Chimes resounded throughout the school, the windows wide open as the morning warmed with the death throes of summer. In the staffroom the teachers fell into silence and turned to face the vice principle, well, all the teachers that were directly visible. All those who could, were ducked behind their shelves and piles of books, half an ear on the meeting, the rest of their concentration on marking or their cell phones.

The PE teachers were the easiest to spot, their desks virtually bare thanks to their secondary haven in the PE offices. Jessica Montecelli didn’t even have a desk in the staffroom. She was sat at a spare one, void of anything but a calendar and a rather geriatric looking laptop.
She leaned back in her chair and smirked a little at Oda-sama. The martial arts co-ordinator for the entire Aquila campus and her direct boss. He was asleep already, his glasses perched on the end of his nose as his head nodded. On her other side was Miyawaki-san. Head of PE at the academy, he had a desk, though she knew for a fact the only thing in it were a couple of economy sized packs of cigarettes and some selotape.

The vice principle rambled on about weekly tests, classroom cleanliness and the length of girls skirts. Jessica reached out a tanned, olive hand to pick up the calendar. ‘Phillip Morris’ it said on the bottom, each month advertising a different cigarette brand. So very appropriate for a school. It was two years to the day since she had first returned to the newly opened Aquila complex. Originally she had taught PE in the academy, until the joint martial and cultural arts centre had opened.

In the university martial arts were limited to clubs and in the academy Judo and Karate were only taught in PE for one term each year. With the new centre it meant teachers like herself and Oda-sama could focus on what they were good at, working full time, teaching the academy students when the rota called for it and coaching University and private classes throughout the rest of the day. The evening and weekends were a time for the clubs from both sides to train and practice. Not to mention the brand new dojos and equipment.

Her days were full always. In the mornings she offered Tai Chi for anyone who wished to join, outside if fine, inside if not. Then there was the paperwork, private classes and supervising the dojos for college students with free periods. The late afternoons and evenings were devoted to the Kyudo club, hardcore training and practice with the more advanced college students helping to instruct the younger academy kids. Weekends she popped by the skidoo, though the students were generally left to their own devices with their sempai to supervise. She on the other hand would head off to the dojo to teach a two hour class in Wushu, a Chinese martial art and her favourite. It was a community class that brought money into the academy as well as good publicity and relations, a little more relaxed than then competitive needs of the kyudo club.

Back in her old life she would never have dreamed that she would be one of the workaholic teachers she had always made fun of in her original Aquila placement. The truth was she loved it, archery had been her passion since she was young, then starting at the dojo when she was fourteen it had quickly become an obsession, something she could immerse herself in. Once she graduated and started to work in security and protection she had lost sight of her routes, her archery not a practical skill aside from target practice. Retired from that life after almost dying herself, her return to Aquila had allowed her to return to her roots. To rediscover the basic principles and joy of her art.

She loved working with the students also, teaching those new to Japan about the beauty of their traditional culture. Watching shy, reclusive students gain confidence in themselves and open up to their team mates. It was inspiring and fulfilling. Archery was a sport any could do if they tried hard enough.

The vice principle droned on. School festival, blah blah blah.

Something hit the top of her head. She frowned and reached up to touch the top of her curly hair. Even pulled back bits of frizz managed to escape and make it look wild. There was something there, nestled into top. She pulled away an elastic band and suppressed a smirk. She knew where it had come from and glanced up, across the desk to a goofy grin.
b*****d. She mouthed, her smirk growing before she looked down again, half wishing there was no back to the desk so she could give him a kick.

Kayne Shaidey. She had been seeing him for three years total, though they had known each other for six. Their relationship had started, illicitly, when he was a senior of eighteen, she had been twenty three and a teacher, well, so everyone thought. The truth was she had been a bodyguard for the Shutensa administration whilst posing as a teacher. After a near fatal accident back in Osaka she had ended their affair and quit her position. It had not been a clean break up and when, three years later, she had returned to Aquila to teach she had been surprised to find him a student at the university. No longer teacher and student they had drifted together once more. Life, as she had learned so often, was a strange thing and lightening did not often strike twice. She had never believed in soul mates before but now however … it was a possibility.

He was a teacher too now, the academy PE department. Though as intra-staff relationships were largely frowned upon they tried to keep it low key. Never mentioning in front of other teachers and certainly not students, even when questioned. Not entirely an easy feat as they had just brought a house. The most perfect house, in her opinion. An old, traditional house, three bedrooms and even a garden in the back. Sure, it needed a hell of a lot of work done but it was right by the river, a prime spot for hanami in the spring. It would be amazing when they had finished with it. She looked back to the calendar again. The tatami guys would be coming on Friday, she’d have to ask Obsidian if she could wait around for them. The downside of being a teacher was a severe lack of free time to get things done, they still had no stove.

The chimes rang again, signalling activity all around them, homeroom teachers were gathering up their bits and pieces for registration and cleaning.
“Finally.” The tobacco rough voice of Miyawaki said with a laugh, nudging Jessica’s leg. She smirked and looked down to see a packet of cigarettes in his hand.
“Cheers.” She said, taking them and slipping them into her tracksuit pocket. “Oh, do you have the bus company numbers? We’ve got a tournament next week in Gunma.” One they would hopefully add to the trophy cabinet she thought as she stood and nudged Oda.
“Oda-sama. It’s safe, we can escape again.”

The old man snorted and opened his eyes.
“What?” He said, blinking and looking around. Discovering no one around them he stood too, adjusting his dogi. “Well, that was riveting as always.” He gave a deep laugh and started off towards the exit, his slippers flopping on the wooden floor.