Disclaimer: The Ronin Warriors do not belong to me. But new story lines and characters not part of the original do belong to me. I'd appreciate it if it'd stay that way. Thank you for your time. ^_^
The Clean Up Crew
Chapter 1: Arrival!! Time To Get Settled In
By: LittleUcchan
"I shouldn't have brought so much stuff."
Okay. So normally I'm not a light packer. But I really wish I were one right now.
Adjusting the strap of my shoulder bag, I trudged across campus to the main office, dragging along, in addition to my bag, two enormous suitcases and one knapsack slung across my back. This was just one of those days that I had wished I wasn't the Sage Date I knew I was.
But I had to admit. If I weren't who I was…I would have never gotten to study abroad. Thank God that Ojiisan was for the idea of me going to Benton University instead of against it. If he was determined to keep me in Japan…then I might as well have waved the white flag of surrender. There was no fighting my grandfather. And I have tried. Didn't mean that I had ever succeeded though. But God did I try.
Lady Luck was on my side the day that I had told my parents that I wanted to go to school in America. The fact that I had survived their wrath was proof enough that someone was watching over me that day. But neither of them took it very well. It was especially hard to convince Okaasan to let me go.
I'm just glad that all that training paid off. Not 'training' in the sense of fighting like I did as a Ronin Warrior. But training as in how-to-convince-my-parents-to-let-me-go-without-being-grounded-for-life. The guys helped me out with that one. Rowen was the most difficult one to train with. It's not that he slowed me down or anything. On the contrary.
He was my biggest challenge.
Rowen was always able to match me in a verbal argument. We'd argue, even on friendly terms, for hours on end if it wasn't for the rest of the guys who'd shut us up before we got past two hours.
So when I'd train with him, giving my argument on why I should be able to go, he'd throw out several valid points. He came up with the weirdest reasons, each time different from the previous, trying to throw me off. Man did I have a headache after that.
But I'm grateful.
Now I'm in Penbrooke.
And once I get all my things cleared up at the university, I can finally allow myself to relax and take a break. Mia would probably kill me if she saw how tense I was right now. I really need to take a load off.
***
"May I help you sir?"
Setting both my suitcases down on the marble floor, I fished around in the side pocket of my bag for my papers.
"Yeah. I'm here to register for the next school year," I informed the woman, handing her the acceptance letter.
Taking it in her hand, she skimmed down the piece of paper for the information she needed. I noticed her smile a bit when she was done.
"You're from Japan?"
"Yes."
"I'm impressed," she said, turning on the monitor of her computer. "Your English is flawless."
"Thank you," I bowed politely to her. She returned the gesture, and began typing away at the keyboard. It's only when I saw the confusion in her eyes did I begin to worry.
"That's odd," she spoke softly. "It says that you're not listed here as one of our incoming students."
I knew that after she said that I must have stared at her blankly for at least a full minute because, when I came to my senses, she was asking me if I was alright.
"I'm fine," I reassured her. "But there must be some kind of mistake."
She agreed. "The letter is authentic. There's no doubt that you're supposed to attend this school. But as to why you're not listed is beyond me."
Looking up to me from where she sat at her desk, she gave me a comforting smile. "Don't worry. It's probably just a glitch. Besides, we get a lot of mix ups during this time since the school year's not over."
"It's not…over?"
"Nope. School runs from August to May here."
"I see." It came as a bit of a shock to me that there were still students attending class right now. The school year starts in April in Japan.
"Say, do you have anywhere else to go after this?"
"Not really," I replied.
"Alright. Then how about this," she told me. "I'm going to find your file. If anything, your application should be here. And once I get everything straightened out then we can get you registered. But while I'm doing that, you can look around campus if you like. I'll page you over the PA system when I've found something."
"Sounds good to me. But…"
"Your stuff??" I nodded in agreement. I was planning to leave them in the dorm room since I was going to live here, but that idea was shot out the window since I'm not registered.
"You can leave them here with me," she replied, as if hearing my inner thoughts. "I'll keep them under the desk so that no one with see them."
"Thank you miss."
She smiled again. I was debating whether it was because of my formalities with her or because she found me attractive. I was secretly praying for the former. The last thing I needed right now were girls hanging over me. And she looked only a few years older than I was. So it was a possibility. However, I'd rather not have a repeat of what happened in high school.
Thankfully, I was right. It was the former.
"You'll be seeing a lot of me for the next couple of years," she said. "So please…call me Ellie."
***
Ellie was 21 years old. She's working as a secretary for Benton U while attending night school at another college. That's what she told me anyway.
We ended up talking for a while before she actually started to look for my file. I guess that was kinda my fault. I'm too curious for my own good. My friends and family could certainly confirm that statement.
Now I'm wandering around campus, quite aimlessly I might add. Taking it all in one step at a time. I only ran into a few students out in the courtyard. The rest of them must either still be in class or out somewhere. It was for the better. I'd rather not draw too much attention to myself.
But all in all. I really liked what I saw. The location of the university was far enough from the hustle and bustle of city life to give the school a quiet, serene setting ideal for studying. And yet, Benton U was about 25 minutes from the downtown area. Not to mention that the school was within walking distance to the nearest mall, grocery store, gas station, park, etcetera, etcetera.
It was very convenient.
I couldn't help but smile to myself. At first I was scared when I had left home. Of course, I didn't show it to my family. One sign of self-doubt and my mom would have pulled me off that plane. That was the compromise we made. I had to be sure I wanted to go. ABSOLUTELY sure.
When I left I wasn't 100% sure I was ready, but I played the part regardless. There was no way I would know until I got to America. But I'm here now. And as the soft spring air gently blew at my face, I knew that I was ready. This was what I wanted.
"Nice weather we're having."
I nearly screamed at the sound, my heart stopping momentarily from the shock. Man I really must have been zoning, big time. I didn't even hear him approach.
The elderly man laughed at my jumpy behavior.
"I'm sorry. It seems like I have given you quite a scare," he apologized humbly.
I sighed aloud, my heartbeat slowly returning back to a steady pace. "It's alright sir. I wasn't paying attention."
He smiled amiably. Then turned his gaze to the wide-open courtyard. "Quite breathtaking…the weather today."
I had to agree, although I wasn't really focused on the weather anymore. That man, standing beside me. Not that there was anything about him that I didn't like. But, there was just something there. I just couldn't place my finger on it at the moment. He seemed so peaceful, and harmless. But still…
"Will you be attending school here this fall?"
It took me a second to realize that he was talking to me. "Yeah. I should be."
He gave me that same smile again. "Problems with registration?"
I blinked.
"How did you…"
His smile grew wider, adding more creases to his worn face. "It happens all the time. Besides…a lot of mix ups usually occur with foreign students."
Now I was totally baffled. How did he know that I was from another country? I don't have an accent in my English and I certainly don't look like I'm Japanese. C'mon now. Blonde hair and lavender eyes. Being of oriental descent is the last thing that would occur in people's minds.
I knew there must have been something on my face to show that I was lost within myself because he decided to answer my unspoken question.
"Trust me, my boy. Being around this school as long as I have…you get to know who's from where and for what reason."
My instincts kept telling me that he was hiding something, but I dismissed the idea, remembering the time I had fought with the Dynasty. Because of that segment of my life, I've become more cautious of my surroundings, never taking anything at face value. So I simply blamed my paranoia on that. There was nothing suspicious about this man.
… I've never been so wrong in my life.
"I hope you enjoy studying here, Sage."
***
"You okay?" Ellie asked me when I finally returned to the main office.
"Why? Do I look sick?"
"No…just pale."
A frustrated sigh escaped my lips. That man was starting to scare me. I mean, I know I haven't been here that long. And I was pretty sure that I didn't know anyone in Penbrooke. Also, none of the staff would have been able to identify me. I'm not even listed as a student for crying out loud!! But that man…he knew my name.
And … his aura was weird. I know it sounds crazy but the vibe I got from him startled me. It's not like the kind I'd normally sense, especially when I was in the Dynasty. As far as I could tell, there wasn't anything dangerous about him, and that included his chi energy. But man!! That guy was just…freaky.
"Yo."
I did it again. Daze off into nothingness for God knows how long. But it seemed like Ellie was getting used to it already.
"How many fingers?" she joked, holding her hand up to my face.
"Two," I smiled.
"What's my name?" she asked, pointing to herself.
"Ellie."
"And where are you?"
"Benton University."
"Well, it looks like your brain is working properly," she cried, amused. "I found your file, by the way."
"That's great! Where was it?"
"Actually…"
"I had it."
I turned around to meet the man that had overheard our conversation. I always thought that first impressions did offer some truth to a person's personality. Whether they are good or bad. Unfortunately…I didn't like what I saw.
It wasn't his height, or his lean body structure, or his strong facial features that bugged me. It was…his eyes. I might sound stupid, because anyone that'd looked at him wouldn't find anything wrong. He looked like an honest guy. A professional businessman or something along those lines. But it was just those eyes. They're the windows to the soul. Well, that's what Mia kept telling me. And if that was the case, then this guy had a horrid soul.
Okay. Maybe I might be over exaggerating here just a little bit. I could be wrong you know. But, just like that elderly man I met a while ago, there's something about this guy that unnerved me.
I had a feeling that he sensed my uneasiness, because he didn't speak to me. Ellie was the one to break the ice.
"Mr. Umari. Can I help you with anything?"
"No. I just wanted to meet our new student," he replied, not taking his eyes off of me. "I'm sorry if I had caused any confusion for taking your file. You see…I handle the international affairs of this university. So it is my responsibility take care of any oversea students that are planning to attend Benton U."
He chuckled a bit. "I had no idea that you were coming so soon. I apologize again."
"There's no need," I said, deciding to be courteous since I had no proof to back up my opinion of him. Plus, this guy is going to be watching me throughout the entire time that I'll be studying here. I better not screw up now.
"I should have informed the school that I was to be arriving earlier than expected."
"That's alright…um…."
"It's Sage. Sage Date," I introduced myself, bowing respectively.
I think he was smiling when he held out his hand in a friendly gesture. I suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. I forgot that they shake hands here as a form of greeting. I straightened my posture and then mimicked what he did, taking his hand firmly in mine.
"I am Vice Principal Umari."
I almost yanked my hand out of his grip in surprise. The Vice Principal?!? And he's also in charge of foreign affairs?! Oh man, I'd better watch it from now on. He could send me back home if he wanted to.
"You seem a bit shocked," he grinned, releasing my hand.
"Well…um…"
"You don't have to be so stiff with me," he laughed. "I'm not here to watch you slip up. Just do your best."
I nodded in agreement. But inside, I felt totally lost. He's being nice to me. And not in a fake way either. So why did I still have that weird feeling about him?
"So…I take it that the list of all the foreign students is with you Mr. Umari?"
"Yes. But I wasn't able to send a copy to you yet," he replied. "Sorry Ellie."
"It's alright," she said with a smile. "Now I know where to look when I run into a stray student."
She then turned her attention to me. "Everything's all set with you. Your dorm room is in the East residents' hall. Just tell the head there that I cleared your room. And I'll have someone bring up your bags."
"Thanks Ellie."
"No problem."
***
"I appreciate you showing me around Mr. Umari."
"It's no bother to me," he said.
I had decided to take my book bag with me, incase I needed anything. Fiddling with the strap absentmindedly, I was still trying to figure out what was it about Mr. Umari that made me tense.
Maybe I was worrying over nothing. I remembered one of my teachers, I think it was my math instructor, who had the scariest pair of eyes that I had ever seen. It was like…she had no pupils. And she had grayish colored irises too. Man, she looked like the devil. But then later that year I found out that she'd been happily married for twenty-eight years and was well known throughout the school district as a superb educator.
……
Hey!! I was only wrong that one time. Just once.
"So have you decided on what courses you want to take?"
"Not yet," I replied. "I didn't have much time to think about it."
"That's ok. It's still early anyway."
"What do you mean?"
"I'm sure Ellie has already told you that school starts in August."
I nodded.
"Well, students have up to mid July, the latest at the end of the month, to choose their courses," he explained. "Returning students should have finished choosing their classes by end of March. But new arrivals, such as yourself, have an extended deadline."
That was definitely a load off my mind.
"Is there anything you wanted to major in?" he asked me. "Your records from Japan say that you excel in composition writing and speech and debate."
…I was drawing a blank here. What he said about me was true, and I'd like to take courses dealing with those areas but…
"Those may be my specialty, but I'm not sure of what I want to be yet," I answered. "So I don't know if choosing classes along those lines will help me or not."
"It's alright. I wasn't expecting you to make a decision now," Mr. Umari said. "But…I've known some students who've studied for a specific job profession, but ended up doing something entirely different once they got out."
I know he was trying to make my deciding on a career easier for me, but that last piece of information had failed to do so. He must have gotten a glimpse of my expression because he stopped walking and started to laugh a bit. Now I really felt like an idiot. What was he laughing about?
"I like you Sage. You seem like a good kid."
Uh oh. So what did I do now?
"And since I see some promise in you, I'll go easy on you," he told me. "There's less than two months of school left. And in those two months you're free to attend any of the classes we have to offer, free of charge of course."
"…Are…are you serious?!?"
He nodded. "So you can get a feel of each class and maybe it will help you decide what courses you want to take. Not to mention get you used to studying in another country. Just think of it as a way to adjust to school life here in America."
I could hardly believe what he was saying to me. It was a very generous offer. Not to mention it'd help me a great deal in preparation for school in the fall.
"So what do you say? Do you accept my offer?"
"Of course!"
"Good. Then I'll inform the staff of our plans so you won't run into any trouble," He said. "There is just one thing, Sage."
There's a catch? …Oh great.
"You're allowed to go in and out of the classes as you please. But the teachers aren't obligated to watch over you. So I ask that you do not participate in class discussions nor do you disrupt the instructor's lessons in any way. You're only there to observe the class. Understood?"
"Yes sir. No problem." It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Plus the excuse was reasonable enough so I had no complaints.
***
*Blink*
I had been staring at the ceiling patterns of my dorm room for the past hour, planning what I needed to do in order to get settled in. But…my mind was completely empty. I guess it's because I'd thought that my first few weeks here would be a bit…busier. Unlike the rest of the students who will be coming here about two weeks before school starts, I get practically five months to prepare. That must be the reason why it's troubling me. I feel like I have to do something, but the truth is, I can take my time.
My luggage got here fifteen minutes after I did. I had unpacked only a few essential things that I needed to survive the day. I think I was too lazy to start unpacking right at that moment. Plus I was going to have a roommate.
Yes, a roommate.
Ellie didn't tell me that she had booked me in a double. But she did tell me, or rather left a message to my dorm head, that she needed to talk to me, leaving me a number to call her at. Of course, there was no phone in my room. I forgot about that. So I called her through the payphone at the end of the hall. I found out that there were a couple more forms for me to fill out. She had requested that I meet with her tomorrow so she could give me the "grand tour." Not of the campus, mind you. But of Penbrooke itself. It's her day off tomorrow.
I was seriously wondering if she liked me or if she was naturally this friendly. She was also planning to give me helpful tips about campus life. Save me the trouble of finding out, the hard way, the do's and don'ts of college.
Well, hopefully I won't go through too much hell by the time August rolls around.
***
I had woken up later that evening expecting to be in the room I shared with Rowen when I had lived with the guys. It took me a while to get my bearings straight. I almost forgot that I wasn't at home anymore.
But it was so…dark.
Crawling out of bed I headed for the light switch, running my hand against the slightly rough texture until I found it. Unfortunately, I should have closed my eyes. I wasn't prepared for the sudden flash of light that illuminated the room. Man…that hurt. Just how long did I sleep anyway?
I gazed at my watch, which I had already set to American time when I was on the plane.
1:30…in the morning???? I groaned aloud. I didn't even eat dinner. That's what I get for NOT sleeping on the plane like everyone told me to.
It looked like I was stuck in the room till morning. I wasn't able to look at the area around campus, so traveling, especially at this hour, was out of the question. I was considering unpacking right now. But then again…it's not like I felt like working at the moment.
Sighing aloud, I let myself fall back on my bed. Now what was I going to…
I shot up from my bed, my heart beating like crazy. What the hell?! I felt so weak all of a sudden. My entire body went numb for a second. But why?
Swerving around suddenly, I got into a defensive stance, facing the window across the room. I felt something. I was sure of it. Someone was out there. But as soon as it came, the presence was gone.
I dropped my guard once I was sure that it had left. But what was that? Talpa? I quickly pushed the thought away from my mind. It couldn't be him. Not even he could raise himself from the dead for a third time.
But alas…trouble seemed to follow me everywhere.
Author's Notes: Penbrooke is not an actual city in the U.S. Not to my knowledge anyway. If it is, then me choosing that name was clearly by chance. I did not pick a real city for this story line to take place in. That way I don't have to follow the makeup of a particular city and can alter the setting to fit the story. What IS certain about the location is that it's in one of the East coast states about an hour or so from the sea. ^^;; And please don't try to compare what I write about college to 'real' college life. I'm trying my best but I might be off on the technical stuff a few times. I'm still a junior in HS after all.
