I've discovered that this was one small element in my Writer's Block; the need to write a fic of my favorite Azumanga Daioh pairing. I'll post it simply for critiquing purposes, and may continue it upon a sufficient number of good reviews. Again, this is mainly to alleviate my W.B., so don't expect a full story unless you want it to be.
I do not own Azumanga Daioh.
Chapter 1, "Thoughts Behind the Exterior".
"Don't be immature!" Kagura growled at Tomo, who was insulting her intelligence by gloating over a simple test result.
"It proves that I'm smarter than you!" Tomo countered, too full of herself to remember one key part of that test; "It was a practice test! That just means you did well practicing it!" Kagura pointed out.
"So? I stand by it! I did better, and I'm going to do better than you, now and forever!" Tomo ranted, and decided to walk away. This left an angry Kagura to look after her. Osaka approached her.
"So what're you two arguin' about?" she asked, scaring Kagura.
"Ah! I…she's being herself again, that's what." She replied, regaining her composure.
"I wonder why she's that way…" Osaka contemplated, and then spaced out.
"…Right…" Kagura said, slowly walking away from her friend. She went over to Yomi.
"I see you two are at each other's throats. Are you ever going to change that routine?" Yomi asked, causing Kagura to flail about.
"She always starts it! She's so full of herself it's unbelievable!" Kagura complained, looking toward the subject. Tomo was currently 'challenging' Sakaki to one of her stupid ideas.
"She's been that way for as long as I can remember. It's one of the reasons…" Yomi trailed off, deep in thought.
"…One of the reasons…?" Kagura repeated, curious.
"Ah…it's nothing. Anyway, don't let her get to you. She feeds off of bothering people, so don't show her and she'll settle down." Yomi told her.
"So what's going on over here?" Tomo asked suddenly, scaring both of them.
"Since when can you be quiet enough to sneak up on someone?" Kagura asked accusingly.
"What's it to you? Why are you talking to her, Yomi?" Tomo replied, diverting her attention to said girl.
"Aren't I allowed to?" Yomi asked, faking a pleading tone.
"No. Anyway, come on! Let's go find something to do." Tomo changed the subject, taking Yomi's arm.
"At school? There's nothing to do at school!" Yomi protested, but was hauled off anyway, leaving Kagura to see them off. She had her own thoughts to worry about.
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Nyamo's class proved to be the battlefield for Kagura and Tomo. "I'll bet I could beat you running laps." Tomo challenged, simply to anger Kagura.
"You're one of the worst conditioned kids here, Tomo. I could beat you any day." Kagura replied, falling into Tomo's trap.
"How…much, would you bet?" Tomo asked, only to be dismayed.
"I'm not about to fall for one of your conniving schemes, so don't bother." The other girl responded, and began to walk over to the others.
"I wasn't talking about money…" Tomo informed her, coming up with another plan.
"Oh no? What, prey tell, could be running through your thick skull?" Kagura asked.
"If you win, I'll admit…that you're better than me." Tomo almost choked on the words, and hoped that she could actually beat Kagura.
"And if I lose…?" Kagura asked.
"I'll let you choose what you give me." Tomo smirked, figuring she could get some pretty good stuff. Kagura had another, more valuable prize.
"…Alright, deal." Kagura gave in, and lined up with Tomo on the track. The others noticed and gathered near them.
"Ah, Chiyo-chan! You act as the official! To see who wins, in case of a tie or something!" Tomo instructed.
"What's goin' on here anyway?" Osaka asked vacantly.
"I'm about to show Tomo who's superior here." Kagura told her. She was actually going to throw the race and let Tomo win, so she could reward her.
"Alright, get ready!" Tomo interjected, and they made ready to run.
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"GO!" Chiyo called, and the two sprang from their positions. Kagura already had a small lead on Tomo, and she faked a light stitch to allow Tomo to catch up.
"Falling behind already, are we?" Tomo provoked her, and caused her to unconsciously run faster.
'Damnit! She keeps distracting me!' Kagura thought as she attempted to fall back. She than began thinking about what she would do after the race, and what might become of it, and she was so tangled in her thoughts that she never realized that she'd pulled ahead of a wailing Tomo, and subsequently passed Chiyo. That marked the finish, and her accidental victory.
"I…you…you're…b-better…than…m-me." Tomo sputtered, out of breath and defeated.
"…What's going on?" Kagura asked, and realized in terror that she had won.
"…Crap!" Kagura cursed as she left the others to stand and look after her, confused.
"Do ya suppose she wasn't supposed to win?" Osaka asked. "She didn't seem to be trying very hard…" Chiyo commented.
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Returning to Yukari's class, Kagura mulled over her thoughts. 'Well, I messed up earlier…maybe I could-'she began to think, but was interrupted by Osaka.
"Hey, Kagura…about Tomo." The lightheaded girl said.
"Huh? What about her?" Kagura responded, not noticing Yomi, Chiyo, and Sakaki behind her. Tomo wasn't in the room at the moment.
"Why did ya try to lose to her earlier?" Osaka prodded.
"I…I didn't…I got a stitch, and then…" Kagura fumbled between her thoughts and actions.
"Why do ya always argue with her?" Osaka asked next. "I was…oh…well, she always starts it." Kagura answered, adjusting to the abrupt change in the questions.
"Why do ya always pay attention to what she's doin'?" Osaka finished.
"Because I-"Kagura began, and Osaka finished, "Cause ya like her?" she asked, grinning. "Yes – Wait, NO! She's an idiot! I have no desire to like her!" Kagura defended after her fatal screw-up with her words at that moment.
"Ya show all the signs of liking her." Osaka pushed further.
"Signs? Well…okay, she's my 'friend'. So what?" Kagura admitted, still oblivious to the others, who were listening intently to the two.
"Do you mean friends…or…maybe, 'friends'?" Osaka made the final push.
"The second one…wait! NO! I meant the first one!" Kagura defended, but lost to the oddly perceptive bubblehead.
"That's twice you 'messed up'. You…love her, don't ya?" Osaka asked knowingly, and the others made their presence known.
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"…I…I…Yes. I love her." Kagura broke down.
"Wow! You really do? But, why? I mean, you always fight with her and stuff!" Chiyo pointed out.
"She does do a bunch of things that piss me off, but…I love everything about her. At first I figured it was just natural to feel this way, and that I'd get over it. But…I…d-didn't. I always think about her, and I try to find out ways to tell her. However much I accept or disagree with it, I'm hopelessly in love with that idiot." Kagura elaborated, so only the others could hear.
"That's sweet! We should help her find out a way to tell Tomo!" Chiyo suggested.
"You'd really help me? Chiyo?" Kagura asked hopefully, to which Chiyo responded "Of course, Miss Kagura!".
"I'll help." Sakaki volunteered, thinking it as being cute.
"I'd be glad to help ya!" Osaka said.
"Nope." Yomi blatantly denied.
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"W-what? But what's wrong?" Chiyo asked, flailing about.
"Yeah, what gives, Yomi?" Osaka inquired. Yomi turned to a confused Kagura.
"You really love her, right?" she asked the athlete.
"…I just spilled my heart out about it!" Kagura retorted.
"I'm not going to help you, because…" Yomi stressed it out. "Because?" Kagura asked pleadingly.
"Because if you feel that way, that makes you my competition." Yomi informed her.
"C-competition?" Kagura repeated, beginning to understand.
"That's right. You're gonna have to beat me to it." Yomi told her in a firm tone.
"You too, Miss Yomi?" Chiyo asked.
"That's right, but Kagura, I have to warn you," she looked to the girl, "I have years of advantage over you. Don't think it'll be easy." Yomi finished, then stood and stretched before exiting the room, leaving the others to stand there and think. Especially Kagura.
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End of Chapter 1.
Well, here it is. It's also relieved some of my W.B., so I might just be updating my other story soon. Just a reminder, tell me if you people want this to evolve into a whole story.