"Odd Couples"

by sakako and kenji

KAGURA: YO GUYS, IF SAKAKO OR KENJI COME UP TO YOU AND TELL YOU THAT THEY OWN AZUMANGA DAIOH, DON'T BELIEVE THEM. TRUTH IS, THEY DON'T OWN SHIT! ALL THEY HAVE IS A WIDE RANGE OF MUSIC AND ANIME.

AD CHARACTERS: HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!

Introduction I

It was another ordinary Wednesday in the lives of the Azumanga Daioh characters. Actually, it wasn't just another ordinary day. It was the day before the 3rd year Sports Fest and at Kagura's house, the alarm clock rang.

"Six o'clock? Already?" Kagura woke with a start, as she was wont to do. She quickly dressed into some loose-fitting clothes and went downstairs. "Hey mum, have you made breakfast yet?" She knew that her mother would have been up since five, as her job required her to be at the office by seven.

"Yes," said Kagura's mum, "it's leftover teppanyaki from last night. We need to get rid of it."

Teppanyaki? For breakfast? I can't run on that! "Hey mum, do you mind if I made my own breakfast today? You know I need carbohydrates to run!"

"Alright dear, there's rice cakes in the cupboard. By the way, I'm going on a business trip this weekend, so I'm leaving the house to you. I've only got two rules: one, that you clean up every mess, and two, if you have a party, don't get into my weed, ok? Booze is in the cellar. Okay, bye dear. Have a great time this weekend!" Her mother was cool about leaving Kagura the house, as usual.

"Okay, mum. You have a great time too." She watched her mother drive off in a white Ford Corolla and tried not to hurl when she remembered that the Yukarimobile was the same kind of car. She ate her breakfast quickly, and at six thirty she left the house for her daily 10km run to the Kichijoji district.

As she was returning home she decided to take a different route because she was sick of all the same house in a row, so she took a left into a different street rather than a right into Sakaki's. What? I didn't expect to see Chihiro here! This must be her street… She said she lived near Sakaki!

Chihiro waved to the newcomer while she opened the front door. "Hey! Kagura! Over here!" Kagura stopped running in front of her acquaintance's house.

"What are you doing out this early in the morning?"

"I'm just going out to pick my mail. What are you doing?" Chihiro's reply was calm, almost as if she had been expecting Kagura to come running down the street.

"Well, I'm going for my daily run, and I decided not to go past Sakaki's today, so I took this street. And I was surprised to see you up so early. By the way, I'm going to have a party this weekend at my place, you're in?" Kagura wanted this party to go well, so she had to be organised.

"Um, yeah sure, why not. I mean, it's not like we've got entrance exams or anything." Kagura blushed at this – she had totally forgotten about the entrance exam in one week!

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. But come on, what's one night? You get to hang out with the Knuckleheads!"

"Um… yeah okay, sounds fun. Do I need to bring anything?"

"Just yourself. And a fun attitude. There's going to be great music like Gackt, and I'm trying to get my dad to get Boøwy there playing live. He is extremely rich, you know." Kagura loved to brag about her dad, who was always abroad with his job as Executive Tour Manager for King Records.

"Sure! I'll be there."

As she ran off into the distance, and as Chihiro was wondering what time she should arrive, Kagura turned and shouted, "I'll pick you up at 8:30 on Saturday, OK?" And with that, she was gone.