
"Great! I'll see you tonight! Byeeeee!" Ayako waved as she raced on her way home.
Sage shook his head as he and Unacera walked together out of the school. His other friends were outside waiting and some made strange looks. They talked about idle things as Unacera stayed mostly quiet, listening. The group split their separate way eventually and Sage made it to his house. "Well here we are. I know it's a bit awkward.."
"I like it. It's a nice difference from the surrounding houses."
"Really?!" Sage kicked himself. Of course she likes it. She's American and it must remind her of home in some way. "Would you like to come in?"
"I can't. I've got to get going. I'll see you in school tomorrow though OK?"
Sage smiled, the light playing on his blue eyes. "OK then. Sayonara Unacera!"
She waved back as she walked away. "Sayonara Sage!"
He just shook his head as he walked into the dojo part of his house. He placed down his books and changed into his gi. "Dad?" Finally he heard sounds and words spoken in Japanese coming from further inside. Ah. He's with another student. Sage decided to sit and meditate until his father was finished. Finally a man came out, wiping off sweat with a towel.
"That was a great student. You should meet him sometime Sage. I think you could learn something from him. He has great skill in swordsmanship."
"Sure dad." Sage smiled as he pulled himself slowly from his meditation to avoid getting a headache. He stood slowly.
"Ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
"We'll see." Sage followed his father into the dojo and began his daily practice.