Jesús: "So…here I am. Finally, back with an update. I'll cut the talking here and just get to the story, excuses and the such at the end." [Disclaimer] "I don't own RF or any of the Anime/Manga/Videogames referenced in this story. All credit goes to their respective owners."

Ch. 47

Normal POV

- Morning time - Principal's office – Monday 7:45 AM

Raguna and Cinnamon sat outside of the principal's office. As soon as the two arrived at the school gate Rosetta and a clearly very uptight teacher, often refered to as Grumpy Timmy, instantly practically dragged the two there. Inside the teacher and Principal Stella were talking, mostly just Timothy, about the proper actions to take with the "Two Slackers". Rosetta would from time to time speak up and add more to the info being presented by the teacher. After some time, the noise from the office died down and the door opened, Rosetta stepped out.

"Hey you two. Come in here." Rosetta called out to them.

Raguna and Cinnamon got up and walked into the office, Rosetta closing the door after entering behind them.

"Please take a seat you two." Stella said motioning towards her visitor chairs. Timothy stood next to the Principal and Rosetta to the other side. "Well, it has come to my knowledge that the two of you were seen leaving a workplace…" she started "…personally I have no issue with the two of you working anywhere, but sadly it is in our rulebook."

"Principal Stella you can't be saying that you support them." Timothy said

"Quite frankly I don't remember this rule being added, and judging from the reaction from you two I want to say it was added at the beginning of last year." Stella said

"Regardless they need to be shown the appropriate consequences."

Stella put a finger to her temple and let out an annoyed sigh. "Look, I know the two of you want them expelled…" Stella said making Cinnamon flinch and shock covering her face. "…but honestly I will stand on my believes that that's too severe a punishment."

"Lady Principal!" Timothy said

"I want to be as thorough as I can be about this and thus, I will call for a meeting with the PTA and all the higher ups of this school. I will listen to the two of you so long as you listen to me." Stella said "I will put them in suspension until the decision is finalized."

These words shocked Timothy and Rosetta, on the other hand Raguna got up and helped Cinnamon to her feet.

"We will leave now. I see we're apparently not welcomed here. I guess our family's money isn't welcomed here." Raguna said referring to Tuition fees. "Sorry for being the worst scum in the world."

Once Raguna finished speaking he helped Cinnamon out of there and left the school by the time 8:00 AM hit.

"You are aware of who those are right?" Stella started "Raguna Strife, maybe not the highest scoring student but a student with great abilities for physical activities. As well as Cinnamon Weiss, top student in the school and daughter of Kain Weiss. A researcher in just about every scientific field including but not limited to the study of Mana and Magic. Both of their fathers are in the PTA like yourself. Not to mention, if I remember correctly, didn't you have a bit of a rivalry with both Ragna and Kain Timothy?" Stella finished and glared directly into the teacher's eyes.

"Hmm, it makes no difference. They're the kind of students that give the school a bad image." Timothy said and left the office followed by Rosetta.

"Looks like things are about to get too noisy around here." Stella said and started going through the papers on her desk.

- Cinnamon's home –

Raguna and Cinnamon arrived at her house and he rang the doorbell. Cari answered the door and was shocked to see the two standing there.

"What happened?" Cari asked noticing that Cinnamon was the same if not worse than the previous day.

"Well…." Raguna started telling her everything that happened

After informing her of everything that happened she figured calling Raguna's parents and Kain over would be best. And after the adults talked for a while amongst themselves Raguna and Cinnamon retreated to her room.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Cinnamon still kept saying under her breath.

"It's alright…"Raguna started while rubbing her back to try and comfort her "…everything will work-out at some point."

"I don't care about me, but what about you? I didn't want to get you expelled."

Raguna just kept rubbing her back and eventually turned it into a light hug.

"If you're to blame then I'm to blame too. I know I keep repeating myself and I know that I don't know everything for sure, but it's the best we can do, but everything will work out."

After a few minutes there was a light knock on the door.

"Cinnamon, Raguna…" Kain came to the door and slowly opened the door.

"What's up?"

"…We just got a call from Principal Stella. Apparently they'll be holding the PTA meeting this upcoming Saturday."

"In short we're off indefinitely until a decision is made on Saturday." Raguna added finishing what Kain was saying. "Can I have some more time with Cinnamon?"

"Alright, well…I have to return to the lab today." Kain said and left the two alone.

Once he was sure the two were alone Raguna started speaking again.

"Ok, I'm gonna be honest. I'm angry." Raguna said and Cinnamon lifted her face to look at him.

Fear started spreading in her face. Her eyes started watering and tears started flowing down her face. 'He's angry at me. There's no way he'll ever forgive me for doing this to him.' Were the things running through her mind.

"It isn't fair at all that this happened. We started working there mostly as a way to rehab you. If anything, you should be allowed to continue in school. This is the first time you get to have friends this way."

Raguna's voice started registering in Cinnamon's mind. 'he's not angry at me?' confusion flodding into her mind.

"If at least you can go back to school that's the least I could ask for…" Raguna started smiling at her to reassure her. "…after Highschool I probably would continue on to college, but all-in-all I would at some point take the family business and work on the family farms. Honestly I don't really need an education unlike someone smart like y-" Raguna was cut off by a smack to the face

Cinnamon smacked Raguna across the face this brought shock to Raguna's face

"How could you…" Cinnamon started "…how could you say something like this!?" Now she showed she was angry. "…even if I was to go back to school if you're not there it wouldn't be the same! Sure, I would be there with me friends, but you wouldn't be with me. I don't want to be there if I'm just going to be alone." At this point Cinnamon was lightly hitting Raguna on the chest as she continued crying.

Raguna started to understand her way of thinking. She still didn't really feel like she could connect with everyone, He was her gateway to everyone. He closed his eyes and hugged her tightly.

"I sorry…" he said softly "…I didn't take your feelings into consideration. I promise I won't say something like that again."

The two stayed in the middle of the room hugging each other as Cinnamon cried in is chest.

- School conference room - Saturday 11:00 AM –

There were a total of 40 individuals in this meeting room. Principal Stella and her Vice-Principal, several administration and HR members for the school as well as several parents that were part of the parents' representatives, amongst them were Ragna, Kain and Timothy.

"Well then I guess is just about time we got started with this meeting…" Stella said getting everyone's attention.

"I have been briefed by my secretary about the situation. Personally I think full expulsion is a little extreme." The head administrator said making many in the room go wide eyed.

"Nathan, I believe that first thing should be us discussing all the information first off." Stella said

"You're right, I'm sorry Principal Stella." The head administrator replied showing his respect to her.

"Hey when did Nate become head admin for the school?" Ragna asked Kain in a whisper wondering when an old friend took that position.

"I remember hearing about it but I haven't talked to him in a while so I'm not sure." Kain replied in the same volume.

The entire room became quiet and everyone directed their attention to Stella.

"As all of you have been informed this is a small incident that personally I believe was blown out of proportion…" Stella started

"Principal Stella, slacking is not a small incident. The students lives could go down the drain if…" Timothy started and was cut off by just a glare from Stella.

"…as I was saying, I have in fact heard many different students on the few times I walked the halls talking about wanting to find a part time job in order to get extra pocket money. At first I had honestly forgotten I had seen the restriction for student to find part time jobs. Now I ask everyone present first and foremost. Who among us is against students finding jobs and maybe getting some field experience?"

Once Stella finished speaking, surprising her, more than half of the room raised their hand and most of them were from the Parent's representatives.

"Lady Principal, with all due respect. I believe that the students' main job should always be to focus on their studies." Timothy started

"And with all due Disrespect…" Ragna Started "…Just 'cause that's how you spent your school life doesn't mean all students want to live that way."

"The fact that your son is involved in this is the reason you're against the expulsion." Timothy said in a condescending tone.

"My son honestly has nothing to do with this. I'm more worried about the young lady as well as all the other students as a whole." Ragna said referring to Cinnamon.

"Lies!" the entire room went quiet. "You've always been trying to one up me on everything. You being against me is just your ploy to foil what I've been trying to attain for this school."

"And what exactly are you trying to attain for the school?" Kain asked

"I don't need to explain myself to you."

The entire room started murmuring with each other, mainly talking about what Timothy was saying. What could he be talking about?

"Back in our days as students many of us had jobs. Of course, times were different but then again all of us gained field experience. Some of us even found what we really wanted to do." Nathan said breaking the awkward silence that followed.

"I've talked with my Son about his future plans. He plans to go to college, but he mainly wants to study farming and management in order to help with the family farm business. Honestly I could teach him most of that myself, but the way I teach him wouldn't be the same as him learning from a professional instructor." Ragna said

"As for my daughter, she doesn't ever talk about what she wants to do in the future, but she has always had a knack for Magic and Mana Research. On that field I wouldn't even have to worry and she could join my Research crew and maybe even teach some things to my crew." Kain said

"Now you're saying they don't even need the education, yet you're here fighting their expulsion?" Timothy raised his voice.

The entire room started discussing what was said. It's true that students should focus on studying, but its also true that finding part-time jobs could help people find not only what they want to do, but what they might need to study to move further in the fields they wish to go into.

- Strife household –

"Mom! I need to go to the store, you need me to pick anything up while I'm there?" Raguna called into the house from the front door.

"I actually forgot to pick up Cabbage and Carrots for tonight's stew. You mind grabbing some?" Luna called from the kitchen.

"Alright, I'll be back in a few." Raguna left and headed for General store Materia.

Once he arrived he started going through the aisles grabbing a few things. Snacks, school materials and the Cabbage and Carrots his Mom asked for. Raguna headed for the front desk to pay for his things.

"Sorry to keep you…" the girl at the front desk said as she turned around. When she made eye contact with Raguna she went wide eyed and quiet.

"Well, who might you be?" Raguna said with a light smirk on his face.

Jesús: "Alright so that's gonna be the end of this chapter. I don't think it was as long as I wanted it to be and not quite as entertaining as I wanted it to be either, but it is what I wanted to make out of this chapter. In short, I was kinda forced to stay home for about two weeks for testing positive for COVID, don't worry about me I'm ok and don't even have any symptoms. I wrote chapters for my other two stories because chapters were already started on them, but I finally got to finish an update for this chapter and hopefully I'll get more writing done for all my stories. I will be focusing on one of my other stories specifically since it only has three more chapters, but after that I'll have only two stories, online, to worry about. Anyway, I hope everyone had a happy new year and I'll talk to all of you next time."