Part 5: A Return To Normalacy?
Tranquilla moaned in her bed, stretching. It was too early to be awake, but she had no choice- this would be her first day of school, and she wanted to be ready early. She didn't know much about the Japanese school system- just that it was supposed to be better than the American- but was looking forward to it as a nice change from private schools and tutors. She stumbled across the room, grabbed her outfit, and made her way into the hallway. It took her a few moments, but she remembered the location of the restroom, where she prepared herself for the day.
Tranquilla smiled to herself as she walked into the hallway. She would actually get to feel a normal life here. Well, maybe not normal, but closer than anything else she had experienced. Her smile faded as she remembered the real reason she had come to Japan: the enemy. School would be nice, and Serena, but she couldn't allow them to distract her.
As if thinking about Serena had summoned her, the blond girl came flying into the hall, yelling. "I'm sooooo late! Augh! Tranquilla, I'm sorry, I wanted to be early this morning, but at least we can still get to school on time!" Serena was wearing a knee length blue skirt and white blouse, and looked upset. She gasped when she saw Tranquilla, "What are thinking! You can't wear that to school… it's not the uniform. But you don't have a uniform. I'm sorry Quilla, but you have to put on a skit or dress. It's school rules… until you can get a uniform, you should dress as close to it as you can!" Serena was frazzled.
"Its ok. I have some things that would work, I think. Just wait a sec… Why don't you go see if Aunt Ikuko remembered breakfast for the both of us, k?" Tranquilla smiled, taking Serena's hands and turning the girl around before heading back into her room to change. She managed to find a blue skirt just a little lighter than Serena's and not too much shorter. The white shirt was a problem, though. She didn't have any clean ones that were fit for warm weather, and there was no way she was going to wear a sweater. She finally decided on a light yellow shirt, tucking her locket on its chain under the shirt.
Tranquilla walked downstairs, finding Serena at the table having breakfast. Aunt Ikuko smiled at Tranquilla and put a plate down for her. "I think this is the first time Serena's been able to eat breakfast here rather than on the way all year. You're being a good influence on her already, dear."
The walk to school had been a bit longer than Tranquilla had expected, but it had been entertaining to see Serena go through what she expected out of her classes that day. The school itself wasn't very imposing- it looked like many other schools she had seen. Serena dropped Tranquilla off at the principal's office with a smile and reassurances before heading off to her class.
Tranquilla stood formally in front of the principal, and smiled. "Hello. I'm Tranquilla Tsukino, Serena's cousin from America. I'm starting here today… I assume my aunt registered me?"
"Yes, Miss Tsukino, but we need to give you some tests before you start class… just for placement purposes. We'll be putting you in Serena's classes to begin with, but these tests will help us see where you'll be staying."
The tests were very easy and Tranquilla was actually surprised. She understood Japanese much better than she had expected to, and in purely academic pursuits she could afford to direct her attention to coldly answer any problems. After she completed the tests, she handed them to the principal and bowed, exiting.
***
Serena's class was in session when Tranquilla knocked. Resuming her bubbly teenage aspect, she greeted the teacher. "Hi! I'm Serena's cousin, Tranquilla, from America. I'm happy to be joining your class!" She caught herself smiling involuntarily. She actually was happy to be here. I just hope nothing goes wrong… let the fighting be far from this place and these people, she thought. Friends… I've never had any, but Loke said in that letter I could have casual ones. She blushed in surprise at herself.
The teacher frowned at her, "Another one? Well there's an open seat next to Amy, and she can probably help you if you need. I'm Miss Haruna." The teacher waited while Tranquilla walked across the room, and slid into the seat next to Amy.
She leaned over to talk to the blue haired girl, "Why are you in this class when you're so smart?"
"Well, I read ahead, and it's nice only having to really worry about my cram school. Besides, I couldn't help Lita and Serena as much, and they really need it." Amy giggled, smiling at Tranquilla. The taller girl smiled back, and sank into her seat happily. She couldn't remember when she'd last been actually happy before meeting Serena.
"Now class," Miss Haruna said, "do any of you know why the Green Knight challenged Gawain?"
The school day had passed in what seemed like seconds for Tranquilla. She was completely surprised by how much she had enjoyed it, and how naturally the language had come to her in the more formal setting. Lunch with Serena, Amy, and Lita had been the best part though… Lita really was an amazing cook. It was too bad the other two girls went to a different school. It was also too bad that Serena had gotten a detention for reading a manga in class. But she had told Tranquilla to go to a place called the Crown Arcade with Lita. I'm not sure about this, she thought, but I guess she'll catch up after her detention.
As the two girls walked to the arcade, they talked like normal teenagers. Lita seemed obsessed with staring at cute boys. Tranquilla laughed and joined in with her comments. Now that she was actually stable, she might even be able to consider dating. She'd met boys who interested her before, but had never been able to show it. Now though, she would be living here for a while… she might be able to actually become a fairly normal teen. Well, at least when she wasn't fighting the enemy.
"You know, Tranquilla, there's a really nice guy at the arcade. His names Andrew." Lita sighed, "But he's just a friend. Mina's been trying to get him for a while now. He's really cute, too. But I don't know. Serena's so lucky. You haven't met her boyfriend yet, have you?"
"I… don't think so."
"Too bad. Hey! Do you know any good American recipes? I'd love to try some ethnic cooking!"
"Not really, sorry Lita. I'm a horrible cook!" Tranquilla smiled at her.
"Aw, that's ok. Just like Serena and Mina. How's your first day at school been?"
"Great. Really wonderful. Everyone is so nice… I think I'll like it here." The funny part was that it had gone so well. She was still a little suspicious of Serena's friends, but Amy and Lita had seemed genuinely nice. And she hadn't had any flashbacks either, which was a huge relief.
Tranquilla moaned in her bed, stretching. It was too early to be awake, but she had no choice- this would be her first day of school, and she wanted to be ready early. She didn't know much about the Japanese school system- just that it was supposed to be better than the American- but was looking forward to it as a nice change from private schools and tutors. She stumbled across the room, grabbed her outfit, and made her way into the hallway. It took her a few moments, but she remembered the location of the restroom, where she prepared herself for the day.
Tranquilla smiled to herself as she walked into the hallway. She would actually get to feel a normal life here. Well, maybe not normal, but closer than anything else she had experienced. Her smile faded as she remembered the real reason she had come to Japan: the enemy. School would be nice, and Serena, but she couldn't allow them to distract her.
As if thinking about Serena had summoned her, the blond girl came flying into the hall, yelling. "I'm sooooo late! Augh! Tranquilla, I'm sorry, I wanted to be early this morning, but at least we can still get to school on time!" Serena was wearing a knee length blue skirt and white blouse, and looked upset. She gasped when she saw Tranquilla, "What are thinking! You can't wear that to school… it's not the uniform. But you don't have a uniform. I'm sorry Quilla, but you have to put on a skit or dress. It's school rules… until you can get a uniform, you should dress as close to it as you can!" Serena was frazzled.
"Its ok. I have some things that would work, I think. Just wait a sec… Why don't you go see if Aunt Ikuko remembered breakfast for the both of us, k?" Tranquilla smiled, taking Serena's hands and turning the girl around before heading back into her room to change. She managed to find a blue skirt just a little lighter than Serena's and not too much shorter. The white shirt was a problem, though. She didn't have any clean ones that were fit for warm weather, and there was no way she was going to wear a sweater. She finally decided on a light yellow shirt, tucking her locket on its chain under the shirt.
Tranquilla walked downstairs, finding Serena at the table having breakfast. Aunt Ikuko smiled at Tranquilla and put a plate down for her. "I think this is the first time Serena's been able to eat breakfast here rather than on the way all year. You're being a good influence on her already, dear."
The walk to school had been a bit longer than Tranquilla had expected, but it had been entertaining to see Serena go through what she expected out of her classes that day. The school itself wasn't very imposing- it looked like many other schools she had seen. Serena dropped Tranquilla off at the principal's office with a smile and reassurances before heading off to her class.
Tranquilla stood formally in front of the principal, and smiled. "Hello. I'm Tranquilla Tsukino, Serena's cousin from America. I'm starting here today… I assume my aunt registered me?"
"Yes, Miss Tsukino, but we need to give you some tests before you start class… just for placement purposes. We'll be putting you in Serena's classes to begin with, but these tests will help us see where you'll be staying."
The tests were very easy and Tranquilla was actually surprised. She understood Japanese much better than she had expected to, and in purely academic pursuits she could afford to direct her attention to coldly answer any problems. After she completed the tests, she handed them to the principal and bowed, exiting.
***
Serena's class was in session when Tranquilla knocked. Resuming her bubbly teenage aspect, she greeted the teacher. "Hi! I'm Serena's cousin, Tranquilla, from America. I'm happy to be joining your class!" She caught herself smiling involuntarily. She actually was happy to be here. I just hope nothing goes wrong… let the fighting be far from this place and these people, she thought. Friends… I've never had any, but Loke said in that letter I could have casual ones. She blushed in surprise at herself.
The teacher frowned at her, "Another one? Well there's an open seat next to Amy, and she can probably help you if you need. I'm Miss Haruna." The teacher waited while Tranquilla walked across the room, and slid into the seat next to Amy.
She leaned over to talk to the blue haired girl, "Why are you in this class when you're so smart?"
"Well, I read ahead, and it's nice only having to really worry about my cram school. Besides, I couldn't help Lita and Serena as much, and they really need it." Amy giggled, smiling at Tranquilla. The taller girl smiled back, and sank into her seat happily. She couldn't remember when she'd last been actually happy before meeting Serena.
"Now class," Miss Haruna said, "do any of you know why the Green Knight challenged Gawain?"
The school day had passed in what seemed like seconds for Tranquilla. She was completely surprised by how much she had enjoyed it, and how naturally the language had come to her in the more formal setting. Lunch with Serena, Amy, and Lita had been the best part though… Lita really was an amazing cook. It was too bad the other two girls went to a different school. It was also too bad that Serena had gotten a detention for reading a manga in class. But she had told Tranquilla to go to a place called the Crown Arcade with Lita. I'm not sure about this, she thought, but I guess she'll catch up after her detention.
As the two girls walked to the arcade, they talked like normal teenagers. Lita seemed obsessed with staring at cute boys. Tranquilla laughed and joined in with her comments. Now that she was actually stable, she might even be able to consider dating. She'd met boys who interested her before, but had never been able to show it. Now though, she would be living here for a while… she might be able to actually become a fairly normal teen. Well, at least when she wasn't fighting the enemy.
"You know, Tranquilla, there's a really nice guy at the arcade. His names Andrew." Lita sighed, "But he's just a friend. Mina's been trying to get him for a while now. He's really cute, too. But I don't know. Serena's so lucky. You haven't met her boyfriend yet, have you?"
"I… don't think so."
"Too bad. Hey! Do you know any good American recipes? I'd love to try some ethnic cooking!"
"Not really, sorry Lita. I'm a horrible cook!" Tranquilla smiled at her.
"Aw, that's ok. Just like Serena and Mina. How's your first day at school been?"
"Great. Really wonderful. Everyone is so nice… I think I'll like it here." The funny part was that it had gone so well. She was still a little suspicious of Serena's friends, but Amy and Lita had seemed genuinely nice. And she hadn't had any flashbacks either, which was a huge relief.