Disclaimer: Lucky Star ain't mine and never shall be; my current lifestyle wouldn't leave me enough money to own the series, anyways! XD Otaku rule!
I: Silver Soul
If there was anything said to be typical of Ryōō Gakuen High School in Kasukabe of the Saitama Prefecture, it was that some days proved themselves to be a bit odder than the last. Odd in a fun way, most of the time, but sometimes it would simply be just plain odd. As a certain sleepy-eyed girl with long cobalt blue hair that fell to her calves, joined by a rather large ahoge on top of her head, would find out, she should have taken note of the bike heading her way, its rider currently not paying any sort of attention at all. As it were, though, she had been gaming for way too long the previous night, and as a result was half-asleep (or rather, mostly asleep), even though she was walking. The bike rider was also just as tired, even if maybe not for the same reasons. Why he was tired, we shall not go into detail yet. But everyone knows that it only happens in anime that a sleepy bike rider (who is, coincidentally, a boy) accidentally runs into a sleepy walking girl with no real damage done. It is rather good then that "Lucky Star" is, indeed, an anime (as well as a manga series, and has light novels and videogames).
It was over just a suddenly as it happened. One minute Konata was silently regretting having stayed up so long (although it had been worth it, getting so many rare items! What a lucky night!), and the next she found herself knocked flat on the ground, lying underneath two heavy objects: A bike, and the boy who had been riding it. Well, mostly the bike; the boy had been thrown from it when he had crashed into her. Blinking in shock, Konata squirmed out from beneath the bike, brushing herself down and wincing in pain. The boy, meanwhile, was shakily standing up, as it's not everyday one crashes into someone. Strangely enough, the accident did nothing to wake them up; even stranger, they yawned at exactly the same moment, at exactly the same volume, and in exactly the same tone. The boy looked over at Konata, apology written all over his tired face. "Gomen, I really should've been paying attention. You're not hurt, are you?"
Konata didn't immediately reply; she picked up her school bag and opened it to peer inside, checking to make sure her manga was safe and sound. Satisfied that her treasures were a-okay, she flashed the boy a grin and a thumbs-up. "Nah, nah, I'm fine. It'd take more than that to stop me!" she added, flexing what muscles she had. This caused the boy to turn around and make some attempt to hold in his laughter, or rather turn it into coughs. Luckily, Konata wasn't paying much attention, but she was nice enough to help him get his bike back on its wheels. "You should really watch where you're going though."
The boy shrugged as he put his hands on the handlebars, pushing the bike as he and Konata began walking to the school. It really didn't seem like they didn't even notice they were walking to school. "I was up too long last night; but I think it was totally worth it! Y'see, there's this one MMORPG I play where there's this person who I-or rather, my character-is married to, and they got really good items when we were hunting. Eheheh, we stayed up really late before I realized what time it was before I logged off," he laughed, and Konata joined in.
"Well, I understand completely. I went to bed late 'cause in the MMORPG I play I was getting so many rare items I didn't want to stop. I was sharing with the other person in my group, of course; we're married, y'know, so of course I would share. I completely lost track of time!" She began laughing again, and the boy began laughing as well. It was a rather odd sight, seeing the two of them laughing for apparently no reason whatsoever. Konata took a look at the boy, finally taking notice of his classically messy silver hair (which was an odd color in itself, but in an interesting way) and his grey eyes, which had shone with a passionate flame while he had been talking about the game he'd been playing. Konata knew that flame well, very very well. She also finally took notice of his uniform, although considering he was walking the same way she was it should've been obvious to the third-year that there was a reason for it. "Oh, so you go to Ryōō, too?"
"Yup," he said proudly, laughing again. He seemed to do that a lot. "The name's Raito Kaoru, a third-year! So you'd better treat me with the respect an upperclassman deserves!"
"Oh really?" Konata replied with a mischievous grin. "Izumi Konata, and I'm also a third-year."
"You're kidding!"
"That was rude," she sulked, being reminded once again of how short she was. Even if it wasn't Kagami teasing her this time, it was still a little depressing to realize that she was so easily mistaken for a first-year. Again the boy-Kaoru, he said?-was laughing, but he raised an apologetic hand. He still looked like he was in pain from laughing so hard, though. "Sorry, sorry, but you're kinda... well, anyways, it's very good to meet you Izumi-san. I never expected to meet someone who is as avid a gamer as I! To feel the wonder and pride that comes from obtaining a rare item, or reaching a long-desired level, that is the true wonder of gaming, eh?"
Konata nodded sagely, a big grin on her face. "Exactly! So few others understand the passion we feel as we grow stronger, learning from our experiences and teaming up with others to take down tough bosses! Yes, we gamers are never truly understood by those who have no idea of the burning passion we feel!" And then she sighed, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, even though we say these things, it doesn't change the fact that we sometimes play too long."
"True, and it gets hard to get used to a school schedule if one becomes accustomed to staying up late playing games over break," Kaoru commented thoughtfully, and he began laughing. "But y'know, the same can be said when watching a really good anime, or reading a great manga. You never want to just stop; you always want to keep going on and on."
"Oh! A fellow otaku, huh? I know exactly what you mean!"
Now, all of you are probably wondering when the rest of the cast will make an appearance. As it were, unbeknownst to Konata and Kaoru, a purple-haired demon was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. A bit of an exaggeration, but if it were Konata describing her that is exactly what she'd say. Hiiragi Kagami, with her twin sister Tsukasa, as usual, were surprised to see that Konata had, apparently, gotten ahead of them. And by ahead, I mean, they were thinking, She has a boyfriend?
"N-Nee-chan..."
"How long has she been seeing that guy?" Kagami wondered aloud, feeling a little envious of the blue-haired girl. For as long as she could remember, the romance in their high school lives had been depressingly lacking, so the sight of Konata having what looked like an intimate conversation (even though it was actually an "Otaku Chat" about various anime and manga) with a boy was surprising. Then again, the idea that a boy would take an interest in Konata-short, lazy, otaku Konata-was equally surprising; there was nothing really "normal" about the girl! Then again, the boy had very different hair color from what she was used to seeing; like attracts like, Kagami supposed.
"Well, I'll be seeing ya," Kaoru said to Konata with a short bow, taking his bike to the bike rack. Konata nodded and waved goodbye and continued on her way into the school, all smiles. Finally, yet another person who truly understood her passion for games, anime, and manga! And he was a third-year as well, no less! Knowing this made Konata paused and think for a moment, wondering if she'd ever seen him before. No, his hair would definitely stand out! Hm, maybe he's a sickly student who missed a lot of school and now comes back because he's feeling better? Possible, but not too likely.
As Konata made her way to classroom 3-B, Kagami and Tsukasa followed discreetly behind. The blue-haired girl didn't seem to notice them, lost in her thoughts (and as sleepy) as she was. When she arrived at the classroom, there were a few minutes to spare, so Kagami joined the rest of their group in 3-B. As she entered with her sister, a girl with curly pink hair and glasses noticed them and gave a small wave. The twins walked over to her desk, and Konata joined them as they did. "Ohayou, Yuki-chan."
"Ohayou," Miyuki replied with a smile. She looked over at a sleepy Konata, who was apparently trying her hardest not to fall asleep, and Kagami, also looking at her, frowned. "Didn't you get enough sleep? Or were you up playing games again?"
"Eheheh, but I was having so much fun, Kagamin," Konata replied with sheepish smile, scratching the back of her head. "Besides, I was on a roll..."
"Yeah, yeah," Kagami interrupted, not allowing Konata to launch into a lengthy and possibly confusing dialogue about some sort of gaming thing. She planted her hands on her hips, giving the girl a stern look which melted into a smile. Oddly enough, that smile worried Konata more than her usual frown at Konata's antics. "Anyways, when did you get a boyfriend, Konata? You should've told us sooner."
"Eh?"
"That's right, it would have been nice to celebrate the moment," Tsukasa put in, positively beaming. Konata had no clue what they were talking, and then Miyuki began congratulating her too. It took a moment for her to realize that they must have seen her talking to Kaoru that morning. "No, no, you've got it all wrong. Raito-san isn't my boyfriend; I just met him this morning when he crashed his bike into me. We aren't that close."
"He crashed into you?" Tsukasa exclaimed in surprise, wondering how Konata had escaped unscathed from such an accident. But as we all know, if it's a bike then the anime characters tend to be just fine. And Lucky Star is indeed an anime (as well as a manga, and has light novels and videogames in its name, too). Kagami sighed, putting a hand to her forehead. "Geez, only someone like you would be unfazed by that."
Konata seemed to take this as a compliment, and Kagami sweat-dropped. She would've scolded Konata for being careless, but the morning chimes rang, signaling the start of class. Saying a quick goodbye, Kagami hurried to her own classroom, but before she entered she spotted a mess of silver hair further down the hallway chatting with Kuroi-sensei. It's the boy from this morning! Wondering why he was talking to the homeroom teacher of 3-B, Kagami rushed into her own seat, glad that Sakuraba-sensei hadn't arrived yet.
She was a couple minutes late, but being a teacher had its benefits. Kuroi-sensei marched into the classroom with her usual grin, her little fang sticking out from the corner of her mouth. This fang was sometimes the topic of much discussion, as her students would wonder if she was a vampire. Not that anyone dared ask her about it. "Awrighty then, class, first I'd like to introduce to ya a new transfer student! Sure, it's a bit unusual this late in the year, but he's here!" As she began writing down the new student's name on the chalkboard, said student entered, and Konata was shocked to see that it was the silver-haired, grey-eyed boy, Raito Kaoru! I was wrong! He's a new student!
"Ohayou gozaimasu minna-san," Kaoru said politely, bowing low. "My name is Raito Kaoru, and I am pleased to meet you all. I hope we can all enjoy the rest of the school year together." His polite manners earned him good points with the class in general, and the flirty girls of the class wondered how they could get their hands on him. All his attention though fell on one spot in particular, as there was only one person he recognized in the entire class. Ah, so this is Izumi-san's class? I wonder what this class is like, then, with her here...
"Y'can go sit over... there!" Kuroi-sensei pointed, indicating an empty seat in the corner of the classroom, the furthest one in the back and furthest from the door. It looked to be a rather lonely spot, and Kaoru sweat-dropped. But he didn't argue and made his way there, giving Konata a small wink as he passed by her. She returned it with a thumbs-up, grinning broadly. If she had been glad to meet a third-year like her before, she was happier now. Of course, his manners reminded her a bit of Miyuki, which made her wonder if he was rich, too. It was possible, like so many other things in Lucky Star.
Tsukasa recognized Kaoru as the silver-haired boy she and Kagami saw walking with Konata that morning, and regarded him with a curious look. He didn't look half-bad (half-bad? This is an anime, since when do any of the main characters look bad at all?), and he was very polite. She, indeed, looked forward to spending the rest of the year with him in her class. I wonder if Kona-chan could introduce us to him during lunch...
Miyuki, having a good memory, remembered Kaoru as the boy Konata had mentioned when they had thought she had snagged herself a boyfriend. He didn't at all look like a shady character, and he seemed to be the type anyone could trust. She also looked forward to talking to him later. He must be a really nice guy...
As for Konata... she fell asleep barely three minutes later. There was no need for her to speculate what he was like; he was a fellow otaku, and that was what mattered most!
Kaoru proved himself to be a good student (even though we all know he is still sleepy!) as lunch break drew nearer. Constantly jotting down notes, whenever he was called upon to answer a question he did so in a flawless manner that reminded everyone of Miyuki (except in a more confident tone). Miyuki herself was impressed, while on the other hand Konata and Tsukasa were absolutely awe-struck. Well, mostly Tsukasa as Konata was asleep for the most part and paid little attention, if any at all.
Finally the lunch bell chimed, Konata waking up instantly at the sound of it and waving Kaoru over. The silver-haired boy nodded and grinned, walking over with his bento lunch box in hand. Everyone grabbed some desks and grouped them into a larger space, which increased when Kagami came over from her class. She was surprised to see that Kaoru was in 3-B, but nevertheless happy to meet him. Normally one would assume that Kaoru would be off in dreamland, being the only boy among a group of four beautiful girls. But as it were, Kaoru didn't change at all, though there probably were some boys who would love to switch places with him. Well, maybe not to where he was seated; Kaoru had chosen to sit next to Konata, and everyone knew how much of an otaku she was.
"It is very nice to meet all of you, Takara-san, Hiiragi-san and Hiiragi-san," Kaoru said with a polite bow, a cheerful grin never leaving his face. Then, tilting his head to one side, he asked, "Forgive me if I'm being a bit rude, but is it alright for me to call you Tsukasa-san and Kagami-san? It'll get a bit confusing if I have to call you by your last name..."
"Don't worry about it," Konata said lazily, opening her bento box. "No need to be so formal."
Kaoru blinked for a moment, hesitating. "Well... so it's all right for me to call you Konata-san? Kagami-san? Tsukasa-san? Miyuki-san?"
"Certainly," Miyuki answered, reaching over and patting his hand. She smiled at him, glad that her first impression of Kaoru had been correct; he really was a nice guy. Tsukasa voiced her agreement as well, but Konata gave him a small frown before she smiled and began eating. "Don't be so shy, Kaoru. You don't have to use honorifics."
"Only if he wants to be as rude as you," Kagami commented with a sigh, before turning to Kaoru and giving him a warm smile. "Don't mind her; Konata is just Konata. Anyways, you can use '-chan' for me; I won't mind at all." And this is the first time a boy has actually been included in our little group! This could take some getting used to...
"Thanks, Kagami-chan," Kaoru said, trying it out. Deciding he preferred it, he grinned. "This is a very interesting school; I don't think I've ever had a teacher at all like Kuroi-sensei. Back at my old school, things weren't nearly so interesting. Kinda got a little boring, you could say."
"What school did you go to before you moved?" Tsukasa asked as she ate, wondering what sort of school allowed Kaoru's unusual hair color. Then again, there were all sorts of hair colors here, so perhaps it wasn't quite so unusual. Her answer came soon enough, as Kaoru finished off a bite of his food. Kagami noticed how neat and well-prepared his bento was and felt a bit jealous. Even he was apparently better at housework than she was.
"I attended Tsukiomi Private High School," Kaoru said with a firm nod, and he laughed. "They're a bit stricter there than here, but I think I like this place more. Did oyu know that there had actually been some murder cases there? My parents got worried and decided to move, which explains why I'm here so late in the year."
"Murder, eh? Heheh," Konata said with a gleam in her eyes, the sort that usually appeared whenever she was about to talk about anime. "Was there some sort of high school detective there working on the cases, like Kudo Shi*** or Kindaichi Ha****?" Her eyes were positively shining with excitement as she awaited Kaoru's answer. The boy laughed again, shaking his head ruefully.
"I wish. Too bad you only tend to see really good high school detectives in anime or TV mystery dramas," he replied with yet another laugh. Konata had noticed this habit already, so she didn't mind it at all. The others on the other hand were a little surprised, but decided not to question it. Besides, all of them had their own odd habits so it shouldn't really be surprising that another was added to their group who also had a weird habit, right?
"But it's scary to hear that there have been students murdered at your old school, Kaoru-san," Tsukasa said with a nervous tone in her voice.
"That is rather worrying," Miyuki agreed, wondering how bad it must have been for such things to happen. As if reading her thoughts, though, Kaoru said, "Overall, though, the school is fine. I still wonder why there had been those deaths, though..."
"Maybe the Blade Children did it," Konata said in an ominous tone, and Kagami shot the otaku an annoyed glare. "You watch way too much anime, Konata."
Kaoru laughed yet again and smiled at Kagami. "Aw, come on now, Kagami-chan. You can never watch too much anime..."
"Heh," Konata said with the air of the victorious. Kagami huffed in annoyance, and Kaoru continued with what he was saying.
"...So long as it doesn't get in the way of your studies."
"See?" Kagami gave Konata a knowing grin, the latter shrugging and going back to her food; she still appeared to have a rather pouty expression, though. This interaction between the two was too much for Kaoru; he broke down laughing, so hard tears began welling up in his eyes. They were all surprised by this, but the greater shock came when he suddenly fell out of his chair with a loud thud. Tsukasa leaned over, looking very concerned. "Are you okay Kaoru-san?"
"N-No worries," Kaoru managed to gasp, catching his breath. He had managed to stop laughing, and got back into his seat with a grin. "It just happens sometimes. I can't control myself when I see something that tickles my funny bone!" He paused, looking a bit worried all of a sudden. "Erm, you don't find it too annoying do you?"
"If you hang out with Konata, you tend to get used to random things happening," Kagami commented, and Konata looked a bit offended. "So don't worry about it, Kaoru-san."
"Ah, that's great!" Kaoru laughed, relieved. "And call me 'Kaoru-kun' or something like that. It's not fair that you have to use '-san' while I use '-chan' Kagami-chan. We're friends now, aren't we?"
"Oh, uh, y-yeah," Kagami replied, looking away with her cheeks tinged a very light shade of pink. Luckily for her, she wasn't teased all because no one noticed this; and remember, it is only in anime and manga that things are so convenient. And, since this is an anime (or at least a story based upon an anime), Kagami had very little idea as to why she was blushing, though naturally she might realize later. As it were, Kaoru was quickly getting along better and better with the girls as lunch break wore on. The end of lunch bell chimed, and Kagami stood to go back to her class. But Konata grabbed onto the girl's wrist, not wanting to let go for a certain reason... "Kagamin, let's go to Animate today."
"Eh? Don't you usually want to go to Gamers? And even if you answer that, my answer is no!"
"Aww, why not, Kagamin?"
"I would like to go too, if it is alright," Kaoru put in, putting away his bento. He smiled warmly at Kagami, a smile that began to slowly change her mind. "But I don't really know where it is..."
Kagami seemed to consider this, and then she gave in completely. "Fine, but only because Kaoru-kun wants to go, too."
"Ah, is there some special reason for that?" Konata teased, and Kagami's face turned a bright shade of crimson.
"N-No, of course not! See you after school!" Kagami said in annoyance, the door slamming shut behind her. Konata let out a small chuckle, and Tsukasa looked on blankly, not quite sure what just happened. Kaoru looked about as confused as Tsukasa did, while Miyuki just hid a small smile. It wasn't often they'd get to see Kagami get flustered in such a way.
"So you know Animate?" Konata asked Kaoru as they walked to their seats; his was close to hers, so it was no problem. He nodded, explaining, "I heard of it from this guy in the MMO I play-the game I mentioned this morning-and he was so fired up about it, I decided I might as well see what it's like. Which reminds me... do you know any good places to work? I really need money before Comiket comes around, or else I won't have much to spend at all."
"Well, all I know is the cosplay cafe that I work at," Konata replied as she got into her seat. Kaoru hung aorund a bit longer, in order to get his answer. "If you like cosplaying-and if the manager decides to hire you-I guess you could work there. But I dunno if the manager'll hire a male waiter..."
"I've worked at one before," Kaoru replied, grinning from ear to ear. "Would you mind showing me where it is later? Hmmm... and in return for such a kind favor, I'll let you borrow any anime-or game-of your choice! I have quite the collection, y'know."
Konata's eyes lit up with a sparkle, and she smiled brightly at her fellow otaku. "Deal! I'll even put in a good word to the manager for you before I take you there!"
"So... what's the theme, anyways?"
"Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu! But we do other anime, too," she added with a grin.
"Cool!" Kaoru and Konata probably would've gone into a lengthy conversation about their favorite characters in the anime, moments, factors, and other little details if Kuroi-sensei hadn't interrupted. A ruler flew at Kaoru's head, and he barely managed to duck in time; it sailed over him, embedding itself in the wall. "Class is starting! Get back to your seat!"
"Sorry, Kuroi-sensei!" Kaoru apologized, giving Konata a conspiratorial wink before heading all the way to his desk. Konata winked back, quite satisfied with the deal. Oh... maybe I should've asked what anime he's got.. ah well!
School seemed to pass by slowly as time wore on. Finally the final bell of the day chimed, and everyone began putting their things away, and the noise in the room increased in volume as students began chatting. Kaoru yawned and stretched his arms, glad that school was over. He was eager to go to Animate, particularly because he would be going with two new friends. Although I'm surprised we became friends so fast... hm, people here must be nicer than I thought! but then, Miyuki-san seems like the kind of person oyu can get along with easily, same for Tsukasa-san. Konata is... well, she's also an otaku and that's all I need to know! Kagami-chan is probably a bit strict, but she seems good nevertheless.
"Kaoru!" Hearing his name called, the silver-haired otaku looked up to see Konata waving at him from her position by the door. Grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, he was making his way over to her when he heard a scream and looked just in time to see a flash of short purple hair topped with a pale yellow bow before something-or rather, someone-crashed into him and sent them both falling to the ground. Flat on his back, Kaoru groaned as he attempted to sit up, only to find himself unable to due to the weight of a body pressing down on him. Hearing a snicker, his eyes traveled over to a certain blue-haired otaku girl staring down at him and grinning broadly. His eyes traveled a bit more to see Miyuki looking concerned, and then his eyes returned to the fellow otaku. It was then he realized something very embarrassing. "Konata..."
"Yeah?"
"Um..." He blushed and averted his gaze to instead stare at the dazed girl who was lying on top of him, restricting his movement. "C-Could you move, please? With your current position, I can kinda... well, see something I probably shouldn't... you know, shouldn't be staring at..." Still looking at the girl on top of him, he soon realized it was Tsukasa... and realized how embarrassing their current position was. Meanwhile, Konata took a moment to figure out what he was talking about before her face turned red and she took a couple steps back. But she soon began grinning again, and she crouched down, still staring down at the otaku. He did his best to ignore her, instead trying to figure out how to bring the still-dazed Tsukasa back to her senses. "Oy, Tsukasa-san... Tsukasa-san... TSUKASA-CHAN!"
"Eh? W-What?" That startled the girl enough that she snapped out of her daze and pushed herself up; this also made her realize she was lying right on top of Kaoru, and with her new position their faces were mere inches away from each other. Blushing deeply, Tsukasa quickly jumped to her feet, unable to look at him. Kaoru felt the same way as he stood, brushing himself off. I was right... things here never get boring...
"S-Sorry Kaoru-san!" Tsukasa exclaimed in a panic, fidgeting. Being the otaku that he is, Kaoru found her embarrassment rather cute; the only thing that concerned him was why she had crashed into him in the first place. Unlike him (as he remembered that morning's events) she didn't seem at all sleepy. As if reading his mind, Konata chuckled and explained things to him. "Tsukasa is pretty clumsy, so she tends to fall down a lot. Hmmm..." Konata regarded Kaoru and Tsukasa with gleaming eyes, a look that made him a bit suspicious. "This is the sort of event that triggers a flag in a game!" she observed, and Kaoru couldn't help but laugh.
"Spoken like a true expert, I guess."
"Hey, Kaoru-kun, Konata, what's taking you so long?" Kagami walked into the classroom, an annoyed expression on her face. Planting a hand on her hip, she frowned at the two otaku and gave them a stern glare. "It's rude to keep someone waiting. I would have expected this from Konata, but you, too, Kaoru-kun?"
"Sorry, it's just that there was a small accident," Kaoru told her with a laugh, deciding it might be safer for his health if he didn't go into detail. He'd learned during lunch that Kagami and Tsukasa were fraternal twins, with the former considered the older of the two. From his experience with anime and manga, Kaoru had the feeling (he also knew from personal experience) that what happened there was also true in real life: Older siblings were almost always protective of their younger brothers and/or sisters, sometimes overly so. It would be disastrous to risk his friendship with her over such a small thing.
Kagami nodded, not knowing what had happened but privately resolving to ask her sister or Miyuki later. They'd probably tell her; Konata, on the other hand, might not. "Well, come on then. I'm not gonna wait forever."
"O-kay!" Konata shouted, pumping a fist in the air. She whirled around and, grabbing Kaoru by the sleeve of his shirt, proceeded to drag him over to the door with her. "Let's go, Kaoru, Kagamin!"
Sighing in exasperation, Kagami looked at her sister and said, "Tsukasa, I might be home a little late, considering I'm going to be stuck with two otaku. Go on home without me, okay?" Tsukasa nodded and, accepting that answer, Kagami quickly ran after the two otaku, her voice echoing down the hall as she shouted at them. "Wait up! I know you're excited but wait for me, will you?"
"Things seem to be becoming more interesting with Kaoru-san here," Miyuki commented with a smile as she and Tsukasa stepped out into the hallway, "even though we only just met him today. I don't believe I've ever met anyone quite like him before."
Tsukasa just nodded, remembering the event of only a few moments earlier and blushing again. "I wonder why he's always laughing, though? Kaoru-san laughed more than I've ever heard anyone laugh in one day."
Miyuki considered this, putting a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps he is the kind of person who is amused easily? He had said that he can't control himself when something strikes him as being funny. That could be the case, although his personality seems to change sometimes. Kaoru-san is a very interesting person."
"He is," Tsukasa agreed, wondering about what the rest of the school year would be like with Kaoru having been added to their little group. It would definitely prove to be interesting. And since this is a fanfiction based off an anime (which, incidentally, also has light novels and videogames in its name as well as a manga), that prediction would prove to be very much true.
"Yu-chan!" Konata waved at the tiny red-haired girl, her catlike smile never leaving her face. She had asked Kagami and Kaoru to wait for her while she went to tell her cousin to head home without her; after all, going shopping for anime and/or manga is a very important thing! Not to mention going shopping for anime/manga would show her what sort of otaku Kaoru was, whether he took being an otaku seriously or was just an otaku-wannabe. Kagami was coming along because... well, just because.
The little girl Konata waved to waved back, and her small figure seemed even tinier when compared to the green-haired girl standing next to her with an emotionless stare. They were Kobayakawa Yutaka and Iwasaki Minami, the former being a redhead who looked more like she belonged in an elementary school rather than high school and the latter as flat as a washing board (not to mention very self-conscious about that, too). "Onee-chan! What is it?"
"You're gonna have to go home by yourself," Konata informed her, still smiling. "I have something important I gotta do! Can you also tell 'tou-san that I'm hanging out with my friends and might not be back for a bit?"
"Why don't you call him on your cell phone?" Yutaka asked, though she had a feeling she already knew what the answer would be.
"I kinda forgot it at home," Konata explained, scratching the back of her head. "I usually don't use it, so it's pretty easy to leave it behind by accident. At least I keep the phone bill low."
"Onee-chan, what if there's an emergency and you need to call someone for help?" Yutaka asked with a worried frown. "You should try to bring it with you."
Konata just gave her a confident grin, and flexed her muscles. "No worries, Yu-chin! I'm a super-strong karate expert! I will defeat all evil that comes my way, no matter what it is! Heheheh!" Showing off her awesome skills, Konata threw a few sidekicks into the air at a fast speed, though this made some of the other first-years nearby back away a little. It wasn't that they were scared of the short otaku; rather, they didn't want to be kicked by her random strikes. Though while Yutaka was a little impressed, Minami retained her emotionless expression even though she, too, thought that Konata was pretty cool for an otaku. Done showing off, Konata dashed away with a wave. "See ya later!"
"W-Wait! Onee-chan!" Yutaka watched helplessly as her cousin ran off and sighed. "I'm going to Minami-chan's house today..."
"We can call Izumi-san when we get to my home," Minami said softly, putting a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. Yutaka looked up at her friend with shining eyes, grateful for that suggestion. It was at about that time that two other friends of Yutaka's came out of the classroom, just in time to see that small and seemingly unimportant scene. As it were, one of the pair, a meganekko with long black hair named Tamura Hiyori who just so happened to be an amateur doujinshi artist, began transforming that scene into something... more. In her imagination at least. And because of what her imagination is like, it would be better for all (well, almost all) if the following scene in her head went undescribed. For now.
The other was a short-haired blonde girl with shining blue eyes and a bust that often made Minami turn around and gloomily pat her own chest. Considering that Patricia Martin was an American transfer student, it made sense that her chest size was second only to Miyuki's. Not that either of them liked to flaunt that fact, or even acknowledge it; in Miyuki's case it was because she seemed to have no idea that she was a "walking pillar of turn-ons" as Konata liked to say. As for Patricia, she was sometimes ashamed of the fact so she never really liked talking about it at all. Like Konata, Hiyori, and Kaoru she was also an otaku, and very fluent in Japanese. She watched Hiyori in confusion as the meganekko went into a dazed, daydreaming state, suddenly snapping out of it and blushing furiously, as if emotionally conflicted. Which she most definitely was.
To be thinking of my friends in that way! I'm such a pervert...
A little depressed now, Hiyori and Patricia walked over to their friends, greeting them as usual. And, just like usual, Yutaka was the only one to both wave and say "Hello" while Minami just nodded. At least she acknowledged their existence. Hiyori shook herself out of her depression just in time to see a flash on long blue hair disappear around the corner. Pointing at where it had been, she asked, "Was that Izumi-sempai just now?"
"Yeah. Onee-chan said she had something important to do, so I'd have to tell her dad that she'd probably be home later than usual," Yutaka explained, and Patricia grinned knowingly. This expression did not escape the notice of the transfer student's friends, as they all gave her confused, inquiring looks. "Patty-chan, why are you smiling like that?..."
"Oh, it's just that I saw sempai with a boy this morning," Patricia told them; this piece of information startled the other girls, and Patricia nodded firmly. "It's true, I saw her walking into the school with a boy this morning! They seemed to be really close, too... hey, have you ever heard Izumi-sempai talking about a boy at all? Or even mentioning him?"
"No," Yutaka answered simply, but she became rather thoughtful as she put her focus on the idea. "Maybe she has a secret boyfriend?"
"We should ask the other sempai, too," Hiyori suggested, becoming more interested in the situation. Obviously such a thing might provide more ideas for a doujinshi, something she was in desperate need of. Yutaka and Minami were good enough to give her some ideas, but she needed to broaden her horizons. Trying to make a plot involving a boy/girl relationship wouldn't be too tough, would it? "They might know something."
"But is it polite to intrude on sempai's privacy?" Minami asked softly, and this made all of them think. Was it really best to ask her friends instead of asking Konata directly? A bit of a difficult question...
Going back a bit to before Konata had gone to the first-year classrooms to talk to her cousin, Kagami and Kaoru were walking over to the school gates, the former looking a bit annoyed while the latter was casually observing his surroundings with a smile. The reason for Kagami's annoyance was that Konata had asked them to wait for her at the school gates; as if they weren't taking long enough already! They did have homework to finish after all, although it was more than likely that Konata would simply ask to copy her homework instead of do it herself. Sighing in annoyance, she glanced over at her silver-haired companion, who was currently observing the steady flow of students coming out the door who didn't have after-school clubs to attend.
It felt... different, just standing there in close proximity with a boy who had already permitted her to call him by his first name, and using the honorific "-kun" no less! She was used to being around members of the opposite sex, considering the amount of partner work one would sometimes often have to do. Except that those were just classmates, people she was used to and knew but not too closely. Kaoru was different. He was already a genuine friend showing every possibility of growing closer to them. Naturally Kagami wondered why Kaoru had been so willing to join their group, considering all of them were girls after all and would probably have made him a bit uncomfortable, but after some thought pegged it on the fact that he was a new student. Of course he would have been eager to find new friends; unfortunately, she could think up a number of rumors that could pop up later down the road. And not all of them are good...
"Kagami-chan," Kaoru said suddenly, bringing the twin-tailed girl out of her thoughts. He looked at her with that everlasting smile, but he apparently had a serious question due to the look in his eyes. "How big of a gamer are you?"
Or perhaps not... "W-Why?" Kagami had been completely taken by surprise by his question, as out of the blue as it were. But that serious look in his eyes (and combining it with his smile, it was rather odd) stayed, and made her feel as if she were under some sort of giant microscope. Not exactly the most comfortable of feelings.
"I was thinking that since you know Konata-and apparently she's a very big gamer-there was a chance that you might be just as big on games. However... I'm not exactly getting that sort of impression so I was just wondering..."
"Well, I doubt anyone could be like Konata when it comes to games," Kagami laughed, some of the tension easing away. The look in his eyes had dimmed somewhat, and she no longer felt like she was under a huge magnifying lens. "I do play games, too, after I finish my homework. I like playing shooting games, but I sometimes play other kinds."
"What kinds of shooting games?" Kaoru was intrigued by her answer, having not expected that sort of answer from a girl. Most of the girls he had known back at Tsukiomi, except for a couple fellow otaku, didn't like to play that sort of game, if they played at all. It was a nice change to meet a female who liked it (but he knew that Kagami was most likely not the only one in this "unique" school who played shooters).
"Um... there are different kinds?" The surprise on the boy's voice was blatantly obvious to Kagami, and she realized there was probably more to gaming than she had originally thought, even if hanging out with Konata should have already given her that impression. Or rather, she had not thought there were different kinds of shooting games. Out of the blue, Kaoru began laughing, and though she knew this as a habit of his (since he had admitted it himself) she still blushed furiously. "Well sorry I didn't know better! All I know is that if a game has guns, it's usually good enough for me!"
"S-Sorry," Kaoru managed to gasp out, attempting to control his laughter. It was only for a miniscule fraction that his reason was because she knew so little about the shooter genre's subtypes. What really tickled his funny bone was imagining Kagami carrying some sort of submachine gun, hiding it within a violin case before bringing it out to shoot the baddies, among other sorts of gun-related images that flashed in his mind. After a minute he was able to regain his composure, grinning at the embarrassed and annoyed girl. "Well, there's third person shooters, first person shooters, scrolling shooters, tube shooters, run and guns, and the ever-infamous danmaku. Oh, and before I forget I should also mention cute 'em ups. Although I think you'd might want to be careful about the last type..."
"And that's because?"
Kaoru coughed uncomfortably for a moment, debating whether to tell her. "Well... I've noticed that there tends to be some... er, some suggestive themes in those..." Realizing exactly what Kaoru meant, Kagami's face turned a bright crimson color, completely shocked. T-There's actually that sort of shooting game? What are people thinking these days...
Quickly changing the topic, which was the wisest decision by the way, Kaoru said, "It's kinda annoying though that people tend to pin habits on the sort of videogames that person plays. I've heard of stories where mass murderers were that way because they played really violent, bloody games, while for otaku such as I-and Konata, might I add-others think we're perverts! It's annoying to no end..."
"I've heard of stories like those," Kagami put in, glad for a change in topic. Just thinking about what sort of things "cute 'em ups" might have in them would probably having put her off games for awhile. "Like once where the police found a lot of anime and manga stuff in a criminal's house and decided he might be connected to several other cases based on that. Konata was annoyed, too, when we talked about it a little."
Kaoru sighed, scratching the back of his head. "But there isn't really any sort of scientific evidence that that could ever be the case. So long as one has set a firm line between reality and fantasy, or at least still recognizes right from wrong, there's no problem playing a bloody game. Although, I think there's this one game you might enjoy, Kagami-chan. It's a pretty fun first-person shooter, and the controls are easy to get used to."
"What is it called?"
"It's a game called Halo 3, and it's fun as hell to play. It was released some time ago, but it's very addictive, just as much as the first two Halo games if not more so." Kaoru grinned proudly, flashing Kagami the victory sign, parting his fingers into a V. "Before it came out I was a bit worried I might have had to have someone install a mod-chip into my console."
Kagami was unfamiliar with that term, giving him a questioning look. "Mod-chip?"
"Well, just about every console except the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP has a regional lockout which prevents someone from playing a game on it that's not from the country that the console was made in. And since Halo 3 is a game for the Xbox 360-which unfortunately does have a regional lockout-I would've had to pay someone to install a mod-chip, which allows the playing of games from other countries. I would have done it myself if I had the technological skills, though... luckily I had no need to."
"Wait a minute..." Kagami gave the silver-haired otaku a fierce glare, one which made him wonder if he had said something he shouldn't have. That was the problem with being a guy; he could never understand the thoughts of girls. And from what he knew, it was a trait males of every species shared. "You didn't do anything illegal, did you?"
"No, actually, although there is some debate about a mod-chip's legality. Currently, though, it's considered within the law so I won't be going to jail for being caught with one," Kaoru explained, and the tsundere smiled in relief. "So, anyways, sound like a fun game? You can choose from heavy weapons like the rocket launcher, long-range like the beam rifle, medium range such as the SMG or the plasma rifle, and even pretty good short range weapons like the plasma sword or the shotgun. There's also vehicles, various kinds of grenades, some power-ups, and stages that make gameplay even more interesting."
"I guess..." Before Kagami could say anything else Konata had arrived, and the sudden appearance of her smiling face startled them. They had not noticed her approach, which meant they had probably been more into their conversation than they had thought. Quickly recovering from her surprise, Kagami glared at the grinning otaku, a glare which the girl pointedly ignored. "Ready to go Kagamin? Kaoru?"
"We are," Kaoru answered for both himself and Kagami, and Konata's grin grew.
"Right! Let's go!" Grabbing Kaoru by the sleeve of his uniform, she proceeded to drag him in the direction of the train station, with Kagami following close behind. It was an odd situation being dragged by a girl nearly half your height, but he supposed that it only added to the uniqueness of his new school. This year will be interesting indeed...
Author's Notes: Right, here is my very first Lucky Star fanfic! Not bad, eh? Don't worry, more chapters are due pretty soon, and I'll try to bring Misao and Ayano into the picture as well. Oh, and for those of you wondering, I also wonder who Kaoru-kun might end up with, since this is a romance fic. It's interesting to think about... *realizes* Ack! About my CCS fic "The Falling Darkness"... I'm in a creative slump about it, so please don't kill me, those of you readers who also read it! And until I get more cries for it to continue, it might die off as my enthusiasm for the project dies... *sighs* Anyways, I'll put some notes and tell you what references were made in this chapter after the notes. Oh, and it might take awhile for each chapter, considering I'm trying to make each one as long as I can. *waves* Bye-ni!
HIKAWA CHOP! Took out the Author Notes that stood out significantly in the middle of the chapter due to complaints (won't make that mistake ever again). Oh, and "HIKAWA CHOP!" signifies I've made an edit. Why am I telling you this? For future reference and in case anyone asks.
Notes/References
"Gintama": Do you know what the title of this anime/manga means?
"Spiral: Suiri no Kizuna": How many of you guys noticed this reference? I made several references to that anime/manga here.
"Meitantei Conan": Konata had mentioned a "Kudo Shi****"
"Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo": If you haven't read this manga or seen the anime, read/watch it! Epic in my opinion
meganekko: Your typical anime glasses girl (attractive glasses girl; but then, since when is there ever an anime girl who ain't cute?). Both Miyuki-chan and Hiyori-chan fall int othis category, especially Miyuki-chan. She certainly is a "walking pillar of turn-ons" as Konata says...
"Gunslinger Girl": Just look right where Kaoru's imagination gets the better of him...
Tube shooters: Simply put, they feature craft flying through an abstract tube.
danmaku: Literally meaning "barrage" or "bullet curtain" this kind of game often has the screen filled with enemy bullets. Ow.
"Cute 'em Ups": This kind really does exist! They feature brightly colored graphics depicting surreal settings and enemies. Newer ones tend to employ overtly sexual characters and innuendo, which might explain why Kaoru-kun was so hesitant in giving Kagami-chan such info... probably not a game you'd want to be caught playing.
Halo 3: And my favorite shooter, might I add. Personally I prefer sniping, but I wonder what sort of weapons Kaoru-kun and Kagami-chan might prefer?
Mod-chips: I looked up their legal status and found they really aren't considered illegal in court. Sure, installing one would void the manufacture's warranty on the console, but a true otaku wouldn't care about that. I wouldn't know much about obtaining one, since the only Japanese games I own are for the computer; computers don't have regional lockout. All I gotta do is download the English patch for each game, anyways. (I'm Japanese, yet I'm not fluent in my ancestors' language? I feel great shame...)
Region Lockout: Not sure why consoles even have this stupid thing. It sucks, since then I'd have to buy a whole new PS2 from Japan (or install a mod-chip; I like neither option) just to play the visual novels that come out for the PS2 like "Lucky Star: Ryōō Gakuen Ōtōsai"... it sucks big time...
"Soul Eater": In the Author's Notes. Anyone who has read/seen it should instantly recognize the reference without me having needed to say anything.