She was sitting on the steps of the school a full hour before it opened. She had picked up a copy of a book called ‘The tale of Genji’. It had apparently been written almost a thousand years before. It had been translated into the more modern Japanese of course. She had no wish to learn to translate middle Japanese if there was such a beast. It was bad enough Okinawa had its own version of the language. She leafed through the book and because the sun was up her she was bereft her heightened senses and did not notice the teacher approaching. Until she heard her cough politely. Enid shot up book at her side and bowed. The teacher spoke in English.

“You are very early.”

Enid used the proper honorific but otherwise answered in English.

“I apologize, Sensei.”

“What is your name?”

“Melanie Stuart, Sensei.”

“Stuart-san, you do not need to apologize you show respect for the new school year by coming to school early and spending your time reading historic literature. I will see you in school.”

Enid bowed again and sat back down and picked up where she left off. The book was taking her back to Narfordshire. She wasn’t sure how she felt about those memories being dredged up from the depths, but it was making her feel something and it was all one could ask for after two millennia.

One thing about learning a whole new family of languages, I’ve just opened thousands of years of literature for myself.

She continued to read for the rest of the hour. She didn’t notice the school yard filling up around her. As usual when she was absorbed by something, anything time ceased to pass for her. She had often surmised probably correctly time starts to lose meaning when you have an infinite amount of it. She was still getting used to keeping a human schedule. So, when she felt a tap on her shoulder she looked up and it was Miko, her friend from junior high she was once again surprised to see a deserted schoolyard.

“Melanie you’re such an air head, school is starting.”

The pair rushed to the school opening ceremony and piled into seats near the rest of their circle of friends. Students were still talking to each other causing a low murmur in the auditorium. Miko leaned over.

“Leave it to you to show up early for school and still be almost late for class. You need a watch with an alarm.”

Enid blushed. Miko was not wrong.

“I’m so excited to be starting senior high school. I’ve already picked out my club, which are you joining Enid?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? How can you not know? A club is the most important thing you do in senior high school, it sets the stage for your whole social life.”

“I thought the most important thing we did in school was learn.”

“No, it’s the club.”

Enid rubbed her temples.

“What club are you joining?”

“Kendo!”

“Why not broadcasting or science?”

“I want to learn kendo.”

Enid nodded.

“If you haven’t decided you should join with me that way, I won’t be the only girl.”

“That is probably not a good idea Miko.”

“Why not?”

“I’ve been training with the sword since I could hold one, I don’t think I’d get much out of it. And I might annoy some of the seniors. Besides I’m doing Kendo at the dojo.”

“Oh.”

Miko did her cutesy pout she does. And Enid shook her head.

“Fine, I’ll join Kendo.”

Miko bounced in her seat. The principle called the students to order. Enid sunk into her seat. The principle was the teacher she’d spoken to this morning.

Why me?

“Welcome to a new school year. I am Noriko Fujioka. I am pleased to greet you to Naha senior high school. I expect you all to excel in your studies. If you hope to live a fulfilling and productive life you must start here.”

She went on to introduce the rest of the teachers. Enid watched the proceedings with feigned interest.

For such a reserved people, Japanese folks sure love their speeches.

“Please go to your home rooms. I wish you all much luck with your studies this year.”

Miko looked down at Enid’s bag.

“You still have that old thing?”

“Hey, this old thing is older than I am.”

“I know that is my point.”

“I’m not changing the bag.”

Miko did her cute pout again, but Enid was unmoved.

“What did you bring for lunch?”

“I don’t know, my adoptive mother had it dropped off for me today.”

“Did you not check?”

“Why?”

Miko frowned and the pair reached their classroom. Enid and Miko had taken too long and were stuck near the back of the room. Miko looked disappointed at the placement. Enid was thankful to be out of everyone’s view. She’d rather not stick out more then she already did. The teacher was a younger woman. She went through her class check list. Enid’s name came up last. She looked up when said Enid’s mortal identity’s name.

“Stuant-san, exchange seats with Kama-ken.”

Miko gave small gasp and Enid picked up her things and sat down dead center of the front with her new seat partner. She knew his name was Naoshi Yoshida. He had been the most popular boy at his old school. His friend was Raizo Kama. The pair had been as inseparable as Miko and Enid had been. It seems like the teacher had forewarning. She switched a few others. Miko looked like she was going to throw up. She’d had a crush on Raizo since grade school. Naoshi had done his best to bully Enid last year. He hadn’t gotten far. Enid truly gave no fucks for the most part and treated him like he was an insignificant pest. He had given up by the end of the school year and redirected to an easier target. He looked thoroughly flustered now that she was sitting beside him.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Some of you know each other from last year. I have done my best to mix the pairs up so you can learn from your new classmates. As you have come from several schools, we will spend our homeroom meeting time introducing ourselves. I am Aisho Tsuji. I have been teaching for five years. I spent my summer break in Paris. My specialty is English.”

The teacher went through the list of students in reverse order this time.

“Stuart-san, introduce yourself.”

Enid stood up, trying to look happy to be there. She was sort of, but she’d never loved being the center of attention and as a geijin in a Japanese school she had been that a lot in the last year.

“I am Melanie Stuart. My parents have passed away and I am here with my adoptive father. He has graciously taken me in. I am honored to be studying with all of you. I hope to be a medical doctor one day. I spent my summer break in Tokyo with my Uncle sightseeing.”

Brokering a deal between an Oni and the Yakuza probably would have been a more interesting story.

She sat back down. She always tried to maintain the proper posture while at school so even when she wasn’t paying attention it looked like she was. She really tried to listen to her fellow students. She still struggled with treating humans like they mattered. She had improved. Miko thought she was a fantastic friend but at her heart Enid was an introvert and had been since she was born.

Their first class was English language studies. It was the one class in all the ones she had to take that she struggled to put any effort in. When she noticed Naoshi struggling with the lesson she started to appreciate the cunning of home room teacher.

She put me here because he is bad at English and needs help. Sneaky Ms. Tusji. You framed it like you were trying to mix things up.

The teacher set them to practicing with each other. Enid did her best to assist her new desk partner with his struggles, politely of course. She met his gaze, she could tell he was embarrassed by his difficulties she’d dealt with the Japanese enough that she could navigate that particular minefield with grace and skill. She lowered her voice to a whisper.

“Don’t tell anyone, but I’m terrible at English. It was the hardest language for me to learn. There are so many silly rules. It is why my accent is so terrible.”

His eyes widened a bit at her admission. It wasn’t technically a lie it’d taken her a hundred years to master the language and she still forgot some of the stupid little rules.

“I thought you were English.”

Enid shook her head.

“I am from Scotland, but my first language was not English, it was Gaelic.”

“So, you struggled with English?”

“Bad enough my sister would tease me constantly. I am willing to share what I learned with you, if you’d like. Maybe you can avoid my troubles if you know where you’ll find them?”

He nodded. He relaxed visibly and started with work with Enid. Ms. Tusji gave Enid the very smallest of nods. The day progressed quickly after that. When lunch came around Enid picked up her bag and moved to sit with Miko. She looked like she’d recovered from the shock of having to sit next to her life-long crush. Raizo got up to leave but sat back down when Naoshi sat down at the desk as well.

Guess we’re having lunch together now?

Enid opened her bento and Miko looked at it with a critical eye. Enid didn’t care, food was food, especially during the day with sunlight streaming on her. Of course, some was better than others and Nobuyuki’s wife was a wonderful cook. She dug in. The four ate silently no one having the courage to start a conversation. Raizo finally spoke up.

“Stuart-san, where are you from?”

Enid was sealing up her bento as he asked.

“Okinawa.”

He laughed.

“I meant originally.”

“The highlands of Scotland. Lots of cliffs, and the Atlantic Ocean. Lots of snow in the winter.”

“Do you like the weather here? Or is it too hot?”

“I like it here. I prefer the hot to the cold. The wind in the highlands, it cuts you down to the bone.”

He nodded. Naoshi, encouraged by his friend’s success spoke up next.

“Stuart-San, how did you come to live here with your adoptive father?”

“Do you want the truth or a fairy tale?”

Miko piped up.

“Fairy tale!”

“Okay, one stormy night. The Scottish princess was walking home from the market. She heard a growling around an outcropping of rock. She heard cries of help. So, she put her goods down and ran to see what was going on. And a dire wolf, taller than she was growling over an old man. He had tried to fight it off, but he’d been bitten! He was crying for help. The princess looked around for help, but there was none to be found so she picked up the old man’s cane and slew the beast. She was a warrior princess. The end.”

Miko clapped and laughed, as did the pair of boys.

“Now the true story please.”

“Well it’s not as interesting. I ran across my adoptive father he was being attacked by a feral dog. I grabbed a stick and bopped it on the head, and it ran off whimpering. He swears I saved his life so now I’m his daughter. I think he was just exaggerating so he could take me in because he felt sorry for me.”

“You weren’t scared?”

“No, well yes I scared of what it would do to my school uniform I only had one. And I was right too I got blood all over my top.”

Miko gasped.

“It’s okay he bought me three more to replace it”

“I know Miko-chan is from Naha, how about you two?”

“The same.”

“My family moved here from Tokyo last year, I miss it.”

“I’m sorry to hear that Yoshida-san”

“You can call me Naoshi.”

“You may call me Melanie.”

Enid’s comment was to the pair of boys. Navigating Japanese honorifics was of the stuff of nightmares sometimes and if you didn’t use them, you risked a grievous offense.

“Melanie-san, what club are you going to join?”

“Miko-chan has convinced me to join kendo.”

“You don’t seem to happy about that.”

“I am afraid I may annoy or offend some of the senior students.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve been using a sword since I could hold one, it is rarely a fair contest for anyone who has to fight me.”

“We were going to join kendo to. I will remember to ask you for help when we’re training.”

Enid glanced at Miko who was looking slightly self-conscious.

That little brat she only wanted to do Kendo because Raizo was going to do it.

“I am going to go back to the desk and read for a few minutes. If you’ll excuse me.”

The group nodded and Enid went to her desk and pulled out her book and began reading it. She got so distracted by it she did not notice the teacher arriving. Until Naoshi who in a bout of uncharacteristic kindness nudged her elbow gently. Enid closed the book and sat up straight. It was too late. The teacher who was an older gentleman seemed eager to make an example out of the lone gaijin and lifted the book up. His frown deepened when he looked inside, fanning the pages. Defeated he put the book back down.

“Stuart-chan thinks herself a student of Japanese literature.”

There were a few very quiet chuckles in the classroom. Enid blushed, she still wasn’t used to her body reacting autonomically to stimuli and being unaccustomed to not being able to control every aspect of her being was even more embarrassing.

Well old me would have punched him by now. So that’s progress.

“Stuart-chan, please tell us what the book you are reading is about?”

“A dis-inherited son of an emperor and a concubine who is very unlucky in love. I apologize Sensei I am not very far into it. The style is difficult for me to read.”

His frown stayed about even, and he nodded.

“Not to worry class, we will not be reading this book. Stuart-chan is quite correct, it is a challenging piece of literature. You should endeavor to be like her, studious and willing to challenge yourself.”

Not helping.

The last hour of the day was physical educations. The schedule was off due to the morning gathering. Thankfully it was outside as it usually was if the weather permitted, and it usually did. So, she could still pretend to be normal. The one thing that was odd about the amulet was that she never managed to get a sun burn even with her fair skin. Once classes ended for the day Miko and Enid were in the gymnasium getting ready to join the Kendo club.

“I am sorry you are so picked on by the teachers, Melanie-chan. They can be so mean.”

“It is not your fault Miko-chan. I’m white as a ghost, and I have red hair, and green eyes. I stand out, it makes me an easy target. If the worst thing that happens to me today is a teacher embarrasses me because I am gaijin, it is a good day.”

“You are so even-tempered. I am jealous. I would probably be in tears if I had to deal with what you deal with.”

Enid was about to respond, when she was interrupted by someone addressing her in a very rude fashion.

“You Gaijin, what do you think you’re doing here? You are in the wrong club. English club is in the school.”

Am I going to make a scene or just turn the other cheek?

Enid looked the mouthy one up and down. He was obviously a senior. Had a swagger about him. She glanced at Miko who was wide eyed looking between the senior and Enid. Enid could imagine the different scenarios playing through her head. None of which probably ended with the mild-mannered Enid doing something untoward. Enid stood up. Glanced at everyone.

I wanted to be in science club anyway.

She heard someone speak up and was shocked to hear it was Naoshi. She hadn’t expected that.

“You should give her a chance. She might surprise you. And the club is small you could use people.”

The senior came over and glared down at Naoshi who stepped back a bit. He wasn’t exactly a large boy. The other was almost six foot. Then he came to Enid towering over her. She didn’t bother trying to look impressed. She looked more bored by his antics then anything.

“Yes, lets embarrass your gaijin girlfriend then the lot of you can leave.”

Enid could see the other three members of the kendo club behind him looking uncomfortable, and slightly annoyed. The lone girl called out.

“Bunta-san, come on let’s just get started.”

Bunta held up his hand.

“No, the gaijin has something to prove. We should let her.”

Enid met his gaze and shook her head.

Please don’t force the issue I was going to leave.

He picked up the armor and shoved it at her. Enid took it and looked down at it.

“Well put it on. Let’s go Gaijin.”

“We don’t have to do this, I’ll just leave.”

“No, no, let’s see what you have Gaijin.”

Fine, you can’t say I didn’t give you a chance you little shit.

Enid pulled on the chest armor and pulled on the rest of it. She glanced at the teacher-advisor for the club who seemed more than happy to let this go. She sighed and shook her head and pulled on the face guard. She glanced around the windowless gym. This isn’t going to be remotely fair. She sighed one more time.

He really did ask for it.

Enid took up her position and waited for the match to start. When the signal went, she feinted immediately then hit him on the left side, then left wrist and stabbed to his throat in the space of time it took Bunta to recover from her expert feint. He motioned to start again. This time he tried to feint her, but she did not fall for it. She parried each one of his strikes expertly ignoring several openings. After a few minutes of annoying him by blocking his every swing she did another quick two hits. She didn’t hold back, and she see him wince from the power of her blows even through his armor. She had won the match. She bowed to him. She turned to her friends. Miko was clapping and Naoshi gave her the slightest of nods. She sensed a blow coming and side stepped a swing meant for her head and spun with another solid attack, using more of her vampiric strength and made contact with Bunta’s wrist hard enough for him to cry out and drop his bokken. There were gasps from the rest of the assembled students. Bunta fell to his knees holding his wrist. She hadn’t hit him hard enough to do permanent damage, but it would sting for a few minutes. She bowed to him again. And put her bokken away and started pulling off the armor and storing it with proper care. Once she finished, she walked over to Miko and gave her a small bow.

“I am sorry Miko-chan, I am going to go to science club. I wish you luck.”

“I’m going with you; This isn’t the club I thought it was.”

Miko picked up her bag and walked out of the gym with Enid. As the passed Enid saw the girl punch Bunta in the shoulder.