A Falling Feather's Motion

Guess what? I've started writing again!

This fic is based on a free, anime-style dating sim that goes by the name of Katawa Shoujo. It takes place in the same universe, and is very loosely based on said game. Other players might recognize a couple of things.

I guess I should state this fanfiction features disabled persons and their daily troubles, so if you are in any way offended by this, I'd kindly suggest you don't bother reading it. Not in the sense that I'm making fun of any disabilities- Quite the opposite, actually.

And just in case you're wondering because you've been informed Katawa Shoujo features hentai scenes; In full compliance with the rules of PokeCharms, this fic, naturally, does not. Don't worry.

One last thing; I am constantly looking to improve on my own writing, and because I know this website has a large amount of skilled writers, constructive criticism is more then appreciated!

Enjoy~

~~~
Chapter 1; Bienvenue en France

Daisuke MacLeod closed the door behind him as he entered the small hallway, after which he attempted to remove the wet strands of brown hair from over his eyes. He looked up at the faded brown stairs he was now facing; James was already halfway up the steps, but had stopped to look back over his shoulder.

‘Want some help with those bags of yours?’ James offered him, turning around and walking a few steps down again, his hand stretched out demonstratively. The truth was, Daisuke wouldn’t mind some help with getting his various bags of clothing, medicine and other items up the stairs- A trial he wasn’t exactly looking forward to- But on the other hand, he didn’t want to look weak in front of the boy he’d just met and was going to live with for a considerable amount of time.

James piqued an eyebrow as it took him more then a couple of seconds to answer- Maybe he was worried he was having another one of his ‘space-outs’, like the one he’d already had in the car on the journey here. After he had snapped back into reality, he had explained his condition to James, who hadn’t seemed too surprised, given the school he would soon be attending.

He gave a smile, jerking his head slightly to get some more hair out of his line of sight. ‘Yeah, that’d be great.’ James reached down from the stairs to gain hold of the bag Daisuke handed him, and there was a short moment where they were at eye level and their faces only a few inches apart. He couldn’t help but notice how pretty James’ grey-green eyes were, not vibrantly coloured like some people’s were, but deep and with a strange glint of understanding and hidden wisdom, despite his joking and talkative personality.

He lifted himself up and headed up the stairs once more. Daisuke followed suit, letting out a barely audible sigh at the loss of that short moment of unexpected intimacy. James lifted the heavy bag over his shoulder like it was nothing, the muscles in his shoulders flexing visibly against the fabric of his nylon coat.

Once they had reached the first floor, James entered the key, twisted it and tried to open the door. It didn’t even budge, despite the amount of force put against it. The problem, however, was not the door itself, as it turned out; James put his hand down hard on the brass handle above the lock, and after a second of pressurizing there was a sudden, mechanical noise as the door gave way.

‘Yeah, it does that sometimes.’ James said, smiling apologetically. ‘Sometimes it sticks. So, welcome to our humble abode- And your new home!’ He added, plopping the bag down on the floor.

Daisuke found himself looking at a large oak table with a sofa one one side of it against the far wall and a variety of wooden chairs around the other side. To the left was a kitchen, not overly big but with all the necessary components like a sink and various forms of cutlery, and even a dishwasher.

He could hear laughter and various other noises coming from the doorway separating the kitchen and dining room from what must be the living room. James took off his coat and hung it from the coat rack situated behind the door, and beckoned for Daisuke to hand him his as well. He quickly removed his own coat after putting the bags he was carrying himself down, folded it in half and gave it to James.

He had to admit that it felt kind of strange to just enter someone’s home without stepping into a pair of uwakabi. Earlier when James had picked him up from the train station in his pickup, he’d had to resist giving a small bow and an energetic greeting, instead resorting to the Western customs of shaking hands asking the other about his state of health, then stating his name and how it was nice to meet him. It was natural enough for him because he’d visited Western countries, or met Western socialites, on numerous occasions. But he still spent most of his time in his fatherland, with its respective formal and informal customs, so it would take getting used to regardless.

‘C’mon, let’s get you introduced to the rest. Sounds like they’re having another game night.’ James said, heading for the doorway. Daisuke went after him, even though he didn’t feel he would need much of an introduction. James had already told him nearly everything about the other members of the clique on the way here.

The door opened, and five faces turned to face them.

The girl sitting cross-legged on the floor with her back against the sofa, smiling wholeheartedly at him, had to be Rie Yamauchi, a fellow student of Japanese origins. Her name loosely translated to ‘valued blessing, within the mountains’. James had found this extraordinarily funny, because according to James, that was exactly what she was to the rest. She was a tactful and motherly figure, always polite and kind, helpful and caring- But ‘with a wicked side to her’, as James had said sullenly, giving a knowing wink to Daisuke. A bit too much information. She was also famous for her Bento Mondays.

The two guys taking up most of the space on the couch, who looked just about James’ age- Eighteen, a year older then Daisuke was- Were Andrew Allen, nicknamed ‘Double A’ by his buddies, and Chase Carter, known as ‘Double C’ to the same people. The two were inseparable, having grown up together. They were incredibly like-minded, almost like twins born from different parents. Amongst the many things they shared was a passion for video games and sitcoms, and they studied Media at university level. Andrew was the Caucasian one with frizzy blonde curls, whilst Chase was distinctly Latin-American of complexion with short, dark brown hair.

Two girls, seated in chairs next to the occupied couch, smiled up at him as well- Although somewhat more judgingly, but not unfriendly. Two Fashion students who went by the names of Sascha Fortier and Paige Turner- The latter of which the name was a mistake made by the respective parents who decided to leave it the way it was, ‘to spread good mood wherever she went’. According to James, the occasional catfight broke out between the two because of their entirely different outlooks on life, but they ‘needed each other too much to really end their friendship.’

How had he even remembered all this?

He was suddenly met with a chorus of greetings, and they stood up in turn to shake his hand- All but Rei, who instead bowed and gave a wink afterwards. Both Andrew and Chase gave Daisuke a firm handshake, and Andrew remarked; ‘Are you really Japanese? You don’t look like it!’

Chase poked him in the side. ‘Dude, do you have any idea how rude that sounds?’ He retorted, agitated. Andrew’s eyes grew wide and his mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ as he realized what he’d just said.

Daisuke allowed himself the pleasure of pretending to have his eyes storm up, but just before Andrew was going to administer his most sincere apologies and probably affirm that he was, in fact, not a racist, Rei let out a giggle, breaking the magic. Daisuke couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

‘I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I’m sorry, it was a beautiful opportunity.’ He said, in an effort to calm a dumbstruck Andrew. Besides, he knew what he had said was true; With a British father who apparently had the dominant genes in his strands, Daisuke looked far from Asian and much more Eurasian. His skin was only marginally coloured, his hair was a light brown and his eyes a blueish grey. The only thing reminiscent of his Asian heritage were some of his facial structures.

They all had a good laugh about it, even the still somewhat shocked Andrew. James patted him on the back.’You’ll fit right in.’ The last handshake, courtesy of Paige, was accompanied by another remark, this one nowhere as faux-offensive; ‘MacLeod isn’t a Japanese name, is it?’ She asked. Daisuke nodded. ‘My Dad’s British, but his family’s originally Scottish.’ He answered.

‘You guys are soaked to the skin!’ Rei said, eyeing the two boys. ‘I’ll go get some towels.’ She continued, disappearing through another doorway momentarily before returning with two clean and dry white towels. Daisuke thanked her and dried off his hair and face, leaving his hair a spikey mess.

‘When’s dinner, Rei?’ James asked, patting his belly as a clear indication of hunger. ‘Soon enough, but there’s still some dishes left put in. Maybe Daisuke-chan would like to help out?’ Rei asked. Daisuke considered for a short moment; He still had some unpacking to do, but then again, that could wait until tonight. He’d already had a more warm welcome then he’d imagined he would get, but it was important to make a good impression on his new flatmates.

‘Sure, why not?’ He said, and followed Rei through the doorway back to the kitchen, closing the door behind him. ‘Let’s see how much of a helper you really are, great helper.’ She joked, referring to meaning of his name. ‘In the meantime, I’ll try to figure out why you’re a valued blessing within the mountains.’ He deflected. She giggled. ‘Y’know, sometimes I think it was fate that brought me here. How else would someone live up to their name like this?’ Daisuke shrugged as Rei handed him the first couple of plates.

‘Do you believe in fate?’ The question caught him off guard. It’s not the kind of question you’d expect to hear mere minutes after first meeting someone. He contemplated for a moment; He’d never really given it a lot of thought. He shrugged again. ‘Not really, no. Sometimes things seem so miraculous that you think it can’t be a coincidence, but I’m more of a man of science, I guess.’

From the corner of his eye he saw Rei nodding approvingly. Had it been a test, and one he’d just passed at that? Rei didn’t seem like a very judgemental person, nor a very spiritual one. It was a confusing prospect, so he decided to change the subject. ‘You’re the only other one here who goes to the Smithson, right?’ Daisuke asked, referring to the school he would soon be attending.

Rei nodded. ‘We might even end up in the same class, because we’re in the same year. Regardless, I’ll be sure to give you a tour of the place on Monday, just to make sure you’ll know where to find everything!’ She said, flashing another friendly smile. ‘What are you studying?’ He continued. She pursed her lips. ‘Arts! Although I’m not quite sure what direction I want t- Daisuke!’

He knew that sudden skip in dialogue all too well. He’d zoned out again.

‘I’m sorry! I, uhm...’ He wasn’t sure what to say, but he needed to reassure Rei, who was looking rather worried. ‘It’s sort of what I do. Why I’m going to be attending Smithson.’ She visibly relaxed, although she was still a bit wide-eyed. ‘I figured it wasn’t going to be something physical, because you look fine. Could you... Tell me what it is?’ She asked, carefully.

Daisuke nodded. ‘I thought it’d be best if I told everyone at dinner. I mean, they know I’m attending the ‘special’ school, so they’re bound to curious what’s wrong with me.’ He said, feigning a smile Rei patted him on the shoulder. ‘None of us are like that here. You’re lucky you ended up with us!’ She said. ‘Well, the campus was full. Apparently Europe and its surrounding regions have a lot of disabled kids with rich parents.’

Rei noticed the disdain in his voice. ‘Don’t worry about it too much, Dai- Can I call you Dai?- No one likes having to come to this school at first. But trust me, in time, you’ll enjoy it. The teachers are nice, as are the people, and it’s a beautiful area as well.’ She was obviously trying her hardest to comfort him. Daisuke smiled back. ‘You’re probably right. It’s most likely prettier around here without the rain.’

Half an hour later, they were all seated around the large oak dinner table. Daisuke had been sat down on the couch, between Sascha and Paige, which was apparently some kind of honour. Even though there were some daily conversations, he remained the centre of attention. ‘So what do you think of France, Dai?’ Chase asked. The others had been quick to adopt Rei’s nickname for him, which he didn’t really mind if it was easier for them.

‘It’s very pretty. I stayed in a hotel in Paris last night, and I only arrived here yesterday on a flight straight from Japan, so I had quite the jet lag, but so far I like what I’ve seen.’ He answered truthfully. ‘We should take you to Serre-Poncon sometime. It’s a big lake, and one of the most beautiful places I know of!’ Paige said, and the others agreed.

‘How did you learn to speak English so well?’ This question came from James. ‘My father never bothered to learn Japanese because he wasn’t home very often, and even when he was, he was always surrounded by English-speaking people. On top of that, both him and my mother thought it was very important for me to master it.’

‘You don’t even have an accent!’ Sascha noted, which Daisuke found slightly ironic as she had a distinct French tinge to her English. He smiled. ‘Well, with a British father and a Japanese mother, I guess the accents cancel each other out?’ He mused. It earned him some chuckles.

Enjoying his lasagna, which was filled with all sorts of vegetables and ground meat with a generous layer of cheese on top, he answered a couple more questions of a wide variety. He learned some stuff about his new friends as well. It surprised him how open they were to him and eachother. Traditionally, most of the things you heard about West-Europeans weren’t exactly positive. He guessed it was life’s reminder not to judge people by what you thought you knew about them.

Him and Rei shared a look, and Daisuke gave a quick nod. Now was as good a time as any to answer the question he was sure the remaining four who did not yet know were itching to ask, but were afraid to offend him. He wiped the corner of his mouth and leaned back in his chair.

‘So, I guess you’re all wondering why I’m attending Smithson.’ He started, trying to sound as casual as he could. One would think that, because he had lived with this issue his whole life, he’d be used to informing others about it. But there was always that uneasy feeling, that small reminder of the internal conflict between admittance and will to appear better than you truly are that rested in every person.

The conversations died down and all but Rei and James looked a tad nervous, but also curious. Daisuke brought up a smile. ‘It’s nothing too serious, compared to some others. It’s a form of epilepsy, called ‘petit mal’, which basically means every now and then I...’ He grasped for the right conventional terms. ‘... Sort of zone out from reality. It lasts for three to five minutes, unless someone ends it for me.’ He brought his hands down to his lap. ‘So, yeah. If you ever see it happen to me, which you probably will eventually, just call out to me. That’s usually enough to snap me out of it.’

He grinned. ‘Don’t try to prod me or anything, though. I get some nasty reflexes and I might slap you back. Or elbow you in the stomach. It’s happened.’ He meant it humorously, but it didn’t quite have the effect on his flatmates he’d hoped for; They took it as serious advice, guessing from their faces. Daisuke supposed it was for the better, because he hadn’t been lying. It might also have had to do with advice given to them by Rei, who supposedly had issues of her own- Although he had yet to figure out what they could be, for she seemed both physically and mentally fit- And accompanying needs.

As if reading his thoughts, Rei spoke up. ‘As for me, my affliction is brain-related as well.’ She said, looking earnest and open as opposed the spiteful tone he had half-expected, mostly because he was used to sounding a bit spiteful himself. ‘It’s a condition called congenital analgesia.’ Daisuke’s mind had a bit of trouble interpreting the Latin-sounding, but probably English word like many other medical terms were. ‘Due to a genetic mutation, I’m unable to feel pain.’

Daisuke frowned. ‘That sounds dangerous.’ He said it without giving it too much though, and immediately after, hoped he hadn’t been rude. Rei didn’t seem to mind, and merely nodded. ‘It can be. But I’ve learned to be really careful, and I can still lead a relatively normal life.’ She picked up her fork. ‘Now that that’s out of the way, shall we enjoy the rest of our dinner?’

The rest of the night was spent playing video games, watching television, sightseeing the other rooms and talking some more, up to the point where it was time to head for bed. As he stepped into the room, which he had learned he would be sharing with James, Daisuke realized he had yet to unpack his belongings.

James found him there, standing near the door with an intensely pensive gaze directed at the large bags he had brought in a bit earlier, as if he was trying to unpack them with sheer mental force. Daisuke heard him inhale to address him, but no actual words formed in his mouth. It suddenly struck him that James was probably under the impression he was zoning out again. He spun around quickly, now facing his puzzled-looking new roommate.

Daisuke smiled sheepishly. ‘Don’t worry, I was just wondering if I should start unpacking now or tomorrow.’ James looked relieved, and checked his watch. ‘Well, it’s already tomorrow.’ He winked. ‘You look like you need to rest. You can always just dig up some clothes in the morning, and you won’t be needing your school uniform for another day.’

He nodded to himself. James was right, and regardless, he didn’t think he could bring up the energy to do all the unpacking right now even if he’d wanted to. Thankfully, the pyjama’s that he still resorted to was at the top of the stack, immediately within his grasp when he opened the zipper.

James, much more shamelessly, stripped down to his boxers and jumped- Literally, jumped- right into his bed.Daisuke decided that if James didn’t mind doing this even in front of someone he’d only just met, he would neither. After all, he was going to spend a couple of years with him. It was best to build up an easy-going relationship from the start.
Dressed in the single cotton layer separating the cool air from his skin, which still managed to hold to a pleasant amount of warmth, he got into his own bed, taking another look at the room around him. The walls were originally covered in ancient-looking yellow wallpaper, but most of them had been placated with a wide variety of celebrity posters, courtesy to James. Some of them he knew by name, others he recognized (some more vaguely than others) but several eluded him completely.

James rolled over, facing Daisuke. ‘So how common are your...’ He was, understandably, hesitant to say ‘attacks’- Even though that was technically the proper term. ‘You can call them attacks.’ Daisuke said. ‘And, on a lucky day, once or twice. Usually more.’

His roommate pondered this. ‘Isn’t it dangerous when you go outside? You might have one in the middle of a road.’ He nodded. ‘That’s why I rarely ever leave the house without someone at my side who can safeguard me. Regardless, it tends to happen when I’m sitting or standing still most of the time.’

‘Any idea what you want to do tomorrow- Or later today, I guess?’ James asked. ‘It’s a Sunday, so the shops won’t be open. Maybe a little tour of the area?’ Daisuke nodded. ‘Sure, that’d be great.’

~~~

Moments later, he was sleeping. As were most others, on this quiet Saturday night, in this rustic French alpine town.

But not everyone.

A couple of feet to Daisuke’s right, James watched the moon and stars, clearly visible from the bedroom window, although part of the view was spoiled by a blackened chimneytop. The lack of light pollution made it possible to notice stars that inhabitants of bigger cities had never seen before.

He tilted his head to the left, taking in the details of the now peacefully sleeping Daisuke. His first impression of the boy had been a good one; He seemed like a friendly person. Of course he would still be a bit uncomfortable for some time in a new environment like this; Everything would take some getting used to. But he’d get there soon enough.

A mile away, a girl attempted one of the most precarious rituals of her day; Properly setting her alarm clock. It involved pushing a variety of buttons in a certain order, some more then once. She knew exactly what to push and how many times, but her violently vibrating hand made the whole ordeal much harder then it should’ve been.

Further to the East, a young male’s hand slid across the keys of a large piano, resulting in a soft tune that did not quite make it out of the room, in order to avoid waking up his parents. It was an unusual feat, so early in the morning- Or late in the night, as some would prefer to say- Made even stranger by the fact that the boy was not looking at the keys, or at a notebook. His eyes drifted somewhere over the piano, unfocused. He relied on his tactile sense to play, made possible by small indents put on every other key.

On the other end of town, another girl simply stared up at the ceiling, clutching a plush turtle. No one could tell why she wasn’t sleeping, or what went on in her mind. Many had tried, and each of them had failed. Her caretakers took comfort in the fact that she would fall asleep eventually. She always did.

So many fates, all of them different, and none of them intertwined- Not yet. But each one was bound into each other in more then one way, as the future would prove.

This is where our story begins to unfold.

Last edited by Dark Soul on Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I do like this story. The characters are interesting, and the 'issues' of Daisuke and Rei will definitely make up for an interesting story. Apart from that, stories about people and relationships tend to interest me, so I'll be looking forward to reading more

However, there were some issues I got caught on. First of all, I thought the character description of James and Daisuke came too late. At that point I had already started forming a picture of these characters, which had to be changed when you started going into their looks. The fact that they were soaking wet also appeared too late, you did mention that Daisuke's hair was wet in the first paragraph, but this is only a minor detail, and you can't expect the reader to deduce that it must've been raining.

The dialogue was also a bit messy. This was because the point of view changed too quickly, I lost track of who was talking multiple times in the kitchen. It's better if you do more like what you did towards the end, when the second 'section' clearly started off from James' POV. Try to stick to one character for one section, and only swap between sections. It should make it easier to follow

Still, I did enjoy the story. It has a lot of potential, with interesting characters, and interesting conditions. If you try to work with the things I mentioned (and probably things other people will mention too), I think this can become a fantastic work

I love Katawa Shoujo. Not only is it a good story with a romance that doesn't sicken me (at least not entirely XD), it treats the lives of people with disabilities in a tasteful manner.

In the disabilities lexicon, there is a debate going on about how to describe someone with a disability. One version is 'a blind man,' whilst the other is 'a man with blindness.' Both have valid points, as one's disability does and does not define them. Without that disability, one would not be the person they are at that moment. However, like the name, the disability limits their abilities in an area, but can be overcome, or at least worked around. I personally think the middle ground is acceptable due to the above reasoning. Both versions of the term related to a blind person are fine, but to be polite, one should ask the person in reference which they prefer.

Having Asperger's myself and being rather ashamed of it at times, I prefer to rarely bring the topic up. Nevertheless, I feel Katawa Shoujo (and I assume your fic will soon do) treats the various disabilities in a manner that makes one consider the whole person and sort of 'forget' their sometimes-obvious limitations, making interaction less stilted.
(In reference to the hentai component, Katawa Shoujo addresses the often-ignored sexual relationships of disabled people in a compassionate manner. I like that--equality in porn! XD)

Now to talk about your story itself. I find it very nice how you have not only integrated the different disabilities, but the different cultures. In a way, culture shock can be limiting in its own right. This school sounds very much like an international school where rich people send their kids with disabilities. :P

For the girl with the vibrating hand, I guess that she has cerebral palsy (a condition with many different symptoms and severities) or early onset Parkinson's. For the tactile-based piano player, some sort of vision impairment is my guess. Finally, the insomniac may have some sort of neurological condition that causes the sleeping problems.

The plush turtle was a nice touch.

CONTINUATION PUNCH!

Contrary to popular belief, this fic is not dead- It's simply taking a longer time to write than I had foreseen. Now, this chapter is mostly continuation/filler, although we are getting more in-depth with two of the characters. Look forward to more and probably better content next chapter, which will be up anywhere between the next week and this month. Or a bit later.

I have actively tried to pay heed to the positive reinforcement Weeds offered after my first post, and I do hope everything's a bit more legible now when it comes to the dialogue.

Enjoy and be sure to leave a comment and/or some CC!

~~~

It took Daisuke a considerable amount of effort to get out of bed the next morning, even though it was just over half past nine when Rei came in and politely woke him. He hadn’t been particularly active the day before, so he reckoned the change in surroundings and situation must’ve been what had made him so tired.

He lazily picked some clothes from one of his bags, as James had suggested last night. If they were going to have a tour of the town, he’d be better off dressing casually. The stormy clouds had long since disappeared towards the south, and the sun was shining brightly. It was bound to be warm outside.

He settled on a random pair of jeans, a green V-neck T-shirt with short sleeves, and then put on his black sneakers. He checked his hair in the bathroom mirror, finding it very ruffled. However, every attempt to straighten the springy strands with a brush was futile, as usual. Hopefully, no one would notice too much.

The rest of the clique was already seated around the table, with Chase helping Rei out in the kitchen while the others gorged on tasty-looking Sunday breakfast consisting of croissants, baguette and other typically French meal components, with thick layers of various toppings spread on them.

It occured to Daisuke that, for a house with seven teenage or young adult students, it was a rather luxurious meal. Of course, Sundays were a big deal to a large portion of Europeans, and he remembered seeing a bakery a block away from the house the day before. He knew practically nothing of the workings of economy, or what the exact exchange rate of this country’s and his currencies were- Was it 100 yen to the euro?- But perhaps these products were all relatively cheap.

His flatmates gave him a cheerful good morning as he sat down between James and Paige, at the corner of the table. He grabbed a croissant that was ready-cut and, following James’ example, smeared a generous layer of strawberry jam on the bottom half, topped it and carefully took a first bite.

It was very sweet, although not sickeningly so, and definitely quite tasty. He was just about to go for another when James initiated a conversation with him. ‘Hey, Dai? We’ve been doing a bit of thinking about where we can go today. We’re going to show you all the basic stores and other places you’ll want to know, like the cafe and our local dance hall.’ He smiled. ‘For a small town, we’re quite well equipped for teenage audiences. Mostly because so many of us live here, both for Smithson and our university, and the townsfolk want their piece of it.’

Rei chipped in at this point. ‘As for the way to school, I’ll be showing you that Monday morning, since we’re both going there anyway. It’ll save time today, and besides, it’s not a very difficult route. It’s just up the hill.’ She paused to take a sip of coffee. ‘Anyway, how well are you caught up on your French, Dai? She asked him.

Daisuke pondered his answer. ‘Well, I’ve known that I was going to be attending this school for a month or two now, and I’ve been reading some simple help books as an introduction to French. Knowing how the Western alphabet works has been a great help, and I known basic words and sentences, but...’ He shrugged. ‘I guess I’ll be picking up on it during the year.’

Rei nodded. ‘Of course, the lessons are all in English, but it’s still good to know enough French to get around. You can always ask me for some private lessons, if you’d like.’ She offered kindly.

Daisuke smiled. ‘Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.’

For a split second, he could’ve sworn James had glanced at him oddly, but he immediately he returned to his slice of baguette.

~~~

They started out at the very bakery that had supplied them with the tasty products of that morning. Paige and Sascha had decided to accompany them later on, after a visit to their favourite clothing stores. Following their example, Chase and Andrew had abandoned the crew to go scouting for new games and other media in nearby shops, leaving him with Rei and James at his sides.

It was probably for the better; It made the trip a lot less noisy and James and Rei were the ones he was most comfortable with. Although he had been accepted in warmly by everyone, he had an inkling that Sophie and Paige didn’t like him as much as they were showing, and even his friendship with Chase and Andrew so far was merely superficial.

James, on the other hand, had been kind to him from the start, and completely accepting of everything from the cultural confusion to the disability that had brought him here in the first place. And Rei was the one who was helping him get settled in, help him out at school, and someone who he could always talk to.

After James introduced him to the baker and his son, both of whom gave him a friendly wink after he greeted them in amateuristic French, and pointed out their most commonly bought items in this place, they carried on. Their second stop, diagonally across the street from the traditional bakery, was a moderately large supermarket named ‘coop’ , which they went through rapidly because Rei needed to buy some ingredients for that day’s dinner.

James also purchased a large bag of fruit-flavoured lollipops, and shared them with his two companions once they had left the store. Daisuke thanked him and picked a cherry-flavoured one, following James’ example.

After a couple more visits to similar stores, each one selling different kinds of products that Daisuke knew he wouldn’t be able to remember- Nor the exact location of these shops, although fortunately the majority of them were set in the long main street that divided the eastern part of the town from the western one- it occurred to him that this town was in many ways similar to other European townships and even bigger Japanese ones.

The stores street sign differed, of course, and the fact that it was set in a valley meant that there was considerable height difference between one part of the area and another, but there was still that typical layout of towns that were not quite considered cities. Age-old houses with much more modern-looking gutters and drainpipes attached to them, flashy neon signs on the fronts of stores, restaurants and bars, forlorn posters advertising drinks, health products or events in neighbouring cities that had long since taken place plastered on brick walls.

Regardless of the unsightly influences of modern society, it still had something rustic to it. Many of the buildings had bricks tinted in Mediterranean colours like yellow and orange, with ocher roof tiles. The outfits of the people they came across in the streets were a lot more sober than those Daisuke had seen in Paris, but their faces looked a lot less troubled and even somewhat more soft and jovial.

As they gradually moved away from the town centre, James pointed at what might once have been a large storage hall or even military base. It was decorated with colourful non-obscene and strangely professional-looking graffiti. ‘This is Soleil, the local dance hall. It’s pretty much the only place where the many students here can have a real party, and those aren’t very often, but when you can attend one, they’re awesome.’ James told him, smiling widely as he seemed to recall fun nights he’d had this place, or maybe because he was already looking forward to parties yet to come.

‘Have you been to a lot of parties, Daisuke?’ James asked him. Daisuke didn’t answer immediately, fiddling with the handles of Rei’s plastic grocery bag that was pressing painfully into his palm, although he tried not to show it. He had chivalrously offered to take the bag from her earlier on, but he hadn’t anticipated the weight. There was some irony to be found in the fact that she couldn’t feel this pain and he very well could.

Once he had found a more comfortable position to hold the handles in, Daisuke shook his head. 'I didn't have a lot of very outgoing friends, and besides, your version of a party is a lot different from ours.' He said. He didn't specify that he hadn't had a lot of friends in general, and none that he had considered true friends. His friendships had always been rather superficial, which, in a way, had been for the better in the end. It had made saying goodbye to his old life considerably easier.

His old life.

Daisuke had tried to give it as little thought as possible, but there was always that nagging background sensation, constantly reminding him that every pretense that his life would be relatively normal was now officialy gone. In addition to that, there was now barely any avoiding the fact that he would turn out more Western than Japanese in the end- An almost unthinkable feat for someone who had grown up living up to Japanese ideals and customs. It was only through his Dad's visits and the influence he had on Daisuke that he had been more in touch with the Western world. And now he was here in the south of France, attending an English-speaking school and sharing a home with three Americans, one Brazillian, one Francoise and one fellow Japanese girl.

In some ways, it was an improvement. But despite the surprisingly warm welcome he had gotten, he felt uneasy, out of place. Only time would tell how much he would enjoy his stay here, his company, and most importantly his school. Perhaps he was looking at matters too cynically. He'd been given the opportunity to develop himself better than he could have done at any other high school, and seeing as this school was specifically targeted towards accommodating students with a wide variety of disabilities, it was actually his best shot at an at least somewhat normal life. Daisuke felt somewhat comforted by the positive commentary Rey had given the school that morning, saying it was incredibly well-equipped and that the personnel was friendly.

James looked taken aback by his comment on how much he had partied in the past (or, to be precise, how little.), which was clearly readable from his face. 'Really? Hey, I'm going to have to make you tag along at least a couple of times in that case!' He exclaimed. Daisuke felt it would be futile to protest, with the headstrong tone in which James had said his line. James was a very expressive and flamboyant person, and very likely a party animal as well- Essentialy making him Daisuke's antithesis.

The route they walked made them loop back into the other side of town, where they met up with Andrew and Chase. The two best friends were incredibly gleeful over their most recent purchase in the gamestore, and were more then glad to explain what the game was about when he inquired. From their rapid-fire and two-mouthed dialogue, Daisuke was able to gather that it was a free-roaming game featuring magic, dragons, 'infinite quests, high definition graphics' and other stuff that they apparently deemed very exciting, as did the rest of the gaming community. Daisuke pretended to share in their delight, as he knew absolutely nothing about video games apart from what others told him. Games confused him, with their intricate controls and mechanics and just too many things happening on the screen at the same time.

A little while later the remaining two of the group, Sascha and Paige, joined them as well, their arms heavily loaded with various plastic bags containing undoubtedly very fashionable articles of clothing and accesoires. Luckily, the girls did not bore him with detailed accounts of patterns or fabrics or whatever the most exciting part of the fashion world was, instead focusing on their own conversation like they usually did. The two were somewhat more set apart from the rest of the group, sharing little interests with their housemates.

He fell somewhat behind the rest as they made their way back to the house. Rei broke away from her conversation with James, and joined Daisuke at this side, matching his relaxed pace. 'So, have you got a good impression of the town?' She asked him, addressing him in English despite the fact she could easily switch into their native tongue. Maybe she was doing it for the sake of the others, to avoid any situations where her friends would feel uneasy not being able to pick up anything, or maybe she was doing it so that he could keep working on improving his English and making it sound more natural. He made a mental note to ask her about it later.

He decided to stick to the truth. 'Well, you can always count on me to stop by the bakery or the supermarket.' Daisuke answered, whimsically. Rei giggled, a pleasant and genuine sound. 'Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it in time. As you will with everything, really.' Her tone turned more serious at the end of the sentence. 'It's a big change. Everything's new and different and maybe even a bit scary, but trust me when I say that things will get more enjoyable and easier.' She continued. Daisuke looked at her questioningly. It was like she had read the troubled expression on his face back at the dance hall- There was a fairly large chance she had.

'When I first came here, three years ago, I was scared as well. You, at least, have had some interaction with Western culture and you know the language. I was brought here out of the blue, with no idea what to expect and sporadic knowledge of English- And practically zero knowledge of French. But James was there to help me out, and if it hadn't been for him, everything would've been so much harder. I don't even know if I would ever really have fitted in.' She stared at James lovingly, before returning her gaze to him. 'What I'm trying to say is that you're not alone. I've been through the same, and we're always here to help you out if you need us, okay? She asked. Daisuke nodded. Her offer was touching.

He gathered the courage to ask a question pertaining to the look she had thrown James seconds ago. 'Are... you and James...' He made a vague pointing gesture in an effort to aid himself. One corner or Rei's mouth curled upwards, resulting in a crooked grin. 'Nah. I used to be in love with him, but... It didn't work.' She said, her gaze now fixed on the bricks of the sidewalk.

Daisuke didn't want to discomfort her any more, but his curiosity got the better of him. Besides, if it was all in the past, she probably wouldn't mind too much. 'Why not?' He dared ask. Rei looked at him with a genuine look of surprise. 'What, you haven't figured it out by now? James is... Isn't into girls.'

His suspicions had been right.

'He's gay.'

'Yeah.'

That meant he had a chance, provided he was willing to take it. James was muscular and quite handsome, but Daisuke had no idea whether or not he was actually attracted to James. Besides, he was running ahead of matters- There was zero indication that James was even slightly interested in Daisuke, which would be troubling in the forming of a relationship past that of the friendship that they had already forged. For now, it was probably better to focus on getting settled at his new school and home.

A couple of hours later, he was once again alone with Rei, this time in his room. Two similar sets of clothing were stacked on the bed; A white blouse, dark forest green pants and a college jacket of the same colour, along with his simple black sneakers, belt and tie. Aside from that, there was also his his sport outfit; A white cotton T-shirt, knee-lenght black nylon trousers and white running shoes. The clothing was very similar to what he had seen in the brochures of Yamaku High, the Japanese counterpart of Smithson.

That thought raised a question. 'Hey, Rei?' He started, and Rei looked at him sideways as they stored the remainder of the clothes he'd brought in the large oak wardrobe together. 'Why didn't you sign up for Yamaku?' He asked her, adressing her in English because he'd decided it wasn't worth the hassle trying to get her speak her native language with him. After he had formulated the question, it occurred to him that this was the second time today he was prying into her past.

Fortunately, Rei didn't seem to care. 'Why didn't you?' She reflected back, smiling playfully.

'Hey, that's not fair, I asked you first.' Daisuke retorted with the same expression.

'Alright, alright.' She gave in, as she neatly folded a pair of ice blue jeans and added it to the stack of trousers on Daisuke's side of the wardrobe. 'It would've been easier, for sure. I actually visited there before I came here- It's a pretty place, a lot like here, actually.' She took a T-shirt from the stack of unsorted clothes that had been dumped on the end of his matress. 'I was raised in a very strict family. My father believed that women were meant to take care of the house and their husbands, and nothing beyond that. It's bad even for modern Japanese tandards.' She sighed.

'We never had a very good relationship. I didn't agree with his old-fashioned and conservative ways, and he always saw me as... troublesome, I think. Both because I was the only one in the family who openly opposed him, and because I wasn't normal and needed extra medical attention. It made me inferior, in his eyes.'

Daisuke hadn't expected an insight into her past like this.

'But my parents were also quite wealthy, and once I was old enough to enroll in high school, my Mom managed to convince my Father to pay for my education at Yamaku. I was pretty happy with just that. But when I learned that there was a similar school in Europe, I couldn't resist. I'd get the same quality of education, but it was a chance to get away from my family. So I looked for places to stay near the Smithson, and that's how I got into contact with James.'

Rei was doing a lot better than him at making neat stacks of clothing, even with her mind not set to the task, as her glazed eyes proved him. Occasionaly she would reach over to one of his stacks and straighten it slightly. 'You know, I've never really told anyone this, but- suke?'

Of all the moments to zone out.

Daisuke looked at Rei pleadingly. 'I'm so sorry, Rei, I just- What were you saying?' He

She waved her hand dismissively. 'It's fine, it... It was nothing important.' She sounded unsure, but Daisuke decided not to press the matter. They finished up the rest if the pile in silence, after which Rei sat down on his bed. She took a small booklet from the pocket of her cotton vest. 'Okay, let's go over the school rules now, shall we?' Daisuke sat down next to her on the bed. 'Most of the rules are pretty standard, but because of the amount of physically disabled students there are some special rules regarding things like running in the hallways...'

~~~

Daisuke took a deep breath.

With a much more motivated Rei at his side, who looked quite dashing in her uniform consisting of a green skirt that reached to halfway up her upper leg, a white blouse with a black bowtie around the neck, black wool kneesocks and brown shoes, Daisuke approached the gates of the Smithson. The long trudge up the steep hill had worn him down, and the warm rays of sunlight shining down plus his loaded bag did not help either.

Daisuke panted. 'I am not looking forward to walking this route every day of the week.' He said, with a groan. This wasn't even the extent of the amount he'd be walking each day of his future education at this school; He'd found out that the educational system utilized was Western not only when it came to their obscure grading system, but in their class system as well- The students walked to and from various classrooms between the hours. Daisuke wasn't an unfit or lazy person as far as he thought, but it would probably prove to be even more taxing than he had imagined.

Rei smiled in her usual fashion. 'It's worst during the summer. By the time autumn comes around, it'll be much more doable.’

She said comfortingly. The fact that she did not seem even marginally bothered by the weather did not help Daisuke feel better about himself. Maybe it was time to start working out again. After all, he had been unable to perform any even moderately taxing physical activities for a long period of time this year.

He took a good look around him.

The square in front of the main building was filled with students at this time in the morning, before the first bell rung. Practically immediately, Daisuke saw the first signs that the students of this school were not regular teenagers. There were those seated in wheelchairs, those engaged in conversation through rapid sign language. Some of them missed limbs, some moved theirs randomly. A good amount of other students looked to be physically seen quite normal.

Yet, in various ways, their behaviour did not seem to differ much from that of teenagers from any other high school. There were concentrated groups of friends laughing and being rowdy- A couple of boys were even playing soccer in the long strip of grass to the side of the square, where goal posts had already been set up. Girls gossiped and giggled happily, seated on low brick walls, some of them checking their phones or putting makeup and mascara on.

He caught himself wondering how such a large group of impaired individuals could settle into teenage life so naturally and seemingly easily. Of course, there was nothing to wonder about. In a school where every last student in some way differed from what society deemed a regular person, as offensive as it might've sounded, being abnormal was perfectly normal. That was the reality of things. Being 'normal' here would actually make you a vast minority, an oddity. It was the mirror image of other high schools everywhere.

He heard Rei adressing him in a careful tone. He only now realized that he'd stopped walking once he'd set foot on the square, and had been staring inattentively at the people on it. He quickly reassured Rei to prove he had not zoned out, and was merely being observant of the situation playing out before his eyes.

Rei continued her path through the crowd and Daisuke followed suit. Although Rei had spent last night with him to give him a general idea of the school grounds, using a foldout map, Daisuke trusted Rei's sense of direction and memory a lot more then he trusted his own, and he did not want to risk losing sight of her and getting lost. His lack of geographical awareness was one of Daisuke's greatest weak points, although it was not caused by his epilepsy- It was simply something genetic. His father suffered from it as well.

His companion was headed for another girl, seated on the end of the worn brick wall. She nervously fiddled with her fingers and did not look up from the ground before her until Rei's legs came into view, at which point she shot up and locked Rei in a tight embrace. Apart from her school uniform, the girl wore a baggy magenta hood that almost completely covered her head, reaching halfway over her ears. The reaction was so sudden and unexpected that Daisuke tumbled back a bit in surprise, making Rei giggle. 'Hey, Amber! Did you have a nice weekend?' She asked.

The girl called Amber nodded vigorously and opened her mouth to answer, but then her gaze flickered to the side, where Daisuke was standing. Their eyes met briefly, causing her to stare back down at the ground again with a slight blush. Rei took over before the situation could get any more awkward. 'Ah, yes! Daisuke, this is Amber Leeson, my closest friend. Amber, meet Daisuke MacLeod- Our new housemate that I've talked to you about.' She said, gesturing vaguely between the two of them.

Daisuke gave a friendly nod and smiled at Amber. 'Hey, nice to meet you.' He considered presenting his hand to her, but decided against it. It would've been considered either too formal or too personal by most people. Amber gathered the courage to return the greeting, and gave a shy smile before returning her attention to Rei again. She spoke with a soft British accent. As the two girls iniated their conversation on what they had done this weekend, Daisuke sat down next to them and focused on the building towering over the plaza.

His first inclination was that it must once have been a monastery. It was of a sobre build, with a gothic vibe to the general architecture, and walls plastered in light grey. It was a tall building, with the main part being at least five floors high and a tower that must've been at least twice as tall as that. The buildings connected to the sides of the school were much more modern-looking, with tall rectangular windows and built with red bricks, and probably only added when the school was founded.

Of course, he could only see one side of the school from here. The rest would have to wait until Rei could give him the lunchtime tour she had promised she would give him. From what he'd seen in the brochures and online, and from what he'd heard, there was a track and athletics field, a large medical wing- Which would be required for a school like this- and other facilities only the more wealthy of 'lycees', as the French dubbed them, could proffer their students.

The bell rung, bringing an end to all physical and social activities on the entry plaza. The three of them got up and joined the mass of students meandering inside (with a respectful divide in the middle, where pupils seated in wheelchairs could ramp up to the elevated front door- An unfortunate design flaw. Rei tapped him on the shoulder. 'We're going to go ahead, but you need to stick around until the people've left. Whoever your mentor is will come here to pick you up. If it's an old guy in a black suit, that means you're in our class. If not, I'll meet you near the main entrance at lunchtime, alright?'

Daisuke thanked her and strolled over to one side of the hallway, which was very reminiscent of the sober interior monasteries usually had, but was also very clearly influenced by teachers and students alike; There were posters advertising clubs and events, with accompanying flyers stacked on tables below them. Plastic trash cans were spread along the walls in ironic contrast with the colourful paintings probably done by the more artistic pupils.

He settled near a stone pillar and watched the mob of noisily chatting people drain away into doors and other hallways that sprung from this one. The air inside was pleasantly cool and dry, which was a nice change in atmosphere compared to outside. To keep himself, he grabbed a flyer from the nearest table. It was an almost painfully brightly coloured pamphlet urging the reader to join the art club by listing the advantages and promising a whole lot more.

Art had never interested Daisuke that much. He found it enjoyable to look at, depending on the style, but he couldn't see himself trying his own hand at it. The second flyer, however, was a lot more appealing to him; The Student Council. The text was straightforward and sophisticated, giving an indepth description of what exactly a job in the student council was like; What the council expected of its members, what the minimum requirements and preferences were, what the area of expertise and control was- The list went on. One requirement mentioned was a minimum school attendance period of a month, meaning it'd be a while before he'd be able to get in.

'-ou alright?'

Out of nowhere, he felt the grip of a hand on his shoulder.

Daisuke jolted around, nearly knocking over the tables in doing so. He found himself staring in the analytical eyes of an older man, who had removed his hand from Daisuke's shoulder. His expression was somewhere between worried and distrusting. The man pointed at the pamphlet in Daisuke's hand, that had been crumpled by his fist during his attack. It was one of the smaller dangers; He'd done the same with a teacup once, with a much more painful result.

'I take it that you find that pamphlet rather interesting.' The man stated in a sarcastic tone. 'Because you've been staring at it for quite a while.'

The dry humour was something Daisuke had not expected, and it left him standing there dumbfounded. A lot of people would've found that a very offensive thing to say, and Daisuke wasn't even sure whether or not he was one of them. Only then did he realize that this man was supposedly his mentor, the person who had been assigned the job of taking care of him for the rest of the year. They were off to a great start already.

Before Daisuke could get himself to saying anything, the man offered him his hand. He must've been the man Rei had been talking about, which he found reassuring; At least there would be someone in his class he knew personally. It would make things a lot easier. Daisuke took his hand and shook it lightly.

'I am head teacher Mack, and I will be your mentor this year.' He said, adjusting a lock of his silver hair at the side of his head. 'I'll be escorting you to class now, and at the end of the day I'd like to have a talk with you. Although I believe Rei has already taken care of a lot of the informalities and general information...' He turned around and started walking, with Daisuke following suit.

Yay, Emi reference!

Now for a longer review that I promised you on Steam.

You like to have fun with descriptions I have noticed, especially when describing people and clothing. I've heard of something called 'description porn,' which is essentially too-detailed description. Think the beginning of that horrid Harry Potter fanfiction with 'Enoby.' Sometimes, it veers too far into that territory, enough to make the rhythm of the sentence awkward. Don't worry, many of us have had too much fun with description, myself included.

i.e.,
"A couple of hours later, he was once again alone with Rei, this time in his room. Two similar sets of clothing were stacked on the bed; A white blouse, dark forest green pants and a college jacket of the same colour, along with his simple black sneakers, belt and tie. Aside from that, there was also his his sport outfit; A white cotton T-shirt, knee-lenght black nylon trousers and white running shoes. The clothing was very similar to what he had seen in the brochures of Yamaku High, the Japanese counterpart of Smithson."

This is likely personal preference, but I prefer it when the description more spaced out along the storytelling. Thankfully, you aren't describing things like the type of stitch on the jacket, little graphics on the pants, and so on. However, I do admit this section was necessary to the scene, as you are describing what is on the bed right then. Of course, since in future chapters we will know what the sport uniform is, you can just say 'sport uniform.' :P

One little itty bit with this portion:

"Rei smiled in her usual fashion. 'It's worst during the summer. By the time autumn comes around, it'll be much more doable.’

She said comfortingly. The fact that she did not seem even marginally bothered by the weather did not help Daisuke feel better about himself. Maybe it was time to start working out again. After all, he had been unable to perform any even moderately taxing physical activities for a long period of time this year."

Watch the spacing. Rei's comforting tone of voice was only discovered after the next line break.

Overall, even if you called this chapter 'meh,' I find it good enough to earn something more than a disinterested response.

Secad; That line break was simple spacing mistake, I didn't mean to write it like that! Thanks for pointing it out!

Now, for some more description porn! Today we learn more about the school this fanfiction is set in, as well as two new characters. I feel somewhat better about this one than I did with the previous one, but it's still anything but perfect, so CC is very much appreciated ~

BIC;

Chapter 3; Beach Volleyball

Mack, the elderly teacher with the unconventional sense of humour, led him through various hallways that Daisuke tried to map in his mind as they travelled through them at a brisk pace. For someone with his frail and aged appearance, he took large strides.. Daisuke wondered if it was the result of decades of trudging up this particular hill along with the influence of the green and healthy environment.

They halted at a door with a plaque that read ‘A-12’. Daisuke could hear the murmur of voices from inside the classroom, as well as those surrounding it. With his hand already on the doorknob, Mack turned to face the now slightly more nervous Daisuke. ‘I assume you’d like to introduce yourself to your new classmates?’ His mentor asked calmly.

Never before had Daisuke introduced himself to a room full of people that he would spend the rest of the year with, and with no experience on the matter, he had no idea what to say. He decided to inquire Mack about the standard lines in situations like these.

‘Well, you usually start with your name, then you can move on to your age and your hobbies, provided you have any interesting ones.. And be sure to tell them you hope you’ll enjoy your stay here. People always like that.’ All of this was brought in the same perfectly neutral tone, and Daisuke was left genuinely wondering how sincere the advice had been. Still, it sounded logical.

Mack opened the classroom door and motioned for Daisuke to step through. The moment he did, the rumour of talking and laughter quieted down, maybe because of his sudden appearance- Or because of Mack’s.

At least two dozen pairs of eyes focused on him. The room they were seated in was slightly cramped, even with the rows of tables set in a perfectly straight line. There were no windows, seeing as the classroom was set somewhere near the centre of the building, and the only light source was a collection of standard TL lights set into the ceiling. Despite that, there was something of an atmosphere due to colourful posters depicting famous Western movies and the many books stacked on closets at the back.

More important, however, were the people seated behind the aforementioned wooden tables. He spotted Rei and Amber in the far corner of the room, his housemate smiling brightly and looking distinctly unsurprised about him standing there.

At first sight, the students seemed like the type you would encounter at any given high school. Upon closer inspection, though, several things occurred to him- Or rather, hit him. A blonde guy with a brown cap was missing an ear, and instead had two white bandages over where it would’ve been. A girl seated at a nearby table was missing one of her thumbs. It was a little jarring, really.

His teacher followed him in and closed the door behind him. ‘Morning, class. This is our newest addition I’ve talked to you about.’ Mack said, putting his hand Daisuke’s shoulder. Daisuke wasn’t sure whether the gesture was meant to be motivational or simply an indication for him to speak up. Or perhaps both.

‘Uhm... Hey everyone, I’m Daisuke, Daisuke MacLeod.’ He chose to follow the advice given to him by his teacher. ‘I’m sixteen years old, my hobbies are music and beach volleyball and... I hope I’ll enjoy my stay here.’ He finished. Mack initiated a lighthearted applause, and the students joined in.

Those he didn’t know, being everyone but Rei and Amber, were looking at him with the same neutral-yet-curious (And perhaps slightly judging) expression he figured he was looking at them with at this moment. He guessed it was standard issue social behaviour in situations like these, with the difference of these people supposedly being a lot more accepting. Only time would tell to what extent everything he’d heard was true, of course.

‘Good! Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get you seated...’ He paused and looked around sullenly. ‘Right over there.’ Mack said, waving his hand at an empty table near the middle of the room. Daisuke had already guessed that said table was the one he was going to be seated at, seeing as, for one thing, it was the only empty table left in the room.

He managed something of a smile as he moved over to his place, sat down and plonked his bag down to retrieve the books for the subject. The majority of his classmates had already turned their attention to Mack, who had started penning something down on the whiteboard in English, giving Daisuke some room to loosen up. So far, the first encounter with his class had not been a bad one.

~~~

At lunchtime, Daisuke was pretty sure had some idea of the people around him.

He knew Rei closely enough to consider her a real friend, with the way she acted towards him and vice versa. She had all too been eager to share information and answer any questions he had asked her. It made her a foil to her best friend Amber, who had barely looked at him for the duration of the day- At least directly, because he had noticed her throwing occasional glances back; The two girls were seated two tables in front of him. Considering the fact she was a rather shy person, it wasn’t surprising she was trying to avoid eye contact or social situations.

Daisuke had spent his lessons trying to pay as much attention to the subject matter as possible. He had started late, and it would be important to keep his grades up. Focusing, however, was difficult when surrounded by people with certain physical aspects that he couldn’t help but look at.

When the bell rang, Rei and Amber patiently waited for Daisuke to pack his stuff again. The matter he would be graded on was largely within his grasp so far, which was a comforting thought to say the least. It made his life a lot easier than it could’ve been. Both because of his fellow students and the manner in which the lessons were taught, as well as the fact everything was in English, his lessons of the day had been by far the most unsettling ones he had ever experienced. Daisuke didn’t see himself getting used to it anytime soon, although he’d have to if he wanted to get settled in this new life.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way over to his two guides for the day. Rei broke off the hushed conversation she’d been having with Amber when Daisuke joined her by her side, and smiled.

‘I was just asking Amber where we should take you to during lunchtime. You’ve seen the cafeteria when we went by there earlier, so now we’ll first show you the library, gym halls, running track and the health department. If we’re lucky, we’ll have enough time to sit down on the terrace for lunch.’ Rei explained. ‘Does that sound good to you?’

Daisuke nodded in response. ‘Sounds fine to me. I can’t really do without my lunch, though- I’m starving.’ He admitted, placing a hand on his stomach for emphasis. He hadn’t eaten much that morning and the early climb had worn him down. Rei giggled. ‘We’ll make it quick. Let’s get going.’

Their first stop was the library, which took up a large portion of the monastery’s left side. The place was filled to the brim with towering oak bookcases that contained a seemingly random collection of media, from large and ancient-looking books to modern DVD’s and even vinyl plates, which was strange considering not many modern teenagers owned gramophones.

There must’ve been some form of method to the madness, but if there was one, Daisuke couldn’t see it. Regardless, the library was a pretty place. All the furniture was of the same classical design, and rays sunlight streamed in from the large stained glass window, dust particles floating about in them.

There were a good dozen students in the library at least, but there was an unforced atmosphere of silence. The occasional whisper arose from somewhere within the rows of towering cases, but it was a lot more peaceful than the other parts of the building Daisuke had seen so far. He could possibly see himself spending some time in here in the future- The musical collection was vast, by the looks of the many CD cases, and surely there were good books out there he had yet to read. Daisuke did not consider reading a main hobby of his, but his Dad had occasionally brought adventure novels back from Europe and they’d always been enjoyable to read.

Next up were the health department and nursery. The side wing had the same hygienic air as the many hospitals Daisuke had visited for as long as he could remember- He had more than once considered the idea the smell of hospitals was sold in spray cans- And similar clean, pastel walls with wooden finishing and colourful paintings that no one really understood or actually liked.

Fortunately for him, Daisuke’s condition was not one that required frequent medical care. The worst that could happen was him squeezing a glass hard enough for it to break in his hand during on of his attacks, or having one whilst on a road, but apart from that and a monthly checkup he’d have to do, his medical history was not too much out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, it was good to know the medical capabilities of the school were this large. It was even more sophisticated than he had expected from a school for the disabled.

They exited the medical wing on the other side from where Daisuke had first walked onto the school grounds just that morning, headed for the gymnastics halls and running track. The gymnastic halls were connected to the main building via a corridor, but according to Rei it was better to loop around them so that he could see more of the school grounds.

The warm air struck him as they walked out. It was now even hotter than it had been that morning, despite the fact that it was still only late spring. With Scottish genes on one side and Northern Japanese genes on the other, the hot and dry air was not something he was very good at handling. Walking behind the two girls guiding him over the school grounds, he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his blouse- He had already taken off his college vest earlier and stuffed it in his bag, following the lead of many other male students.

He wasn’t sure whether unbuttoning his blouse like this was against the school rules. Smithson didn’t hold true to religious or cultural ideals, to be more internationally popular, but there were probably codes of conduct for the proper way to wear the school uniform; Practically every school that had uniforms had those types of rules, as far as he was aware. If this wasn’t even the hottest it got around these parts, surely it was forgivable.

The gymnastics department entered his line of sight. There were three gym halls in total, connected at the sides to form one tall, square building. Each hall has one window, six feet wide, that ran all the way up to the ceiling; The rest of the of the building was made up of red brick, the same colour as the health department’s outer walls.

At first Daisuke thought it was strange for a school for the disabled to have better sport facilities than most other schools did. Even the somewhat prestigious high school Daisuke had previously attended had had only two gym halls, and they had been a lot smaller than these at that. But maybe, for someone with any kind of condition that made daily life harder for him or her, sport was more important than it might be for the next person.

Some people had to exercise to keep the effects of their condition somewhat at bay. Others chose to do sport to prove to themselves- and others- that being disabled did not make you a lesser person in any way, like runners with prosthetics. And some, of course, did it just for fun. Like himself.

Daisuke’s speed, power, and other physical qualities were average, so he had never been good at sports that specifically required extra capability in either of those. He did enjoy certain sports as a hobby, mostly beach volleyball (something he had done almost daily every summer, when his Mother would take him to southern beaches for vacation.), although he occasionally enjoyed badminton as well. He wondered if sports were obligatory at this school; He had not seen it on his schedule. He decided to ask Rei about it.

‘No, the school doesn't force sports classes upon us, although they do always try to stimulate us to take up a sport for health. Most of the students join clubs on their own accord, though.’ Rei answered.

Daisuke frowned. ‘Wait, there are clubs for sports here? I thought there weren’t any clubs in Western education?’ He said. Back home, being part of a high school club had been the most normal thing in the world, but European schools weren’t supposed to have them, or if they did, only as after-school activities.

Rei giggled slightly at his confused expression. ‘The clubs here aren’t like the clubs in Japanese high schools. A club is led by a designated teacher who organizes activities like sport, art or even cooking at certain dates and times. The schedules are put up on the bulletin- er, message board in the main hallway, and everyone who wants to can attend.’ She explained.

Daisuke licked his lips. ‘More like workshops, then. So if I want to attend volleyball, I just follow the directions on the bulletin board?’ He asked, and Rei nodded in response. By now they had made their way around the gym halls, treading on a grey brick path, and Rei pointed at the track field, Daisuke’s gaze following.

From afar, Daisuke had already been able to see that the hill Smithson was settled on had two main plateaus while walking there that morning. The highest plateau, the top of the hill, was where the actual buildings had been built on. The second plateau was a good thirty feet or so below the first, accessible via large granite stairway down.

From up here, Daisuke could see that the lower plateau was a good size bigger than the one the school was situated on. A lot of the space on the left side was taken up by the large running track, with multiple large structures set up in the middle for the more athletically enabled students.

On the other side of the field was another big recreational site for students to benefit from- One that looked a lot more appealing to Daisuke personally; A large swimming pool, with six wide lanes and what must’ve been the standardized 150 feet long. A couple of low buildings surrounded the pool, and there was a seperate gate and some parking spots at the edge.

He inquired Rei about it.‘The students of Yamaku are free to use the pool whenever they wish. It’s a little bonus we get because it can get so hot here during the summer.’ She answered. ‘So feel free to take a dip after school, provided you bring your shorts- And if you’re willing to climb up the hill again!’ She taunted, sticking out her tongue. Amber looked embarrassed in her place, but Daisuke smiled. It was truly nice to have a friend around.

The rest of the lower field was mostly greenery, with large spots of grass littered with trees, shrubbery and all kinds of flowers, blooming lusciously under the influence of springtime (although they were quite obviously well-maintained, because the surrounding area had very little flowers due to drought and rocky soil).

Instead of taking the stairs down to the field, they stuck to the main building wall, headed for the large terrace situated there. Inside that part of the monastery was the canteen, a large hall filled with tables and chairs- Some of which had been moved to the outside terrace, a large slab of simple grey concrete tiling set in with the occasional parasol to shield the students from the blistering daylight.

They had the luck of finding an empty table under a parasol, and settled down for lunch, Amber and Rei at one side of the table and Daisuke at the other. They still had a good ten minutes on the clock; Rei hadn’t lied about making it quick.

Daisuke unpacked his two sandwiches, along with the rest of his lunch; today was Bento Monday, a not-so-little culinary extra that Rei prepared for her flatmates to make the Monday a bit brighter. There was a compartment filled with slightly sweet rice, one with fresh steamed vegetables in soy, some raw radish and slices of carrot, and even some fried shrimp.

Daisuke noticed that Rei had also prepared a bento for Amber, which he guessed wasn’t too surprising. Amber mumbled a ‘thank you’ as she carefully took the box from Rei’s hands, probably both to make sure it didn’t fall and because she knew it was best to be as delicate with Rei as possible.

He dug into the rice with the chopsticks Rei had kindly provided him with, enjoying the dish he’d had for lunch multiple times a week throughout his entire childhood. After a short while of them eating their meals with only light chat to fill in the gaps between bites, Rei addressed him.

‘Hey, Daisuke?’ She started. Daisuke raised his eyebrows to indicate that he was listening, because with his mouth full of steamed vegetables he wasn’t able to form any recognizeable words. ‘I’ve been meaning to tell you I’m afraid Amber and me won’t be present here for the next two days. Amber is leaving for a check-up in Lyon, and I’ll be accompanying her there and back here.’

Daisuke swallowed his food and frowned. ‘Oh?’ He said, a little taken aback by the news. Rei was supposed to be his guide for getting settled into his new school and new life, or, at the very least, that was the role she had taken upon her. Having to do without her help and kindness in one of the most critical weeks this year, the first, would be a shame. Unfortunate timing, he supposed.

Rei perked up. ‘But, don’t worry! I’ve been in contact with two other classmates, to whom I’ll introduce you later, and they’ve agreed to hang out with you for the time being and guide you around.’ She explained, which somewhat comforted Daisuke. ‘Our next class is French, which we take in groups of four, so you can meet them there; Just join them at their table after I point them out to you.' Rei continued. 'I'm sure they'll be good company.'

Daisuke tried to share her reassurement. From what he'd seen and heard so far, the students of this school were friendly, but he had no indication of which people he'd be able get along with perfectly fine or with whom things wouldn't go as smoothly. In early high school and even before that, he'd always been part of a clique with friends he'd known for years, so making new friends wasn't exactly a specialty of his.

He'd see how things'd go.

After the bell rang, indicating the end of the lunch break, Daisuke followed Amber and Rei to the French classroom on the second floor. His French teacher, a short and rather strict-looking woman in sober outfit, acknowledged him with a small nod of 'welcome', a vastly different approach compared to the other teachers he'd met so far, who had all offered him their hand. Daisuke was somewhat proud of the fact he'd refrained from giving a respectful bow instead.

Rei quickly scanned the classroom when they entered. 'Hm, let's see...' Amber, still at her side, was quicker than her. 'There they are.' She said, pointing at the corner of the room where two students were indeed seated around a table that was considerably bigger than the regular desks most rooms had. Rei looked in the direction Amber pointed out. 'Ah, yes! Off you go, Dai!' Rei exclaimed happily, mockingly patting him on the shoulder. 'I'm sure you can do without me for an hour.'

Daisuke gave her a dry look, drawing another giggle from her, and made his way over to the designated table, getting his first good look at the two fellow students already seated there.

On the right-hand side, from his perspective, was a girl with, most noticeably, hair that was a dark crimson shade of red, and although it was currently tucked together into a ponytail, it must've ran down all the way to below her shoulderblades. Daisuke couldn't tell whether it was her natural hair colour or not, but it looked good on her. She had freckles and prominent, almost catlike facial features.

Her laidback position and apparent nonchalance gave her an un-'lady-like' appearance compared to most female students he'd seen today, but not nessecarily in a bad way. There was a heavy contrast between her and her companion, the boy seated to her right. Where the red-haired girl had already noticed him approaching and was eyeing him with mild curiosity, his eyes were closed while his face was pointed forward, and he ran his fingertips over the opened book in front of him. He was blind? Weren't the visually impaired supposed to have their own classes?

Tufts of blonde hair stood out from under his green felt hat, complementing his elegant face with prominent jawline. The ginger girl gently prodded his shoulder with the side her palm as Daisuke reached the table, causing him to cease reading and look up and open his eyes, although he kept his gaze level to what was currently Daisuke's waist level. 'Ah, Daisuke! Pleased to meet you.' He said, in English with the distinctive French accent of a local.

Daisuke returned his greeting, and seated himself opposite the French teenager, who spoke up again once he'd done so. 'Allow me to do the introductions. My name is Jacque Rousseau, and this is my friend Emilie Dupont.' Jacque said, with a gesture towards his left. Emilie smiled and gave a simple 'Hey.' At that moment, the teacher indicated that the lesson was going starting, in French, leaving no opportunity for small talk.

Fortunately, the oppurtunity arose again about thirty minutes later, during the part of the lesson where every students worked for themselves or as a group, and soft conversations were allowed. It was a strangely liberal motion for a normally strict teacher. Jacque smiled apologetically when he heard the rustle of workbook paper. 'If you have any questions on the subject matter, I'm afraid you're going to have to adress Emilie about them. I'm not quite as fast as the rest when it comes to studying, and besides, Emilie's knowledge of language far surpasses mine.' He admitted. He was suprisingly matter-of-fact about his own disability. Daisuke also noticed that every word was articulate and thought through, as if he had been raised to talk in that manner since he was young, possibly in a high-class enviroment.

While they filled in their exercises, Emilie asked him; 'So what do you think so far?' It was a slightly vague question, but Daisuke guessed it pertained to the school and students. 'It's a pretty place.' Daisuke started. 'And, er, the people have been nice to me.' He continued. Emilie spoke with the same accent as Jacque, something that was inevitable but apparent nonetheless. At first, Daisuke has failed to see anything obvious about her that indicated her disability, partially because she had her arms crossed, but up close it was easy to see; Her left hand and lower arm shook almost a centimeter constantly, and every now and then the muscles around her eyes would contract, resulting in an askew half-blink. Whether the cause was early onset Parkinson or a cerebral palsy was anyone's guess.

Emilie chuckled. 'You don't have to be so careful about it. You can say what you want.' She remarked. Daisuke smiled appreciatively. 'Well, it's... A lot different from what I'm used to. I guess it must be the same for you guys.' He said. He saw Jacque smiling. 'Not exactly. Both me and Emily have attended this high school from the start.' The fair-haired teenager explained.

Coming to think of it, Daisuke should've foreseen it. 'For how long have you two known each other?' Daisuke asked the two. Emilie turned to Jacque for him to answer. 'I honestly don't know.' Jacque reported contently. 'As far as I am aware, Emilie has always been with me.' His companion agreed. 'I think we've been together since maternelle.' Emilie added.

A short while later the bell rang once again, and there was a sudden scraping of furniture, rustling of paperwork and murmur of voices. Jacque closed his books and removed his hands for Emilie to swiftly pick them up and neatly deposit them in Jacque's shoulderbag at a much faster rate than he would've been able to accomplish. After she placed the strap on his shoulder, having to lift it over his head first, Jacque retrieved his striped cane and stood up. With his cane in his right hand, he hooked his left arm into Emilie's right one so she could safely manouver him between the many chairs and tables.

Daisuke felt he was privy to a certain kinship and affection as this routine played. Routine was an important factor in the life of a visually impaired person already, or so he would imagine, but to have someone at your side whom knew these routines at heart and was always ready to assist in them was a great advantage. The two had definitely developed a special bond over the years, one of mutual understanding; Although Emilie's disability very likely made her life harder than it'd normally be, she could still do certain things a lot quicker and a lot more efficiently than Jacque. At the same time, Jacque would be the last one to judge her on her twitching or even on her look, because tactile sense was the only method in which he could have any idea of her exterior.

In the hallway, Emilie and Jacque turned to face Daisuke. 'I'm looking forward to meeting you again tomorrow, Daisuke.' Jacque said, smiling brightly. ' I hope you don't mind the fact we will be taking Rei's and Amber's position as your guides for the coming two days?' He asked.

Daisuke shook his head before he realized how useless the gesture was, and he blushed. 'Oh, no, absolutely not! I'm happy to have people around.' Daisuke quickly replied. It wasn't a lie, either; He hadn't dared expect the two to be as nice as they had been to him so far, although of course, he had only just met them.

'I'm glad to hear that.' Jacque said. They said their goodbyes and Daisuke met up with Rei and Amber again.

~~~

After the long and suffocatingly warm way back to the house, Daisuke landed on the couch with the grace of a sack of potatoes, almost spilling his refrigerated ice tea in the process. Him and Rei were the only ones currently here, as their school ended quite a bit earlier than the university the rest attended on Monday. There was a strange calm to the brightly decorated room without so many people in it, the TV and radio turned off. Not that he didn't enjoy the hospitality and fun the multicultural bunch offered him, but after a tiring day, some peace and quiet was nice.

Amber hadn't joined them on the way back because she used a bycicle to get to and from school. Although Daisuke couldn't even imagine going through the trouble of cycling all the way up the hill, it was a lot faster downhill for sure. Daisuke had asked Rei why she hadn't bought a bycicle so she could cycle with Amber, oblivious to what he could've foreseen the answer would be.

'It's a rather mountainous area.' Rei had answered him. 'I can't risk falling and hurting myself, because bycicle accidents can get really serious.' She admitted it in a very straightforward fashion, and wouldn't have his 'sorry' either. 'No, honestly, it's fine! I don't feel like I'm missing out- I've never been very good at cycling.' She confessed. 'Besides, it'd be frightening to go downhill. I don't like fast vehicles.'

Daisuke chuckled. 'Driving around with James must be nightmare to you, then.'

~ ~ ~

‘Emilie?’

‘Mmmm?’

Jacque addressed Emilie in a tone that piqued her interest, because it was one that she didn’t hear him use often. The two friends were seated in the back of a grey Mercedes chauffeured by the trusty butler of the Rousseau family, making its way down to the cafe where Emilie worked after school.

‘Could I get you to describe Daisuke to me?’ He asked, addressing her in French.

It was a question he would ask every now and then, out of curiosity. ‘ Brown hair, quite long... Blue-grey eyes, Eurasian look. He’s slightly taller than you are, and lean.’ She described.

Jacque formed an image in his mind with what he remembered of colours, look and style from many years ago. ‘I see.’ He then replied, a small smile on his lips.

Ah, yes, the description of what is commonly just a 'special needs' classroom is now an entire school. My mother is a special ed. teacher, so I've picked up a decent chunk of what a classroom such as that is like. However, I must agree with you--most people in them look normal (like me) until you start studying them more closely. However, that is what the average person does--pick out what's different and classify it accordingly. I do love the way you depict the school here, where what would be abnormal becomes, well, normal.

Also, I think Jacque and Daisuke would be absolutely adorable. :3