Translations for any Japanese spoken is after the chapter.

Vector always had this way of pushing one to do something they didn't actually want to do. Maybe that's the reason I found myself in a coffee shop, considering working as a substitute teacher for a group of preschoolers.

"Ah, c'mon, Espio! You'll learn to love it! Besides, you don't need any qualifications for it! As long as you don't kill someone, you're bound to get the job!"

"That's the problem. I can't tolerate children."

"But aren't you ninja types all about zen or whatever?"

"Yes, but children, especially preschoolers, are the one thing that breaks that peace of mind."

"You do need the job, though. And it pays well."

And that's how I got my first job.

._.

"Hello, children." The lady sheep in the long skirt smiled to the kids, who weren't paying any attention. "This is Espio, your substitute teacher. Treat him with respect, now. That means you, Danny."

A young ferret sitting in front of me crossed his arms and huffed. Then, the lady left me to deal with the children, who all seemed to smirk the second the door was closed. I knew I shouldn't have let Vector drive me there.

It was silent for about five seconds before the room erupted in screams and I was being tackled and pulled on by all the kids at once. I didn't have much time to react before they all ran off to the sound of the ferret kid shouting something. It wasn't even a minute after the class started, but I was exhausted and not up for the rest of the day.

That was basically how the rest of the day went until the time to go home was upon me. I walked outside to find Vector leaning against the wall, jamming to what sounded like classic rock. He looked to me and smiled, but broke out laughing at the state I was in. I had, in fact, been covered in glitter and stickers among other things.

"I quit."

._.

"No."

"That's what you said the last time!"

"Yes, and last time ended in failure." I sighed to Vector as I sipped my coffee. We had been job hunting for about two weeks, and every try ended in failure. There just wasn't any place for me in this city. "Maybe I should just move back to the dojo..."

"What!?" Vector's eyes shone with surprise. "You can't leave; you just got here!"

I looked down to the small table between us. "Yes, and I came here to make my sensei proud. This just isn't the right place..."

"It's not the right place until you make it right."

I looked back up to him. "What do you mean."

"You have to make this place what you want of it. There are other ways to make your sensei proud. You just have to figure it out."

"Mochiron! Arigatou gozaimasu, Vector!" My mind was reeling as I ran out of the shop, but I could here Vector's confusion behind me.

"Eh... What?"

._.

"You want to do what?"

"Join G.U.N."

"Are you sure about that, Espio? I know you aren't big with government..."

"But I know my sensei will be proud of me for utilizing my skills."

The ivory bat looked apprehensive, but nodded with a sigh. "Okay... I'll see if I can put in a good word for you to the Commander."

"Thank you, Rouge. This is why we keep in touch."

"Is that the only reason?"

"Of course not."

"Good."

._.

Yes, I had been friends with Rouge. We knew each other when we were young. She didn't want to be taught what to do anymore, so she left the dojo, but I had promised to keep in touch with her. She never really met Vector until the, uh, Metal predicament. We had lost touch, and I forgot about her... I really wish I hadn't...

._.

I remember walking back to the apartment building when I stopped at a wonderful sound. I was by a music store near the Japanese restaurant where I first met Vector. The sound coming out of the store was a wonderful song on the piano, and I couldn't help but walk in.

And that's when I found out Vector could play the piano.

It was mesmerizing, really, and he seemed to have been lost in his music, eyes closed as if he knew it by heart. It felt like it went on forever, and nobody in the store was complaining. They even acted like it was normal, and I wondered if he went there to play often.

When it ended, nobody applauded, but I simply walked up to him with my own quiet clapping. He jumped in surprise before smiling at me. "H-Hey there, Espio!"

"You didn't tell me you could play..."

"Yeah..." He rubbed the back of his head. "It's the only reason they hired me."

"You work here?"

"Yeah." The crocodile smiled. "Anyways, you seemed pretty excited when you ran out this morning."

"I am sorry that I left you... I had to get in contact with an old friend before she left to her own job."

"That's fine. So what were you doing."

"I got a job." I smiled proudly to myself.

"Hey, that's great! What is it?"

"I'm going to work for G.U.N."

"The government? Jeez, Espio, how'd you manage to do that?"

"My friend works there."

"Well, congratulations."

"Thank you." I smiled before I looked around the shop.

"Do you play anything?"

I looked back to him and shrugged. "A bit, but not that much."

"Which instrument?"

"The shamisen..."

"I think we got one of those. Hang on a sec." He stood up and started digging around the store, looking through various instruments. Finally, he found what he was looking for. He brought the instrument to me and I saw that it was indeed a shamisen. I only stared at it before he handed me it, and I gripped it gently in my hands. When I noticed that the stringed instrument didn't have a bachi, I reached into the cuff of my glove and pulled a small one out. My sensei had given it to me as a parting gift, and I never had it too far away from me.

I glanced to Vector before I strummed, the sound echoing throughout the store as everyone turned to me. I didn't notice them though, my mind only filled with the sheet music that I knew so well as I strummed. Of course, when I noticed people staring, I immediately stopped, much to Vector's disappointment.

"Why'd ya stop?'

"People are staring..." I mumbled quietly.

"Who cares about that? It happens all the time."

"I care..." I felt myself shrink at the stares.

Vector seemed to notice that I was uncomfortable because he took the instrument from me and walked to the counter, saying something before going back and giving it to me. "Now you van play it in your apartment."

Embarrassingly, it took me a few seconds to realize what he did. "Oh! You really didn't need to do that; I can't take this gift."

He just chuckled. "Just think of it as a late housewarming gift."

I tried yet again to give it back, but he only gave it back. I ended up giving up and walked out of the store with Vector by my side and the shamisen in my hands.

I still have that instrument, and I don't think I'd ever give it away...

Sometimes, Espio will slip into Japanese because he is either flustered, excited, or aggravated.

Here are the translations brought to you by me looking them up on the internet!

"Mochiron! Arigatou gozaimasu, Vector!"- Of course! Thank you, Vector!