The First Day Of School

It was that time of year. The breeze was growing cooler and the summer heat was subsiding as dark clouds moved across the sky. Autumn was slowly drifting into the air and brushing the trees, dusting them with the faintest fiery colors to hint what was to come. With the season of fall came the promise for cooler weather, successful harvests and beautiful nature scenes... But it also brought with it the promise of school after a luxurious three month break. It was something that every parent looked forward to, and every child dreaded.

Linnaeus was no exception, of course. Linus could see it on his face. He always rolled his eyes when he heard the reminders on the radios, always groaned in agony when commercials came up. Even the sight of the store signs and school supplies nearly had the lad turning green, and it wasn't with envy. Linus was often reminding his little companion that it really wasn't too bad. After all, he'd be seeing friends all the time at school, and he'd get free food at school and learn some new and exciting things, too, but Linus also had to remind Linnaeus that he was in school once, too, and he didn't quite recall liking it much either... but it was necessary. The boy took his words at face value and always nodded to him. Linus half expected that Linnaeus was accepting such advice. He was a good boy.

What Linus didn't expect, however, was for Linnaeus to ask him to accompany the boy on his first day of school. They were settled down at Marcelli's Ice Cream Parlor, seated outside in the warm breeze as they watched the clouds go by. Linnaeus had asked him while he was licking his usual orange sherbert icecream. Linus could only glance away from his small cone of plain vanilla.

"Don't you want your mom to take you?" He questioned, eyes flicking down to the boy.

"My mom works that day," Linn replied somberly as his legs dangled and swung. "She usually takes me."

Linus hummed in thought. "...Don't you kids like being independent nowadays?"

"Independent?"

"You know..." Linus waved a hand, "all on your own. 'I'm my own man now, I can walk to school myself' sort of mentality."

Linnaeus shrugged, his lip pinching off to the side. "It's always been a sort of tradition. I walk with my mom to school, or she takes me, on the first day. She can't that day and, well... you know about my dad." Linus looked to Linn as his large blue eyes looked up at him, the information on his father still easily fresh in Linus's mind. It was a touchy and sensitive subject for both of them. Linus could see it affected Linnaeus, something like this always would. A child with no father to be there, no role model to teach him, no man to take after. It made Linnaeus sad, and it made Linus angry. Just the mention of his absent father sent a low heat to Linus's chest that puffed its foul smoke onto his tongue.

He cleared his throat. "I see." He finally muttered. He glanced back at Linnaeus, who seemed much more interested in his ice-cream all of the sudden. Linus let out a soft sigh. "You really want to be walked to school by this old geezer?"

Linn frowned. "You're not *that* old..."

Linus barked out a laugh. "Hate to break it to you, kid, but I'm probably old enough to be your grandpa."

The boy's frown deepened and Linus could only chuckle as the boy looked him over. Only after a moment, though, did Linnaeus giggle shortly after. "Okay maybe you are a little old."

"And you're a little young to be telling me that." Linus teased, flashing the boy a small smirk, who only pushed his shoulder in return before they were both just giggling at each other.

"I'd still like you to walk with me there. You could even bring Higgins, too!"

Linus only smiled. It wasn't a bad proposition, nor was it very hard. And he'd be back early enough, he wouldn't be using up too much of his time for the files. And Higgins would get a walk in early, then, too. But that was all rather minute compared to the fact Linnaeus wanted to walk with him. Only a fool would deny a friend of such an innocent desire. How hard was it to walk a kid to school?

"Sure, sure. You can count on me to be there."

Linnaeus beamed, his smile so wide and so bright, Linus could swear he was grinning like a possum. "Great! Thank you, Linus! All my friends are going to think you're so cool." He mused as he wiggled in his seat, clearly excited about it. Linus, not so much, but nevertheless he just clasped his hand upon the boy's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It's no problem, kiddo. Now, eat your ice-cream." His hand rose to ruffle Linn's hair. "It's starting to melt."

-----

The first day came quickly, just like every year, though it'd be nice if it could come a little slower. Linnaeus had gotten ready that morning, fixing his hair and brushing his teeth with a grogginess that clung to his eyelids. In relative silence, he and his mother ate breakfast quietly, and the two got things packed up afterwards. Once out on the porch, Linn kissed his mother goodbye as they parted, she going to her car and he beginning down the sidewalk. True to his word, Linus was waiting for him about a block away, Higgins standing next to him. Linnaeus could see the large dog's tail beginning to wag the moment they came into view.

"Hi Higgins!" He exclaimed happily before he ran toward the dog who stood faithfully by his master. Upon meeting the dog, Linnaeus couldn't help but run his fingers through the soft, curly fur, laughing as the dog lapped at his face. "I'm happy to see you, too, Higgins." Only after did Linnaeus look up to see a familiar pair of maroon eyes staring at him, the worn smile on that face giving way to the humor that he heard in Linus's chuckle. "Good morning, Linus."

"Good morning, Linnaeus." Linus replied in his usual gravel tone, a small smile pulling at the man's lips as he motioned for Linn to follow.

The two walked and talked on the way there. Linnaeus always found it pretty easy to speak to Linus, although he never seemed to talk about himself too much. The detective was often more eager to listen than speak, and while the aspect was nice, Linn still wanted to know some about Linus, too. Alas, such questions would have to wait, as the school was much closer to Linn's house than Linus's, which only served to make Linnaeus's feet feel like lead. The walk was too fast and the ominously bricked building was far too close to his liking.

Nevertheless, there was a familiarity to it; this building was where he had always gone to school. Point School was the only school building within Puffer Point.

"How do you all fair in a school that teaches elementary to high school? Don't the high schoolers give you all grief?" He heard Linus question. Linnaeus shook his head. "It's pretty good, actually. A lot of the high schoolers tutor after school, helping younger kids with their homework. There are a few high schoolers that are difficult, but most of them are pretty nice. Especially Julia."

"Julia... The way you say her name makes it sound like she's a song." Linus said through a smirk. "You like her?"

"What?" Linnaeus sputtered. "What, no. No, of course not. I don't like girls. Girls are gross."

Linus just shoved his hands in his coat pockets. "Many men have said the same thing at your age... men who are married by now." He teased.

"Oh, hush." Linnaeus pouted before lifting up his feet and stomping off toward the building, leaving the chuckling detective in the dust of his wake. It never took Linus long to catch up, though, much to Linn's dismay. Him and his stupid long legs.

---

They eventually stopped close to the school's doors. Linus had appeared to be eager to get a move on after that, but Linnaeus had insisted that the detective meet a few of his friends. Many of them were already beginning to crowd around the boy, asking each other how their summer vacations went and what they all did. One kid spoke about going all the way to Endura to check out one of the big indoor waterparks there. Another spoke of just fishing every weekend off the shore a few blocks away. Yet another spoke of doing nothing but playing games in his room all summer. Linus could only sigh. Ah, to be a boy again...

"Well, I was helping wrap up super secret cases with Linus." Linnaeus suddenly bragged, his chest puffing out a bit as he motioned to Linus. "He's the detective that moved here in the spring."

He found that all eyes were on him and, despite them all being young boys, Linus felt awkward in the spotlight. Any words were caught on his tongue and all he could do was hold his hat to his chest as he cleared his throat. Higgins's tail just wagged, brushing against Linus's coat. The boys, nevertheless, continued to stare, all the while Linnaeus bragged him up like he was the boy's brand new bike.

"He's super cool! And he's found all sorts of things in town people have lost. Like Mrs. Jackson's locket, and Margie's necklace. He even found Mrs. Jenkins h--"

"Client confidentiality, Linnaeus." Linus interrupted, a calm firmness in his voice... goodness, if the boy was going to be such a big mouth, he'd really have to limit him on the cases he'd be allowed to help with.

"Oh, yeah. Well, I can't tell you because it's a secret."

"Do you find lost cats? I lost mine about a year ago." One boy begged curiously. Linus flashed the boy a small smile. Still so innocent. This boy appeared to be at least eight years old.

"I can try... though if it's been gone for that long, it might take longer to find."

"Ray, that cat of yours is probably dead by now." Another boy spoke, harsher in tone.

"Mr. Muffin Pants is not dead, Arnold!" The boy known as Ray whined. Meanwhile, Linus could only purse his lips to keep himself from chuckling. Mr. Muffin Pants.

"Boys, boys, enough now." The taller, clearly older boy of the group spoke as he pushed up his glasses. "I'm sure Mr. Sinclair has enough to worry about with the cases he's got."

"And just how do you know about that?" Linus found himself asking as he folded his arms across his chest.

The boy just smiled at him. "My name is Nelson Orwell. Jason Orwell is my father. He's spoken some about you."

"Ahh, that makes sense. It's a pleasure, then, Nelson."

"Likewise." Nelson replied. He looked about ready to speak up but then the obnoxious sound of the schoolbell, with its impatient and consistent sound, rang. All the boys groaned in almost perfect unison.

"Well, I guess we've got to go now." Linnaeus frowned, soon tugging on the strings of his backpack.

"I suppose so." Linus sighed, only to reach over and ruffle Linnaeus's hair. "You have a good day, alright? I'll see ya when I see ya..." His gaze swept over all the other boys nearby, only to force a smile toward them as well. "That goes for you all, too. It was good to meet a few of Linnaeus's friends. Keep him in check for me, alright?"

"Hey! I'm good!" The group of boys burst into laughter before Arnold began pushing the kids toward the doors.

"We always keep an eye on each other." Ray mumbled, Nelson nodding before turning off toward the building. They couldn't be late, especially on the first day. So Linus let them go, waving them off as they disappeared through the large black doors.

Groups and gaggles of children passed him on their way and soon he found himself within the sudden, jarring silence that hadn't been there moments prior. A few stragglers quickly shuffled to the doors even still, but the quietness still felt new to his ears. The world suddenly felt... emptier without the hussel.

He felt something cold and wet brush against his hand before he moved to pet the dog at his side. Maybe not so empty. "Well, it's just you and me on the way back, boy. You ready to go?"

Higgins gave a soft yip in response, and soon the two were off, back the way they had come. Back home. While the school hubbub was something of a surprise, given how small Puffer Point seemed to be in size, it only served to rekindle the bittersweet feeling in his chest. Nostalgia, longing for the things that were. It had reminded him of Degaldo and the bustling place that was, of the friends he had made and the people he had grown to know and meet. It also reminded him of home... Ocrea. Of friendly faces and people he knew like the back of his hand. People he knew and loved.

He couldn't go back. He couldn't leave Puffer Point now, not when he had so much to do. And he couldn't go back to Ocrea, not after all they had put his family through. The pain was still fresh and the memories only served to sting his heart.

A sigh escaped him as he continued onward, shaking his head of the thoughts. The first day of school... Today is the first day of the school year.

He just hoped Linnaeus wouldn't say too much.