Off To Disneyland!
The Arrival
Author's Note: I brainstormed this idea during English class. I love both Disneyland and Azumanga Daioh so I decided to put them together in one funny adventure which I hope you'll enjoy.
Yes, I know what you're thinking-I still have two unfinished Azu fics and now I release another one, well I promise I'll keep my focus on finishing all three
I would like to note, the Azumanga characters are now adults and there are Azuchildren present. Namely Funari's Koyomiko for Tomo and Yomi and my Kaida for Sakaki and Kagura. If you don't know who Kaida is, please check the link in my profile/bio.
Story Note: Words bolded like this mean the characters are speaking in English
There is slight use of Japanese words/honorifics concerning Koyomiko's use of them with Yomi and Osaka
'Kaa-san' means mother and 'Ba-chan' means aunt as Osaka is like one to Koyomiko
Now we can proceed…ENJOY!
Tomo couldn't wait.
She really couldn't wait.
Neither could Kagura. They both were completely excited.
Why?
Because they were going to Disneyland…in America.
"Mama, where are we going?" asked a child's voice.
"I told you Koyomiko, we're going to Disneyland!" Tomo replied in a energetic tone, nearly bouncing in her seat.
"Gee, would you look at yourselves?" Yomi muttered. "You two are acting more excited than the children and the plane isn't even here yet!"
Indeed the Takino-Mizuharas and Sakaki-Kaguras were still inside the Tokyo airport, waiting for their plane to America to arrive. Osaka was there as well, apparently coming along for the trip too.
"I just can't help it!" Tomo grinned then turned to the tanned woman sitting nearby. "Kagura, we must thank you for allowing us to be part of this trip!"
"…No problem…" Kagura grinned awkwardly. "Uhh…you really should thank Chiyo instead though, she's the one with the idea in first place."
The story behind this is, Chiyo had become a good friend to both Sakaki and Kagura after graduation and through their parenthood so she still had kept in touch with them for all these years despite being far away in America. One day few weeks ago, she decided a get together, specifically at Disneyland in California where she thought they could have some fun and called Kagura up on this. As summer was coming up, it was a good time as any so they agreed with it.
Then Kagura, unable to keep it quiet, spoke of it to Osaka whom was a teacher at the same school as her. It then led from there, Osaka being a good family friend of Tomo and Yomi's, told the news to them. Being the persuasive sort Tomo is, she then met with Kagura and talked her into joining the party. Fortunately Chiyo was fine with the idea, in fact she saw it as a great opportunity for a real reunion of friends. The rest is history.
"Mama, what's Disneyland?" Koyomiko inquired curiously.
"What's Disneyland?" Tomo leaned forward. "Why it's like Magical Land, but much bigger and even better!"
"Wow!" Koyomiko gasped then began jumping up and down excitedly. "I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!"
"Now Koyomiko…" Yomi chuckled as she held the bouncing girl on her lap.
Tomo then glanced over to where another girl wearing a light blue, cat-eared cap over her black, spiky hair sat between Kagura and Sakaki. She didn't seem at all pumped for the trip as she was distractedly picking at the laces on her shoes.
"What's with your daughter?" Tomo said. "She's a kid, she should be just as excited!"
Kagura stared at her for a moment then shrugged, smiling softly. "I guess she gets her disposition from Sakaki."
"Must be nice to have a child that isn't a total wildcat," Yomi said quietly.
"What was that, Kaa-san?" Koyomiko looked up at her mother.
"Nothing honey," Yomi smiled sweetly, stroking her hair. "Just saying."
Sakaki looked over the group then heard a meow and bent down to the white carrier beside her. Mayaa, her Iriomote cat friend, waited inside.
"Mayaa," she spoke to him gently, sticking her finger through the wire for him to paw at.
She had not wanted to leave him behind so she had asked Chiyo if it was possible to bring him along. Chiyo replied that she had found a good hotel close by where he was okay to stay at, the news which Sakaki was ecstatic to hear. However, Mayaa did not seem happy at the idea of being cooped up in the little cage, so she did the best to soothe him.
"Mayaa doesn't like the cage," Kaida said suddenly.
Sakaki looked up to her and nodded lightly.
"Ba-chan, are you excited too?" the young bespectacled girl turned to Osaka whom had been staring off into space for some time.
She turned slowly to her, raising a finger to her chin in thought.
"Maybe."
"Kaida," Tomo said sternly, the girl turned to her with a confused expression.
She then pointed at her, frowning. "You are a disappointment."
"Huh?" Kaida blinked then clutched at Kagura's arm shyly.
"Hey, look!" Kagura gasped. "Our plane's here!"
She was right, it was just coming in and the entrance was being prepared. After the passengers from their previous locations had exited; Kagura and Tomo glanced at each other, grinning.
In moments, they both darted away, remembering to pass along their tickets as they ran in.
"Mama!" Koyomiko yelled out after her, waving her arms. "Wait!"
"…Still the same…" Yomi sighed while Sakaki could only stare after them. "Come on, we'd better get going."
Once inside the plane, Kagura got to her seats first, sitting next to the window.
"Hah!" she laughed, sticking out her tongue playfully at Tomo whom came up a second later
"Oh…" Tomo frowned then turned to the other side only to see Yomi was already sitting down next to the window as well while Koyomiko sat in the middle. "What??"
Yomi then glared up at her. "Honestly, grow up a little."
As Sakaki and Kaida came up, the girl made a comment about being closer to the window seat and so places were switched…Sakaki ended up getting the window seat for some reason. The tall woman looked at Mayaa's cage and put him down safely on the floor, under the chair.
Osaka walked in and looked around blankly then took to the seats in front of the Takino-Mizuharas, sitting next to a man in his work clothes. He was checking his laptop case.
She turned to him slowly, greeting him. "Hello."
The man cleared his throat, nodding and Osaka turned back. Little did he know, he was in for a interesting ride…
"People, please buckle yourselves in…" spoke the voice on intercom as the flight attendant showed the proper way.
"Mama, what's it like riding in an airplane?" Koyomiko asked bit nervously as Yomi buckled her in.
"What's it like?" Tomo replied, her eyes lit up. "Only the most awesome experience ever!"
"She's right," Kagura leant over. "It's awesome!"
"Remember our first time?" Tomo smiled at Yomi, pointing her thumb to Kagura.
"Only too well…" Yomi muttered.
"Man, this thing can fly, it really can fly!" Kagura sighed ecstatically. "The take-off is just like…whoosh!"
Soon the plane began rumbling as it prepared for the take-off.
"Commence lift-off!" Tomo shouted and both women began counting down. "10...9...8..."
"Whee!" Koyomiko joined in. "…7...6...5..."
Kaida said nothing, only bit too flustered by the way her mom was acting. She'd seen her excited before, but definitely not this excited…
Mayaa let out a fearful yowl.
"…LIFT OFF!!"
Soon the plane was up and air and flying smoothly through the clear blue sky.
"Whoo…" Kagura then ruffled Kaida's cap. "Wasn't that fun?"
Her daughter remained silent.
"Yay Mama!" Koyomiko shot her arms upward happily, mimicking her parent.
Mayaa was now meowing louder than ever, rattling the cage. Sakaki looked down to him unsurely as she felt eyes upon her.
"Uhh…sorry…I don't know what to do…" she stammered, looking around.
Kaida looked down to it and asked quietly. "Do we let him out?"
"No, we can't" Sakaki shook her head.
As an attempt to quiet him, Sakaki pulled out a cloth from her bag and put it over the cage. The sounds still went on, but they were now muffled and bearable.
Osaka then turned back to the man beside her. "You know, I've always wondered…"
Soon the plane was nearing its destination as the sun now set down into a golden glow over the ocean. Kaida looked between her parents whom were now sleeping while Tomo was watching over Koyomiko's shoulders as she doodled on some papers. Yomi was reading a book, deeply immersed in it. Osaka went on with her lengthy conservation of her musings while the man was nearing a breakdown every second she spoke.
Kaida then looked down at the covered carrier where Mayaa's cries had now faded away.
'I think it'll be okay to let him out now,' Kaida guessed in thought and bent down to it, lifting off the cover. The cat opened his eyes sleepily as new light shone on him.
"Mayaa," Kaida greeted him politely and unlatched the door, allowing him to walk out.
He unsteadily stepped about the floor then froze up as he now remembered where he was. Before Kaida could go to comfort him, he gave a loud hiss and frantically pounced about the cubicle in a frenzy. The whole passenger level was alerted to his panic and Sakaki bolted awake.
"Mayaa?"
"Mayaa!"
Mayaa then jumped over to the other side, scattering Koyomiko's papers and crayons and freaking out Yomi to the point of a shrill scream. That only excited him even more, leaping onto and off Osaka's head. Osaka never noticed.
"Mayaa," Sakaki called to him, spreading her arms.
Still nerve-wrecked; he leapt onto Sakaki's head, digging his claws in.
"Owowow!" Sakaki gasped, trying to pull him off. "Mayaa, please!"
Kagura was just coming out of her sleep daze, rubbing her eyes. "Sakaki?"
She soon snapped out of it once she saw what was going on.
"Sakaki!" she gasped, reaching out for the panicked cat.
She eventually got him off and Sakaki held him close as he squirmed. "Mayaa, it's all right…"
Soon a man in a pilot uniform burst in, demanding. "Were we being hijacked? Is there a terrorist aboard?"
"N-no…" Sakaki timidly answered, stroking Mayaa. "…A kitty got out…"
Finally, the airplane landed in the country of America, in the state of California. As it did, the man whom had been subject to Osaka's conversations ran out screaming: "GET ME OFF THIS THING, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
Osaka then turned to her friends with an oblivious stare. "Was it something I said?"
As soon as they left the platform, they were taken aback by the new sights.
"Wow, I've never seen so many Americans in one place!" Tomo gasped.
"I wonder if we can find Chiyo?" Kagura looked around.
"We better stay close together," Yomi suggested and the group was in agreement.
As they moved further on, they were confronted by a couple of men in uniform, clearly the airport security. However, they couldn't understand clearly what they were saying.
"Blah Blah Blah?" asked a broad-shouldered man. "Your passports?"
"Uhh…uhh…" Kagura stammered, glancing back. "I…I…"
It had been too long of a time since they had learned some English, so they had completely forgotten most of it much to their dismay. Poor Kagura was finding this most difficult to deal with as it immediately brought back awkward memories of the 'foreigner incident'.
"I…" she gasped.
"Wait!" called a new voice. "I know those people!"
They turned to see a young woman with short orange hair running towards them. She seemed familiar…
"Aunt Chiyo!" Kaida called out in recognition as she ran over to her, wrapping her arms around the woman's torso.
"Kaida!" Chiyo smiled, petting her head then turned to the guards.
"These people are my friends from Japan, they do not understand English," she explained to them. "I will talk for them."
After they got through that bit of business and picked up their bags, they walked out of the airport; chatting and recounting their times together in the past.
"You really sure have changed a lot, Chiyo!"
"I know…"
"I see you got rid of your evil pigtails…"
"Uh…ok…"
"But you're still short as ever!"
"Heh…right…"
"What is America like?"
"It's a nice place, but you know I still miss Japan…"
"How is Mr. Tadakichi?"
There was silence.
"Oh…I'm sorry…" Sakaki blushed guiltily.
"It's okay…" Chiyo smiled gently then pointed to a large silver van. "Well, here we are."
"Nice ride!" Tomo admired the interior. "This yours?"
"Actually it's a rental," Chiyo replied, getting into the driver's seat.
"Chiyo-chan, why is the wheel on the other side?" Koyomiko asked, pointing.
"It's because in America the roads travel in opposite ways compared to Japan's roads," Chiyo answered.
"Opposite, eh?" Tomo chuckled. "Yukari wouldn't have a problem here then!"
At that comment, Chiyo turned pale and fixed the overhead mirror anxiously.
When everybody had packed their bags and seated themselves, Chiyo drove them over to the hotel they were to stay at.
They arrived shortly enough with no problems as Chiyo was a responsible driver. Tomo and Kagura popped out first with their daughters on their backs. They looked at the entrance then at each other. On a silent command, they raced for it. Koyomiko cheered while Kaida just held on tightly, fearing for her life.
"I'm so glad we got to be together again," Chiyo sighed, looking at the other three girls. "How was your plane ride?"
"It was pretty okay," Yomi shrugged.
"I had a nice chat," Osaka gave her usual open-mouth smile.
Sakaki nodded as she cradled a content Mayaa in her arms.
It was then in the light of the nearby lamps, Chiyo noticed the red cat scratches on Sakaki's cheek.
"…What happened?"
"…Nothing…" Sakaki mumbled as she raised a hand to her face, covering the cuts.
After Chiyo had picked up the room pass keys, she led them up to a room just up the stairs. The room was big enough for all them but there were only two beds meaning that Chiyo and Osaka would have to sleep on the floor while each family got their pick of the bed.
"Do we go to Disneyland now?" Koyomiko asked, stifling a yawn.
"No Koyomiko," Yomi sighed, tucking her in. "It's late at night, we'll go tomorrow morning."
Tomo then sat down beside her. "That's when we get to have some fun, yeah!"
Koyomiko returned the thumbs-up. "Yay!"
Meanwhile Kagura stood near the balcony as she held Kaida in her arms and Sakaki stood by. Then there was a far-off of explosion and they turned their gaze to the dark sky where fireworks of brilliant colors now flowered. In the light, they could see the giant castle of Disneyland.
"Wow!" Kagura awed at the sight. "It's so amazing! Isn't it, Kaida?"
Kaida nodded tiredly, leaning her head against her mom's shoulder.
"It's pretty!" Koyomiko commented.
"Don't trust it…them alien signals…" Osaka muttered. That comment was ignored.
"Just wait till you see it close-up tomorrow night," Chiyo smiled as she turned out the lamp.
"Tomorrow…we have an adventure at one of the Earth's happiest places!" Tomo declared before they turned in for the night.