AZUMANGA DAIOH: REUNION

She strode purposefully down the street, unmindful of anything except her destination.

More than a few heads turned to stare at her; she ignored it, having grown accustomed to it long ago. There were many reasons for the stares. Certainly, her beauty was one of them; often she'd been told she was quite beautiful, though it meant little to her. She was what she was; what she was was not vain, nor engrossed in the pursuit of beauty. She simply was what she was.

Her height also tended to gain attention. Unusually tall and graceful for a Japanese woman, her height tended to intimidate many of those around her, particularly men over whom she towered as much as a full head at times. Not that she cared; such concerns were beneath her.

Her manner of dress, certainly, was unremarkable; perhaps a bit more tasteful than some, but nothing particular about her sharply tailored maroon blazer and skirt combo or white silk blouse or patent leather pumps stood out among the many similarly-suited salarymen and office ladies on the streets and subways.

"Myaa?"

Perhaps it was the cat.

After all, few Japanese women walked around with a full-grown Iriomote mountain cat draped around their necks.

"We're almost there, Maya," she said in her quiet, passive voice. She smiled as she stroked her pet's brown-and-black fur. "We're almost there."

Sakaki continued on her way, unmindful of the stares.

* * * * *

"Oi, wake up!"

"Donwannalemmealonezzzz..."

"I said wake up, dammit!"

"Donwannalemmealonezzzz..."

"GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL I'LL KICK YOUR ASS THROUGH YOUR TEETH IF YOU DON'T GET THE HELL OUTTA BED RIGHT NOW!"

"Well jeez, you don't gotta be pissy about it..."

"Get up and get dressed, baka. It's time."

"Eh? ...ah! Already? Crap, gotta hurry!"

* * * * *

She hummed to herself as she made breakfast. It was a quiet tune she hummed sometimes, that made her think about the past.

Thinking about the past made her think about happy things, and thinking about happy things made her remember that there was something vaguely important to do today.

Thinking about something vaguely important made her think vaguely that she was smelling something burning.

Thinking about smelling something burning made her think about flying alien cats setting fire to girls' pigtails and burning the taiyaki on a grill.

Thinking about flying alien cats setting fire to girls' pigtails and burning the taiyaki on a grill made her think about the cute genius girl from high school who had been her best friend and whose father was probably an alien cat who grew tomatoes.

Thinking about the cute genius girl from high school who had been her best friend and whose father was probably an alien cat who grew tomatoes made her think about eating, and she looked down at her breakfast, which had blackened in the small pan and was smoking badly.

"Aa, I burned it," she whined.

Then, she remembered.

* * * * *

"Oi, wake up!"

"Donwannalemmealonezzzz..."

"I said wake up, dammit!"

"Donwannalemmealonezzzz..."

"GOD DAMN YOU TO HELL I'LL KICK YOUR ASS THROUGH YOUR TEETH IF YOU DON'T GET THE HELL OUTTA BED RIGHT NOW!"

"Well jeez, you don't gotta be pissy about it..."

"Get up and get dressed, baka. It's time."

"Eh? ...ah! Already? Crap, gotta hurry!"

* * * * *

She woke up groggily and pushed back the covers, yawning. Scratching herself, she staggered out of bed and shuffled over to the bathroom. "Geez, I shouldn't have drunk so much last night."

Her roommate noticed her up, and called out, "Ohayou! You'd better hurry and dress and have breakfast if you don't want to be late."

She blinked. "Late?" she asked, frowning.

"You know. Today's that day."

Her eyes widened.

* * * * *

In a large, luxurious home, a bright-eyed teenager busily worked to make sure everything was tidy, and returned to the kitchen to check on things there.

Today was a special day. A day she'd waited for for a very long time. Everything had to be perfect today. Nothing could be allowed to ruin this day.

It had been five years. Five busy years. Many things had happened, and she had worried that maybe none of them would remember. That none of them would come.

She began to fret nervously as she worked in the kitchen. She hoped they'd all come. She really wanted them all to come, so today would be perfect.

She heard a happy bark from the front lawn. Turning, she looked at the gate monitor...and her face broke into a wide, happy, beaming smile.

With the light-hearted giggle of a child, Mihama Chiyo rushed to greet the first of her old classmates to arrive.

* * * * *

"Sakaki-san!" Chiyo called as she rushed out of the house, beaming and laughing.

The tall woman was kneeling to pet the large white dog who had greeted her at the gate. The cat draped around her neck regarded the dog lazily. Its laconic gaze drifted briefly to her.

Sakaki blinked. "Chiyo-chan?" she asked.

"Hai!" the girl nodded, smiling.

Mihama Chiyo had changed since graduating high school. Of course, that was only natural; she hadn't even been thirteen years old at the time. Now, five years later, she had matured into a cute, perky young woman; the pigtails of childhood were gone in favor of a short, almost pageboy hairstyle which suited her pretty face and happy eyes perfectly. She was of average height, and had a trim, toned figure. Clad simply in a pink-and-red T-shirt and blue jeans, her overall appearance was plain, if pleasing to the eye; she wouldn't really turn heads in a crowd.

After years of having to put up with being misunderstood for her small size and young age, Chiyo found that to be a blessing and a comfort.

Now, she smiled at the older woman, and gestured for her to come inside. "I have tea and some snacks," she said. "Come on in and we can talk while we wait for the others."

"Ah...hai!" Sakaki said quietly, trailing behind the chestnut-haired teen and her dog into the spacious mansion she remembered so well from days gone by.

* * * * *

Two women and a baby got off the train and left the station at a sedate pace.

"Did you really hafta bring the brat?" one of them asked.

The one holding the baby scowled. "I wasn't going to leave the baby all alone."

"You coulda left him with your mom."

"Okaasan's got stuff to do today. Besides, they might want to see him, you know."

"Hmm, yeah, I guess." She smiled and put her arms behind her head as they walked. "Bet they won't be expecting to see you with a baby though."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you just never were the type, ne?"

"Are you saying I'm not motherly?"

"I'm just saying it'll be a surprise, from you."

"...urusai."

* * * * *

"I watch your show every day. It's really good!"

They sat in the living room now, drinking tea. Sakaki blushed. "Thank you." She glanced up at the younger woman. "What do you do now? Are you working somewhere nearby?"

Chiyo shook her head. "I don't work, because I don't need to. We're wealthy enough, and after I started handling our stock portfolio, the interest on our earnings alone is enough to live on."

The tall woman's eyes widened. "Sou ka," she breathed. "So then, what do you do with yourself?"

"School, still," Chiyo said, giggling. "I like school too much. After high school, I went to America and graduated from two different schools there. Then I came back here, and now I'm going to Toudai."

"Toudai?" Sakaki blinked. "And after American schools too?"

The teen shrugged. "I like to study. But I'm only taking a small class load. I don't want to burn out, and it gives me time to do other things I like."

"I see." Sakaki sipped her tea. "Tadakichi-san looks well."

Chiyo glanced at the dog lying next to her. "Yeah, but he's getting old. I don't know how much longer he'll be with me. Maybe another five years, maybe longer."

Tadakichi looked up at her and wagged his tail briefly. She smiled. "And Maya looks well too," she commented.

Sakaki stroked the mountain cat, who now lay stretched out beside her on the sofa. "Yes, I take very good care of him. And he has one of the best veterinarians in Tokyo."

"I can imagine," Chiyo grinned. "I doubt the TV station would like it if anything happened to him, what with how popular your show is and all."

Sakaki blushed again. Before she could say anything else, however, the gate intercom chimed.

* * * * *

She stopped outside a store to buy a can of coffee from a vending machine, then headed for the bus stop. Being small and slow, she had a hard time staying upright and not spilling her coffee as the flow of pedestrian traffic bustled around her.

As she walked, she began drifting, her mind casting back to the happy, blissful days of youth, when she had few worries.

Invariably, she collided with someone, spilling her coffee all over both of them. She apologized profusely; the woman she collided with muttered something about getting a grip and strode brusquely away.

She looked down at herself; she was stained with coffee.

"Now I have to go back and change," she whined, before turning around and heading in the direction of her apartment.

* * * * *

Two women and a baby got off the train and left the station at a sedate pace.

"Did you really hafta bring the brat?" one of them asked.

The one holding the baby scowled. "I wasn't going to leave the baby all alone."

"You coulda left him with your mom."

"Okaasan's got stuff to do today. Besides, they might want to see him, you know."

"Hmm, yeah, I guess." She smiled and put her arms behind her head as they walked. "Bet they won't be expecting to see you with a baby though."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you just never were the type, ne?"

"Are you saying I'm not motherly?"

"I'm just saying it'll be a surprise, from you."

"...urusai."

* * * * *

"Kagura!" Chiyo beamed. "Come on in!"

"Wow, Chiyo, you look good!" The tanned, short-haired woman grinned and hugged the teen. Dressed in a white turtleneck, a black leather jacket, and blue jeans, Kagura looked like a street tough, especially since her face and hair hadn't changed at all since high school. Of course, her friends knew her better than that...well, for the most part.

As they walked into the house, Kagura noticed Sakaki, and grinned. "Hey there, 'Tarzanna'," she called.

Sakaki blushed. "Hello," she said. Maya peered intently at Kagura, then twitched his tail once and rolled over.

Chiyo poured another cup of tea, then sat back down. "You look the same as always, Kagura," she commented. "How're things going?"

"Pretty good," the tanned girl replied, running a hand through her short, maroonish-brown hair. "Coachin' a swim team at a little college hardly anyone's ever heard of, but they have a good pool and some great swimmers. It's a fun job and pays okay." She glanced up, and grinned. "I know what Sakaki's doin', but how 'bout you?"

Chiyo began talking about her school life again...

* * * * *

Having changed, she hurried to the bus stop, not stopping for coffee or anything, trying to keep her mind focused on the task at hand.

She didn't want to be late. Not today. It wouldn't do to be late today. Just once, she needed to keep her head together.

* * * * *

They met up at an intersection near the street that led to Chiyo's house. They blinked as they caught sight of each other.

"Sensei?"

"Ah, you two..."

Slowly, perhaps not paying enough attention to the traffic, two groups drifted toward one another...then scrambled to stand on the same side of the road as the signals changed against them.

"Mou..." Mizuhara Koyomi grumbled as she panted for breath, clutching the infant she carried tightly to her chest. Beside her, Kurosawa Minamo was doing much the same. Nearby, Tanizaki Yukari and Takino Tomoe glared hatefully at the traffic signals.

Then the four of them looked at each other, then at the two babies, then at each other again. Without a word, the four of them began making their way down the street as a single group.

* * * * *

The three of them were laughing at one of Kagura's anecdotes when the gate intercom chimed again.

As one, they stood and went to the door. Chiyo laughed happily as she saw who it was, and ran out to the gate, opening it.

The woman on the other side, however, looked disappointed. "Gomen'ya," she murmured. "I think I got the wrong house..."

"Osaka-san!" Chiyo giggled, reaching out to grasp the small, pale woman's hands and pull her through the gate. "Silly, you're at the right place!"

Kasuga Ayumu, who had borne the nickname 'Osaka' through high school, blinked.

"It's me, Chiyo!" the teenager said.

The other woman's eyes widened. "Chiyo-chan?" she asked. "But you're..."

"Well of course! It's been five years. What, did you think I was always gonna be a little kid?"

Osaka rubbed the back of her head. "I guess I forgot about that," she said sheepishly. Slowly, her head turned to see who was standing behind Chiyo. "Ah! Sakaki-san! Kagura!" She waved.

Kagura grinned, and Sakaki gave her a small smile. As they went into the house, Chiyo beamed happily. Everyone was coming together...it was going to be a perfect day.

"Oi!"

Chiyo turned. At the gate, four women had suddenly materialized out of nowhere, two of them carrying babies. Her eyes widened. "Ah! You all came too!"

"Did you think we wouldn't?" Yukari asked, flashing a V-sign and a grin to the teenager.

Chiyo's eyes sparkled and brimmed with happy tears as she opened the gate. Now...now everyone was here. And it was going to be a happy, perfect day.

* * * * *

As they trooped into the house, Tomo glanced at Chiyo, and took an exaggerated step backwards. "Uoooohhhh!" she cried. "Chiyo-chan's all grown up now!"

"Ah...hai," the teenager said, a sweatdrop rolling down the back of her head.

Tomo leaned closer to her, peering into her eyes, studying her hair, then aiming her gaze downward to the younger girl's chest. "UOOOOHHHH!" she exclaimed. "Chiyo-chan has breasts!"

"Anou..."

Tomo reached out to poke the hapless teenager in the chest. "Yep, they're definitely breasts," she commented. As she was about to make a more thorough examination, Yomi conked her on the back of the head with a fist, careful not to upset the infant she carried.

"Baka," Yomi snorted before tromping past into the house.

Chiyo stood staring after her for a long moment, then giggled. "Same old Tomo-chan."

* * * * *

"So you just...go to school all the time?" Yukari asked, staring at Chiyo.

"Mm-hmm!" She giggled. "Well, I do other things too, but I don't have a job. But more importantly, what about you, Yukari-sensei? Still teaching?"

Yukari nodded. "Yeah, me and Nyamo are both still teaching. Though she had to take time off because of the kid."

Everyone glanced at Kurosawa, who blushed. "Aa, hai."

"You had a baby, sensei?" Kagura asked, eyeing the kid. "Whoa! I never expected you to..."

"She got knocked up," Yukari smirked.

"Uooooooooohhhhhh," the others chorused.

Kurosawa shot Yukari a venomous look, her face dark red. "I...was indiscriminate one night, I admit," she said with a sigh. "But I don't regret Aki-chan one bit." She smiled at the baby. "He's the most precious thing in the world, my little Akira!"

A silence greeted that.

"That's a good name," Osaka offered.

Then they turned to Yomi. "And you too?" Chiyo asked.

"Also knocked up!" Tomo offered loudly, grinning and shooting Yomi a sideways glance.

"Urusai!" the bespectacled woman shouted. Looking at the others, she sighed. "His name is Makoto."

A silence greeted that.

"That's a good name too," Osaka said.

Yomi looked around, desparate to change the subject. "Anyway, what about you, Sakaki-san? What are you doing these days?"

Sakaki blushed briefly. "I...well..."

"Didn't you know?" Chiyo asked. "Sakaki has her own TV show!"

"EEH!?" the two teachers shouted simultaneously. "Sakaki-san, you're a TV star?" Yukari asked.

"Hai," Sakaki said softly.

"Wow, that's cool!" Kurosawa offered.

"It's just a TV show," Sakaki demurred.

"How glamorous! The life of showbusiness...fame and fortune!" Yukari clasped her hands to her cheeks, a dreamy look in her eyes.

Osaka's eyes widened. "Aa!" she said suddenly. "I know now!" She leaned forward, studying Sakaki with a serious expression. "You're Tarzanna of Kitty Jungle, aren't you?"

The two teachers, as well as Tomo and Yomi, blinked.

"H-hai," Sakaki blushed.

"Tarzanna?" four voices echoed as one.

"It's a kiddy show," Kagura explained, grinning. "Sakaki here prances around in a spotted loincloth with Maya and a bunch of kitties in a fake jungle and entertains kindergarteners."

There was another long moment of silence.

"She's really good," Chiyo offered. "It's a popular show!"

Sakaki was the same shade of red as her outfit now.

"This, I have to see for myself," Tomo said with a grin.

"So what about you guys?" Sakaki asked, desparately hoping to shift attention away from herself.

"Yeah, what are the rest of you up to?" Chiyo asked. "You already know about me, and Kagura's a swim coach now..." This caused Kurosawa to beam at the tanned girl.

"Well, I just so happen to be very important in the entertainment industry also!" Tomo said, standing and gesturing to herself as she boasted. "I'm a famous seiyuu!"

"Wow!" Chiyo said.

"Sugee ya," Osaka opined.

"A seiyuu? Like anime?" Kagura asked.

"She does voiceovers for hentai computer games," Yomi put in.

Another moment of silence lapsed.

"And a couple anime," Tomo piped up.

"Hentai anime."

More silence.

"Well...I'm good at it!" Tomo insisted, sitting back down.

Sweatdrops.

"Okay. And Yomi?"

"I work in a karaoke bar."

Everyone cringed.

"I work in a video store," Osaka said. "I like it. It's an easy job."

"Do you still space out all the time?" Yukari asked.

The pale girl nodded. "Yeah, but..." she shrugged. "So do all the other clerks. It's a very boring job. That's why it's perfect."

As they tried to digest that, Chiyo began to feel a nagging sense of wrongness. "Anou...I feel like we're forgetting something important."

"That can't be right. We're all here, aren't we?" Tomo asked.

They all looked around at one another. "Yeah, I think we're all here," Kagura replied.

* * * * *

"I'm going out now," a man's voice called from the front door of a small house.

"Come home safely!" two female voices chorused from inside.

Nobody paid much attention to the messy-haired, bespectacled man who shuffled slump-shouldered into the street, jaw hanging open in a somewhat creepy manner.

A few moments later, a teenager in a school uniform ran after him, carrying two bento as well as her bookbag.

Inside the small house, a beautiful brown-haired woman smiled blissfully as she cleaned up the breakfast dishes. She hummed merrily, thinking of nothing but how happy and wonderful her family was.

The cry of an infant rang out in the air.

"I've got it," a younger woman's voice said from deeper in the house. A few moments later, a woman wearing a maroon school uniform walked into the kitchen, shoulder-length dark hair swaying as she rocked a baby gently in her arms. "Is there a bottle in the warmer?" she asked.

"Hai, Kaori-chan," she said. "Do you need me to do the laundry today?"

"No, it's okay, I can handle it. Just let me feed Sakiko-chan and get her settled back down."

"You're a good mother, Kaori-chan," the older woman smiled.

Kaori blushed. "Well, you've helped me a lot." She glanced at the clock. "Ah! It's almost time!"

The older woman laughed softly. "You go ahead, dear. The laundry can wait."

"Haaai!" Baby in her arms, Kaori rushed to the living room and turned on the television.

She never missed Tarzanna of Kitty Jungle.

Author's Notes

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