DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN OURAN IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM
Original Idea By: twilighttween ALICE aka Grayson's Gal
When Ei and the staff of the orphanage arrived back at the orphanage, they found that they had been the first to arrive.
"Can I just wait outside for everyone else to show up?" asked Ei.
"Sure honey," said Alice, "In fact why don't I wait with you?"
"That's fine with me," said Ei. The two stood outside the front doors together holding hands waiting for the others to come along. Soon the front of the curb was filled with limos.
"Welcome everyone," said Ei.
"Hi Ei-Chan," said Hunny running to her and hugging her, "So who did you want to meet that mean lady?"
"You mean Éclair?" asked Ei, "She's not so bad. I mean did expose the lie didn't she?"
"That is true," said Tamaki smiling at Éclair. "Something always told me you weren't all that evil."
"Thank you Tamaki. That means a lot coming from you," said Éclair, "Now then Ei, who were you hoping to introduce me to?"
"Um what time is it?" asked Ei. Kyoya showed her his watch. "Oh good, I know where she should be. Please feel free to fallow me." All the adults fallowed her inside and over to the art and pain wing of the orphanage.
"Is Raiko in here?" Ei asked poking her head into one of the classrooms.
"Over here Ei," said Raiko from her spot next to her easel.
"Hi Raiko," said Ei walking over to her, "I want you to meet someone. This is Éclair Tonnerre. She's from France. She wanted to adopt me but decided I was better off with one of the hosts instead. Miss Éclair this is one of my roommates Raiko Denbou. She's one of the most talented painters here at the orphanage."
"Oh well it's nice to meet you," said Éclair.
"Likewise Madam," said Raiko.
"Is this your work?" Éclair asked looking at the painting Raiko was making. It was a lush green field with all sorts of flowers with the start of a night sky in the background.
"Uh yes, though it's not quite done yet," said Raiko, "I'm not done with the sky."
"You must really like painting," said Éclair.
"Oh yes Madam," said Raiko.
"I do know a thing or two about it as well seeing as how I come from France and everyone knows the best painters come from France," said Éclair.
"Maybe someday Raiko could go there to paint," said Ei.
"Yes that would be nice," said Éclair.
"What's Ei doing?" asked Hikaru.
"I think I know," said Tamaki walking up behind her. "Maybe you can have Raiko go with you my dear." Both Raiko and Éclair gave him a confused look.
"Tamaki, I don't mean to be rude but I'm not just going to pick some random person to replace Ei and Rosalie with. No matter how cute and obviously talented she is," said Éclair.
"It's nice you're trying to do this and all Ei, but don't worry about it. I'm sure I'll get adopted and or make something of myself on my own," said Raiko.
"Have you been an orphan your whole like my dear?" asked Éclair.
"Yeah, I was abandoned as a baby by my parents," said Rosalie.
"Oh I'm sorry," said Éclair.
"Well actually you weren't abandoned by your parents," said Kyoya.
"Huh?" said Raiko.
"Ei told me about your situation and I did some research on it. It turns out your parents were killed in a fire that you survived since your father managed to throw you out of the window in time. A neighbor happened to find you and was afraid he'd get stuck with you since he found you and neither one of your parents had any other family. So he was the one that left you on the orphanage's doorstep."
"Oh," said Raiko. She actually smiled. "It's nice to know they weren't the ones that abandoned me at least."
"I can give you more if you like," Kyoya offered.
"Maybe," said Raiko.
"Your poor thing," said Éclair patting her head.
"Éclair," said Tamaki, "Didn't you say that finding out about Haruhi was sign you could do right by her by taking in an orphan. I think Haruhi would also consider it a good act of character on your part if you were to try and give a girl who like yourself lost someone from her own family a good home. Plus you still have a lot of love to give don't you?"
"Yes, yes I do," said Éclair.
"I think my mother would think it's very nice of you to do such a thing as well Miss Éclair," said Ei.
"Well," said Éclair looking at the little girl who looked up at Éclair with a bit of eagerness in her eyes.
"Uh Madam," said the teacher in the room, "If you wish you can go around and walk with Raiko to get to know each other and see if you really would like to consider adopting her."
"Hmm that may not be a bad idea. Would you like to do such a thing Raiko?" Éclair asked.
"Sure, I can finish this later," said Raiko. She cleaned up her things and took off her white overcoat, "Shall we?"
"Yes please by all means," said Éclair walking out with Raiko.
"That was super sweet of you Ei," said Tamaki.
"You don't think it was too much?" asked Ei.
"No, it's worth a try at least," said Tamaki, "Especially since that poor woman actually lost her own daughter not too long ago."
"She did?" asked Ei.
"Tamaki you probably shouldn't gossip like that so much," said Kyoya.
"Thank you for finding that information out on Raiko Mr. Kyoya by the way," said Ei.
"Of course, it was hardly a problem at all," said Kyoya.
"You didn't lie to her did you?" asked Ei.
"No dear, I don't like about things like that," said Kyoya.
"Doesn't mean he won't tell the whole truth though," said Hikaru and Kaoru.
"Enough of that you two," said Kyoya.
"It was still a super nice to do, finding out about her family!" said Renge.
"Oh right, she's here," said the twins.
"Miss Houshakuji!" said Aoi jumping up from her spot, "You came back!"
"Yes but this maybe my last time visiting since I gave up my claim to Ei," Renge explained.
"Oh that's too bad," said Aoi, "But I'm glad I got one more chance to meet with you."
"Yes me too," said Renge, "You know Aoi, is it; you're a lot like me in a lot of a ways."
"That's a good thing?" asked Hikaru.
"Aoi how did you come to live here?" asked Renge.
"I was given up for adoption by my parents. They were both teenagers when they had me," said Aoi.
"Oh," said Renge, "I was kind of hoping you had a great back story too."
"Oh I use to come up with all sorts of scenarios and drew them out," said Aoi. She walked over to a closet and pulled out huge notebook. "I've come up with several different sketches of ideas of a baby being abounded that sounds a lot more exciting then what happened to me. This one is a princess being taken away at birth due to her country being overridden. This one is sorcerer abandoning her baby and casting a spell over her to be found by the first good hearted person that comes near her."
"Oh I am liking these!" said Renge looking over the pictures, "I could so write stories based on this! Oh yes, yes!" She smiled at Aoi. "You know, I never had a real chance to really get to know you? Why don't you and go off and look at these in private. If that's alright with your teacher." Both looked over at the teacher for permission.
"Uh yes, if you that's what you want then sure go ahead," said the teacher.
"Oh goody," said Renge.
"Here I have some more you may like as well," said Aoi pulling out some other notebooks, "I love sketching!"
"Oh I think you and I have a lot in common!" said Renge.
"Should we be scared about that?" asked Kaoru.
"Yes and no, they seem like a good match," said Kyoya.
"You know I was kind of hoping that Renge would possibly get close to Aoi but, to think she may wind up adopting Aoi, I think it would be perfect," said Ei.
"I think you're right," said Hunny.
"Yeah," said Ritsu standing off to the side.
"Uh Mr. Kasanoda?" said Ei, "You know there maybe someone here that may be a good match to you too if you want to give it a try."
"Oh no Ei, you don't have to do anything like that," said Ritsu, "Only really special people like you and your mother or your friends can really stand me."
"That's not true. Don't you remember my friend Masami?" asked Ei. She took Ritsu's hand and led him towards a now empty classroom that was now the room the Ikebana students worked in. "She doesn't find you scary at all. Plus you two both like gardening after all. She was probably the most excited about you putting in the greenhouse and giving us the funding to the Ikebana program. Why don't you just spend some time with her? Get to know her and stuff?"
"It couldn't hurt," said Kyoya.
"Well," said Ritsu, "I don't want to disrupt the class."
"I'll go in and get her," said Ei. She slowly walked in and over to Masami.
"Hi Ei, how did it go in court today?" she asked when she saw her friend.
"It went good, but I can I talk to you outside real fast?" asked Ei.
"Uh sure," said Masami. She got up and fallowed after Ei where Ritsu was waiting right at the door.
"Oh hello sir," said Masami kindly and with a smile.
"Hi," said Ritsu.
"I've been hoping to get a chance to properly thank you for all of this!" said Masami.
"You're more then welcome," said Ritsu, "It was no big deal."
"It was a big deal to me," said Masami, "You're very sweet sir."
"Hmm sweet, I think there's only one other person who really saw that within me, Ei's mother," said Ritsu.
"So is it true you're not going to be going to be setting out to adopt Ei now?" asked Masami.
"No, I'm not," said Ritsu.
"Oh so I guess this is good-bye," said Masami.
"Is doesn't have to be," said Tamaki, "In fact it could be the start of something new for the both of you."
"What's he talking about?" asked Masami.
"Why don't you two go off and get to know each other for a little bit? Then maybe you'll find out what I'm talking about," suggested Tamaki.
"Are you sure that's okay?" asked Ritsu.
"Let me go ask my teacher," said Masami. She walked back into her classroom and came back out with her teacher who backed away scared.
"Are you sure you want to go with this man?" she asked timidly.
"If that's alright," said Masami.
"Sure, just don't go anywhere where a teacher or another staff can see you," said the teacher.
"Sure of course," said Ritsu.
"Let's go see how your greenhouse!" said Masami excited as the two hurried out.
"That was super sweet Ei. A great idea all around," said Tamaki.
"I think so," said Ei.
"I don't know Renge or your other friend," said Hikaru.
"I think they're perfect for each other," said Ei.
"Yes they are compatible," said Kyoya.
"It's nice to see Bossa-Chan found someone who's not so scared of him. If they can get along like that I think he should adopt her," said Hunny.
"Yeah," said Mori.
"And if Éclair and your friend can hit it off, I think it would be better in the long run. It could very well be for the best I think," said Tamaki.
"I hope they get along. Raiko could finally use a real family," said Ei.
"Well anyway what should we do in the meantime with you Ei-Chan?" asked Hunny. Ei thought about it for a moment.
"You know, you six keep saying you know much about my mother yet she's never talked about you as far as I could tell. Did you ever want to tell me about her and your time together?" asked Ei.
"You bet we do!" said Tamaki, "Oh where do we start?!"
"Well maybe we can look at some of my mother's old photos in storage," said Ei, "That's how I found out about Lobelia and you all dressing in drag."
"Sure," said Kyoya.
"Here's the photo," said Ei showing them all, along with Kyoya's hand writing on the back.
"Oh yes I remember that," said Kyoya.
"Why is my mom in a boy's outfit then?" asked Ei.
"Oh that has to do with the boss," said Hikaru with a smirk, "In more ways then one."
"Oh?" said Ei listening eagerly.
Kyoya meanwhile started looking through some of Ei's other boxes at some of the different treasures the girl had kept from her life with her mother and grandfather. He soon came upon a photo with her mother with another woman both in business suits in front of a law office.
"Ei, who's this?" asked Kyoya showing her the photo.
"Oh that's one of my mother's old law partners and friends from Fukuoka. They were really close," said Ei, "Until we moved back here of course."
"Why did you move back here anyway?" asked Kaoru.
"Mom's law office was opening a new branch here and asked Mom to be the head of the office. Plus now that I think about it there may have been another reason."
"How so?" asked Hikaru.
"I remember hearing my mother once saying it wouldn't hurt to maybe look someone up finally. Grandpa however didn't seem to like the idea and I think he talked her out of it, about contacting the person, not moving here," said Ei.
"Hmm," said Kyoya looking at the photo some more.
"Kyoya is a problem?" asked Tamaki.
"I don't know," said Kyoya, "that depends if this so called friend of Haruhi's knows anything about what Haruhi had in mind, should her daughter be left alone in the world."