A/n: KyleEvers here, you may or may not know me from my previous story on this site, a Fire Emblem fanfic titled 'Corruption of Cornwell'. Well this time I am here writing a fan fic for a wonderful anime known as Clannad. Ever since I watched it it has become my favorite anime (this of course includes Clannad After Story). I will warn you now, if you have not watched all of the anime including After Story, there are some spoilers in here.

There are two things I wish to say before writing this. The first is the time. According to a screenshot taken from the visual novel of Clannad the story begins in 2003, thus the five year gap that occurs in After Story bringing it to 2008. This story will be operating under this assumption. ((It is important to note that this story takes place after the happy ending in After Story, not during After Story))

The second item of note is that obviously Clannad takes place in Japan(as it is stated in the anime/visual novel). I am not Japanese and never have been to Japan (sadly). I did some reading on etiqutte and culture of Japan but obviously I will make mistakes. Please overlook them or kindly point them out in a review.

Anyways, sorry for the rambling, on with the story.

Prologue: Mysterious Act of Kindness

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The sound of the rain was apparently enough to disturb one's sleep, for the sound of it hitting against the window was enough to stir up a young woman's otherwise peaceful sleep. Groaning she tossed and turned slightly, her long light purple hair splayed out across the bed. Without opening her eyes she groaned to herself.

"Gah, will you shut up already rain?" she asked, annoyance quite clear in her still tired sounding voice. She folded her pillow over her ears in an attempt to block out the sound. It however was relentless, its almost rhythmic pattern not stopping for one second. Growling, the young woman, know as Kyou Fujibayashi, sat up, the blankets once covering her entire body sliding down to her lap. Eyes half closed, Kyou sleepily looked at her surroundings. Her gaze wandering, she happened to look at the alarm clock on the night stand that was close by where she regularly set out her futon. At first the time on it didn't register in her mind, though when it did it instantly woke her up.

Jumping up into a standing position from her futon, Kyou ran over to the closet, yanking clothes out with all due possible speed. In her rush she actually started to put the clothes over her pajamas. Noticing it, Kyou growled, both at her stupidity and the delay it caused to take the clothes off, then the pajamas, then putting the clothes on again.

"Gonna be late, gonna be late," she muttered angrily to herself. The alarm must have not gone off, cause Kyou was not a heavy sleeper like some others, once a loud noise or alarm went off she was up. It was convenient, blaming the alarm clock for sleeping hours past the time she normally got up. But in the end Kyou realized it didn't matter, if she didn't hurry she would be late to her job as a kindergarten teacher. As she ran to the door Kyou realized that technically she was already late, she was suppose to be there to greet the children and their parents as they came. Now she would be lucky if she made it before class started. Surely she would be scolded for this later...

Not having time to even make a lunch for later Kyou simply grabbed the bare essentials for her class, opening the door with great force. Looking out into the scenery caused Kyou to again curse her stupidity, seeing that it was raining. Of course it would be raining! Hadn't she herself told it to shut up just a few minutes ago? Grabbing a rain jacket that hung on the wall just by the entrance, the young woman quickly descended the nearby stairs to make it from her second floor apartment to ground level. Once there Kyou seemed to almost fly as she ran towards the small yard and adjacent driveway/parking lot that the apartment residents all shared.

Kyou would later growl a third time at herself for stupidity, she should have known better then to run on the slick pavement. So it was no surprise when she slipped, hitting the pavement hard as she fell, though her quick save with her hands prevented her face from meeting the hard ground. Uttering a few choice profanities, Kyou got up again, continuing her way towards her destination. She turned her head as she came closer to the scooter she owned, yelling out into the yard area.

"Come on Botan! We gotta go now!" she bellowed. Over the pouring torrent of the rain she heard a reply of 'Gof gof!'. Kyou could still remember years ago when her precious boar would make a cute 'puhii puhii' noise. Shaking her head Kyou reminded that now was not the time to reminisce. Now where her scooter was Kyou quickly made the necessary actions to start up her vehicle.

Nothing.

Kyou did the necessary actions again, hoping, almost praying, that it was just a fluke.

Again, nothing.

Kyou screamed out in frustration, kicking the scooter in anger. Why did it have to stop working today of all days! She desperately looked around for any hope, yet she saw nothing. Most of the other residents had already left for work, taking either the mass transit systems or their own vehicles. Kyou almost was ready to cry when she felt a gentle push on her back. Turning she saw that it was Botan that had done it.

"Gof gof!" the boar grunted, slightly raising her head. Having been together for years Kyou knew immediately what her friend was trying to say.

"You want me to ride on your back?" she questioned in amazement. "B-but only little kids are small enough to ride you. I know you are big but...I don't want to hurt you Botan."

"Gof gof!" she said again, the tone of her voice seeming to get more insistent. Sighing Kyou mulled it over briefly in her head. Botan was willing, and she couldn't think of anything else she could possibly do to get to her job on time.

"All right Botan." mumbled Kyou. "But don't push yourself too hard, okay?" Climbing onto her back Kyou grabbed tightly onto her friend, she taking off the moment she had climbed on. It was amazing to see her, a boar of that size running so fast even while carrying a fully grown woman. Kyou pulled the hood of her rain jacket down as far as she could to shield her face and yet still see where they were going. Ahead of them the kindergarten teacher saw a puddle or surprising size.

"Look out Botan! There's a huge puddle ah-" She stopped suddenly her warning, seeing that the boar either did not hear it or was simply ignoring it. Kyou barely had enough time to react by burying her face into Botan's fur and using her rain jacket to shield herself and the materials she had brought along. Just as she had done so Botan ran through the puddle of muddy water, spraying it everywhere. Unwilling to bring her gaze up again and risk a spray like that making contact with anything but her raincoat, Kyou kept her face buried in Botan's fur, trusting her to know the way to school.

Her trust was well placed, for without any direction from her owner Botan went straight to the school, no deviations from the path at all they normally took. Feeling that Botan had stopped Kyou looked up. As soon as she saw that she was at the school she jumped off of Botan, running for the entrance. She stopped though when Botan made a pitiful sounding 'gof'. Looking back at Botan she saw that the boar was standing out in the rain, tired-looking and quite dirty.

"I'm sorry Botan but I can't wash you right now." said Kyou, her regret clear. Botan tried to insist with another 'gof' but his owner shook her head. "I'm sorry Botan but I'm late already as it is. I'll wash you after school okay?" Giving yet another pitiful sound Botan trudge over to her shelter that rested by the playground. Kyou turned, going into the building just barely on time.

"Bye bye sensei!" called out a small child as he left, his hand held by his mother.

"Bye bye." replied Kyou, a smile plastered on her face. As soon as the child was out of the room and out of sight Kyou sat down on a nearby stool, placing her head in her hands. This day had been a long one. First she got chewed out by the person in charge, then she had to go through the day without a breakfast or lunch. The kids also seemed especially rowdy today as well. All in all, this day sucked. Frustration building, she felt a urge to throw a dictionary at something just as she had done in her high school days. She suddenly though felt a pair of small arms try to wrap themselves around her waist from behind. Lifting her head she twisted her body seeing that it was one of her students, Ushio Okazaki. She was about to say something when another voice spoke up. Looking up Kyou would see that in the doorway to the room was Ushio's mother, Nagisa, one who had gone to school with Kyou.

"I'm so sorry Kyou-chan." apologized Nagisa. "But Ushio said you looked like you needed a hug." Looking down at Ushio, Kyou saw that her big innocent-looking eyes were filled with concern. Smiling, Kyou placed her hand on top of the young girl's head affectionately.

"I did." sighed Kyou, a soft smile beginning to creep onto her face. "Thank you Ushio, you are such a good girl." Ushio gave a soft laugh of pleasure, knowing that she had done good. The purple haired teacher stood up, walking with Ushio back to her mother and when there, with both of them to the school entrance.

"So was it a hard day Kyou-chan?" asked Nagisa, her head and gazed turned towards her old high school friend as the three of them walked forwards. Sighing, Kyou Fujibayashi nodded.

"Somehow my alarm clock didn't go off, I didn't have time to get breakfast or prepare a lunch, I was barely on time, got yelled at by the director, Just...its been a long day." complained Kyou.

After digging through a handbag she carried Nagisa held out a object towards Kyou. "Take this then, its not good to go without eating." Looking done Fujibayashi saw that it was Anpan (sweet bean bread). Kyou was touched by the fact that Nagisa was giving up one of her favorite foods to her, but Kyou couldn't take it. She had to be strong in the face of hardship. Kyou softly shook her head, a smile creeping onto her face.

"I don't need it, thanks anyways Nagisa-chan." Mrs. Okazaki though didn't withdraw the offered snack. She kept it there, her face alone proclaiming her insistence. Kyou had to admit to herself she was a little surprised, rarely was Nagisa so forward or demanding of anything. Still though Kyou wanted to remain strong and independent. She gently pushed back the offered bread and the hand that was holding it. She started to refuse again but was interrupted by a loud growling noise. It took a moment for Kyou to realize that it had been her stomach that had made the interruption.

Blushing, Kyou stammered, "D-don't listen to it!" As she said this she pointed intensely at her stomach. Kyou was in that pose a moment before she gently slapped her own forehead in embarrassment. She was acting ridiculous!

Nagisa held out the Anpan again, her insisting aided this time by Ushio gently tugging on Kyou's sleeve. Sighing, Kyou gave in to her friend, her student, and her stomach, taking the offered food. Her hunger drove her to rip open the plastic package roughly, though her mind was emberrased by her actions. Breaking off a piece Kyou stuffed it into her mouth, grateful for the food. She stopped for her chewing for a moment when she heard coming from outside a 'gof gof' muffled by the school walls.

"Oh that's right, I promised Botan I'd wash her." suddenly remembered Kyou. Her pace quickening to a brisk walk, Kyou made her way to the entrance. Nagisa and Ushio were not far behind.

"You mean you haven't washed her yet?" asked Nagisa. Strangely there seemed to be a tone of confusion in Nagisa's voice. This caused Kyou to stop and turn around towards Nagisa.

"No I haven't, why do you ask?" inquired Kyou.

"W-well um...She's already clean." muttered Nagisa. Somewhat surprised by what Nagisa said, Kyou coughed, having started to choke on a piece of the Anpan. After she successfully cleared her throat Kyou peered into the outdoors, framed by the small window on the door. Just as her friend had said Botan was perfectly clean and perfectly dry, sitting under the overhang and sighing happily. At first Kyou was confused as to who had done it, then she had a good guess in her mind as she turned once again back to her friend.

"Thanks Nagisa." said Kyou, appreciative to her friend. That gratitude was cut short though by a soft shaking of the head on Nagisa's part.

"I'm glad you think so highly of me Kyou-chan that you think I had done it," began Nagisa. "But I didn't do it...She was clean when I got here." Now utterly confused Kyou looked back at the content Botan, wondering who had done the mysterious act of kindness.

A/n: Well I hope this has piqued your interest, whomever you are. As a side note I am currently looking for a Beta Reader to review my chapters before I publish them publicly. Mainly I'm looking for anyone who can spot my various grammar and spelling errors. It would be awesome though if the Beta reader has seen/read/played Clannad so they can help me keep the characters' personalities accurate. Thank you again for reading this far, I will post the next chapter as soon as possible, whenever that is.