There was dead silence as everyone stared at the absurdity of it. Gaou's eyes were lit with a childish glee, his mouth breaking into a shark's grin as his mind recognized a potentially worthy opponent.

In the form of the woman looking down at him. Granted, the height difference between them was small - maybe four centimeters - but she was still looking down at Gaou.

"Hey! Are you listening to me?" Onishi demanded, hands on her hips. "I told you not to insult Kakei-sensei!"

With a roar, Gaou surged forward. The linebacker, caught off-guard, reacted defensively and threw her hands out for a counter, but ended up in a heap on the ground.

"Hmph," Gaou grumbled. "Weak."

"What did you just say?!" Onishi retorted, surging up.

"Weak!" Ohira echoed. "How can you possibly call yourself Kakei-sensei's disciple when you were taken down so easily?! I am ashamed on Kakei-sensei's behalf!" she declared, tears streaming down her face.

With a hiss like a riled cat, Onishi launched herself at the other girl, and they ended up in a writhing pile on the ground as they clawed at each other like felines.

Kakei sighed and put a hand over her face. Her plea of, "Please don't call me sensei," was ignored.

Gaou eyed the two girls speculatively as Mizumachi joined in the fray, only to be fished out moments later by Kakei, who then separated the two girls. As Ohira and Onishi stood growling at each other from either side of Kakei, Gaou reached out and pushed, sending Ohira into the dirt.

"Hmph," he repeated again before losing interest.

"Ha! You got taken down even more easily than I did!" Onishi sneered, and just before the cat fight started up again, Mizumachi decided to open her mouth.

Before Kakei could stop her, she asked, "What if you both took him on?"

"Work together with her?!" the two both shouted at the same time, incensed. They turned to each other and opened their mouths to start the flow of insults, but something flashed in their eyes, and in unison they turned and threw themselves at Gaou, because if there was one thing they could agree on, it was that nobody insulted Kakei-sensei and got away with it.

Ten minutes later, Kakei was murmuring polite apologies to Maruko, who offered to send flowers. Kakei declined, invited her to tea as a further apology, and went to prevent Mizumachi from poking inquisitively at Ohira and Onishi until the ambulance could get them.

Perhaps, Kakei thought, Mizumachi was being wiser than she knew when she suggested Kakei buy them collars and a leash.