Disclaimer: I do not ,most unfortunately; own anything to do with the wonderful Azumanga Daioh; other than numerous comments on and a poorly-assembled, half-finished, GCSE ICT presentation. However I would like to dedicate this fanfic - with a complimentary box of popsicles and a giant video screen showing X-rated videos of Kagura and Sakaki getting it on - to one of the first people to review any of my stories and one of the hyperest people I've ever met on the Internet. saludos This ones for you!
It could have been anything that made her stand out…
There were plenty of possibilities. Her aura of cool, contrasting with her sweet, quiet personality. Her well-formed body that got her plenty of admiring looks and made jaws drop in the locker rooms. Her natural beauty that she didn't ever realize she had. Her intelligence. Her sweet, flowery smell. Her long, soft hair. Her smile. To the girl who always held her in her heart, it was all these things – but the one thing that made her sit up and notice Miss Sakaki for the first time was none of these. Kagura's external reaction to the thing that made her really look at Sakaki all those years ago masked her true feelings, but she had never forgotten the first magical moment that Sakaki's 'quality' showed itself fully to Kagura and marked her out as a rival – and more.
It was the athletics festival, back before Kagura joined Yukari's class and even before she knew Sakaki. She had heard about a tall American in Class Three who was reputedly the fastest in the year – as well as one of the prettiest – but Kagura firmly decided that if such a girl existed then she would be nothing but a rival until Kagura beat her. How very wrong she was.
On the day of the festival Kagura was taking a break from her continuous warm-up before her big race – the marathon later – and sitting on the sidelines with a carton of juice. Sucking at her straw she watched the next race, the relay, begin.
There goes that knucklehead Tomo from Class 3, Kagura thought. Tomo was renowned throughout the year as having the worst grades in her class. Kagura felt reassured that someone got worse grades than her when she first heard this – athletics, not academics, were Kagura's field after all. She watched as Tomo sprinted past, obviously giving it her all. She was pretty fast, but as an expert, Kagura knew she wasn't quite fast enough.
The next with the baton for Class 3 was Yomi, a girl who Kagura knew by sight who hung round with Tomo. She holds her own, Kagura mused, squinting to watch Yomi through the sunlight. She spotted Kimura watching Yomi too – with good reason. The annual athletics festival always meant bared legs and tight tee shirts, and Kimura seemed to be lapping it up. Pervert! Kagura thought, stretching her own tanned legs as the baton was passed on.
Are they serious? Kagura wondered as the baton was passed to the tiny, red-headed transfer student Chiyo. Everyone knew who Chiyo the genius was, the teachers couldn't stop raving about the child prodigy. But Kagura watched and realized that Chiyo must be the anti-Kagura – academically brilliant but terrible at athletics, as Kagura was the opposite. The poor kid was trying, almost in tears from the effort of running, but being the youngest and the smallest as well as the slowest she was outstripped by everyone. Kagura couldn't help but feel sorry for the kid, being responsible for making her class lose.
Or would she?
As Chiyo finally reached the line for the final baton change, Kagura had to double take when she saw the next runner – or more accurately, didn't see her. The tall, black-haired girl running the final lap moved so fast Kagura barely saw her as she took off and flew away from Chiyo, who was panting, breathless, at the last line. She was so fast Kagura knew instantly that this was Sakaki – the pretty American who was indeed as fast as everyone said she was. Faster. Kagura knew just by looking that Sakaki was faster than she had ever been; even at her best ever form. And as she watched her, she saw something else – inadvertently but accurately it had to be said. Sakaki moved beautifully, ever part of her body perfectly coordinated and her eyes focussed on her goal – which she came closer to achieving with every person she easily passed along the track. Kagura became quickly transfixed with watching Sakaki's body move as she ran. Her height and busty figure didn't make her ungainly or gangly, but womanly and beautiful if a little more noticeable than the less developed bodies of her classmates. Kagura watched in wonder, then began to clap on impulse as Sakaki broke the finishing tape miles ahead of every other runner.
'Kagura, what are you doing? She's' not in our class. She's your opponent. A rival' Kagura's friend from the swim team, Kasumi, leaned across. 'Why are you clapping?'
'It's not always about competition, Kasumi' Kagura replied, clapping harder as Yukari-sensei blew a raspberry at Nyamo and Sakaki was surrounded by her friends congratulating her, tiny Chiyo hugging her round her waist. 'Sometimes you need to appreciate people for the way they perform even if they're your opponent'
'What do you appreciate about Sakaki?' Kasumi asked, interested.
'I-' Kagura thought for a moment. 'She…she's very synchronized'
'Which means in English?'
'I like the way she moves'
Kasumi furrowed her brow and pondered the statement as Kagura stood up to go and prepare for her race.
And all this time later, Kagura still did. She lay back against her pillows savouring the memory of the first time she and Sakaki met at the athletics festival and the thing that made Kagura notice her. The girl she always admired – later growing into the woman she loved.
'Sakaki…'
'What is it, Kagura-sama?' Sakaki mumbled, nestling into Kagura's body and wrapping her arms around her.
'Do you want to know something?'
Sakaki mumbled something unintelligible and sighed. It was the middle of the night after all, and she fast asleep again.
Kagura tilted her face up to Sakaki's and kissed her neck briefly before whispering in her ear.
'I love the way you move'